Broughton Vale Rollingstock Roster

Here is a detailed overview of some of the rollingstock regularly run on Broughton Vale Tramway. Apologies for the length and load times. Enjoy.

 

A empty train of log flats being switched in the yard at Broughton ValeLogging Flatcars

Not too highly detailed, but a great place to start scratchbuilding rollingstock. One of Broughton Vale's first ever log flats.Irrespective of what scale or gauge you model in, one of the simplest ways to get started is to build some flatcars. These cars are not based on any specific prototype, but they look vaguely like D&RGW narrow gauge 6000 series pipe idler flats to me. The cars themselves are constructed from scale wood. Wire has been used to form grab irons and steps.. The cars run on Micro Trains Bettendorf trucks, and are equipped with Micro Trains couplers.

Disconnected Log cars

If flatcars are the easiest car to scratchbuild, these tiny disconnect cars have to be in with a chance at the smallest car A short rake of disconnect log cars in the yard at Broughton Vale. The ones at left are based on Micro trains Archbar trucks, the ones at right are ex-Bemo HOm trucks that have been "narrow gauged"award. Disconnects, (or discons for short), were used from the early 1800s through to the mid 1900s all over the world to haul logs out of the bush. There were many different styles of discon, using both wood and steel construction techniques. Many discons were built on site by the lumber company crews, using 12" to the foot scale "hardware only" kits, which contained all of the metalwork required to build a pair of discons. The logging companies then had to provide the timber to complete the cars.

These discons are based on BEMO HOe, (European parlance for HOn30), or Micro Trains archbar trucks, with the addition of a styrene body, replacement metal wheelsets, modified Micro Trains T shank couplers, and a white metal casting of a small log bunk. They look good running in long trains, either empty or loaded, and the best thing is that even a long empty train does not take up a huge amount of track.

For a "How-To" on building HOn30 Disconnect cars, click HERE.

Passenger and M.O.W. Cars

Take one tankcar underframe, add styrene and wire, and you have Broughton Vale's supply boxcar.Besides the log hauling cars, logging railways also had all manner of Maintenance of Way car to keep the system running. The Boxcar is a scratchbuilt styrene body, mounted on a N scale tank car underframe. The frame was widened with styrene strip to get a pleasing proportion, and Micro Trains archbar trucks and couplers added. The roof of this car was formed with a sheet of cardboard, covered with aluminium foil to represent a metal surface. Wire was used to make the roof ribs, and for the hand grabs and stirrup steps.

Bemo 4 wheel skips were modified to form these bogie coal hopper cars.The coal cars were an experiment in resurrecting a few four wheel BEMO HOe hoppers to running order. After removing the wheels, axleboxes, and modifying the frames, two hoppers were butted together. They didn't look too bad, so a wooden frame was built around them and Micro Trains trucks and couplers stuck underneath. With the addition of wire truss rods, Nut/Bolt/washer castings, and some quick weathering, they were ready to roll.

Crew members and gear are hauled around the tramway on this tiny log cabooseThe logging caboose originally started out intending to be the base of a tiny vertical boiler Class A Climax. With Micro Trains archbar trucks and couplers, it was ready to have a boiler built on top. But something wasn't quite right. Around that time, a friend was building a plastic "demolished house" kit which included an on-site trailer/office she didn't like the look of. Somehow that trailer body got narrowed down so far, it looked like a caboose body, complete with pot belly stovepipe. The addition of a few wire grab irons, some crewmen, and some logging details produced a character laden caboose to protect the tail of Broughton Vale's log trains.

Broughton Vale's railcar hauls the loggers to and from the reload site each day.The railcar is the only piece of passenger equipment on the roster. It was built from a sectioned a Roundhouse Shorty combine. After narrowing the car, it was reassembled and mated to a Life Like N scale SD7 mech. These models, while representing six axle diesels, are only powered on the outboard axles of each bogie. Thus it did not affect performance any to remove the centre axle on each truck and modify the truck sideframes to resemble narrow gauge two axle passenger types. Visually this unit appears too big for Broughton Vale Tramway, but at exhibitions, passenger trains have started to appear sporting scratchbuilt "Puffing Billy" and North East Dundas Tramway style wagons courtesy of John Cheek.

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