Jules's garden railway .
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During 2002 I set about fulfilling an idea I had for my small garden which is no bigger than an average sized room in a terraced house. I wanted to put a model railway round it but still be able to have friends round for a barbecue without the railway dominating the scene too much.
With the help of a very good friend Chris Bambrough who constructed the base and the shed in which the railway was to be housed and run, I now have a simple but effective garden railway which so far has given me many hours of pleasure even in winter time. Below is a selection of photos mostly taken on Sunday 23rd February 2003 but there are a couple I have added from just after Christmas during a snow showerplus one proving that you can still have a party and a garden railway even in a terraced house garden!.
Incidentally the station is named Bambrough as a small thank you to Chris for helping me with the woodwork!
Come in and enter the world of running a model railway on a sunny Sunday afternoon!
Above:- (Left)Class 25 Diesel Electric & Class 117 DMU meet at Bambrough , (right) Class 25 speeding through the "woods"
West Country "Wilton" arrives with support coach for the steam specials, then EWS Class 37 No 37 419 arrives with the rest of the train.
The 37 is then detached and forwarded on to the stabling sidings. "Wilton" waits in the bay platform before backing on to the train ready for the off
Another West Country, this time "Blackmoor Vale" joins the train but is failed with a missing pony truck screw later in the day. As an insurance policy against such a failure Merchant Navy class loco "Clan Line" is put on standby to work the steam specials and is pressed into service.t "Wilton" is coaled & watered and "Blackmoor Vale" is propelled gingerly back to the shed and I hunt the line for the offending missing screw!!
While all the steam shenanigans were going on, a normal service had to be provided for those who wanted to actually get somewhere in 4mm land!. This was provided by first & second generation DMU's and due to the steam specials the trains were specially lengthened to six cars instead of the normal two or three.
Class 117 trundles through Bambrough later in the day and as evening draws on the Steam special stock is returned to depot by 37 419. All the stock is then put back into the garden shed, locked up switched off an I go round the pub for a few bevvies before retiring to my bed. A perfect peaceful Sunday. I would recommend it to anyone.
Finally a couple of piccies from early January & one from last October
Finally! a picture proving that you can have a party in a garden with a model railway round it! The railway is just visible in the background.