A Garden Railway Pipedream: the odyssey continues

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi,

For once, the Gods of garden railways were with us, and we had a nice sunny day to work outside on the garden railway.

Tim was continuing with the wiring for DCC; he's at the stage where we need one more day to have the main circuits powered, and then another couple of days to work back to the storage/steam-up area and the pointwork. We'll then be able to run those nice German locos:).

Allan and I laid the last point and completed the trackwork. A momentous day indeed.:thumbs: OK, we still have to check alignment. levels, cant etc, and add the point control rodding, but nevertheless a milestone has been reached.

Clive came along to supervise over lunch, and it was good to see him again after his enforced absence.

Allan insisted on a group photo to mark the occasion:

Track laying completion.jpg

The two sidings on the right is the steam-up area, the stub siding to the right is for storage boxes for track powered locos so that we can run from the box to the track, and the three main storage roads are to the left. Minimum radius 10 ft throughout.

Richard
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Congratulations Richard :thumbs: You've certainly achieved a lot in a relatively short period of time, in fact I think you've built your line and completed the track before I have - I did lay in the one and only point I needed yesterday, but still have the steaming up siding to put in!

Enjoy the running round now the weather seems to finally have cheered up a bit, I look forward to both seeing it in the flesh and bringing the Castle over for a go :)

Steve
 

isambardme

Western Thunderer
Hi,

For once, the Gods of garden railways were with us, and we had a nice sunny day to work outside on the garden railway.

Tim was continuing with the wiring for DCC; he's at the stage where we need one more day to have the main circuits powered, and then another couple of days to work back to the storage/steam-up area and the pointwork. We'll then be able to run those nice German locos:).

Allan and I laid the last point and completed the trackwork. A momentous day indeed.:thumbs: OK, we still have to check alignment. levels, cant etc, and add the point control rodding, but nevertheless a milestone has been reached.

Clive came along to supervise over lunch, and it was good to see him again after his enforced absence.

Allan insisted on a group photo to mark the occasion:

View attachment 86511

The two sidings on the right is the steam-up area, the stub siding to the right is for storage boxes for track powered locos so that we can run from the box to the track, and the three main storage roads are to the left. Minimum radius 10 ft throughout.

Richard

It's all looking great,well done with the last of the trackwork. Glad a photo was taken to mark the momentous event. Unfortunately had to attend a 90th birthday, but thought of Richard's gang in the garden sunshine having fun. I know where I would rather be, but duty called. Hope to get across this Wed, forecast looks quite encouraging but don't want to tempt fate! Cheers, Steve
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi,

I'm a bit behind with processing videos. This one marked two firsts - the first narrow gauge loco to be run, and the first running on the second of the circuits - which explains the umpty-bumpty nature of the running.

It was taken mid-April on a blustery day when the weather hadn't allowed us to tame the grasslands. We're now beginning to get to grips with the garden!


Richard
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Yesterday was a normal Wednesday working day, and for once, the sun shone. It was also a momentous day as we managed to get the 2 main circuits DCC'd. I say 'we', it's actually Tim's (The Snapper's) work, and he has done a great job - thank you. As you may have twigged, we have a big interest in German steam, and nearly all of that is DCC. For the first time, we can now run it, so I expect a steady stream of visitors with hired pantechnicons and big grins.

What was really impressive, and a testament to the work we had all put in, was that the running was steady all the way round - no voltage drops or loss of control.

I wasn't really geared up to video yesterday, but I did snatch a few shots.


Richard
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
Very nice. Worth the effort in building, by the looks of it.

I should get the maintenance shed to sort out that hot box that was chirping merrily away. It’s either a hot box or a Lesser Lined Carriage Warbler trapped in one of the coaches. :D
 

Keith Phillips

Western Thunderer
Love the authentic flange squeal. It's amazing the different sound effects that are available now.;)

Looks really great and I can't wait to get started on my own line.
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
I think it's the back scratchers for the superfluous coach lighting. I blame Allan's coaches.:)

Ah well, I'll just have to operate play some more and take the videos again:D

Richard
 

isambardme

Western Thunderer
And I think a strimmer needs to be added to the shopping list ......

:D .
A strimmer was actually used recently. Yes, more could to be done, but we have to get down to the primary business of running trains! You didn't see me earlier in the day cutting the grass edges with one handed shears, clipping overhanging shrubs, cutting plastic track supports to help level one circuit, running my r/c Black 5 & coaches to check the improved track, etc... It's not perfect yet, but is improving.

It's all been worth it in spades. This was the first time we were able to run trains on both tracks - German DCC . Brilliant 'train spotter' effects of hearing a light engine going one way while an impressive passenger train is heard then seen going in the opposite direction. Wow!
Sunshine too. These are days to treasure 'cos this is England & sunny garden days are very precious!

Steve
 

3 LINK

Western Thunderer
Morning Steve,

The comment was very tongue in cheek, I think you guys have done an amazing job and the way the line flows reminds me of the Harz mountain line what with the German locos, looks great.

Cheers,

Martyn.
 

isambardme

Western Thunderer
Morning Steve,

The comment was very tongue in cheek, I think you guys have done an amazing job and the way the line flows reminds me of the Harz mountain line what with the German locos, looks great.

Cheers,

Martyn.
Glad you like it Martyn, all the best,

Steve
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Excellent :thumbs:.

..... apart from the GW at the end. At least it played subservient role by following the teutonic RH running :D.

Need a couple of working tank and refrigerator cars to supply beer and ice cream!
 

Kimbo

New Member
Hi Richard, I’ve just spent the last couple of hours reading this thread, absolutely fantastic, you and your crew should be congratulated.
I’m helping out a friend with his proposed o gauge garden layout and have picked up lots of ideas from your build.
I look forward to the next instalment.
Regards Kim
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
Lovely video. No extraneous noise, just the birds and the trains and the grass blowing around in the breeze. I also like some of the longer shots - I so wanted in the second to last camera angle to see the going away freight swing back to the left in the distance, but I think that's just the top of a railing back there, as opposed to right of way.

It was like a magic trick early on. "You see only one loco (obscures train behind magic bush, waves wand, removes magic bush) but now there are two! Was it an illusion?"

Jim
 
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