The Hollycross Railway Company!

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
jim@NAL
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by jim@NAL » Sun Apr 02, 2017 8:36 pm

this is all brilliant looks like you have had a busy weekend nice weather for it too great use of a string line

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LNR
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by LNR » Mon Apr 03, 2017 12:24 am

Still laughing about Albert and the "Twang", in fact the whole story. Good to see you back at it.
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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Mon Apr 03, 2017 7:44 am

Albert! NO!! I really don't care how much you 'can back up a bit!'......
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Soar Valley Light
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by Soar Valley Light » Thu Apr 06, 2017 8:48 pm

Great update Pippindo.

How is the Filcris doing on the warm days? Mine is all at ground level and will be buried, even on embankments. The recent warm days have resulted in some movement due to expansion of those areas as yet unburied. I notice a significant proportion of yours is up in the air, so I imagine the problem could be more noticeable. That said your construction is much more rigid than mine, I'm just using runners held with 400mm long posts at 900mm centres and spacer blocks half way between, no top boards like yours and only single posts too. It's cracking stuff though and worth every penny. I've even ordered some bigger sections for other gardening jobs. You're right about the service from Filcris - it's second to none!

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"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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tom_tom_go
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Apr 08, 2017 3:11 pm

This is a great thread, love the style so keep us updated please.

I took the plunge with Flicris recently for a non-garden railway project and was very pleased with the service although it is not cheap and they charge for delivery as the material comes direct from Germany by road.

The more popular it get's, the cheaper it will become...

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LNR
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by LNR » Sun Apr 09, 2017 4:28 am

Is that Albert's leap of faith!!! "I loikes to fly too". Love the look on his face, I'm sure I can do this"
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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Mon Apr 10, 2017 7:08 am

Prior to early retirement, I had 31 years train driving and met so many 'characters', dedicated and true railwaymen but absolute nutters some of them! I want to remember some of them at Hollycross and more will appear in due course with stories of unbelievable derring-do attached........
Filcris is brilliant! Its very easy to work with, its flexibility makes it so but CAN also be tricky but I've found that with enough support it soon firms up and haven't yet noticed any problems at all, including expansion Andrew. I did note last summer that the rail joints closed up in hot weather, as I'd expect, but nothing more. I've placed my upright supports at roughly 2 foot intervals, and on the new raised section will use a two-legged support every 6 foot or so for extra stability. The top boards help take out any slight irregularities and will have low sidewalls attached on the high sections, just in case Albert's ever late for his tea!

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Soar Valley Light
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by Soar Valley Light » Tue Apr 11, 2017 8:06 pm

I look forward to future posts, especially if it involves recollections from the good old days. Whereabouts were you based?

I strongly suspect the rigidity of your track bed is down to the top boards. I've done a good deal more filling up around my construction and there are no further signs of movement. Mind you, it has been much cooler and I was away during the red hot weather after Saturday. I'll post updates if that situation changes.

I look forward to seeing more of your railway, it looks very intersting.

All the best,

Andrew
"Smith! Why do you only come to work four days a week?
"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Wed Apr 12, 2017 12:50 am

Spent most of my railway career based at Leeds Andrew, including 4 years as an Instructor/Assessor before returning to the footplate for a last spell at Harrogate. I then retired, sort of.......
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I'm the clean one, front right, and my steed for this trip from Carlisle to York is 37516 Loch Laidon, tucked in behind the 8F. I'm currently playing bus drivers with FIRST, again in Leeds!
Yes, the top boards on the track bed definately do tie everything together and stop a lot of the twisting. I usually fasten each of them with 2 screws initially so the Filcris can sort of find its own level as I progress, then I go back and add another 2 screws to each top piece and it all locks solid.

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Wed Apr 12, 2017 10:58 am

Yesterdays project was getting the steaming bay area in place. Its of timber construction for stability, with roofing felt for added protection, and will see the main circuit running at the back and 1, maybe 2 sidings inside for loco preparation etc. The gangers are aware that theres a tree ever so slightly in the way, and consulted Lord Hollycross about the problem. As ever, his solution was entirely practical and straightforward, " Aye lads, but it's a big b*gger an' it'd take some shifting. Nah, leave it be!" Job sorted! You'll see that the Filcris top framework is already in place, secured where it needs to be, and my next task is 2 'oles, 2 legs, 2 shovels of POSTMIX, then coffee and a doughnut! :thumbup:
Note the simple string line to which everything has been matched!
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Some matching paving will be put in front of the steaming bay and the lawn and flower beds tidyed up after to keep things nice.
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Wed Apr 12, 2017 1:11 pm

Rain stops play so I'll close with a couple of views from Hollycross Signal Box, where we find the diesel ticking over on the newly laid pointwork, in typical signal box surroundings of bird feeders, wind chimes and rain! It also shows the side garden which I hope to broach with an out and back loop in the future, watch this space.
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Looking the other way, all's quiet and still but the flowers add some colour to an otherwise dismal day.
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I built the summerhouse from scratch and it already has a wooden rocking chair and an old battery clock set up in it. The clock ticks very slowly and it struck me yesterday that sitting there, listening to the rain and the odd birdsong, I could easily have been in the box at Blea Moor, awaiting 'Call Attention' for the Up Thames-Clyde. Its a marvellous hobby this!......
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Peter Butler
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by Peter Butler » Wed Apr 12, 2017 3:41 pm

Strange isn't it? That tree has been there for years and never caused you a problem before.... I bet you have enjoyed it and will continue to do so as it offers shelter and shade. I love my trees and hate the idea of having to remove any.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Wed Apr 12, 2017 4:34 pm

I moved in here 12 months ago Peter and the trees had been left to go mad, they were very untidy, but after getting them sorted, they're starting to bloom and really add colour. The one that I wrote about gets covered in yellow during summer and spent weeks FULL of bees! It was buzzing 24/7 as they collected from it, fascinating to hear and watch, and they never came down and caused any grief. I'm looking forward to a repeat this year. As far as the railways concerned, I can easily work round the trunk, I love trees too, theres no way its coming down. I've got nestboxes all over and the garden attracts all manner of wildlife. All adds to enjoying the place!

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Soar Valley Light
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by Soar Valley Light » Thu Apr 13, 2017 7:57 pm

It sounds like you've got a great garden. We love the birds we get in ours. Trees definitely help.

I cab rode with quite a few Leeds drivers when I was PWSM at Nottingham, they were invariably good company. I have fond memories of 8151 too when it was based at Butterley (more years ago than I care to remember now!)

Your track bed construction looks really good. It's clearly been built accurately and carefully and the benefits of that shine through. I'm looking forward to seeing the trains running over it.

Andrew
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"'cause I can't manage on three gaffer!"

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:42 am

A little further! I need to sort out ordering more Filcris before too long but the lads have cracked on regardless and all 3 roads are connected up and secured on temporary battens. It wont be too much of a job to pop the top deck sections in place, and then re-jig and secure the track at a later date. I may ease the curves a little bit at the same time but will wait for a nice day when I can get a loco in steam and do a few run throughs beforehand. Starting to all come together a bit now, the Gaffer will be pleased!
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tom_tom_go
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:35 am

I like your garden layout and how the railway flows with it, much more interesting than mine.

Next house I will be demanding raised beds, stops dogs destroying everything and allows a railway to sneak in at waist height :thumbup:

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daan
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by daan » Sat Apr 15, 2017 3:09 pm

I know the things with dogs.. :roll: Though raising the track takes a lot of problems away (depending on the size of them though). Nicely done, one can enjoy the trains at eyeheight on some areas here and the trackwork stays nice and tidy.
"En schöne Gruess" from an Alpine railway in Holland.

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:49 pm

Thanks Tom and Daan, I've done quite a bit in the garden since I moved in a year ago, always mindful that I wanted a railway, as it happens, it's all happened quicker than expected! I had a cat until recently (he was just short of 21) but know what you mean about dogs, and I'm very watchful when the grandkids are visiting, love em to bits but......!! Welcome to the forum Daan, I'm sure you'll find as much help, inspiration and knowledge as I have. A couple more piccies to hopefully whet your appetite....
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The afternoon Passenger gets underway from the (very) recently laid Hollycross platform, as Albert waits to follow with a Goods train, providing of course he manages to get some pressure up...
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Looking the other way, you'll see the recently documented steaming bay and THAT tree in the distance, so get an idea of the general layout of things. Cheers for now!

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daan
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by daan » Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:02 pm

Thanks for the welcome! About grandchildren: since my line is 45mm track, I have some Playmobil trains for them to play with. On 32mm track, there where so called "Faller Playtrains". I still have them from my youth and on Ebay.de they come so and then. It's not that expensive and really fun for kids. They run on batteries and use switches on the locomotive, you could even build in a simple radio control in it I guess.

That way your trains will not be in risk when them visiting and they have a lot of fun too. :D
Absolutely nice trains by the way!

Cheers Daan.
"En schöne Gruess" from an Alpine railway in Holland.

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pippindoo
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Re: The Hollycross Railway Company!

Post by pippindoo » Sun Apr 23, 2017 7:36 am

Well, a very bright, sunny day yesterday turned thoughts towards raising steam, so the gap between the two sections was bridged (very!) temporarily to allow NOBBY to have a trundle round with a few wagons. It wasn't long before inquisitive neighbours turned up resulting in an Easter egg! and quite a few free plants for the garden. Nice one!
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And guess who had to get in on it all!.....
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