The Bishop's Woodland Light Railway (BWLR)

[ge_rik]

What a beautiful track plan!
Do you take commissions?

Rik

[ge_rik]

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

[BWLR]

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!

[BWLR]

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.

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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.

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Once I had the track in place, i was able to carefully adjust the levels before final ballasting.

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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.

[SimonWood]

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.

[Andrew]

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!

[Lonsdaler]

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

[BWLR]

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.

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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!

[FWLR]

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...

[philipy]

It’s an Accucraft Cranmore Peckett.3230A029-9763-43BB-88CC-3E9B271F87FB.jpeg

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

[BWLR]

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

[hoppy504]

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.

[SimonWood]

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!

[philipy]

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.

[BWLR]

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!

[FWLR]

Just seen your YouTube channel and it is very impressive Peter.

Can you please tell me how you went about laying your track. I am just about to start planning our new line and it's the first time I am doing it at ground level.

[BWLR]

Just seen your YouTube channel and it is very impressive Peter.

Can you please tell me how you went about laying your track. I am just about to start planning our new line and it's the first time I am doing it at ground level.

Hi Rod,

Well I have to say my approach is not entirely conventional. Mainly I dug a trough several inches deep and lined it with anti weed membrane (or maybe in some areas with off cuts of roofing felt where I felt there was concern of serious root ingress. The trough was filled with gavel and then some treated wooden stakes hammered in (in some cases they probably went through the weed membrane! Then track was drilled and screwed to the stakes. Everything was carefully levelled out with a spirit level and then final packing up with fine horticultural grit as the ballast. It works for me but i would caution against it depending on ground conditions.

The big issue with this approach is that the wooden stakes will rot. Obviously it depends on the wood used and how it is treated.

Now, I have to say at this point that I am in an area which is sitting on pure sand (indeed the local primary school sports field across the road is several feet lower than surrounding land as it was worked for sand in the early 19th century) So the land drains incredibly well plus unlike clay soils I don’t get any heave due to it drying out or frost. I wouldn’t suggest this if you haven’t got really good drainage.

I’ve only relaid a couple of sections of track, both for operational reasons rather than due to poor running. I noted that some of the wood had rotted, some much less than others, but the track was still quite firmly held in place. In some cases I even reused the old stakes. I am aware that much of the track is supported on partially rotting wood, but it doesn’t matter too much as it now has settled into alignment and only requires occasional packing.

The advantage with this method is it’s really quick and easy to lay in the first place and also to adjust when needed. It’s almost really a case of just laying the track in ballast like a full sized railway with a bit of extra support to keep it aligned.

So there you are, my quick and dirty track laying method… yes, I’m a bit of a bodger

[ge_rik]

...... So there you are, my quick and dirty track laying method… yes, I’m a bit of a bodger

Sounds well organised to me ...... but then I am a self confessed bodger myself ......

Rik

[LNR]

I am in an area which is sitting on pure sand

I too am on pure sand and agree with your comments re drainage and ease of forming. I find the ants love the hole provided in the sleepers and the hollow underneath and although they only remove the sand one grain at a time, I just wish they would put it back when they're finished with it .
Grant.

[Andrew]

Just catching up here - that Peckett's just lovely!