Extra long 3.0m-3.2m PACK of used oak railway sleepers & bridge timbers
Ordering
Overview
Grading:
1) 'Top to Medium grade 1'. These are our best condition railway sleepers. Generally solid, durable & pretty straight for old weathered timbers that are 30 - 40 years old. They will last for years, but they are certainly not pristine! See photos above.
2) 'Medium grade 1-2'. Reasonable condition railway sleepers in a fairly solid state. Generally straight and square edged on one face, with some rounded edges (waney edge) on the opposite face. Some inevitable cracks, weathering and imperfections. See photos above. Suitable for most landscaping jobs.
3) 'Lower grade 2-3'. Lower grade extra long oak railway sleepers with imperfections and irregularities. Weathered with a variety of splits, bends, rounded edges & oodles of 'rustic character'. Despite age & condition they can still be useful for landscaping or construction. See photos above.
Colour: Various shades of light, medium and dark brown. See photos above.
Weight: Depends on length! The 3 metre railway sleepers will be very heavy to manually lift, (100kg or more) and the 3.3 metre - 4.5 metre ones will be too heavy to manually lift (150kg - 200kg) so will need mechanical help. Bear this in mind when you are ordering this extra long length of railway sleeper. How do I plan to get the railway sleepers into position? (e.g. up some steps or at the back of a property). Of course there are always would-be Olympic weightlifters who fancy the challenge, but honestly, for the sake of macho bravado, it's not worth a knackered back. How to Lift Railway Sleepers
Treatment: Creosote treated. Although these railway sleepers were treated about 50 years ago, it makes sense to avoid using these railway sleepers around children's play areas or places where people may frequently sit on them or come into contact with them. Handle with gloves. For further details about creosote see CREOSOTE PAGE.
Description: These reclaimed Dutch oak EXTRA LONG railway sleepers are probably between 40 - 70 years old. They are ideal for projects where long lengths of used hardwood timber are required, such as bridges, retaining walls, lorry stops, open barns etc.. Top to Medium Grade 1 are our best condition timbers even though they are weathered and many decades old. Grade 1-2 are still generally pretty solid, fairly straight & reasonably square edged on one face, with some rounded edges (waney edge) on the opposite face. Grade 2-3 is a lower grade and a more rustic and battered version of the above. Full of character! Having spent decades on a railway track, both grades may also have the rustic signs of cracks, loose bits, and 'character' with occasional areas of crumbly softness or decay. See pictures above.The railway sleeper ends may also have fixed into them an old metal plate or 'S' shape or steel band that was fastened 50 years ago to help limit cracking in the railway sleepers when they'd been newly cut (often unsuccessfully!). See photos.
Cutting: Quite hard. You'll need a circular saw / chainsaw / powered saw to cut these hardwood railway sleepers. Occasionally people try by handsaw, but you have to be very determined or fit. As with any project, it makes sense to try and limit the amount of cuts you need to do. Try and plan a design that fits with the size of our extra long railway sleepers! See Railway Sleeper Cutting.
Attaching / Fixing: Timberlok Screws will probably not screw through these Dutch Oak railway sleeper without a pilot hole, even if the drill is powerful, so we recommend first pre-drilling the railway sleepers with a 6mm pilot hole, otherwise the screws may get stuck or snap. Drill into the railway sleeper about a cm at a time, and then withdraw the wood drill, so as to clear the wood shavings from the hole, and then drill a bit further. If you don't do this, the drill may overheat, smoke, and eventually bend, snap or go blunt. See Fixing railway sleepers together.
Sizes: IMPORTANT. All sizes are approximate. That means that although a railway sleeper or crossing timber may be described as approximately 3300mm in length, or 300mm in depth, or 150mm in width it may in fact be several centimetres (or inches) longer or shorter. As it happens, most landscaping projects have an element of flexibility or tolerance in them and can cope with this. If your project needs exact accuracy in length, width or depth, then you may need to cut the railway sleeper to your precise specifications yourself, or think of using a different size or type of railway sleeper.
Our comment
Most railway sleepers in the world are about 2.6m long or less, so it is really unusual to find these extra length railway sleepers. They are sometimes called 'bridge or crossing timbers' as they were originally used around railway points where two railway tracks cross, and where longer lengths of timber were needed. They are a huge piece of old oak, and particularly good value if you compare them to the hundreds of pounds you'd pay for similar sized new oak. If you want an extra long railway sleeper with character and age, then look no further. Top-Medium Grade 1's, and Medium Grade 1-2's should normally last for decades, and even the lower grade 2-3s with their splits, bows and 'battered rustic character' should survive for ages. They are not advised for children's areas, or places where people will frequently touch or sit on them, as they were originally creosote treated.
PROJECT INSPIRATION!
You may know exactly what you are going to build with your railway sleepers. The great wall of China. The Taj Mahal. A perfect plan written in stone after hours of sleepless nights and youtube visits. However you may be more uncertain and in need of moral and practical support, especially if your nearest and dearest is sowing seeds of doubt, as they question your undeniable abilities to landscape the garden. In this case you need inspiration. A boost to your self esteem that will replace uncertainty with optimism. A visit to our projects section! Thousands of projects and photos that will fill you with confidence and excitement, and cement the guaranteed adoration of your once doubting loved one as you triumphantly complete your railway sleeper masterpiece. VISIT NOW!!
Important information about your used railway sleepers
Reclaimed railway sleepers have been practically used for many decades out in the open to support train tracks. Naturally, they have been weathered by the wind, rain, sun and snow, and also can have residues of grime, dirt, or oil from the trains that have passed or stopped over them. This is simply the obvious consequence of using authentic and historical railway sleepers. Having spent 30 - 60 years on a railway track, they may also have the rustic signs of cracks, loose bits, and 'character' with occasional areas of crumbly softness or decay. Most landscapers install them in the garden, and simply allow the rain and snow to clean them up. Others may choose to jet wash them, especially if they want to sit on them. If you visit our projects pages, you will see thousands of landscaping projects that have used reclaimed railway sleepers, recently taken from the railways.
Historically, railway sleepers never had to be exact in length or width for their purpose on the railway track, and so the sawmills were fairly ‘give or take’ in the timbers they produced. Hence all sizes were approximate. That means that although a railway sleeper may be described as approximately 2600mm in length, or 300mm in width, or 125mm in depth it may in fact be several centimetres (or inches) longer or shorter, thicker or thinner. As it happens, most landscaping projects have an element of flexibility or tolerance in them and can cope with this. However if a specific project needs exact accuracy in length, width or depth then a landscaper may need to either cut the railway sleeper to their precise specifications, or think of using a different size or type of railway sleeper that is more accurate, e.g. the new pine ones.
How do you grade different railway sleepers?
GRADING RAILWAY SLEEPERS IS NOT AN EXACT SCIENCE !
Deciding with certainty what is a Top grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 or even Grade 3 is inevitably subjective, and there is no universally accepted system of grading, throughout the UK, Europe, or the rest of the Galaxy. There are so many variables to consider in grading old reclaimed railway sleepers, especially between different types of hardwood and softwood, that it is hard to generalise or make universal statements about the different grades of railway sleepers. For example, a Grade 2 used British Pine railway sleeper is still generally straight, whereas a Grade 2 used Dutch oak railway sleeper is often slightly bent! If you were being cynical, you'd probably suspect that railway sleeper companies classify a railway sleeper with as high a grade as they can get away with! But of course, that would be slanderous! Always look at our railway sleeper photos, if you are unsure of what to expect, or simply give us a ring. It is best to be clear about what you may be getting, rather than choosing something that doesn't fit into your grand design.
VOTE OF CONFIDENCE!
Please help us spread the word! If you've found our website helpful or inspiring please leave feedback or 'Like us' on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. A simple way of letting people know "This is a really useful website!" Thanks
Extra Info
EXTRA DELIVERY INFORMATION
WHAT DELIVERY OPTIONS DO I HAVE?
