December ’19 meeting at the Lambak Garden Railway

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A few days before Christmas we gathered at the Lambak Garden Railway for our annual festive gathering. Two roaring fires kept the cold away, and dried us off after each running session was curtailed by a sudden downpour!

But the weather didn’t bother us, with a hearty chicken curry (as well as good company!) to warm and nourish us. Not to mention an ample supply of mince pies (with brandy butter) and a rail-themed Christmas cake that proved as delicious as it was decorative. And then the karaoke began…

With all that, it’s perhaps surprising we found time to run trains at all – but of course we did.

The holly proves the wagon loads are a festive greeting, rather than an enticement to switch to 1:87 scale
These quarry wagons are impressively packed with detailed figures (a sample from a train twice as long!)
Barely recognisable as a Mamod Boulton, and now just a few details from complete, you can trace the evolution of this model from its appearances on the Fairwood Valley Light Railway and the Rhos and Betws Tramway.
A scratch-built live steam vertical boiler locomotive
Complete chassis for a 16mm scale Blanche ready to run on air
The rain stopped enough to provide passengers with a service courtesy of Merlin’s Castle no 2. railcar Growler
Moel Rhos No. 1 Gannet with a reduced load (after the belt on her 4WD broke…)
The Rhos & Betws Tramway’s resident Double Fairlie running light through the station
Gannet’s last run over the viaduct – this section of the Lambak Garden Railway is due to be lifted in 2020…
…but new lines will replace it – here Gannet and the Double Fairlie venture onto the extension that is currently under construction
The Double Fairlie by a new tunnel which is at the end of the line that is currently laid

Photos: Simon Wood

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