| |
 |
No. 1 Russell
Russell is an internally gas fired, live steam, radio controlled 2-6-2T, based on the prototype from the Welsh Highland Railway. She was built by Roundhouse Engineering, Doncaster. Her outside framing is useful, as it means she can easily be re-gauged between the 45mm gauge we use, which in 16mm works out at about 3' gauge, and the more popular (in 16mm circles, at least) 32mm gauge, which works out at 2' in 16mm scale. She is the pride of the MVR fleet, and is a fantastic advert for Roundhouse. Roundhouse also supplied the name and works plates for the loco, which are authentic replicas of the originals, and fitted them as they were purchased, at the same as the loco. She has visited the Chess Valley Railway and the Woodrow Light Railway . She is our main locomotive at present, running most weekends when the MVR operates.
Russell outside the partially-completed Box End station at the New Year's Gala, 31/12/07. The wagons are from the Woodrow Light Railway.
The restoration of the Welsh Highland Railway by the Ffestiniog Railway Co. is almost complete. However, the original Russell is owned by the Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (formerly the Welsh Highland Railway (Porthmadog)), and is currently being overhauled for eventual use on heritage trains over the WHR. The WHHR are an incredibly friendly lot, always very warm and welcoming. For more information about Russell, the WHHR and how to visit, check out their website at www.whr.co.uk.
|
|
No. 2
Manufactured by LGB in Germany, No. 2 is an example of that firms trademark "Stainz" 0-4-0T. Her detailed outline disguises an electric motor, although she does have smoke and sound generators, and working headlamps that illuminate in the direction of travel. From 2004-6 she was our main backup locmotive, used whenever Russell could not be operated, but there were a number of difficulites with running her on the MVR. Our track has quickly become dirty in the open air, meaning it has to be time-consumingly cleaned before the loco can be used; her LGB couplings are non-standard on the MVR, although K1 and B1 have been fitted out as adaptor wagons; and, because Russell's wheels are not electrically insulated, the two engines cannot be run at the same time. It was therefore decided to purchase a battery diesel to take over her role, and to this end two small diesels came to the MVR for trials (see below), to give us an idea of how much power we would need from a diesel. Following these trials the Woodrow Light Railway built us a battery diesel around an IP chassis, which entered service in August 2006 as No. 3 Blackbird. This will now serve as our main back-up loco, but No 2 will remain on the MVR as a spare loco. She is unnamed at present, but it is planned to name her Albatross when I can buy nameplates. Interestingly, although numbered 2, the locomotive arrived a year and a half before locomotive no. 1, Russell (see above).
Albatross with her matching LGB coaches at Rutton. February 2008.
|
|
No. E762 Lyn
The MVR's latest addition is a model of the famous Lynton and Barnstaple Railway 2-4-2T Lyn. She was made by Bachmann and is electrically-powered; however, she cannot run alongside No. 2 because we have no multiple-train control system. Like Albatross she is G, rather than 16mm scale; this does mean she looks a little small alongside Russell, but I am no rivet-counter! She is painted full Southern Railway livery as per the original, complete with her prototypical number E762.
I very much look forward to running this beautifully-detailed model, but her Bachmann couplings need to be replaced before she can properly enter MVR service.
Lyn outside Rutton on her first test run, 18/2/08. At this stage the nameplates had not yet been fitted.
Like the Welsh Highland, the Lynton and Barnstaple Railway has also been the subject of a revival in recent years, with the section from Woody Bay to Killington Lane now reopened and further extensions planned. A project has also been launched to build a replica of Lyn. For more information on thess exciting projects, visit the L&BR website at http://www.lynton-rail.co.uk/, and the 762 Club Website at http://www.762club.com/.
|
|
Visiting Locos
Woodrow Light Railway No. 4 Earl of Radnor
No 4 arrived at the beginning of June 2004 on a one month loan agreement, later extended until the end of August. It is an 0-4-0 (actually, it's technically a 2-2-0 as drive is only to the rear wheelset) battery diesel scratchbuilt around an IP Engineering chassis by Chris and Jon Potter of the Woodrow Light Railway (see links page). Found to be rather underpowered for it's home line, she is much more useful on our shorter, level circuit. Initail trials at our opening gala were not promising - she was unable to haul our stock. But Jons offer to lend us two goods wagons meant that we did have trains within her haulage capabilities after all. In fact, when I got her home she was actually able to haul A1/2 and K1 as well! It transpired that Jon had fitted higher voltage batterries before sending her to us for the second time.
