Rich Skuse
Registered
Having now moved house, I could start thinking about laying some track for all the Playmobil converted stock I have been bashing. Originally the SHLR was to be the Staple Hill light railway, but seeing as we have moved from there, I am taking some artistic license and now the railway will be the Skuse Hillside light railway. It serves a fictional coal mine, hence them still using mainly steam engines. Maybe a bit of wishful thinking there probably but hey.. 
The demand of coal is obviously in decline as they railway also runs a passenger/tour train (hence the coach stock) to bolster funds as who doesn't want to ride on a train?
As yet I am to lay any track but I will be running a loop to allow continuous running, as well as some passing points and yard space to hold stock.
Link to the thread where I go to town on unsuspecting playmobil with a dremel is here.
Onto photos. Sadly, no real pictures of how it was when we started, as it was an overgrown mess and I didn't really think to take photos of an overgrown mess. The railway will be in the slightly raised bed, with *possible* scope to extend under the bridge. Maybe. The bed was built badly, the initial brickwork was hastily put in by me to allow the earth to be retained. The wall at that point was just lumps of concrete and blocks just piled up.
Rest of the wall was concrete-slathered stones. The flagstone motorway has been reduced and turfed as well as there was just too much stone and not enough garden.
I got word that our cousins had a load more of the blocks I'd made the wall from, which was handy as i'd used all the ones I'd found lying around the house at the time (There was loads of the things..)
So off we went in the trusty Jeep to collect. Poor thing.. Good job it has heavy duty suspension. I don't think it would have forgiven me if it was on stock springs and shocks.
So digging commenced, and brickwork was carried out. I am not all that great at that but it'll do. It's still stood up after the local sparrows have inspected it so it must be fine.
At this point, we made the decision to lose the olive tree. It never really took good root due to the amount of brickwork buried in the soil so we gave it away to someone who really wanted it for their garden. Gives more space for a yard at this end anyway.
This photo really demonstrates how much crud we shifted- the tide mark on the wall from the soil. This was mainly building mess buried, and not even from the house build. It was just.. stuff. No idea where it all came from.
With that done, off to B&M for some gravel. It's cheap, and very local. First 12 bags were brought in with a hired van that we were using to collect a table and chairs with. But obviously 12 bags wouldn't be enough. Cue collecting another 25 bags (not all in one trip I hasten to add) in the Jeep. 18 bags at one time. Again, thank gawd it has HD suspension.
Didn't even sit that badly to be honest.
So now B&M were out of stock of pea gravel, I could crack on.
So that's as far as we are at. Next stop, track!
The demand of coal is obviously in decline as they railway also runs a passenger/tour train (hence the coach stock) to bolster funds as who doesn't want to ride on a train?As yet I am to lay any track but I will be running a loop to allow continuous running, as well as some passing points and yard space to hold stock.
Link to the thread where I go to town on unsuspecting playmobil with a dremel is here.
Onto photos. Sadly, no real pictures of how it was when we started, as it was an overgrown mess and I didn't really think to take photos of an overgrown mess. The railway will be in the slightly raised bed, with *possible* scope to extend under the bridge. Maybe. The bed was built badly, the initial brickwork was hastily put in by me to allow the earth to be retained. The wall at that point was just lumps of concrete and blocks just piled up.
Rest of the wall was concrete-slathered stones. The flagstone motorway has been reduced and turfed as well as there was just too much stone and not enough garden.
I got word that our cousins had a load more of the blocks I'd made the wall from, which was handy as i'd used all the ones I'd found lying around the house at the time (There was loads of the things..)
So off we went in the trusty Jeep to collect. Poor thing.. Good job it has heavy duty suspension. I don't think it would have forgiven me if it was on stock springs and shocks.
So digging commenced, and brickwork was carried out. I am not all that great at that but it'll do. It's still stood up after the local sparrows have inspected it so it must be fine.
At this point, we made the decision to lose the olive tree. It never really took good root due to the amount of brickwork buried in the soil so we gave it away to someone who really wanted it for their garden. Gives more space for a yard at this end anyway.
This photo really demonstrates how much crud we shifted- the tide mark on the wall from the soil. This was mainly building mess buried, and not even from the house build. It was just.. stuff. No idea where it all came from.
With that done, off to B&M for some gravel. It's cheap, and very local. First 12 bags were brought in with a hired van that we were using to collect a table and chairs with. But obviously 12 bags wouldn't be enough. Cue collecting another 25 bags (not all in one trip I hasten to add) in the Jeep. 18 bags at one time. Again, thank gawd it has HD suspension.
Didn't even sit that badly to be honest.
So now B&M were out of stock of pea gravel, I could crack on.
So that's as far as we are at. Next stop, track!
