Chameleonman
Registered
Having spent a year or so landscaping my small garden in a new development in Hereford I came to the conclusion that more needed to be done to make it “interesting” for my grandsons to play in. Seeing their delight at a cheap Xmas train I began researching whether a garden railway was feasible.
After some measuring and sketching I felt that there was scope for a decent run of track along the fence and the raised wooden beds. I was lucky to find a good quantity of lightly used LGB track following a hopeful enquiry at the excellent Hereford model shop. Rolling stock from LGB and PIKO seemed a little fragile for inexperienced fingers but Playmobil’s legacy G scale seemed both rugged and familiar. I tracked a few lots down on eBay and shortly had a working RC goods loco and various wagons.
After a few trips to Wickes for gravel boards and wooden brackets to form the shelf section, some black paint to match the fence colour and some extra timber to fill in the corners of the raised beds, we were in business. At the moment it is end-to-end with buffer stops but I have plans for a loop return if I can work out how to support it.
The boys were intrigued if not a bit surprised by Granpa’s railway project but have learnt to operate and control it faster than I could have imagined. Play sessions now extend to other toys like a Playmobil pirate ship and Sylvanian narrow boat both bought cheaply at auction. Sand, shells, rocks and timber are also involved.
I’ve tried making a video by wiring my iPhone on the loco - I’ve lots to learn but with luck I may work out how to share it!
After some measuring and sketching I felt that there was scope for a decent run of track along the fence and the raised wooden beds. I was lucky to find a good quantity of lightly used LGB track following a hopeful enquiry at the excellent Hereford model shop. Rolling stock from LGB and PIKO seemed a little fragile for inexperienced fingers but Playmobil’s legacy G scale seemed both rugged and familiar. I tracked a few lots down on eBay and shortly had a working RC goods loco and various wagons.
After a few trips to Wickes for gravel boards and wooden brackets to form the shelf section, some black paint to match the fence colour and some extra timber to fill in the corners of the raised beds, we were in business. At the moment it is end-to-end with buffer stops but I have plans for a loop return if I can work out how to support it.
The boys were intrigued if not a bit surprised by Granpa’s railway project but have learnt to operate and control it faster than I could have imagined. Play sessions now extend to other toys like a Playmobil pirate ship and Sylvanian narrow boat both bought cheaply at auction. Sand, shells, rocks and timber are also involved.
I’ve tried making a video by wiring my iPhone on the loco - I’ve lots to learn but with luck I may work out how to share it!
. I see you have been warned about the humour, and the vid is a good start we love to see pictures.
