A former railway engineer has transformed his garden in East Sussex into an unusual working railway, complete with full-size track, a vintage-style carriage and railway memorabilia.
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engineer → transform → track
Railway Magazine, which featured Adrian Backshall’s project, describes the 50-foot line as a Wickham lookalike built on an old platelayer’s trolley.
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which → feature → trolley
The small railway now uses a 12-volt car battery charged by a solar panel to power its winch, allowing the carriage to travel slowly along the garden track.
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carriage → use → track
What began as a lockdown project has since grown into a distinctive railway-themed garden attraction for Backshall, his family and guests.
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began → begin → Backshall
From railway career to garden railway
Adrian Backshall retired from Network Rail in 2018 after a career working on Britain's railways.
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Backshall → retire → railways
His connection with railway equipment, however, did not end with retirement.
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connection → end → retirement
During the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, Backshall began developing a railway in the garden of his home in Willingdon, East Sussex.
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Backshall → begin → Willingdon
The project gave him a way to put his railway knowledge and collection of equipment to use while spending more time at home.
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project → give → home
The centrepiece is a carriage based on a Victorian platelayer's trolley.
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centrepiece → base → trolley
A friend who was a blacksmith helped create the Wickham-style body that sits on top of the original trolley.
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that → help → trolley
Platelayers' trolleys were lightweight railway vehicles historically used by railway workers to travel along tracks while carrying tools and equipment.
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trolleys → use → tools
Backshall's version retains the character of such a vehicle while giving it a new purpose as a garden railway carriage.
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version → retain → carriage
A 50-foot railway in the garden
What started as a much shorter line has now become a 50-foot railway running through the garden.
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started → start → garden
Some of the track used in the project dates back to 1898, giving the otherwise modern garden installation a genuine connection with railway history.
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Some → use → history
Backshall has also added railway signs, signals and other pieces of equipment around the property, making the garden resemble a miniature railway museum.
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garden → add → museum
The railway has two main stopping points, near the garden shed and patio.
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railway → have → shed
The line is not designed for speed.
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line → design → speed
Instead, the carriage moves slowly enough for passengers to enjoy the unusual surroundings as it makes its journey through the garden.
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it → move → garden
According to Railway Magazine, the 50-foot cable-worked railway has a maximum speed of about 0.3 miles per hour.
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railway → accord → hour
Rather than trying to recreate a conventional railway journey, Backshall has created something closer to a moving garden room with a genuine railway feel.
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Backshall → try → feel
Backshall's garden contains a collection of authentic railway-related objects, including signs, signals and other equipment (Image Credit: George Carden/BBC)
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garden → contain → signs
From hand power to solar energy
The railway has also evolved technically since its early days.
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railway → evolve → days
Initially, the carriage was moved using a hand-cranked pulley arrangement.
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carriage → move → arrangement
As the project expanded, Backshall replaced that system with a 12-volt winch.
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Backshall → expand → winch
The winch is powered by a 12-volt car battery, which is charged using a solar panel.
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which → power → panel
This allows the railway to operate without relying on a conventional mains-powered system for its movement.
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railway → allow → movement
The arrangement combines old railway equipment with simple modern technology.
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arrangement → combine → technology
A Victorian-era trolley forms the basis of the carriage, while solar power provides the energy needed to move it along the track.
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power → form → track
The result is a small but functioning railway that reflects Backshall's interest in both railway history and engineering.
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that → reflect → history
Railway memorabilia fills the garden
The track is only part of the transformation.
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track → fill → transformation
Backshall's garden contains a collection of authentic railway-related objects, including signs, signals and other equipment.
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garden → contain → signs
Some of the signs retain the language associated with working railway lines, giving visitors the impression that they have stepped into a small railway installation rather than an ordinary residential garden.
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they → retain → installation
Inside the carriage, the railway theme continues.
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theme → continue → carriage
The cabin has seating for four people and includes a wood-burning stove, while railway memorabilia and other details make the space suitable for entertaining.
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space → have → entertaining
Backshall and his wife Ruth have used the train for gatherings and tea parties, turning the unusual railway into part of their home life.
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Backshall → use → life
The project has also involved some negotiation over space.
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project → involve → space
As the railway was extended, the track passed through part of the garden that had previously been used for flowers.
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that → extend → flowers
Ruth has spoken about the changes with humour, while supporting the project that began as a lockdown idea.
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that → speak → idea
A lockdown project that kept growing
Backshall's railway demonstrates how a small hobby can develop into a much more elaborate personal project.
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hobby → keep → project
The original lockdown railway was considerably shorter, but the line has since been extended to 50 feet.
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line → extend → feet
…and 7 more, not listed.
The Aporia
