'The Oakdale Valley' Garden Railway:

[sykarost]

Blimey George, it is a bit early isn't it. Down here nearer the Equator in the West Midlands I think it's a bit too cold for snow, absolutely bitter with an artic wind (from the NE I guess).

I said I didn't mind the cold in my previous post but there's cold and really really cold so I'm staying in today. Only just put the heating on as the electrics been off for six hours while we had a new RCD board fitted & all the wiring tested. The garden railway will eventually get it's own circuit breaker but will initially run off a 'long lead' !!

Anyway, as Ian said, out with the plough...........

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Brian.

[sykarost]

Just a brief update & some of those all important pictures:

As my track is ordered & likely to arrive very soon, I thought that I should make an effort this afternoon in readiness. I made more progress than anticipated by the temporary laying out of my boards to establish position/joints & cuts required. Having done this I was able to get some bitumen sealing of the edges done & they are left to dry, I am out all day tomorrow so as it's meant to be the best (driest) day of the week I am hoping it speeds up the process as they are left outside with a plastic sheet over them (should it actually rain) & room for air to circulate. In order to lay track on the ground level garden area I have decided it has to be over a temporary bridge which has been cut to fit, if I have problems then this is the area they will arise as the rest will be on boards all the way to the shed. I am very pleased that all my structural building work on the return loop has maintained a quite consistent (well almost) level to the point where it rejoins the boards. Minor packing adjustments can be made when I get to the fixing stage but I'm happy enough so far..... after all, I'm not building a snooker table.

Anyway, enough talk, here are a few pictures taken today which will give a much better impression of where I'm at:

[george356]

Brian, well done. It is so satisfying when you begin to lay out the boards and get your track plan sorted. You have accomplished so much in a very short space of time. I am looking forward to seeing trains running on Oakdale Valley very soon.

George

[IanR]

I agree with George, so much excellent work done in what?... just over a month?

I'm really enjoying your progress Brian as I'm sure everyone else is!

Ian R

[traingeekboy]

Wow, that's some good work. It won't be long before you get to sit in the comfort of a cotrol shed and roll some trains.

[grockle]

Sqirrel run, just watch the cats use it as well, enjoy picking up the mess afterwards. Dogs leave bigger calling cards is all I am going to say.

Ian

[sykarost]

Thanks so much Guys, I thought I had been building for at least six months ,

Anyway, you will all be even more impressed now. It was a lovely dry sunny day & I had to be out during those precious daylight hours, on returning home i rigged up some lighting & made a unilateral decision that the rest of the garden was not needed & thus managed to complete a more extravagant design than was originally agreed at those 'planning stages'............. Here it is...

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Thanks again all you chaps for keeping me motivated, I can indeed see the light at the end of the tunnel (or the shed opening ) & although there's still a bit to do I feel that the real 'hard labour' is behind me & I can achieve a lot even if only during a few spare hours at a time.

All the best,

Brian.

[sykarost]

Sqirrel run, just watch the cats use it as well, enjoy picking up the mess afterwards. Dogs leave bigger calling cards is all I am going to say.

Ian

We do get the occasional cat but they are by no means as prolific as those squirrels Ian. As for dogs, we have had several German Shepherds over the years but sadly no longer. I don't think I would have contemplated doing this if they were still with us as they were both 'wrecking machines' in the garden..... It was there's & no one else's (or so they thought) & they did indeed leave things more akin to 'document folders' rather than 'calling cards' Dogs cannot get into the garden now but we get evidence of a fox from time to time ......... I have a real sense of the ridiculous & an image has just sprung to mind of all the local wildlife/pets etc spreading the word that a Garden Railway is coming to fruition & lining up on the lawn/fence waiting to see the trains running

A bit like all you Guys really I suppose!!

Brian.

[george356]

Their tongues won't be hanging out as far as ours, though

[mick]

Now that is definitely looking like a railway! Those few boards you've laid out are more than I need to install in order to finish the 'first stage' of my layout and I'm ashamed of the fact that I haven't yet done so. Going by the fence panels you're only 12 feet or so away from the connection with the shed and now you've got your track to hand there'll be no stopping you.

Absolutely delighted to hear about the booklet from Hatton's. I'm going to have to order another loco or something now just so that I can add the booklet to my order! That's the Daventry Garden Railway I remember seeing in Railway Modeller many years ago and which I've mentioned on this forum before as one of the inspirations for my choice of going outdoors.

