Leighton Buzzard

Took a trip to Leighton Buzzard on Sunday...

Caught the 12.20, diesel hauled service to Stonehenge works and back. This is an unusual railway, mostly used by locals it seemed, and one which is hemmed in by houses for much of its route (even more to follow should housing plans come to fruition). The fields second is pleasant but not fantastic. The highlight has to be the numerous road crossings, controlled by two blokes with red flags, who jump off the train prior to the crossing and then get back on afterwards. This makes the journey somewhat stop-start.

Our journey was behind the big blue (ex Channel Tunnel?) diesel below.

At the Leighton Buzzard (Page's Park) end, there is a large engine shed (with a public walkway around the back for viewing purposes), a decent shop and a cafe. Parking is plentiful and free.



at the other end is the works, with much going on and a few displays to look at plus a small crafts and drinks shop.


Thomas and I went looking for other locos and found this little lot...


Including this beauty! 590 anyone?

So, on our scale it scored 42%, the same as the Corris. 17th out of 23. Worth a look, certainly.

Colin

Weekend report

A couple of railways were visited this weekend. First up is the extraordinary Steeple Grange Light Railway...


which features some odd points!

The staff were very friendly, and it's a nice little railway which goes a fair length for a cheap fare (£1.50 return) and up some serious gradients. They have a nice running shed, a little shop and even a small branch line that they take waiting passengers on whilst they wait for the 'main line' train. No steam though, publicity is poor (except for media coverage of a dispute with e.on electricity) and parking is a side of road job. There is also an odd squeeze through a gatepost to get in which would be hard for a pregnant lady or anyone of a larger than average waist size. The rolling stock is basic (miners' manriders) and the trip is mainly through woods to the middle of nowhere. Thus it doesn't score very well, which is a shame as we had a lovely hour or so there. 23%

Today we went on the Rudyard Lake Railway. Rudyard sports a tidy little station with its own footbridge and seasonal planting.

There were 3 steam engines in steam, all very similar and built for the Exmoor Steam Railway.

The trip along the lake was lovely, with nice views and a decent length. There was a festival on at the Dam, where we had a nice cup of tea. Overall 47%, just short of Kirklees, which feels about right as the facilities (shop, cafe etc) are better at Kirklees.

Oh and I did some wiring underneath the board with all the action (4 point motors)... Note the DCC points decoder (gaugemaster) installed and the DCC bus (two household copper wires [red and black] stripped in a few places). All wires have been soldered to their 'home' be it a feed, point motor etc) and a series of chop blocks have been glued on ready. All wires have had their ends stripped, so when the chop blocks are solid, wiring can be completed quite quickly.

I expect to staple the main bus wires to the board. That is if I can repair the netto nail gun!

and also gave the KMX tamper container a second coat of primer, added a polyfilla bank near the steps from the car park, painted rocks where they had been missed from the other side, added foliage to the walls to cover gaps and tone the stones down and a few other minor jobs.

Colin

Graduation

Yesterday my brother graduated from Bristol University with a 2.1 MEng in Civil Engineering. We had a great day out!

In Dad's studio, sits my WHR saloon 2043, which we sprayed with primer this weekend and a Merchant Navy tender in O gauge - quite a size difference! This is the first etched carriage I had constructed which has got as far as primer.

Dad had some BR Crimson in stock - is this close enough to FR/WHR 'Mercedes' Red?

We also visited Toddington.
For the North Gloucestershire narrow gauge railway. This has recently been extended and we hadn't been on the extra bit. You stop off halfway for a shed and signal box tour. Here well tank 'Justine' is on display.

We had a diesel though. The railway suffers from very little in the way of views - yes you can sort of see the mainline diesels, but there's too much greenery around to see much else. The cafe was unusually disappointing, and short lines like this also suffer in the scoring due to their timetable, number of locos in steam and carriages. Overall, the railway scored 33%, placing it pretty much on par with the Golden Valley at Butterley and the Amerton railway and I suppose that kind of fits as they are similar lines.

Colin

Norfolk break

On a break from the recent pattern of holidays to North Wales, we spent a week in Norfolk and visited a few places (railways) of interest:

First up is the Wells and Walsingham Railway (10 1/4 inch gauge and apparently the longest such railway in the world). Using my usual scoring system this scored 39%, placing it slightly better than the Amerton Railway but not quite as good as the Corris. The railway suffers from a small loco stud, terrible facilities and a terminus at Walsingham some distance from the village and indeed the car park. The Garratt was nice though! Below is also a moderate attempt at a Leek and Manifold carriage...

At Bressingham we had a great day out with 3 railways operating. Two miniatures and a 2 foot line too. All set is gorgeous gardens - fantastic. Overall it scored 51%, let down only by the lack of intermediate attractors, views etc that such a self contained site brings.

