What to do with a tiny, barren wasteland?

[philipy]

Coming on well Aaron.
I wouldn't worry about potting on the MYOB, just stick it in the ground and this time next year you'll be wondering why you ever succumbed to the temptation to buy it in the first place!

[FWLR]

Love the plan and all that hard work your'e putting in Aaron. The plants look fabulous also. Those small plants that will look like trees is a brilliant idea.

Renting is a very big problem, we do unfortunately and it does restrict us in what we do. Like you, we have done a lot to the garden and if we need to move in the future, the flags and everything else we have done will be going with us....

[Old Man Aaron]

Coming on well Aaron.
I wouldn't worry about potting on the MYOB, just stick it in the ground and this time next year you'll be wondering why you ever succumbed to the temptation to buy it in the first place!

I see what you mean, the stuff has tripled in size over five weeks..

if we need to move in the future, the flags and everything else we have done will be going with us....

Aye, better than starting with nothing at the next place, but a whole lot of extra work, nevertheless.


13/07/20
After the final push to complete and move into the van, (always minor teething issues to iron out, though) I was able to return to the garden. This time round, I'm allowing some weeds to grow, rather than constantly chasing them. They help fill in the gaps and look after themselves. Anything too obtrusive (in the way or with large leaves) gets pulled, though. This toilet vent is also obtrusive, being adjacent to the future alignment. I have a suitable building with which to cover this, whilst allowing airflow to continue.


Had a bit of a sort-out before moving my things into the van, and found this forgotten slab hut I'd made some years ago. We'll see how it holds up in this fairly sheltered position - it's only made of tongue depressors and pine, coated in polyurethane..


19/07/20
Having moved into the van, I was finally able to move the larger palms around this side, sinking their pots into the ground to allow some chance of taking them with us one day. I was using them as privacy screening outside my bedroom window, to compensate for the substandard back fence. And with those palms in place, locations for a few buildings and further planting could then be determined.


The neighbors finally pulled their fingers out and fitted their guttering yesterday. I've only been waiting eight months to fit those remaining fence extensions...



The planting in this corner was also about done. Still deciding where to plant the remaining BBQ trays.

IMG_7533.JPG (339.1 KiB) Viewed 5269 times

Predictably, the North face of the cutting under the van is prone to washing out, due to the rain running down the ends of the van.
This photo was taken after I'd cleaned it up; I'll have to make some sections of log cribbing for the problem spots.


The ground around the Northeast corner of the van is currently being levelled off. It's quite stable, I'm only doing this so it looks presentable when we move out..

I also realised that whilst this line is still primarily intended to be a test track, let's be honest: I will be having fellow modellers over to run trains.
And we all know there can never be enough siding space, even when there patently is.
To that end, a yard and running shed will be built on a low elevated section along the fence at left. Connection will of course be via the earlier-mentioned line alongside the van. I'm calling this "Phase Two", and will get to building it when the current work (Phase One) is running. I'll have to find spots to plant these excess shrubs..


With that, "Phase One" is about ready for the navvies to get their collective arses out of the pub and do their thing.

[LNR]

Sounds like your enjoying the grand plan Aaron, just a thought could you perhaps silicone rubber an aluminium weather strip across the roof of the van to lead most of the water off to the side somewhere?
Grant.

[Old Man Aaron]

Enjoyment? Hadn't considered it, but you might be right; it's good to finally be getting on with such important work, after so long..

Re-directing the runoff, why didn't I think of that.. Looking at the van, there's three pairs of rivets plugging holes above the rear windows. A hinged stone guard was once mounted there. I could use those holes to mount a piece of channel as a gutter, and pipe the runoff to some water tanks I'll be installing in front of the van. Thanks for the idea!

First track the navvies have laid in years, today.
21/07/20
Starting from the middle of a curve isn't ideal, but because the garden is so small, there's little room for variation in track alignment. So it made sense to start with a spot I need to be accurately-placed.