[grockle]

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Duaghters Jack Russel 'Mylo' running up and down the GGR. Sadly had to go as he started guarding my grandson and snapped at Mum, Nanna and myself. He is now resident in Somerset somewhere having the run of a property with 2 acres of land.

Ian

[Andrew]

The Daventry Garden Railway may have been a pioneer of outdoor 00 in the 1960s, but it now seems to have morphed into gauge 1: http://www.daventrygardenrailway.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This illustrates two interesting facts of life:

1. As people get older, 00 scale seems to get a bit small for them to deal with; and,

2. Gauge 1 may be superb, but there's no standard gauge British outline ready to run stock - and everything is massively more expensive.

We all need to make the best of our c00l layouts (to use Craig's term) while we can. Time is not on our side! So all strength to your elbow, Brian, as you move to the tracklaying stage. Your foundations look fine, and those photos with track plans superimposed look really professional. Looking forward to seeing the trains.

Edited October 31, 2012 by Guest

[traingeekboy]

Exciting times. forgot to mention that the temporary bridge looks good and solid too.

It seems with all the recent progress that we will be seeing some more layout photos. Oh, and the track in hand will surely end up on the baseboards soon. Look forward to seeing that.

[sykarost]

Hey Guys, slow down a bit...... your getting ahead of me !!

Mick & Griff, those boards & bridge are only on a 'dry run' to make sure they all fitted & to cut where I needed to. They are now all undergoing the bitumen 'treatment' & will then be fixed in place with that degree of protection then re-painted in situ. I did more painting today including the support brackets & have

found that leaving the boards outside with just a loose covering plastic sheet has speeded up the drying time considerably due to the greater airflow around them. As you might have noticed in the picture, I've bought a pair of the 'Tracksetta' gauges which I did not bother with on my garage layout. I am limited to a 24" radius in the shed & have discovered that more by luck than building skills my other end 'canted curve' is almost the same but the width of my concrete trackbed is sufficient to allow for some 'easing' on the approach to the 'bridge' & is followed by a couple of gentle reverse curves. I know these are best avoided but I really wanted the 'snaking effect' & I think there's enough straight between them to allow it to work. I have to admit to a degree of impatience now but I feel I'm approaching that critical stage where I need to slow the pace in order to get it right as once the track go's down ...... you know what I mean

I am now getting into those realms of 'bonding' the rail joints which is going to take a while & preferably the bulk of that will be done indoors & I shall be asking questions later

Just to finish on a point of interest... (maybe): For those who have followed from the start on the 'Planning Permission Granted' thread. I was originally planning for the whole thing to be elevated on boards above ground level so had no real idea at that time what height it would be at in the shed due to having to compensate for the rising ground (but quite high was anticipated). Well, as my plan changed and more bricks & cement came into play to get it down to ground level, I can now reveal that it arrives in the shed at 3' off the floor which is a nice comfy height to sit down for even though there will be very little room for me so the internal baseboard might have to be a 'duck under' & hole in the middle job in which case I will wish it was higher....... Can't win!!

Andrew, thanks for your kind remarks, I'm a bit worried that time is not on our side & of course none of us know just how much we have. I suppose that's something that influenced me to keep it relatively simple & straightforward in design, I don't want to spend years building it & find I cannot get down the steps to go & 'play with it' which is really what they get built for I guess! I know you all want to see TRAINS so maybe I will set up a 'photo-shoot' so you can see what will eventually be running.

Ian, Sorry 'Mylo' had to go but don't you think you might have enjoyed those two acres more........ what a railway that could have been !

Goodnight All,

Brian.

[grockle]

Jealous of the space that 'Mylo' got. I sure am, could have done a Bob Symes layout. Having said that my younger brother has a rather large garden and he lives next to one of the southern main lines and when I mentioned about building a 10inch gauge layout around his property I was told that I could do one NOT.

Ian

[traingeekboy]

There is no need for a duck under. I built a hinged bridge and it's been fine even outdoors for a year. If your door opens outward, You can attach a section of baseboard to the door, although it would mean always having to keep the door closed while running. Looking at how small your shed is the door idea may not work, but there are ways to avoid duck unders.

You could also have the mains enter through two tunnels and only put a U actually inside the shed. It would allow for the construction of a long viaduct on the new leg required to get to the front side of the shed.

