Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

08/12/18 Today, work began on improvements and modifications to the Tees Cottage Model Railway, ran and maintained by the Cleveland Association of Model Engineers. With our new secretary Lee Bailey, officially named last night. Work has begun, to bring the running standards upto scratch for next year's season.

The first order of the day, is track maintenance, there is a lot of ballast to renew, as well as rotten sleepers. The 3.1/2" track it has been decided will be cut out, leaving just the 5" and 7.1/4" gauge lines. The 3.1/2" track is segmented, and does not consist of a full run only a few meters.

The line is 1/4mile total length, with double end to end run of track, running from the entrance of the pumping station. It has two turntables which will require work in the future both for safety and to ease the work on the guys turning it. The largest has been down for 30years and is in need of work to bring it up to scratch, new decking boards been a minimum, as the ones in place are past their best after 30years use.

A small beginning, relaying fresh ballast ready to replace sleepers as required. Then we will focus on levelling the track and sorting the super elevation out on the corners.

I will keep this thread updated with progress and pictures as work is carried out.
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Great video Jon of a lovely miniature railway. Loads of work keeping on top of maintaining a miniature railway but worth it.

Great pic's Jon. I'm looking forward to the opening day this year.

10/01/18 Our first evening working at Tees Cottage, and a lot achieved.

Three outdoor security lights wired in, and one PIR sensor fitted to the front security light. x87 sleepers cut to length and creosoted, half of the track panels lifted last weekend, redrilled to accept the sleepers, and the 3.1/2" gauge trackpeice has been removed, the Tees cottage railway will become solely 5" & 7.1/4" gauge running lines with a short section of 3.5" for displaying visiting 3.1/2" gauge locos. Lots done tonight.
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[ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] [ Guests cannot view attachments ] 13/01/19 An impromptu working day today, track panels going down. Onto the next 80ft of track

Quick update

We have lifted and relaid 80 foot of track so far. There is another 90 foot that has been lifted (despite the snow) and the 3.1/2" rail and old screws cut out of it, new sleepers screwed on and awaiting the ground to thaw out to dig and ballast ready for the panels. 

The pumping station looks quite nice with a sprinkling of snow
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Also the river Skerne froze over it was that cold

03/02/19
Today was another workday at tees cottage. 80 more 3x2" sleepers cut to size and creosoted. A few of the freshly done sleepers were put straight into action and replaced rotten, or missing sleepers along the track. This was a bumpy section of track so it was raised up and sleepers packed, seems to be a lot better now. Only around 10meters of track done today, but educating one of our new members on how to do it right.

The turntable has been receiving some heavy engineering works, having new angle sections welded in. As unfortunately a lot of the subframe after 30years use had succumbed to the rust mites. All welded up the base was blasted over with a wire brush in the angle grinder and received a treatment of red oxide paint and the pivot loaded up with molyslip grease, and remounted onto the pivot. The coaches and turntable will receive a coat of Apple green paint, as I found out today that's the club's colour. The coaches most likely been done next Thursday night.
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Great video Jon of a lovely miniature railway. Loads of work keeping on top of maintaining a miniature railway but worth it.

Unforunately there's been a major lack of maintenance in recent years, the track has been in place for 30years, over that time it's had a lot of use, where sleepers need replacing these are been done, and new ballasted added to stabilise the track. A lot of work indeed, but it's actually great fun.