Time to build a railway...but where?

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:27 pm

Timber which is pressure treated has a long lifespan in wet conditions. This particular timber is designed for use in gardens as edging for paths, bases underneath fence panels etc...
I have some already in my garden which has been there for nearly 10 years with no sign of detioration.
Additional protection can be brushed on, eg. fence paint, which also gives a coloured finish.

Big Al · Post by **Big Al** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:40 pm

Looking good Peter, Can't wait to see how it turns out.

Post by **Andrew** » Tue Apr 30, 2013 10:02 pm

Big Al:82874 wrote:Looking good Peter, Can't wait to see how it turns out.

I agree! It's a very exciting project, thanks for the progress reports...

Andrew.

St.Michael · Post by **St.Michael** » Wed May 01, 2013 7:08 am

Just have to agree

It´s a beutiful project, I´m following and learning!!
What kind of "landscape materials" are you going to use on the board deck on the outside area?

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed May 01, 2013 9:39 am

Hi Guys, many thanks for your interest and replies... As this is my first garden rail project I am also learning as I go. The firm base is essential as so many railways I have seen tend to move with changing ground conditions and have to be relaid.
The next major consideration I have learned from other Forum users is not to have tight curves, and as I have unlimited space I intend to make them as big as possible.
Now, the question of landscape materials.... This is very important to me, I want it to look as realistic as I can with the obvious constraints!
I want to put a station platform on the boards and would like to use 'real' slate or stone edging and possibly crushed stone surface. If anyone can offer advice on constructing this I would be delighted.
Question....... Should I put roofing felt on top of the boards and under the track first or would that make it more difficult to stick down the platform material?
Other scenic items will be natural stone/rock, tiny conifers and slate chippings for a quarry area.
Any other ideas greatly appreciated.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sat May 11, 2013 9:24 pm

Slightly off the main subject, but connected to it..... I have had to make a move of my modelling table and all associated storage shelves etc. from the comfort of my kitchen/diner into the layout shed. This is not a problem as far as location goes as I can be next to the railway for tests and trials etc. However, I did have a nice set-up for all of my bits and pieces and needed to make a new storage unit to cater for them.
The answer came from an unusual source.....a redundant computer desk. This unit was missing its pull-out keyboard shelf but had all of its castors and was otherwise undamaged.
A few pieces of conti-board and several storage units later it now looks like this...

All of my spares and accessories are housed in this mobile unit. Plasticard sheet and metal rods etc are at the rear, paints and adhesives at the front. I have everything in reach without even leaving my chair.
Even room for a bottle of red on the top!
This is placed next to my modelling table, also a refugee from the kitchen...
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Now it's time to make something.....

pauly · Post by **pauly** » Sat May 11, 2013 10:45 pm

Snazzy!

Big Al · Post by **Big Al** » Sun May 12, 2013 12:55 pm

That's looking good Peter, perhaps a small beer fridge under the work bench for visitors,

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Sun May 12, 2013 1:03 pm

(Looks at photo's on screen, then at desk........)

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun May 12, 2013 2:08 pm

Allen, I like the idea of a beer fridge!
My caravan is parked very close by and, if needed, plenty of beer can be prepared for visitors.
I'm a red wine man myself and that doesn't neede a fridge.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Tue May 14, 2013 5:37 pm

Little progress on the railway in this weather!
I don't mind working in the rain but the clay here is so slipperry it could be dangerous, so, I have turned my attention to the exit points where the tracks leave the shed. In previous photographs you can see a temporary board covering the openings. This was just to keep the rain out until I devised a permanent idea.
In the first picture below, the main structure has already been put in place. This is a 6inch frame pushing the opening away from the wall of the shed and keeping the scenery dry inside. Any damp would certainly destroy the plaster and other materials.

The groove, cut with my router, is to prevent any water from passing further than this point.

The new, permanent door, is made from a piece of sheet steel which I found in the 'useful one day' section of our storage shed.
It is hinged at the top with a piano hinge and brass screws. At the bottom is a strip of draught excluder which follows the contour of the track.

Door open..... Just have to make a clip to keep it from falling down on any stock passing below.

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Tue May 14, 2013 5:40 pm

Very well thought through and executed piece of civil engineering there!

