I was browsing through some of my old pictures of the garden from 2004-5 before and while the railway was first being built and thought it might be interesting to see how things have developed.
(NB - Click on the images to enlarge them)
What follows is a series of shots taken in 2004/5 and now, for comparison.
A view of the back of the house.
The lean-to is now in place and the railway has taken over this corner of the garden.
The small terraced area of lawn was levelled leaving a much smaller raised bed area in the corner of the garden
and the ramshackle arrangements of sheds was replaced with a new shed and trailer tent store, discretely hidden behind a hedge of leylandii.
This next series of three photos show a panorama taken from the top corner of the garden (beside what is now Beeston Castle station).
This first shot shows how the landscaping has altered the previously boring expanse of lawn.
Swinging to the left, we see the raised bed (holding the stream) which separates the house and path from the rest of the garden.
And finally, swinging further to the left we see the lean-to and just catch a glimpse of the 'train-flap' which allows stock from Bickerton station to run into the storage sidings.
Another panorama of three shots shows the view from the other top corner of the garden. Here we see the foundations for the lower loop have been cut into the lawn and the turf removed.
Here we see how this area has been landscaped and Peckforton station built into this corner of the loop. The viaduct is in its 'parked' position allowing access to the patio in the centre of the lower loop.
Swinging the camera to the right in the 2004 photo, you can see the recycled window units propped up against the conservatory, ready to be used for the lean-to. In the 2009 photo you can see the recently erected lean-top greenhouse and the extension to the railway which was cut into the hedge on the right.
The 2005 shot shows the lean-to now in place to allow work to start on the raised beds (once the rubble and mixer have been removed). The 2009 shot shows Peckforton station is now well established.
In the 2005 shot, the sandstone cladding has been added to the raised beds in the middle distance and the leylandii hedge comprises litle more than saplings. By 2009, the hedge is well established and the beds are well populated.
In the reverse of the above image, in 2005 the leylandii saplings are clearly in view while the trackbed for the lower line has been laid and cemented into place. By 2009. the apple tree provides shade for the seating and the foliage obscures the track on the left. This shot was taken by thrusting the camera through a gap in the leylandii hedge.
(NB - Click on the images to enlarge them)
What follows is a series of shots taken in 2004/5 and now, for comparison.
A view of the back of the house.The lean-to is now in place and the railway has taken over this corner of the garden.
The small terraced area of lawn was levelled leaving a much smaller raised bed area in the corner of the garden
and the ramshackle arrangements of sheds was replaced with a new shed and trailer tent store, discretely hidden behind a hedge of leylandii.
This next series of three photos show a panorama taken from the top corner of the garden (beside what is now Beeston Castle station).This first shot shows how the landscaping has altered the previously boring expanse of lawn.
Swinging to the left, we see the raised bed (holding the stream) which separates the house and path from the rest of the garden.
And finally, swinging further to the left we see the lean-to and just catch a glimpse of the 'train-flap' which allows stock from Bickerton station to run into the storage sidings.
Another panorama of three shots shows the view from the other top corner of the garden. Here we see the foundations for the lower loop have been cut into the lawn and the turf removed.
Here we see how this area has been landscaped and Peckforton station built into this corner of the loop. The viaduct is in its 'parked' position allowing access to the patio in the centre of the lower loop.
Swinging the camera to the right in the 2004 photo, you can see the recycled window units propped up against the conservatory, ready to be used for the lean-to. In the 2009 photo you can see the recently erected lean-top greenhouse and the extension to the railway which was cut into the hedge on the right.
The 2005 shot shows the lean-to now in place to allow work to start on the raised beds (once the rubble and mixer have been removed). The 2009 shot shows Peckforton station is now well established.
In the 2005 shot, the sandstone cladding has been added to the raised beds in the middle distance and the leylandii hedge comprises litle more than saplings. By 2009, the hedge is well established and the beds are well populated.
In the reverse of the above image, in 2005 the leylandii saplings are clearly in view while the trackbed for the lower line has been laid and cemented into place. By 2009. the apple tree provides shade for the seating and the foliage obscures the track on the left. This shot was taken by thrusting the camera through a gap in the leylandii hedge.
Here we see a general shot across the garden. Bulkeley station is on the immediate left, Peckforton is in the middle distance, Beeston Castle is top left and Bickerton in adjacent to the lean-to.
Following on from the above, Bickerton station is in the background beside the leant-to. In the 2005 shot, the sandstone cladding is being added to the breeze-block retaining walls. By 2009, none of the cladding has fallen off and the vegetation has been become well established.
Following on from the above, Bickerton station is in the background beside the leant-to. In the 2005 shot, the sandstone cladding is being added to the breeze-block retaining walls. By 2009, none of the cladding has fallen off and the vegetation has been become well established.
