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duncan1_9_8_4

duncan1_9_8_4

UK Railway Signaller and Garden Railway Operator
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Right, it has been a long time since i did anything in the garden with the railway. So i have lifted all the track. This is because we have the house on the markt. I am planning on having another railway railway at the new house, but running within flower beds and soil, but with the appearence of real balast. I would like natural borders between track and plants/soil. How is this done, any ideas? I really want to get it right this time, and i am not a fan of un-ballasted track, or laying it on wood/bricks. All ideas welcome, the biggest worry, soil getting on the track, and mixing in the ballast, so i had thought postcrete, swept into the track, which would be tied down to a concrete base below soil level??
 
Don't worry about soil getting mixed in with the track or ballast. You will need to top up the ballast a bit every year anyway
 
??? Tip 1. Natural edges. Make sure here is a mowing strip, or something where the mower will actually get in and cut the grass. Do not have a row of bolders, or vertical edging straight into the lawn..... believe me, it will pay dividends.

Tip 2. Roadbed. Do it like the prototype. Hard pack a formation, insert a weed mat, or similar, and another layer of hard fill. Level this out, lay track, then ballast.

Tip 3. Ballast. Fine ballast will disappear into the coarse ballast if you don't have that weed mat down. Used crushed angular ballast, not round mini pebbles. Track will litterally swim in pebble ballast.
 
Tip 4. If you want to anchor your track at stategic points, drive in a 2x2 peg into the formation (before laying the track) at the required level, and tack/screw the track to that, then hide it all with ballast.
 
Even if you do use angular fine ballast you may need to top up on an annual basis. I´ve never understood where it went to ::) Hoards of miniature ballast thieves swarm out during the night? >:( Or so my outdoor garden rail friends tell me. Not a problem on the indoor K&NWLR tho .... ;)
 
Outside, G scale ballast is just the right size for the larger birds (UK = Pigeons!) to use to aid their digestion..
Oh, my other problem is we have cats..
I do not need to tell you what they tend to think a large area of ballast is for! :o >:( ;) :D :D
 
All of our local group have used different methods of making the track base, and all methods have good points and minus points, so I doubt there is a definitive answer to this question. There is no getting away from the fact that a ground level line, integrated with the garden, is a high maintenance option but it looks good. Most of mine runs on raised beds (about 18 inches high) to give a more comfortable height that can still be landscaped and planted. If you look on my website it shows the method I used. This has been in place for about 10 years now and my experience has been:

1) A rigid base (concrete blocks in my case) is less work in the long run than floating track BUT it needs to be on a decent foundation or it will move/sink and is no good near the roots of trees or large shrubs which will also move it eventually - use floating track in these areas. Obviously you need to be sure that you are happy with your track plan before you lay a solid foundation - it is a lot of work to change it. I like fine ballast so I glued mine down with dilute PVA. Unglued fine ballast will only last for a season before the birds take it all. When glued it lasts for a number of years, except the edges which still need re-doing every 2 or 3 years.

2) Make your trackbed a bit wider than seems strictly necessary. The plants will soon encroach. If you look at photos of Beckenscot their trackbed allows for at least 6 inches either side of the permanent way and it still looks good because it is ballasted. That is maybe a bit extreme but you get the idea.

As I say those are just my observations. If I was to start over again I would be tempted to go for a fully raised 'plank on a stick' line - does not look as good but easier on the back and less maintenance ;)
 
Good to hear that you're planning another railway. Also that you are building it within a garden. All will get more enjoyment from it that way. All of what has been said already is very good advice. Good luck with it. And don't forget to have fun doing it.
 
Its very good advice. My current railway is laid on hoticultural grit, with bricks/blocks to either side to retain the said ballast. Works/worked well but just doesnt give that natural border i want at the new house. So, after various thoughts and input i want to lay visualy pleasing blocks for the road bed, that sit about an inch higher than soil level, then using the AMS flexi track, screwed to said blocks. Regarding the ballast, i trialled using postcrete swept into the sleepers, and i was happy with it, i once used PVA diluted to hold horticultural grit, but this went white when it rained, and looked poor?
 
duncan1_9_8_4 said:
Its very good advice. My current railway is laid on hoticultural grit, with bricks/blocks to either side to retain the said ballast. Works/worked well but just doesnt give that natural border i want at the new house. So, after various thoughts and input i want to lay visualy pleasing blocks for the road bed, that sit about an inch higher than soil level, then using the AMS flexi track, screwed to said blocks. Regarding the ballast, i trialled using postcrete swept into the sleepers, and i was happy with it, i once used PVA diluted to hold horticultural grit, but this went white when it rained, and looked poor?
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You cold soften the appearance edge of by planting sedums or other rockery plants , I have tried to find pictures of a 16mm railway that does this to great effect but I'm not having much loo as I cannot remember what it is called or who built it ::) nice to see you back Duncan.
 
Cheers, just starting to buy new track each month, so that i can start a new when the house sells. Only this time, no radius one points. Dont mind r1 corners though, they suit narrow gauge, with the right speed.
 
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