leeadavo Posted June 3, 2020 Share Posted June 3, 2020 (edited) Current track layout (dashed lines are future expansion). Sefton & West Lancs Light Railway A SM32 garden railway. The story so far. Constructed on foundations of brick and paving slabs (which were found in the garden when we moved in) at ground level. Track is all Peco SM32, due to space Peco setrack R2 curves and R2 points have been used throughout (with a very small number of R1 curves used on the inside the passing loop at Porthmelling). The garden had been on my to do list for the last couple of years but I never really got the chance to start it properly (a small seating area, path and Strawberry patch were constructed and much earth had be moved where originally I planned a pond), so with lockdown came the perfect opportunity to spend time building the railway. Porthmelling: Island platform with two sidings. One road leads to a wharf, while a goods shed is planned on the second road. Strawberry Corner: The first section of line from Porthmelling to Aughtonside runs alongside my Strawberry patch, thus takes the name Strawberry Corner. Aughtonside: Junction station. Two platforms, with platform 1 for the northside of the Slate Balloon loop to Sefton station, both routes to Porthmelling and to the slate sidings. A middle road has access to the slate sidings and Strawberry Corner section to Porthmelling, also allowing run round from platform 1. Platform 2 allows access from the Strawberry Corner section to the south end of the Slate balloon loop. Slate Balloon Loop & Slate Sidings: A hill (made of of grass sods) forms the centrepiece of the western end of the layout. A ballon loop runs west from Aughtonside, the north end of which runs to Sefton station. In the middle of the south end of the loop is a set of slate sidings. Sefton: Sefton will be the main terminus of the railway. As yet to be constructed exact track layout keeps changing but is likely to include two outside platforms with central run round and a couple of carriage sidings. The station leads south off the balloon loop, while heading north off the balloon loop is the MPD, formed of two sidings with Locomotive Shed on one of the roads. Bluebell Line: Completing the circuit and eastern balloon loop from Aughtonside to Porthmelling. Phase One: Porthmelling - Aughtonside Work start with construction of a short section around the edge of Strawberry Patch, with station at either end with run round loop. A fortnights work saw foundations down at either end and an Opening Day was held on Easter Monday. Aughtonside Prince at Aughtonside with the Grand Opening Train - 13/04/2020 Start of day for a slate train gala held on the 25th April, following the completion of a remake of slate kits made up by my wife. Phase Two: Slate Ballon Loop Moving into May, work started in earnest on the western balloon loop. Foundations were down by the end of the month, although some pointing remains outstanding. Plants in the ground make a big difference, Prince and a Ruston shunter pose in evening sunlight on Strawberry Corner Prince stands at Aughtonside with a rake of slate wagons and Tallylyn/Corris freight stock ahead of running a test train around the Ballon Loop. A running day to test the section was ran as a 'Phase Two Supporters Day', with passenger trains from Porthmelling to Aughtonside for supporters to view goods trains running around the slate ballon loop. Final track layout at Aughtonside, run round moves from platform 2 to platform 1, giving access to the slate sidings to both routes to Porthmelling. As things stand on 2nd June 2020, after a delivery of slate chipings and red granite and the majority of the western balloon loop now being pointed, aesthetically the garden looks so much better. Rolling Stock: No. 1 - Ruston diesel shunter, RC. Second hand No. 2 Prince - Slaters Prince which I had built by Cromford Designs. RC. No. 3 Rufford Hall - Roy Wood Models Salem II, RC. Second hand. Carriages and wagons are mainly second hand at the moment, with 7 slate wagons kits my wife has made up and painted (mixture of Binnie and Phil Sharples). Edited February 22, 2021 by leeadavo title change 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRail Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Great stuff, Lee. We have an active group in this area, when not locked down. I believe DP has already made contact. Our website:- https://gardenrailways.wixsite.com/merseyandwestlancs Keep up the good work! Rob G 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 On 12/06/2020 at 07:57, MRail said: Great stuff, Lee. We have an active group in this area, when not locked down. I believe DP has already made contact. Our website:- https://gardenrailways.wixsite.com/merseyandwestlancs Keep up the good work! Rob G Hi Rob, Yes Derek has been in contact on facebook, would be good to go to some meet ups and possibly hosting one once the worlds getting back to normal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted June 14, 2020 Author Share Posted June 14, 2020 An Evening running around the Slate Balloon Loop. First day of passenger trains around the slate hill, special trips for members. Until the Bluebell line completes a complete loop, trains will run from Porthmelling, clockwise around the balloon loop to Aughtonside, where trains run round before returning to Porthmelling. With the last train of the day running anticlockwise around the line. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted June 20, 2020 Author Share Posted June 20, 2020 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted December 25, 2020 Author Share Posted December 25, 2020 A while since I updated this thread. Landscaping, foundations and track work is now all laid out and in use, ballasting is to wait until next year, along with platform construction. Yesterday the Sefton & West Lancs ran their Santa Specials, with my Roy Wood Models Salem MkII No. 3 running as Frosty the Snowman on Santa trains, while Prince ran Victorian Christmas Trains, with the first use of my Bowaters Model Carriage 15 (with some detailing work still to be completed and a roof only with its first coat of paint in the morning). Trains ran into the evening with the help of some SLR Models battery headlamps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted December 28, 2020 Author Share Posted December 28, 2020 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted December 31, 2020 Author Share Posted December 31, 2020 Action from todays Mince Pie Specials, which looked lovely with a light snowy covering. Frozen points meant top and tailed trains, which was fun operating and getting a matching speed on both locomotives. Also a close up look at two wagons (Ffestiniog Van 99 and Coal Waggon 166) from the excellent Nantlle Valley Wagon Works as part of my second Lee's Model Rails... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted February 9, 2021 Author Share Posted February 9, 2021 Plenty of kit building going on the last month. My PDF Models Leanne kit, fitted with a locoremote, has commenced running in. Today I took some newly constructed of Binnie Hudson Tipper wagons and two Resurgam Rolling Stock Hudson 4w RAFs out on some test runs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted February 22, 2021 Author Share Posted February 22, 2021 Rosie has now entered traffic, as part of our Winter Gala. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted February 28, 2021 Author Share Posted February 28, 2021 A look at the final stages of building my PDF Hunslet Leanne kit, along with some Timpdon wagons; RTR Purple Moose wagon and Kit built Ffestiniog Wooden Dandy Wagon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted March 20, 2021 Author Share Posted March 20, 2021 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted May 9, 2021 Author Share Posted May 9, 2021 A look over the first year of my garden line, looking at the construction and building up of the railway in phases, as well as looking the the ever growing fleet of locomotives, carriages and wagons. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leeadavo Posted December 25, 2022 Author Share Posted December 25, 2022 Merry Christmas! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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