Time to build a railway...but where?
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
There is a saying that (in urban areas) you are never more than a few yards away from a rat. Here in our rural area where we have water courses and an abundance of wild bird food we do see them out in the open. This year I have shot at least a dozen so far. I should say I have a good gun and a sharp eye!.... it's quick!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
looking great peter
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Catching up on your thread again Peter and I can see in my minds eye the little villages we pass through on our days out while on our holidays in North Wales and Norfolk ( there are other places in the UK ). It is going to be a very impressive Model Village Peter. Are you going to put some of your model vehicles on it too.
By the way, did you need a Forklift to lift those concrete blocks, very impressed on how you achieve things mate.
By the way, did you need a Forklift to lift those concrete blocks, very impressed on how you achieve things mate.
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
No forklift required Rod, although I do have a licence. All done with wheelbarrows and shovels... as my back is now reminding me!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
If you want a job concreateing Peter il give you one very impresive a lot better than some of the jobs if seen people do what are you going to have inbetween the sections roads ?
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Thanks Jim, I try to make a reasonable job so that I don't have to do it all over again! The gaps will be either roads or planting areas to soften the appearance of the structures. I have other ideas to add to the village which should make it look authentic. The last thing I want is for it to look like a city centre with no greenery. I had quite enough of that working in central Birmingham for 25 years.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
A step forward again today... the weather has been cooler but no rain so time to mix even more of the wet and heavy!
The plan is to set out the varying heights and gently slope the roadways so that water will find its own way into the drainage pipes. A first layer of ballast material gives the build some strength and shows me where the high/low points are sited. As you can see in the pictures attached, the recent castings from Cain are mostly in situ having spent most of yesterday playing with an assortment of angle grinders. They represent stone walling, which was plentiful when the local quarry was in full production, so was used throughout the village. The roads run between these walls giving a sort of Cotswold appearance (?)
Once the under-layer is complete a top surface of sharp sand with black powder mortar colouring will be screeded to make the road surface, just as I have used in the past......
Ran out of material again today..... further stocks tomorrow!
The plan is to set out the varying heights and gently slope the roadways so that water will find its own way into the drainage pipes. A first layer of ballast material gives the build some strength and shows me where the high/low points are sited. As you can see in the pictures attached, the recent castings from Cain are mostly in situ having spent most of yesterday playing with an assortment of angle grinders. They represent stone walling, which was plentiful when the local quarry was in full production, so was used throughout the village. The roads run between these walls giving a sort of Cotswold appearance (?)
Once the under-layer is complete a top surface of sharp sand with black powder mortar colouring will be screeded to make the road surface, just as I have used in the past......
Ran out of material again today..... further stocks tomorrow!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
It’s going to look a mighty fine Village Peter…
ROD
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Life is so easy when I run my trains.
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 41&t=11364
https://www.youtube.com/@fairywoodlightrailway
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Terra forming on a lavish scale. Looking really good so far. Can't wait for the next instalment.
Rik
Rik
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Mightily impressed by this, it must take a fair amount of planning and thought to put the concrete where you want it to ultimately get the village that you want.
"What the hell is that?"
"It's a model icebreaker sir."
"It's a bit big isn't it?"
"It's a full scale model sir....."
"It's a model icebreaker sir."
"It's a bit big isn't it?"
"It's a full scale model sir....."
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
The planning and thought process has take a while as you can see by the length of time I have been mentioning it on the thread. I knew what I wanted to achieve but not how to get there. Many different positions of the structures on the site were tried and altered time and again. It was only recently I discovered a final design I would be completely happy with as it had a look of organic growth about it, just as a village might have as it developed over time.
Something I can't do is drawing.... it would be impossible for me to put pencil to paper to make a design, it would never work.
As the concrete is poured I am feeling my way through the installation and only time will tell whether I have got it right. I certainly hope so as it will be a major job to alter it later!
At the moment I am not considering moving house, although if/when the time comes my hope is that new owners appreciate my railway, if not they will have good foundations for a new build!