A couple of spare besser block caps provided a solid foundation for the South crossing. Some large flat-blade screwdrivers make reasonable "stakes" to hold flex track in shape. Also quite good for packing gravel between sleepers. The cordless drill is nice to have this time round; really need to re-sharpen that masonry bit, though..


A battered 1980s Stainz, picked up for only $100 at a swap meet years ago, and crudely converted to battery power using leftover bits and a PWM speed controller through the roof, makes an ideal track tester. It's nice not to worry about chipping paint, or other damage with this loco. Poor old thing will get a proper rebuild with new bodywork one day..



No derailments yet. Only using enough gravel to merely support the track - it'll be ballasted proper with a mix of crusher dust, sand, cement and oxide dye.
Not sure if the weather will allow more track work tomorrow, but it's nice to just watch the little Krauss trundle about this short section.


Cheap pavers are split in half with a hammer and cold chisel; simply to stretch money. These are spaced every 2-3ft, the track being screwed to them via wall plugs.



It was getting dark, so this one's a bit blurry. A butane torch was indispensable for removing stuck rail joiners with (gently) vice grips.


Regards,
Aaron

[LNR]

The first piece of track laid always inspires more, there's no stopping now. If your screwing track I'm sure you know to allow for expansion, especially with your temps. Those Stainz locos, from what I've read are bulletproof and look good too, looked at them a few times myself.
Grant.

[GAP]

Cheers, fellers. Weirdly, those two weren't fussed by the state of the yard - if I'm honest, I was getting sick of seeing that mess.

17/05/20
Some more plants delivered, (always need more though) and in trying to use up that pile of gravel (yes, I over-ordered again) I got to starting on the gravel-filled trench roadbed as well.
Mum's a bit of a "tropical enthusiast" and has a number of Dracaena plants, that I've noticed to resemble scale palm trees if kept small. To that end, I've been watering and fertilising them for some months, cultivating the offshoots. I've been doing the same with her Jade plants, which make reasonable miniature "trees".

I left most of these in their pots when I planted them. This will limit their size and make it easier to take them with us when we move out.

I must say, I like where this is going..
IMG_7256.JPG


Several feet away, the new workshop is slowly taking shape.
IMG_7262.JPG


Regards,
Aaron

Aaron,
Let one of the Dracaena plants grow tall and develop a thick trunk, when you cut it down you can strike the top for a new plant and the trunk when dried makes a good log load, it is light and the bark has a lot of character. I have a few that I am going to use on my log train.

[Old Man Aaron]

Let one of the Dracaena plants grow tall and develop a thick trunk, when you cut it down you can strike the top for a new plant and the trunk when dried makes a good log load, it is light and the bark has a lot of character. I have a few that I am going to use on my log train.

Now there's an idea. Might plant some offcuts in a spare pot around the back, for that.

If your screwing track I'm sure you know to allow for expansion, especially with your temps. Those Stainz locos, from what I've read are bulletproof and look good too, looked at them a few times myself.

Aye, been eyeballing roughly 1mm gaps in each joint. That's every 2-5ft, which I think might be overkill, but what's the harm?

I've even seen a Stainz run through a pond and apparently keep going. Gross abuse of a loco aside, I'll throw my recommendation of Stainz' in the hat.
Bought a second used one some months back, newer version with the plastic Stephenson's motion. Plan is to rebuild that one as a Burrinjuck-style canefield Krauss. The old black Stainz, will be turned into something vaguely-Indonesian, and put to work as a timber mill loco.

In the meantime, there's all too much work to do. My Baldwin needs an on-rails test run, sorting some recently-surfaced teething issues after it's RH burner retrofit.
A rake of whole-stick cane trucks also requires testing after repairs - Three weeks back, the wind decided that my workshop que somehow wasn't long enough, blowing the rake from the elevated track at Zillmere. In any case, I'll need more track down before anything can be effectively tested.

