Garden Railway Forum

Hello, It's Samuel again.

I've decided to start a monthly progress report on the construction of The North Suffolk Railway (name set in stone) a 16mm SM45 Garden Railway set in the heart of rural North/Mid-Suffolk during the 1920s (1928 roughly) I have also made a BlogSpot for the railway which will cover it's history more in-depth and serve as a accompanying record of rolling stock etc.

Report 1: March 2025

Area clearing started this month with the 14x3m space at the bottom of the garden being surveyed for the removal of "obstructions" (to use a lighter term ) most of which have stood untouched at the mercy of the elements for some years now.
The location of Harleston Common Station looking south towards The River Waveney & Weybread.

Day one was spent remove the old rotting Wendy house which must've been at least 10 years old. Once cleared it gave a better view of the area and clear access to several large low-hanging branches from the trees which would lay on the garden bed I plan to build the railway around. following this I have made some adjustments to the track plan as seen below. tomorrow's job will be to clear offending plants and branch to allow for the fitting of the new wooden plant trellis to add a distance scenery background to the whole railway.
The other side of the of the now destroyed Wendy house roughly around Weybread looking north.

Finally a brief rundown of my planned construction method which the railway will be built on: (Ideas and suggestions please)
The Area being used is made up of hard clay.

The Railway will be largely built on a raised garden bed (bridges & stone embankments excluded) using creosoted railway sleepers as a border with a base of compacted sand & gravel then recycled earth, topsoil and plant mulch used.

The Track Bed will be semi-permeant using 9 inch hollow breeze blocks laid in pairs on a base of concreate slabs in a trench with compacted sand & gravel. the breeze blocks will be held together by mortar and when the earth, topsoil etc. are filled into the hollows and surrounds, it will hold everything in place.

I shall save rolling stock & building plans for a future blogpost.
The updated track plan.

Looks like a promising site.
Can you post a link to your blog.

Rik

Of course nothing there yet, but I plan to write up a article on locos & rolling stock planned to be bought/built this year.
https://northsuffolkrailway.blogspot.com/

I already have the railway's first steam loco No. 2 "Otto" A Regner Konrad currently in bits having it's first overhaul, having purchased the loco secondhand in 2023. No.2 Otto now completely in bits.

I have also ordered a steam loco specifically for the railway (although not in the history of the railway in any way) a Roundhouse Linda Mk2 fitted with Fosworks RC which will allow for precise control and slow speed operations. it is on order for June, I plan for most of my future live steam locos to be fitted with this RC system to allow for timetabled operations.
I have ordered a pair of Southwold style 3 plank-wagons as the railways first wagons, built for me by RGS Models at £37 per wagon which for a RTR freelance wagon is reasonable. these will arrive with me by the end of the month. I am currently looking at getting the railway's first battery loco in the form of a HGLW steeplecab kit.

Looks to be an interesting track-plan.

Couple of observations:

Don't try to do it all at once. - The size of the task will wear you down, and you may abandon the project.

Be aware that any built-up ground will settle. - Also clay will 'breathe' and move throughout the seasons.
This means you will have to re-visit areas you have laid, to make adjustments.

Try to get to a stage where you can run 'something', early on.. The work-rate may slow, because you can now run a train, but if there is a loop with a point to nowhere... That is the 'itch' to be scratched.

But, most of all.... Enjoy!

Welcome to the Forum,
Phil.P

Thank you Phil,
I plan to not build the railway all at once rather more manageable stages as you say the size of the task is large.
Adjustments will be made as the railway grows with the passage of time of course.

This is of course far off in the future, but I would like to kit bash a freelance Cleminson coach together and I have no idea how I would go about it. I know Rik has made some great Southwold wagons and coaches but I sadly don't have a 3D printer.

Almost everything that has ever been built for a model railway, was built before the arrival of 3D printers..

They make some things 'easier', but have their own learning-curve.

Personally, I don't believe they are quicker to make a one-off model.. The time saving comes if you want several of the same thing.

Phil.P

A good big space to work with, and some nice shade trees.

That's a nice track plan !!

And a cool firstname