Southport Model Engineers do 16mm - a new layout is born

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:00 pm

Seven garden railwayers from the Southport/Ormskirk/Preston area have joined the local model engineering society to build a 16mm layout in their premises. The plan for Phase 1 is a kidney-shaped track about 50m long on a 40cm high grass embankment.

Initial trials using PVC soffit, window trim and downpipe to support the trackbed have proved successful, so we intend to use that instead of the more robust (but much more expensive) Filcris recycled plastic. Breeze blocks were initially considered, but rejected when we realised how much manual handling and concreting was involved.

Some more photos are here:

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/railwa ... 324476692/

and the beginnings of a blog are here:

http://www.railwaygardener.net/page4/blog-2/index.html

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:07 pm

Good stuff, will have to go down and visit when you get things running

Gremlin · Post by **Gremlin** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:23 pm

That's good and forward think of the model engineering club. Some look down their noses at 16mm but diversity is a good thing and perhaps a few members will move up to the bigger gauges.
New blood is what a lot of MES need, I can't think the average age is a low one.

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:34 pm

They also have a good-sized Gauge 1 line, recently extended to make it an even better-sized line. The good news is that Roundhouse locos run on it OK.

Gremlin · Post by **Gremlin** » Mon Dec 02, 2013 9:38 pm

sounds like a really good place, bit far from me though.

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:42 am

Good progress despite the weather:

http://tinyurl.com/n9bjng7

Should be operable in a couple of weeks, although not finished by any means.

Post by **philipy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 4:41 pm

Looking good.
I have one quick question though, what is the brownish grey 'ballast' and how is it persuaded to stay on top of the slippery white soffit board?

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:03 pm

Very nice; you've given me some ideas for when I start my railway.

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:12 pm

Philip, the topping is my version of Rowland's mixture, 1 part sand, 1 cement and 1.5 dried & sieved compost.

The soffit board was sanded to take the gloss off then painted with Sandtex and sand sprinkled on top of the wet paint. Bearing in mind the wind and rain we have had during the process it all seems to have taken quite well, although I suspect a hard frost may be more of a challenge.

Post by **philipy** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 5:59 pm

Thanks. It will be interesting yo see how it weathers.
It could be the answer to a problem I have.

jay1976 · Post by **jay1976** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 6:09 pm

Thats a good idea with the uprights using square drain pipe at least it wont rot.. might have to look at sofet boards as well as I was planning on using decking planks but plastic sofet is simlar price..

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 8:45 pm

Good to see you have kept the quality of the track laying to the same high standards that are maintained when you come up to Ravenglass. I like how you've banked the soil and turf up as well, instead of leaving it on legs, perhaps you could put some plants in later when its all more established.

jim@NAL · Post by **jim@NAL** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:02 pm

looking good well done to everyone

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 9:13 pm

Truth to tell I subcontracted the tracklaying to another member, as mine tends to follow the Ratty foreman's philosophy, namely that a bit of wiggle is good for the driver's concentration!

Turfing-up was an important part of the plan, to try to integrate the railway into a garden setting and still keep it off the (flat and featureless) ground. Fortunately an adjacent building site supplied us with six dumper loads of soil.

Planting is in hand, Becky Pinniger's book was purchased specially, but haven't yet dared to suggest a bill is presented to the treasurer...

Gremlin · Post by **Gremlin** » Mon Feb 17, 2014 10:41 pm

Had a look through all the photos and impressed at how well it is integrated, love the banked slope which will protect the drain pipe and make that really stable. A very good job indeed and what great surroundings.

methsman · Post by **methsman** » Tue Feb 18, 2014 2:00 pm

Very impressed with this form of construction;I've discussed this form of construction on here before and must admit I was put off by some of the comments/replies that were generated. I've decided now that I will be going down this route,the major factors for me being ,fairly low cost,ease of availability of materials and light weight constructional work. I know it wont last for ever but at my time of life it will probably out last me.

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:59 pm

A major milestone for the new railway, the first circumnavigation!

My Roundhouse Mountaineer (also on its maiden outing) does the first circuit, with Tony Kuivala at the controls:

http://vimeo.com/89025067

An earlier trial run by Richard Jones' 'The Mighty Reds' is here:

http://vimeo.com/89033726

The latest photos are here:

http://tinyurl.com/n9bjng7

railwaygardener · Post by **railwaygardener** » Fri Feb 13, 2015 11:40 pm

After a season of successful running, we are extending the line to include a return loop and a wye.

The aim is to improve operational interest, mainly by giving the operators the experience of avoiding (or not, as the case may be) head-on collisions.

The necessary break in the new line for lawnmower access will be spanned by a removable wooden bridge. Regrettably I will probably name it Stackton Trestle.

Some photos of the build are here:

http://tinyurl.com/kru6h8a

Derek Pratt

Post by **philipy** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 7:08 am

Thanks for the update. I have wondered a couple of times over the last year how it had worked out over time. Looks good.

laalratty · Post by **laalratty** » Sat Feb 14, 2015 8:43 pm

Tony was telling me all about this whilst he was up at Ravenglass a week or 3 back. Looks good, especially the trestle bridge.

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Southport Model Engineers do 16mm - a new layout is born

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