I've done away with an opening picture, as the same one appeared on all previous posts each time I changed it.
Instead I'll post an occasional picture with a narrow gauge theme, to inject a bit of interest into the blog. They wont have captions, but I'll identify them in the following post.
For this post we have the following. Obviously French, and now long gone. Any ideas?

At the Hermon show last week, we did have one minor glitch - our commercial locomotive 'Rosie' ran for most of the morning non-stop on the Dyffryn Y Tyllau layout, but for some unknown reason decided to throw in the towel, and refused to go any further:

Colin happened along for the afternoon session, and took Rosie home with him to investigate.


Chufferduffers met at Colins on Tuesday, and I'm now happy to report that after some intensive operations and medical care in the Herrington Hospital for Sickly Steam Engines (pictured below)

Rosie was declared fit and well and able to return to duties. Colin had set up his small branch terminal and was able to give a short demonstration of Rosie's performance.
Here she is push-pulling a short train of Festiniog style coaches.

Whilst at Colins I noticed one of his scratch built locos that I don't think has been seen on the blog.
Sporting rather spiffy name-plates here is 'CNWCE'

With Hermon under our belts, the exhibition circuit is over for 2017, so all the layouts have been stacked away in a corner of the garage, some waiting to go to Peter Towns new shed, which will house the Cardi-Bach museum, and hopefully a permanent home for the associated layouts.
Here they are neatly stored:

Next year we hope to resurrect the 'Teifi Gorge' quarry layout, so to that end I moved all the boxed boards up into the workshop and erected the layout ready for overhaul and additional work at the next Chuffers meeting, hopefully next Tuesday.

Annie, my wife, was not too happy about the appearance of the backscene, so yesterday that was given bit of a makeover. Many thanks, Annie!

Two blog posts in one week... I'm spoiling you.

Hwyl,
Shaun.

COLINS IN PRINT!!

Several weeks ago Colin penned an article on constructing narrow guage locomotives from scratch, and sent it off to the 009 Society Journal - they duly published it in the December edition - not only published it, but put one of Colins photos on the front cover!

 

The picture is a lot clearer than shown here, as this is a photo of a photocopy. Two page article inside with lots more pictures.
Unfortunately the Monthly magazine is only available to members of the 009 Society, but the exquisite little engines can be seen on our Teifi Gorge layout, when we exhibit it at various venues around West Wales. No more this year, regrettably, but this segues cleverly on to the next bit of reporting - The Modeling Exhibition put on by Roger Howells at Hermon last weekend.
Chufferduffers attended with no less than four layouts (three of our own, and the fourth belonging to Emyr)
The line-up on Sunday morning:

Kilgerran (Emyrs) at the far end, with 'Dyffryn Y Tullau' tucked in next it, leading on to 'Crymmych Arms' and ending up with Pat and 'Maes Y Gof'

Here is the line up from the opposite end:

'Kilgerran' was purely static, as Emyr had to be elsewhere during the morning. Once again a lot of local interest was shown in the Cardi-Bach interpretation, particularly Crymych, with a lot of people from the area unaware of the history.
We had to convince audiences that the other two layouts were fictitious...

Here is 'Maes Y Gof' - Caught just at the moment when no train was in sight!



And 'Dyffryn Y Tyllau' having its public debut...

Pat and I were kept quite busy all morning, as Colin was doing organ duty at the church in Cilgerran, but joined us later in the afternoon.
Lots of familiar faces and friends, including Pete, Chris, Howie, Ken, and Tony, amongst others.
An excellent day all round, and thanks go to Roger and Ann for making the show a success.

Lots of superb modeling throughout the venue - too much really to post on here, but one item caught my eye - can you believe that this is a mere 8" long?....

Thats all for this post - I'm sorry to leave such a gap since the last one. I shall have to try harder!

Shaun.

Another narrow gauge loco for the heading this week - it's 'DOT' an 18" gauge 0-4-0 locomotive built in the late 1800's by Beyer, Peacock. Seen here in the Talyllyn Museum at Towyn.

Interesting stat with regard to the blog - we have had over 6300 'visits' since starting the blog 3 years ago, and of those 6300, 3000 have been Russian... why, one wonders. Does Chuff have some significance? are the Russian visitors searching for something other than our little railway blog?

Anyway, if they wish to visit they are more than welcome. We convened at Pats last night. Just Colin, Pat and myself, and indulged in a couple of bottles of wine and a rather tasty pizza, enhanced with extra anchovies, olives, and other bits and bobs. Watched an ancient VHS railway movie (remember VHS? worse still, remember Betamax!)
Pat had dug up a portable 15" TV with a built in tape player from somewhere, and it turned out to be most entertaining.

We also had in-depth discussions on various aspects of railway modelling, as Colin had remotored a Smokey Joe chassis for one of the 7mm NG layouts, and he had to explain to Pat and I how to remove the motor for cleaning, etc.

Seven mill narrow gauge is our thing at the moment - 1:43 scale running on 00 scale track.

