For a few years I have had a small railway layout in the garden. This is 45mm gauge, and is not based on any particular actual railway, but rather whatever I think looks ok, and I can buy or build. It mostly looks like welsh narrow gauge, but not a real life one. All the track is brass and laid on plywood. Various coating are on the wood, and topped off with slate grit for the ballast. Seems to lasting well, but parts that do not get a lot of sun, are being replaced at the moment. The locos on the left are a “Katie” by Roundhouse, and an Accucraft “Ragleth”. Both are live steam, and typical of many narrow gauge lines in the UK. The coaches are IP Engineering kits.

 

                                       

 

 

                                   

 

The diesel shunter is scratch built on a IP Engineering Chassis. All the wagons behind it are are home made, and to no particular scale. I just go for what looks right to me.

 

                                       

 

 

                                   

 

The shunter is battery powered, the radiator grill at the front slides off, and the battery and speed controller are inside. The round dome in front of the cab is the speed knob.

 

                            

 

 

                       

 

This is another IP kit. Its a Fowler railbus. Runs on two AAA batterys, with just an on/off switch.                                  

In common with all IP kits I have built, it   is fitted with a plywood roof. The kits come with a plastic roof, but I think thin ply looks better, and I find it easier to work with.

 

                                       

 

 

                                   

 

This is a kit from Modeltown, of a generic DeWinton loco. It runs on an old IP  bogie that I had spare. Control is by 2.4ghz radio, which complete with battery, is in the scratch built wagon it tows. It might not be up to much on the detail front, but it fits in well with all the rest of the rolling stock, and I like it, which at the end of the day is all that matters...!

 

                                        

 

 

                                   

 

Above are a couple of general views of the reverse loop end of the layout. It runs down to a large oval, which give about 150ft of continuous running. All the points are spring loaded, which makes life easier. The trackwork and points are LGB or Aristocraft. I want to change the points at some time, as the plastic frogs are far to shallow, causing rolling stock to bounce over them. On the Roundhouse “Katie”. I have changed the paint on the cab roof and smoke box, from gloss to matt. Looks a lot better. I have also changed the awful cheese head screws on the buffer beams they insist on using, despite continuous complaints from of users.                         

The railway was built to fit in with the existing garden, so it doesn’t always look very scenic. Most is raised 18 inches off the ground to account for the slope of the garden. In the main the track is flat with some small gradients. The track base is 25mm ply, supported on cut up lengths of fir trees.

 

                           

 

 

                           

 

 

                       

Click above for my weather site.

 

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