Garden Railway Forum

I'm looking at making a platform for my line. Any ideas on how I can get a good looking and weather proof platform? Cheers

Hi and welcome.
There are very many ways of building platforms, which one might best for you will depend on many things. Can you give us a clue as to the construction methods you've used on the line itself, is it at ground level or on stilts, what is the theme of the line, etc? Some photos might help.

The track is on breeze blocks and is single track. It has no setting really as I feel once the station area is complete that will spur me on to make a decision on a setting. (If that makes sense) I'm thinking more of a halt with a little waiting room and a few lamps than a big station. Would a piece of thick ply coated in something like a varnish after painting work and be weather proof? Sorry I'm a bit vague I'm new to this side of small railways.

Cheers James

You mean something along these lines?



This is only one way to do it but it's worked for me. The track is on a concrete slab at this point. The platform is 10mm thick black "Foamex" board, scribed for planking and glued to Foamex bearers. There are two notched 'piles' underneath, one at each end, which are about 200mm long ( you can just see the head of the fixing screw at the RH end). These anchor it in the ground and stop it being moved about by birds, hedgehogs, etc.
The fence posts are also Foamex, and the shelter is made from Plasticard with corrugated metal roofing.

As an alternative suggestion, you could put a further breeze block along side your existing track bed, or cast a concrete slab to the required height. Personally, I would keep away from timber, not because it rots but because it moves tremendously with wet.

Hope this helps.

That's just the sort of thing I'm after doing. I have a long block that may do it if it's wide enough if not I have a few blocks lying around from the lines build. Where can I get foamex from?

Just put 'foamex' into ebay, it will give you about 9500 hits! Comes in various thicknesses and colours and there are other manufacturers of similar material.
Alternatively, if you have a local sign manufacturer and you ask nicely, they may be able to help.

Cheers for your help

My track is on breeze block foundations and I cast my own concrete platforms as three of my stations were on curves. Two I pre-cast in sections and one I cast in situ (with Jigstones edging).



Rik

That looks fantastic. Mine only needs to be about a foot long

I built mine from stripwood which I bought from my local DIY shed - it was stained (initially with creosote - i'd got some in stock) and is rail height, so no problems with locos or stock fouling them. This picture was taken just before Spring maintenance.

Cheers for that Brian I've gone for a piece of slate I found and like you have it just at railway height

Thanks for all the help and input from everyone else

James