Yet to be named railway - (Now named as the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway)

Hi to all. I'm still relatively new here and although I've made one or two posts elsewhere on the forum I thought I would introduce my embryonic garden railway to you all. After dabbling with the smaller gauges as a kid (OO & OO9) I left off modelling for other important things (music, work, wife, sorry - wife, work, music  ) it's taken some 35 years to re-kindle my enthusiasm - working full time on the big railway tends to jade ones palate for anything else to do with trains in your spare time .

After having a house extension built over the last 18 months / 2 years the garden has been left to its own devices and it has got to the stage where it really does need a lot of work doing to it. I was not looking forward to this at all but browsing a well known internet auction site I spotted a substantial amount of LGB track, 2 Stainz locos and a few wagons and a Playmobil coach for sale. I started to watch it and as it got closer to the finishing time I broached the subject with the domestic authorities. My wife took the suggestion in good part and I started to mull plans for the railway in the garden. My bid was the highest and I was soon the proud owner of what appeared to be most of the contents of two starter sets and a station track set - all for about £250

I'd like to combine shunting operations, stage 1 and (eventually) 'round and round' operation, stage 2 (for those long summer days accompanied by cool beer ).

So - to the photographic evidence.

Laying out the track

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Trackbed preparation



Checking for level



Checking for clearance

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

More checking after cement base laid



End of the line (for now)



Station area showing location of turntable

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Last for now - turntable. It's a plastic TV turntable screwed to an upturned flowerpot saucer (all plastic construction). Unpowered for now but I have plans .

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Looks very promising, and given time, that bit on the ledge between the wall and path could have a real Welsh feel to it..

Like the idea of using the TV stand for the turntable, wish I'd thought of that - and TV's are generally heavier than even LGB locos, so you can reckon on it standing up OK.

J.

Have you looked at some of the postings on this forum?
 
You could have spoken to your GP!
 
You could have discussed it with your vicar/Priest/Rabbi/Imam.
 
Welcome to THE madhouse!!!!!

Looking really good, promising start, keep up the good work

Steve......


The Nutbrook Garden railway

JonathanJ


Like the idea of using the TV stand for the turntable, wish I'd thought of that - and TV's are generally heavier than even LGB locos, so you can reckon on it standing up OK.

J.

I wish I could take the credit but I 'stole' it from another G Scaler, but I can't remember which forum/website I saw it on. I think it might even be somewhere on this forum. I keep looking at everyone's photos and nick their ideas take inspiration

Ade

Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

I think Ian S. did something very similar

Matt 

oh--- i like your garden....and i understand the pressure to perfect it with a RR!

Those little walls and the walkway look really fine.

The work on your line seems to be very fine....wood in concrete????


regards

Frank

..how slow must a man be to be run over by a shay?
www.g-scale-structures.de

JonathanJ

..could have a real Welsh feel to it..
J.

What! That is a real drystone wall made from real white peak limestone in the middle of the real 'Gods little acre' - the Peak District! (I think I spotted some dark peak millstone too).
Welsh indeed, bite on the carbolic!
Only joking - a bit

If the world is round how come I always fall flat on my face?

pugwash

What! That is a real drystone wall made from real white peak limestone in the middle of the real 'Gods little acre' - the Peak District! (I think I spotted some dark peak millstone too).

All you can see is gritstone - there is some limestone but its buried at the bottom of the drystone wall - below ground level. I know this 'cos I built it . The trouble is round here is that most stone is so damp for so long it grows moss so quickly that the prevailing colour is green! 

I live close to the gritstone / limestone border (fault line?). North Peak District is called the Dark Peak because of its' gritstone, South Peak District is called the White Peak due to its' (yes, you're ahead of me) Limestone. A lot of houses near here are built primarily of limestone but with gritstone quoin stones (I think quoin is the right word for corner stones  ). I shouldn't have much problem making my track look overgrown.

Ade

Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Did a bit more today before snow/sleet stopped play.

Turntable cemented in position. Now I can start laying and ballasting the track form here.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Started to loose lay the track to get the geometry / gradients right from the previous 'end of the line'.




I then realised that the point / turnout where the branch line veers off was going to be on the yet to be built bridge so I altered things to set it back a little.


One line will run next to the back wall staying very nearly horizontal whilst the branch line goes downhill to 'ground level' before taking a left hander towards the ponds.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

welcome and a brill start you have made - looks promising

http://www.youtube.com/user/mbif?feature=mhum

The branch line will first pass the 'frog' pond (that bit with the green mat of duck weed covering it) - probably on some sort of 'cob' -


- before approaching the koi pond. Time for another bridge (or two, or three) methinks


Now - do I go left, right or straight on!

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

I would go left with a bridge coming back to earth just to the right of the double-trunked tree. If you build a bridge the length of the pond you just know what will happen. Yep, kois with their own G scale train. It might also cause injury when they jump during the, erm, 'fruity' season - you know how they are.

If the world is round how come I always fall flat on my face?

pugwash

...... It might also cause injury when they jump during the, erm, 'fruity' season - you know how they are.

I don't think mine have got it in 'em.

Back to the track plan - I hope to go left and right to go right round the pond with a through station along the left hand side but that is for 2011.

Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Very nice.   Definitely got me thinking about that turntable.

...or a sector plate.....

An Englishman in the Florida Panhandle trying to model the English narrow gauge despite turtles, snakes and hurricanes.

its all looking great

NSLR Ireland
http://nslrailroad.webs.com

A little more progress was made today before more snow stopped play. This will be last for a few days due to work commitments but at least the concrete will have chance to set

This the site of an old large cypress tree that was getting out of hand. I'm burying the stump in a raised planter that will include two trackbeds and a tunnel (I took inspiration from Don Henrys' [Granitechops] post - http://www.gscalecentral....&high=granitechops )
In this first photo I've laid out the cut pieces of stone to get the levels right relative to the track levels (wooden stakes).


