Time to build a railway...but where?

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Sat Jun 08, 2013 10:36 pm

Well thanks to all for your replies, I have been trying to make the most of the beautiful weather and get on with the railway in stages where I have material available.
As things progress, new ideas spring to mind.......
To put it into context, the line is called 'Brockhampton and Umbridge Railway Preservation Society' (BURPS) and therefore represents a resurected industrial line now used for tourist traffic. It was noticed that some of the passengers were quite keen to see the old stone quarry close up, and so, the railway decided to utilise the old galleries as part of their running line and put passenger traffic on old industrial levels, passing the incline, now disused, and giving a new perspective on how work used to be carried out on the line. (Well it works for me!)
I must admit to spending long days working on the line when I do appreciate other people have work to do (Ha, ha!!)
However... I am waiting for a call into hospital for surgery. This will have an effect on progress for a while, but hopefully not too long!
I am having my apendix removed. I'm 64 years old! Kids have apendix removed, not oldies. On the plus side, I am an organ donor, so if anyone out there had their apendix removed as a child and would like to have a replacement, I'm your man!
I've been working on the railway all day today, but no pictures, sorry. More soon.
Big Al...... How are you getting on with your point motors? Does the idea of using H&M work outdoors?

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Post by Big Al » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:42 pm

Hi Peter must admit not got very far with point motors yet been to busy fitting whistle's, Radio control and painting cabs inside dark cream, and laying blocks in the garden for track to screw to. will be posting pic's soon.
Allen Hopper - early retirement can't beat it !

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Andrew
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Post by Andrew » Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:26 pm

Wow, what fantastic progress! I reckon I average about a yard a month, but I'm hoping to improve things over the course of the gloroious summer we'll surely have this year...

The quarry section's looking great - I love that you're using your own rock. My suburban back garden doesn't yield much in that respect, but local skips do, and I've just got a load of stone from some friends who were having some walling done.

Keep up the good work (looking forward to the first train pics),

Andrew.

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Post by Narrow Minded » Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:37 am

Excellent progress and yes, the scenic areas are tantalizing - I can't wait to see what you produce when you turn your modelling skills (as witnessed on your "indoor" section) to them! :D

BTW I once bought a second hand book on DIY surgery - and someone had taken the appendix out of it!
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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Tue Jun 11, 2013 12:02 pm

[quote="Narrow Minded:

BTW I once bought a second hand book on DIY surgery - and someone had taken the appendix out of it![/quote]

Brilliant! Love it..... made me LOL

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:08 pm

Well I'm back in production. The op went so well I was released after just 6 hours recouperation but was sore!
A few days rest and I have been active again. The track has now been laid completely! The final loop was installed today and tested in both directions with my little battery loco. I know it's slow, but it seems to take ages to complete the full circuit.

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While the underside of the baseboards were accessible, I have installed wiring for point operation, platform lights and building illumination.
Also, to improve the survival of any plants and save me the bother of doing it manually, I have installed an irrigation system. This takes water from the stream by means of a submersible pump, pipes it via a hose and distributes the water through a variety of nozzles just where it's needed. Some of the areas would be difficult to access with a watering can!

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Weather forecast for tomorrow is ok so more cement mixing and stone walling!

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Post by Narrow Minded » Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:19 pm

Blimey :shock:

You're not hanging about! That's coming on in leaps and bounds, and I love the irrigation system! That really is "integration";)

Oh, and as for the slow battery loco - one of the reasons I strive for slow running is to make my postage stamp sized line seem bigger! :D
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Post by LnBmad » Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:36 pm

Great work on this! Makes me want to expand my line again....
If it can be made full scale it can be made 16mm

My line: http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about7200.html

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Post by Big Al » Tue Jun 25, 2013 11:44 pm

That's looking great Peter, Hope you recover well from your op. If I ever get to Wales I'll drop in and have a look at your railway.
Allen Hopper - early retirement can't beat it !

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:01 am

Hi Big Al, and all other watchers.... you are most welcome to visit whenever you are 'passing'! Looking at the location of many members, it seems that if I was back in the West Midlands I would have plenty of opportunity to mix with other garden rail enthusiasts, however, I would not have a railway of my own to talk about as we had such a tiny garden there it would have been impossible!
I'm hoping to have an open day soon and trying to get a live steamer to visit to officially open the line!
If it takes place, photographs will surely follow.

