Were originally used in the construction of the nation’s railway network. Reclaimed sleepers were obtained when railway lines were upgraded or renovated.  However there are a wide range of different types of reclaimed, new hardwood and softwood sleepers available, and these can be purchased direct from the Ashwell Timber yard in Essex or can be ordered online.

All our sleepers are tropical hardwood, usually Jarrah, and therefore extremely durable. Also, occasionally, we stock new oak sleepers – seen on our stock list. All sleepers are untreated, not creosoted, therefore can be used in children’s play areas and make ideal vegetable planters.

Sleepers have become very popular in many gardens as a low cost and landscaping material. They can be used in the construction of a number of garden features and projects such as retaining walls and planters, garden furniture and feature benches.

Building retaining walls from timber sleepers is a really cost effective and environmentally friendly way of creating different levels in your garden. If you have a sloping garden or an uneven area that you would like to make use of, timber sleepers can be used to level the garden. Sleepers can also be used to create raised planting beds or vegetable borders, raised beds are easier to maintain and provide more protection to plants from pests.

Another practical use for sleepers is as an alternative material for constructing garden steps. The hardwood timber railway sleepers are designed to be hard-wearing enough to withstand the constant pressure of speeding trains, and this makes them an ideal material for steps. They provide an attractive finish and as the sleepers age their rustic charm will develop even further. Sleepers can last for many years, with relatively little upkeep.