The Potters Orchid Railway

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The contractor is removing more earth for Slarti's plan for for running water.

It's good to see the steady progress again. Can't beat a bit of lineside running water.

Thanks Philip, I have not done much this week due to rain and my chosen path of professional expression making time demands, this weekend I hope to make good progress.

[ge_rik]

Can't beat a bit of lineside running water.

I'll echo that. Sometimes I just run the stream when the railway isn't operational to have the background sound of running water while doing some gardening.

Rik

[philipy]

[ Sometimes I just run the stream when the railway isn't operational to have the background sound of running water while doing some gardening.

Rik

Mine runs all day every day, just switching off overnight on a timeclock. Comes on at 07-30 because SWMBO likes to sit on the bench near the head of the stream first thing to listen to it. Goes off about 8pm because we are always indoors by then.

[Jimmyb]

I have mine running all day every day, the wildlife love the stream (about 4 metres) with all manner of birds drinking and bathing, sparrows to crows, even had a wagtail.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The Potters Orchid Railway had a track closure today as the temporary bridge over the yet unnamed ravine was lifted and the MVL under arch bridge (painted in the Firth of Forth colour) was helicoptered in for a trail fit. Senior management was pleased as it all fits with the designed total of 3.00mm clearance. The abutment work is planned to be done soon fitting in around Slarti's terra forming and water feature creativity.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

While Wal was excited the head foredog and his offsider were contemplating the abutment concrete work to be done soon.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Press release from the Potters Orchid Railway. The first of the botanical specimens was planted above Tree Snake Curve. "Today has been the passing of a significant mile stone in the railway's progression, coming nearly 3 years after the first sod turning ceremony" quotes one half of Senior management. It is expected that more planting will follow in the near future as terra forming contractor Slartibartfast completes more tracks side sections.

[ge_rik]

Great looking bridge, fits in perfectly - both literally and metaphorically. Also good to see flora starting to appear. It's all coming together.....

Rik

[Jimmyb]

Very impressed with the bridge, it looks like it is planned to have water running under it, is that so and how do you plan to retain the water

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Very impressed with the bridge, it looks like it is planned to have water running under it, is that so and how do you plan to retain the water

Stay tuned for more episodes to come.
Rain may slow things this week.

[FWLR]

Great seeing MAM planting some flora. It won't be long before your line will be the showpiece it deserves.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Great seeing MAM planting some flora. It won't be long before your line will be the showpiece it deserves.

Thanks, the real enjoyment to come will be the run day/evenings with friends and making new friends.

[Peter Butler]

It is certainly a lonely existence during the building process of a garden railway but the friendly gatherings make all the effort worthwhile.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

It is certainly a lonely existence during the building process of a garden railway but the friendly gatherings make all the effort worthwhile.

Peter, I am acclimatised to working alone as I have worked alone for over 30 years in my chosen path of professional expression. Some times I do not leave the house and yard for the whole week or two. However I enjoy my weekends at the Mary Valley Rattler Railway doing Guard, fireman and driving shifts, however that is on hold till next month when steam services resume with all this C19 mess. MAM, my dear wife assists and enjoys the garden railway project. She trowels cement, assists with many creative projects with the railway. she is making tunnel portals in the Pottery. (She is a potter and painter as well as many other hobbies) Her Roundhouse Lady Ann kit steams well and she is yet to complete the cab and tank work. Her Pottery shed is at one end of the railway and while I am engaged with shoveling dirt, or heaving rocks she is near by most of the time throwing or glazing pots . She loves a project, of any sort. So loneliness is not really a problem for me , however squeezing enough daylight time at this time of the years is my big frustration. I got an hour in last night fixing a handful of rock into place. The Loco construction in the Red Room is on hold while MAM and I get stuck into the railway and the landscaping and paths etc are completed. Heavy garden work is a winter time sport here as summer can have many days at 35 -40 degrees.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The first major planting operation at the Potters Orchid Railway has begun. Senior management is confident that given some time this whole hill side will be a saturation of foliage, colour and texture. Meanwhile further down the line at the ravine Slartibartfast is working on the ravine. He keeps muttering something about "offending geologists" with the lack of suitable rock. Mean while there has been no work undertaken in the Llewellyn Locomotive Works as the staff are on secondment to Slartibartfast's Terra forming workforce.

One half of Senior management comments follow

It often appears to me that not a lot seems to be achieved after a full weekend from 6.30 am till dark at 5.30pm but bit by bit it goes. I get down to the backyard for an hour or two most afternoons at the moment. The plan is to get the heavy labour done while the Brisbane winter is with us. When the bulk of rock, soil mud and more rock and soil is in place then the paths and garden against the fence will be done. There is a planned sequence to the terra forming, so we do not get snookered with access for major earth and rock works. The day the track receives its ballast will be a significant event.

[FWLR]

Knowing how hard you and MAM have worked on your line with all the landscaping and permanent way work done, this will be one heck of a line to be very proud of.

[ge_rik]

I like the way you've matched the rock types and kept the strata uniform. Slartibartfast would be proud of you....

Rik

[pandsrowe]

Not being the best of gardeners, what is the purpose of all the straw? A weed suppressant maybe?

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

I like the way you've matched the rock types and kept the strata uniform. Slartibartfast would be proud of you....

Rik

Thanks, the selection of rock is getting thin, so I hope Slarti will be happy. We collected some free rock a couple of years ago and only now are we permanently fitting the rock into the railway.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Not being the best of gardeners, what is the purpose of all the straw? A weed suppressant maybe?

The straw is sugar cane mulch. Down under it is widely used as a mulch covering for gardens, without it your garden will die in a week under our summer sun. It retains moisture in the soil, keeps the soil cool in summer and as it breaks down and more mulch is reapplied over the top it then adds organic matter to the soil. It will deter the weeds a wee bit but for good weed suppression here you need garden bed matting or a decent layer of pine bark chips. Once the garden's small trees and shrubs grow and cover the bed then the need to mulch will reduce. We have the native bush turkeys here, they can tear up a garden in 5 minutes and spread mulch and seedlings every where, it can be heart breaking. We actually put some mesh trays over the bed Sunday night to deter the bush turkeys and give the little plants a chance.

To keep the weeds down we are sealing the ground between the concrete track bed and the rock walls with left over cement and or mortar when some is left over from rock work. Then basalt chips or similar will be laid to fill the space from the fixed in place track ballast to the rock walls in an effort to reduce maintenance and weeds in difficult areas in cuttings and such like. Weeds here can grow very fast and appear out of no where, a wee bit of rain and they boom as it is the sub tropics and we live with a lot of vegetation and wild life about. If one lives in the suburbs and or town houses, then it is less of a problem as it is a environmental desert.