andrew

ANDREWS RAILWAY.

Andrew is my son and when not serving the country in military service is home extending his/our garden railway. Like many people it started with a basic couple of starter sets but soon developed to a more advanced system and took over more and more of the garden.

Basically two complete circuits run around a fairly large pond and garden. With a slope to the garden it was necessary to raise sections of track to reduce gradients and this was done with log roll that was back filled and then topped with fine pink granite chippings on to which the track was “floated”. Other sections ran at ground level or traversed elevated sections of decking planks.

Two and a half years ago when I moved into this property the garden had been unkempt for 15 years so after flattening everything we had a near level playing field to work on and construction was easy – imagine my horror when he returned home a couple of weeks ago and discovered that the log roll was rotting and he lifted everything!

My garden is now like the Somme, I have a broken ankle and cannot help, and he is now edging everything in rocks and, I hope, will infill with concrete coated with a fine layer of granite chippings before he goes to sea again next week. I then have the winter to personally recover and then help the garden to recover!

By the way he has “convinced” me of the need for another smaller analogue circuit near the patio where I sit and survey all that is mine! At least it will mean less grass to cut!

The two main circuits, will have a fully automated signal system allowing trains to stop at signals and stations and be complimented by a short shuttle line running into a Pola engine shed.