The G&DLR begins.

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
Post Reply
User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by FWLR » Thu Jan 17, 2019 4:59 pm

New Year, New Baby and even better a new line. Hope you have success in all three.... :thumbright:

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Thu Jan 17, 2019 5:25 pm

Thank you, will keep you posted on all fronts. Its going to be a very busy year indeed.

User avatar
Peter Butler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 5219
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:33 pm
Location: West Wales

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:17 pm

I wish you both good luck and hope you settle down to a completely new lifestyle. I look forward to seeing progress on your new line, but somehow have doubts it will be plain sailing!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

User avatar
tom_tom_go
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4824
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:08 am
Location: Kent, UK
Contact:

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by tom_tom_go » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:37 pm

That's a nice little plot for the line.

Potential for lot's of planting to blend the railway into the garden.

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Sun Jun 16, 2019 11:24 pm

I've managed to get the ground work sorted out for the eventual track. Like before, I've taken a bunch of spare bricks that were left over and made the base for the track. Like before I'll replace ones strategically to allow the track to be screwed into a short wooden planks. Also like before, some of the previous foliage, weeds and trees has been left to grow and create some challenges which i have tried to negate by tasing the track and packing some spare drainage stocks beneath. This part of the garden has had some flooding issues so using the bricks was to be a a bit of a no brainer. There is a plank of wood which was used to give an indication of where the main station will be.

ImageIMG_20190616_181407

Unlike the previous arrangement, which was quite a basic arrangement of just a dodgy oval of track I have decided to try and spice things up by adding a small pond (with safety precautions considered due to a certain potential toddler) which will require a bridge and also a short tunnel to add operational interest.

ImageIMG_20190616_181447

As you can see all of what I have done seems very slapdash and basic. This is due in part to the same issues I have had before...firstly, lack of considerable sums of money and time, secondly I currently rent so the line must be semi permanent and easy to remove in the event of a house move and thirdly I do kind of enjoy to make do and mend with the materials at hand.

The good news is I already have all the track, stock, buildings and most line side items from before, all needing to be cleaned up, repaired or rebuilt. I addition to that i have managed to acquire some more bits (mainly track) to add some operational interest and allow me somewhere to steam up or store locos and stock without impending the main running line. There are some additions which I plan to add including a new coal stage after the last one basically fell apart after being left in a flooded container for the best part of a year. I have drew up some very basic and dodgy sketches of how I visualise some of the scenes on the line including....

ImageIMG_20190616_181432

The signal box and level crossing just past the station.

ImageIMG_20190616_192025

The bridge of the pond which I'm thinking of doing a girder bridge. I may change that to a truss bridge but that seems just a little over complicated and might run the serious risk of degrading with catastrophic results.

ImageIMG_20190616_194818

A couple of line side huts with ballast bins.

ImageIMG_20190616_192207

And the tunnel, which I apologies because I gave up with the plants so it looks a little bit like a gaping hedgehog.

ImageIMG_20190616_201053

Again, I have sighted the issue of cost but I have managed to procure some of that lovely Foamex for free near where I work of which i've got 3mm and 5mm sizes so I'll be hopefully playing around with that in the near future.

The buildings will need new interiors as the original ones suffered in the same way as the coal stage. I'll be adding solar lights again but will be redesigning them as the first ones with unnecessarily cumbersom so I'll be adding the solar panels to the roof and added some weather protection to the joints. The level crossing gates survived mostly but again will need some reworking as will the signals to improve their performances but the full level crossing, again, didn't make it. A lot of the signage didn't make it but they won't be too hard to rebuild.

I'll be adding some other bits and pieces such as an extra wooden cabin to the station and will be making a goods shed and coal staithes to one of the sidings.

I've already started collecting plants for when i come to add the bedding of which it will need to be raised. Again, the plan is to raise it in the most affordable method as possible of which i have a good idea in mind - but watch their space.

I would like to ask what do people use for their ballast?

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by FWLR » Mon Jun 17, 2019 5:59 am

I can't help you with the ballast I'am sorry, Peter Butler is the guy to see about that, he has had some success with the laying of ballast and if you look on his thread it will show in great detail how to lay and what he used.

