A Garden Railway Pipedream: the odyssey continues

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi

My wife has always wanted a garden railway.

I have always refused to build one. I didn't see how a garden railway could satisfy my finescale desires.

Then Steve went and built his Castle and my wife and I visited Simon's layout, and Fred Phipps is about to release a D600 warship, and I started to ponder. What about a G1 garden line - a simple affair, just to run trains in the garden for the hell of it. I already have one of Freds D800 warships to build, so I was already considering G1 (1/32), but assumed I would go elsewhere to run. Several members of the Heyside team have G1 stuff, mostly Finescale Brass, so it was possible that they may be enthusiastic enough to assist.

Anyway, a rough outline was agreed with SHMBO, a tentative budget agreed, and when the mob turned up today to work on Heyside, we spent the first hour or so discussing a potential garden railway. Allan just happened to have his surveying equipment with him and we did a quick survey to look at ground levels to see if my outline idea was a starter.

P1010637a.jpg

The ground drops by about 3' over the layout area which is ideal as far as I was concerned, so let me take you through the plan.

We start at the part of the garden nearest the house, where the layout would be at ground level....

P1010640a.jpg

The post bottom right is where the line turns through 180 degrees, continuing on a right hand curve to the second post, reverse curve at the third post and then off left in front of the 2 flower beds.

P1010641a.jpg

The line goes in front of the 2 flower beds and then goes through a 180 degree curve round the far one, going past a staging/steaming area - the only points on the layout. By now, the track is 3' above ground level.
P1010638a.jpg

We've now gone past the staging area and are on a concrete viaduct running round the back of the 2 flower beds. There is a 90 degree right hand bend at the end of this run and then a run up to the starting point.

P1010639a.jpg

The starting point is the 180 degree bend round the ash tree in the furthest bed in the picture and round to the first post mentioned above.

Total run about 175 ft, double track, minimum radius 10'. I am awaiting the detailed results of Allan's survey to determine levels to see whether embankments , walls, stilts are appropriate, but both my wife and I are insistent that any railway should complement the garden rather than dominate it.

Will it happen? No idea, but great fun planning and thinking.

Cheers

Richard
 

Ressaldar

Western Thunderer
Hi Richard

sounds good and looking forward to the track plan, but what will you do with the trampoline - what alternative ideas do you have for the fitness regime?:))

cheers

Mike
 

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
Hi Richard,

hat a wonderful garden and a fantastic idea. What could be better than sitting in the garden with a beer or glass of wine watching trains........ HEAVEN.

Oh and G1 with Warships:cool::cool::cool: :cool::cool::cool: It could only be bettered by a Western;).

Well my friend these ideas eventually get started due to enthusiasm whether they get finished is another matter.:thumbs: Lets hope that this one does. Heyside is a superb layout but Hydraulics in the garden NOW WERE TALKING:D

Rob:)
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
What a lovely setting for a wonderful idea.

Dare one ask whether the pointwork will be built to ahem ScaleOne32 standards?:p

Simon

Hello Simon

I'm afraid not. I shall build to whatever passes for normal finescale, especially as I want to run live steam. Remember too that this will be an unashamedly playing trains in the garden layout - watching the trains go round - without any pretence of being a layout in the sense yours is, much as I admire the direction you have taken.

Hell, I'm considering getting away with just 4 points and a crossover!

Cheers

Richard
 

Mike W

Western Thunderer
With 10ft radius, standard rail section and only four points you could add a third rail for Gauge 3 - or at least consider the option at the design stage for possible future use. Cliff Barker supplies track for both scales and could advise.

G1 or G3, it sounds really nice and a railway IN the garden rather than in place of it, if you see what I mean. Ideal.

Mike
 

Neil

Western Thunderer
What a lovely setting for a wonderful idea.

Dare one ask whether the pointwork will be built to ahem ScaleOne32 standards?:p
Simon

I'd wondered that, but coming at it from from (I suspect) a slightly different perspective. Though your track for Wenbridge looks amazing, I can't help but feel it's a shame the likes of Cookies castle won't be able to romp round it. Could ScaleOne32 stock run through normal finescale points? Would they need some sort of drop in shims for checkrails/wingrails?

Apologies for the drift, but I'm curious about the degree of incompatibility between the two disciplines.
 

Steve Cook

Flying Squad
Don't do it Richard.















:))
Seriously, what a lovely location for a garden line. From a live steam perspective, that'll be an experienced runners line with lots of plants within the line itself meaning no easy sprint across from side to the other in the event of an issue. That might be a little frustrating when running a loco in, but when you can get it going and have limited opportunities to alter stuff it forces you to relax and watch them go by, marvellous. No problem for the electric chaps, it'll look grand.

I'm hoping there will be progress, all things considered, that is too good an opportunity to turn down Richard :)Happy to offer an extra pair of hands if required...
Steve
 

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
More like a potting shed, I love garden railways pity the weather isn't more pleasant though. Have we got a track plan yet Richard ?
 
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