Garden Railway Forum

A new scenic addition to the line.

The buildings on the railway are a mix of scratchbuilt and some kits, mainly resin. As part of the rebuilding of Bishop's Hutton Station I included a siding for a lineside industry, with the intention of this being the Bishop's Hutton Brewery. Early this year I started work on a substantial brewery using foam board as the basic structure. However it has become apparent that I just won't get it finished in the near future, so have been thinking about getting a suitable kit to put on that siding as a temporary measure (and then could re-purpose elsewhere as and when I finish the other one).

However at Peterborough I spotted something on the Miniature Building Company stand that looked ideal and was ready to go. It is already in use...

I think it looks rather good.

Looks perfect. Nice find.

That's very nice. He doesn't seem to have a website, but has a facebook page I see. https://www.facebook.com/grahamarmitagembc

No idea why I've missed this thread. What a lovely looking railway. As someone has said, the epitome of classic garden railway modelling.

Rik

I've not posted on this thread for a while. Its not so much that I haven't been up to much with the railway, just never get round to posting too often! You may have seen my Soller tram car in one of the other threads, so that is one project I've been working on over the winter. I've also renovated one of my wooden bridges, and recently carried out a little bit of track renewal and realignment (more of that to come later)

However one thing I've not previously got round to doing is to make a track plan of the railway and show how it fits into the garden, so here you are!

What a beautiful track plan!
Do you take commissions?

Rik

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun May 09, 2021 9:10 pm

How do you operate the terminus behind the shed?! It looks to be a very tight squeeze!

It is! However it's not quite as bad as it seems from the photos, as there is good access from the side of the shed to the buffer stop end of the station(from whence the photos are taken) and access round the other side to the points at the station throat. The is also enough room in the area next to the fence to operate the entire station if needed but it is a bit tight. It isn't ideal and i'd love to move the shed in the longer term.

How about some wide access flaps for the station from the shed? They could be fun, especially if you have children visiting.....

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 2:08 pm

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun May 09, 2021 9:10 pm

How do you operate the terminus behind the shed?! It looks to be a very tight squeeze!

It is! However it's not quite as bad as it seems from the photos, as there is good access from the side of the shed to the buffer stop end of the station(from whence the photos are taken) and access round the other side to the points at the station throat. The is also enough room in the area next to the fence to operate the entire station if needed but it is a bit tight. It isn't ideal and i'd love to move the shed in the longer term.

How about some wide access flaps for the station from the shed? They could be fun, especially if you have children visiting.....

Rik

I have thought about something along those lines. However they would have to clamber past the lawnmower and various other pieces of gardenalia to get to it!. If I ever get round to getting a different shed or renovating the existing one, I will bear it in mind!

More about the track realignment. As the railway and the range of motive power I have acquired has developed its has become apparent that here and there some changes could be made to facilitate easier running, particularly for manual control steam engines.

The first change I've made is where the line runs behind the smaller shed by the hedge. The last part of the curve is perhaps a little too tight and there is a little bit of a gradient as well which doesn't help. Also it is right next to a large tree trunk and the slow growth of it over the last 6 or 7 years since I first laid the track has reduced clearance, so it really needed improving. This section of line also seems prone to having animals digging, pecking etc and the ballast keeps getting covered in debris from that and leaves and twigs. So I've slewed the track slightly, so the curve blends more into the straight section. this has allowed an increased radius in the tighter part of the curve. Once I had the track in place, i was able to carefully adjust the levels before final ballasting. It looks a lot better, and so far seems to be easing the passage of trains (although I've only run a small number of trains on it yet!). I suspect I won't solve the issue of debris accumulating as this corner is a trap for anything like that.

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:06 pm However one thing I've not previously got round to doing is to make a track plan of the railway and show how it fits into the garden, so here you are!

Track plan? This is a work of art.

SimonWood wrote: ↑Fri Apr 08, 2022 5:25 pm Track plan? This is a work of art.

I knew there was a post I'd been meaning to reply to lately - but Simon's done it for me!

SimonWood wrote: ↑Fri Apr 08, 2022 5:25 pm

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2022 12:06 pm However one thing I've not previously got round to doing is to make a track plan of the railway and show how it fits into the garden, so here you are!

Track plan? This is a work of art.

