BREDEBAHN - The complete history in pictures (and a few words)

[Bredebahn]

By now I had got wise to tracklaying skills in LGB. Rather than the anchored flexitrack of the smaller scales I had started to revert to set-track days and to plan the track layout accordingly. I found that it was relatively easy to create a good looking and stable trackbed by purchasing 25kg sacks of fine rockery aggregate (preferably less than 6mm nominal) and pouring this into a dug trench to a depth of a couple of inches or less - the trough being lined with the plastic bag that the aggregate arrived in having been cut into strips (yes, this causes a problem with the order of things on the first bag, but after that you'll be fine...). Level off the surface of what has become the trackbed and tamp down (walk on it). Lay the track on top and fettle in, checking levels. Then pour aggregate (which I'll now call ballast) over the top and sweep clear leaving the rails exposed. Water lightly with a can and with a bit of luck you're done. You will have to lift and tamp and fettle every few months as the track will move, but this is prototypical and all part of the game anyway. There'll be a lot more on tracklaying as we proceed. Oh, and I found that 25kg bags, whilst convenient, will result in an unbelievable amount of bags being required. Try 1 ton crane bags when you've got going...........

Anyway, here's some early trains.......

 

[New Haven Neil]

 

[jameshilton]

This is helping me so far - keep it up please Lovely to see it develop and hear your lessons...

 

[stockers]

A great history - I think I recognise those red and cream coaches

 

[MR SPOCK]

All that gravel looks really the biz there, gives it that proper look.​

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we want more!!!!!!!
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[Bredebahn]

With trains now running I started some initial work on the scenics. Being down in the (chalk and clay) South it is difficult to acquire rocks, which are pretty near essential for a railway supposedly located in the mountains - I had to resort to ordering a number of lumps of granite from my local DIY store at a cost of around £7 - £10 a piece! Oh for a local quarry!

The shallow cutting that the railway ran through was also causing problems as it was becoming a trap for garden debris, leaves, etc. The answer there was construction of a shallow tunnel - Teisch Tunnel - which later became a very attractive scenic feature. The tunnel was built of breeze block and brick sides, the roof being old number plates covered with old plastic bags (to create a waterproof seal) topped with paving slabs. Ends were Busch plastic - trimmed at the base as otherwise G Scale stock is liable to be fouled as the arch is narrow. The tunnel had to be strong enough to walk on and short enough to access the entire length of track for cleaning. It was also on a slight gradient to facilitate drainage (tunnels do get amazingly wet inside). We did have a brief outbreak of pink pigs, but this was treated promptly with no ongoing effects. Oink.

 

[Bredebahn]

It was my 50th birthday in August 2002 and Mrs B surprised me with a gift of a genuine steam loco. A Roundhouse Billie, he/she immediately became the pride of the line. More coaches were found or converted - in these pictures an old Bachmann Jacksonwhatsit has been resurrected and repainted and you can also see a homebrew coach (which worked ok but didn't last too long in the fleet). Billie was radio controlled, which was just as well as she started to warn me of a big problem that I had unknowingly built into the Bredebahn.........

 

[jameshilton]

It's like watching a TV show, leaving us on a cliff hanger like that!

 

[Bredebahn]

As the year progressed the garden matured and the line started to blend in. The tunnel looked as if it had always been there. The RhB presence and indentity started to become evident after a few new arrivals on the line - the LGB Crocodile being one of the first. I'd always liked the look of this loco, but it was young Chris' that persuaded me to part with the thick end of £400 at Gaugemaster one afternoon, a decision that was hard on the card at the time, but not regretted since. And rolling stock started to arrive quietly (N gauge has advantages here) to form decent length trains. Which brought some of the problems to a head.

 

[Bredebahn]

Now this is where life gets a bit interesting. Having acquired the Crocodile, I was now interested in running longer trains. I couldn't understand why the loco was slipping and sliding with only a few in tow. The U Class was even worse - it could only manage three bogies. It turned out that my level track laying was not quite as level as I thought - in fact my lawn was nowhere near level, even where it appeared to be.

With Teisch Tunnel firmly established at the rough centre of the railway, this became the datum point around which the level of the track was to be measured. Calculations showed that the line towards Honigfallen Station would have to be raised, to a maximum of around 6" higher than the existing level. At the other end, the railway would be dug in as far as was possible, and an alternative routing would be required to accommodate this.

