Garden Railway Forum

Something I've been thinking about for a while and finally gotten around to doing. Adding an extension to the quarry siding ....

Here's the railway as it is at present.
And here it is with the new extension
Rik

As you can see, the new extension is actually also a reverse loop - so I will now have two reverse loops. I think this will make life a bit more interesting when visitors come.

When running the railway as an end to end during operating sessions, the new extension will provide a couple of new opportunities.
1. The sand quarry can be operated independently - no need to run round trains at Bickerton Station
2. The new link to the quarry will supposedly be a link to Peckforton Castle - so the quarry will have a double identity. I might disguise this scenically somehow with some sort of castle gateway on the new link and maybe add a siding for the castle.

Progress so far.

Here's the quarry siding as was .....
Here's where the new retaining wall for the widened raised bed will go
Here's where I'm up to in constructing the new retaining wall.
I'm waiting a few days for the cement to fully harden before filling the raised-bed with soil and using the concrete breeze blocks as trackbed.
At the moment - rain has stopped play anyway ......

Rik

So Im not the only one moving soil!

Trevor

Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 9:22 am So Im not the only one moving soil!

Trevor

No, indeed. There's something very satisfying about civil engineering in the garden and I do enjoy mixing concrete

Rik

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 12:33 pm There's something very satisfying about civil engineering in the garden and I do enjoy mixing concrete

I agree on both counts, but sadly my spine doesn't!

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 12:33 pm
and I do enjoy mixing concrete

Rik

I certainly don't, no way ho say, not on your nelly, not even with a cement mixer, uh huh, not for me, but at least I know who to call now when I need the next lot doing, lol

Looking good so far Rik, looking forward to seeing it done

-steves- wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 4:02 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 12:33 pm
and I do enjoy mixing concrete

Rik

I certainly don't, no way ho say, not on your nelly, not even with a cement mixer, uh huh, not for me, but at least I know who to call now when I need the next lot doing, lol

You don't know what you're missing, Steve. Mud pies for grown-ups!
Seriously, though. It's versatile stuff - and weatherproof. The platforms and overbridges I cast in concrete fifteen or more years ago are still intact and looking good.

Rk

ge_rik wrote: ↑Tue Apr 11, 2023 7:10 pm [
You don't know what you're missing, Steve. Mud pies for grown-ups!
Seriously, though. It's versatile stuff - and weatherproof. The platforms and overbridges I cast in concrete fifteen or more years ago are still intact and looking good.

Oh, I really do know what I am missing, done way too much of that in my own garden, about 5 tons if not more in one day, I ached for weeks after that as I had to borrow all of it around from the front where the lorry placed it in little (not so little) bags

Very good stuff as you say if you want something more permanent

Looks good Rik, and will as you say add a new dimension to operating. Your plans are very photogenic as well!

Good stuff Rik, you really do fit a lot of railway in that yard of yours.

Small update on progress so far. Adverse weather has discouraged too much outside work recently, but at least it has allowed the concrete to set!

The trackbed went down last week.
And tracklaying started yesterday
I've been using up track which I've had in store but realised that one of the three right-hand LGB R3 points which I had hoped to use won't be as successful at as a left-hand R3 (or better still a Trainline R2 (which I don't have and can't seem to get anywhere). So, a small hiatus while I await delivery. Why rush these things?
Rik

Coming on well Rik, although your sand quarry appears to produce very solid looking concrete?

ge_rik wrote: ↑Wed Apr 19, 2023 8:54 am Adverse weather has discouraged too much outside work recently, but at least it has allowed the concrete to set!

....... Why rush these things?

If the weather in Cheshire is anywhere near as cold and miserable as in Northamptonshire, the best thing you can do is curl up in front of a roaring fire with a good book!

ge_rik wrote: ↑Mon Apr 10, 2023 4:14 pm
2. The new link to the quarry will supposedly be a link to Peckforton Castle...

Looking forward to the video of the opening ceremony for the castle extension.

Although a chilly wind, it was pleasant enough for me to lay one of the loop tracks. I'm awaiting delivery of the LH point before I can finish off the other loop and siding. This photo shows progress on the new extension in its entirety.
Rik

That's progressing rapidly Rik, and I must commend you on your neatness too.

It’s looking really good Rik, your railway seems to be ever expanding, business must booming in Cheshire!

BWLR wrote: ↑Thu Apr 20, 2023 7:24 pm It’s looking really good Rik, your railway seems to be ever expanding, business must booming in Cheshire!

Yes, hard to believe the railway has not only survived the Wall Street Crash and Great Depression but is actually expanding. I chose 1932 as I wanted to have an excuse for running other (closed) railways' rolling stock but, of course, there's a reason the other railways had to close. I did wonder whether to change history even more by discovering deposits of silver amongst the copper at the mine. Might make for some interesting additional 'secure' train movements.....

Rik

Yep, great to see your line doing so well! I look forward to seeing the first trains on the extension...

I like your choice of 1932. Just checked, and the W&L stopped serving passengers in 1931 - those Pickering carriages would like nice in red... You'll have to wait a few years for the L&B's lovely stock though...

In my garden it's somewhere between 1923 and the 1934, depending on my mood - although at 8 in the morning on the 1st of June I'm planning recreating the first through WHR train exactly 100 years after it happened, so it'll definitely be 1923 that day!

ge_rik wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:45 am I did wonder whether to change history even more by discovering deposits of silver amongst the copper at the mine. Might make for some interesting additional 'secure' train movements.....

Silver is more likely to turn up with lead and zinc in metal ores, although it can turn up with copper. It's not unusual though to find gold in copper ore and it is often high enough to make it worth separating out during the copper refining process.

Graeme

GTB wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 12:58 pm

ge_rik wrote: ↑Fri Apr 21, 2023 7:45 am I did wonder whether to change history even more by discovering deposits of silver amongst the copper at the mine. Might make for some interesting additional 'secure' train movements.....

Silver is more likely to turn up with lead and zinc in metal ores, although it can turn up with copper. It's not unusual though to find gold in copper ore and it is often high enough to make it worth separating out during the copper refining process.

Graeme

Aha! Even better! Though I doubt the amounts recovered would warrant a bullion van .....

Rik