Awakening the West Langholm Railway

SevenOfDiamonds

SevenOfDiamonds

Registered
Country flag
Oh how I envy those of you that have garden lines that can be used all year round. My ground-level garden line (initially built almost 30 years ago, when my knees were almost 30 years younger) suffers from being on clay, under trees, in a garden "owned" by a very active cocker spaniel. Operations are sporadic at best during the summer months, and come to a complete halt around September (or earlier as leaf-fall gets earlier). The process of getting the line back into running condition takes a while. Railhead needs to be cleaned of its tarnish (I'm track-powered) but the biggest job always seems to be cutting back the growth that has enveloped the line since it last ran. With the herculean efforts of the Permanent Way team, here's an view of the northern portal of my main line tunnel taken on Thursday . . .

1775300678833.png

. . . and a similar view taken on Good Friday . . .

1775300774363.png
Note the re-ballasted section near the tunnel mouth, where the vegetation concealed a sizeable landslip.

After a lengthy tea break, the PW team moved to the southern portal of the same tunnel. As it was on Thursday (main line only slightly encroached on, but branch line on right moreso) . . .

1775300938616.png

. . . but, after a few hours work the next morning, things were looking better . . .

1775301029044.png

. . . but with (much) more to do along the branch line when you swing through 180 degrees (and can you even see the main line as it gently climbs on the right?) . . .

1775301218139.png

The PW team are now taking their "day in lieu", but have promised to come back and carry on from where they left off (knees permitting).
 
SevenOfDiamonds said:
Oh how I envy those of you that have garden lines that can be used all year round. My ground-level garden line (initially built almost 30 years ago, when my knees were almost 30 years younger) suffers from being on clay, under trees, in a garden "owned" by a very active cocker spaniel. Operations are sporadic at best during the summer months, and come to a complete halt around September (or earlier as leaf-fall gets earlier). The process of getting the line back into running condition takes a while. Railhead needs to be cleaned of its tarnish (I'm track-powered) but the biggest job always seems to be cutting back the growth that has enveloped the line since it last ran. With the herculean efforts of the Permanent Way team, here's an view of the northern portal of my main line tunnel taken on Thursday . . .

View attachment 354777

. . . and a similar view taken on Good Friday . . .

View attachment 354778
Note the re-ballasted section near the tunnel mouth, where the vegetation concealed a sizeable landslip.

After a lengthy tea break, the PW team moved to the southern portal of the same tunnel. As it was on Thursday (main line only slightly encroached on, but branch line on right moreso) . . .

View attachment 354779

. . . but, after a few hours work the next morning, things were looking better . . .

View attachment 354780

. . . but with (much) more to do along the branch line when you swing through 180 degrees (and can you even see the main line as it gently climbs on the right?) . . .

View attachment 354781

The PW team are now taking their "day in lieu", but have promised to come back and carry on from where they left off (knees permitting).
Click to expand...
Commendable effort - good to see shots of your line I too have a railway concealed within a garden, so I know what it's like. :whew:
 
Quite a bit of work there. I have similar issues with my line, laid initially 22 years ago. Yes, autumnal leaf fall too signals seasonal sessasion of operations now. Likewise the knees of late cause issues with maitainance and have resulted in sporadic operations. It was never that intence. A couple of years ago I bit the bullet and now have an established local gardener come in and do regular general maintainance on the green stuff. However, he has an interesting CV (not a DCC issue :giggle:), an ex Legoland facities mngr', trained in Jutland ! Yes, he knows all about maintaining the loading gauge and ballasting a 45 mm gauged line. Handy:party:. My line was track powered now spending my retirement converting locos to battery, have existing live steam. All 5he best with this season's running. Max
 
SevenOfDiamonds said:
Oh how I envy those of you that have garden lines that can be used all year round. My ground-level garden line (initially built almost 30 years ago, when my knees were almost 30 years younger) suffers from being on clay, under trees, in a garden "owned" by a very active cocker spaniel. Operations are sporadic at best during the summer months, and come to a complete halt around September (or earlier as leaf-fall gets earlier). The process of getting the line back into running condition takes a while. Railhead needs to be cleaned of its tarnish (I'm track-powered) but the biggest job always seems to be cutting back the growth that has enveloped the line since it last ran. With the herculean efforts of the Permanent Way team, here's an view of the northern portal of my main line tunnel taken on Thursday . . .

View attachment 354777

. . . and a similar view taken on Good Friday . . .

View attachment 354778
Note the re-ballasted section near the tunnel mouth, where the vegetation concealed a sizeable landslip.

After a lengthy tea break, the PW team moved to the southern portal of the same tunnel. As it was on Thursday (main line only slightly encroached on, but branch line on right moreso) . . .

View attachment 354779

. . . but, after a few hours work the next morning, things were looking better . . .

View attachment 354780

. . . but with (much) more to do along the branch line when you swing through 180 degrees (and can you even see the main line as it gently climbs on the right?) . . .