Pats layout (Maes Y Gof) has had an influx of passengers:

Together with a period coal lorry complete with scales and coalman:

In the background the smithy can be seen conducting running repairs on the milkmans horse, who threw a shoe as they came through the gate.
Meanwhile Pat and myself have gently coasted the 0-4-0 shunting loco to the end of the goods siding prior to sloping off for a well deserved tea break.

Back in Llechryd, my 7mm layout is slowly taking shape - the track is complete and operational, and the landscaping starting to have some form. It will probably be called 'Felin Y Cwm' but I have yet to build the Felin...
The mill will be going somewhere where the fergie tractor is sitting, with the stream coming down the cleft in the hillside.

The opposite end has the station and engine shed, and a yet to be built platform:

We are still working hard trying to persuade Colin that big is beautiful, but so far to no avail...

Thats it for this week people,
Hwyl fawr, goodbye, and for all those people East of Berlin, proshchay...

Shaun.

An interesting ChufferDuffers meeting last night - instead of congregating at one of our houses, we ventured into the depths of Carmarthenshire to visit Pencader, where the O gauge Club had invited us to drop in on one of their test track meetings:

Three of us went along, Colin, Pat and myself. Charles is still recuperating from his cardiac treatment, although he has been busy on the electronic front, making an operating system for the level crossing gates on 'Dyffryn y Tyllau'
Close to twenty members at Pencader, including some from the Aeron Valley club in Aberaeron. What was noticable was the fact that everybody seemed to be over sixty, and nearly all sported grey hair!
The test track evenings are for members and guests to have a chance test run their '0' guage engines on an extensive track, which they may be unable to do at home. Patrick brought along four from his collection, and all ran very well except for bit of a stutter over points.
Here he is watching the Coast Express about to go through its paces (as soon as Bill stops messing about)

I videoed the other locos running, but I'm still not able to post movies on here... Sorry!

The West Wales 0 Gauge Group held an exhibition last Saturday at Bronwydd Arms village hall, to which Pat, Colin and I took Crymmych arms and Maes y Gof.
Excellent day was had, with lots of interest in both the layouts. Mike turned up to see how we were getting on:

Whilst Colin tended to Crymmych Arms:

An overall shot of the venue, with the Pencader boys and their test track brought all the way from the village in a big transit van, and set up in the middle of Bronwydd hall:

Remember a short while back I mentioned that Pat and I had been scanned and 3D modelled? here we are on the footplate!

Both dilligently watching out for lineside obstructions...

Toodle pip,
Shaun.

The flood thankfully had subsided by the following day, and we were able to get out for a trip up to Mid Wales, where Annie was taking part in the R.S. Thomas Literary Festival in Eglwysfach (she won first prize...!)
I gave it a miss, and carried on up to Corris for an hours mooch around the village and a ride on the steam train.

The following Tuesday it was just Pat and myself for the Chuffer meeting, so we had a short evening, and sorted Crymmych Arms out ready for its next outing.
On the modelling front, I've been progressing the 16.5 layout, yet to have a name. The track has been laid and ballasted and electrically tested.
Wire-in-tube points, as there are only three of them.

 

The right hand corner is going to be a hill-side with a stream and tunnel - here the construction of the landscape can be seen using expanding foam from a rattle can:

 

The opposite side will have a road bridge - cardboard carcass covered in 'Lite' filler, and stonework scribed into it when dry. Yet to be properly painted.

 

 I've also made a station, using the same method as the bridge:

Yet to have a chimney pot, and a suitable platform.
And there we have it...

Watch this space, as they say (who are they, anyway?)
Shaun.

I thought I'd do an extra post between Chuffer meetings just to show you the effect of the recent weather.

Our house overlooks the river Teifi in Llechryd, and this was a picture taken from an upstairs window on the 8th of this month:

Everything looking fine - you can make out the bridge and its arches in the left background.
Since then, in fact only in the last two days, we have had quite a lot of heavy rain.

This morning just one week later at nine o'clock, I took a picture from almost the same position:

The arches have disappeared, and the lane at the bottom of the drive now impassable...

The same scene, just three hours later:

I just hope it goes down as quickly as it rose up!
Unfortunately I forgot to move one of the cars up to the car park behind us, something that is normally done when flooding is imminent...
C'est la vie, as they say.

Next meeting apres le deluge!

Good night at Colins house on Tuesday - no Charles, as he is still recovering from minor surgery that he had done last week. Hopefully he will be up and about in a few days.
Colin had set up his N gauge shunting plank, and we gave it a good exercise. No pictures, though I did take a couple of video clips - but I've yet to figure out how to post them on here!

I did take a couple of shots of Colins 009 locos, as they had just been fitted with brass name plates:

Not as clear as I would like - I hadn't realized that the camera had focused on the pound coin instead of the loco, but you get the idea...

As a change from railways, Col showed us a couple of Youtube videos of people making camping stoves from aluminium drink cans - fascinating stuff, but what was even better, Colin went on to show us ones that he had made himself. I didn't think to photograph them, but on just an egg-cup full of meths, you can boil half a pint of water in less than five minutes!
The whole idea of it is to reduce the load when backpacking - just a 2" can and a small bottle of fuel, instead of all the usual camping stove paraphernalia.

