It's funny how some things click and some don't. I
do like 15" railways. I really
don't like the 'mainline in miniature game that they play with the pacific and the driver perched on the tender. I
do like the diesels. But I guess that they are seen as a route to efficiency rather than a draw, as no one seems to photograph or list them as much as the steam stuff... shame. Above and below is No11, the machine that hauled us up the Ratty last year - very new -looking and very US inspired designing, but I don't know much else about it.
The Perkins. I love this, only that if you built a f/l model like this, the cab would look too long. Here then is the exception that proves the rule. One of the small US switchers or a Fleishmann 212 as a power unit and a Knightwing or Dapol shunter kit would get you started in 7mm on 9mm track for something similar.
Only been on the Ratty twice.........in the same week in spring 1993.
ReplyDeleteFirst trip, on the sunday, was the normal Ravenglass-Dalegarth return behind a steam loco hauling a fair number of pretty crowded coaches, with the obligatory look round both ends of the line,visit to the souvenir shop and museum etc.
We were back in the area on one of the weekdays and happened to be near Irton Road station.....a quick look at the timetable showed a train was due in a few minutes' time so we decided to take a short trip on it, just to Eskdale Green.
When the train turned up it consisted of two closed and one open coach, hauled by Perkins in bright yellow.
Ok, so this time the ride took only a few minutes but the atmosphere was completely different.........far more that of a minimum gauge railway than a miniature main line. The few other passengers seems to be locals and you got the feeling that the train was doing a job of work rather than entertaining tourists.
Must admit that if I ever got round to modelling a line of this sort it would most likely be diesels only........
Stig