In the museum area I found this 16mm model of NWNGRlys brake No.1 or 2. Very nice.

Now the North Norfolk railway isn't narrow gauge, so it doesn't get a score, but we had a great time, the engine and stock was very well turned out and the stations were immaculate. The below view wasn't bad either.

But back to smaller things - the Bure Valley, which scores a superb 65%, up there with the Bala Lake! It sports super facilities and a great selection of engines. It does lose points however for the trip, which is ok, but not greatly inspiring and the consequent lack of intermediate attractions/views means it drops points.

Colin

Better than the best?

So come 2009, how will the WHR score? I think it will improve on:
- cafe/shop
- attractions
- walks

Conservatively scoring those extras brings it to...............78%

Which is enough to draw the first position with the FR! Roll on 2009...

Colin

1st - The Ffestiniog Railway

With a class leading 78%, the FR is streets ahead at the moment. The loco variety, year round running, super views of sea, river, slate, forests and mountains and on board service mean its the country's premier line.

It could be better on kids facilities, some views are now lost to tree growth and the top of the line needs finishing really. The cafe at Harbour is too small (expecially when the WHR opens next year), but where else can you sip Purple Moose either next to an original engine in the bar on indeed by bottle on the train?

Plenty of other FR images from my hols are available here:

http://colin-lea.fotopic.net/c1518744.html

Colin

2nd - Talyllyn

Pipping the Welsh Highland (C) by just 2% is the Talyllyn. It scores well throughout but is still 7% behind the winner (revealed later).

Kids facilities are pretty good - books/jigsaws in the cafe at Wharf plus a super slide (see image) and play area at Abergynolwyn. It runs a decent timetable for most of the year, has 7 steam locos, a decent run with nice views, good walks, a museum/cafe/shop complex at Wharf etc. I do think the essence of the place has altered recently - Wharf no longer has that special feel - and the engines are going through a repainting phase that will please some and horrify others...

But all in all it's a super railway and that's why it scores 71%. How could it improve - on board service is one...

3rd - WHR (Caernarfon)

Narrowly beaten to 3rd place in the WHR(C) - how many of you expected it to be an FR 1-2??

The railway is of course wonderful, but it's let down by the lack of facilities for kids or indeed facilities at all at stations and it doesn't have a cafe so scores 0/5 on that one.

Overall 69% way ahead of Bala at 61%.

I have also calculated a proposed score when complete at Easter next year and will reveal that at the end of this top 10 countdown.... Of course it will then have a cafe!

Colin

4th - Bala Lake

Any railway where you get a footplate ride is high up in my scores! A lovely ride along the lake, nice carriages, a good shop/cafe and plenty of free parking.

It loses out on loco variety, facilities for kids and intermediate attractions. Otherwise a lovely little line.

61%

Colin

5th Llanberis Lake

The Llanberis Lake railway is a pretty ride along the lake, has a good shop and cafe and links nicely to the free Welsh Slate Museum and Padarn Country Park. The staff we had interaction with were unfriendly and somewhat 'business like' - telling us to hurry up with shop purchases as the shop closed, just 5 mins after the train got back. The guard was also grumpy, although the driver was a top bloke - taking the first image from his cab!

Overall it scores 60%

Colin

6th - Fairbourne

The Fairbourne - ex playground of the popstar keyboard player John Ellerton (he who nearly built a miniature railway on the WHR trackbed).

We had a nice trip - the people were friendly, it's good for kids (G scale railway and small animal display), plus a top cafe and shop. The engine variety is good (Darjeeling, NWNG, L+B etc) and trains run regularly. However the line is somewhat boring for 90% of its length - mainly looking at sea defences and a road, before the final 10% which is lovely - a cracking view of Barmouth and the estuary. We got the observation coach but it suffered from too few windows and got a bit warm to say the least!

Overall 58%

Colin

7th WHR (Porthmadog)

We have obviously visited this line quite a few times over the past few years, this time for the 'Hunslet: generations' gala. Thomas loved the miniature railway, the diesel you can make sounds on (badco I think), being on the footplate whilst I drove Gelert, climbing on board Karen in the sheds etc

The 'freight' trains on phase 4 were also fun, especially as they seemed to be matching the main line train for speed (first image), which made quite a sight. To cap it all off I bought a paper 4mm scale model of Russell (nice) and we even got a takeaway cup of tea for the car. Pretty cool.

But as an attraction, it suffers from it short length (roll on 2009) and one engine in steam operation along with the relatively uninteresting flatlands of the Traeth. 52% and hot on the heels of the next 3 in my top 10. With an extension to Pont Croesor I think it might get to 58%.

The massive Lyd2 diesels (last image) need a bigger playground!

It scored full marks for the shop and 3 extra points for a super gala to include the extras mentioned at the top of this post.