Colin J. Churcher - Railway Modelling

My Road name is Great Western Railway


The GWR was incorporated in 1845 as the Great Western Railroad to build from London to Burlington Bay, ON.  The name was changed to Great Western Railway the following year.  The line was built to the provincial or broad gauge (5’6”).  The GWR system of owned and leased lines was significant in southern Ontario.  The gauge was changed to standard.

 

In an alternate reality, the early 1880s saw intense competition from both the Grand Trunk and the Canadian Pacific to acquire the GWR.   This resulted in the Canadian Pacific acquiring control in 1885.

 

The CPR allowed the GWR to maintain a quasi-independent existence similar to the Dominion Atlantic and Quebec Central.  This produced the sight of steam and early diesel locomotives of CPR design and numbered in the CPR number series but lettered GWR or with the GWR heraldic device.  This came to an end in the 1970’s with the inception of the CPR action red.

 



My initial efforts were concentrated upon providing rolling stock for the HOTRAK set ups.  I have made items that are of use to the set up.
In addition to providing individual cars I also bring out:
 - a train of cylindrical grain hoppers
 - a train of Safeway reefer cars
 - a work train

I now have two modules, Maenclochog and Rosebush.  Details and pictures can be found at:

Description
Maenclochog Photographs
Rosebush Photographs


This track cleaning car has been improved (at Normand Levert's suggestion) by the addition of small pilots.  The pilots took a lot of filing to make them fit.
I cut the ends off a caboose kit and the resulting body fits nicely over the frame and is easily removable for access to the roller pads.

This gondola has had quite a battering over time.
Two track magnets have been epoxied underneath to pick up any stray metal objects that may have dropped on the track.

A bulkhead flat car has been modified for ingot service by cutting down the bulkheads.
The ingots are actually sticky putty which will hold this camcorder which is within the NMRA HO loading gauge.



Workmen are just putting the finishing touches to a temporary station built from an old caboose.  This is used at any location on the layout where a passenger flagstop is required.  It moves around from set up to set up - all that is required is to change the temporary station board .  The rail side is shown on the left with a train order board and a blackboard showing train times.  On the right, workmen are just finishing the gravel path and there are a couple of posters taken from a book and produced electronically.  This has now been moved to a permanent location  as the Maenclochog Station.  It has been lit with two leds and is covered with vegetation.

I also provide a work train for the HO Trak operating sessions.  The following pictures were taken by Sergio Pellizzari

Jordan Spreader
Ballast Car

Wrecking Crane