Category: News

I realised a few days ago that it has been a while since I’ve written a post. Here’s a bit of an update for those who do not follow us on social media.

Nantlle Valley Wagon Works have built an excellent example of our Ffestiniog Railway Early Brake Van Kit. He has made some slight changes to the kit, using a different handrail and added some additional details.

We have also been to Statfold Barn Model Railway Show at the beginning of April which was quite a successful event. It was nice to chat with previous customers and to new ones.

We have almost finalised out next kit to be released. Which is the Ffestiniog Railway’s 4 Ton Goods Van, “Van 99”. As much as it bugs me that 99 is a post-preservation number, not many people will know it as “Van 116” ! So to avoid confusion, it is being called Van 99.

We will also be in attendance at the Llangollen Garden Railway Show with a trade stand. The current plan is to release the Van 99 kit at the Llangollen Show. (www.https://www.lgrf.co.uk/)

Something which I have been keeping an eye out for is a Vacuuform machine. After a few years of patiently searching for one at a reasonable price. A few weeks ago I managed to find one. Needs some repair work, but it is mostly in good condition. It just need some tidying up and minor repairs. This now opens up a whole load of kits that I’ve been meaning to produce, but unable to due to their design.

The break over Christmas and New Years has been quite a productive one so far. Christmas day was spent developing a Not-Sentry Box brake van. This is based on what the FRs Sentry Box van would have looked like prior to the iconic “Sentry Box” was added on the balcony, giving the van it’s nickname. The vans were originally built as brake vehicles for the Birmingham Carriages that were ordered in the 1880s. The vans were used as the brake vehicle for passenger gravity trains. Less than a handful of these vans were constructed, with none surviving after the introduction of the Brown Marshall/Boston Lodge built “Curly Roof Vans”.

Van No3, The Ffestiniog Railway’s replica was measured and photographed before Christmas and on Christmas day, fuelled by turkey and mince pies. I drew up the replica. The parts were laser cut om the evening and glued together. Sealed with wood sealer then sprayed with Halfords red oxide, I was quite pleased with the result! It has 24mm Binnie Engineering wheels on 3mm steel axles and some HJE brass bearings.

Over Christmas, I also took the time to develop some more products. The sentry box was a good excuse to get these finalised.

As shown in the image above, I designed and printed some FR goods couplings and the handbrake for the balcony of the Not-Sentry Box brake van.

Over Christmas, I also took the opportunity to design and produce a FR 4 ton Van. There about a dozen vans originally on the FR, with only 2 surviving into preservation. This coupling is specifically designed for this and some other kits that are in development.

All the kits and products mentioned above will be released in the first half of 2022.

Finally, during the annual steam up at the Wigfa & Llanrwst Light Railway, I managed to get this photo of Tim Wilkinson’s Linda. I had repaired the motion, converted it to Manual, modified the tender-loco drawbar, added chopper couplings, made the tender cab and made the tender oil tank for this loco a few months ago. I think it looks rather good!