Garden Railway Forum

I've been very busy in the garden over the past six months. I caught the Garden Railway bug badly over the winter and decided it would be a good idea to spend all my cash on blocks, sand, cement and track!

The Ffestiniog has influenced the line greatly, so I plan for most of the railway to run on a dry-stone structure that twists and drops to accommodate the landscape. The current setup has always felt to me as though it was missing the drama of some serious civil engineering, so I decided to include an interpretation of Cei Mawr — the 60-foot-high stone embankment. https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Cei_Mawr
Here is my attempt, nearly complete: I've always liked the view from the back of the garden, so I thought I would extend the railway in a way that capitalises on it. Here is a recent sunset:
More to come!!

I can see many pics being taken in the location of that first shot, just perfect with the sky as a background.
Grant.

Really nice! Beautiful atmosphere! Excellent example of how natural background can be used to create really life-like scenes

Red sky at night
Modellers' delight

Rik

Thank you all!
The first challenge was to tame the jungle that had been left to grow for years.
Here is the site - a lot of bramble roots: A Mess was made. Aerosols were useful for marking out. The Mud got worse. Digging is not that much fun. More to come!!

steamgeorge wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2026 11:51 am More to come!!

Excellent. Love seeing terraforming in process.

Rik

Good news for you Rik there is a lot of terraforming.
Having made a start behind the shed, I turned my attention to the first section that would connect to the existing railway.

I proudly cut a hole in the shed. The Oak sleeper will carry the track bed. There will be a removable bridge for the shed door. The blocks here will sit on the existing hardcore foundation from the gravel path. As it gets dark here by 4 pm in February, most of the work had to be carried out after hours by candlelight.
Stakes were used to get the 1:37. Point in.
It was a shame to remove the moss - hopefully it will grow back once ballasted. stay tuned...

...Continuing on from last time.
Blocks laid up to the shed: Work could now return to behind the Shed.
A trench was dug, groundsheet placed and then filled with Hardcore.
This was levelled to the nearest inch before compacting. Carrying blocks gets quite repetitive Signs of a railway appear at last! The first block has been laid behind the shed.

Post mix is very useful for laying blocks. You have plenty of time to make sure the block is exactly level before watering it in - unlike mortar. I have stacked the blocks in doubles rather than like a typical wall on purpose. My theory is, when the ground inevitably shifts or a tree root gets underneath, individual blocks can be relevelled with much less destruction to the rest of the track. Lets hope I don't have to do much of that in the future! Progress is good! more to come...

Wow, just WOW!

What a lovely location for a garden railway. You certainly have done an impressive amount of labor to get to where you are now.

Thank you for sharing your inspirational journey.

Makes me want to get back out in the garden.

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

DCooper wrote: Fri Sep 11, 2026 2:05 am Wow, just WOW!

What a lovely location for a garden railway. You certainly have done an impressive amount of labor to get to where you are now.

Thank you for sharing your inspirational journey.

Makes me want to get back out in the garden.

Looking forward to seeing your progress.

Cheers mate, glad I inspired you. Your garden is waiting for you!

The build continues:

The neighbours must be very confused - more block laying in the dark. All the blocks laid before the next phase. Starting to put soil back. You need twice as much as you think!

Now time for the main event. Earlier I said how the railway was missing the drama of some serious civil engineering, so I decided to include an interpretation of Cei Mawr — the 60-foot-high stone embankment. https://www.ffestiniograilway.org.uk/ga ... #gallery-2

So here is the start:
A foundation was laid. 2:2:1 aggregate - sharp sand - concrete The wall will be constructed with blocks in descending widths to make the base sturdier.
mock up on the patio: Blocks in - I do house extensions at your own risk. More to come!

Impressive!! I was going to comment on your nocturnal activities and the neighbours. Whatever you do, don't let your partner go away for a while or the neighbours will probably phone the police ......

Rik