Forming a track bed

[SapperAnt]

I need some advice chaps, chapettes and thsoe who identify as neither!!

I need to make a more substantial track bed for my garden (i.e. back yard) railway to take the more substantial weight of Ragleth and bogey stock....

THe problem I have is this: My landlady is enormously protective of her property (It was the first house she ever bought and first shared house with the man who is now her hubbie til she moved in with said hubbie but kept the house as a source of income... all well and good BUT! she is very emotionally attached to it and treats it as her "home" still...which means even putting a picture-hook up requires permission Y/N and to where a picture can go....it feels like I am living her home not my own....but I digress)

Anyway.....I need a more substantial track bed and one that is level as the back yard ....just isnt despite the original grantie setts being concreteed over! It has to be removable and I cannot drill into the yard wall or the concrete to secure it. I cannot even "no more nails" glue it in situ.

I was thinking of 15mm marine ply as teh track bed supoprted on hard wood piers of various lengths to level it all up....but its keeping the thing in situ and giving it strength and rgidity thats the problem. My landlady initially said "no" to a garden railway....Ive no idea why....despite already having the thing. sigh.

Help??????

[Sir Clothem Cap]

It is very hard when you are trying to do something with your arms tied behind your back!

Your landlady is the real sticking point and if possible she needs to allow you to do stuff in your house without her getting too upset maybe a word to the husband may help.

On a practical level weight timber would not move too quickly but maybe more than she could take. placing loose paving stones down and using them as the anchor points may be a way forward. build a small section blending it in to the garden colour wise and then seek approval or offer a sum of money as a deposit to restore the garden if you leave it in an unsuitable condition on moving.

Alternatively seek a more accommodating landlady.

[SapperAnt]

Yeah heavier timber would stay put...but then its more expensive. And Im doing this on a post grad research student budget!!My initial plan was to screw L brackets to three walls of the yard and use that to support the track....but that would be too permanent for her and not be reversible (holes in the wall for e.g.) She says I can lay decking so long as it stays in situ when I move. Err....no.

Track laid on the concrete was fine for the mamod but now theres a bigger heavier loco and stock its not that good as it keeps shifting about and there is considerable flex where the track goes over depressions in the concrete.....sigh.

[DWR]

I had the same problem with my mum, but when 'Sir Clothem Cap' came up, we started to build the garden railway on the patio and then progressing onto a wooden structure and made it look prettyish, then mum came to have a look, and saw how "pretty" other garden railways are and a great addition to any garden, since then the line has extended and taken up more of the patio.

[SapperAnt]

If I only I were dealing with my mum (as you are). My mum and dad were both part owners of a "Black FIve"....

This is a case of dealing with an over protective land lady and trying to create a "temporary" structure for the railway which is also durable.....

[DWR]

is your back yard concrete? also does it have to be invisible?

[SapperAnt]

Its badly laid concrete over setts.

It doesnt have to be invisible but cannot be a permanent structure NOR casue "damage" I.e. drilled holes or glue to the yard walls or yard surface....

my idea is to cut out a large oval from 15mm marine ply and build legs for it. but then the issue is to stop it from moving about....and making it good and solid as it cant be fastenedto anything...

[DWR]

could lay the wood along the ground and boost it up so its level with some soil or mud/ stones etc.. and when it comes time to lift it just brush up the stones/soil/mud etc.....Or if you want to use pillars you could use a baton that goes underneath across the wood every so often to hold it up and keep it stable etc....

[SapperAnt]

That was my initial plan, but using mortar to level it all up.....as whoever laid that concrete had never ever heard of a spirit level.

[DWR]

hahaha maybe more spirit than level hahaha I have a little problem like that with my patio, it is rather annoying having a gradient into the main station

[SapperAnt]

That's on the cards....just need to get the boyfriend pointed towards the mortgage people as his mum has promised to pay the deposit. I am looking for a house with an OKayish back garden to become my outdoor train room.

[SapperAnt]

My thoughts exactly. I want to model a scaled down version of Castell Ceirenion on the W&LR but have my own freelance stuff running on it. The track plan as a lot of interest and "fun".

[invicta280]

In your position i think i would either:

1) show landlady some of the beautiful garden railways on youtube
and explain that when you leave you will lift the lightly laid track so that no one would know it had been there BUT leave behind all the lovely plants you will be putting in.

2) make up a couple of plywood moulds (one straight, one curved)
to create a lightweight sectional arched viaduct or embankment in
fibreglass. This would have track fixed to it so the layout could be taken apart and stored in a shed.

3) move house

[SapperAnt]

Invicta, lovely suggestion but she wont allow it. She "likes a nice clean yard with plants". She'll allow decking but would have to leave that behind when I move (as it will add to the value of the house).

[Marquis DeCarabas]

How about making a sensible start using some prepared waterproof ply and attach the track to that - for levelling up in the yard use some builders sharp sand.

It's not going to be there forever, you can get a fairly stable surface seating the ply on sand - not impervious to being washed away by rain, though (which may be a problem where you are).

When you move on, then you simply sweep up the sand.

[big-ted]

I can understand her wanting something that will leave no trace of it having existed if/when you move on. Regardless of how great WE think garden railways look, at the end of the day, they're not for everyone and, if uncared for, will end up with a garden looking like a bit of an eyesore. However, if you can come up with a method that will enable the garden to be returned to its prior state, I don;t see that she can have any grounds for complaint. Of course, you accept responsibility for this, in the form of her being able to withhold your damage deposit if she determines that the garden has been permanently altered.

I would have thought you could easily fill any drilled holes without leaving a trace if you take the time to match the colour of the cement to that of the existing concrete. Also, you're at an advantage that the patio is so badly laid to begin with. It means the standard that you have to meet on making any repairs is that much lower! How big is the patio? If the worst comes to the worst, skimming over the entire patio with a thin layer of concrete isn't THAT hard/expensive if you're not worried about making it absolutely level.

I'm no legal expert, but it strikes me that, so long as you accept responsibility for returning the garden to it's prior state, she doesn't really have any grounds for complaint.

[Pretoria]

Ooops see next post

[Pretoria]

In your position i think i would either:

1) show landlady some of the beautiful garden railways on youtube
and explain that when you leave you will lift the lightly laid track so that no one would know it had been there BUT leave behind all the lovely plants you will be putting in.

2) make up a couple of plywood moulds (one straight, one curved)
to create a lightweight sectional arched viaduct or embankment in
fibreglass. This would have track fixed to it so the layout could be taken apart and stored in a shed.

3) move house

4) Assassinate Landlady

[DolwyddelanLightRail]

In your position i think i would either:

1) show landlady some of the beautiful garden railways on youtube
and explain that when you leave you will lift the lightly laid track so that no one would know it had been there BUT leave behind all the lovely plants you will be putting in.

2) make up a couple of plywood moulds (one straight, one curved)
to create a lightweight sectional arched viaduct or embankment in
fibreglass. This would have track fixed to it so the layout could be taken apart and stored in a shed.

3) move house

4)  Assassinate Landlady

By borrowing Britomart for an Afternoon.....

[Sir Clothem Cap]

a burning ambition but I can't condone murder even iif it is justified