A Beginner's Efforts

[lankyphil]

I have received (what I perceive to be) permission to construct a railway outdoors. With a 2 year old and a 10 month old, a 4mm layout inside was always going to be tricky.

 

 

The garden is about 17m long by 8m wide. The veg patch at the rear is elevated by 1ft. The orange area is a "forest" of raspberry canes.

 

 

The rough plan is for some sort of station somewhere in the border with a return loop to the south around the edge of the patio near the kitchen. Heading up the garden the line climbs, does a circle of the veg patch then descends back to the "station" area.

 

We've got a fair few rhubarb plants and a lot of raspberry canes, so I intend to have some rhubarb wagons (bolster wagons) and some raspberry trucks (gondolas) to run for "play value".

 

Gauge? I'm not sure yet. I'd like to maybe have a small steam loco in the future so maybe 32mm? However there's a few cheap LGB/PIKO starter sets going on eBay at the moment.

[DavidB]

Congratulations on the planning permission - having just obtained similar authorisation to extend my SM32 line further up the garden, I know how good it feels when consent is finally forthcoming!

 

In terms of gauge, I went for 32mm because I want to run Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland stock, and it doesn't look right to me running on 45mm/3 foot gauge. Much of the commercially available British outline stock can be adjusted for either gauge, but there is very little ready-to-run 2 rail electric stock for 32mm, so radio-controlled battery power and/or live steam are the only real options for the narrower gauge (personally I love being free from the need ever to clean my rails to get smooth running). So if you want to run track-powered models, it will really need to be 45mm. The standard 45mm gauge track also has a much heavier rail section than the comparatively slimmer 32mm track, which may be a consideration if it's going to get trodden on by rampaging toddlers.

 

Best of luck with the project - can you please keep us updated on progress?

 

David

[LNERGE]

Once again congratulations on the planning permission and also the little people. The line was built with my little people in mind. Six of them have learned to walk (and keep their fingers out of the way) around the low walls. The picture is from the very early days. The track is ballasted with chippings held in place with pva in the time honoured fashion. I have added more glue just before letting a new youngster loose and have had no problems with displaced track etc. I chose 45mm as it seemed to be what most people were giving me. Once i had announced my intention to build a garden railway the track arrived by the car boot load. I was rather lucky. Never did get the hang of scale signals though. The line (and the trains) have survived the latest onslaught. The 16 month old twins have found everything just at the right height though it took them a while to learn if they stood still the train came back to them in the end. It certainly wore them out until they sussed this.

 

 

 

 

If you have eight minutes to waste have a trip round...

 

https://youtu.be/YrjV4hnXsIE

[PaulRhB]

Most small steam locos from Accucraft and Roundhouse are dual gauge and on tight radii they will be a bit more stable on 45mm as they tend to be quite fast too while you're learning. If you want to run track powered stuff make sure to run some extra jumper wires to half way and the far end to minimise power drop too

[Beatty 139]

It's not just about the gauge, I am a G1 modeller, so into standard gauge on 45mm but 32mm is normally 16mm scale while G Scale is nominally 1:22.5 or 13.5mm to the foot, not forgetting the growing 15mm scale 3' gauge on 45mm track movement or even the fact that you could add a Gauge 3 interchange if you went down the G scale route!

 

More confusion than assistance but the main thing is to enjoy your railway in the garden!

 

Both gauges are well supported and as many have said a lot of stuff is convertable to both and scale is a very flexible thing in narrow gauge garden railway modelling.

 

Oh and I have forgot the 7/8" scale mob running 2' prototypes on 45mm track, any others ?

[Stevelewis]

Having  been  into  garden  railways  since  the  70s  and  having  used  both  32  7 45 mm gauges  ( plus  a  short diversion into 5" Gauge!!)

 

I would suggest  that  45 mm Gauge  is  probaly  the  best  option,  in terms  of  durability.  I had  a 45 MM gauge  line  using  mostly LGB track  work it  was  quite  large and visible  from  space via  Google  Earth!  the  line  was in use  for  over  12  years until we  moved  and   it  worked  very  well.

 

A couple  of  tips  I would  pass on:

 

Use  Graphite paste in  your  rail joiners  it   aids  Anti-corrosion and  aids  power  conduction,  feed  your  line  in more than  one  place  by using additional power feeds, cable  such as  'speaker Cable'  can be  easily  hidden  under  ballast etc

And   if  at  all possible do not  fasten your  track  down so it cannot  move!  Sounds  daft  but   the  tracj  is  fairly  heavy  and  it  can  easily  be  laid in  ballast  ( 5 or 6 mm Granite or  alpine  chippings  from DIY store/Garden Centre/  builders  yard) laying in ballast allows  thetrack  to float slightly  and  the passage  of  the  heavy trains causes slight  movement within  the  rail joiners  which  helps to  keep them  clean.

