2 pieces of track needed for charity garden opening

[kajagoogoo88]

Hello

I open my garden each year to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme (www.ngs.org.uk)

This year, I want to recreate a small section of the New York High Line garden - a disused elevated railway line in New York City now converted to a (very long) garden.

To do this, I need 2 pieces of rail track about 2-3 metres in length.

I have tried Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, Colas Rail but I am going round in circles.

So much of this stuff just lying about and I only want a little - and am happy to pay. Anyone got any ideas - I am near Aylesbury in Bucks.

Thanks.

Ken

 

[bluenoxid]

Dependent on how permanent this is, you might want to natter with a heritage railway to borrow/acquire some sections. My warning would be that steel has value and you might find that the costs substantial.

The other option is to have something mocked up in terms of something more "flat" and therefore less costly.

 

[bolli]

Where abouts are you?

There are plenty of heritage railways with end of life/flame cut rails that they would be able to sell you for scrap price...

 

[ironstone11]

Hello

I open my garden each year to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme (www.ngs.org.uk)

This year, I want to recreate a small section of the New York High Line garden - a disused elevated railway line in New York City now converted to a (very long) garden.

To do this, I need 2 pieces of rail track about 2-3 metres in length.

So much of this stuff just lying about and I only want a little - and am happy to pay. Anyone got any ideas - I am near Aylesbury in Bucks.

Thanks.

Ken

As you are near Aylesbury you could try the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre at Quainton.

Their website is http://bucksrailcentre.org/

 

[route:oxford]

Hello

I open my garden each year to the public as part of the National Garden Scheme (www.ngs.org.uk)

This year, I want to recreate a small section of the New York High Line garden - a disused elevated railway line in New York City now converted to a (very long) garden.

To do this, I need 2 pieces of rail track about 2-3 metres in length.

I have tried Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, Colas Rail but I am going round in circles.

So much of this stuff just lying about and I only want a little - and am happy to pay. Anyone got any ideas - I am near Aylesbury in Bucks.

Thanks.

Ken

Given the weight, cost, transport and so forth...

Would it not be better to go for something lighter, cheaper and more ornamental?

A sawmill will be able to sort you out with some 5x3 which could be painted with Hammerite.

 

[Ironside]

Good luck with your garden. In my opinion you might also want to consider a scaled down version, ie narrow guage track which are approximately 20, 30 or 60cm appart and much easier to handle. (somebody else will be able to give you the exact sizing and names).

 

[Harpers Tate]

You do know, I hope, that each such piece of rail will weigh ~150kg....

 

[John Webb]

What an intriguing idea! I'd go for a scaled down version perhaps using 7.25" gauge track - trying your local model engineering society might be worthwhile.

 

[kajagoogoo88]

Thanks everyone for your replies so far.

The point of this is that is has to be difficult - there is no wow factor if I take shortcuts so I am rather committed to doing it the hard/heavy way.

I'm going to try the bucks railway centre route that was suggested I think - see where that takes me.

Ken