(The late) CUFFLEY DALES RAILWAY
by Bill McKenzie
The original idea came many years ago and was a long time coming to fruition. However, I had a large vegetable patch which was too much work and a Mamod conversion and some scratch built bug boxes. Then at the Kew exhibition in 1995 I acquired a Pearse Genesis. Then, after the front drive had been relaid and a new retaining wall built between the upper and lower gardens, I had all this broken up concrete and old bricks crying out for use. Thus the Cuffley Dales Railway was born.
The basic idea was to encircle the vegetable patch that I wanted retained and so provide continuous running with a passing loop and main station complete with siding and shed. The site sloped towards one corner so it would mainly be at ground level. In addition I had plans to extend around the side of the garden and along the back boundary at a higher level to provide a comfortable steaming up area. This extension would eventually terminate in the garden shed so stock could be kept safe in the running season. To facilitate both turning round locos and entering and leaving the loop in either direction I incorporated a 'Y' loop.
The main circuit was laid in 1995 and topped off with concrete being on a rubble base with either brick or stone (from the old garden wall) retaining walls and was mainly at ground level. Track and pointwork was Peco SM32 screwed into the concrete and supported where necessary to keep it level. This was not always as succesful as planned as the area near the 'Y' loops dipped rather in the approach to the main station and the curves, although supposed to 5 or 6 feet radius, pinched in places and the Mamods were not sufficiently powerful on these areas with low steam pressure. Another problem I had not foreseen was the benefit of transition curves, or rather, in my case, the lack of them. The extension was built in 1996 using the broken up lumps of concrete, which had become an eyesore in the garden. It was laid as a dry "stone" wall and the trackbed was levelled with any old material including carpet off-cuts and cemented over. At the end of the extension was a curved run around loop; this was eventually intended to be a station. Where they were built the platforms were formed of quick drying concrete mix. From the photograghs it can be seen that the railway was never completed by the time I moved in 1997. A new railway is planned for by smaller garden in Luton and hopefully after 4 years of the shelves this will be started in 2001.
MOTIVE POWER
Three Mamods: My original blue one acquired at Merstham in 1995 was converted with to meths firing and had new cylinders, chimney, regulator, bunker box, lubricator, etc and was painted crimson. An almost original green one bought at Kew which ahd already been successfully converted to gas burning by the previous owner and still awaiting many further improvements - all bought but never fitted. The third Mamod GLOSTER was acquired at 16mm AGM at Stoneleigh and already had many modifications, including bunker and chimney.
Genesis, a very powerful radio controlled internally gas fired 0-6-0T from Pearse Locomotives, originally their demonstration local and acquired at Kew.
In addition I have an IP Engineering Lister Simplex caravan awaiting contruction as well as their Lister. My original engine was the original Brandbright Railbus which I have added working headlights and interior lights and finished Brunswick Green. This was complemented by a plasticard look-a-like Ford Inspection vehicle using a Cambrian Models chassis.
oaching stock is all currently scratch built. A rake of three bogie coaches in 3-ply using Brandbright bogies and wheels and two plasticard Festiniog Bug Boxes. A further Bug Box and Tenmille GVT clerestory coach have remained under construction. Goods wagons are all from Binnie being three tipper trucks, flat wagon, bolster wagons and five Coopercraft,kits. There are five battery powered chassis awaiting conversion or building into various items but all on the drawing board.Bill McKenzie
Send email: wemckenzie@ntlworld.com
November 2000
Member 3015 Association 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers
Association 16mm Narrow Gauge Modellers
BEFORE THE CDR THE WALL RAILWAY
CUFFLEY DALES RAILWAY under construction
AFTER TRACK-LAYING
Send email: wemckenzie@ntlworld.com
Copyright © William Ernest McKenzie 2000
1 December 2000