Simple is good for an outdoor layout. I know that for me, I just got sick of really complex layouts that never actually got running. I was too busy planting individual blades of grass on the layout and making sure viewers could count each finger on my people figures. Things just never got finished. Naw, solid track and good running is what it's all about. Get a train running and be a little kid for a while. It seems like you're on your way.

[sykarost]

Some food for thought there Griff. I should have gone for a bigger shed & realise that the cost saving was a bit of a false economy. Although I don't want a scenic layout in the shed & it will just be a loop + Fiddle yard I have placed restrictions on myself. I really only need a small operating space inside the door so in order to reduce the tightness of the loop I am happy to cut holes to go out & back in if need be. I like your suggestion about the long viaduct across to the front of the shed & thus enter from that side but to be far enough away from the door (& I would still need to duck under) it would obstruct the pathway & if you had ever seen Sylvia laden with gardening tools making her way past the Summerhouse you would know it was not a good idea, in fact positively dangerous... .

Yes, simple works well for me but who knows in the future, I might get 'permission' for an extension across the lawn & down the other side..... If I still have the energy !!

Ian, I guess your Brother was not amenable to your suggestion because he already has BIG trains at the bottom of the garden but to turn down the offer would suggest he doe's not share your interest. A bit like my grown up Children who think I'm a bit 'weird' messing about with trains at my age but at least my Grand kids are not quite so prejudiced. Even my five year old Grand Daughter loves to get her hands on the controller & every time she gets something moving on the layout she says "That's wicked Grandad" ..... Once she has 'route learned' the garden railway I expect no less than a few 'awesome's' from her .

Brian.

[grockle]

My Grandson Leon loves Gandads CHOO CHOO's

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Both pictures taken July 2012 on one of the days we had that didn't rain. Taken in the morning at about 1000 hrs before we all went shopping in Paignton.

Ian

[sykarost]

Nice to see that Ian, hopefully these youngsters will take sufficient interest now & become involved later on.

Like most of us now with the demands on our time & the shorter days it's only possible to fit a few hours in here & there as weather dictates. Although only a week since I last posted, I can assure you that I've not got my feet up indoors doing nothing. I now have all my boards sealed & are fitted (but not secured) in place. I'm almost ready to cut into the shed now everything is aligned but am holding back until I've decided on the method of closing the subsequent 'hole' against the elements (& wildlife etc). Many of you have no doubt done this & have thoughts to share but my idea is to simply have an hinged door cut just above rail height with a piece of that brush stuff you put on the bottom of your front door to prevent draughts. I thought this might be effective as it will 'shape' to the contours of the rails. I have also been 'experimenting' with my flexi track & am pleased to say that I believe that the concerns over my 'canted curve' will hopefully be unfounded although nothing has run under power on it the early signs look promising. Although planned & built in a pretty un-scientific way, I was not too far out with my radius's & my 24" radius 'Tracksetta Gauge' will handle virtually all of the curvature which is a bit of a relief. Of course I want to get track down & run trains but I am at the stage where I have to say ...... Shall I press on & hope for the best for a while OR do I take time to bond all the rail joints as they are measured & cut?? I know what I want to do and I know what I should do although it will slow things down I could at least do most of it indoors at least...... once I've had some practice with the soldering iron anyway!

A few more pictures:

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[Andrew]

This is all looking extremely promising, Brian. You've made a lot of progress in a short time, despite the elements and shorter days. That bridge looks great, and you've got some very nice locos there. Having got to the posed mock-up stage, you'll be itching to get some track fixed down - and we look forward to seeing when you do.

As for bonding the rail ends, one tip I found useful is to do as much as possible of the soldering indoors. One way to achieve this is to cut your bonding wires ready in advance and to solder one end of each to a rail-end while indoors. This can present slight problems if you have a soldered connection at the outer end of a length of track you're trying to curve, as the connection may stop the rail sliding through a few chairs. So rather than having to cut away chairs outdoors as you go, I found it easier to lay a new length of track with its ready-soldered jumpers facing *towards* the existing track it's going to join. That leaves the outer ends of the rails free to slide through as many chairs as they need to.

By the way, I chose a length of 5-6cm for my wires, to keep them clear of the fishplates. And don't forget to slide the sleepers along the rails fully so you don't get those rail-end sleeper gaps!

Doing things indoors also obviously applies to any other preparation of the track, such as drilling whatever holes you'll need in the sleepers, any painting, and cutting away plastic chairs at the rail-ends in order to slide the fishplates on, although if you're curving track, you can't necessarily predict in advance all of the chairs you'll need to cut at the outer end.