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Post by St.Michael » Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:53 pm

Again: Fantastic :shock: :shock: And the irrigation system: Amazing! When looking at you proceeding work, I can see the joy and happines in getting the ideas, then solveing the problems and finally getting them out in real life.
Regards from Michael

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Wed Jun 26, 2013 10:41 pm

Thanks Michael, I think you are getting as much pleasure out of following this thread as I am in writing it!
Having done so many projects during my lifetime, I am always aware that is as well to plan ahead and fit items at the ealy stages as it is usually difficult or even impossible later.
At our previous house we had an irrigation system to water various plant pots etc.... naturally we didn't leave it behind, so all the bits and pieces were available to use.
Today, amongst other things, I planted the first of my trees and ivy. It makes such a difference to see the softness of leaves against the rocks. Too late to take pictures today but I will post tomorrow.
Time has come to think about a 'Grand Opening' and invite friends and neighbours to see what all the fuss is about.

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:31 am

As promised, here are the first pictures of my planting. Just a few to begin with as there is still more stonework to install and ground to prepare.
I was hoping to do more yesterday but the weather changed for the worse and, as keen as I am, there is no pleasure in working in the rain!

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Today has improved but I am off to set up my display stand at a local showground and I willl be involved with that all weekend.
No time to fit work in with retirement!

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Post by Big Al » Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:48 am

Looking better every time you post a picture, going to be a wonderful railway by the look of it. Will your points be operated by local switches (near points) or from a central switch board or both ?
Allen Hopper - early retirement can't beat it !

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Post by Narrow Minded » Fri Jun 28, 2013 11:55 am

That's looking the biz now Peter!
Hope the show goes well and looking forward to more progress here :D
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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Fri Jun 28, 2013 12:34 pm

Thanks guys, your replies are always welcome....

Al, in answer to your question about point control, I am going to attempt to operate them from a central panel just inside the shed door. All the wires have been installed near the points themselves and fed under the boards and through a plastic tube into the shed.(Yes, I did remember to tag all 12 of them!). The operating system will be by servos taken from our many RC cars which we no longer use. I,m hoping that they will be reliable, positive in operation and weather resistant enough to withstand the changes in conditions. If necessary I will make protective covers to keep them dry. If this doesn't work. I have enough H&M motors to try as an alternative. Time will tell!

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Wed Jul 03, 2013 11:09 pm

Just a little addition to the layout presentation to report.... I do like to see things finished off and not just left wanting! I have now boxed in the support legs and all of the cables under the layout with shiplap planking. This is painted green to match the shed and hides away all of the untidy items that otherwise distract the viewer.

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Also, I have built two small structures from resin kits which I bought secondhand but unmade. These were very basic with poor casting on the sections. Resin had crept throught the mould and caused lumps of material to build up in areas. A lot of filing and scraping was necessary to get them into shape and even then, some sides were bowed. Generally a lot of work.
However.... if I could, I would buy some more as they have made up into nice little buildings. Unfortunately, I can't find any trace of the manufacturer on line, so I guess they are no longer available?

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Other work is now taking priority so there may be a short intermission..........

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Post by Andrew » Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:05 am

Very nicely done - that planking looks great. Like the shelter too.

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Post by hussra » Thu Jul 04, 2013 9:34 am

Yes, very smart. Would you be able to post a track plan - I'm forever curious about such things?
Richard Huss
in sunny Solihull

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Peter Butler
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Post by Peter Butler » Thu Jul 04, 2013 11:14 pm

Just for you, Richard, I have drawn a track plan.... As previously explained in this thread, I could not decide on a plan and only when I had laid three boxes of track decided it wasn't right and started all over again!
The attached 'plan' therefore is not a plan at all. It is an end result after all the track had been finally laid.

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There is a large loop for continuous running with the possibility of reversing direction at the crossover. A station terminus outside as well as the one inside the shed. Run round for locos to change ends at both stations with the additional option of the reversing triangle between the shed and the loop. There is a siding for a loco on-shed and two storage sidings which also double up as steam preparation lines. If I haven't thought of everything it's too late now!!!

Also, the other small building which I described earlier.

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This includes detailing not supplied in the basic kit. Guttering and downpipe, Roof end boards with cross piece and finnials, glazing and door knob. It still needs a sign on the door to state its purpose.

Last for now is my foot crossing to allow passengers access to the island platform from the car park and ticket office (when built). I put this in today when I should have been doing other things!

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