Andrew

Adding smoke effects to a model railway A first attempt is shown in this video: https://youtu.be/meFiPPiyLRk Plenty of scope for improving on these faltering first steps - as well as for getting the hang of my new video editing software.

Catching the Winter Sunshine We've had quite a few uncharacteristically sunny February days recently, but this was the first opportunity to dust off the railway, polish up the track and get something running. These photos feature the DGR's stalwart BR Standard Class 4MT, first caught here crossing Foxdale Bank: Then here whistling a greeting to the Throstlebeck Sidings signalman And finally a bit of late afternoon glint (shame the offside front steps are missing, but such things tend to happen on garden railways): In between the still photography I was shooting video and trying to introduce smoke effects -- but that's another story.

Mick, You're very welcome. I sent you that as a small Thank You for all the work you do throughout the year to keep this great website available. Although we the users don't often say thank you, I'm sure we are all extremely grateful to you for keeping this community facility available for our general enjoyment - along with the many people who just come to look without choosing to post. Many thanks once again.

Photos look really good, Mick. As Roddy says, the viaduct weathering is very effective - looks to be more of it on one side than the other, which I guess is quite authentic.

Winter Sunshine Seeing today's bright weather, the Fat Controller suggested Thomas should show off his new brake pipes and front coupling by posing for some photos with recently-arrived Annie and Clarabel. Even the troublesome trucks were happy to join in the fun.

'Tis still just about the season, so a very Happy Christmas to all our readers! Here's a suitable photo, of Jubilee "Hong Kong" with its parcels train heralding the delights of Christmas:

CIWL Orientation Moving on from the Hornby Thomas (R9287), we now come to models by Liliput and Pocher which arrived as a gift from Philip when I went to last Saturday's ever-excellent O Gauge American and Continental Exhibition at Winchester. Here are a few photos probably taken at the Landy carriage sidings outside Paris in the interwar years. The Wagons Lits rolling stock is being serviced before being attached to various international expresses to run across Europe as through coaches, or indeed as complete trains in various versions of the Orient Express. First, a couple of dining cars. The photo was taken around the time the varnished teak was giving way to the later blue livery. Here's a sleeping car in teak. All ready for intrigue! Diner and sleeper, both in teak: This end shot of a dining car shows the space-saving storage lockers provided each side of the corridor connection:

The Fat Controller's Birthday It being the 6th anniversary of the opening of the DGR, the Fat Controller was delighted to welcome Thomas as a new arrival to the railway, to celebrate the arrival of our grandson a couple of weeks ago. When he first arrived, Thomas was rather a lonely engine, having no-one to play with: He tried talking to the Throstlebeck signalman, but that wasn't much fun: At last he met a couple of friendly coaches and persuaded them to come out for a run: They had a lot of fun puffing across Foxdale Bank: And then Thomas found another two coaches to join them. "Look at me now!" he shouted as they charged across the Northern Viaduct:

Australian Narrow Gauge We had a very special visitor to enjoy today's sunshine, in the form of Frank with his Baldwin-pattern 2-6-2T from the Victorian Railways 2'6" gauge line in the Dandenong Ranges. This line, now preserved as the Puffing Billy Railway, was built in the early 1900s, and seemed to be getting by when the following photos were taken at some point in its early decades. The fireman waves to the camera during shunting at Gembrook Number 6A dawdles through the Dandenongs with a goods train The driver keeps an eye out as the train runs onto the Northern Viaduct... ...from where it's best not to look down!