Garden Works completed

Now all the work on the paths in the back garden has been finished, we spent a couple hours hard work today, tidying up. In the process we transplanted some shrubs to fill in new/ or partially empty borders. Unfortunuately two thirds of the garden railway track had to be taken up to make room for the new paths.

 

The new seating area and main garden path ...

New border and paved area at the top of the garden

New path down by the fence...

Down at the bottom of the garden....

All the bins now tidied away in their own little spot, parked next to the shed

The garden seat back in place and opposite the remaining part of the garden railway track that is left

 Now the fun bit can begin - new design and track laying for the garden railway.

Garden Works nearly finished ....

The garden works are nearly complete, the contractor has some finishing off and a bit of tidying to left to do, so should be able to get back into the garage next week to try out my new carriages on the 'indoor' layout.

A couple of piccies of the new paths...the poor old garden railway has taken a battering ....

Garden design (?), well not quite on the back of a fag-packet. A possible new track plan for the garden railway - central rectangle.

In all likelihood, I'll have to lift all the track and start again - lots of work ahead.

November activities

With the back garden being under major renovations, new paths being installed and drainage works - the poor old garden railway has seen most of its track lifted

- can't do much with it till the work is finished. Then it looks like a complete rebuild of the garden railway may be needed - which will make a nice project .

While the garden gets its overhaul, I've been working on sorting out my rolling stock for the garden railway. I sold off my rag-rag collection of Bachmann&LGB locos and rolling stock - and then bought some new carriages to add to my collection Accucraft rolling stock.

Last Views of Garden Layout for this year

Top part of layout

 

Bottom part of layout

 

someweher to watch the trains from

 

up the garden path, with track on right

 

the small halt...

 

such a nice sunny day - the gnomes have ventured out

 

 

A last look at Beamish Town .....

 

Well thats it for this year, with groundworks to pathways and the patio scheduled for November, the garden layout as it will be partly dismantled to allow for access etc. So a little track laying and rebuild of the layout will start after that (weather permitting), hopefully the new look layout will be ready for next spring.

 

Station Platforms - new paving

Still working on the indoor layout. The main station platform and goods loading dock have been given some paving using Metcalfe OO paving sheets and the edges some stonework using one of my own stonework paper sheets. In addition the platform shelter has had a seat added to it.

At the same time I re-did the small station platform as well ...

Need to get some fencing for the rear of the platforms next ....

Some new lineside scenes ...

I invested in some Postman Pat and Fireman Sam toy figures; these are useable with G scale (if you don't mix with some of the other figures available). I've added two little lineside cameos firstly postman greets householder

and firemen at work (somethings going on ?)

New loco gets a test run ...

With the weather improving and not quite feeling like making the effort to clean my outdoor track, I decided to test run my new loco using my small layout in the garage.

Loco to pull my Accucraft wagons ...

I dusted off a scratch-built loco (bulit on an old LGB 0-4-0 motion) and changed to chopper couplings to use it with my Accucraft wagons; a repaint in blue and a coat of gloss varnish to finish.

New wagons ...

A closeup up look at my new Accucraft wagons, the railway inspection team is checking them out..

I really love these wagons great detail and a nice price, I have a couple more I bought last year; together they'll make a nice short goods train.

No then must get that loco converted with the right couplings to pull them ...

back on the footplate ...

With my wargames projects now reducing in tempo I've had time to get back to my garden railway,  however with the weather last year and this I've not had much opportunity to run trains outdoors - so the time available has been spent getting my indoor 'wet weather' garage layout into shape.

I've been keeping up with things by reading GardenRail - nice to know what new products are available and what others are doing.

A quick look round the garage layout, first the removable bridge section by the door ...

top end, with defunct windmill and signal cabin

the main station ..

round from the main station ...

and then to the small station on the other side (then back to the bridge)

Quick list of jobs to do:
1) get more 'train play-time' in !!
2) convert another loco for pulling my new Accucraft wagons
3) finish off the scenics for the garage layout
4) redo the farm and town areas in the outdoor garden layout due to upcoming changes to paths and some of the planting

INTERMISSION