To raise the level of the track by 6" is actually quite a significant task. It required lots of ballast and rubble, and ripping out what was already in place. The old brick and block track base was totally abandoned at this stage; the track would now float on ballast throughout. The former concrete platforms would also disappear beneath the new levels of ballast, and it was decided that plywood platforms would be used instead as they would be far more adaptable.

Big lesson learned. Get it level if you want long trains. Half a bubble on the level is significant.

 

[Bredebahn]

With the levels corrected, we were starting to get somewhere. I could now run longer trains, and more locos and stock started to arrive. It looked good except that mistake No2 was becoming evident - Radius 1 curves and pointwork did not look right with the longer stock. Ah well, let's have a few more gratuitous photos first before we deal with that one........

 

[Bredebahn]

The work done in levelling the line revolutionised operation. Though there were still restrictions in the length of train that locos could manage, they were rather more in line with what would be expected of the prototype. And now it was possible to go forward and establish that "lived in" look that made the Bredebahn what it was. We're still in 2003......

 

[mike]

dam john, get out and build the new line!!!

 

[Shawn]

This is a great thread so far. Im really enjoying this. I agree with Mike get out and start the new one. I cant wait for that build log. The tunnel looks real nice especially with the s curve going into to it. Great layout.

 

[Bredebahn]

A few more from 2003......

Now the first and second in this set of pictures is interesting as it shows the line before it was raised - though the wooden sides have been put into place the original concrete platforms are still there. This whole area was raised up to the level as shown in the final pictures of this set (look at the height of the embankment wall in the station area to get a better idea of the height difference).

 

[nico]

really enjoying this John,did you make the Railway tunnel Portal entrance i think its great i need two myself

 

[Bredebahn]

Now that we had eliminated severe gradients, we were running longer trains compromised of larger locomotives and longer rolling stock. Now more design deffiencies came apparent. First that I had rather a lot of Radius one pointwork and a 180 degree curve in Radius 1. Secondly that the existing platforms at Honigfallen station were woefully short. A full length train train in G Scale takes up a frightening large amount of space when it comes to platforms - you may think that 6 feet long would be adequate, but you'll actually need to double that if you can!

First thing to remove was that 180 degree R1 curve. This was not easy as it meant taking the railway behind the pond - where the clay levels were a lot higher than the rest of the railway, and it also meant removal a considerable number of trees and shrubs along the way. The deviation was created though, which (if I can take you back to the trackplan) made the route through Teisch Tunnel as a large passing loop (the No2 route) and the original dog bone gave way to a long oval with the back straight through the newly created (and actually necessary) Bort Tunnel. Pictures from 2004...........

 

[Bredebahn]

really enjoying this John,did you make the Railway tunnel Portal entrance i think its great i need two myself

Busch. Set into concrete with the bases of the arches trimmed to stop LGB fouling - they're a tight fit. As they appear to be vac formed, they're very light indeed and can easily be cut with scissors.

Whilst we're here, a tip for tunnels. We all know that tunnels should be no longer than an arm's length so you can get to any item of stock and can also clean the track. It's also a good idea if tunnels are set on a slight gradient to facilitate draining - they do get very wet. Do not - NOT - ever set a tunnel with a dip in it. Tunnels will encourage wildlife so be ready for that - frogs, rats, whatever, are part and parcel of life, as well as spiders and other insects in the summer. Some people fit doors to the ends of their tunnels (I didn't).

Cleaning is difficult and damp rails attract dirt. A track cleaning loco is invaluable but other methods do work. Make sure that the tunnel approaches are designed so you can get down on your knees for access.

My tunnel walls are made from brick and breeze. If a train derails it's going to scratch the hell out of anything that runs along those walls. Plastic ribs or some other smoothing may well be a good idea (as might check rails!).

Tunnels are a brilliant scenic feature - but they must look necessary. Real railways avoided tunnels wherever they could - visually you must adopt the same stance for it to look right.

 

[Bredebahn]

With the line of route in place, rough ballast went down and rough boards on what was to become elevated sections

 

[Bredebahn]

And before long (oh, if only matters were that simple) the new route was open for traffic (Bort Tunnel arriving shortly afterwards, in the case of the first two pictures!) ........