Garden Railway Forum

Hey Guys, I thought I'd document the beginnings of the garden railway I started back in 2010 at the family home. Those of you who know, this is not the line that is currently in use. The idea was shelved in lieu of a immanent house move that still hasn't happened and I had a serious break from modelling and steam altogether at the beginning of 2011 until the start of this year (2013). Dad had moved on with a new girlfriend and I bought the house intending to house my family there, but my partner and I came to the decision that neither of us wanted to live there due to the memories there for me and it not really being suitable for her.

I shall carry on as things emerged. So basically it was decided between my Dad and I that we were to build a line in the back yard as that is something we had both wanted for many, many years. Due to my Mum being wheelchair bound for as long as I could remember and due to the sheer necessity of access to the garden we were both unable to have this dream. Sadly in 2009 my Mum died and left us both behind and she moved to a better place, but I don't want to dwell on that at all. 2009 went and brought new beginnings for 2010 and as the summer approached Dad and I started to tame the immensely overgrown garden back to some sort of condition. We then drew out some rough sketches and walked about the garden alot talking where and what we wanted to create.

Ok, this is pretty much how the garden looked in the summer of 2010. As you can see there is plenty of junk about and the bonfire had just expired on the lawn. I shall refer back to this picture when discussing close ups.



This area and subsequent beginnings of the raised section at the top left of the image above. Through the flower bed on this fine piece of conveniently shaped steel girder/runner or something.



This area below shows the section behind the lower wall in the top image going through a small wall that cannot be seen. The line is going to exit through the wall and curve around to the right, again not seen in the top picture.



Looking back through the wall



Another view of the line exiting the wall



After the line exits the wall rounds the corner then it will go above a small (lower) pond and around to the right. This is the vertical line up the left hand side of the top picture that isn't visible.



Below shows the line from the lower pond following behind a tree. It will then curve back around to the raised area, top left of the first picture.



Look what the cat brought in? My little cat brought this mouse in that day and I found it scurrying around the kitchen. Caught the little dear though.



And I found many of these in the long grass by the lower pond. Newts are they?



There is more to come, but please bear in mind that this line is not going to be finished in this form or on these soils. The Ridgemont Hills Light Railway will have somewhere else to reside, I want to document what was going to happen. It is a shame because I think this railway would have had alot of character.

Wow, at the time of typing: 226 views not one reply? Sorry if this thread is a bit boring but it does have a point.

Anyway, just to keep the thread updated. Back in 2010 the work actually started and the cutting was formed. A common level was found by using a lazer level and measured accordingly.

Here is the cutting as began in the summer of 2010.

















Sadly that was as far as the 2010 version of the RHLR went. About 12 months later the cutting was filled in, the grass reseeded and the lawn was returned back to normal.

Its a shame it didn't get built... looks like it would've been a great railway Are there any plans for your current one??

laurence703:96099 wrote:Its a shame it didn't get built... looks like it would've been a great railway  :(  Are there any plans for your current one??

Hi Laurence, it is a shame. Given I still live at the same house, minus the parents, and that things are moving slowly along it has been decided to move forward with some sort of railway. Maybe not as large as the previously mentioned one, but a garden railway all the same.

Currently I only have a length atop of a dividing wall (I will post about that too). It serves a purpose but is sadly in serious lack of interest. There is only so many times you can photograph and video the same thing before it gets tedious.

hmmm... is it possible to extend the current set up?

laurence703:96106 wrote:hmmm... is it possible to extend the current set up?

I could do, but it would involve a trestle railway around the garden. I believe that trestle railways are good for some, but not me. The current railway is three courses of concrete blocks heigh (about 3 foot) and there is very little chance of getting down to ground level without using miles of rail. Hypothetically if I were to do that, what sort of gradient would be recommended?

In all seriousness though, I have started the newer, slightly more permanent RHLR today. This part that I have began was going to be an extension from the main loop above.

Make a spiral?
ooh sounds good!

I like threads like this! Very interested to see the rest of the story and the progress from today

laurence703:96108 wrote:Make a spiral?

That sounds like it could be a great feature! Hmm, Maybe.....

LnBmad:96109 wrote:I like threads like this! Very interested to see the rest of the story and the progress from today

Thanks, I'll post up the rest about the 'wall top' line first and then get on to today. Just uploading photos to photobucket right now.

That looked good pity you didn't complete it...

Yes, every railway has its phases but now you have a clean canvas to play with

Hi guys, its been a while since this thread has been updated!

Two house moves and several life changing events later, I am finally building my garden railway!

I have moved into a remote spot not a million miles from where I used to live and have absolutely fallen on my feet with my new home. First and foremost I had to think of the family and as an added bonus it has a great garden for a railway!

I decided to stick the drone up in the air for a decent over head photograph to draw the rough plans.



Doing a rough pace around the garden I should need approximately 90-95 yards or track to make one complete circuit, there will obviously be siding and loops and other goings on to complete the basic circuit. The next job is to work out the levels, I have a laser level to borrow from a friend and I can then work out what civil engineering needs to take place, excited!

Great to see progress! will be very keen on seeing mamods and the bertie run, are any of your mamods on meths?,if so do you need a meths tank made so you can get a standard run time?
Mitch

Mitch stack wrote: Fri Jul 19, 2019 11:44 pm Great to see progress! will be very keen on seeing mamods and the bertie run, are any of your mamods on meths?,if so do you need a meths tank made so you can get a standard run time?
Mitch

I thought I'd dig out my old thread and update. Good to see you on here as well as insta!

I have several Mamod/Mss based locos that run on meths, I think its better than gas for these little beasts.

Love the garden and the possibilities are immense. So much potential to expand and enjoy so much, you have long runs, most would kill for, including me....

Don't worry too much about members not replying, some just like to look and they don't find it easy to put to words what they think. I have had many a thread were members have looked and don't reply. I have put a video up on a line that only runs Gauge 1 just this week, but I haven't had any replies, just knowing members have seen it is good enough for me...

Keep on updating your thread with some photos of your build...

PS. Glad your not using Photobucket, those watermarks are annoying....

Agree with the above comments. It's an exciting time when you have a "blank piece of paper" to work with. I imagine finding the time to devote to the railway will be difficult with all the other tasks involved in a new house although looking at the date of your posts that may have been some years ago. Good times ahead

FWLR wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 7:35 am Love the garden and the possibilities are immense. So much potential to expand and enjoy so much, you have long runs, most would kill for, including me....

Don't worry too much about members not replying, some just like to look and they don't find it easy to put to words what they think. I have had many a thread were members have looked and don't reply. I have put a video up on a line that only runs Gauge 1 just this week, but I haven't had any replies, just knowing members have seen it is good enough for me...

Keep on updating your thread with some photos of your build...

PS. Glad your not using Photobucket, those watermarks are annoying....

Thanks, I want be able to expand as interest allows but I also want to make it a part of the garden not the main focus. I have little ones to think of so the grassed area is for playing also. I'm pretty used to the radio silence you sometimes get on forums, I have a thread I update periodically with my travels to railways with some interesting content, no replies but I see the views on the thread and video go up, if it didn't I'd consider not posting, but like you I know people see it. I abandoned photobucket a couple of years ago, prices went up and the website was near impossible to use and bombed with adverts - just couldn't do it any more!

idlemarvel wrote: Sat Jul 20, 2019 8:14 am Agree with the above comments. It's an exciting time when you have a "blank piece of paper" to work with. I imagine finding the time to devote to the railway will be difficult with all the other tasks involved in a new house although looking at the date of your posts that may have been some years ago. Good times ahead

I have set myself a set of scenes/requirements that I want on the railway and I'm going to try and stick to it! The house doesn't need much work and I have largely done all of the tasks. The garden has taken more work to tame the greenery! Several weekends with chainsaw, hedge trimmer, brush cutter, strimmer and mower have left me what I have now. It gave me the time to think and get acquainted with the garden and as to how I was going to build the railway, I'm gald I did now looking back!

Update

I've gathered materials together for the starting of the higher section in phase 1. This section of track will almost be completely trestle construction and the limiting factor will be the boundary wall for my height. Having been out working things out, the height that I'm gunning for will allow for some ground level track and also cuttings to be dug, the more features the better!

Here we see the sleepers I bought a few years back for my last attempt (undocumented), they are laid out to work out the optimum locations for block pillars are going to be built.



I have company, an extra set of eyes never goes a miss! Give or take a couple of inches, the top of the concrete block stood upright is approximately where the sleepers will sit.



Next I have to order the blocks, dig the footings and get something setup.

You have an amazing view from your 'garden' (more like a field!)

You could get a ride on railway round all that!

tom_tom_go wrote: Fri Jul 26, 2019 9:15 am You have an amazing view from your 'garden' (more like a field!)

You could get a ride on railway round all that!

I agree. You could get some nice gentle curves for a 5" or 7 1/4" railway in there with great views and opportunities for embankments and cuttings. Go on, you know you want to...

That is a wonderfully scenic area you are fortunate enough to live in, I know, from my own experience, the setting makes such a difference to the way you tackle your project and makes it a more enjoyable task.