It is a very presentable track plan. That would be worthy of framing on a wall where it can be appreciated

It has been a while since I updated this thread. I’ve had some family issues recently which have taken up a lot of my spare time. My dad had a major stroke in early May and hasn't made much of a recovery, and then soon after my mum fell out of bed and managed to severely aggravate the mobility issues she had due to an arthritic hip. So the consequent visiting and care duties haven’t allowed me to do anywhere near as much running of the railway as I was hoping thus far this summer

However I have made a little progress on various jobs. All the stations now have nice running in boards so passengers know what station they are at. Bishops Hutton has gained a nice picket fence which matches the others on the line. Wallace Bridge Halt has had a bit of a refurb, and the next door micro pub, the Fat Cat has had a beer garden installed and signage and some fencing. Some pics of these developments to follow

I’ve also made an impulse purchase of a new steam loco. When I say “impulse” I had been considering it for a while and trying desperately to resist…

It’s an Accucraft Cranmore Peckett. As you will know, I have a Lilla and you might get the impression that I’m a sucker for cute saddle tanks (you’d be right! )

I love Pecketts and this is diminutive it makes Lilla look big! Now I had some misgivings about buying one as it’s manual and my experience with manual locos on my line is that they need to be followed round the garden to adjust the regulator, which can be a pain. Also the cab is small and open backed so fitting r/c without it looking obstrusive isn’t a simple task.

So it arrived and after finding it a tad temperamental at first to get steaming (the safety valve seemed to be bit sticky- something noted in at least one review of the loco, which suggests mine wasn’t a one off) it was time to see how it stretched it’s legs on a run round the garden. I couldn’t actually believe my eyes, as this pretty little engine picked its way round my rather curvy railway through the tightest radius bends and up the 1 in 38 without stopping and at a lovely leisurely pace. In fact once you find the perfect regulator setting it will do several circuits with a decent train of a few wagons without me having to even touch it even once… occasionally it will slow to stop on a tight section only to pause a few seconds and then chug off. I can only recommend these sweet little locos especially if you have a line with small radius curves and gradients, it has tiny wheels and a very short wheelbase which is probably a big part of the reason for this performance.

I also managed to fit in a visit to the NGRS at Peterborough (and a first visit to the Nene Valley the following day) , so despite family problems it does appear I’ve managed to fit a fair bit of railway stuff. I just haven’t found the time to post it here!

We all have things that restrict us sometimes and it is a flipping nuisance, it stops you doing things you like doing, like our hobby. I should know after having my own health issues. But that's in the past and we move on when we can.

Like the new Cranmore Peckett, it does look very nice. I myself would however prefer r/c model, mainly because whatever line I have built it never seems to come out level no matter what I do..

Still it does make me and the grandkids learn how to drive a loco, whether it is steam or battery powered. Keep up with the updates please and yes, more photos too...

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 10:04 am
It’s an Accucraft Cranmore Peckett.3230A029-9763-43BB-88CC-3E9B271F87FB.jpeg

That is a lovely looking little loco. Any chance of some video?

philipy wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 12:37 pm

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 10:04 am
It’s an Accucraft Cranmore Peckett.3230A029-9763-43BB-88CC-3E9B271F87FB.jpeg

That is a lovely looking little loco. Any chance of some video?

Hi Phil, I did put a clip on Twitter a while back but I plan to get some better footage sorted soon and put it on YouTube:

https://twitter.com/bwlrpeter/status/15 ... hAtK3AoPJw

Great looking layout, nice to see a wildlife friendly garden, my wife wants to know do you have frogs in the pond ?
By the way good looking loco in the video.

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:05 pm Hi Phil, I did put a clip on Twitter a while back but I plan to get some better footage sorted soon and put it on YouTube:

https://twitter.com/bwlrpeter/status/15 ... hAtK3AoPJw

Beautiful looking loco and from that clip and amazing runner. I do enjoy running manual locos... but I must not be tempted!

BWLR wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:05 pm

Hi Phil, I did put a clip on Twitter a while back but I plan to get some better footage sorted soon and put it on YouTube:

https://twitter.com/bwlrpeter/status/15 ... hAtK3AoPJw
[/quote]

Cheers Peter. Not sure which I nevy most, the loco or the garden! Both are beautiful.

hoppy504 wrote: ↑Sun Aug 14, 2022 1:35 pm Great looking layout, nice to see a wildlife friendly garden, my wife wants to know do you have frogs in the pond ?
By the way good looking loco in the video.

There is an odd frog or two that turn up from time to time. Usually jumping out of the undergrowth near the pond on the rare occasion I decide to give it a little tidy up. It tends to give you a bit of a shock when they do!

I’d like to keep some areas of the garden a bit wild and unkept and a wide range of plants. Got to keep the wee beasties happy!