7 1/4 Gauge Garden Railway

[barks]

Hey all.
Been a long time. Some may remember I made a small N gauge layout quite a long time ago.
I’ve now gone from N to 7 1/4 gauge !!
My girlfriend and I became foster carers 3 years ago and have 2 girls now 4 and 9.
Every time we took them out somewhere with a ride on railway we always went on it and they really enjoyed it.

Just over a year ago after I finished a tree house for them which turned into a pirate ship they begged me to have a railway in the garden.
After saying no the gardens not big enough for a few weeks the then 3 year old said just a circle. Please.
I said ok.

5” gauge would of been easier and cheaper but 7 1/4 is more stable and so it was decided.

It’s taken a while as I work full time and have other commitments.

So there you have it. Border line insanity

Here’s the plan.

I want it to go all round the edge as much as I can with 2 stations a bridge and engine shed.

Here’s the garden

I ordered 5 tonnes of hard core and 3 tonnes of limestone chippings.
The bottom of the garden slopes away so had to level it.

Started cutting out.

Digging out by hand. Leveling and waking down with a block of wood then membrane hardcore and more waking.

Making sleepers from 3x2 treated with my 3yr old shadow.

Let’s make some track next.

Cheers
Barks

[Dad-1]

Good to have a Navy for track laying !!
Out of curiosity what are you using for rails ?
Not exactly a model shop product.

Geoff T.

[aleopardstail]

looks wonderful, intrigued by the Pirate Ship especially.

found with young hands saying "go ahead, touch, because but touch, and they get really interested. can spark all sorts of curiosity in them about how stuff actually works - plus kids love "helping" and being involved.

my own three are a tad old for it, step grandson loved all the "toys" here when he was about.

also really interested in how this goes, wouldn't even dream of trying it here and wouldn't know where to start.

still, at least you are less likely to actually lose trains in this scale

[barks]

Yes they stick to me like glue I’m always up to something mad.

Geoff to save money I just bought the rails from maxitrak I used 16mm aluminium and made my own sleepers.

Here’s me making the first bit.

And putting the first bit in position

Ahhhh me hearty the pirate ship.
Well seeing as though the bottom station is pirate station I’m sure I can find a few pics.

Help with leveling

The back corner needed a lot of leveling as it was the lowest point and I had buried the dog there.

Cheers
Barks

[barks]

Quick detour for the pirate ship.
They asked me for a tree house and got this.

[barks]

Top cabin. Steering. Hatch to galley and you can hoist the main sales. Ow and it’s 5m long

Cheers
Barks

[Dad-1]

Brilliant !!
Barks ? was that derived from Barking Mad ???
I could understand that.

Geoff T.

[aleopardstail]

that is wonderful

[barks]

it probably should be but it’s short for my first name.
Thanks both.
Merry Xmas.

Barks

[barks]

So next I put some membrane down

Then laid the first piece of track

Had to remove a massive branch of the conifer.
That conifer causes alot of messing about.
Stripped the biggest piece and cemented it in the ground.
Also built the deck for the platform at the pirate ship.

I went out the front for another wheel barrow of chippings and came back to my helper whacking down the hardcore. Bless her

About 4 tonnes of hardcore now. More membrane.

Barks

[barks]

Trying the get the curve right around the conifer

Painted deck. Made a bank. Got some turf down and ballasted.

Time for planting.

Next was the bridge. A few posts. Rails and pallets.

Barks

[barks]

Painted the bridge

Laid and ballasted front curve

Joined the bridge to the deck

Laid some more track

Bridge with banks done

Barks

[barks]

Started digging out with little helper

Another little helper

And lastly current end of the line.

Just had another tonne of chippings delivered so planning to get some more track down next week.

Cheers
Barks

[Phred]

What a wonderful project for the kids to get involved in!
(Loving that pirate ship as well)

[barks]

Cheers Phred.