On with your line. It does seem to be a lot of work you are doing and it is going to be fantastic, with the tunnel and bridge over a pond. Those old concrete fence post would be a probable for me though, is it possible to remove them. Renting is a big headache I know from experiences we have had.. :( :( Our last address had what we thought a great line and the possibilities were good having been there for 5 years, but then the Landlords decided to sell, we were gutted I can tell you....

Please keep us posted on all of your projects and the family of course... :lol: :lol:

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Mon Jun 17, 2019 7:19 pm

The concrete posts are a strange one. My step father insist on the coming down but they do fit the line between it and the fence and will allow my Lady Anne through. I'm in two minds, it would be relatively easy to remove them (I think...) however, I might be able to have them work in someway. It was exactly the same with our old house, there was a sudden change in circumstances so a move was necessary and the original line had to come up.

It was sad to do but necessary, it's one of the reasons I've stuck with 45mm as the setrack (at the time) was available only in g scale. The two years out from it had allowed me to gradually gain more stock and track to expand and I can only expect it to do the same for the eventuality that we may move a couple of years down the line again. The only real pain with moving was the original bricks and slate and ballast had to stay at the previous address. I was lucky that the landlord had a load of bricks already plus stones with were hidden in the many years of overgrowth.

The pond itself will be nothing more than just a black washing up tub so nothing to extravagant but hopefully quite nice.

User avatar
FWLR
Driver
Driver
Posts: 4262
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:45 am
Location: Preston, Lancashire, UK

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by FWLR » Tue Jun 18, 2019 8:13 am

Yes it's a pain renting, those who own their own property are really lucky. My new landlord has told us, so long has the garden goes back to like it was....Thats way we won't put in anything permeant.

The pond with the little black washing up tub is a great idea, it will still attract wildlife, put some little pond plants in, those that are in the baskets and see them come...

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Sun Oct 06, 2019 1:11 am

Aye, I'm making sure that the way this line is built (like my previous one) can be taken apart in a few day with little to show afterwards although it looks otherwise.

I haven't much to report on the line building, the track has been put down temporarily to see if it still works then taken back up and have spent most of the time planting for next year. On top of that we've had a spate of bad news which we are still digesting.

That said, I have managed to work on one bit of railway related bodging.
71878803_415840615799167_8196097876347060224_n.jpg
71878803_415840615799167_8196097876347060224_n.jpg (87.87 KiB) Viewed 6223 times
71654482_415840639132498_9103806512475668480_n.jpg
71654482_415840639132498_9103806512475668480_n.jpg (110.27 KiB) Viewed 6223 times
71384553_415840665799162_2565436033789329408_n.jpg
71384553_415840665799162_2565436033789329408_n.jpg (109.77 KiB) Viewed 6223 times
71277998_415840695799159_8882270673418846208_n.jpg
71277998_415840695799159_8882270673418846208_n.jpg (111.6 KiB) Viewed 6223 times
It was sprayed with chalk finish paint and with stoned work picked out in Revell acrylic's with the final wash again with Revell acrylics. I can't remember the exact paints and it's 1 in the morning and I'm in bed but if you want to know more please feel free to ask.

User avatar
philipy
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 5033
Joined: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:00 pm
Location: South Northants

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by philipy » Sun Oct 06, 2019 6:45 am

That's a very nice nd result, well done.
I must admit that as I worked my way down the pictures, when I got to the second ones with brown and white stones, I thought " Oh dear!!", but the final version looks spot on. :D
Philip

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by DonW » Sun Oct 06, 2019 8:22 am

Lovely paint job on the Tunnel mouth. Looking further back those concrete posts may not be so easy to remove. They probably have a big lump of concrete round the bottom. So digging them up would have to be done before building the railway. The alternative would be to cut them off close to ground level with a stone cutter if the Landlord agrees.

Don

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Sun Oct 06, 2019 8:26 am

Cheers mate.

