Miniature Railway m a g a z i n e

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Issue 12 January 2010 Miniature Railway 40 Manor Road, Dorchester, DT1 2AX, England tel 01305 259998 . ISSN 1751-3103

editorial email atob@atob.org.uk or atob@onetel.com . subscriptions teresa@atob.org.uk web www.miniature-railway.com Editor David Henshaw . Cover Design Tim Pestridge

Contributors David Henshaw

Thanks to Richard Ellam, Patrick Henshaw, Dave Holroyde, Helen Merchant,Timothy Pennock

Printers Henry Ling, Dorchester . Next deadline 1st May 2010

The chances are you’ll be reading this with recent memories of a blanket of snow in the garden. Even here in sunny Dorset we had half an inch in the recent remarkable weather, plus the best part of two weeks below freezing.We’ve been out and about on the railway though, and our line has continued to pay its way, carrying loads of wood down to the woodstore for cutting. Half an inch of snow wasn’t enough to experiment with snow ploughs, but there’s plenty of winter to come yet!

We’ve put together an interesting fireside read for you this time, with profiles of two relatively little known miniature lines: the 91/2-inch Downs Light Railway, and 71/4-inch Great Torrington Railway. Both have a fascinating history, and both are very much in a state of flux in 2010.We hope you will be able to support the first, and perhaps buy the second! After some rocky patches, the Downs line is now well cared for and quite safe, but as the rails at Great Torrington sleep under the snow, the future of the line hangs by a thread.

Contents Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Miniature Railway News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Out & About: Barcelona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Profile: Great Torr ington Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Technology: Minimum Radius Cur ves . . . . . . . . . 30 Profile: Downs Light Railway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 New Products: Budget Locomotives! . . . . . . . . . . 44 Miniature Smalls: Free Classified Ads . . . . . . . . . 47

Cover picture: Blacolvesley on the Ravenglass & Eskdale, 11th September 2009 (see Book Review and News) NEVILLE KNIGHT

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