[silky_jack]

I have been going to the RH&DR for a few years now, just every now and again - I can't recommend it enough. It's a fantastic railway and was created back in the 1920's. The engines were all engineered from scratch and are all near perfect 1:3 scale replicas. Have a look at some photos below:

There are a few others that weren't in steam that day, plus a coupkle of diesels - I think there are about locos 14 in all.

I hoped you liked them!

 

[Doug]

Stunning photos - many thanks for posting them.

Why 1/3 scale? It seems as though they are almost big enough to do serious work. Almost too big to be models though as you have to be dedicated to run them - i.e. not just play things.

 

[silky_jack]

From what I understand, it was just a bit of fun for the guys who created it back in the day. It is a fully functional railway with approx 25 miles of track. It's run by a small crew and a lot of volunteers. It also runs a school train every day.

During WW2, Hurricane (the Blue engine) was used by the army and was armour plated with two anti aircraft guns in tow!

 

[Doug]

I was just looking at the http://www.rhdr.org.uk site and noted that the Greed Goddess cost £1,250 to build in 1925. That is £236,000 in today's money using average earnings (http://www.measuringworth.com).

 

[silky_jack]

She's just come back from a 3 year overhaul and is running again (although she wasn't in steam when we went).

After WW2, the railway was reopened by Laurel & Hardy!!

 

[7113]

Thanks for posting those Ian - it really is a "mainline in miniature", and a great place to visit.

Funnily enough I came across Laurel & Hardy re-opening the line in a Youtube clip last night when looking for something else.

Regards

 

[silky_jack]

I've seen that clip.......very funny indeed. Pure genius.

 

[MrBemo]

Thanks for the wonderful pics.

 

[silky_jack]

Here's some more that I found in my archive!!!

 

[Brian Considine]

Ah, at last - pic #3 - a proper lok' - none of this multi coloured stuff !

 

[34C]

Notice the track gauge is 1:4, as compared to the 1:3 of the locos. This was largely at the instigation of Henry Greenly, who went on to develop the OO concept...

The original locos were based on Doncaster practise. One of the happy outcomes is that although the Gresley wide firebox eight coupled designs were all lost, the large scale models based on the P1 heavy freight unit survive. These came out as 4-8-2 in model form: OVS Bulleid (assistant to Gresley at the time) thought the P1 the most handsome of all Gresley's designs, and the model does nothing to detract from that judgement.

For Brian, if you go to the first post, there is no 6, of this type, and very smart in black too..

 

[plas man]

Silky Jack, I realy enjoyed that photo show, as I've seen a few of RHDR locos at Ravenglass, the only downside for RHDR loco's visiting at La'al Ratty is the uncoupling of the tender for turning due to Rattys short turntable's. RHDR borrowed La'al Ratty Preservation Society's "Douglas Ferreria" diesel loco for testing prior to ordering their new loco of similar design. Should you ever get 'up' north to the western lake district then a visit and ride on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Rly ( La'al Ratty ) is a must, unlike RHDR it climbs for all must 7 miles.

plas man ... R&ERly society member

 

[Makemineadouble]

Really great photo's it must be a very enjoyable hobby

 

[Doug]

Is it this clip or are there others:

 

[plas man]

Thats the one Doug, its a sceene from a RHDR dvd , I picked one up from Poundland, and its not boring as the running time is about 25 min's also a young Queen'y is featured.

plas man

 

[silky_jack]

QUOTE Ah, at last - pic #3 - a proper lok' - none of this multi coloured stuff !

I can't say I agree with you there....seriously ugly loco.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (silky_jack @ 24 Aug 2010, 17:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I can't say I agree with you there....seriously ugly loco.

Seriously effective though (as most of the red & black lok's are).

Actually spent the afternoon on the RH & DR today with the Chief Dragon - Hythe to New Romney behind an enthusiastically driven Northern Chief, something to eat, annual look at the model railway (no comments !) & back behind one of the weisels (John Sutherland I think).

A pleasant afternoon, did see my favourite outside the shed, but not running, never mind.

 

[LFDRR]

Just watched last weeks (Episode 1) Great Railway adventures with Dan Cruikshank. There's lot's about the use of the RH&DR from during the war icluding a clip of one of the wagons with two soldiers in, and a large machine gun. Apparently it was to be used if England was invaded from Europe! The first line of defence

This was all planned for in the 1920's, post WW1, just in case it all happened again.

Once D-Day of Operation Overlord was over, the military realised they would need a LOT of fuel on mainland europe, so they laid some fuel lines across the channel. The pipe used for these fuel lines was also ferried along the coast by the RH&DR.

Angie

 

[silky_jack]

QUOTE Actually spent the afternoon on the RH & DR today with the Chief Dragon - Hythe to New Romney behind an enthusiastically driven Northern Chief, something to eat, annual look at the model railway (no comments !) & back behind one of the weisels (John Sutherland I think).

Excellent Brian....Northern Cheif is a cracking engire...that and Dr Syn are my favourites. They have a cracking range of locos though - all are fantastic in their own right. It's great to be able to walk around the engine shed too...unusual to be allowed to do this.

I know what you mean about the model railway...it's fun in it's own merit, but looking very tired now - there's a few dodgy bits too!

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (LFDRR @ 24 Aug 2010, 21:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just watched last weeks (Episode 1) Great Railway adventures with Dan Cruikshank. There's lot's about the use of the RH&DR from during the war icluding a clip of one of the wagons with two soldiers in, and a large machine gun. Apparently it was to be used if England was invaded from Europe! The first line of defence

This was all planned for in the 1920's, post WW1, just in case it all happened again.

Once D-Day of Operation Overlord was over, the military realised they would need a LOT of fuel on mainland europe, so they laid some fuel lines across the channel. The pipe used for these fuel lines was also ferried along the coast by the RH&DR.

Angie

Hi Angie,

During my visit there was a mock-up of the armoured train parked in New Romney Station.

QUOTE (silky_jack @ 24 Aug 2010, 21:59) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Excellent Brian....Northern Cheif is a cracking engire...that and Dr Syn are my favourites. They have a cracking range of locos though - all are fantastic in their own right. It's great to be able to walk around the engine shed too...unusual to be allowed to do this.

I know what you mean about the model railway...it's fun in it's own merit, but looking very tired now - there's a few dodgy bits too!

Hi Ian,

All the engines are superb, although, predicibly my favorite is the "imposter" Black Prince (it does have a very nice "bark" to the exhaust). One thing I did notice about the model railway is that (at the time of my visit) all the trains/locomotives were 100% Fleischmann & (with the possible exception of 1 or 2 of the BR01's) all of them were earleir models with the 3-pole motors.

The layout operates on analogue.