PS Dont  use  Pea  Gravel  it  is  round  and  does not  'lock together'  like the  granite chippings  or  Alpine  grit mentioned  above.

[New Haven Neil]

As a 'professional' in terms of selling garden railways, I would suggest the gauge to use is the one that your local groups and/or friends use.  Over here it's 45mm land, back in the north east it was 32mm.....

 

As for the trade, or our trade anyway, it's 50/50, which seems to come as a surprise to many 32mm modellers but not the 45 crowd - odd!

 

Regardless, have fun, it's a great branch of the hobby.

[mcowgill]

Good luck with the garden, mine's 32mm gauge but that's only a preference due to long involvement with real 2 foot (or thereabouts) narrow gauge lines.

 

Be careful of one thing when drawing out your ideas, don't forget that the curves will take up more space than you expect.  Plot them to a realistic radius and make sure the 'domestic planning authority' is aware of exactly how much space they will take up. 

 

Martin

[New Haven Neil]

....and avoid those two foot radius curves!

[Stevelewis]

....and avoid those two foot radius curves!

Thats  a  very  good  point  Neil  makes  re  the  2' radius  curves.....................Although  the  start  sets  may seem  good  value initially,  they  only  supply 2' Radius  curves, and  although allLGB items  will  go round  them  but may  look  a  little 'unusual' doing  so, some  other  manufacturers stock will not.

 

For  info  LGB  R 2  curves are   APPROX 2'9"  radius,  R3 = 4' Rad  &  R5=  8' Rad.  Points available in R1 ( not recommended) R3  & R5,  Also available 3 way point  & Double  slip.

PIKO  & TRAINLINE also do a range  of  trackwork & Points  which  is compatable.

 

It may be  worth  your  looking  at one  of  the  Large Scale Forums  such  as   www.gscalecentral.co.uk     or largescaleonline  to  gain  more  information.

[trisonic]

Anyone build their own 45mm track?

 

What about Dead Rail Society members with their Battery - R/C operation? Which ought to make track building, operations and track maintenance somewhat easier.

 

 

 

Best, Pete.

[Stevelewis]

Tried  it  years  ago,  not  really  all that  cost saving  and very  time  consuming,

 

Tried  battery  / RC control  but  OK  but  prefer the  live rails digital systems

 

In my  experience  and  definately  since using  digital in the  garden  for  several  years now,  track  cleaning  is not  such  a  big  problem  as  is  often  made  out

 

I never  used  an  LGB  track  cleaning  loco  ( I dont  think  they  are  listed  these days),   My track  cleaner  consist of  a  block  of  wood  & A sheet  of  emery  paper

Approx once  a month  the  whole  layout  would  get  a clean.

 

As long  as  the  line  is  used on  a regular  basis  the  action  of  loco pick up skates helps the  cleaning  process

 

My point  re  digital  is   the  fact  that  the  track carries constant  full volts & amps,  as  opposed  to  varying values dependent on  the required loco speed  on analogue  systems, hence with digital ' track to loco'  current  collection is  greatly improved.

[lankyphil]

Just picked up a cheap Bachmann set from Ebay, I shall get it set up soon once it arrives and see what the kids make of it etc.

[PaulRhB]

The track will probably be steel if it's an early Bachmann set so check before leaving it outdoors

[New Haven Neil]

I agree with Steve about DCC outdoors, but I find steam to be the best.....

 

[trisonic]

Yep, that’s even better than investing in hundreds of yard  of copper wire, etc....

I may be shopping with you next year.

 

Best, Pete.

[ColinK]

I had a garden railway at my previous house. It was mainly LGB and its construction and development appeared in the G Scale society journal. It started as terminus to return loop, then got extended to continous run with terminal station on a branch. It was great fun to build and operate. However, it did not get as much use as expected. I did find it necessary to clean the track thoroughly before operating and this took about 45 minutes, not leaving long for playing trains between getting home from work and bed. The terminus to reverse loop version required a lot of effort to run, while the countinous run was much easier, set a couple of trains running and sit down with a beer.

 

The LGB track was excellent, never had any problems with it. The LGB stock equally robust. I tried a Piko loco, but while cheap it was not reliable. I used LGB's DCC system which performed well. The control equipment was in the conservatory with just two wires to the track, they went through a pipe specially laid in the conservatory base. Power for the electric points and lights was taken off the track to accessory decoders. I made a battery powered loco (not radio control though) that was good for snow clearing duties.

 

If I was starting again in the garden I would keep the track layout simple - continous run with only a few points. I would also seroiusly consider battery power with radio control - no electrics to go wrong, no track cleaning.