Derbyshire gritstone is relatively soft and produces clouds of fine dust doh


Now it's looking like proper work (and not playing! )


The stone slabs have been concreted in position and a back-fill of rubble left over from other jobs used to bring the base up to level.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

The first bridge(s) is in position.


Old flagstones have been positioned ready for cementing to show the height that the planting area will be.



I was going to have an overhang at the rear but I think the planter is high enough leaving the rear track running through a dark cutting.


The front track is going downhill from the point it leaves the junction and here is approx 2 inches difference in height from the track at the rear.


An overview of the area. More flagstones will be positioned vertically to complete the planter.


Work intervenes again so no chance of any more progress until next Thursday (weather permitting).

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

looking very good , looking forward to further progress .

Steve

When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car. 
 
4 wheels move the body. 2 wheels move the soul.


Head of Utensil Organisation, Matinence, and Distribution
http://www.youtube.com/user/stationjade?feature=mhum

So much potential looking great!! Be sure you think about the kinds of trains you may aspire to run in 5 years time and keep bends as open as possible. Looks like u are anyway! I learnt this from bitter experience.

Looking very good so far that Koi pond bridge will be awsome!!
 
OK so how deep is a frog pond?????.......................Knee-deep........Knee-deep...............I know hat, coat, door,...................

"Most garden railwaymen are ordinary folk - Albeit as nutty as fruitcakes"...D. Rowlands

And how will our Ade fix the bridge?
Rivet...rivet...rivet... I'll use the same door as Minimans shall I?

If the world is round how come I always fall flat on my face?

pugwash


And how will our Ade fix the bridge?
Rivet...rivet...rivet... I'll use the same door as Minimans shall I?

The cab will be waiting for both of you.

Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

you like your concrete dont you

me, well i hate the stuff, and bluming slabs, yuck, not natural, and gardens filled with shingle....

sorry, rant over... just popping out to cut some more trees down

Keith - The Elmtree Line & Elmside Light Railway.

www.gardentrain.co.uk
http://elmsidelightrailway.webs.com

Elmtree Line


you like your concrete dont you

me, well i hate the stuff, and bluming slabs, yuck, not natural, and gardens filled with shingle....

sorry, rant over... just popping out to cut some more trees down

My garden/railway is all shingle, stone chippings and lumps of concrete....

just for you Keith

If nothing else works a total pig-headed unwillingness to look facts in the face will see us through.
General Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett

Mike in Steyning West Sussex
Lightning tracking at steyningweather.info
 



 

Hey Adeshers! you're really getting on with your layout... like the way you are going for multi-level... I'm not sure my Big Haulers would cope with gradients in our slippery weather. Great use of space

Rob

that little railway looks great...and it looks like to be no more just a little railway.

Good luck u have no bridges yet (because mine were blown away by the wind today).

How about the name, does it have one now?


Frank

..how slow must a man be to be run over by a shay?
www.g-scale-structures.de

coyote97


that little railway looks great...and it looks like to be no more just a little railway.

Good luck u have no bridges yet (because mine were blown away by the wind today).

How about the name, does it have one now?


Frank

I saw your bridges took a hammering - a great shame
 
Still no decision on the railways name. I might just shorten it to the Y.T.B.N.R. 

Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

My garden/railway is all shingle, stone chippings and lumps of concrete....
 

I like the look of your line - reminds me of a sand painting! How on earth do you keep it clean or prevent the weeds coming through?

Mick - always learning something new (then forgetting it).

Ade, your bridges are ready, can you nip down and pick them up?



Name: how about Dove Holes & Sparrowpit Light Railway (featuring that famous train the Tidza Flyer)
Coat, door, cab

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If the world is round how come I always fall flat on my face?

At last a few days off and some better weather allows me to make a little progress.

The planter was completed and left to dry overnight.


Slabs were positioned to get an idea how the 'back' line would continue


The planter was filled with compost.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

I decided that more bridges were required taking both lines from the planter to the next section - the back line will be an almost level embankment / ledge type thingy whilst the branch line to the pond will be something else (that means I've not decided yet )
Following Gregh example on the Sandstone & Termite Railway I wanted to try making some stone arches from Thermalite or Celcon lightwight building blocks.

Two blocks in position to get rough dimensions


Embankment / ledge built up using leftover flagstones.


First stone arch bridge in position.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

A bit more progress made (as you will probably know if you've seen my other posts regarding bridge building).

A long bridge was made to extend the top line further towards the compost bin corner where the reverse loop will be.



Nearly time for some gardening.

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

I've added a parapet and filled in that little gap at the left end of the arched Celcon block bridge


Next task to be tackled was the reverse loop around the compost bin. Here the track has been laid to ensure correct geometry.


Levels were checked and digging out was found to be required to form an embankment type thingy to join the big bridge to the revers loop.


Embankment under construction.


Looking back at progress so far.


Garden railways are about railways and.................... oh yes - gardens, so I thought a few plants might be beneficial.


The reverse loop will be mounted on decking boards fabricated 'off site'.


Placed in position it did not seem to fit at first.


But with a few blows from a suitably sized hammer..............

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

Now what to do with this gap............


Track in position and gauging trials began.


It's a tight squeeze round the back (oo er missus!)


I'm hoping that this shot will become a false tunnel portal (the loop will be one way only so the trains will always appear coming out of the tunnel).


This was my solution to the gap problem. I intend cladding the wood with some more green plastic garden edging (or similar).

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Ade - Chief Cook & Bottle Washer of the Combs Valley & Blackbrook Light Railway

looking good, keep up the good work!

North Norfolk Railway volunteer
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