Garden Railway Forum

And in case you wondered what it is like running coal-fired steam on a demanding track, the following video should give an idea:




And a similar one on a larger loco:



You may have noticed a large "sit inside" diesel in the previous videos.
It has been built by my Dad, and is a small scale version of a 15" gauge one (!) he built in the past:

looks like Flickr has just gone down

Back later with some more updates.....

At the (very well equipped) bath & west railway steaming bays:

20171007_170529 by simon mace, on Flickr

Me!

Driving at Plymouth Miniature steam:

FB_IMG_1507039033501 by simon mace, on Flickr

In case anyone was wondering how to move an 80kg steam loco...


It has a carrying trolley that it gets ratchet strapped to:

20170107_114204 by simon mace, on Flickr

So it can be winched down the garden steps:

20170630_201936 by simon mace, on Flickr

And secured into my van:

20170917_163641 by simon mace, on Flickr

Ready to go!

20170917_163656 by simon mace, on Flickr

Meeting a "tinkerbell" class loco at Kensey:

20170101_155455 by simon mace, on Flickr

Garden freight:

20170219_081112 by simon mace, on Flickr

An old household water tank makes a nice water tower (and saves messing with the garden hose for every steam-up):

20170305_103640 by simon mace, on Flickr

Shifting bricks:

20170701_135653 by simon mace, on Flickr

A detour to a bigger railway:

20170816_135505 by simon mace, on Flickr

Toying with the idea of adding a (dummy) saddletank, so mocked one up in paper:

20170919_185743 by simon mace, on Flickr

The loco will be getting some cosmetic improvements this winter (nicer cab and some paintwork).
I think I prefer the look with the tank in place, but there are some details to work out....

Helping with trackwork at kensey:

20160424_122034 by simon mace, on Flickr

So much to comment on but keep it coming!

I should probably put some details of the (small) g scale line too.
For now, here are some videos:










And the real thing - turn up the sound for these!

Cracking videos, that Sugar Pine Shay is a beast!

It certainly is - they said it was the biggest narrow gauge shay ever built!

The apple valley railway is for sale!

We are moving to somewhere with even better railway building potential.

Happy to leave both the 7 1/4" and G scale tracks in place, but the trains are going with me!

If interested please contact the agent directly:

Rowse Gardens, Calstock
I found this property on the Rightmove Android app and wanted you to see it: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/s6p/55101753

Looking forward to your next railway!

Good luck with the move and your new project. Do I see some railway track already in place in the last of the back garden shots?
Grant.

I notice the post about the house move was June 2018 and the old house has since been sold. I wonder how things have developed since
Rik

Sadly, this former member realised he was the only one at the time into the larger scales.

My fault, I saw a new post on the subject and had not realized how old the previous post was. Something to be said for not reviving old posts!
Grant.

Hello, i am still here (occasional lurker).

I have been keeping a thread over on ngrm, but that is primarily small scale (and indoor!) forum.

I can give some updates if people here are interested - feels like there might be a couple more "ride on" sized modellers here now...

A taster of progress on the new railway:


https://youtu.be/4ZPA-HgrsTQ

Good to hear from you!

Is that a 7 1/4" gauge 'Wren' you have now?

I got into 5" gauge last year so I would like to hear more from you as one day I would like to build a garden railway (next house move).

Yep, the wren is the new "pride of the line". Commissioned from a friend (who is a professional loco builder), with some input from me (mostly painting) - it is still running in at the moment, but is a lovely thing to run.

https://flic.kr/p/2iwBQ6M

https://flic.kr/p/2iwn1j3



I will give a bit of a summary when I get a chance to write it up.

Maybe a new thread would be more appropriate?

Edit: hang on, looks like I have forgotten how to link flickr images.....