The Potters Orchid Railway

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Loads of concreting done there Dazza. Can I ask a silly
What have you used the colour pigments for we can see in photos 7-8. Were they used for colouring the concrete and on those rocks too...Or is the colour a natural one for them.

The colour pigments are mortar colouring pigments, obtained at the Big Green Box. One of MAM's discoveries and she brought them home one day and they proved very useful. It is used for colouring the mortar mainly, but can be added to concrete if one so desired, but I only use in the mortar and for sprinkling on the little piles and fill in areas of ready mix concrete. It is not used on rocks but I might sprinkle some on the rock and water it down so it ran down the crevasses and run onto the piles of concrete DO NOT USE BRICK RED ! crikey it is a strong red. I use Blue Stone, Chestnut and Chocolate. We have black but I think that will be for the engine shed area. I keep some cement powder in a jar as well to spinkle on areas I think needed it and some small 5mm stones and sand. I use a squirt bottle of water to wet it down and I just pad and play. So far after curing only a few stones are washed away with the garden hose or with the next decent rain. I am conscious of run off poisoning parts of gardens until the residue is well washed away.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

That's all coming together beautifully! Looks like it should provide very smooth running too - I doubt you'll be contributing to the "disasters" thread!

All the best,

Andrew.

PS a belated thank you for the Douglas Adams quotes too, which I enjoyed very much. Don't know if you've ever read Kurt Vonnegut, but I've a strong feeling Mtr Adams was a fan - "The Sirens of Titan" in particular...

I have not read anything of Kurt Vonnegut. These days I read very little of substance which is disappointing. I do not travel with my work any more which reading was used to fill in many hours, now full size railway loco crewing and the Model engineering and this year the garden railway has me slipping into bed, read one page and I am snoring.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The Potters Orchid Railway's drone was launched for a fly about look at the intended location of the Pendle Valley Midi Halt (kit in storage), location of the goods loading ramp, however the signal box location was ignored as it was getting dark. The concreting contractor made a few dimensional errors under the location of the goods ramp so this will be corrected before the final invoice is settled.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Last Friday at the Potter's Orchid Railway the head horticulturist and chair person of the board was doing some final plantings before the intensive track and operations testing on Saturday and Sunday evening.



Station building and platform edging are temporary.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The directors on the POR board inspected the plantings done in recent weeks and reported to the share holders that all is progressing to their satisfaction.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

"Wallace, do you think it is a good idea to be up there ?"

"# 4 Starter is installed and tested OK, I reckon we are done Shaun"
"Baaaaaa baaaa"

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The visiting locos arrive for the test operations. Wallace is bit too excited while the workshop foredog is contemplating the days operations.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

"Its a Bundy Fowler"

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Coal fired operations on the POR begin with Ben's loco.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The creatures of the deep poke their heads up to see what the heck is going on above their domain.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Even "Monty" came by for a bit of train spotting at the POR.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

" I really think you should come down now Wallace, your tea is getting cold."

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Operations were going well and then a third loco was let out of the yard onto the mainline.
Whoops
SPAD
Out with the flying gang
and
Paper work...
The POR is happy to report the tanker wagon was already empty, but this does present suspicious implications with regard to this incident.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

More reports from the first test operations at the POR.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The contractor for the POR tunnel portals and stone bridge is close to delivering so the head grafter of the POR last night grunted some rocks closer to their final location. The last big push of terra forming is on. However the extensive signaling system is a project for next year.

[Old Man Aaron]

That greenery really compliments the rock-work well. Is the signalling at this end of the line now complete?

"Its a Bundy Fowler"

I can understand Wallace's excitement over the Bundy, having been of the same mind when I bought mine.

Looks a great time (SPADS aside) was had running. Hope no clearance issues crept through?

Regards,
Aaron

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

That greenery really compliments the rock-work well. Is the signalling at this end of the line now complete?

"Its a Bundy Fowler"

I can understand Wallace's excitement over the Bundy, having been of the same mind when I bought mine.

Looks a great time (SPADS aside) was had running. Hope no clearance issues crept through?

Regards,
Aaron

Thanks
If all goes to plan, in 6 months time a lot more greenery should cover most if not all of the sugar cane mulch and a lot of the intended greenery will be running over many rock faces and over the back ground block wall.
Signalling is now fully operational if desired and is mostly complete at the Orchid Loop end of the line but for a one starter's base area not yet filled in which is a little job to do in the afternoons as the days get longer and there is the permanent water proof battery box to be fitted next to the lever frame. Another small job to fill in spare moments. Also the final cover for the lever frame and the Pendle Valley signal box, Midi station kits to build (I have never attempted resin buildings before) and it will be placed in the V of the Orchid House loop. There is actually an imprint for it's base in the concrete.
The big grunt is now to build the cuttings, rock and hill over the tunnel at Potters Junction. This will fill in the next 4-6 weeks.Then plant it out so they are underway for the summer. There are then the final buildings. The actual Potters Junction station yard and buildings will left to titter along into 2021 and 2022. I need to get back to the Red Room and work on my coal fired loco build.
The Bundy Fowler is a new loco my good friend Chris recently bought. He is also a driver at the Mary Valley Rattler.
One little project is to extend one of the sidings by 800mm - 1000mm to ease a pathway pinch point when some one is servicing their loco there. Discovering such things is what the test run of the weekend was for.
The paths, shelter awning and more gardens against the back fence is also a big push to be done before the new year.

[FWLR]

Looking fantastic Dazza. You and MAM have worked so hard to bring us what is a superb line. The greenery is looking brilliant and those Bonsai trees MAM has cultured work so well. They look like they have been there well before the line was built. Just like it would have been in real life maybe...

Always look forward to seeing your brilliant photos too, they kind of whisk me away to a different world...

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Looking fantastic Dazza. You and MAM have worked so hard to bring us what is a superb line. The greenery is looking brilliant and those Bonsai trees MAM has cultured work so well. They look like they have been there well before the line was built. Just like it would have been in real life maybe...

Always look forward to seeing your brilliant photos too, they kind of whisk me away to a different world...

We are pleased it is of enjoyment for others. We are most certainly enjoying the journey. We have never done this before, just SMT mag, forums and FB for this. When most of the major work is completed I want to be back in the Red Room doing metal work working on my coal fired loco and move onto the 5" gauge locos.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

The pottery contract to the in house potter is almost complete. Liquid nails in use. The big push with the last major terra forming operation is underway at the 'Potters Orchid Railway'.