Managed another five yards, between showers over the last two days. As the "Pommy Summer" set in again this afternoon, I figured a Pommy afternoon tea was appropriate - coffee notwithstanding.

IMG_7547.JPG (238.73 KiB) Viewed 6994 times

Regards,
Aaron

[Peter Butler]

They look delicious Aaron, but nowhere near enough cream!

[LNR]

Aye, been eyeballing roughly 1mm gaps in each joint. That's every 2-5ft, which I think might be overkill, but what's the harm?

My track is all code 250 AMS brass Flextrack in 5ft. lengths and I have 2mm gaps in winter but that closes completely and pushes the odd curve in summer.
I'm with Peter, not enough cream. Mind you not what I need to see at 10-30 at night, now I'm hungry again !!
Grant.

[FWLR]

They look delicious Aaron, but nowhere near enough cream!

Thats Aussies for you mate...

[Andrew]

Great progress on the railway, well done!

Nice to see Stainz in action too, I've got a soft spot for those. Your mention of one running through a pond reminded me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpcvUpymZgA

Cheers,

Andrew.

[GAP]

[/quote]
A rake of whole-stick cane trucks
[/quote]

Aaron can I see pictures of the whole stick cane trucks as I have plans to make some to go behind my Stainz to look like an Australian cane loco.

[Peter Butler]

Aaron, I apologise for hijacking this thread but, despite my search, I have failed to find a suitable heading to introduce the following message, which should be under...... Board index < Home cooking < Sweets and cakes
This is my preferred way of enjoying scones with raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and enough fresh whipped cream to make you say... 'STOP!'......

IMG_7575.JPG (148.52 KiB) Viewed 6866 times

As you can see, I had already eaten the rest!

[11thHour]

A rake of whole-stick cane trucks
[/quote]

Aaron can I see pictures of the whole stick cane trucks as I have plans to make some to go behind my Stainz to look like an Australian cane loco.
[/quote]

https://www.zelmeroz.com/album_model/ng ... estick.pdf

Tim

[FWLR]

Aaron, I apologise for hijacking this thread but, despite my search, I have failed to find a suitable heading to introduce the following message, which should be under...... Board index < Home cooking < Sweets and cakes
This is my preferred way of enjoying scones with raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and enough fresh whipped cream to make you say... 'STOP!'......
IMG_7575.JPG
As you can see, I had already eaten the rest!

Thats more like it Arron....

[Old Man Aaron]

Regarding the cream, I must agree; I usually prefer double what I'd used, but had to stretch the cream as it was running out. Not something I often do, and not all brands will mix in properly, but a teaspoon of cream is also very good in coffee.
Peter, now that's the way to go. Thanks for the reminder - I've raspberries sitting forgotten in the fridge, will have to see if they're still edible..

That's very interesting to hear, Grant. Might have to lengthen my gaps, then. At some point, I noted a discussion on another forum having determined that the expansion of brass and aluminium rail to be roughly the same, and that it would expand by roughly 20mm over fifteen meters, between 0°C and 70°C.

Andrew, aye, I was thinking of that video, too. Can't help but feel sorry for that loco and wagons, being treated like that. Tried looking for the video I initially mentioned, to no avail. It involved a roughly 8" deep trough dug into the ground with pond liner, and filled with water. Track laid down the length of it, climbing up out onto the grass at either end.

Tim & Graham, here's the build log I wrote up when I built the rake of cane trucks years ago. https://anzaccreekworkshops.blogspot.co ... build.html

Whilst they run well, and I'm very happy with the finish, (which has since been improved with an airbrush) I feel they sit far too high, owing to my choice of axleboxes. Because the trucks' frames are balsa, I can't remove the existing 'boxes without destroying the frames. Plus, as I'd like a longer rake and other design changes, it's easier to simply start over. I've bought enough Binnie running gear (using Hudson skip axleboxes this time) for thirty trucks, and will re-design the frames - which will this time, be made of oak ripped down from planks, rather than using pre-milled balsa. To recoup some of the build costs, I'm selling the existing rake of ten trucks to a mate.

Would certainly love to see more cane modelling here - I daresay that insofar as variety of gauges, rollingstock, operations, infrastructure and scenery, Queensland's cane tramways are an Australian modelling equivalent of Welsh slate railways.


On to photos, anyway..
27/07/20
Another few yards are down, allowing for the first train on the tramway. The trucks were thoroughly tested at all speeds, pushed and pulled in both directions, loaded and empty, etc etc. Only problems were from some of the permanently-link-coupled trucks, (because they don't like being pushed) and the odd cane load snagging on weeds, which were subsequently trimmed.





The line to mid-right will be laid as part of Stage Two.



28/07/20
The bridge in the Southeastern corner of the yard will be built from cedar. When I built the handlaid track some years ago, I set aside a bundle of sticks ripped down from cedar planks, for use as point and bridge timbers. The term for of milling both sides of a log, so it doesn't roll away, is unknown to me, so unless anyone knows the correct term for it, I'll just call them "paralleled" logs. A pair of sticks had two sides each, whittled down to look like "paralleled" logs. Whittling's rather enjoyable, though I don't see myself carving anything more than miniature logs..



A scale grain effect was added with a wire brush.






30/07/20
One of the gas bottles is about empty, so I switched to the other bottle, and we'll have to order a replacement for the first, soon. In readiness for that, the crossings have all been concreted. In the initial batch of concrete, I used leftover gravel from the pathway, which was unsurprisingly too coarse for use between the rails. That was dumped elsewhere as fill, and a new batch mixed using crusher dust instead. The first crossing turned out very nicely. We'll see how it holds up once cured..



The second was awful. A new batch was mixed each time, and for whatever reason, this was the best surface finish I could manage.

IMG_7611.JPG (300.62 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

The third came out somewhat better.

IMG_7612.JPG (283.97 KiB) Viewed 4042 times

31/07/20
Once the crossings had turned "green", flangeways were carved with a screwdriver. The edges of each crossing were straightened, and the surfaces of the second two smoothed, somewhat. During mixing, I'd forgotten to add some brown oxide to tone down the starkness, so I thought I'd try mixing some oxide with water and brushed it over the partially-set concrete. Weather or not that works, remains to be seen.



Just to see how it looks, some crusher dust was spread over a short section. Looks great, but certainly too well-maintained in appearance. Will pack this lot down a bit, paint the rails, then apply the "proper" ballast mix, in time.



01/08/20
The remaining bridge parts have been made, and the stringers cut down to suit the curve where the bridge is to be assembled. Pre-weathering the components with the vinegar and steel wool method. In the past however, I've found that not all types of wood are affected by the treatment. Another pre-treatment deals with this - soak the parts in tea, and allow to fully dry, prior to the vinegar bath. Whilst I have stained cedar with the vinegar method, I don't remember weather it needs the tea or not. Easy enough just to do it anyway. Might throw the parts in vinegar/rust tomorrow.



Regards,
Aaron

[LNR]

Another great read Aaron, progressing well. It's always good to be able to run the first train on a completed continuous loop. Did you put any reo in the cement crossings?
Grant.

[FWLR]

Those photos and your description has been well thought out Arron. I enjoyed it immensely. The weathering of your wood is a great idea...

Have you got a photo of them done please. It's purely to see if I can replicate what you have managed to do. The cost of weathering stuff is going up by the day over here, maybe it's because of COVID-19, I don't know...

[ge_rik]

It's looking really well established already. That crusher dust does look in-scale and realistic to my mind.
I have a bashed Stainz on the PLR. As has been said already, they are more or less bullet-proof.

IMG_2805.JPG (50.77 KiB) Viewed 5968 times

Rik