Big Al · Post by **Big Al** » Tue May 14, 2013 9:51 pm

Excellent work their Peter clever bit of recycling.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun May 19, 2013 11:25 pm

Since the last picture of the decking there has been more construction work and the whole area covered with under-slate roof felt. I have done this because the timber used, although weather resistant, is likely to expand and contract in the changing conditions. Gaps would certainly appear between the boards and the ground cover material, whatever I eventually use, would separate in straight lines.
The photograph shows the track fixed in place so far. This represents the outside station area, Brockhampton, of the Brockhampton and Umbridge Railway Preservation Society, (BURPS).
The far left line is the continuous loop with two points taking track away from the return to Umbridge (inside), one giving a reversing triangle for locos running round trains at Umbridge Station.
The tracks on the right are 'steam-up' lines for visiting locos (as I don't have one, yet!). In the meantime they are sidings for stock waiting its turn.
It's difficult to imagine, that in this photograph, three boxes of Peco track have been used. I never realised how much thought went into designing a useable track plan. Even now there must be people out there who are thinking...' I wouldn't have done that'... but I have tried to think of all operational alternatives to make use of the space.
Be gentle with me, I have never built a garden railway before!

Stewart Gethin · Post by **Stewart Gethin** » Sun May 19, 2013 11:39 pm

I think it looks cracking, you haven't tried to cram a lot of track into the space available. And you've got the nice flowing curves as well.

Keep it up,

Stew

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed May 22, 2013 4:01 pm

Well I told you I was unsure about the track plan, despite spending weeks of drawing alternatives and discussing it with a friend who has much more experience than me on these matters.
Today I looked at it again with critical eye and decided it was not suitable for the type of running typical of a narrow gauge line.
I have taken up some of the track and relaid with points in different locations, also reducing the number of points at the same time. Better now!
Also, first test of a battery loco from the station inside the shed to the furthest point currently available....about 20 yards? It works and looks great!
Now for more ground work!

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Wed May 22, 2013 4:51 pm

It's all looking great Peter and really nice to hear that you've now had that "inaugural run"

Looking forward to seeing more progress photo's!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed May 22, 2013 7:14 pm

Thanks for that, Narrow Minded. I must say that I have been inspired by your posts and sat through all 65 pages last night! Having seen the changes you have made to your own railway and realising that nothing is too much trouble for you to rip out the old and install the new, I had to make it better despite having only just laid the track.
More changes will take place before I'm happy, but it's only when the track is down you can see the shortfalls.
My mind is full of projects to add to the overall look of the finished item and several of the subject postings will get a hammering for further information.
I have to say all of the details appear to be on the forum, it's just a case of finding them and translating them to my own needs.
More pics to follow soon....

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Wed May 29, 2013 10:07 pm

Bad weather, Bad,bad weather, again!
Bank Holiday Monday was a complete washout. Carmarthen Modellers Club, myself included, put on a display inside a marquee at a local Vintage Show. I love these events where all the local farmers bring out their old vehicles to show them off in an open field. It poured down mercilessly all day and the poor farmers had to drive their open cab tractors home in that. I couldn't have done any work on my railway anyway, so just took a day off!
However, since then I have been able to carry on with more support construction and track laying.
I mentioned earlier in this thread that I had difficulty with the track plan. Having built more support framework, I decided to rip it all up and start again. It is not that different, just better!
The lead into the station area is now longer, as are the sidings. The station run-round is longer and the curve smoother. I have repositioned a point to connect the continuous loop which comes from the shed and added a crossover between the two exit lines coming out of the shed. I have also included a mid-point crossover to put trains in the opposite direction of travel. This should add interest so that alternative terminus stations can be selected.
To show the differences I attach a copy of the first plan, then a picture of the current plan.....spot the difference!

The final picture shows the way forward... Two tracks heading for the great unknown! All I plan to do with these is form a single loop until I run out of track. Most of this will be either at or below ground level. I think I have about 60ft of track left for this and that will be it.

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu May 30, 2013 12:37 am

Perhaps what is not made clear in the previous photo is that the two tracks heading top left of the picture are the ones which will form the loop. The one in the distance facing bottom right of the picture returns to another loop which gives access to the shed or swings round at the rear of the station area and comes in again on the track on the right hand side of this group. A big dog-bone shape with crossover to reverse direction in the centre!
I hope that makes sense?

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Time to build a railway...but where?

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