After several months of work on various track issues, including relaying several stretches, re-building a bridge and a lot of reballasting, the first service trains for nearly three years finally ran on the Bryandale Railway today.
A few more issues were revealed (and some fixed) but generally everything behaved well. There is still quite a lot of repair and maintenance to be done, though.
The new storage box and extended railing line really came into their own today, removing the need for a major unpacking/packing session at the start and end of the afternoon – and also providing a useful raised surface on which to prepare the locos for their runs.
The station cat had actually forgotten what trains are, and got something of a rude reminder. He was not amused…
Trains and Trad 
Great to read from you again! Love the way it turned out. Bad thing is, after visiting you 3 years ago, I feel like installing a railway in my garden. It’s been a remote idea so far, but it’s growing on me. Hope the ‘rude reminder’ didn’t end up in a cat-astrophe!
Hi Manu, thanks for your comment. I’ve been meaning to write to you for quite a while – this will make me do it now! I think you should go ahead – but it probably needs to be a desert railway after this year’s temperatures! The cat is fine thanks! Best wishes, Ian.