Garden Railway Forum

Been putting the finishing (well nearly) touches to my latest project - a cattle dock

Jigstones base + brass rail and rod + GRS picket fencing (bashed about a bit)

Still a fair bit to do. The railings need to be painted and properly bedded into the dock (which is why they're not all vertical as yet). The dock needs to be grouted and then individual blocks painted. But it's nearly there.

BTW - I know it's too narrow - but assume that the rest of it is 'off-stage'.











Rik

Rik,

VERY nice INDEED! That's a superb piece of work. The fencing looks really good.

The track alongside it is some of the most realistic I've seen and compliments the dock itself very well.

I've got loads of questions!

1. How have you ballasted it?
2. Did you ballast up to the dock wall?
3. What have you made the walls of the dock from?
4. Are the walls self coloured or painted?
5. What have you used as railings/wires between the posts?

I don't mean be a nuisance but I'm keen to learn for future projects!

All the best,

Andrew

Soar Valley Light:111001 wrote:Rik,
VERY nice INDEED! That's a superb piece of work. The fencing looks really goo
The track alongside it is some of the most realistic I've seen and compliments the dock itself very well.

I've got loads of questions!
1. How have you ballasted it?
Andrew

Thanks Andrew. I've been experimenting with ballasting the track at the station. The basis for what I did is here:
http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/05 ... crete.html

.... but since writing that posting I've been experimenting even more. I'll get around to adding more info to the blog but in the meantime...........

After I'd embedded the track, I then applied a dry mix of soil, sand and some crushed coal - and then dribbled Febond SBR adhesive over it. Even then, I was not that impressed and so applied a very light wash of black and brown cement dye over it to darken it down a bit.

Soar Valley Light:111001 wrote: 2. Did you ballast up to the dock wall?

Yes - I built the dock first and then ballasted up to and around it as you'll see from the post above

Soar Valley Light:111001 wrote: 3. What have you made the walls of the dock from?
4. Are the walls self coloured or painted?
5. What have you used as railings/wires between the posts?

I've blogged the building of the dock here (not quite finished it yet)
http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/05 ... tones.html

Jigstones for the wall - they were then lightly coloured with a mix of brown and red cement dye dry-brushed on. I want to pick out some of the individual stones with dilute acrylics later to give some variation - all a bit uniform at the moment.

The posts are Peco and LGB rails and the railings are 2mm brass rod.

Soar Valley Light:111001 wrote: I don't mean be a nuisance but I'm keen to learn for future projects!
All the best,
Andrew

Not a nuisance at all. Only too happy to share my dabblings with others - hence the forum and blog postings.

Like most people, I just keep experimenting and hoping for the best

Rik

That looks great!

PS - added a few more photos now to the end of the post about ballasting the tracks in the station yard
http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/05 ... crete.html

Rik

That's fantastic, and t'other Andrew's right, the track is very realistic. I had a look at your blog on the subject - to be honest, halfway down when there seemed to be bright red goo slopped all over everything I was thinking "what? really?!!", but the end result is brilliant. Plenty of food for thought, thank you...

Andrew.

Andrew:111008 wrote: to be honest, halfway down when there seemed to be bright red goo slopped all over everything I was thinking "what? really?!!"
Andrew.

Andrew
Must admit I was having my doubts at one stage - seems that the red dye was a heck of a lot stronger than the brown and black....

Rik

Rik,

I cant believe I've not come across your blog before, it's brilliant. I've only scratched the surface and can't wit to get back to it.

I have to agree with Andrew, when I saw what looked like a landslip in Worcestershire I was a bit dubious about what the end result would be but blimey, it really has worked out well.

I love your little histories, I should have expected no less!

All the best,

Andrew

Soar Valley Light:111027 wrote:Rik,

I cant believe I've not come across your blog before, it's brilliant. I've only scratched the surface and can't wit to get back to it.

I have to agree with Andrew, when I saw what looked like a landslip in Worcestershire I was a bit dubious about what the end result would be but blimey, it really has worked out well.

I love your little histories, I should have expected no less!

All the best,

Andrew

Thanks Andrew.
I certainly don't claim to be an expert at anything. My blog is just an opportunity for others to metaphorically look over my shoulder. I've tried to provide the sort of resource which I was looking for when I first started out in the garden. Hopefully, it might encourage others to take the plunge.

Rik

Just put the finishing touches to the dock.









Hopefully will be able to test it out for real with a running session if the weather holds.

Rik

It looks really good now it's finished Rik. It looks like it's been there for years, the weathering is perfect. I really like your buffer stop, very nicely formed.

It will be an interesting addition to the timetable, I'm sure it will add a new dimension to the operation of the line.

I remember an old Derby driver telling me about an occasion when he was still a fireman. They were working a stopper to Crewe with a cattle van behind the tender. When they stopped at Alsager the Guard noticed there was a cow down in the van. A bit of a panic ensued as she wouldn't get up and was at risk of being trampled by her fellow travellers. In the midst of the commotion the porter ambled up with a bucket of water. 'Come out of the way' he said. Everyone stood back expecting him to throw the water at the poor beast and ready to laugh at him when it had no effect. Instead of throwing it he started to poor it into her ear. Bill said he'd never seen a cow move so fast, she was on her feet in a flash - and off the went to Crewe!

Soar Valley Light:111087 wrote: I remember an old Derby driver telling me about an occasion when he was still a fireman. They were working a stopper to Crewe with a cattle van behind the tender. When they stopped at Alsager the Guard noticed there was a cow down in the van. A bit of a panic ensued as she wouldn't get up and was at risk of being trampled by her fellow travellers. In the midst of the commotion the porter ambled up with a bucket of water. 'Come out of the way' he said. Everyone stood back expecting him to throw the water at the poor beast and ready to laugh at him when it had no effect. Instead of throwing it he started to poor it into her ear. Bill said he'd never seen a cow move so fast, she was on her feet in a flash - and off the went to Crewe!

Brilliant story, Andrew - and local to me as well

Rik

Very nice Rik.
A few weeks for the weather to get at it and it will look as though it 'grew' there.