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Old 03-04-2003, 09:32 PM
Stephen G
 
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Default Railway sleepers

I need approx. 6 railway sleepers for raised bed. How much should I expect
to pay and where is the best place to buy them?


Stephen
http://uk.geocities.com/gardeningforpleasureuk/


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Old 04-04-2003, 12:09 AM
Michael Berridge
 
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Stephen G wrote in message ...
I need approx. 6 railway sleepers for raised bed. How much should I

expect
to pay and where is the best place to buy them?


Garden Centres, Builders Merchants or reclamation places, but you should
bear in mind that any sold now will not be British as they were always
treated with creosote, and creosote and creosote treated items are now
banned from sale in Europe due to the fact that one of the compounds in
creosote has been found to be implicated in causing certain cancers.
Used sleepers from the rest of Europe are OK because they do not use
creosote.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk




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Old 04-04-2003, 06:56 AM
Alan Gould
 
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In article , Stephen G
writes
I need approx. 6 railway sleepers for raised bed. How much should I expect
to pay and where is the best place to buy them?

The going rate for ex railway sleepers is around £15-20 depending on
their quality and whether they are to be delivered or collected. They
are available from garden centres, builders' merchants etc. Sometimes
they are advertised in local newspapers or Yellow Pages, or try Google.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.
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Old 04-04-2003, 09:44 AM
Paul D.Smith
 
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Any idea what the compound was or what the exposure rate was? I remember
years ago when I was still a chemist being told that benzene was considered
dangerous but toluene (benzene plus CH3 replacing one H) was not. My
teacher claimed that the only definite benzene deaths were people who worked
in the benzene production industry i.e. having high, prolonged exposures.

Of course it's always possible that the problem is groundwater contamination
and the like but given the amount of creosote used per annum, if it was that
bad, surely we'd all be keeling over by now?

Paul DS.


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Old 04-04-2003, 12:44 PM
easy peasy
 
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I have a notion the problem is PAHs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which
does all the nasty things that you'd expect from something with a name like
that. Benzene's more of a petrol (but not diesel) problem, istr.

You can still buy creosote, and creosote sleepers, but EU legiislation is
indeed closing in on it.

Shame, I suspect the very nastiness of it is the reason why it works so
well.

Jack
I


Paul D.Smith wrote in message
et...
Any idea what the compound was or what the exposure rate was? I remember
years ago when I was still a chemist being told that benzene was

considered
dangerous but toluene (benzene plus CH3 replacing one H) was not. My
teacher claimed that the only definite benzene deaths were people who

worked
in the benzene production industry i.e. having high, prolonged exposures.

Of course it's always possible that the problem is groundwater

contamination
and the like but given the amount of creosote used per annum, if it was

that
bad, surely we'd all be keeling over by now?

Paul DS.






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Old 04-04-2003, 06:20 PM
Andy
 
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On Fri, 4 Apr 2003 05:49:07 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article , Stephen G
writes
I need approx. 6 railway sleepers for raised bed. How much should I expect
to pay and where is the best place to buy them?

The going rate for ex railway sleepers is around £15-20 depending on
their quality and whether they are to be delivered or collected. They
are available from garden centres, builders' merchants etc. Sometimes
they are advertised in local newspapers or Yellow Pages, or try Google.


I saw a big pile of them the other day laying in the ditch on the
northbound A1 near Grantham. So if anyone's a bit skint and can
borrow a lorry you know where to go...

Andy

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Old 05-04-2003, 10:56 PM
Pam Moore
 
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Help please.
With regard to treated railway sleepers, my son-in-law had just
finished using them to edge a lawn and to make a sand-pit for their
2-year-old when this thread started. Now I have worried them by
telling them the bad news and they already have tar marks on the
carpet where the dog had walked on an oozing sleeper. Any advice?
What would other parents do? Remake the sand-pit with untreated wood?
Is there any way of sealing them to stop the oozing?

Pam in Bristol
pamdotmooreatvirgindotnet
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Old 12-04-2003, 11:44 AM
Stephen G
 
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Does this mean anyone who has had railway sleepers put in their garden by
Alan Tichmarsh now has problems?

Stephen
#

"Andy" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 4 Apr 2003 05:49:07 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article , Stephen G
writes
I need approx. 6 railway sleepers for raised bed. How much should I

expect
to pay and where is the best place to buy them?

The going rate for ex railway sleepers is around £15-20 depending on
their quality and whether they are to be delivered or collected. They
are available from garden centres, builders' merchants etc. Sometimes
they are advertised in local newspapers or Yellow Pages, or try Google.


I saw a big pile of them the other day laying in the ditch on the
northbound A1 near Grantham. So if anyone's a bit skint and can
borrow a lorry you know where to go...

