Modular Garden Railway idea

[OOLiveSteam]

Inspirational! I've just found this site!

I am a besotted newcomer to Hornby OO Live Steam and intend to build a garden railway for it - I think live steam is best in the garden but my idea would apply to any OO/HO operation.

I am also launching an OO Live Steam Club with a demonstration oval at the Doncaster model railway show next weekend, Feb 13 and 14.

In particular I want to show my idea for a modular outdoor railway that can be set up and dismantled relatively easily. The main aim is to be able to take a Live Steam roadshow around the country and combine with other module builders to form a big outdoor layout. I've spoken to 2 garden centres (to test the market) and both would welcome anexhibition display - publicity and footfall for them, publicity for garden railways and fun for us playing with trains.

Are any forum readers going to Doncaster? Please visit and give us some welcome advice.

Adrian

OOLiveSteam

[mick]

Hi Adrian

I'd be interested to see what you've come up with for the Hornby live steamers outdoors. From experience I know that they demand well laid and electrically bonded track work otherwise they go nowhere. I tried my A3 Papyrus outdoors last summer but even though I managed to get it steaming nicely it wasn't sufficient to actually get it moving. In the end, due to the fact that I hadn't bonded all my rail joins at that time, I gave up. I've since read that live steam requires larger diameter bonding wires and several additional track feeds to compensate for voltage drop on anything other than small oval layouts. I may have another bash this coming summer once I have everything else running nicely.

Mick

[OOLiveSteam]

Hello Mick

Are you intending to go to the Doncaster railway modelling show next weekend?

I aim to show a prototype of my idea and your input would be invaluable.

Adrian

[mick]

Adrian

I'm not far from Doncaster but I wasn't planning on going to the show this weekend. Perhaps I'll change my mind nearer the weekend and have a ride across. It's been a good few years since I last attended an exhibition but they're not something I particularly enjoy. It seems akin to going 'shopping' with all the pushing and shoving unless things have dramatically changed over the past 15-20 years or so. If I do manage to get there I'll be sure to pop in and say hi!

Mick

[IanR]

Hi Adrian,

I'll be at the show on Sunday, i'll come and have a chat with you, I know nothing about Hornby live steam though!

Ian.

[derinr]

Hi, if you want to run OO Live Steam the railway has to be flat, any incline is a problem as i found out, when she started the decent they go out of control quick, she free wheels very easy & with coaches on the back she flew of the track, i sorted the power out by running 15amp cable to four section's of the layout, this has also helped in my normal DCC operation, so all i have to do is get rid of my incline's & Live Steam will be at The Clay Hill Line.

Check out my railway on youtube The Clay Hill Line OO Garden Railway

[chuffing]

Hi

I recently moved from a house that had a large loft area in which I had a good layout with about 30 dcc loco's. Now I have moved to a smaller house and my only option is a garden railway. Because I may only stay in the house for perhaps a couple of years or so, the idea of a modular setup that could be dismantled really appeals to me. I have been mulling over the idea for a while but have not come up with a good solution.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Trev