Railway sleepers

[Coco]

Does anyone know where I can buy some railway sleepers in the St Lo-Vire-Villedieu area and roughly how much I should expect to pay?

[Dick Smith]

I've seen them in Vire, I think at Point Vert. The one at the southern end of town. They were crappy and leaking creosote all over the place, so we passed. You might try the sawmill at Lonlaye L'Abbeye who had a lot of sleeper-sized wood outside - don't know about price.

[Coco]

Would that be "new" wood cut to that size?  I'm asking on behalf of someone else and I know that ideally they want new ones, rather than old creosote soaked ones if they can get them, but either will do.

 

[Deimos]

I tried to get a load of used ones last winter without success. A local farmer said they were advertised occasionally in farming press and he would keep an eye open - but I heard nothing and he has been letting me know other things going on. Others suggested asking at the local station yard (though never got round to it).

Local railway does have a few piles of then around and the track sleepers are still wood (and I doubt they will be upgraded in the foreseeable future as we only get one or two trains per day on the track).

I would image new ones might be quite expensive (volume of wood and then the treatment), though I've never actually seen new ones. There is a lot of weight in each sleeper (quite heavy when I had to lug a load across a field).

Ian

[Dick Smith]

Yes, brand new - our builder put some 'new' ones into our garden. I've asked Julie, she says the grotty ones were in Point Vert in Sourdeval (south end). The builder never said where he got ours from - probably a local sawmill - but they were very cheap, she thinks less than €20 each.

[Cassis]

As a great believer in EU regs and an advocate of conforming to the same, I think that it is now illegal to use old creosote soaked sleepers in your garden.  This could be cobblers, but hey?  And it wouldn't stop me either.

Mr Creosote.

PS Anyone got a waffer thin mint?

[Coco]

Someone told us that too Cassis.  However, rural France and all that, who gives a sh*t. Our guy who put in our garden steps last Spring used good old creosote soaked sleepers which were fine with us.  I think this couple would like to be more PC if they can, but it's not essential.

Wouldn't you like just one little minty?

[Cassis]

[quote user="St Amour"]

Wouldn't you like just one little minty?

[/quote]

If you insist?  Dare I?

[Dick Smith]

The ones we saw in Sourdeval would have leached out enough creosote to kill all plant life within a range of fifty metres. Standing next to them made your eyes water. Dripping with it, they were. Reminds me, I must see to my shed before winter.

[Chris Head]

Take the time to source firewood quality Oak (which would probably be good enough for planking here). fire up a chainsaw and you have your own sleepers for next to nothing.

[Russethouse]

Try asking/looking for 'landscape sleepers' rather than railway sleepers/

We used landscape sleepers to make raised beds, old railway sleepers wouldn't be much good for planting

[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y194/russethouse/Patio16.jpg[/IMG]

[Deimos]

Cassis commented: "As a great believer in EU regs and an advocate of conforming to the same, I think that it is now illegal to use old creosote soaked sleepers in your garden. "

That's a really good point as I wanted to use then to repair some of the "banks" round the mill pond (i.e. to re-make the wall for the banks). Being in a river is going to be even worse than being in a garden so maybe I need to think of a plan B.

Ian

[Coco]

[:D] Very nice Gay!

[andyh4]

And bear in mind that as well as creosote, the sleepers will have had the benefit of having the weedkilling train run over at least once per year.

[Spongebob]

[quote user="andyh4"]And bear in mind that as well as creosote, the sleepers will have had the benefit of having the weedkilling train run over at least once per year.[/quote]

Really? In the UK? When did you last see a weedkilling train? Weeds, yes, but no weedkilling train.

Some of the tracks around here are disgraceful.

Spongebob.

 

[Cassis]

I like Gay's stone head.  In fact, I like all stone heads.

[Chris Head]

The cross in the window is a little scary, are the neighbours trying to protect themselves from you Gay?

[Coco]

[quote user="Spongebob"]

[quote user="andyh4"]And bear in mind that as well as creosote, the sleepers will have had the benefit of having the weedkilling train run over at least once per year.[/quote]

Really? In the UK? When did you last see a weedkilling train? Weeds, yes, but no weedkilling train.

Some of the tracks around here are disgraceful.

Spongebob.

 

[/quote]

But aren't we talking about France?

[Russethouse]

Thanks Cassis:

We had rather given up on the idea of a water feature in the raised bed, but then the guy who built it then sort of went his own sweet way with measurements, looked OK so no problem, but it did allow room for a reservoir. Then we saw the piece of stone which at the time was covered with lichen, we like lichen.....but of course it dried out a lot when we were waiting for the electrician......hey ho.......its very pleasant to just pop out of the kitchen with a coffee or G & T, can't wait until I have more plants in it, its quite sheltered there so should be easy......

Chris - There are bars at those windows, the old garage is an office. My husband thinks the window looks rustic and I think he is trying to get out of painting it [;-)][;-)]

Oh you mean next door ? I think it was a present from the mother in law on a visit from Ireland. They are great neighbours, they have 4  really well behaved children. I hope they never move !

[andyh4]

[quote user="Spongebob"]

[quote user="andyh4"]And bear in mind that as well as creosote, the sleepers will have had the benefit of having the weedkilling train run over at least once per year.[/quote]

Really? In the UK? When did you last see a weedkilling train? Weeds, yes, but no weedkilling train.

Some of the tracks around here are disgraceful.

Spongebob.

 

[/quote]

 

UK, you're probably right, but unless I've missed my mark  St. Lo is not in the UK and the questioner is probably in France - and here the weedkiller train does seem to do regular rounds - even on tracks so badly maintained that they have to reduce the speed limit to 60, 50 or even 40km/hr.  Strange but true.