Something I can't do is drawing.... it would be impossible for me to put pencil to paper to make a design, it would never work.
As the concrete is poured I am feeling my way through the installation and only time will tell whether I have got it right. I certainly hope so as it will be a major job to alter it later!
At the moment I am not considering moving house, although if/when the time comes my hope is that new owners appreciate my railway, if not they will have good foundations for a new build!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
- Peter Butler
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
The final pieces of the jig-saw (wall sections) were cut and installed this evening. Cain has cast a slab for me to cut into strips and we met at 'Just Julie's' garden for the handover. I was amazed at the difference in texture between the new slab and the original ones which were all cast a few years ago. The setting process of concrete can last many years before reaching maximum strength..... not a lot of people know that! Certainly I wasn't aware of it but it was so much easier to cut with my angle grinder. I am enjoying my new found modelling tools, not ones usually found on the work-table!
The wall sections are now cemented in position ready to receive paint, the colours should reflect the local stone as they originated from the village quarry....
As previously mentioned, drainage is important as there will be quite a lot of hard surface to clear. I have already laid pipework (overflow pipes) from the road areas and a friend has now made me metal drain covers (milled from solid alloy sheet) to place in the gutters of my roadways. A plasticard surround is now fitted to each and will be installed at the correct height to allow a slight fall for the water to enter.....
The wall sections are now cemented in position ready to receive paint, the colours should reflect the local stone as they originated from the village quarry....
As previously mentioned, drainage is important as there will be quite a lot of hard surface to clear. I have already laid pipework (overflow pipes) from the road areas and a friend has now made me metal drain covers (milled from solid alloy sheet) to place in the gutters of my roadways. A plasticard surround is now fitted to each and will be installed at the correct height to allow a slight fall for the water to enter.....
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Wow!
With building skills of this calibre I'm sure that you did the correct risk assessments before starting, not to mention provision of site welfare facilities, and that you gave yourself proper site inductions and training and wore full PPE at all times? Have you involved the HSE at all, I suspect that this project is probably Notifiable? !!!!
With building skills of this calibre I'm sure that you did the correct risk assessments before starting, not to mention provision of site welfare facilities, and that you gave yourself proper site inductions and training and wore full PPE at all times? Have you involved the HSE at all, I suspect that this project is probably Notifiable? !!!!
Philip
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Not forgetting the necessary clearances and permission from the local council planning department.
Phil
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Absolutely brilliant so far. Those drain covers look so realistic. An otherwise insignificant detail turned into a miniature work of art!
Rik
Rik
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
I'm experiencing a strange sensation of genuinely wishing I was 3" tall so I could put down a deposit on a house in your village and move in...
It'll be a model village in both senses of the word - a miniature recreation but also model "in the sense of an ideal to which other developments could aspire"*, like Bournville, or Port Sunlight... Or Portmeirion maybe? If I do ever wake up one morning and find that my body has shrunk to the same scale to which my brain spends too much time working, I shall pack my inch-long suitcase and head west - although it may take me a while to walk there on miniature legs...
Keep up the good work, it's wonderful!
Andrew
*Sorry Rik, was quoting Wikipedia there, rather than Tolstoy!
It'll be a model village in both senses of the word - a miniature recreation but also model "in the sense of an ideal to which other developments could aspire"*, like Bournville, or Port Sunlight... Or Portmeirion maybe? If I do ever wake up one morning and find that my body has shrunk to the same scale to which my brain spends too much time working, I shall pack my inch-long suitcase and head west - although it may take me a while to walk there on miniature legs...
Keep up the good work, it's wonderful!
Andrew
*Sorry Rik, was quoting Wikipedia there, rather than Tolstoy!
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Looking all rather fantasic peter
Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
It's Carmarthenshire and a brown envelope with folding stuff in it opens many doors (allegedly)
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
Brilliant Peter,
- tom_tom_go
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?
I have to ask Peter, would you prefer to just build a model village as you seem more into this than railways?
It is all impressive either way.
It is all impressive either way.
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