Extension Progress Update 7

Now that Winter is setting in work can only be done on rare dry days.

25th October - The blocks in the foreground mark the end of the extension

28th October - more blackwork done.

Extension Progress Update 6

It's now 7 months since planning permission was granted.

This photo was taken before any work had been done

The site was cleared in April and work started in May.

May, the greenhouse has gone and the curved viaduct has been dismantled

Work initially progressed rapidly but in June it came to a complete stop as we waited for the strawberries to crop.

The strawberries were delicious

Work started again in September and progress is being made on the station area.

The strawberry bed has gone. The strawberries are now in front of the shed.

The area to the right of Percy is for one of the platforms

The triangle is now almost finished

The next obstruction to progress is the rhubarb bed. Negotiations are at an early stage. The plan is to have it all completed for an open day now year in July or August.

Extension Progress Update 5

The strawberries were delicious but the bed has now been cleared and work has re-commenced on the extension after a two-month delay.

A View of the Extension

Meanwhile the pond area was transformed into the seaside for Thomas and the Seaside Special which was filmed in July. Work is slowly progressing on its refurbishment.

The pond has been made larger and a new concrete ring has been cast to support the slabs.

The bridge over the pond with Birdlip Junction in the background.

Looking across the rockery to the pond area.

Thomas and the Seaside Special - The Video

After a long time in post production Thomas the Tank Engine's latest adventure on the SVR has been released on YouTube. It is a joint production with Pine Tree Junction and can be viewed on either channel.

Thomas and the Seaside Special

Filming took place on Thomas' next adventure on 1st, 3rd and 4th July 2015. More filming is planned to take place over the next few days.

Thomas, James and Emily watching the children playing on the sand

The cameraman in action

A busy scene on the beach

Thomas basks in the sun

Thomas and James on the embankment behind the beach huts

Thomas and his Friends Next Adventure

Filming will begin tomorrow on Thomas' next adventure - Thomas and the Seaside Special, and it will be special as it will be jointly produced with the Pine Tree Junction Film Unit.

Emily watches as Thomas and James double head the special

Will 7 coaches be enough for all the people wanting to go to the seaside?

The children have already changed into their swimming costumes

Ready to board the Seaside Special

It's late into the evening when the Seaside Special returns

Extension Progress Comes to a Halt

Work on the extension has ground to a halt! I should have removed the strawberry bed earlier, I can't dig it up now with such a good crop of strawberries ripening! So it’s going to be August before work can recommence.

Meanwhile at the other end of the railway the pond was unrecognisable as a pond so I've used the pause in the work on the extension to start refurbishing this area.

Before

During

After - but still lots to do!

Extension Progress Update 4

The curved viaduct has now been completed - 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

Extension Progress Update 3

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.

Extension Progress Update 2

Over the last couple of weeks:

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

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.

Looking from the station towards the triangle

Looking towards the station

Extension Progress Update 1

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 to compete the viaduct.

Meanwhile the buffet for the new station has arrived.

Work on the Extension Has Begun

The Cain Howley curved viaduct sections have been taken up. The curved viaduct will be replaced with an embankment. Shuttering has been constructed and put in place. A left-hand point has been put in the main line - this will be start of the triangle.

The triangle area

The fence panels have also been replaced. The curved viaduct sections will be used on another part of the triangle.

Looking towards the shed

New Arrivals on the SVR

New residents await the arrival of the latest train

Extension Update

The greenhouse has gone, but little else has been done. The next job will be to replace the fence panels.

Looking down the garden. The new station will be in the foreground.

This will be where there will be a turning triangle.

Looking back up the garden.

James and Toby Winter in the Workshop

Over the Winter James and Toby have spent a long time in the Sandwell Valley workshop. During their stays they were both fitted with smoke and sound units. It's now Spring and time for them to resume duties on the railway.

Thomas and the High Speed Train has been watched 1,000,000 times

I've joined the garden railway millionaire's club!!!
The video I made just under 10 months ago has now been watched on YouTube over 1,000,000 times and in over 200 countries around the world.

Emily Arrives

Emily complete with a train of four coaches has now joined Thomas and his friends at the Sandwell Valley Railway. Emily was purchased from T & M Models at G Rail 2015 in Stafford.

Sunset over the Railway

After spending the day at G Rail, the annual show of the G Scale Society, I arrived home in time to capture this beautiful sunset over the Sandwell Valley Railway. If I had managed to get outside a few minutes earlier the photo  would have been much better.

An Extension for the SVR?

Plans for an extension to the Sandwell Valley Railway were muted last year, a track layout was planned and the track-work purchased.   The plan was to create a terminus station and a triangle for turning.

Nothing happened over the Winter but the greenhouse has now been sold and it is being taken away on Saturday, so the railway may be getting its extension this year.

The site. The station is planned to be about 5 ft long.

A sign from last year's open day