Model Railways
The Garden Canal
After completion of phase 1 of laying the track for the garden railway we decided to add a river with running water.
We weren't very happy with the river or its feeder waterfall and so we decided that we just wouldn't finish it. finish it
Having a love of canals and canal boats the decision was made to fill the river in and replace it with a canal. As with most things we had an idea that needed developing, we drew rough plans for a canal utilizing the Girder Bridge that had been built to carry the track over the river.
Strictly speaking a canal wouldn't normally go over a railway track because canals were here first but we are not purists so this is ok. The Truss Bridge is made from aluminium and is 6 feet long (1828.8mm). We have also added a branch line. By the way the shed will be getting a new coat but all in good time.
On the left you will notice that we have lifted the track, this is because we decided to lay all the track on a concrete bed, some of it was laid on a bed of sand with a weed proof membrane over it. In the trench you will notice a hose pipe, all will be revealed later. On the right the track has been re-laid on its bed of concrete and the canal is ready for the cemented sides and locks.
We finished building the canal and the locks, but unfortunately we had made the locks ½ an inch (12.7mm) too narrow. You wouldn't notice it and we could have left it except that, the boats wouldn't fit in but even worse was that we knew they were too small
The locks were actually an after thought because we thought the canal looked odd finishing where it did. We couldn't divert the canal or the track without major reorganisation and so we decided to take the canal over the track to end in a tunnel giving the impression that the canal continued into and beyond the the tunnel.
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