Crossing My Patio... Project Finished

CoggesRailway

Registered
Hello All,

My railway has to cross the patio- double track. For three or four years it has crossed the patio just simply screwed down. However in the end foot traffic kept kicking the rails from the chairs and it was also a trap for things making sweeping hard. Additionally it is no fun on bare feet in the summer and a significant trip hazard to toddler size kids of which we have a few around.

Anyway after looking at many suggestions I decided to simply relay it, clamp it and mortar it down. Hopefully this means that it could be removed in the future by a prospective seller (no plans but you never know) - obviously leaving evidence but better perhaps than taking a grinder to a relatively new patio- perhaps. Anyway it was also the simplest solution to execute and I don't have much time these days. I wasn't brave enough to try and make it "flangeways only" so the section between rails is at chair height. Additionally the rail head is a couple of mil higher than the mortar outside. I used 1500 lengths and Massoth clamps encased in blobs of copper grease so hopefully it will stay conductive long term- but I am battery this is only a concern for open days.

I consider this area "offstage" its just functional to get trains across.

It actually climbs to the garage where I have left the stub of the old wooden section in place- for now.

I took a grinder to the man hole covers and then placed them in a bin bag whilst doing the job. The result being we still have drain access and this has worked well for now, which was not possible with the wooden ramp.

The wife is much happier than the old set up.

Pictures:-

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That looks really neat. Bet you get a nice change in wheel noise as the trains enter the section too.
 
CoggesRailway said:
Hello All,

My railway has to cross the patio- double track. For three or four years it has crossed the patio just simply screwed down. However in the end foot traffic kept kicking the rails from the chairs and it was also a trap for things making sweeping hard. Additionally it is no fun on bare feet in the summer and a significant trip hazard to toddler size kids of which we have a few around.

Sorry mate, good job and all that, but bearing in mind your statements above, the obvious answer is don't cross the patio. With your kids etc., it has to be a family friendly garden.

For my 2p's worth, and purely my opinion only, I think you've spoilt a perfectly good patio when you could have blended things better by shortening your length of run a bit and crossing in front of the patio maybe (I know that would have involved a re-think into the garage, but I think that would have been worth doing).

Sorry Ian, I'm sure you're chuffed with your work, and it does look a bloody good neat job. Personally I'd have gone a different way about it, but hey that's the beauty of the human species, we're all different :D :D
 
Thanks chaps!

Gareth I am outraged at your comments ;)

Have you been talking to my wife or something? A plot?

TBH I was in a bit of two minds about it originally but it is actually quite tricky to fit what I wanted in- and I really wanted a big twin loop type railway (well as big as I could fit anyway) - however I didn't even stop to think that I could have rerouted it this time around- i suppose it had just been there, so it was a matter of making it more solid :D
 
Looks great
 
CoggesRailway said:
Thanks chaps!

Gareth I am outraged at your comments ;)

Have you been talking to my wife or something? A plot?

Glad you haven't taken offence Ian. Certainly no offence was intended, but I can sometimes be little brutally honest. You have made a cracking job of it to be fair. :)
 
No worries. Pointing out that concreting a toy train track across a previously pretty smart patio, is perhaps not that sensible, is a very fair observation O0

That most people think it's great - is an interesting commentary on the general eccentricity round here.... :D
 
CoggesRailway said:
No worries. Pointing out that concreting a toy train track across a previously pretty smart patio, is perhaps not that sensible, is a very fair observation O0

That most people think it's great - is an interesting commentary on the general eccentricity round here.... :D

Eccentric!!! who's eccentric........ :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o
 
French Chuffed said:
Eccentric!!! who's eccentric........ :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o :o

I don't know? The sort of person who would concrete a train track across his patio? The sort of guy who would move to France and build an epic engineered monster layout as first priority? :D

Most of us are mad as bicycles...

I guess your avatar says it all!
 
W
CoggesRailway said:
I don't know? The sort of person who would concrete a train track across his patio? The sort of guy who would move to France and build an epic engineered monster layout as first priority? :D

Most of us are mad as bicycles...

I guess your avatar says it all!

Well said, that man.
 
I think this is an excellent example of what model engineering can achieve if driven beyond ist natural limits. Fabulous. I intend to show it to Ms K&NWLR at the next opportunity, as we need a new patio. Just as soon as I check that my health insurance is up to date.
 
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