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I wanted a coaling stage on my layout, as can still be seen in operation in South Africa (eg at Capital Park in Pretoria, where Rovos Rail still operate steam locomotives from time to time). Indeed I have driven a steam loco up the gradient pushing a pair of coal wagons - quite a nerve-wracking experience! But I couldn't find any OO/HO models which suited, until I discovered an Australian wooden kit of a timber coaling stage. My nephew got it for me on eBay (I haven't mastered that shopping experience yet!) It was relatively easy to construct the basic structure, albeit a little fiddly, and it was one of the first things I did as I wanted to get a sense of how big it is and how it would fit into the layout. Now that I've begun laying track, I've put the coaling stage in temporarily to get the track geometry, and also to see whether the steep gradient is viable. I'm pleased to say that the two locos which I intend to use as station/yard pilots (shunt cars in South African parlance) both go up and down it very nicely indeed. Now I need to finish the detailing of the coaling stage, incuding the coal chutes, and then lay the track and gradient permanently. I'll add some close up photos as I go along.

In front of the coaling stage there will be a second line with an inspection pit, which can also be used as a run round loop, and beyond the stage there will be an ash pit. It's not an exact copy of the Capital Park set up, but has some of the right flavour. On my layout a steam loco will come in onto the coal line, take coal from the overhead chutes, then proceed to the ash pit, where it will clean fire. It will then return on the loop. If it is going straight out on duty again it will stop above the inspection pit for a roadworthy inspection and then head straight back out. If it is going off duty, it will go straight to the loco shed.

The loco in the photos is a Heljan BR Class 15 diesel. Not authentic for Africa, but a lot of those old green British diesels remind me faintly of the older British-built diesels in places such as Kenya, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Making progress with the detailing on the coaling stage, but a way to go yet.

A lick of paint makes a difference...

One of the sidings near the coaling stage will be the stabling siding for the breakdown train. There will be a "grounded coach" (a Ratio kit) as the crew mess coach. I've started building it, and I attach a photo of progress so far. It's intended to be old and run down looking. Why is it pale blue? Because at Capital Park depot in Pretoria there is indeed a "blue coach" used as a crew coach.

I had wanted a Bachmann steam crane for my breakdown train. It's a superb model, but at over two hundred pounds sterling, it is too expensive for me, so I've settled for a Hornby steam crane. My brother-in-law in UK, who is also a model railway enthusiast and who knows how to use eBay, has just got me a secondhand one for under twenty quid, which can't be bad. Unfortunately it's at his house in Devon and it won't appear on my layout until either we visit UK or someone reliable who can bring it comes from UK. There's no reliable parcel post to Kenya.

The coaling stage is now fixed in place and is rail-connected. There's still some detailing to be done (ladders, handrails, etc) and the ramp needs to be made to look as if it is not just track hanging in the air!

I've also started adding water columns.

The Garrat is presumably a Mozambican one - the letters LMS no doubt stand for the (fictitious) Lourenco Marques Sud railway!

The ashpit begins to take shape. It's from a Wills plastic kit.

Some detailing now done - handrails and ladder. One day I'll add the sprinkler system to damp down the dust in the chutes as the coal runs into the loco tender.

The little diorama around the blue coach starts to develop.

The industrial area is starting to develop behind the coaling stage.

The industrial area behind the coaling stage begins to take shape.