 

After 10 years with very little maintainence, the track bed really needed major work as the ballast was getting too full of soil and weeds and some of the wood starting to rot. I didn't do that and lifted the track instead as we moved house. The new house has a 12" to the foot garden railway.

 

I do like your idea for rhubarb waggons etc. don't forget a beer waggon too.

 

Good luck and enjoy.

[LNERGE]

My line has weathered in rather well and quite realistic problems have set in with plant growth, erosion of ballast and rotting wooden structures. It's rather fun bodging it all into working order. This years maintenance expenditure has just been authorised and planned works are a little ballast to top up near structure 1, renewal of bridge 2 (underline wooden structure that has totally disappeared) and re-decking structures 11 and 12.

[lankyphil]

So the Bachmann set arrived. A quick repair to the chassis so the keeper plate sits properly has been done, off to get some batteries this afternoon to see how it runs.

 

Some proof of concept type photos.

 

 

Here we have the maintenance train. Hauled by the ten wheeler, followed by the waste wagon or weed car, the rhubarb wagon and the caboose. Although my 2 year old daughter thinks the flat car is for carrying small stones. I obviously need to acquire some sort of hopper for her stones...

 

The trackplan has changed slightly. It still circles the raised veg patch at the top of the garden, but now the line that runs along the front of the wall will curve over the [already descending] line that has run along the back fence.

 

 

Some rough mock up photos.

 

The line will run around the edge of the raised veg area at the bottom of the garden. It'll be behind the retaining wall though

 

 

This line will then curve around, crossing over the other line and hug the fence as it descends towards the house. (Imagine the plank is curved (about 3ft radius) and starts from where the paving slabs finish)

 

 

Meanwhile, the line that has run along the fenceline at the rear of the "plot" has started descending towards lawn level (I'm going to cut out 1 "brick" on the retaining wall in the corner by the fence), passed underneath a meccano bridge (to be built...) and is now running along the edge of the lawn/paving (It'll probably sill be a bit higher than it is in the photo).

 

 

The two seperate lines continue to drop towards the house where they meet in a bit of a balloon loop.

 

 

 

What, just a plain loop of the garden? No sidings or loops?

 

Well probably yes, but I don't know exactly what yet. I think there will be some sort of unloading area between the garage and the veg patch in the corner, but I haven't decided what yet.

 

By the way, this is what I'm aiming for. A railway within a garden. Not a railway with a garden as a baseboard.

 

 

That's all folks!!

[Jongudmund]

I think that's a clever idea of showing 'proof of concept'.

[Grovenor]

Can you manage a branch line into the garage, then the trains can just be run in for secure storage, just needs a shelf down one side.

Keith

[andyram]

Just found this thread. Looks like a good idea, I am in the early planning stages for a garden layout.

[lankyphil]

Update.

 

Acquired a Bachmann Circus Set, with the help of Paul of Foster Street fame and a couple more Bachmann flats from evilbay. I've also got my paws on my first bit of "proper" track, some LGB R3 curves which I've decided will be my ruling radius.

 

 

Can you manage a branch line into the garage, then the trains can just be run in for secure storage, just needs a shelf down one side.

Keith

 

Yep, that's now part of the plan. A branch/siding will run into the top right hand corner of the garage for storage and maintainence.

[lankyphil]

So where do you start constructing a garden railway then? well I thought the easiest place to start would be the garage. Following Keith's advice, I decided to add a storage yard in the garage. it's not much, only 2 sidings with a headshunt where a cassette for locos will connect.

 

 

The storage utilises some modular shelving that came from a office clearout via my Dad, and an old desk, also from the same. the line will enter from the outside world on the white shelves at the back against the wall. A spare shelf connects the white and grey units and houses the crossover, the kickback of which (where the loco is standing) will become the loco cassette connection.

 

 

The sidings then cross another old piece of shelving, this time from Mum and Dad's, slung between the grey unit and the desk. This is where the rear line ends, as the desk supports are in the way, but the front line continues underneath the desk before terminating at the right hand side.

 

 

That's all for now, next step is crossing the great divide to the top of the garden!

[paulprice]

Well done Phillys for actually doing some modelling (well if you can call anything that is not LMS based modelling), and you kept this blog secret until you told me about it today.

 

I see you have tried to indict me into this madness by mentioning me in an earlier post, if your wife is reading this the only reason the Domestic Overlord and I went to Devon earlier in the year was to pick up that trainset for you, you know the one you said your wife was not to know about....

 

The good news is you have not mentioned anything to do with that "Southern" jumble, well yet anyway, and there will be none running on my layout in October before you get any ideas. I suppose I will have to build some 45mm LMS stock so you can run it, just so you know what a proper railway should look like.