Yet Another Long Awaited Update!

Yes, yes, I know it's almost been 6 months, but don't worry I'm not dead! A lot has happened since the last update. So whats happened?

The first part of the railway did not open on the 20th of August as originally hoped. We didn't get the materials to build the yards in time. I have a new date to aim for now, the 28th of January. 

We had 3 bridges then we went back to 2 again!

We had installed bridge three a couple of months ago. Then in the storms down here at the start of last month we had a huge tree fall on bridge one! This has been a bit of a set back. It is being decided weather or not we rebuild the bridge currently.

 The site of bridge 1 at the end of the rock wall where the remnants of the fallen tree can be seen.

We decided to remove the switch back and extend the railway around the landing rather than try and tackle an extremely excessive gradient. This has also extended the length of the line so when complete the line will be about 60 meters long.

Inspector Gingerbread looks at the new bridge 3 and yard.

We have also installed a new yard where the switch back was originally going to be. And we have 5 new data only Lynton & Barnstable/Welshpool & Llanfair wagons from Accucraft.

The most recent development is the order of a steam locomotive. An 'Alfie' has been ordered from Fine Line Models in the UK and delivery of the loco is expected sometime in January.

A Fine Line Models 'Alfie'.

So I think I've brought you up to speed with things. As you can see the railway is really starting to go somewhere (literally!). That's all for now,

Ronan.

A Long Awaited Update...

Hi everyone,
sorry I haven't been very active of recent. Works on the railway have progressed well. If you want to take a look at whats going on on click on the video below.

Bridges...

Afternoon everyone,
finished the bridge last weekend. We replaced and repaired some of the piers, repaired the decking and rebuilt the refugee platform. This bridge will be extended by an extra 660mm with the addition of a girder span. There will also be two more trestle bridges. One 640mm long, the other 1120mm long on a curve. The next thing I plan on doing is constructing the yard. It will be raised to match the height of the bridge using cutdown treated pine posts with a wooden board laid over them. Track will then be laid over the top. The trackplan of the yard is yet to be decided but there will be a siding to connect the yard to the shed. The shed will be a full scale replica of a Victorian Railways 10ft x 8ft portable hut. These buildings where mainly used as yard huts or construction site huts. So slowly but surly the railway is developing it's infrastructure. I will post another update soon. Bye for now,

Ronan.

A Short Update

Hi all,
got some more work done on the bridge weekend just gone. We finished the decking and began to reattach the piers to the decking. We've planned to have the bridge in place on my railway on Saturday. I have also set a date that I hope to have the railway finished by (and to officially open the first part of the railway on). The date I have set is the 20th of August. Which is 4 months away. That's all for now,

Ronan

Another Days Work

Afternoon all,

spent yesterday working on the trestle bridge. The trestle bridge wasn't originally built for my railway. It was originally built by a friend of mine as several curved bridges. He then rebuilt it into its current form for a new railway when he moved house. Recently he did some regrading on his railway during which he replaced this bridge and gave it to me. The bridge is now about 11 years old and was in need of some repair.

So yesterday we took the decking off the piers and pulled the track off the decking. We cut bits of dowel to make new piers and used off cuts of wood to make some new bits of decking. We also put off cuts of old fence posts into the ground for the ends of the bridge. There's still a bit of work to do before we put the bridge in place but hopefully that should be done soon. That's all for now,

Ronan.

I Want One!

Hello again,
I got some work done on the railway today and will do some more tomorrow. Including the repair of the bridge. Anyway, I haven't yet mentioned this is my first garden railway but, I have had experience in the maintenance, rebuilding and operation of one. So being my first railway means I have to buy my first 45 mm gauge/16 mm scale locomotive! The locomotives I have looked at acquiring are live steam 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 tank engines and battery powered diesel mechanical locos. Below are some photos of locos I hope to get. That's all for now,

Ronan.

A Fine Line Models 'Alfie', lined by Berry Hill Works.

An Essel Engineering Chattenden with some detailing on the Frome Valley Light Railway.

An Accucraft Baguley Drewry with detailing on the Sherwood Oaks Light Railway.

A Look Around The Garden...

Hello,
Today I toke some pics of the "garden railway" in its current state for the blog. I have been working on it for the past couple of months on and off. I hope to get some work done today and tomorrow. Including repairing the bridge. Anyway here are the photos.

Oh and P.S. I forgot to add in the last post the line will be built in stages. The photos below show what is the first stage. That's all for now!

The bridge outside the first station, to be repaired.

The grade up to the quarry.

The view from the quarry down to the bridge.

The yard at the quarry.