Andy



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Old 14-04-2003, 09:08 PM
MG
 
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On Fri, 4 Apr 2003 08:36:59 +0100, "Paul D.Smith"
wrote:

Any idea what the compound was or what the exposure rate was? I remember
years ago when I was still a chemist being told that benzene was considered
dangerous but toluene (benzene plus CH3 replacing one H) was not. My
teacher claimed that the only definite benzene deaths were people who worked
in the benzene production industry i.e. having high, prolonged exposures.

Of course it's always possible that the problem is groundwater contamination
and the like but given the amount of creosote used per annum, if it was that
bad, surely we'd all be keeling over by now?

Paul DS.


In the war, troops were given bromide tablets to restrict their
libido. Also, 'elastoplast'-type plasters used to have benzene/bromide
mix as part of the wadding infusion as bromide has the effect of
killing the mucus membranes...

I used to be a Paint Chemist at International Paint in 1970's and was
exposed on a daily basis to all sorts of now, so-called 'hazardous
chemicals' over 4 years.The worst was Pyratine (Pyronol)

To date, no nasties...

MG
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Old 14-04-2003, 09:08 PM
MG
 
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On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 18:02:00 +0100, "Michael Berridge"
wrote:


easy peasy wrote in message ...

You can still buy creosote, and creosote sleepers, but EU legiislation

is
indeed closing in on it.

I think you will find that it is not on sale anymore, certainly not in
any local builders merchants or DIY shops around here. I thought that it
was banned from 31st March.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk



I bought 3Lt dark creosote from WIlkinsons 2 weeks back £3.99


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Old 28-04-2003, 04:44 PM
Lee
 
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Default Railway sleepers

Hi Rick,
Where are you?
We got a load of them last year, we got the good condition used ones (full
of Tar)(but they'll never rot!!)
and got them delivered for £12 a piece!
The only real pain is cutting them, I only had a bow saw and it took allot
of puff.
Oh, and while your cutting them, don't leave your feet under the raised
end... I did..........owwch.
Have fun

Lee




"Rick McGreal" wrote in message
...
Ok....LOTS of people have been talking about the incredable usefulness of
railway sleepers...
Any idea I can get them?
Are they expensive?
What should be expecting to pay (A rough price will be great)



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Old 28-04-2003, 10:08 PM
Rick McGreal
 
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"Lee" wrote in
et:

Hi Rick,


Hullo

Where are you?


Wakefield....Just a little south of Leeds

We got a load of them last year, we got the good condition used ones
(full of Tar)(but they'll never rot!!)


Nifty!

and got them delivered for £12 a piece!


Wow....iS this a special?...
Or do you think I could possible find some like that ?

The only real pain is cutting them, I only had a bow saw and it took
allot of puff.


Stuff that....My friend has a circular saw!

Oh, and while your cutting them, don't leave your feet under the
raised end... I did..........owwch.


*AHEM*
Done that while making the compost bin....
And that was only light wood!

Have fun


Not while I am hopping around screaming in pain!


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Old 28-04-2003, 11:20 PM
Michael Berridge
 
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Default Railway sleepers


Rick McGreal wrote in message ...

We got a load of them last year, we got the good condition used ones
(full of Tar)(but they'll never rot!!)


Nifty!

and got them delivered for £12 a piece!


Wow....iS this a special?...
Or do you think I could possible find some like that ?

The only real pain is cutting them, I only had a bow saw and it took
allot of puff.


Stuff that....My friend has a circular saw!


Railway sleepers that have been treated with creosote 'tar stuff' will
weep creosote on hot weather and it is very messy, also anything treated
with creosote, and creosote itself is off limits on June 30th when its
sale is banned (EU law). Better to buy the non treated ones that are
brought in from the continent, or new ones. Incidentally for those who
like the smell of creosote Wickes have brought out a creosote substitute
which even smells like the original.

Mike
www.british-naturism.org.uk




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Old 28-04-2003, 11:32 PM
aj
 
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Default Railway sleepers


If you want to cut them try a chain saw - the tar will probably clog up a
circular saw.


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Old 29-04-2003, 12:32 AM
Rick McGreal
 
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Default Railway sleepers

"Michael Berridge" wrote in
:

Railway sleepers that have been treated with creosote 'tar stuff' will
weep creosote on hot weather and it is very messy, also anything treated
with creosote, and creosote itself is off limits on June 30th when its
sale is banned (EU law).


Oh.....B-(

Better to buy the non treated ones that are brought in from the
continent, or new ones.


Half the point of using old ones is a part of recycling...
There is little point in buying a new one!!!

Incidentally for those who like the smell of creosote


I do!

Wickes have brought out a creosote substitute which even smells like the
original.


Freaky!
Someone actually sat down and worked out the composition of the SMELL of
creosote!
Some poeple are just too bored!
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