[Babz]

Hello Babs, I know this is off topic but we have a nice oriental blue tortie who will be looking for a home soon!
Chris

Oh Christine Thank you for the kind offer but we truly could not cope with a cat due in main to looking after Ourselves. I hope you get a lovely Home for the cat.Babs

 

[Babz]

I thought I would share a little of what of have been up to over the last few months ( not that much )! I made up some covers to go over the track where the squirrel had been shovelling the stone onto the track. This seemed to work and by the Winter he had gone and so far hasn't come back (yet!). I also had a rat who burrowed under the track at one point but that dissappeared after I put bait down in the chicken run. The joys of living in the country!
Recently I have made a water tower from a Piko kit. This made up very easily although the instructions are just a set of exploded drawings. Once I got the hang of them it was plain sailing. They even supplied to small tubes of UHU. You can seal the tank with the silicone sealant provided so that it can be filled with water and emptied through the delivery pipe. Why would you want to do that with an electric loco underneath? I didn't bother with that. The only real problem was putting the metal rings around the tank to hold it together, There are 9 of them of 3 different sizes. Not much between them so it was a case of trial and error. Here are a few pictures.
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I gave it a coat of matt varnish to tone down the glossiness a bit and here it is outside in teh sunshine yesterday.
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Hi Chris Love the way you dealt with the Garden Wildlife. We have Squirels and Hedge Hogs we probably have a visit from Mr Fox. Keeps us entertained.
We have been sorting the Garden out for building the track bases have had to prune a few areas and move the odd thing as well. We have been here for 40 years well matured but getting there.
Like your water tower obviously American theme. I do know of a few G Scalers who have proper steam Engines, but for some reason they do not run Electric loco's.. Just maybe because of the oil residue on the rails
Nice to see your's.
Babs

 

[Christine Brooks]

Hello Babs,
I would like more hedgehogs in the garden and squirells are entertaining to watch but I wish they wouldn't hide their nuts under the track! We have been free of Mr Fox for a few years, the dog's scare them off I think but in December one got into the bantam run and took all but 2 away, they were all dead. We now have an incubator on th go with more eggs so will have some little birds at the end of the month.
I need to do some more track maintenance. I made a base of some thermalite blocks in the station area and under a straight length. These were left over from another project. I asked at Jewsons and they are still like gold dust, I think they are all being taken for the large amounts of new house building going on. Anyway, I drilled and plugged the blocks but over the winter a lot of screws have worked loose, or the plugs have. I will try some longer screws when I get some brass ones.
My garden line is like my indoor layout, I can never keep to one theme! My 00 layout is an unlikely blend of GWR and Somerset and Dorset Joint. I have American locos and British NG stock for the garden line. As some one said,the hobby is for enjoyment and this works for me.
The point about oil on the track from live steamers is something I hadn't thought of. I have always wanted live steam and have ordered a Roundhouse "Dylan". This won't be ready for about another 12 months. I have been thinking of converting my electric locos to battery power and radio control so I think this will be a must.
Chris