Garden Railway Forum

Which season do you think is the worst for Garden Railways, Id say this 1 where in now.
the weathers horrible, rainy and cloudy and the gardens all bleak and dead looking.

roll on late spring!

Couldn't agree more Pauly, its been miserable in the garden lately & I need to rebuild a load of trackwork due to frost heave from last December........

My railway's due a lift and relay, but Butterley, being a higher-level line is quite pleasant to run on, providing it's not too bloody cold!

I'm not so sure, we had a great day playing trains yesterday!

Personally, I'd say the most frustrating times of year are Spring and Autumn. Glorious weather, but all too often unable to take advantage of it because of university (when I was younger, school) commitments. Coincidentally, these are the times of year when full-szie railways hold their galas, too

I do enjoy either hosting or visiting an occasional winter steam-up - and the long evenings can at least be put to good use in the workshop!

I do like winter steam ups, thick clouds of steam and hot cups of tea...
There is something about a really hot day that makes me not enjoy a steam up. So late spring has to be my favourite time, the garden is in full bloom and its not too hot!

I do like winter steam ups, thick clouds of steam

....not being able to see anything autumn and winter are aright by me (i spent x mass off the coast of a country in the middle east keeping pirates at bay ) provided i don't have to go anywhere near the south Atlantic it makes painting quite hard among other things

see what i mean look at the black paint its all over the place what was i thinking



plewsy2105

pauly:48646 wrote:Which season do you think is the worst for Garden Railways, Id say this 1 where in now.
the weathers horrible, rainy and cloudy and the gardens all bleak and dead looking.

roll on late spring!

Yeah, the one we're in now - but hopefully just coming out of! The garden not only looks bleak but when you try and do anything, it just turns into a mudbath!

The two seasons I love is the dead of winter, running in the frost just before the sun comes up and also warm late spring/summer evenings

anytime thats not spring or summer I reckon.

I can manage running trains now but its just not very pleasant, I reserve that for running indoors on the club layout now that I'm actually member of one!

DolwyddelanLightRail:48675 wrote:The two seasons I love is the dead of winter, running in the frost just before the sun comes up and also warm late spring/summer evenings  :D

#
I'm with you 100%. this time of year has to be the worst, the cold crisp winters days seem to have gone , yet there is no hint of spring, just damp & greyness

over the past couple of weeks we've had a couple of really nice days, however the rest have been cold and miserable.

pauly:48646 wrote:Which season do you think is the worst for Garden Railways, Id say this 1 where in now.
the weathers horrible, rainy and cloudy and the gardens all bleak and dead looking.

roll on late spring!

Summer rainy season is probably the least inviting here due to the heat and relatively high humidity - not to mention washouts, "skeeters" and other such joys.

OTOH, warmish (high 40sF) days in mid-winter are a real treat with the steam effects and everything working first time.

Peter in AZ

Iv been looking at last years summer photos I took of my line and all the wonderfull ground cover and foiliage s gone now, killed off by the snow and replaced with gravel, mud and deadness

I alwasy worry that my railway looks ugly and grey this time of year because I forget how beautiful it looks in the warmer months.

pauly:49114 wrote:Iv been looking at last years summer photos I took of my line and all the wonderfull ground cover and foiliage s gone now, killed off by the snow and replaced with gravel, mud and deadness  :(

I alwasy worry that my railway looks ugly and grey this time of year because I forget how beautiful it looks in the warmer months.

Ah yes, but some plonker will wax lyrical about how "garden railways enjoy the multi-faceted spectrum of the ever changing seasons.................etc, etc"

I just put it down to putting up with the rough and enjoying the good times - the clocks go forward soon, then the AGM and summer's on its way! Bring IT On!!!!

(Please.)

Narrow Minded:49116 wrote:

pauly:49114 wrote:Iv been looking at last years summer photos I took of my line and all the wonderfull ground cover and foiliage s gone now, killed off by the snow and replaced with gravel, mud and deadness  :(

I alwasy worry that my railway looks ugly and grey this time of year because I forget how beautiful it looks in the warmer months.

Ah yes, but some plonker will wax lyrical about how "garden railways enjoy the multi-faceted spectrum of the ever changing seasons.................etc, etc"

I just put it down to putting up with the rough and enjoying the good times - the clocks go forward soon, then the AGM and summer's on its way! Bring IT On!!!!
(Please.)

When I first started in the garden it was only strong winds would stop us running. One day it was so cold the gas would not get warm enough to fire the locos! I am a bit (well a lot) older now and like to take my pleasures in as much comfort as can be arranged. We have two indoor lines now in my neck of woods (well in barns/workshops) and this is where we go in the winter. The double doors are open but an urn of tea and a huge woodburning stove to warm one's nether regions on makes this a very comfortable way of steaming up when it is bitter cold and blowing a barsteward....