| After reading some comments on the rec.models.railroad discussion group, I decided in late 1997 to build a simple model railway to run round the base of the Christmas tree. At the time, my nephew Cameron was just 21 months and very definitely into Thomas the Tank Engine. |
The first incarnation of the Christmas Tree Railway turned out to be a very
simple affair - a single near circle of track layed on an octagonal structure
made of MDF and wood. Here it is shown being tested on my living room floor.
However, I was planning ahead and had included a passing place on what was intended to be the back section. The Octagon is built in four sections which join in the middle of one side, as can be seen from the change of colour in the wood, just where the loco hauling the passenger train is. These sections are held together with latches underneath, although a mistake in the construction has left some of these latches too slack to hold. For anyone interested in trivial details, the loco is a Hornby "Lord Westwood" which was originally bright red but from the same moulding as their GWR Hall class. I repainted it when I was about 13. The coaches are Triang/Hornby Pullman, three of which (two first class "Anne" and a brake third) I have owned for years, the other two ("Mary" and "Lucille") I bought at Banrail '97. The Hall could not quite cope with all five on nickel silver rail of that radius, hence the one lying on the floor! |
And here it is up and running. As you can see we didn't have room for all the
presents inside the circle, so a couple of makeshift bridges appeared for
good measure. This was Christmas Eve, with a passenger express running, the
way Cameron first saw it.
That night I went to the midnight communion and when I got back I swapped trains, so in the morning Cameron got up and found Santa riding in an open wagon behind an LMS class 3F "Jinty" 0-6-0 tank. This is an example of the famous Triang Hornby model, from the mid '70s, towards the end of the product's first life. The wagons were mostly from a Hornby clockwork train set of even earlier vintage. In the long term I intend to put a micro-controller under the rear section. This will have the job of controlling loco speed and turnouts. With some form of train detection and a cover to hide the passing place, next year's train will be 'magically' transformed after a few passes, rather than needing secretive intervention from me. |