Building a G Scale LGB layout in a Berkshire garden

[jayiscupid]

Hi! I'm a newly joined member who's been gifted a sizeable amount of LGB track from a friend. I've bitten the bullet this weekend and started construction on a continuous loop LGB layout with a station based around the Harzer Schmalspurbahnen. I'd welcome any advice on where to buy the best ballast for LGB track (laid on the ground in a shallow trench ontop of weed control fabric).

James

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[Gizzy]

Hullo and welcome to the forum.

I've used horticultural grit, about 1-3 mm and sharp angular chips. Don't use pea gravel as the round stones don't lock together.

I brought some on line from Yorkshire and they were delivered in a half tonne bag to me in Cambridgeshire....

 

[Jasper]

Hello jayiscupid, I hope you will enjoy the forum. Here you will find all sorts on advice, and loads of (sub)quality humour.

Please post photos of your railway, even now that you're just starting. We love photos.

We have at least one other member who models Harz railways, so let's page him: dunnyrail

 

[dunnyrail]

Hello jayiscupid, I hope you will enjoy the forum. Here you will find all sorts on advice, and loads of (sub)quality humour.

Please post photos of your railway, even now that you're just starting. We love photos.

We have at least one other member who models Harz railways, so let's page him: dunnyrail

Yup that will be me, looked at my links below.

 

[Paul M]

Welcome James, looks like you've a good start. As you probably know there's a lot of advice to be had on here, but don't forget Rule 8. It's your hobby so do s you wish

 

[Madman]

Welcome aboard, James.

 

[PhilP]

Welcome!
Keep the curves as generous as possible, and keep the track flat. - It won't end up flat, but do try to start out with.

Other than that, get some track down, and play trains!


PhilP

 

[dunnyrail]

Welcome James, I have used ballast obtained from a builders yard near Harwich. Not best access for you. Another product ‘No Weed stone dust for paving’ that I got from BnQ, but typically never seen there again. But may be available near you if you Google it and look for local suppliers, this kind of stuff works well but keep clear of the so called kiln dried sand for block paving, no use at all for ballast but does come in glued to perspex for low level platforms.

 

[jayiscupid]

Hullo and welcome to the forum.

I've used horticultural grit, about 1-3 mm and sharp angular chips. Don't use pea gravel as the round stones don't lock together.

I brought some on line from Yorkshire and they were delivered in a half tonne bag to me in Cambridgeshire....

Thank you Gizzy, this is super helpful.

 

[jayiscupid]

Welcome James, looks like you've a good start. As you probably know there's a lot of advice to be had on here, but don't forget Rule 8. It's your hobby so do s you wish

Thanks Paul!

 

[jayiscupid]

Welcome!
Keep the curves as generous as possible, and keep the track flat. - It won't end up flat, but do try to start out with.

Other than that, get some track down, and play trains!


PhilP

Thanks PhilP. I spent most of the weekend removing a grass-sloped bank and trying to level it ready for ballast and track. I'm aiming for flat-ish!

 

[jayiscupid]

Welcome James, I have used ballast obtained from a builders yard near Harwich. Not best access for you. Another product ‘No Weed stone dust for paving’ that I got from BnQ, but typically never seen there again. But may be available near you if you Google it and look for local suppliers, this kind of stuff works well but keep clear of the so called kiln dried sand for block paving, no use at all for ballast but does come in glued to perspex for low level platforms.

This is great, thanks JonD.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thanks PhilP. I spent most of the weekend removing a grass-sloped bank and trying to level it ready for ballast and track. I'm aiming for flat-ish!

You can dig a bit of a cutting on the high side

 

[jayiscupid]

 

[jayiscupid]

There's a staircase to bridge

 

[jayiscupid]

 

[PhilP]

Very nice..
The fresh ground needs compacting very well.. Then a membrane and coarse material first.
Compact this, then you can 'blind' it with sharp sand.. You can then lay your track on a thin bed of fine ballast..
Bed the track in this, and when it inevitably settles, you can pack with more ballast.

PhilP

 

[jayiscupid]

Very nice..
The fresh ground needs compacting very well.. Then a membrane and coarse material first.
Compact this, then you can 'blind' it with sharp sand.. You can then lay your track on a thin bed of fine ballast..
Bed the track in this, and when it inevitably settles, you can pack with more ballast.

PhilP

Thank you. This is super helpful.

 

[Paul M]

Looks like a good start. As PhilP says, whatever your method of laying track at ground level, you will get some movement, so it pays not to make things TOO solid. My line is placed on driveway bricks, which I scrounged from someone who relaid their driveway.

 

[Anglian]

Welcome James.
You have already made two good choices, the first obviously is taking the plunge in beginning this great hobby. The second one is entering the wonderful world of this forum. All of life is here, ranging from the wise to the frankly, sometimes, weird.
Ask anything and post pictures.
Trevor