Garden Railway Forum

The treated 6"x1" boards for the baseboards have arrived. Just checking I've got enough and also allowing them to dry out before cutting, fixing and covering in felt (tar paper to our colonial readership).

Rik

Not letting the grass grow under your feet then, Rik. How long are you expecting them to take to dry?
With this current nice weather, it shouldn't take too long.

Hopefully, should be able to start fixing them in place during the coming week - weather permitting.
I was surprised how water-logged the planks were. They are stored outside at the fencing supplier.

Rik

Lovely to see the work progressing on repairing this wonderful railway. Have to say not my favourite station on the line, that goes to Peckforton itself.

Rik,
If that is pine planking I suggest that you cut it and fix it in place while it is wet.
Down here we get treated pine that is classified as "wet cut" and if it is left out in the sun it will warp terribly.
I have had i length clamped down to a board to get it back into shape for 3 weeks.
For treated timber it is recommended that galvanised screws are used as a minimum, preferably using treated timber screws is the best.
Untreated screws will rust away in a short period of time (less than 5 years) in my experience.

GAP wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 9:16 pm Rik,
If that is pine planking I suggest that you cut it and fix it in place while it is wet.
Down here we get treated pine that is classified as "wet cut" and if it is left out in the sun it will warp terribly.
I have had i length clamped down to a board to get it back into shape for 3 weeks.
For treated timber it is recommended that galvanised screws are used as a minimum, preferably using treated timber screws is the best.
Untreated screws will rust away in a short period of time (less than 5 years) in my experience.

Thanks Graeme
I've decided to use stainless steel screws all round. The old steel ones were, as you suggest, very rusted though I did manage to remove around 90% of them.

See below for the latest update.

Rik

Latest progress

I've now cut all the boards and this afternoon will start fixing them into place.
The copper mine sidings will now be an inch above the main line in the foreground.
The station area at Beeston Market is now slightly wider in the middle section.
Once the boards are fixed into place, I'll cover them in good quality roofing felt (tar paper) and seal all joints with bituminous adhesive.

Rik

Always nice to see construction photos.
I use stainless steel screws on my railway.
Martin

ge_rik wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 12:26 pm

GAP wrote: Mon Mar 10, 2025 9:16 pm Rik,
If that is pine planking I suggest that you cut it and fix it in place while it is wet.
Down here we get treated pine that is classified as "wet cut" and if it is left out in the sun it will warp terribly.
I have had i length clamped down to a board to get it back into shape for 3 weeks.
For treated timber it is recommended that galvanised screws are used as a minimum, preferably using treated timber screws is the best.
Untreated screws will rust away in a short period of time (less than 5 years) in my experience.

Thanks Graeme
I've decided to use stainless steel screws all round. The old steel ones were, as you suggest, very rusted though I did manage to remove around 90% of them.

See below for the latest update.

Rik

Gone for the top shelf option well done.
I still wonder about using the tar paper, never used it but then again I use painted fibre cement sheeting for my bench work.

GAP wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 8:46 pm I still wonder about using the tar paper, never used it but then again I use painted fibre cement sheeting for my bench work.

Malthoid is the Aust. equivalent to tar paper/roofing felt. The Malthoid tech data sheet (instructions for use) makes for interesting reading. Sounds like a lot of palaver to go through to get a truly waterproof layer over timber.

I used Weathertex for layout decking, which is less brittle than fibro cement, but more expensive. Malthoid over pine wouldn't be my choice, as I live in a declared termite zone.

Graeme

ge_rik wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 12:32 pm Latest progress

I've now cut all the boards and this afternoon will start fixing them into place.

As usual, you aren't letting the grass grow under your feet......

Sorry I've come in a bit late. You possibly already know that when you cut a treated pine board that the cut surface is left largely unprotected, but some readers may not know that.

Are you treating the cut ends with a wood preservative before fixing them down? If not the boards will rot from the ends and likely start to lift as they rot around the screws.

Paint on wood preservatives are available here in Oz in brush on and spray can forms and I would imagine that there is something equivalent available in the UK.

