Garden Railway Forum

I think I’ve got the wires crossed. The railway in the garden will be a larger layout and will be a planned out and back. I want to build a small baseboard based layout quickly to be able to run my locos while taking time to build the one in the garden. Our garden is flat and the space available for...

I like the brick idea!

Thanks all. The plan in my head is something like an inglenook on an 8x4 baseboard. That way it can live in the shed and come out on trestles/ workmates when I want to have a play. The biggest hurdle I have found with getting started with something more permanent in the garden is not being able to r...

Hello All As can be seen in my other thread, I am/ have been attempting to build a railway in the garden for nearly 10 years. It has never materialised but with this latest round of ideas, I am certain we can get round to it. As an aside to building a layout in the garden, can anyone help with ideas...

Well, third time lucky as they say..... My foray into the garden really hasn't gone well. I have been moved to a new area at work and one of the lads I work with is involved quite heavily with Pete Waterman and his modelling ventures. This has rekindled an interest in modelling, so far as to go that...

Thanks for the idea there Andrew. I'd like to keep Mildred tender free for now, but if that is the case I will certainly look into it. The idea of the slomo has been rekindled after watching videos of a layout called Hambledon - the end to end shunting at very slow speed using live steam appeals to ...

Thanks for the replies and the heads up about Wilson Locomotives Tony. Thanks for reminding me of the momentum van Rik, it’s been so long since I had the garden rail bug that I’d forgotten about that. I believe it was just being conceived when I last paid much attention to the 16mm world. Lovely ide...

Hello all I have had a significant time away from garden rails but a friend has reignited my interest in model railways of all scales. I am now looking to recommission my Roundhouse Mildred and would like to fit an SSP Slomo but it seems they have stopped making them. Is there an equivalent availabl...

Thanks for the replies. Yes, it was a fantastic set up and I’m very sorry to hear of its demise.

I found it - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue1jpITO050

Hello all It's has been a long time since I posted but glad the old log in still works. I have been talking to a modelling friend about garden railways and the subject of SAR mineral layouts came up. I seem to recall a raised level layout based on an SAR(?) theme here in the U.K. I think it was 45mm...

Cracking work there Mr Bond. Inspiring stuff. I'm just gathering steam towards a 5" or 7.25" loco and possible railway in the garden.

Bryan I have a Roundhouse Mildred. It is a lovely little RC 0-4-0 loco. Very easy to run as a newbie to this hobby. I know Roundhouse have discontinued this particular model, but I'm sure a similar model from them is available. There is always the 2nd hand market. Sorry that I can't offer any more i...

We are lucky enough to have 3 sections of garden and the middle section is just shy of 20ft wide therefore allowing for 16ft diameter..... I'm thinking out loud here but in theory that could be a return loop back to a steam up area. A simple balloon run......

Amazing thread. Seriously got me thinking about our garden now.....What would be the minimum radius curves for a small 0-4-0 7.25" steam or battery electric? 8 foot I suppose from reading your thread?

Cheers

Ben

Well, after a very long time of nothing happening at all due to varying reasons - redundancy and all the mess that comes along with that, I am now stable in a new job and have a renewed interest in building this project. My good lady, although not at all interested in the hobby, has shown an interes...

Hi Tom Love the updates on your line and 7/8ths stuff. I've been so busy with work that it hasn't helped with any thing railway! As I've said before, your line is perfect inspiration for construction of mine eventually. For the time being, my temporary layout will be using the large radius curves so...

Hello all Well it has been nearly a year and nothing has happened. This is due to varying projects on our house - inside and garden related. The area I planned to build the ground level line has been scrapped and a line on posts settled on due to running height and dodgy knees. Eventually the line w...

Cracking photos Tom. I was showing my dad some pictures of your railway. He thinks it is great and is all set for building ours come spring. Hope all is well fella and you had a good Christmas.

Cracking loco Tom. Inspiration as ever.