You have two options, depending on which delivery option you choose at the checkout stage online, or when you telephone the office.
1) STANDARD DELIVERY - CUSTOMER TO OFFLOAD RAILWAY SLEEPERS
This is normally a quicker & cheaper means of delivery that generally covers 100% of the UK, providing you have a forklift or sufficient strong people to offload your railway sleepers.
* DELIVERY TIMESCALE: You can choose any delivery day you want in advance within 2- 4 working days, Monday - Friday. Delivery will be between 9am & 5pm. You can choose, for a surcharge, a Saturday delivery.
* YOU are responsible for offloading the railway sleepers from the vehicle. The vehicle does NOT have a crane offload. If you do not have a forklift, you MUST have at least 2 or more strong people to manually offload. These timbers are too heavy for one person. The driver is NOT able to help you offload or carry materials into your house or garden. One exception! If the railway sleepers are 1.2m or less in length, the lorry driver CAN place the railway sleepers onto the pavement or road using the lorry tail lift and hand pallet truck.
* ACCESS: You must ensure that there is sufficient space for the lorry to access your road and property, and that there is sufficient area for you to safely offload. The vehicle is normally a rigid lorry which is about 10 metres long and about 2.6m wide (Imagine a full size bin lorry) It is crucial to tell us, when we contact you to arrange delivery, whether there are any delivery problems - e.g. a narrow road, cul de sac, cars parked in front of the property etc... An unsuccessful delivery will incur a further charge, often equal to the original haulage cost.
2) PREMIUM DELIVERY - THE RAILWAY SLEEPERS WILL BE OFFLOADED FOR YOU
This delivery charge is normally more expensive than the Standard delivery, but is essential if you order some heavy railway sleepers, and you haven't got a forklift, or sufficient strong people to help you offload. Having your railway sleepers placed on your drive is a perfect way of protecting your back and keeping your friends happy!
* DELIVERY TIMESCALE is generally within 1- 2 weeks, Monday - Friday, and between 8am & 6pm. Unfortunately you can't normally choose your own delivery day in advance, as the haulier will need to efficiently piece together a set of deliveries, according to which part of the UK they are driving to. Please let us know in advance if there are any delivery days you can't make. We will normally confirm the exact date a few days before.
* ACCESS: You must ensure that there is sufficient space for the lorry to access your road and property, and that there is enough area for the lorry to be safely offloaded. The vehicle is normally a rigid lorry which is about 10 metres long and about 2.6m wide (Imagine a full size bin lorry) It is crucial to tell us, when we contact you to arrange delivery, whether there are any access problems - e.g. a narrow road, cul de sac, cars parked in front of the property etc... An unsuccessful delivery will incur a further charge, often equal to the original haulage cost.
IS THERE A MINIMUM ORDER OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS?
No. It makes no difference. The cost to you is the same whether we deliver 1 railway sleeper or 10 railway sleepers... e.g. if the delivery cost to somewhere in the UK for 20 railway sleepers was for example £99 + Vat, then the delivery for 1 railway sleeper would cost the same. That's because our hauliers charge us according to how much lorry space the order takes up, so whether there is 1 railway sleeper on a pallet, or 20 railway sleepers on it, it makes no difference!
HOW DO WE WORK OUT THE DELIVERY COST?
The delivery charge depends on what type of railway sleeper you choose and where you live. If you go online and place the number of railway sleepers you are interested in into the shopping basket, and input your postcode, the website will calculate the delivery cost according to the number and length of the railway sleepers. If you play around with different lengths of railway sleepers, you will discover that 1.2m ones are the cheapest to have delivered, followed then by any sleeper up to 2.4m in length, and then finally the longer 2.6m, 3m and 3.6m ones. It's all about what space the railway sleepers take up on a lorry, and what the haulage companies then charge us. Lots of different variables! If you order online, the delivery cost will be worked out automatically by a computer brain. If you order by telephone, the delivery cost will be calculated by a mere human being, who will chat with you whilst working it all out!