Regards,
Graeme

GTB wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 3:58 am

ge_rik wrote: Tue Mar 11, 2025 12:32 pm Latest progress

I've now cut all the boards and this afternoon will start fixing them into place.

As usual, you aren't letting the grass grow under your feet......

Sorry I've come in a bit late. You possibly already know that when you cut a treated pine board that the cut surface is left largely unprotected, but some readers may not know that.

Are you treating the cut ends with a wood preservative before fixing them down? If not the boards will rot from the ends and likely start to lift as they rot around the screws.

Paint on wood preservatives are available here in Oz in brush on and spray can forms and I would imagine that there is something equivalent available in the UK.

Regards,
Graeme

Hi Graeme
Yes. I spotted that the main areas of rot on the old baseboard were around the ends which had been cut - especially those which had been cut on the diagonal. I've been soaking every cut end in preservative - mostly twice, just to be sure.

Rik

I planned to cover the boards with (good quality - 15 year guaranteed) roofing felt today. But it rained last night. Annoyingly it wasn't forecast!!
The forecast for the next few days is showers so it looks like I'll have to keep nipping in and out covering and uncovering the boards until they dry out again.

Oh the joys of garden railway modelling ......

Rik

ge_rik wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 7:25 am Yes. I spotted that the main areas of rot on the old baseboard were around the ends which had been cut -

I noticed that as well, which prompted the question. I don't think it would be possible to add too much wood preservative.

It rained here half an hour ago, the first for a fortnight, but it's been too hot to work outside lately without risking heat stroke. It's all swings and roundabouts.........

Graeme

GTB wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 10:07 am

ge_rik wrote: Wed Mar 12, 2025 7:25 am Yes. I spotted that the main areas of rot on the old baseboard were around the ends which had been cut -

I noticed that as well, which prompted the question. I don't think it would be possible to add too much wood preservative.

It rained here half an hour ago, the first for a fortnight, but it's been too hot to work outside lately without risking heat stroke. It's all swings and roundabouts.........

Graeme

When I was doing a renovation I was told by my builder that for decking you should never paint underneath.
The reason is that way the wood can "breathe" evidently painting can trap water inside and can increase the speed of rot as the wood can't "season".

Very good.

I quite like the stepped level for the copper mine. A detail rarely modelled and will set the yard apart.

Boards now covered in felt. Just waiting for the bitumen adhesive to dry before laying track

Rik

Phew, that's a relief Rik, That looks almost exactly like mine did at that stage and I was always a bit worried/embarrassed about the wavy edges and visible black goo that showed!

However, it's looking good so far, can't wait to see the track going back down.

philipy wrote: Wed Mar 19, 2025 5:37 pm However, it's looking good so far, can't wait to see the track going back down.

Track-laying now well under way .....
However, what looks OK on paper doesn't always work in reality, so I've now got a couple more points on order.

The good news is I've now eliminated R1 points and somehow seem to have increased the amount of track, judging by how little I've now got left over to finish off the Copper Mine.

Rik

Would you travel 375 miles to pick up some secondhand track? I just did.

I needed around 5m of track to finish off the relaying. I was on the point of giving up finding some reasonably priced secondhand G gauge track on eBay when I changed my search terms for one last look. On the last page was a listing with a very reasonable starting price, but collection only from just outside London. There were no bidders and only an hour and a half until the auction ended. I placed an optmistic bid and then had to go out for the evening. When I returned, I discovered that not only had I won the auction, I got it for the starting price!

I calculated that, even when adding the cost of fuel to go and collect them, it was worth it. Do you agree?

£10.08 for:

5 x LGB 1200mm straights
2 x LGB 1200mm straights with badly damaged sleeper strips
4 x LGB 600mm straights
3 x LGB 450mm straights
1 x LGB 300mm straight
3 x Aristo large rad curves
4 x Aristo Med rad curves
3 x LGB R3 curves
4 x Bachmann R2 curves
Rik

BTW Six LGB 1200mm straights (in slightly better condition) I was watching went for £113 (plus p&p) just after I got mine.