When No 4's batteries expired, they were replaced, but unfortunatley she became a sluggish performer afterwards, so she was returned to the WLR early at the "WLR in Bloom" gala on 6/8/04, and Coity Castle was sent in exchange (below).
At the Christmas Gala on 31/12/04, Jon kindly agreed to loan her to us again for a short period, before returing to the WLR on the 20th of February. Once again, many thanks to Jon for her loan.
Earl of Radnor leaves Rose Halt in January 2005.
WLR No 8. Coity Castle
Following the return to the WLR of No 4 (above), we were sent the WLR's No 8 Coity Castle. This is an IP Engineering "Jessie" class 0-4-0 diesel, manually controlled and with regaugeable wheelsets. She was purchased by Jon Potter at the 2004 Stoneleigh show and completed within a week; she has proved a reliable performer ever since. Much more powerful than No 4, she can haul longer trains than the MVR can even muster at the moment! Jon has also fitted her with the IP detailing pack, giving her a very realistic appearance.
No 8 returned to the WLR on the 19th September 2004 via the Chess Valley Railway. Oncce again I would like to thank Jon for her loan.
Coity Castle nearing Box End, with a train of wagons also from the WLR. WLR No. (890)3 Jonathan
No. (890)3 is a Roundhouse "Millie" class 0-4-0T. Although her specification is slightly more basic than that of Russell, being externally fired with slip-eccentric valve gear and manual control, she is just as reliable a performer. She was the first engine acquired by Jon Potter for the Woodrow Light Railway in 2001, and despite the arrival of several larger locomotives since then she is still the line's workhorse. Originally painted maroon, numbered 3 and named Jonathan, she was repainted into BR black livery in 2005 and renumbered 8903. She reverted to red livery in 2007.
As she has run at almost every MVR and WLR gala event, I have become quite familiar with this engine over the last few years. Therefore, when she came to our Vintage Gala on 17th August 2007, Jon suggested she might stay on the MVR for a couple of weeks, and return to the WLR at their Mixed Trains gala on the 4th September. I was happy to take up this offer as her presence would bring some welcome variety to the MVR's rather limited (!) steam fleet, especially as her manual control gives a rather different driving experience to the radio control on Russell. Unfortunately though, in the end I only managed to run her twice before the end of summer, and although Jon did offer to extend the loan, I felt I would probably not have time to run her once I returned to school - a prediction in which I have sadly turned out to be correct.
At the MVR Open Day in 2008 Jon, who visited during the afternoon, kindly agreed to loan the engine to me again so that I could demonstrate her to members of the Ruislip Lido Railway Society during the evening. It was supposed to be a short visit, but in the end she did not leave the railway until the January 2009 gala - though I was only able to steam her once between the two events! Nevertheless, we have enjoyed having her on the MVR and I would like to thank Jon for her loans.
No. 8903 approaches Rutton with a freight on 2/9/07.
Other locomotives have been on short term loan at galas; these are not listed here.
|
|
Rolling stock
The line's rolling stock comprises the following:
| Type |
Number |
Manufacturer |
Wheel
arrangement |
Livery |
| Carriage |
A1 |
LGB |
4-wheel |
Blue/cream |
| |
A2 |
LGB |
4-wheel |
Red/cream |
| |
B1 |
GRS |
Bogie |
Two-tone blue |
| Wagon |
K1 |
IPE |
4-wheel |
Blue/cream |
| |
K2 |
Unknown |
4-wheel |
Grey/white |
| |
W1 |
WLR |
4-wheel |
Grey |
| |
W2 |
MVR |
4-wheel |
Grey |
| |
V1 |
WLR |
4-wheel |
Grey |
| |
U1 |
IPE |
4-Wheel |
Grey/black |
| |
T1 |
Accucraft |
4-wheel |
Grey/black |
In addition, two 4-wheel tipping wagons are on long-term loan from the Woodrow Light Railway.
|
All material on this site is © and must not be reproduced without permission.
Create a
free website at Webs.com
|
