Sleepers

Afternoon Gents,

Right then slightly weird question so bear with me on this I've been asked by a pal of mine if it's possible to get hold of any ex railway wooden sleepers (pres/ex NR stock). He's after a load as he wants to put some decking up in his back garden but made out of old sleepers, few questions i've been asked by him are:

(1)How heavy is a typical wooden sleeper, I.E. could it be lifted by a couple of people?

(2)How easy or difficult would it be to cut 1 to length & shape for corner bits etc?

(3)How much a sleeper, the east lancs pway crew have said about £12 each?

(4)Would they need any weatherproofing protection?

Sorry it's bit of a lengthy list, any pres lines in the north west or surrounding areas considered. Don't mind bit of a drive if there's some available.

Many Thanks
Luke

 

1) Quite a bit heavier than you might imagine. Two fit people might manage but on railways usually moved by 4 using spiked tongs

2) You would need a chain saw

3)no idea

4)Being pressure treated with creosote they have a degree of protection but they do rot in service. They will also have at least 2 up to 4 holes at each end which will need plugging to stop water laying in the bolt holes.

Warning - sleepers are very slippery when wet. That is why you are exhorted to walk on the balast between the sleepers. Use them on the top serface of a patio and someone is likely to go base over apex

 

1) a standard sleeper is about 1 cwt - 1 1/2 cwt, depending on the wood, typically, jarrah, karri, oak, or possibly pitch pine. In metric, that's 50 - 60kg. Two reasonably proportioned men acn easily carry one. When I was in my twenties and thirties, I could carry one on my own and frequently did.
2) Not easy. They are all hardwoods and you would want to be using power tools. Hand - sawing, or profiling with an axe, or adze, is damned hard work.
3) No idea.
4) No. They have typically been soaked in creosote for six months, having been spiked to allow the preservative to penetrate.

Sleepers are not for the faint - hearted.

 

Softwood railway sleepers are creosoted and, AFAIK, it is illegal to sell creosoted timbers for use in a garden so no one should sell you one for that purpose. (The Creosote (Prohibition on Use and Marketing)(No. 2) Regulations 2003)
If they are hardwood I don't think that they are treated but I'm not certain of that. If you can get them for £12, I'd bite their hand off, probably double that price for something reasonable. As others have said, two fit men can usually carry a timber sleeper

 

Try Trackwork

http://www.trackworksleepers.co.uk/

 

Try Offerton Sand and Gravel, they look new and they also deliver, not that far away from you either (Stockport)

www.offertonsandandgravel.co.uk/decorative/wooden-sleepers/wooden-sleepers

Cheers John

 

They aren't railway sleepers, though. A standard timber sleeper is 10" x 5" (250 x 125 in Eurospeak) and these are 200 x 100. This seems to be the standard garden centre alternative to the traditional railway sleeper, along with a fairly standard price. The trackwork 'sleepers' on offer are essentially the same things.

 

Cheers woodster i'll drop em a line & get sorted, good job i've got a chainsaw to hand to cut through the buggers!