New Track Cleaning Tool!

jayiscupid

Registered
Country flag
I swear by LGB track-cleaning pads for shifting winter grime, but I absolutely dread spending an hour on my hands and knees scrubbing the rails. Surely, I thought, there must be a better way.

Enter my latest DIY triumph: a cheap mop from B&M. I drilled two 6mm holes through the top of the cleaning pad and the base of the mop, then bolted them together using washers and nuts. I am absolutely delighted with the results. The track is spotless, and my back is completely intact!

Honestly, I should have patented this before LGB steals the idea.

Meet the Lehmann Grime Diffuser!

WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.37.41.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.04.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.04 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.05.jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.05 (1).jpegWhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.05 (2).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.06.jpegWhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.05 (4).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.05 (3).jpegWhatsApp Image 2026-05-30 at 20.38.06 (1).jpeg
 
Last edited:
I've seen something similar in "Railways in your Garden" published by Garden Rail. The photo on page 48 shows a gentleman with an adapted squeegee mop cleaning the track.

Plus I now realise just how worn down my track rubber is.
 
Last edited:
I swear by LGB track-cleaning pads for shifting winter grime, but I absolutely dread spending an hour on my hands and knees scrubbing the rails. Surely, I thought, there must be a better way.

Enter my latest DIY triumph: a cheap mop from B&M. I drilled two 6mm holes through the top of the cleaning pad and the base of the mop, then bolted them together using washers and nuts. I am absolutely delighted with the results. The track is spotless, and my back is completely intact!

Honestly, I should have patented this before LGB steals the idea.

Meet the Lehmann Grime Diffuser!

View attachment 357036
View attachment 357037
View attachment 357038
View attachment 357039
View attachment 357041View attachment 357042
View attachment 357043View attachment 357044
View attachment 357045View attachment 357046
Nice clever bit of adaptation there. Similar to the track cleaning tool I bought from Garden Railway Specialists around 20 years ago. It comprised 2 (of the correct grade) Garryflex abrasive blocks held side by side in a simple folded alluminium holder. That was attached to a substantial nylon U/J joint that was the fixed on the end of a broom handle. I have owned an LGB block from the beginning (still used for indoor work) but I considered is too fragile and fine grade for heavy regular full track maintainance, hence this puchace. The GRS item is just the right width to not be fiddly to use or too wide for my line's loading gauge. Its just the right abrasive quality and robustness to clean effectively and last, with infrequent pad replacement requirement. Still going strong but now little used as I have switched from track to battery power. It's in the little Tesco "lean to" garden shed. Max
 
Nice clever bit of adaptation there. Similar to the track cleaning tool I bought from Garden Railway Specialists around 20 years ago. It comprised 2 (of the correct grade) Garryflex abrasive blocks held side by side in a simple folded alluminium holder. That was attached to a substantial nylon U/J joint that was the fixed on the end of a broom handle. I have owned an LGB block from the beginning (still used for indoor work) but I considered is too fragile and fine grade for heavy regular full track maintainance, hence this puchace. The GRS item is just the right width to not be fiddly to use or too wide for my line's loading gauge. Its just the right abrasive quality and robustness to clean effectively and last, with infrequent pad replacement requirement. Still going strong but now little used as I have switched from track to battery power. It's in the little Tesco "lean to" garden shed. Max
I had one of those GRS cleaners back in the day, I found the shaft made of light metal was just not up to the job neither in my opinion were the cleaning rubbers being on the narrow side for G track ok for smaller gauges which do get a gentle blast with it in really tarnished rails. Though I do nit think I will use it for TT120.
 
I had one of those GRS cleaners back in the day, I found the shaft made of light metal was just not up to the job neither in my opinion were the cleaning rubbers being on the narrow side for G track ok for smaller gauges which do get a gentle blast with it in really tarnished rails. Though I do nit think I will use it for TT120.
Mine has two Garyflex (who is Gary and how did come to need to grind & flex ?) blocks side by side and I fitted it into the broom handle, an optional extra not supplied by GRS :D I keep a steady hand on the tiller. Max.
20260531_095356.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom