Simon Wood

More Steam

Oops. I seem to have bought another live steam locomotive. I really wasn’t intending to. Continue reading More Steam

Another update from this Summer: As well as getting plates for No 1 Gannet I commissioned name plates from Narrow Planet for the Roundhouse Millie, so she is now named Chough, after another local bird I am always happy to see*. Continue reading No 2 Chough

No 1 Gannet

While Summer is for getting outside and building, the clocks going back mean the unwelcome end of daylight evenings, but also a chance to catch up on blogging. I’m not only behind a progress update on the permanent way – but also on rolling stock. So here’s a look at Moel Rhos’ loco No 1, which now has a name and a driver and some details. Continue reading No 1 Gannet

Building Bridges (1)

I’m a bit behind with reporting progress on Phase 2 but here’s the first bridge: a simple lifting bridge that, at around 9″ above ground, can easily be stepped over during running sessions but can be lifted completely out of the way to use the garden at other times. Continue reading Building Bridges (1)

Gone Visitin’

Last month, stock from Moel Rhos (the Millie and half a dozen small wagons) paid its first visit to another private railway. The Brockhampton & Umbridge Railway is a superbly detailed railway in a beautiful setting, populated by some incredibly fine modelled stock. Continue reading Gone Visitin’

Phase 2

I’d already a plan in my head for ‘Phase 2’ of the Moel Rhos Railway – to reach the shed. So that’s the goal for this summer. Continue reading Phase 2

Get Chuffed

I’d already bought some bling to accessorise my Millie, but the first real upgrade required some surgery: fitting a chuff pipe to get that chuffing sound. Continue reading Get Chuffed

Twice the Momentum

One of the less desirable characteristics of small live steam locomotives is that they hurtle out of the starting gate, and even if you manage a light enough touch on the regulator to run them slow, they stall on the curves. Continue reading Twice the Momentum

Bling for the Millie

I have been buying some accessories to make my Millie look even lovelier. Continue reading Bling for the Millie

One Year On

It’s (just over) a year since I started work on Phase 1 so I thought I’d revisit my site survey photos in a ‘then and now’ fashion Continue reading One Year On