View attachment 354781

The PW team are now taking their "day in lieu", but have promised to come back and carry on from where they left off (knees permitting).
Click to expand...
Those blue bluebell type flowers are a real pain, they drop mini bulbs from the flowers all over the place. I have been eliminating the flowers on the ones in my garden ruthlessly this year, fortunately nit many by the tracks. Wish I could remember their name, quoted it many moons ago when we had another member in here that had no end of problems with them growing in his track ballast.
 
dunnyrail said:
Those blue bluebell type flowers are a real pain, they drop mini bulbs from the flowers all over the place. I have been eliminating the flowers on the ones in my garden ruthlessly this year, fortunately nit many by the tracks. Wish I could remember their name, quoted it many moons ago when we had another member in here that had no end of problems with them growing in his track ballast.
Click to expand...
I tried setting up a regime of "Spanish" bluebell (for it is they) eradication from my garden and line. I gave up after a couple of years. So, I let them grow and propagate, so the early waking bumbly bees can enjoy them and use to refuel. Then, as their flowers dry I set about a ruthless regime of gathering their fronds, at their base, and fully uprooting and clearing them. Then I get on with enjoying my railway. If you can't beat them.... An adaptation of my original Plan A from 26 years ago of cultivating an "English Cottage Garden" or actually selective weed cultivation. That failed too, hence Plan B, a garden railway ! Will I ever learn ? Max
 
dunnyrail said:
Those blue bluebell type flowers are a real pain, they drop mini bulbs from the flowers all over the place. I have been eliminating the flowers on the ones in my garden ruthlessly this year, fortunately nit many by the tracks. Wish I could remember their name, quoted it many moons ago when we had another member in here that had no end of problems with them growing in his track ballast.
Click to expand...
Grape Hyacinth (Muscari).

Paul
 
if these plants are, what i think, they are very difficult to erase.
we call them tulip-grass.
they are not singular plants, but a net of plants connected by common roots - like mushrooms.
to get rid of them needs more than three years, cooperation between all neighbours, mechanical and chemical regular measures.
 
korm kormsen said:
if these plants are, what i think, they are very difficult to erase.
we call them tulip-grass.
they are not singular plants, but a net of plants connected by common roots - like mushrooms.
to get rid of them needs more than three years, cooperation between all neighbours, mechanical and chemical regular measures.
Click to expand...
Not quite sure you are correct, they are a bulb.
www.rhs.org.uk

Muscari / RHS Plant Guide

Learn all about muscari - choose the best ones to grow, where to buy, where to plant and care advice from RHS experts
www.rhs.org.uk www.rhs.org.uk
 
SevenOfDiamonds said:
Oh how I envy those of you that have garden lines that can be used all year round. My ground-level garden line (initially built almost 30 years ago, when my knees were almost 30 years younger) suffers from being on clay, under trees, in a garden "owned" by a very active cocker spaniel. Operations are sporadic at best during the summer months, and come to a complete halt around September (or earlier as leaf-fall gets earlier). The process of getting the line back into running condition takes a while. Railhead needs to be cleaned of its tarnish (I'm track-powered) but the biggest job always seems to be cutting back the growth that has enveloped the line since it last ran. With the herculean efforts of the Permanent Way team, here's an view of the northern portal of my main line tunnel taken on Thursday . . .

View attachment 354777

. . . and a similar view taken on Good Friday . . .

View attachment 354778
Note the re-ballasted section near the tunnel mouth, where the vegetation concealed a sizeable landslip.

After a lengthy tea break, the PW team moved to the southern portal of the same tunnel. As it was on Thursday (main line only slightly encroached on, but branch line on right moreso) . . .

View attachment 354779

. . . but, after a few hours work the next morning, things were looking better . . .

View attachment 354780

. . . but with (much) more to do along the branch line when you swing through 180 degrees (and can you even see the main line as it gently climbs on the right?) . . .

View attachment 354781

The PW team are now taking their "day in lieu", but have promised to come back and carry on from where they left off (knees permitting).
Click to expand...
Extremely scenic. Looks very natural. Love the settings of the tunnel portal too.
 
Well! Surprise, surprise. An offer of "double-time" for working on the bank holiday meant that the entire PW gang turned out today to continue tackling the vegetation encroaching on the line. First, they cleared the branch line as far as the next tunnel (main line on right almost invisible) . . .

1775486921291.png

. . . then, after lunch, they moved onto the main line. In this view, diesel number 13 and its short rake of open wagons haven't yet departed to the yard . . .

1775487001398.png

(don't you just hate it when a delaminated retaining wall spoils the shot. A job for another day!)

The next section, still rising, was also fettled (but being a straight track in a concrete-sided cutting, not as photogenic) so that their next job will be to bring Fernleigh Junction station (three platforms and a small goods yard) back into operation.

Finally (for today) a view looking back towards the main line tunnel, showing the PW train making slow but steady progress along the uphill grade on the left, while the branch line continues "on the level" on the right (gradually disappearing into the cutting in this view) . . .

1775487245335.png

At this point I wondered if I should say (for you to read in a dramatic voice) something like "Don't miss next week's exciting installment when (something or another) will leave you amazed!" . . . but maybe my lengthy description of everyday garden railway maintenance is already getting tedious!
 
SevenOfDiamonds said:
Well! Surprise, surprise. An offer of "double-time" for working on the bank holiday meant that the entire PW gang turned out today to continue tackling the vegetation encroaching on the line. First, they cleared the branch line as far as the next tunnel (main line on right almost invisible) . . .

View attachment 354872

. . . then, after lunch, they moved onto the main line. In this view, diesel number 13 and its short rake of open wagons haven't yet departed to the yard . . .

View attachment 354873

(don't you just hate it when a delaminated retaining wall spoils the shot. A job for another day!)

The next section, still rising, was also fettled (but being a straight track in a concrete-sided cutting, not as photogenic) so that their next job will be to bring Fernleigh Junction station (three platforms and a small goods yard) back into operation.

Finally (for today) a view looking back towards the main line tunnel, showing the PW train making slow but steady progress along the uphill grade on the left, while the branch line continues "on the level" on the right (gradually disappearing into the cutting in this view) . . .

View attachment 354874

At this point I wondered if I should say (for you to read in a dramatic voice) something like "Don't miss next week's exciting installment when (something or another) will leave you amazed!" . . . but maybe my lengthy description of everyday garden railway maintenance is already getting tedious!
Click to expand...
No love it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom