First Steps Outdoors

[ceejaydee]

Although I have been a member of WT for a couple of years I am painfully conscious that I have never posted pictures of any of my modelling and that is possibly because I haven't been that productive for some time.
I've always wanted a garden layout but have not had any track down outdoors since the mid 1980's when I first bought my Mamod SL1 set.
An LGB starter set was purchased around 1994 and has been set up outside on occasion but not for many years and I have never been able to decide between the love of 2' prototypes on 32mm gauge or larger things on the arguably more stable 45mm.

A sudden and recent inspiration coming from perusing some of the fine layouts over on G Scale Central has led to planning and the laying out of track.

Yesterday I finalised the ideas I have had in my head for a while and made a start...

Overview of the site; yes my garden is small, certainly too small for most of the larger standard gauges.

Those bricks need moving.

Sorted

 

[ceejaydee]

I've had some ideas knocking about for a while and taking full advantage of Trainline 45 sectional track here we can see track planning in full swing..

More planning checking loops for train length.; certainly a compromise but I am happy with this rather than nothing.

 

[ceejaydee]

Tools and spirit level - this is getting serious now..

Plan is to complete the inner loop to get things moving then the outer loop can be added as time allows.
Earth moved!

Bricks used to check level around track foundation.

 

[ceejaydee]

A bit of earth grading and it is getting all level now.

Membrane down, ballasting has begun and I feel like I'm getting somewhere.

 

[ceejaydee]

Bit of a jump to this one
the ballasting is finished, track laid temporarily and a train being run... for testing purposes you understand
I know that the track will settle and local tamping may be required but it is not really an issue on a railway of this size.

After a little gentle track packing the works crew gave the P-Way a better inspection in their new steed.

I'd almost run out of ballast so the siding which will end as part of the inner passing loop on the outer circuit has yet to be laid although the earth has been removed ready.
Track needs to be taken up and re-laid using clamps and grease for electrical continuity but that can wait until tomorrow or Monday, for now the 28 year absence of rails in the garden is over and I ran the VW until it got too dark and cold to be outdoors.

Not a bad result for a few hours enjoyable work on a Saturday

 

[ceejaydee]

Only about an hour of running today due to being out for most of the afternoon and frequent rain.

I think that this loco may be a bit of an oldie - LGB Schoma 2060.

There is still plenty to be done tidying the track edges to hide the liner, weeding, planting and landscaping but with a train running round these tasks will be easier and seem more worthwhile.

I do hope that WT doesn't mind me sharing my outdoor trainset on here.
If the weather is fine next weekend then I can look forward to getting some more work done

 

[Simon]

Hi Christopher

Fantastic!

Well done for getting started, I'm sure your line will give you a huge amount of pleasure, there is something utterly magical about a model railway outside

There's a hell of a lot to be said for keeping one's ideas pragmatic and practical - not anything I'm very good at

I look forward to seeing things develop as they develop on your line

Simon

 

[ceejaydee]

Hello Simon, Thank you for the positive comments.

It is a very small and simple layout and necessarily so but has already given me plenty of fun not only during construction but also during the couple of hours running time since creation yesterday.

The existing loop is R1/R2 or 24"/36" radius curves so is strictly for LGB or similar stock; however the outer loop will be R2/R3 or 36"/48" radius so is very likely to see some sporadic G1 running to give my limited stock an airing.
My L&Y Pug will have no problems on those curves and the J94 might even cope although some work will be needed to enclose the gears on both locos to prevent ingress of dirt.

Having the line available makes other related modelling projects worthwhile and should hopefully do something to curb my excessive scattergun tendencies

 

[Ressaldar]

Mind..?? MIND....??!!?? Wash your mouth out, Sir!!
As penance you are now required to post lots more pictures

Looks a great deal of fun!!

hear, hear - keep the photos coming

cheers

Mike

 

[iak63]

I'll have to let the Father in Law see this thread.
Maybe just to give him a kick up there erse
G gauge - modelling with REAL presence - oooo rah!

 

[ceejaydee]

Glad you like it Gentlemen

Anyway after a couple of days away for work I found a little time this afternoon to tinker so I set a loco and a couple of wagons off for company then did a little weeding and landscaping.

I have been growing the plants in pots for years so no cost.
Slate is the result of many happy holidays in North Wales

 

[ceejaydee]

Decided to start with a UK outline train today.

Bought this loco with the proceeds from ebay sales of smaller scales last year and I had only ever run it on rollers so was good to see it in action.

 

[ceejaydee]

A familiar face left the comfort of my bookshelf where he usually resides to venture outside and inspect the Accucraft diseasel

Then I swapped for a classic LGB loco (THE classic LGB loco?) and ran this train until it was too dark to stay outside.

 

[40126]

...A familiar face...

Is this...... No It can't be..... Ian (Iploffy).. Ian..... Is that you ??.

My coat is on... & i'm out the back door... Running for cover

Steve

 

[Ressaldar]

well, the colour of the coat is right.............

cheers

Mike

 

[marsa69]

And the shape of his belly too

 

[iploffy]

I do hope that WT doesn't mind me sharing my outdoor trainset on here.
If the weather is fine next weekend then I can look forward to getting some more work done

Is this for real? with a statement like that I sentence you to posting more pictures and building more railway, there hows that for a harsh penalty.

 

[iploffy]

Is this...... No It can't be..... Ian (Iploffy).. Ian..... Is that you ??.

My coat is on... & i'm out the back door... Running for cover

Steve

ohhh yeh been found out at last it's the dumpy controller or (Fat B*s*ard) to his mates

 

[ceejaydee]

Is this for real? with a statement like that I sentence you to posting more pictures and building more railway, there hows that for a harsh penalty.

Guilty M'lud

Bought some more ballast today and pro-rata it is ridiculously better value than the Woodland Scenics that I bought for the last layout!

 

[Scale7JB]

Hi Christopher,

Who makes the diesel (looks similar to Harlech Castle on the Ffestiniog)? I rather like that..

My dad has a sizeable amount of LGB in the loft all bout a looong time ago, unfortunately the boss presented restrictions on a garden railway during the recent landscaping.... so its 'still' in the loft..

JB.