The first
phase took about a year to complete, but when the head gardener
(my wife) suggested I needed a second track around the lawn, I
didn’t need any further comment in order to start another
circuit within the old one. The first track had a steep gradient
from the back to the front, which compounded by the curve on the
one side, caused some difficulties if more than a couple of
coaches/wagons were added to the train.. In order to level out
the track a structure would have to be built across the bottom
of the lawn. Thus having visited the Carlisle-Settle line, the
idea of a viaduct was already implanted in my head..
Construction of the viaduct took some experimentation but
eventually a method presented itself. A rectangular box was made
in wood and an arch formed from a piece of tin found lying
around. It soon emerged that to cast a concrete form was
difficult at any more than about 3 in deep, even with the help
of chicken wire mesh. Equally if one tried to move it before
having ‘cured’ for 3 days, it cracked at the weakest point. So
in order to make a structure 6in wide, 2 cast sections needed to
be made and bolted together. Obviously with 13 sections to be
made, this took most of the summer of that year. To cover up the
unsightly concrete castings, I made a visit to a local stone
suppliers yard. They kindly allowed me to go around the yard
picking up the bits of stone that had fallen from their bins and
which were not saleable. They refused my offer to pay….I think
it suited both parties.
The small
pieces of stone were glued onto the structure using cement ( ‘No
Nails’ did not work for me!) The result can be seen in picture
1.
. However,
the double track just running around the lawn did not satisfy my
more adventurous thoughts of a railway. The head gardener was
consulted as to running a track around the flower/plant bed and
what had become the runner bean part of the garden. The idea of
a figure of eight track would offer a number of variants for
running and could incorporate some bridges. The problem would
again be the gradients as to construct a bridge over the one
section would need a rise of about 10 inches on a circuit only
16 ft by 10 ft. and a curve of approx radius of 4.5 ft at one
end! Anyway construction was commenced. In order not to encroach
too much on the garden area, the track was to be laid on the out
side. ( this was no small task as the original site had a 30
degree slope which had to be modified by some 4 ft high block
building.)
Eventually this construction work was completed and
bridges built as per my earlier notes. Now for the trial run.
The first up track was quite steep, rising 6 inches over a
stretch of about 5 ft to run onto the suspension bridge and
level out to the bow bridge but then into the 4.5 ft radius
curve. With one coach the Argyll just about made it. So running
then went in the reverse direction, but even so trains did not
appreciate the tight curve after the 16ft run up the slope to
attain the 10 inch rise required. A 2 coach train would just
about make it when the engine was full of water. Additional
weights helped. However this was a restriction I would have to
live with.
The 2 tracks
around the lawn and the bridges leading to the figure of 8
extension.
Close up
of the crossing point for the figure of 8 layout
We were
now into the third year of the railway but ideas for further
invention were afoot..!
As a
digression, in order to accommodate children’s desire to ‘drive’
an engine, I purchased a Cheddar models ‘Iver’. This is a pretty
little engine with a lot of pulling power. However on my track
with it’s gradients and sharp curves, controllability was tested
to the full and no children could be allowed to drive it.
Eventually the Iver was traded in. and a different locomotive
was purchased in part exchange. (but more about this later)
In
order for children to satisfy their desire ‘to have a go’ , an I
P Engineering tram kit, battery driven, was purchased and the
recommended radio control fitted. This can now be run with
little likely damage possible. The boy in the picture, driving
the tram, is 7yrs old!( a neighbour’s grandson)
Phase three in the life of the
Westend Highland Railway to come.
John Tomlin.
