A simple Gauge 1 garden line

[Captain Kernow]

I still think that there's an opportunity for the local heritage group to preserve a couple of hundred yards of trackbed and offer a DMU commuter service in a few years, once they've held sufficient jumble sales to raise the money they need...

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Selling the car was a bit of a wrench it has to be said, but then I had a lot of fun with it and knocked it off my 'to do' list. If I really miss, I'll just buy another one, probably with a bigger engine - unless I spend it all on steam engines in the meantime

Thanks for the silversmithing tips Adrian - I live in a bit of a dead spot for courses unfortunately. However, there are a good many knowledgeable hands in my local group so hopefully I can persuade a couple of them for some basic tuition.

Jim, the mode of transport is still the diesel estate, wouldn't catch me on a bike around here, it'd be bloomin' lethal with the local driving 'standards'

Nowt to show workshop wise CJD, well not yet. Anyway, its far too messy to put up for public consumption, I have an reputation to protect Its all fake Jerry, honest...

Mr Neat Freak.

Hi Steve,
Couldn't help but post this picy of my son's ex caters. It's a Superlight and was pure magic to drive, but he had to grow up and buy his first home!
Still a massive wrench though!!

 

[Jon Nazareth]

Steve
What gauge of track are you going to lay down now?

Jon

 

[Steve Cook]

A slightly manic morning, started with a photo out of the back bedroom window



An hours worth of cutting saw the trackbed removed



And now I know where all the snails hid!



The conifers at the station end have been removed and I'm halfway through removing all the posts - 5 out, 5 to go.



The boards had survived pretty well - they were happy to support my weight as I did the 'cat thing' and walked the line from one end to the other. The WBP ply had started to delaminate between the top two layers for a depth of about 1/4" along each side whilst the marine ply used for the main curve was still in excellent condition. There had been no splitting or deterioration in the ply used to create the stringers and they were plenty strong enough. I suspect the boards would have survived at least another two years before the damp would have penetrated enough to to effect the top surface. They were certainly heavy enough when they went up to the tip.


CJD - it is, I can hear the large lady warming up

All change now CK, no chance for the preservationists! I'll be getting my ScaleOne32 fix by going to Simons with my engines, much more fun to run down there

Great car Mr Grumpy, mine was a Superlight too - about the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

Jon - the new railway will be 45mm and 32mm, maybe with a bit of 63.5mm if I can squeeze it in. Whether that is dual gauge / triple gauge, separate circuits or not yet I haven't decided - I need to test some stock on what will be the largest radius curves before making a decision. The only guarantee is that there will be a continuous circuit of 45mm track.

Right, I'm off to play with steam engines for a bit, enjoy the sunshine all!
Steve

 

[queensquare]

I will be interested in your experiments re. Curve radius. The groundwork for our garden line is progressing steadily. We are restricted to a min 5' radius so I'm 90% sure of going with 32mm but I do have a hankering for 45mm - I really like the Irish 3' gauge stuff.

Jerry

 

[ceejaydee]

...... The only guarantee is that there will be a continuous circuit of 45mm track.

Sounds good

Maybe I could bring something over to run when your new line is down?

 

[JimG]

The boards had survived pretty well - they were happy to support my weight as I did the 'cat thing' and walked the line from one end to the other. The WBP ply had started to delaminate between the top two layers for a depth of about 1/4" along each side whilst the marine ply used for the main curve was still in excellent condition. There had been no splitting or deterioration in the ply used to create the stringers and they were plenty strong enough. I suspect the boards would have survived at least another two years before the damp would have penetrated enough to to effect the top surface. They were certainly heavy enough when they went up to the tip.

Steve,

Are you going to use the same system on your new trackbed?

Jim.

 

[Steve Cook]

I will be interested in your experiments re. Curve radius. The groundwork for our garden line is progressing steadily. We are restricted to a min 5' radius so I'm 90% sure of going with 32mm but I do have a hankering for 45mm - I really like the Irish 3' gauge stuff.

5' is a reasonable radius for narrow gauge stock Jerry, I would have thought that you will only suffer issues on 45mm gauge track with bogie engines that have outside frames with no cut outs. I agree, some of the Irish stuff is magic, particularly the trams and railbuses Neil Ramsey is the master of that sort of thing.

Maybe I could bring something over to run when your new line is down?

No problem at all There'll be no track power though, so batteries or live steam - my vote is the latter

Are you going to use the same system on your new trackbed?

Not this time round Jim, I'm having to push the trackbed right out to the fence and the garage wall meaning there isn't enough room for the drill, screwdriver bit and screw to go in from the side to fix the stringers to the posts. IMO trackbed width has a huge influence on the type of framework to be used - and I don't know yet how wide I am going to go.

I was given a load of wood yesterday too which is swinging me in that direction, I still fancy making the top surface from Filcris products though to see how they last outside in the sun.
Steve

 

[JimG]

Not this time round Jim, I'm having to push the trackbed right out to the fence and the garage wall meaning there isn't enough room for the drill, screwdriver bit and screw to go in from the side to fix the stringers to the posts.

Maybe use coach screws and a spanner?

I was given a load of wood yesterday too which is swinging me in that direction, I still fancy making the top surface from Filcris products though to see how they last outside in the sun.

I had a look at the Filcris products a while ago, along with the other plastic wood substitutes, and they all seem to be quite expensive. I've been doing more surveys of my garden, and a bit of weed and ivy clearing, and I think I will tend towards plywood and treated timber. I've got a major Lathams depot a couple of miles down the road so all types of plywood are readily available, an dthere are plenty of the Wickes/Jewson/you name it suppliers close by for treated timber. I was thinking of using concrete filled plastic pipe for pillars.

Jim.

 

[Steve Cook]

Maybe use coach screws and a spanner?

Trying to design everything so screws / bolts etc are fitted from the top only Jim - hopefully making assembly easier (especially on my back).

I had a look at the Filcris products a while ago, along with the other plastic wood substitutes, and they all seem to be quite expensive. I've been doing more surveys of my garden, and a bit of weed and ivy clearing, and I think I will tend towards plywood and treated timber. I've got a major Lathams depot a couple of miles down the road so all types of plywood are readily available, an dthere are plenty of the Wickes/Jewson/you name it suppliers close by for treated timber. I was thinking of using concrete filled plastic pipe for pillars.

All sounds promising Jim, look forward to seeing what you decide to build / run when the time comes
I think the Filcris stuff is expensive, but depending on which bits you use I reckoned it was within 20% of wood costs for ladder frame construction and shouldn't need felting at the start or painting every year. I'd like to try it just to see - if I'm going to experiment, I'm doing to do it in a garden my size!

My concrete filled plastic pipes lasted well with no visible deterioration at all. The only tricky bit I found was making the wooden insert to fix the stringers to, I'd do a better job next time round. Mine were only 30" or so tall but I guess its not going to make too much difference unless you're going for four feet off the ground.

Speaking of posts, I got the last five out of the ground today, the railway has left a scar in the surrounding scenery.



So for this chapter at least...



Steve

 

[Phill Dyson]

Shame to see it go Steve.

 

[Steve Cook]

Thanks Phill, I can't disagree with you - especially looking out of the window now!
If I'm honest though, whilst it looked good it had turned into a bit of an ornament - it occasionally saw a live steamer and hadn't seen a DCC engine for close on two years - I actually think that Simon's 22 was the last one to run over the rails.

My interests have changed since I built it and I have to say I'm excited about having an oval of track even if that will be less scenic as a result. The lure of coal firing and live steam has distracted me for the moment, perhaps one day I'll be able to have a garden big enough to let me do both

Steve