Garden Railway Forum

I remember it going over a pound a gallon, I think. I seem to think the family car was a Morris 1100 at the time.

Peter in AZ

After starting the mill at 5am, Dan steps out for a breath of morning air.

Lovely attention to detail as always. The mill appears to be made from Hi density blocks/Lytags. But how did you really make it?

Hi Invicta,
The mill is constructed using Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) blocks also called Hebel I believe. I bought 600x200x100mm blocks and sawed them down the middle to make 50mm thick walls. Painted in suitable bluestone colours, then scratch and saw in the mortar joints.



The wheel end of the mill. There's a waterfall behind it, and a wooden sluice diverts water to the wheel.
Grant.

A working water mill! Stunning

The Mill is fantastic: I love the picture of the miller taking a breather, just staring into the middle distance and dreaming of.......? The timber train winding its way through the countryside is so atmospheric! And the garage also looks great; the two characters really are in conversation.

Its amazing what one can remember from 50 years ago, but can't then remember things from yesterday! From 1964 to 66 , I was working at a garage on Sundays (in addition to a daily morning paper round and stacking shelves in a supermarket Friday evenings and Saturday mornings; Sat afternoon was girlfriend time - the lovely girl who is now my wife of 45 years). Anyway, prices: Shellmex; 4/11, Shell; 5/3, Shell Super; 5/6, ordinary bulk 'commercial' oil; 1/9 a pint, Shell Multi-grade; 2/9, Castrol R; 3/6. When, in 1966, I started my apprenticeship with BEA, 2 weeks short of my 17th birthday, my first year pay was £5.10.0/week of which £3 went on my 'digs' this meant that my 'pocket money' was about the same as I had been earning from my three part-time jobs!

(British European Airways, together with BOAC, became BA in the 70's)

merlin2:118027 wrote: When, in 1966, I started my apprenticeship with BEA, 2 weeks short of my 17th birthday, my first year pay was £5.10.0/week of which £3 went on my 'digs' this meant that my 'pocket money' was about the same as I had been earning from my three part-time jobs!

(British European Airways, together with BOAC, became BA in the 70's)

You mean that you failed to keep the p/t jobs on?

No, had to give them up; the commute between W.London and Exeter on a 150cc scooter became too much. Ye gods, that takes me back. No M3, no Andover, Amesbury, Mere, Wincanton, Ilchester, and Ilminster by-passes in those days

Had a good steam up yesterday (Saturday) many passengers heading up to Nayook, and of course most locals were in town. Ran a midday mixed, chance to give the new open wagon a run.


Engine requirements for the loco at Leawarra prior to the run.


On the down.


Shunted and awaiting the return to Leawarra.
Most of my pics. were rubbish, was having too much fun.
Grant.

Rubbish they aint; portraits full of atmosphere they are! Glad you were able to enjoy yourself as well.
In the last picture, the train waiting to depart; what is that fantastic miniature tree in the right foreground?

Superb as ever Grant! Your new wagon looks excellent. Your people are just wonderful, excellent proportions and poses, they really make the scene.

Andrew

A great set of pix Grant. Seeing some parts of the railway I've not seen before.

Rik

Hi Merlin,
Thank you, the trouble was I took 28 pics. that day and these were the only ones that didn't go in the bin. The tree you asked about is a Dwarf English Box (Buxus Sempervirens 'Suffruticosa') recently pruned around the trunk to allow cars to park around it, and clear telegraph lines (the Shire doing their duty),

Thanks Andrew and Rik, interesting point about the figures proportions, some of the easily recognisable Bachmann figures have had between 10-11mm added around the knee area to bring them to an acceptable height. Glad to hear you don't think they look too weird!
Grant.

I really like that loco of yours Grant, it looks the part along with your excellent rolling stock.

Thanks for the feed-back on the miniature tree, Dwayne. We've got a few Box, recently planted, which will eventually screen the void under one part of the elevated track-bed, but you've trimmed that one into such a convincing shape that I didn't recognise it - now that I know what it is, a visit to the garden centre is called for!

Merlin,
I know there are many varieties of Box, I have the English box as mentioned, along with Korean Box (Buxus Microphylla). I find the English Box tends to grow upwards, whereas the Korean Box has a more lateral spread and can end up rather gangly if not pruned when young. The English Box also has smaller leaves, better for the scale of our railways.
Grant.

Thanks Grant, I'm no gardener and the fact that there are different varieties of Box is something that never occurred to me; so Dwarf English Box is has to be then.

The smallest building, a room with a view!



Grant.

Very nice 'atmospheric' building!
I must take issue with the loo roll though, it ought to be torn squares of newspaper hanging on a nail!!

Very good scenic addition. Do you get red backed spiders on that toilet seat?