Garden Railway Forum

BorisSpencer wrote: ↑Mon May 14, 2018 5:00 pm The element with which I'm currently struggling is a name.
I'm currently thinking along the lines of - 'Something clever' Preservation Light Railway, as I then have carte blanche to run pretty much anything I fancy.

My SM32 line represents a worked-out quarry line which closed but has now reopened as a tourist railway. Like you, I can run anything I please, from any period or railway. My title is.... 'Brockhamton and Umbridge Railway' and is operated by a Preservation Society, thus spelling B.U.R.P.S.

Thank you Rik, Tom and Peter,

I've spent an hour or two with anyrail and a drawing package to create a diagram of what I have in mind currently.

This is by no means to scale, and I've used the Peco SM32 set track templates for ease. I haven't yet decided on the final configurations for the stations. The loop will not be a regular circle either. I'll be using Peco flexible track for the railway. Curves will be a minimum of 36". Larger if I can manage it. The bridge from the lawn to the raised bed will be straight, not on a curve as it is on the diagram.


This will enable me to more or less keep the garden as it is. The house is at the bottom of the diagram, and the garden slopes down from the paved area to the house. The total fall I estimate to be about 6-9 inches over 20 feet. I aim to make the line level an to the height of the raised bed.

Ian

I don't see the point of the loop?

You might as well have the loop at one end so you don't have to run around each time.

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Mon May 14, 2018 6:28 pm Cannot recommend enough having a continuous loop, I do end to end running because of space and that's the only reason.

One of the advantages of a continuous loop
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 24&t=11829

Rik

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Mon May 14, 2018 8:44 pm I don't see the point of the loop?

You might as well have the loop at one end so you don't have to run around each time.

I agree Tom. However I hvae omitted a lot of detail from my drawing. The raised bed on the left is not wide enough, and there is a door at the end of the path into the garage and it's not possible to move it. The terminus on the lawn is also very close to a set of french doors which also rules out a loop at that end. The loop position is not finalised and will not be a circle as drawn. At this moment in time all I can say is it will be "en route" somewhere on the lawn between the two stations. I may add a triangle to the loop for access to and from the terminus on the lawn, and make the terminus in the raised bed into sidings and a steam up area.

All still to be decided yet. I will get round to measuring up the garden properly soon and perhaps marking out the route with string and markers to give me an idea before finalising the plan and starting any construction.

Ian

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue May 15, 2018 8:25 am

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Mon May 14, 2018 6:28 pm Cannot recommend enough having a continuous loop, I do end to end running because of space and that's the only reason.

One of the advantages of a continuous loop
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 24&t=11829

Rik

Thank you Rik. Yes for me a continuous loop is essential. Mine will be larger than I have drawn in my plan and it will not be a simple circle. There is scope for a lot of line on the lawn so I'm not sure yet what the final shape will be. I'll hide the line in places with planting and buildings to disguise the loop.

Ian

I am going to start stockpiling breeze blocks. My local builders merchant have some of the lightweight ones in so I will make a trip out today and get some in the car. Not too many as I don't want to overload it. I don't have enough space to store all I'll need in one go anyway.

DPC and chippings are already in stock. The next steps for me are:-

1. Decide on the traffic the line will carry so I can incorporate the necessary sidings and facilities.
2. Design the two terminii once I have settled on 1.
3. Purchase sufficient track and points to start on the terminus on the lawn. (I can sit in the house and look at this so it will hopefully keep me motivated).

I'll try and sit down this evening and sort out a name for the railway and the stations so it will have an identity.

Ian

Looking forward to your progress. Another line is born.a tip for laying your blocks give them a coat of waterd down PVA on the sides you are laying on it will help them stick to the cement

jim@NAL wrote: ↑Tue May 15, 2018 8:41 pm Looking forward to your progress. Another line is born.a tip for laying your blocks give them a coat of waterd down PVA on the sides you are laying on it will help them stick to the cement

Thanks for the tip Jim.

You may be a little premature in announcing the birth of another railway. It's still very much in planning and any construction work is a long way off yet. Several months at the earliest unless there is a change of my circumstances. Work, family and my East Lancashire Railway commitments will mean not a lot of time for building. Not to mention I am doing some fundraising work for Bloodwise and MacMillan Cancer Support and have some 4mm scale commissions to complete. Still it gives me something to do between everything else and an objective to work towards, however distant.

