Dick Smith Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 Does anyone know of any sources of railway sleepers for hard landscaping - Normandy/south Brittany? Some idea of delivery costs would be useful.Or is other timber just as useful for edging gravelled areas, building raised beds and so forth?MTIA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 We used the same thing but they were called 'landscape sleepers' as they hadn't had a previous life and were a lot lighter in colour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clair Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 In my area, the local scierie makes new sleepers and can deliver them by the lorry-load (about 50) . Worth checking around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted August 30, 2008 Share Posted August 30, 2008 You might get old sleepers direct from SNCF, try a yard where PW works is done, generally old sleepers are no longer used in gardens because the deep sprayed creosote in them leeches into the ground and kills off plant life. That is why you can generally only now get unused ie untreated sleepers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 We got half a dozen some years back in our local Point Vert. Now I see a lot of the proper builder's merchants are selling them. I would never use them though anywhere near anything edible due to the amount of carburants that has soaked into them and other treatments over their life on the railways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I would definatly follow Rons advice and check out your local SNCF ....they might just be glad to get rid of them .....I can only speak of Network Rail who used to sell off theirs ...or burn them ..Reading triangular sidings site was the place for burning hundreds !SNCF must be the same the track laid today comes in made up sections with concrete sleeepers attached and laid by a rial lift track layer machine . Sidings /marshelling yards tend to still have the wooden sleepers ...you may find them stacked up round sidings from where they have been replaced by modern track....I would call in and chat up the SNCF staff ...they will know where the old wooden ones end up . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracteurtom Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 What price are these things going for ? At our local SNCF station there is a mountain of them - it really is huge ! I'd love to get may hands on a trailer load or 5 as they are so useful and have a beauty all of their own that can't be matched with some new made version. The tar etc leached into their structure is essential for a long life. Forget new ones made specifically for gardening purposes, you'll be lucky to get 10 years out of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 I pay €8 each but they are only available by the van load on a certain night shift once a month when a certain "mec" is working (or not in reality!), you have to be very discreet and leave by a prearranged circuitous route, they were not at all impressed by my farmer friend who arrived with his tractor and trailer.I have also found that no matter who I take with me they are usually not strong enough to help me to manhandle a whole van load in the 15 minutes allowed.The pre-negotiations are very delicate and take lots of time, anyone would think that I was trying to infiltrate the mafia [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil & Pat Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 Our local Agrial charged €22 each last time I enquired, but that was for a bona-fide sale with TVA and a receipt, plus bring your own tractor and trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted August 31, 2008 Share Posted August 31, 2008 They dont just have a coating of tar to preserve them.......remember the sign..... "Do not pull the chain while the train is standing in the station " .......dont take sandwiches ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 ............and even that is maybe not the worst. Unlike the UK, SNCF/RFF treat all active track at least once per year using the weedkiller train. Over the years a number of the effective treatments have changed due to them having to be withdrawn from the market on safety grounds. At least poo is biodegradable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonzjob Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 Get some of the concrete ones Dick. They would last for ages and ages[Www][8-|][blink]!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 I once bought a house with a shed / workshop sitting on them........the shed was still on sound sleepers when I sold the place ....calculate a good 30 years and the shed is still there today .... that got treated with parafin and old engine oil . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave&Olive Posted September 1, 2008 Share Posted September 1, 2008 [quote user="Dick Smith"]Does anyone know of any sources of railway sleepers for hard landscaping - Normandy/south Brittany? Some idea of delivery costs would be useful.Or is other timber just as useful for edging gravelled areas, building raised beds and so forth?MTIA[/quote] hi Dick this help http://www.leboncoin.fr/li?q=traverse+de+chemin+de+fer&ca=6_s&th=1&c=0&w=2&rs=&re=&ms=&me=&ros=&roe=&ss=&se=&ccs=&cce=&cs=&ce=&zz=ex%3A75001&fu= Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 what is your area? and how much are you paying? I need abou 40 near St Lo Normandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukhostland Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Hi all,I hope someone has pointed out that because of the noxious chemicals in the wood these are illegal for domestic use for some while. Nasty smelly things too!Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 [quote user="Tom"]what is your area? and how much are you paying? I need abou 40 near St Lo Normandy[/quote]Check the post date......2008 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
North Country Boy Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Have you thought of old scaffolding boards? they only have a ltd shelf life for use by scaffoldding companies and are thick enough for raised beds, general garden furniture making. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 The edge is not really comfortable for sitting on whilst weeding !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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