Here at home I'm having a bash at 16.5 narrow gauge, to make things easier on the eyesight, following Pats lead with the layout that he showed at the Woolen Mill last month.
So far I've got the track down:

and scratch built a couple of wagons:

Finally, just to prove we aren't joking about Colins Sunday hobby, here he is proudly showing off his mighty organ....

Ended the evening with an excellent snack of pizza, sausage rolls, and salad, prepared and served by Col's wife Marianne.

Yet another post - this must be bit of a record, three within two weeks...

Busy weekend for a couple of Duffers. First of all on Saturday afternoon it was Coracle Racing on the Teifi at Cilgerran. After the professionals, the public were invited to have a go.
Never one to turn down a challenge, our intrepid Chufferduffer Patrick elected to take part in the novice race...

Sorry the pictures are low-res, but they were copied in a hurry. Here is Pat in the line-up:

He did well for first time out, and finished mid-field:

The following day, Sunday saw us at Midway Motors Classic and Vintage show, in Crymych.

Pat and Mary brought the MG along, and Emyr and I put up a limited Cardi-Bach display, together with the Crymmych Arms layout.
Pat left Mary to attend to the MG affectionardos, and helped me present the Layout. We sorely miss our third member:
"What class of pannier is that?" --Dont know. If Colin was here he could tell you...
"Is that a Bachmann or a Grafar chassis?" --Dont know. If Colin was here he could tell you...

I didn't take any pics of the layout, but as part of the Cardi-Bach display a Gentleman had brought along a model he has made of the 'John Owen', the first Loco to run on the line.

On the modeling front, I have added a derelict cottage to one of the hillsides on Dyffryn-y-Tallau:

No Chuffers tomorrow, as we are off to visit Ken Rathbone, a friend of Colins who has an extensive 00 gauge layout in a custom built shed, that he is going to operate for us. Pics may follow in a day or so.

Hwyl,

Shaun.

Patrick and I had a great day at the AVRS exhibition yesterday.
We took Crymmych Arms along for its third public outing, and it was very well received. Amazing the number of people who were unaware that there had ever been a station at Crymych. Most of our time was spent with Pat operating the layout and me explaining the history of Crymych to the punters.

Set-up went like clockwork, with the boards etc. going together perfectly - then we discovered I had left one of the transformers at home!
Luckily one of the second-hand stalls had one for sale, and we were also able to buy a jack-plug, so with a quick bit of soldering things were sorted and we were up and running.
Lots of familiar faces, including our old friend Mike from Llangadog (Easier to spell than Llanddeusant...) whom we hadn't seen for several months. Hope its not too long before the next time Mike.
Also it was great to see Chris from 'Mikes' Emporium in Cardigan. We are trying to get him into model railway construction, but so far he's sticking with militaria!
The Haverfordwest boys were their with their offering for this year: 'Pont Llanio' one of the stations on the old Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line. This generated a lot of interest, as Pont Llanio is only a few miles from Aberaeron.

This was the best shot I could get of it, as it stretched for almost 24 foot.
















Another view of the main hall at Llwyncelyn, with Pat and Crymmych Arms in the forground, and Ron sorting out Pont Llanio on the left.

Another nice local layout was Tilgate Green - the owner/builder lives somewhere in our neck of the woods, but we failed to get his name! Somewhere in the Boncath/Abercych area, we think.
Unfortunately the layout is a solid seven foot long board, so transport precludes it being shown more often.

Altogether a most enjoyable day. Next outing is only a week away, Sunday August 20th, at Midway Motors in Crymych. We are showing Crymmych Arms, so can expect quite a bit of local knowledge to help correct our mistakes!

TTFN
Shaun.

I said later today, didn't I... I tell fibs.

It's now Friday - five days later. The Woolen Mill Exhibition went down very well - organised by the Carmarthen Modellers Club, there were several exquisite examples of peoples imagination and talent.
One outstanding diorama was this one of a cricket match:

But the main attraction of course was Patricks 7mm narrow gauge. Pat's wife Mary did the honours for Saturday, while I was the relief man on Sunday.
Yet to have a name, it generated a lot of interest, together with the N gauge Western themed Mini layout.
Here is the 7mm:

With the N gauge next to it:

Sitting on top of the layout are the 7mm scale figures of Pat and myself that we had made by 'ModelU'.
Pat has started painting them, but ran out of time, so they are not quite complete:

The likeness of the one on the right to Patrick is really impressive. The strange stance was taken up as it is supposed to represent Pat as an engine driver on one of the 7mm locos.









One last picture - behind the scenes at the Mill:

Our next outing is up to Llwyncelyn, just outside Aberaeron, for the West Wales Model Railway Exhibition, organised by the Aeron Valley Railway Society. That will be this Sunday, August 13th.
We are just taking Crymmych Arms to this one, as Martyn is a bit pushed for space.

The following Sunday will see us at the Midway Motors Classic and Vintage Show, just outside Crymych, where the Cardi-Bach Society have been invited to participate, so Crymmych Arms will appear once again, together with Patrick and Mary's classic 'stretched' MGB.

Hope to see some of you at one or other of the venues.
Hwyl fawr,

Shaun.