The main straight length of the line from the point at the House down to St James Crossing (end of the line) passing through Fox Hollow is about 15m in length. As the point is still to be constructed, the line stops about 5m short of the house at present. After two false starts: Firstly due to the path being nowhere near as flat as it appears requiring two areas of concrete screed to be laid over the path to prevent the track rocking on a hump near St James Crossing and being unsupported over a small dip just past Fox Hollow. Secondly due to a halt in track panel production, the lack of storage space in the garage required a rack to be built to stow the track on before any more could be assembled. Six straight lengths were finally laid and connected together on the 9th June 2006. The first train consisting of Hagan coupled to the passenger car, made it's first tentative journey down the line from the House to St James Crossing without incident but returning carriage first resulted in a derailment of the leading bogie about 2m short of the House end of the line. On inspection it was found again to be due to the "non level" path, there being a long slow twist in the track outside the compensating limits of the passenger car bogies. Insertion of a 2m length of slim timber packing under one end of the sleepers solved the problem and the rest of the day passed without incident.
Below is the first train ready to depart from the House;
Here it is just approaching Fox Hollow Halt and then at the Platform;
Finally heading down from Fox Hollow to St James Crossing;
Following Barry Loraine's comments (see Highview Light Railway in the links) that his apparently level lawn actually had a significant gradient and remembering the path had a a fall on it away from the house when it was laid some ten years ago it was decided to measure it. Using a laser level, rule and 50m tape in the twilight the line actually has a one in fifty gradient over it's length. However this gave Hagan no problem with a full load. It will be interesting to see how Dixie fares, hopefully she will have a good exhaust "bark" when returning from St James Crossing to the House.
Not wishing to clutter up the site with videos that take forever to download, below is a gif animation of the railways Chief Engineer taking a "non stop" service through Fox Hollow in the late afternoon sun;