I will carry on acquiring materials and building stock meanwhile.

Ian

IanC wrote: ↑Tue May 15, 2018 10:35 am I am going to start stockpiling breeze blocks. My local builders merchant have some of the lightweight ones in so I will make a trip out today and get some in the car. Not too many as I don't want to overload it. I don't have enough space to store all I'll need in one go anyway.

DPC and chippings are already in stock. The next steps for me are:-

1. Decide on the traffic the line will carry so I can incorporate the necessary sidings and facilities.
2. Design the two terminii once I have settled on 1.
3. Purchase sufficient track and points to start on the terminus on the lawn. (I can sit in the house and look at this so it will hopefully keep me motivated).

I'll try and sit down this evening and sort out a name for the railway and the stations so it will have an identity.

Ian

Sounds like a really good plan, Ian. I don't think you'll need much motivation once you get started. These things tend to generate their own impetus, I find.

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed May 16, 2018 12:54 pm
Sounds like a really good plan, Ian. I don't think you'll need much motivation once you get started. These things tend to generate their own impetus, I find.

Rik

I don't think motivation will be my biggest challenge. I suspect it's going to be time. I'm having a day out tomorrow, Thursday. My locomotive is visiting a local line. I will also be at the West Lancs Teddy Bears Picnic on 2th May. In between that there's work and a day out with my Granddaughter (who my locomotive is named after). Then sadly a week at work.

Ian

I think my railway will be called the Westbrook Light Railway. (LWR) Westbrook is an area roughly mid way between the two possible terminii I have in mind. Winwick/Winwick Quay and either Burtonwood, or Sankey/Sankey Bridges.


I haven't had time to think about the type of traffic yet which will help determine station and siding requirements. Obviously all subject to space. I've a busy period ahead. I have to detail and paint a 4mm scale mess van for an exhibition which is just over a week away. A lot still to do on it and a busy weekend ahead which includes helping at the West Lancs Railway so time is going to be scarce.

Ian

Looks like a good plan Ian, the end to end plus loop is good, pretty much like my line is/was. I have/had a steaming up area at the bottom of the garden leading to the loop and then branching off with two lines to the station.

The loop was like a strawberry shape if you can picture it. Have a look at my line and you may get the idea.

Great looking crest, Ian.
Lovely little railway, the West Lancs. Must pop over there again sometime. Be interested to see how it's developed since my last visit in 2012 - http://ngruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/wes ... ilway.html

Rik

Agree there Rik.

I would use that Ian for your Avatar.

Thank you Rik and Rod.

I don't think I will be changing my avatar. The one I have has been my unique avatar for quite some time now. My granddaughter would be upset if I were to change it. It is a crop from a face that was on a balloon at her fourth birthday party. My Lady Anne, as has been mentioned elsewhere on here, is named after her.

Ian

Nothing much to report. An unexpected change of plans for the weekend has given me a small window to do some more thinking. I have a couple of layouts in mind for the stations and had another play around with AnyRail so getting the hang of it for planning.

I'm going to use PECO track so downloaded the templates from their website. If the weather stays fine I'm going to go out in the garden with the templates and some lengths of flexitrack and do some measuring followed by laying out the track and templates to see how it might look.

The next step will be to draw them in AnyRail.

Ian

When I started out I used Anyrail Peco track pieces printed out 1:1 scale and stuck them to cupboard.

If you can't print out bigger than A4 do it over two pages and join them together on one piece of cupboard.

ge_rik wrote: ↑Thu May 17, 2018 6:49 am Great looking crest, Ian.
Lovely little railway, the West Lancs. Must pop over there again sometime. Be interested to see how it's developed since my last visit in 2012 - http://ngruk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/wes ... ilway.html

Rik

Rik,

Apologies for not replying to this. Whilst I am not connected to the West Lancs I am an occasional visitor. As far as I can see there have been no major developments since your visit in 2012.

Ian

Hi Rik, living 10 minutes away, I am a regular visitor to the West Lancs and it hasn’t changed much at all.

But it’s a great little line and even though it doesn’t have the facilities to do anything more, it is well worth a visit. And like most other lines, it does rely on donations to keep on going, but somehow it does put on some great events.