Garden Railway Forum

Couple of new additions to the roster, a Roundhouse Russell ran lightly bought for £400.00 because it ran really poorly, only the boiler was full of limescale and derailed everywhere, on closer inspection at home the front and rear pony wheels were installed in the wrong ends - resulting in derailments at every minor track imperfection. Ten minute fix and runs like any roundhouse loco should. An overnight limescale flush is next on the agenda for that. Coaches a purchase from eBay for £25.00 each, there are two more coaches of the typical Bachmann big haulers style in the same livery included in a job lot for £100 - all going cheap because one axle was snapped, but still present and included.... 5 minutes of no more nails and it runs wonderfully.

I also have a few more bits from where I got the Russell, I'll post those later.

Tomorrow it is back to laying the track bed and Wednesday I'll go to the builders merchants and buy £20 more of bricks... (that's all I can fit in a saloon car boot).

I appreciate the lining and ballasting tips, I will source some edging to go with the track bed Wednesday.

If anybody recognises the coaches let me know i.e. where they came from or what kit they're built from or even who owned them last, I wouldn't mind some more.

Looks great, you got a bargain there,

Phil

gilfachphil wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 7:04 am Looks great, you got a bargain there,
Phil

My thinking on both counts.
Can't identify the coaches. Are they ply or plastic?

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 8:31 am

gilfachphil wrote: Tue Jul 21, 2026 7:04 am Looks great, you got a bargain there,
Phil

My thinking on both counts.
Can't identify the coaches. Are they ply or plastic?

Rik

It appears to be laser cut ply. Here's some more photos.

So I managed to get some more bricks today, and will pick up some more tomorrow...

I found a spot for a small station to be placed whilst I was laying the track back. I now have a siding where a station will be.

I also smoothed out some track bed that was already laid to make a smoother transition to slight inclines.

I put the bricks in where I will place a tunnel, It will be covered in clay from a small pond I am going to build. It will also have a small stream/waterfall running over it.

The paving slabs are for a shed the railway will run through in the corner of the garden.

Here is some more progress pictures.

So I did a bit more work, more track bed down now. I'm going to let it sit for a while whilst I watch for subsidence and make sure I am happy with the layout before I concrete it all in.

Some track isn't quite lined up with the track bed, this is because I am awaiting a delivery of more suitable track with the correct geometry. Hopefully this gives more of an idea of where I'm going.

There is a last minute new addition new siding down behind the lavender plants, that will not have the same track bed as the concrete from the fence only a few cm below ground in this location. I will have to suffice with some sort of weed barrier, perhaps the really thick rubber ones.

The last photo from the last post as they all wouldn't fit.

Aaand I have the geometry of the track all worked out for the station loop.

I have some of those ECR el cheapo coaches running today. I know some turn their nose up at them, but for the cost of one new LGB coach I bought SIX of these, can't fault the value!

nlc1072 wrote: Thu Jul 23, 2026 2:14 pm I know some turn their nose up at them....

Your line, your stock, your rules.

If you like to see them running, it´s ok.

ECR /Newqida rolling stock offers excellent value for money. I think the quality of the plastic is slightly inferior to LGB's but the detailing is every bit as good. I've used a couple of their box cars as the basis for bashing into closed vans over the years (now replaced by 3D printed Southwold Railway inspired vans).

https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2018/0 ... -into.html

Rik

Today's update tunnel is a little more completed, I will cement in the rocks when I am sure of their location. Just throwing rocks and dirt at it with no plan to see what I like.

ge_rik wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2026 7:16 am ECR /Newqida rolling stock offers excellent value for money. I think the quality of the plastic is slightly inferior to LGB's but the detailing is every bit as good. I've used a couple of their box cars as the basis for bashing into closed vans over the years (now replaced by 3D printed Southwold Railway inspired vans).

https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2018/0 ... -into.html

Rik

Thank you yes I agree the plastic is inferior and they could do with some extra weight in. That'll be an enjoyable project later down the line as well. Nice bashing!

More progress to show, the stream going over the railway has grown into a full fledged pond... As soon as my partner said yes, there was no delay to be afforded.

Some flowers were also planted in the railway sleeper raised flower bed opposite.

Excellent progress! You're really cracking on with this.
It won't be long before it'll look like it's been there for years.

Rik

So I saw this video below and as I am making a pond, I thought now would be the time to incorporate a stream as well. So I dug it in...

A stream is an excellent idea, adds so much interest in various ways.
Some years back I built a stream and documented it over a long and rambling thread, but if you haven't seen it already, there may be a few ideas for you:
viewtopic.php?t=12019&hilit=stream

philipy wrote: Mon Aug 03, 2026 1:22 pm A stream is an excellent idea, adds so much interest in various ways.
Some years back I built a stream and documented it over a long and rambling thread, but if you haven't seen it already, there may be a few ideas for you:
viewtopic.php?t=12019&hilit=stream

Thank you, I have now read the whole thread end to end and I learned quite a bit, mainly to be careful of concrete cracking!

I have a test of the first half of the stream working whilst I await the silicone to set on the second half. I shall get paving slabs later for the edges this week.

Also I shall source more rocks and pebbles.

That look really good
I do like the rocks in the stream it makes it more natural looking mountain stream than a straight trickle of water.
Are you going to plant out the pile of soil it is sitting on so it looks like it comes from a distance away?

You can't beat having a steam gurgling away while trains are running. Here's how I constructed mine ...



Rik

GAP wrote: Tue Aug 04, 2026 9:50 pm That look really good
I do like the rocks in the stream it makes it more natural looking mountain stream than a straight trickle of water.
Are you going to plant out the pile of soil it is sitting on so it looks like it comes from a distance away?

I will most certainly be planting the rest of the embankment out, still unsure where I am going with it though. I'm just making it up as I go along. I got some more pebbles to go in the stream now, it looks a bit better. I'll get some photos of that later.

Also thank you.