John's removal of old railway sleeper steps and replacement with Dutch Oak
Project: A flight of steps up the hillside behind the house, replacing some very old railway sleepers with a similar scheme. The "new" railway sleepers were as heavy as advertised, at roughly 90kg each and got heavier throughout the half-day session. They were unloaded by hand from a two axle delivery van by two strong colleagues, and carried up 13 steps to the "base camp". Here they were sawn to size with a "domestic" electric chain saw. A new chain made 10 cuts of the "new" railway sleepers plus about half a dozen to cut up the old ones for removal. The chain was totally blunt by the end.
Gloves were needed plus appropriate clothing to protect against the exuded creosote and eye protection against the contaminated saw chippings. A friendly farmer disposed of the old railway sleeper remains. Inevitably there will now need to be a refill of chippings to adjust the height of steps upward. Oh for a smooth bed!
Thank you for your delivery of these 8 used Dutch Oak railway sleepers. The product was in line with specification and the delivery was prompt and well managed. Office communications were helpful and friendly and the invoice was as advertised. I can recommend this supplier to other nervous gardeners.
John Edwards,
Wiltshire
RAILWAY SLEEPERS USED:
Dutch oak Grade 1 railway sleepers
2.6m x 250mm x 150mm
RailwaySleepers.com Says..
Many thanks for your kind words, photos and useful description of your project. Removing some old rotten railway sleeper steps and replacing them with eight 'new' hardwood oak ones seems very easy on paper, but in reality it is a tough undertaking. Lifting the heavy railway sleepers up a slope is always an ordeal, and then chainsawing the hardwood oak to size is by no means easy. Add to that the slicing up and carrying away of the old railway sleepers, and you've got a pretty back-breaking undertaking. All credit to you.
