Garden Railway Forum

Written in the best traditions of the old HMRI. Excellent!

Thanks guys. That's very useful information. Tuppenced, can I ask if you have used these components to build standard gauge track or narrow gauge? from your comments I'm guessing you have had some experience of turnout construction with them too. I'm wondering if an option for 16mm might be to sourc...

Does anyone have any experience of Cliff Barkers gauge 1 track components? They are standard gauge but at Gauge 1 they shouldn't be too small for 16mm narrow gauge. The two bolt ones in particular look like they might be just the job. Probably quite similar to the FR version. Any experience or advic...

Pilton Yard Pilot! What a wonderful model in it's own right. I love the proportions of the Ragleth, it's something I aspire to owning one day, I couldn't see how it's proportions could be improved on but you've definitely managed to do so. Being Southern and L&B to boot is the icing on the cake....

Andrew:96399 wrote:

Soar Valley Light:96385 wrote:...I'm fundamentally a platelayer...  :D

Really?In that shirt and tie?! That's pretty posh platelaying...



Andrew.

Ah, professionally I'm a platelayer but at heart I'm a Signalman!

That's a beautiful piece of work. I have to admit to having a deep interest in signalling which is somewhat at odds with most narrow gauge practice! There is nothing worse (in my book) than cosmetic signals, unless they are inappropriately located cosmetic signals. Despite my interest I'd rather not...

Good one Brian!

You have to bear in mind though that I'm fundamentally a platelayer. All the bashing we do tends to be heavy, we don't have a hammer under six ponds!

I agree with laal ratty, they're a lovely pair of vehicles. They deserve to be run!

These really are superb. Seeing what you have done has encouraged me that I might have the skills to have a go myself in due course at heavy kit bashing or even scratchbuilding.

Thanks for sharing it with us. I look forward to seeing the finished products.

Thanks Andrew,

That's very useful information. Keep up the good work and keep us posted. It's all very interesting.

All the best,

Andrew

Hi Andrew, Thanks for this update. Your line looks really smart. Very neat and tidy track. How do you fix it down and are your bricks founded on anything? I'm in the early stages of planning my own line and am very interested in formation construction techniques. What make are your turnouts? Sorry f...

Philipy's comments are spot on. Any difference in rail height leads to 'twist' in the ride of a vehicle. A guaranteed trigger for derailment. As usch a hump or a hollow are bad news. The idea of supporting the flange (rather than the tread) is not entireyl unheard of or unprototypical. It was used i...

I strongly suspect that Jay may have hit the nail (or bolt!) on the head. If similar wheelsets perform ok it is a bit of a mystery. However, if it's not the back to backs then vehicles climbing out onto the crossing is very likely going to be a problem with the flangeway in the checks. It may be a w...

Ground level railways are begining to sound really good to me!

The early Soar Valley Light experiments resulted in a couple of 'earth faults'. Due mainly to poor quality laying of temporary track.


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They are fantastic. I fancy having a go at something similar but freelance when the time comes.

I would have been glad to relieve you of a couple of degrees of heat today whilst I was out in the rain and sleet and freezing cold wind!

That's really lovely. Full of character and interest. I look forward to seeing a pic of the completed vehicle.

The Soar Valley Estates works department manager finally got round to some field trials with the railway equipment acquired for use on the estate. As previously mentioned, this equipment is second hand contractors plant, bought with the intention of proving the feasability (or otherwise) of using a ...

Thanks Methssniffer. I hope I can produce some equally good looking track when the time comes.

Thanks Methssniffer. That's labour intensive but well worth while. One last question and I promise to shut up! Who's whitemetal chairs have you used? They are very good.

I'll remember the road construction technique when I reach that stage of construction myself.

That looks really good! I particularly like the stop lines. The surface texture looks spot on to me. Using chicken wire is just like putting in the re-bar that you find in 12 " to the foot concrete roads, great idea. At the risk of wandering of topic (sorry!) what make track do you use please, ...