An Extension to the Sandwell Valley Railway

[kedwards]

You could have knocked me down with a feather when last Summer Mrs E. said that she was going to sell her greenhouse, and (here`s the bit that caused me to feel faint) when it went did I want to extend the railway? I thought that I must have mis-heard and asked her to say it again, but it was true - I had her blessing to cover more of the garden in track!
After some thought I decided that the area would be ideal for a terminus station and a turning triangle. I sketched a track layout plan and set about acquiring track. By my open day in August I felt confident enough to attach this sign to the greenhouse.


Here`s the site. This picture was taken in March this year just before the greenhouse was sold. It shows the land acquisition which including the raised beds is about 18ft long by 5ft deep.


And this picture was taken after the removal of the greenhouse but before any work had been done. The plan is to create a turning triangle where the extension leaves the main line and a three platform station in the area occupied by the raised beds.


At long last I finally started work today. The Cain Howley curved viaduct sections have been taken up. The viaduct will be replaced with an embankment and the viaduct sections used to create another part of the triangle. The photo shows the shuttering in place for the footings for the new embankment.

 

[kedwards]

The new embankment is nearing completion and the footings have been cast for the new curved viaduct which will carry one of the lines to the new station. Two more short piers will be needed from Cain Howley to compete the viaduct.





Meanwhile the buffet for the new station has arrived. This was acquired today from the Sparesman at the G Scale Society West Midlands Area Group meeting in Solihull.

 

[PhilP]

Crackin' buffet Gromit!

 

[viaEstrecha]

Excellent - an opportunity expertly seized!

 

[kedwards]

Since my last post

• 
  [li]The main line has been re-laid to include 2 points. I can now run trains all around the garden again.[/li]
  [li]The block-work for the first station cross-over points has been completed.[/li]
  [li]The footings have been laid for the turning triangle.[/li]
  [li]The blocks have been cut for the turning triangle.[/li]
  [li]Two more piers have been purchased for the curved viaduct.[/li]

As the original design did not include the piers, the footings for the viaduct are in the wrong place! I`m also going to see if I can add a third arch to the viaduct. This will require part of the newly built embankment to be demolished!

 

[Bram]

No wonder your back is sore matey....Good job done tho

 

[kedwards]

Thanks Bram. It's true, I can hardly stand up now. The plan is to have it finished for next year's open day so plenty of time left.

 

[kedwards]

All of the blocks for the triangle have now been cemented in and the track has been laid. Work has begun on the `sleeper` wall behind the goods platform.
Unfortunately the environmental survey, a prerequisite of the next phase, has determined that the strawberries will have to crop before work can begin on the station area. Oh well, there`s still lots of work to do to complete the turning triangle.

 

[Monk_1987]

Excellent. Loving the progress.

Just a quick question. Where did you get the concrete bridges from?

 

[kedwards]

Hi Rhys,

Pleased you like the progress. The curved concrete viaduct sections are from Cain Howley Structures - http://www.cainhowleystructures.com. He's based in Carmarthen but attends all of the major garden railway shows. He will send stuff by courier and in spite of the weight it's not as expensive as you might think.

 

[Monk_1987]

Hi Rhys,

Pleased you like the progress. The curved concrete viaduct sections are from Cain Howley Structures - http://www.cainhowleystructures.com. He's based in Carmarthen but attends all of the major garden railway shows. He will send stuff by courier and in spite of the weight it's not as expensive as you might think.

Thanks very much for the reply. I will order some stuff off him for sure. Pleased with the prices.

Keep up the good work

 

[kedwards]

Love the W&L stock

Yeah, it's my favourite stock - just need the locos to match now.

 

[kedwards]

• The curved viaduct has now been completed, and it now has 3 sections.
• The sleeper wall just needs the painting finishing and the area behind it filled in.
• The ground has been levelled and some planting done.

A general view of the triangle.


The area behind the sleeper wall which needs filling in.


The curved viaduct - the section nearest the camera has been modified with the angle grinder


An aerial view

 

[owlpool]

very nice
I like the sleeper wall
coaling staithes would look good made like that

 

[Gizzy]

Nice work....

 

[simon@mgr]

Impresive

 

[Madman]

I like the viaduct

 

[kedwards]

Thanks for all the great comments.
Lots of finishing off still to do but the main structure is there.
The man came today to fit the new smart meter and demanded a demo of the garden railway before he would start work.

 

[PhilP]

Thanks for all the great comments.
Lots of finishing off still to do but the main structure is there.
The man came today to fit the new smart meter and demanded a demo of the garden railway before he would start work.

I bet that was a *real* hard-ship for you!!

 

[3Valve]

Now that's looking really good.