Modelling Newbie

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Steve Hammond

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Looking forward to accessing advice from forum members as this is my first time modelling. Since childhood have always loved railways but until now have never thought of creating my own model railway.

Any advice or top tips would be most welcome on
My foray into G scale garden modelling.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

Steve H.
 
Steve Hammond said:
Looking forward to accessing advice from forum members as this is my first time modelling. Since childhood have always loved railways but until now have never thought of creating my own model railway.

Any advice or top tips would be most welcome on
My foray into G scale garden modelling.

Thanks in advance for any advice given.

Steve H.
Click to expand...
Hi Steve, and welcome to the Forum! It's not the best time of year for a garden railway, but look on the bright side: it can only get better!
You'll find lots of inspiration on here, with members modelling US, European and UK railways, as well as their own creations. You'll get a lot of advice if you want it, just ask. We like photos, so we can see what each other is doing, and we think we have a sense of humour. Whether it's a good sense of humour is less certain...
So, what are your thoughts/plans so far?
 
Welcome to the forum Steve.

Plenty of stuff on the site to give you ideas if you have a trawl....
 
Northsider said:
Hi Steve, and welcome to the Forum! It's not the best time of year for a garden railway, but look on the bright side: it can only get better!
You'll find lots of inspiration on here, with members modelling US, European and UK railways, as well as their own creations. You'll get a lot of advice if you want it, just ask. We like photos, so we can see what each other is doing, and we think we have a sense of humour. Whether it's a good sense of humour is less certain...
So, what are your thoughts/plans so far?
Click to expand...
Not sure as yet as my gardens on a bit of a slope. inItial thoughts are to run a double track length along a small retaining wall at the edge of the patio about 25 foot in length. There is a small gap in the wall for the pathway up the garden about the middle, possible removable bow string bridge to connect both sections of the wall. Also would like to model an industrial theme (quarry, mine or factory).

Early days so unsure and don’t want to bite off more than I can chew.

Thanks for the welcome
 
Welcome to the Forum!
Think about what you want your railway to represent:
Mainline or branch?
Standard or narrow gauge?
Do you have a real life railway you would like to base your railway on?
How do you want to power your railway?

Having a clear idea what you want to model, could save you money, but I don't think there are many of us who stick to one era, or even area!

PhilP.
 
Welcome to the Forum, having a look at some builds of lines in here will give you inspiratiin but do not be intimidated by large lines. Start small and build up over time, but helps if you have an idea of what you wish to achieve in railway terms. So many options of Country, Railway and even gauge in G.
 
Hello there Steve, you certainly came to the right place for ideas, inspiration and know-how, you only have to remember that the only daft question is the one you didn't dare to ask. Above all enjoy yourself.

grizzmo said:
The jokes are getting better, slightly :)
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They aren't, @grizzmo is just getting used to us. ;)
 
Welcome aboard Steve. We need pictures, when they become available. Oh, and please do not mind the humor, of which there is plenty of it here.
 
duncan1_9_8_4 said:
Welcome. Lots of members on here have a thread under the pictures part. So do I and it tracks the progress from start to present. This area is a good start. Which part of the country are you in? Maybe consider joining the G Scale Society too..... Home | G-Scale Society
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From Lancashire originally but been down in the West Country since 98, Somerset. Will check out as you advise about if there’s a local G Scale Society :)
 
Steve Hammond said:
From Lancashire originally but been down in the West Country since 98, Somerset. Will check out as you advise about if there’s a local G Scale Society :)
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There may be a G scale society group but as I am not a member not sure, my pal lives nit too far from Minehead and pics of his line seen in here. I tend to visit twice a year and we have an open day for locals and members of the smaller scale clubs that he is involved with.
dunnyrail

Post in thread 'Some work on Mountains and a Concrete Viaduct plus other projects but not Boston Lodge'

I have recently had around 2.5 weeks at my friends line in Somerset. Not much of my involvement with the main line but Mike has altered the LgB 50610 bridge seen in earlier pictures so that the girders are cut down to sit below the bridge so as not to distract the view of the concrete viaduct behind. To do it the the top was bolted off then cut down and bolted back below. It is removable for maintenance of the pond unlike the concrete viaduct! I did a couple of cement repairs to the viaduct where the mounding was less than perfect at the base, Mike is painting with textured concrete paint...
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A slope can be useful: I have a height difference of 3 - 4 feet in the garden, which allows me to run ground-level trains (which looks more realistic/prototypical to my eyes) but have a waist-high station and steam-up area so I don't have to scrabble around on the floor. Obviously I'm as flexible as a Russian gymnast at the moment, but one day I may not be...
 
Northsider said:
A slope can be useful: I have a height difference of 3 - 4 feet in the garden, which allows me to run ground-level trains (which looks more realistic/prototypical to my eyes) but have a waist-high station and steam-up area so I don't have to scrabble around on the floor. Obviously I'm as flexible as a Russian gymnast at the moment, but one day I may not be...
Click to expand...
It’s all that Russian about in the garden helps to keep you fit
 
Steve Hammond said:
Not sure as yet as my gardens on a bit of a slope. inItial thoughts are to run a double track length along a small retaining wall at the edge of the patio about 25 foot in length. There is a small gap in the wall for the pathway up the garden about the middle, possible removable bow string bridge to connect both sections of the wall. Also would like to model an industrial theme (quarry, mine or factory).

Early days so unsure and don’t want to bite off more than I can chew.

Thanks for the welcome
Click to expand...
Slopes can be a challenge, but then so were they to the early railway builders - so I would suggest that aiming to get as close to level as possible is beneficial, by doing what they did; cuttings and embankments.

I've always tried to keep it simple, so on my first garden railway in Sussex, where there was a 2 ft drop down the garden, I started at the top in a very shallow cutting (just a few inches deep) and the rest of the line was built up on sleepers which, happily, formed an attractive visual edge to the shrub borders. I've tried to achieve something similar in a slightly flatter garden here in Norfolk, but have succumbed to some gentle gradients.

I think the best advice is to try not to limit yourself to tight radius curves if you can possibly avoid them - the rule of thumb is that LGB R3 or 8ft diameter is a good minimum but, although it's desirable, it's not always possible.

It's often quite good to throw track down, a bit quick and dirty, and run a few trains - it certainly tends to concentrate the mind on where you want to go.
 
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