Tom's Garden Railway.

Discussion in 'Modelling' started by Smudger Jnr, Feb 6, 2009.

  1. James S

    James S Very Senior Member

    Loved seeing the update , how do you manage with rain etc , apart from laying the track you must have top consider drainage and winter ....you have to lift and relay the track ?
    A great labour of love , thankyou for sharing your passion with us . :)
     
  2. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Robert,

    Drainage is pretty good and the water does not collect to form a problem.

    I laid the track using preformed concrete bases, locally manufactured and they have proved very stable, but after several years and bush/tree roots there are several places where the track is moving slightly, but the real railways are far from level so it is no real big deal at the moment.

    I had a problem after the first two winters eith electrical continuity between the rack connectors and so took up the whole track and cleaned it.

    Before relaying the track I used a tool to drill two 2mm holes at the end of each piece of track.
    The tracks were relaid and were connected by brass fishplates at each side of the track rail and 2mm screws and nuts were bolted fast together as prototype rails are connected.

    I also used electrical graphite paste before screwing the plates together to provide a really good connection for the electricity.

    The tracks are held fast about every 18 inch with a screw through the sleepers into the concrete with a rawlplug.

    This allows the track to move when it expands and contracts due to the heat and cold.

    After this time consuming exercise I just clean the track by vacuuming the rubbish out from winter and then going over the top of the brass track with a very mild abrasive pad.

    I have never had a problem with the electricity connections since and it is left out all year.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  3. marcus69x

    marcus69x I love WW2 meah!!!

    Excellent pics Tom. I'm envious ;)
     
  4. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Great pictures Tom, Looks like you had a great day and the weather was kind too.

    I'm still looking for a wagon with 40 Hommes 8 Chevaux written on it though ;)

    Cheers
    Andy
     
  5. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    This allows the track to move when it expands and contracts due to the heat and cold.

    Regards
    Tom

    I remember James May and his three mile long Scalextic track at Brooklands. The track came up quite high in places as it heated and expanded.

    [YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]
    A reminder of a quality piece of entertainment.
     
  6. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Not just leaves on the line, but giant Rhubarb leaves blocked my first goods service of the year.

    In just over a week from the lines first outing this year, the Rhubarb plant had grown so much that two big pieces of Rhubarb blocked the track.

    I never thought to walk the track where the fruit bushes and Rhubarb are planted and I almost paid the price:huh:

    Luckily the Engine did not derail and I was able to pull up the offending pieces which later made a great pie:D

    The bogie trucks are made from Bachmann kits and run very well.
    The gravel loads which I made weighing quite heavily.

    A few photographs attached.

    Regards
    Tom
     

    Attached Files:

    Za Rodinu likes this.
  7. militarycross

    militarycross Very Senior Member

    Fabulous photos Tom.

    Well Done!

    cheers,
    phil
     
  8. Gage

    Gage The Battle of Barking Creek

    Pesky rhubarb. Thanks for sharing, Tom.
     
  9. snafu_72

    snafu_72 Junior Member

    I do not get to drive the train, nor even ring the bell.
    But watch the train go off the tracks and see who catches 'ell!
     
  10. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Tom

    Don't know if you can watch this tonight but the BBC 2 is showing Toy Stories at 8pm all about a model railway run between Barnstaple & Bideford.
    Other forum members might also like to watch this, a previous documentary on the same subject was a little gem :)

    Ron
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Tom

    Don't know if you can watch this tonight but the BBC 2 is showing Toy Stories at 8pm all about a model railway run between Barnstaple & Bideford.
    Other forum members might also like to watch this, a previous documentary on the same subject was a little gem :)

    Ron

    Ron I can only get BBC World on our Cable provider, but would certainly appreciate it if you could copy it for me.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  12. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Tom

    My recorder is chundling away at this moment.

    Send me your address via a PM or e-mail and I should be able to post it Monday pm

    Glad to be of service

    Ron
     
  13. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I saw the track Tom, but missed out on the Rhubarb pie. I told you how much I liked it!;)
     
  14. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Tom

    My recorder is chundling away at this moment.

    Send me your address via a PM or e-mail and I should be able to post it Monday pm

    Glad to be of service

    Ron

    Ron,

    PM sent.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  15. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    I saw the track Tom, but missed out on the Rhubarb pie. I told you how much I liked it!;)

    Geoff,

    There was not enough hours in the day during your visit:D

    Regards
    Tom
     
  16. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

    Smudger Jnr and CL1 like this.
  17. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Ron,

    Very many thanks for your efforts.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  18. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Ron,

    I have just arrived home from the Legion Wednesday morning meeting, to find the post from your goodself.

    Many thanks and I will view it later.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  19. Ron Goldstein

    Ron Goldstein WW2 Veteran WW2 Veteran

  20. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Ron,

    Yes it is a great attraction and a wonderful place to visit, having been there a few years ago when they were just building the Norwegian Fiords.

    I can recommend a visit and hope to pay another visit this summer.

    Last week was a short documentary on the Model Wunderland showing the work regarding the American shoot out with Police and Robbers.

    Very novel ways of using magnets to resurrect those shot.

    Regards
    Tom
     

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