TDF Rly Home

Welcome to Tumble Down Falls Railway (TDF Rly), the blog for my Garden Railway, and the activities that make it work, if you may wish to read its "Back Story".

In The Beginning

As with most us older railway modellers, I have been building layouts in lots of scales over many years.  starting as a young boy with Hornby 0 Gauge Tin Plate, and then some years late the 00 gauge “train set” for my son, which started my interest in model railways.

The 00 gauge layout led to N Gauge, in a bid to have more running in a small space, then a move of house, more space and back to 00, though eventually “fat fingers” so a change to 0 gauge.  As nice as this scale was, and I was able to build both locos and wagons (from kits), and a bit of “bashing”, the limitation on room meant I was still not content, and needed something else.

April 2024 Update

 It has been a couple of months since the last update, so what has happened around Tumble Down Falls.

During March I had a couple of trains out, the Stainz and PM 4010, and although the Stainz ran well, the PM 4010, would insist on derailing on one particular curve, and in one direction.  The issue with the curve is, it is on a gradient, and require some very minor superelevation, which is achieved by adding ballast under the outer rail, in this instance by trial and error:

 

With the ballast loosley in place test runs were carried, with of course open cab test crews to ensure full visability.

I also carried on the Boot Lane Nancy build, and work progressed in painting and Loco Remote Amberley Brush:

The photos show the finished colour with the Clavey driver in place. This loco has a simple on/off switch, and the battery is removed from the loco to charge it

January 2024 Update

 2023 has been a very busy year, and the blog has been left behind, with very little work taking place on the railway.  However to start 2024 I am building a Boot Lane Nancy in SM-32 the page will grow as the build continues.  I am also build a Loco Remote Amberley Brush, however the instruction and photos provided are so good that I am not providing a separate page for it.  The little engine went together very quickly and this is what I now have:

As this little loco progress I will keep you informed.

March 2023 - Update

 The warmer weather is on its way, and soon, it will be time to get out in the garden.  For me a patio to relay prior to my railway extension, but more of this when work begins.  My Bachmann Railtruck is now complete, and a test drive was completed and it is running well, and now I am in the process of converting a Bachmann Baldwin 2-4-2 Americanized "Lyn" ( part # 91199) to battery remote control, and removing the Americanized items, this  the item as bought:

  

To follow my progress the blog on the conversion is Bachmann Baldwin-2-4-2 Lyn

January 2023 Update

 A lot has happened in my life since the last update, though very little has any thing to do with the Garden Railway, hence the first update in four months.

I did have an aviary (or two) birds have gone, however this allowed for the conversion of one of the aviaries to the "Waiting Room":

 

 

This allows for the storage of my locos and other rolling stock.

 

My indoor work space was transformed, with a new workbench made from a solid beech worktop, and again storage was rationalised:

Finally I have finished the Bachmann RailTruck conversion as mentioned in my last update and can be found in my blog at Bachmann Railtruck.

Hopefully my next update will not be spread so far apart 😊.

September 2022 Update

 It has been a few months since the last update, the warm summer has meant that not much work has been carried out inside, However a few trains have been run:

Also the purchase of a Bachmann Rail Truck, this will become a winter battery conversion project, and as such I will document the progress on here:

And finally, work has continued on my OcCre Streetcar finishing and fitting the new bogies, please see that page for further details

April 2022 Update

 So, quite a lot has happened over the last couple of months,  The San Francisco Streetcar has progress to powering up and some initial test runs.  The warm weather allowed me time to get out and fix and wire in the the Kippo Signal Box.  Then there was the surprise event, which started with the purchase of an LGB Steeplecab, and the subsequent radio control battery conversion.

And then there is the ad hoc playing testing in the sun: