Trains
Maybe because the track that runs around the garden is an obvious giveaway, visitors often ask about the trains. Our family use the trains all the time, as they have proven to be much more effective than wheelbarrows, but unfortunately we do not give train rides to visitors. However, in good weather you might catch a glimpse of one parked in the garden whilst Barry pops inside for a cup of tea.
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Barry is not especially a train enthusiast and has never claimed to be a train expert, but his interest in engineering led him to have a go a building one. He built an electric train first,
using bits of scrap metal and whatever else he could find. It is powered by four 6V traction batteries and is 12-wheel drive in order to cope with the steep gradients in the garden.
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He must have done a good job because it has been going strong for the past ten years!
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Barry started building the steam engine when he was 'taking it easy' waiting for his heart bypass. Again, using bits of scrap metal, he turned all the small parts on a lathe and welded it together bit-by-bit.
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