Railway Mouse

Today was so sunny and warm, I just had to spend a few hours in the garden. I set to attacking some of the out-of-control laurel trees which were inpeding progress on Garden Railway Phase 2. The first picture shows what was achieved. In the immediate foreground, the existing track emerges from the tunnel and starts curving to the left. It will continue this curve on an embankment, until it is parallel with the fence. It will then run straight, on a concrete lintel supported by the two perforated blocks. The whole of this section is now clear of roots, the compost bin has been emptied and removed, and the blocks and hardcore are in place. All I need now is some concrete and a lintel, and tracklaying can begin!

The construction site for the start of Garden Railway Phase 2.

While I was digging roots, I saw out of the corner of my eye a movement in the rockery, I looked again, and saw a wee mouse peering out of one of the gaps between the rocks. I think he's been hibernating there, as I noticed the piles of earth from digging his tunnels back in the Autumn. In today's warm weather, he couldn't resist coming out!

The railway mouse.

Winter Project Progress Report

As the signs of Spring are starting to appear in the world outside, it is perhaps time to offer a progress report on the Winter layout-building project.

The baseboard structure is complete, and the trackwork operational, though the ballasting needs tidying up and the refuge siding turnout has gone sticky due to a warped actuator bar. The first stages of the grass, earth, wall, road and fencing are in place at the front of the layout, but need a lot mor work. The scenery behind the railway has barely started other than bits of the structure. The level crossing design has been chosen and the components purchased. The crossing-keeper's cottage has been designed and the basic structure assembled, and the design of the quarry building has been established.

That amounts to a lot of work, especially since most of what I have done so far was new ground for me, so I had to learn how to do it first. However, there is even more work still to do, so I suspect I'll still be working on it next winter!

Still a lot to do, but a lot of the basic stucture us there now.

The pub is only a place-holder. Colours need subduing, especially the grass!

The right sort of snow.

FRIDAY, 10th JANUARY 2012

More snow this morning, and this time it was cold and dry, and the snow-plough cut through it perfectly! The picture shows the train most of the way through the first deep drift, and just about to break out of the other side. It then cleared the whole of Quarry Bank up to the tunnel.

A Jinty and an 8F propel the plough through the snow with the greatest of ease.

See also the video at  http://youtu.be/hNQc-qouvN4.

S'no Use Complaining.

The garden railway snow-clearing train battles its way through 10' snowdrifts at the foot of Quarry Bank. The snow was wet and heavy and conditions were deteriorating. Shortly after this picture was taken, further efforts were abandoned.

A 9F 2-10-0  puts its weight behind the Garden Railway snow plough.