The Potters Orchid Railway

[ge_rik]

Fantastic photos! It's hard to tell that one of Taliesin emerging from the cutting isn't the real thing, absolutely brilliant!

Andrew beat me to it. Exactly what I was going to say.

Rik

[invicta280]

This really is looking great.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Fantastic photos! It's hard to tell that one of Taliesin emerging from the cutting isn't the real thing, absolutely brilliant!

Andrew beat me to it. Exactly what I was going to say.

Rik

Thanks. When the ballast gets done (one day next year as the 2-3mm chips are here and awaiting me and good weather and after all the other tasks of the back yard clean up)
and I fiddle with the camera get better perspective the pics may even look better. I really do not spend much time with the camera as I am absorbed watching trains move at realistic smooth speeds through the garden. For MAM and myself it is as much an excuse for a different style of gardening as it is the civil and mechanical engineering.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

A seemingly rare weekend at home for Captain Plod saw him labouring with rock and ready mix concrete in a wheel barrow. Most of key large rocks that hold back the garden beds are now set in concrete. Plod shall return with a few more large rocks collected from the Gympie railway yard this coming weekend as the roster clerk is letting him loose on #967 with passengers in carriages again. The rocks when removed for the concrete/mortar footings never seem to go back the same way as intended, but the chalk marks do help. Some of the large rocks are laid flat and set in concrete so they are stepping stones for access for track and garden maintenance work.











The "Hero" rock of the new extension to Cabbage Tree Creek Station awaits it final placement as soon as the base of rock and concrete cooks off.

[Peter Butler]

Terraforming on steroids going on there. 'Hero' is well named and must have been a challenge to capture from its original location, which you described previously. It will make a striking focal point from your viewing area.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Terraforming on steroids going on there. 'Hero' is well named and must have been a challenge to capture from its original location, which you described previously. It will make a striking focal point from your viewing area.

Peter, this area's hero rock has been placed. The rock was rotated 180 degrees to the original intention because the it looked more interesting.

This is the original thought.



The last night it ended up like this



A wee bit more done last night. Little by little it will be filled in and clarity emerges from the chaos and then the garden can be planted.




Looking at this rock last night set my mind back to TV show from the 1980's and the intro was,

"In the worlds before Monkey, primal chaos reigned. Heavens sought order. But the phoenix can fly only when its feathers are grown. The four worlds formed again and yet again, as endless aeons wheeled and passed. Time and the pure essence of Heaven, the moisture of the Earth, the powers of the Sun and the Moon all worked upon a certain rock, old as creation. And it became magically fertile. That first egg was named "Thought". Tathagata Buddha, the Father Buddha, said, "With our thoughts, we make the World". Elemental forces caused the egg to hatch. From it came a stone monkey. The nature of Monkey was irrepressible!"

[FWLR]

I remember Monkey, very funny program at times.
Love your photos Dazza and I think MAM is hitching to get planting again.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

"What we have here Tony are the wall foundations of a Roman Villa"
"I do not think so Phil, this looks like the work of Captain Plod attempting to complete steps to the gate here and access to the garden railway"

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Tidied up the foundations of the Roman ruins, so the new garden will have a boundary to meet.
The big box like thing is a tank of Phosphoric solution for pickling bike frames after brazing. One day it will be gone.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Plod carted more rock back from the Gympie shed yard to the Potters Orchid Railway. Many thanks to Tanis who did numerous trips to barrow the rock from the north end of the compound to the south end where plod loaded it all into the Dunnydoor station wagon.
After the second day on the loco driving and firing, then the 160km drive home, where Captain Plod unloaded about 250 kgs of rock before dark.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Heave, shove, push, shift again and again. Getting hot now and humid. Moans are heard. "I am over this Rock caper, I want to be done with this %#21*71##1*!$"
More concrete mixed, most of the big rocks have found a location.
Now long till the first soil will be shoveled into place along the back. Might even be this weekend.
Then the sections in front of the track will be done, should be much easier.

[ge_rik]

Taking shape, Dazza. Will the bridge/trestle be spanning a dry creek?

Rik

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Taking shape, Dazza. Will the bridge/trestle be spanning a dry creek?
Rik

Yes, a dry gully is the intention.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Getting it all ready for the next step


The unsealed dirt road to the the station is completed as darkness fell





Nice



Saturday morning the soil arrives



Cavities to fill



Captain Plods away at his labours

[FWLR]

Coming along nicely there Dazza.

[ge_rik]

I like the way the dirt road curves up into the great beyond. Surprising how much soil is needed to fill a few gaps.

Rik

[Peter Butler]

That is going to look so good! I guessed you wouldn't hang about once you got started.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

That is going to look so good! I guessed you wouldn't hang about once you got started.

We hope it looks good. The hot and humid summer has arrived and it was 35* and water and electrolyte consumption was high on one's mind. When done I showered, two cold beers and had a nap. We are trying to have some order about the place before the holiday run events. Every thing is grity, dirt here and there and stuff. Messy. All the weekends driving at the Rattler has slowed progress but I must drive full size steam while I am still able to.

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

Captain Plod was heard chanting over and over while at the native plant nursery with MAM (POR, GM, board directors and chairperson)


"What do we want ?"
"All the plants ! "
"Where do we put them?"
"We don't know"

[Hydrostatic Dazza]

After his hot and humid day of toil, Captain Plod had two beers and laid down for a long nap.
Upon awakening before dark he and MAM who is also POR's head horticulturist set to placing plants in possible locations in the coolness before dark.







After two years if all goes to plan then it might look look this.