Garden Railway:
Exciting times! We are widening our remit and building a 'garden railway' that will incorporate circuits of the two most popular gauges in this field - 32mm & 45mm. The tracks will be raised on a low platform for ease of use and viewing. Here is a plan of the layout. Click on the plan for a bigger version!
We hope that this new venture will prove a popular extra attraction for our visitors as well as providing an opportunity for garden railway enthusiasts to run their locos and develop the hobby.
Update 2022: The Garden Railway is fully operational and is being used a lot by new and old members!
Plan of the Garden Railway:
A popular request amongst members was to be able to cater for the smaller gauges, as a fair amount of members had collections of locomotives and rolling stock that they wanted to run and show off.
This idea was thoroughly thought about and proposed to the committee, who saw the benefits of the garden railway.
Many hours and cups of tea latter a layout plan was developed and modified to suit the needs of the members, such as, incorperating both Gauge 1 (45mm) and O gauge track (32mm) in double track format (there are two circuits of each track).
The end product is something to be proud of and a credit to the members who were involved in the design, construction and running of the garden railway.
Work on site installing the supports for the railway deck (January 2020)
Work continues, with most of the supports in place (March 2020)
All of the supports are in place and the laying of the decking and felt can start to take place (March 2020).
The decking gaps are being filled with bitumen paint which will prolong the life of the decking (May 2020)
The back straight of the Garden Railway has recieved its decking (May 2020)
The back straight of the Garden Railway has recieved its decking (May 2020)
Lot's of progress - supports installed, decking & felt covering being fitted (June 2020)
The first piece of track is layed (September 2020)
The first train to complete a circuit was a very fitting choice, a Gresley designed Great Northern Railway J23 (LNER J50).
Some of the original full size locomotives were shedded not far from Blackgates in the sheds of Ardsley, which local spotters called them the nickname 'Ardsley tanks' (October 2020)
One circuit of the gauge 1 track is nearing completion, with the steaming bays and carriage sidings not far behind (October 2020)
Looking down upon the steaming bay and carriage sidings (October 2020)
Looking across the garden railway with the gauge 1 track being completed (April 2021)
All of the gauge 1 track is completed, with the O gauge track being started (April 2021)
Showing the transition into the station of the gauge 1 circuits (April 2021)
The radius of the gauge 1 circuit is nearly 3 metres around this section April 2021)
A wide angle lense shot of the garden railway looking towards the steaming bay (April 2021)