I know the feeling, tbh my style of weathering always a bit hairy at first, even in 4mm. It all starts off looking sub par or even less that introductory level but the real secret is to make it gaudy at first then add an initial wash of black and brown based paints followed by further washes and dry brushing. It absolutely brings it to life.

Ta Don, in the end I've decided to keep them and add some climbers around them to give them some use. No one is sure who is responsible at the moment at any rate.

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Lonsdaler » Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:13 am

The tunnel portals are excellent. It's always a bit hairy when you start painting to represent stonework, and then as you add more shades/colours, it comes to life.
Revell acrylics are excellent, although I've struggled to get suitable colours for stonework and yse them mainly in buildings and rolling stock. My first choice for stonework are the Games Workshop (Citadel) paints, which have some excellent earth and stone shades amongst their range and also do a wash calleld Agrax Earthshade, which tones things down nicely.
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

User avatar
Peter Butler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 5219
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:33 pm
Location: West Wales

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Peter Butler » Sun Oct 06, 2019 10:26 am

I agree, the tunnel portals are superb, both in construction and finish. Very well done!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Sun Oct 06, 2019 11:10 am

Cheers chaps, yeah stone work is an unusual one. Especially that stonework varies incredibly no matter where you go. As I'm basing my line on the NYMR aesthetic I find the stonework there very brown and beige, helped a lot by the years of steam and general weathering.

I'm not entirely sure of the paints as they're upstairs currently but I do know that Revell Africa brown was the main proponent followed by filling on with beige and something else. An initial wash of leather and anthracite and some final washes and heavier applications of anthracite to finish it off.

I do love the citadel stuff and now they're selling in other places helps a lot.
Screenshot 2019-10-06 at 10.51.30.png
Screenshot 2019-10-06 at 10.51.30.png (490.16 KiB) Viewed 6188 times
This was the line a few weeks ago, a lot more work as since helped and the track is back in the shed and those plants on the side are now in the ground. apologies for the bad picture. I had to shrink it down a fair bit to get it to work.

User avatar
Sylvian Tennant
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 327
Joined: Wed Aug 10, 2011 4:48 pm
Location: Teesside

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Sylvian Tennant » Mon Oct 07, 2019 4:09 pm

Braved the elements to install the 'Rainbow Tunnel' and how the line will look once the track is in place.
71843674_417188982330997_8738435371181801472_n.jpg
71843674_417188982330997_8738435371181801472_n.jpg (151.02 KiB) Viewed 7283 times
71691460_417188955664333_5362327133605593088_n.jpg
71691460_417188955664333_5362327133605593088_n.jpg (121.22 KiB) Viewed 7283 times
72433441_417189028997659_7351226651868397568_n.jpg
72433441_417189028997659_7351226651868397568_n.jpg (137.61 KiB) Viewed 7283 times
This is a better refinement of the picture from the previous post. oh and incidentally, the other colour I used was also beige, so both the lighter and dark versions as well as africa brown.

DonW
Fireman
Fireman
Posts: 261
Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2019 12:57 pm
Location: West Somerset

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by DonW » Mon Oct 07, 2019 5:17 pm

You have made a lot of progress looking very good.

Don

User avatar
ge_rik
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 6497
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 10:20 pm
Location: Cheshire
Contact:

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by ge_rik » Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:34 pm

Really impressed with the tunnel mouths. Look really good in situ.

Rik
------------------------
Peckforton Light Railway - Blog Facebook Youtube

User avatar
Peter Butler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 5219
Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:33 pm
Location: West Wales

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Oct 07, 2019 9:22 pm

ge_rik wrote: Mon Oct 07, 2019 7:34 pm Really impressed with the tunnel mouths. Look really good in situ.

Rik
They are so good they deserve a prominent position, I hope they can be seen from the deck area.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

User avatar
Lonsdaler
Driver
Driver
Posts: 1226
Joined: Tue May 20, 2014 9:50 am
Location: North Yorkshire

Re: The G&DLR begins.

Post by Lonsdaler » Tue Oct 08, 2019 10:38 am

That's looking established already!
Phil

Sporadic Garden Railer who's inconsistencies know no bounds

My Line - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11077

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests