Howard

Hello everyone, Back in 2012 I said I would build a garden railway and set about things at quite a pace. The idea was awfully simple, a ground level OO gauge garden railway set in the diesel era using DC power and Hornby/Lima locomotives. The circuit around the garden was to be around 200 metres with a branch line of about 60 metres or so. Well, what a difference two years can make. The main circuit is half built. In fact, about 120 metres of double track was laid and has trains on it regularly. It has tunnel underneath the fish pond filters and runs west on the south fence to a three lane fiddle yard that lives in one of my stone outbuildings. In the other direction it heads for the corner shed and then back out to 'tropics'. The run at a scale speed of 80 mph takes three minutes or so. However, I decided to build a shorter circuit to get trains running in a loop sooner which would also help keep the track clean. The short circuit is around 70 metres and uses about 40 metres of the main circuit. This circuit is now complete and trains are running...well they were until the rain came. Building of the main circuit will continue through the winter. The building of the branch line will start in the spring of next year. I realised that to have full length trains my motive power plan needed a review. Only the really good Hornby and Lima loco's survived the resulting cull and more Bachmann stock was introduced. This also began a serious addiction to Class 55's...would drugs have been cheaper. One of the 55's arrived with a fitted DCC decoder which opened up the next challenge. To DCC or not to DC...that is the question. The answer was easy. One bus not four, slow speed control, lights and all sort of stuff. Dead easy! Er...but the locos are not DCC ready somebody advised. So, Addlestone Model Centre converted all of them and fitted chips. The entire fleet is now DCC. I hope to hold an open day in September as part of MacMillan's wonderful coffee mornings initiative and will invite anyone to come along and run their DCC trains...in return for a small donation of course. My wife is eight months pregnant and the weather is bot being nice so there is some risk here. I will post photos shortly but please look at the web site http://www.addlestoneparkway.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and you will see what has been keeping me out of the house...and the pub Thanks for reading. Howard

Looking forward to this... I wonder if APT could be remembered so warmly...?

More photos in the gallery tonight. Take a look and please comment. Rolling stock pictures to follow...

Welcome Brian... That is some gradient and I cannot wait to see how you eliminate that. I have also received planning permission though a little late as I was half way around the garden at the time my wife said, " what's that?" However, she is quote a fan now though she totally denies it. Good luck, Howard

Three ponds...wow! Go for it...you can never have too many! The barrier is a model chain link fence that the fish have trashed. I will take a better picture of that when the rain stops. Inside the main bridge are the cables that supply power to the South section, lights in the tunnel, the pump that keeps the tunnel dry, the CCTV in the tunnel (critter check), freightliner terminal, various lights and 11 signals plus the lights to the branch line terminus. I haven't built any of that yet but I have planned for it! Next set of photos will be the run past bamboo and fun and games (and geometry) in the shed!!!! Do please have a look at my gallery as many piccies in there and many more to come. I have now taken three more shots of the bridge in better light. The fence is now easier to see.

Hello again, I had another scan of the forum. Is my railway a garden railway or an outdoor railway? Both it now seems. The 12' brige across the pond and the 8' bridge across the vegetable patch are above the foliage but the through the bamboo is on the ground as it the eastern fence run. How do I ballast the track? Ply with EPDM (pond liner) is the support all the way but what shall I use as ballast? In the tunnel will be track underlay. Also, I read about gaps between the rials for expansion. how much gap do I need to leave? Thanks, Howard

That is great to see! More freight on the rails and less on the roads perhaps?

Hi All, Where have I been? Buying track! All 178 yards of it, points, power, a couple of trains, wiring, wood for the bridge, plants for the pond (keep her happy), free fish next week (used to be in the trade and the boys were feeling generous). So, location of fiddle yard and storage sidings (indoor) all planned and ready to go but can do that any time - complete The tunnel - leaning against the conservatory How did Brunel describe it? "That awkward, monstrous troublesome tunnel at Box" Well, never mind that I have find something that is brilliant. I found by pure chance an 8' piece of 7" square trunking. The tunnel can be dug in and the climb in and out will be in a cutting inside the trunking so beginning to get there. The best thing about trunking is that I can peel the roof off for maintenance (I know I will have to dig a little) so will probably overhaul the tunnel twice a year. Adhesive LED lights will light up the tunnel so should something happen I have a mini cam on a piece of bamboo I can push down and examine the interior. I may try a fixed camera yet! Soliering the hell out of the track and wires etc brilliant advice. I will use 6 pieces (3 per track) of Peco 100 flexi (new) on wood with an underlay of some sort. I will use marine ply inside EPDM rubber pond liner (free again) so water will nver get into the wood. The track will be an inch raised off the floor of the tunnel to allow for some water to get in and then drain holes into the soakaway and pump area will solve the rest of the drainage issue. Also in the tunnel will be the wiring for points on the eastern run, colour light signals, and additional power connection at the furthest point away to prevent power loss. As I wont be DCC yet there will isolator rail wiring in the pipe too. The Bridge - is up Goes up first...and then the tunnel will be aligned to it. Stations We have station names: Vegetable Patchway (I know) Bamboo Halt Patio Parkway The head gardener has said, "They are all rubbish! Addlestone Parkway, Addlestone East, New Haw Terminus and Byfleet Freight Terminal - use these or planning permission may be withdrawn", she continued.

Hello again, Thanks for all the replies and encouragement. I am excited about this now and the buying of track has begun in ernest though need to be a little quicker on the bidding button. 5% of the track needed has now been bought. The pond is getting deeper and will be lined today (as soon as I have finished this in fact) and the bridge will span it for people and for my trains. The bridge is not a problem. The tunnel however is... The local authority (Er indoors) has said that I cannot bridge the lawn or make a cutting into it. It is under or nothing basically! Mick has stated sensibly that two short forearms length is about right but I need to cross a width of lawn of six feet plus I have tom get down to the pipe and up again. I can handle the critters problem and drainage. Once the railway is shut down after running 'bungs' will be place at both entrances which themselves will have a small electric fence surrounding them which will be off during running. The tunnel is essentially a 6" soil pipe half filled with concrete to create a flat bed for two tracks to sit on with drain holes drilled through a soak away beneath that. Should the tunnel flood through rising water there is a small gap between tunnel bottom and the soak away for with an electric pond pump that can be fired up if needed. Track cleaning will be a problem and I am still scratching my head on that one! I would upload a photo but I haven't figured that out yet! What I want to achieve is the train bursting from the tunnel and over the bridge so not asking for too much Thoughts on wife agreement strategies most welcome. Thanks, Howard

Hello! I have spent a lot of time reading all the topics posted and they have made great reading and whilst I am confused I am not put off. I built two model railways as a younger man but indoors and no bigger than 12' x 8'. Time for something bigger...much bigger! I have moved recently and will NOT move again...ever! Awful experience. I now have a garden (lived in a flat for 12 years) and now have a nice house (with nice mortgage too!). The garden is mature and needs a railway. Simple as that. However, being a little mad I want to be daring. I want to run twin tracks around the perimeter of the garden from the brick built stable thing (must have short horses around here!) down the garden, along the bottom and back up the other side (both runs will be around 80 feet) then swing right under the lawn (yes I know but she said under so under it is!!!) and then up and over the pond which will have a footbridge with a shelf on each side, one for the up and one for the down and then into the brick thingy and back round again. In all about a 200 foot circuit. Haven't thought about stations, fiddle yard in the brick building (or do I buy a shed for the bottom of the garden and put it there?) but tunnels and bridges yes yes yes! I am a 60's brat and so diesel is my thing. Perhaps a Class 37 pulling containers or freight, my ancient HST 125 with 3 buffet cars (What? 3? Yes, don't buy on eBay after 12 pints!!!) or do I dig out the APT-E though it might look a little odd but what a piece! I will post a picture of the garden shortly but I could use some advice please. How do I power such a distance? Should I chip everything? The tunnel under the lawn - ideas welcome! The bridge I have done before so excited about that. Controlling such a railway is an area I know nothing of and signalling? I can't wait to start but power is a worry as well as vegetation and wildlife (next door has two cats, chickens and we have various things visiting it seems). This forum is great and any help much appreciated. Also, I need to buy 200 feet of track. Peco? Hornby? New? Used? Thanks for reading, Howard Surrey