Its been nearly 12 months since the first signs of what became the BLR started to appear initially in my bedroom. 4 Months later, it moved outside with a semi permanent route laid roughly around the garden. But what of the future of the route and its stock.
The BLR itself
Hopefully the route will continue to expand over the coming months with plans to purchase more trackwork, larger radius curves and addition points for extra siding space. There's also talk of a eventual permanent running line alongside one side of the house but this can only happen once the fence it would run alongside has been replaced and once the current stock additions have been completed/sufficient funds raised.
Since work started, it was decided that all trains would either be live steam or battery electric. However, this brings its own disadvantages. Live steam engines aren't the cheapest things to purchase/maintain while battery electrics are normally either kits, scratch built or converted DC/DCC models which depending on the model chosen, can either be easy to make or convert while others can be near impossible for someone of my skill level. So, a few days ago I purchased a new Bachmann G scale controller split from a train set which should with the relavent connectors and assiocated wiring should allow a greater variaty of engines to run on the line.
Motive Power
Although the line will remain predominately Livesteam/Battery powered, there are plans for newer Bachmann/LGB track powered engines to be purchased for the route with one or two already on thier way for use on the route due to arrive over the coming months.
'Leader' has been the only engine that has run with a train of any length over the route in its many forms and has managed them with ease. Hopefully with further additions of rolling stock, the engine's capilbilities will be tested to show just how powerful the unit is. Eventually, there are plans to purchase addition steam engines to run with Leader with the current trio being consideed a Accucraft Ragleth, a Roundhouse Bertie or a Mamod.
Accucraft Ragleth (Image Copyright Accucraft UK)
'Vale of Ffestiniog' has only ever run on its own over the route but even that hasn't been without its problems. Due to its construction, it weights nothing at all compared to a basic LGB model. Although once wieghted down its a very effective engine, the fact that I've lost the rest of the kit by accident means that it will remain uncompleted and therefore unused for the forseeable future.
Due to the lack of a working battery electric engine for the forseeable future, plans are to purchase a one or two from the IP Engineering range of kits. At the moment, the two perfered engines are:-
A Ezee Range Rapier (Image copyright IP Engineering)
A 'Fenor'/Simplex Diesel Kit (Image copyright IP Engineering)
Both these kits are perfect for what is needed to work the route when I just want to run something quickly or when I just want to watch the train go round instead of 'Leader'.
Rolling Stock
At the time of writing, the line has 3 coaches, 7 various wagons and 2 brake vans from 4 different manufacters. Although there are plans to expand on the selection available, a element of standardisation is needed to stop things getting out of control.
The line's current coaches are from the IP Engineering LSB and NWNGR ranges. Although I am a big fan of the WHR/FR, there isn't a need for a long line of coaches to run on the line like there is for Blaencwm. As such, there are plans for the purchase of just 3 more coaches for the line. 2 of there will be based on FR/WHR prototypes and the third a Brake coach from the LSB range to complete two 3 coach sets.
LSB Brake Coach (Image copyright IP Engineering)
As a general rule, on narrow gauge lines there is more wagons than any other type of rolling stock on the line. A rule I plan to maintain. At the moment, there are plans for 2 distintive sets. 1 British and 1 continental. The British set will be formed of entirely Accucraft or IP Engineering items. Currently, there are plans for a W&LLR Brake Van and additional L&BR 4w wagons to run with the others aready owned as part of the British set. The continental set is to run unchanged apart from the coupling change mentioned below.
Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway Brake Van (Image Copyright Accucraft UK)
At the moment, there are three main types of coupling in use. Accucraft chopper couplings, 3 link chains and LGB Hook & loop couplings. Fortunately, due to the design of the Accucraft couplings, all of the British outline rolling stock is complatible with each other. Currently, there are plans to convert all the LGB rolling stock to having a IP Engineering designed equivient on one end of the unit with a LGB standard unit on the other end to make things easier to run with the kit built and live steam engines.
Quite a long post there but as usual, all changes and new additons will be fully mentioned on the blog.
Until next time,
Jon
