Train Garden
Soon after Geoff and Jean Hallam moved into their new home, Geoff began to construct a model railway in the backyard. He surveyed the area and then adjusted the levels for the track. He made sure that there was no more than a 2 1/2% gradient, just as if he was building a real railway.
Kit forms are available for model railways, but Geoff made his from scratch. He built all the models and laid the bricks, and friends helped him to pour the concrete. The buildings are carved Hebel bricks and the tracks are brass with UV-treated plastic sleepers. Today the G gauge (narrow gauge, or 45mm wide) railway is complete with 200 metres of track, three viaducts, a pond and a model village called Hoddlesdon.
Jean does not mind Geoff spending so much time on his hobby, because she is busy pursuing her own interests. All her life she longed to own a horse, but had to wait until she was 49 years old before her dream came true. She now has two horses: Sherman the Quarter Horse and Katy the Palomino.
Further information
The LGB and G Scale Model Railway Club of Australia have a website: www.LGBofOz.com and email address: [email protected]