Hilton and Mears: Down on Beaverbrook...
I can hear this photograph.
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| Words Chris Mears. Modelling and photo James Hilton. |
The way the rails on that crossing are stretching out under the hopper and the car count from the conductor is like a negotiation with 5606’s prime mover debating exactly just how many car lengths this really is going to take.
Today's blog post was brought to you by Hilton and Mears! Words by Chris, photography by me... 5606 is on vacation in the UK from his collection, so when Chris says 'I can hear this' he really can. The beauty and wonder of how the hobby extends beyond our modelling rooms and across oceans. Until next time, more soon...
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Hi James
ReplyDeleteReally enjoying the Beaverbrook interlude. The YouTube of switching is very evocative and shows why "fast clocks" are not always appropriate. It seems to take almost as long to switch in H0 as in the real world especially if one simulates the opening and closing of switches, time to check the hitch, pump air and work the horn and bell.
I hope I can join live on the next visit to the Maratimes
Best regards
Alan
Thanks Alan, I think you’re right, certainly from my perspective. I’ll try and do an evening next time…
DeleteExcellent stuff James. I always loved the chessie system logo and colours, very different from UK liveries. My first US loco was BN GP38-2 from Athearn, I bought it from a friend for £15. Ran like a dream and I ended up modelling American outline for the next ten years. Only the new mechanisms in Farish and Bachmann locos tempted me back. Take care
ReplyDeleteHi Tom, had a pair of GP38-2s myself, repainted them to be the CN pair I saw in Drumheller as a 9 year old! Later Dad had one too, in CP… you mention BN, I think the GP50 I used to create my first short line locomotive in my teens was a BN one!
DeleteCompared to the Lima locos of the time, Athearn locos were incredibly good value. I quickly built up a small fleet. I loved CN, BN and GTW in particular. My friend ran a fictional short line in Vermont, it was completely different from UK practice, you worked a train all the way along the line using waybills and it took about three hours to get from one side of the loft to the other. Sadly I've never been to the USA or Canada but I have many Kalmbach books in my library. My favourite model railroad was always the Carrabasset and Dead river by Dave Frary. Top stuff.
ReplyDelete