Model Railway Forum

This vehicle a particular favourite of mine is an Opel Blitz fitted with a gas converter, the black vertical cylinder behind the cab.
Coal or wood chips were heated to produce a gas which was fed through a radiator at the front of the truck to cool it then into a storage tank and finally into the engine via the carb.
It only produced about 40% of the power petrol would. It was introduced by the German Army at the end of the war due to a shortage of petrol.
She is seen in the yard at Two Sister’s waiting to start the days work.



Peter M

Some eccentric locos and great scenic details in this layout.

Fantastic layout and rolling stock! Some fertile imagination has gone into that, great job.

Thanks gents your comments are much appreciated by this old git.

Kind regards Peter M

One of the advantages of freelancing is being able to make your own rules, and in my case I try to make things that are probably unlikely but still believable. The biggest plus at exhibitions is no one says in a very loud voice, “I think you’ll find the mark 3 had a bracket and two bolts there.”








Some Britain's bales of hay which will be delivered to the extensive pig sties by the Davenport, on the Nocton estate (the model is loosely based on the Nocton estate railway) a two foot gauge track ran down the centre of the pig sties. As it did down the centre of the large greenhouse which was a quarter of a mile long on the Nocton estate.
This modified Bachmann On30 loco although it only has four wheels runs superbly over the dead frog points.




A view taken standing under the bridge as a Simplex rumbles towards the camera as it sets off for another day in the fields.

Peter M
 

This shot taken outside the engine shed shows the wooden bodied Simplex ticking over. Over a period of time the exhaust has discoloured the canvas cab side which flaps about as the machine proceeds along the track.
The oil drums are Tamiya 1/35 scale military items kit which came with Gerry cans, large drums and buckets. They are mounted on a stand made of balsa and wire.
 


The Simplex is still idling and waiting for its next assignment, but now Tilly has arrived from doing a job repairing some damaged fencing.



The Simplex sets off at last to collect some wagons that have been loaded the previous day. She is seen passing the small water tower made from odds and ends from the spares box and the balsa foreman's hut.



The Simplex has disappeared under the bridge affording a better view of the no longer used horse drawn implement under the tree. This came from a German Army field kitchen set made by Tamiya.



The owner's brother is seen admiring the crop of tomatoes growing in the long greenhouse. This cash crop makes a valuable addition the estate's finances and after harvesting the old plants are ploughed in as green manure.
The figure is a 1/32 scale Airfix Track Officials and Spectators set of motor racing figures, now made by MRRC.

Peter M

I was asked on another forum to take a few close ups of the wooden bodied Simplex, these only serve to show up its faults really.
So I used the opportunity to clean the track and wheels of the locos and stock and generally test the layout ready for its next outing.











Peter M

A few pictures taken at Beacon-Rail 2015 exhibition some time ago, an enjoyable small show where we were sadly the only narrow gauge exhibit.













Peter M

I have been given a disc of photographs taken by my fellow operator Andy Knott some years ago, here are a few hopefully not seen before.











Peter M

Cor, that chicken is bigger than my rottie!