The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
The Railway in the Valley of the Mill seems to have survived the winter fairly well. Now that the weather here in SW Wales has improved it seems like it's time to get outside again.
I have some track to re-ballast, but the main thing which is holding back further extension is the task of finishing off what I started last year.
I have had a goods shed and a pile of fencing for TanyBwlch station sitting in the workshop all winter. That complex track layout hadn't quite quite met my expectations - fitting the goods shed means modifying the track to make room for it. So yesterday I lifted most of it. The far road - the "down" line - was fine - it was the convoluted curves to fit the crossover in, and the limited room between the tracks, that was the issue.
I have relaid most of it, and straightened out the "up" line in the station. The goods line now has room for the goods shed:
The curves in the bottom end of the goods loop are a bit tight - but it really only needs to be able to accommodate 4 wheel wagons, and no locomotive need pass around these curves. So they will suffice. I suppose it's one of the disadvantages of trying to create a model of something with only a third of the real length.
Of course there are knock on effects as things get changed.
Trevor
I have some track to re-ballast, but the main thing which is holding back further extension is the task of finishing off what I started last year.
I have had a goods shed and a pile of fencing for TanyBwlch station sitting in the workshop all winter. That complex track layout hadn't quite quite met my expectations - fitting the goods shed means modifying the track to make room for it. So yesterday I lifted most of it. The far road - the "down" line - was fine - it was the convoluted curves to fit the crossover in, and the limited room between the tracks, that was the issue.
I have relaid most of it, and straightened out the "up" line in the station. The goods line now has room for the goods shed:
The curves in the bottom end of the goods loop are a bit tight - but it really only needs to be able to accommodate 4 wheel wagons, and no locomotive need pass around these curves. So they will suffice. I suppose it's one of the disadvantages of trying to create a model of something with only a third of the real length.
Of course there are knock on effects as things get changed.
Trevor
- Peter Butler
- Driver
- Posts: 5244
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2012 10:33 pm
- Location: West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
The weather here in S W Wales has inspired us both to work on our railways, you have achieved much more than I have managed, but it is a start. Good to see you back Trevor.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
In having modified the track layout the footbridge needed to be lengthened. Not an issue, new components based on the original components were printed overnight, and fitted into place this morning. Just needs the paint adding tomorrow and it will be ready to go into position:
The next modification is needed to fit the coal siding and the coal drops in alongside the goods shed.
You might notice from the photographs that last year I completed most of the retaining wall below the track bed. The weather closed progress on that down with just a 5 ft long section to complete. So the structure below the track is now wider at the station, and that was intended to allow the track bed to be widened to take the coal siding. I have a rough model of the coal drops ready to print. It isn't finished yet - as I expect to only be able to fit in part of the coal drops. This is the basic model based on information provided by David John:
Trevor
The next modification is needed to fit the coal siding and the coal drops in alongside the goods shed.
You might notice from the photographs that last year I completed most of the retaining wall below the track bed. The weather closed progress on that down with just a 5 ft long section to complete. So the structure below the track is now wider at the station, and that was intended to allow the track bed to be widened to take the coal siding. I have a rough model of the coal drops ready to print. It isn't finished yet - as I expect to only be able to fit in part of the coal drops. This is the basic model based on information provided by David John:
Trevor
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
Thanks Peter.Peter Butler wrote: ↑Tue Mar 29, 2022 2:32 pm The weather here in S W Wales has inspired us both to work on our railways, you have achieved much more than I have managed, but it is a start. Good to see you back Trevor.
Should have quite a bit done in time for a proper group meeting here in the summer.
Trevor
- Old Man Aaron
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 807
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 11:08 am
- Location: Sunshine Coast QLD, Australia
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
The new arrangement looks like it'll work much better. Just a shame you're having to rearrange things to work the space. Brilliant work as always!
Regards,
Aaron - Scum Class Works
Aaron - Scum Class Works
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
I managed to make a small amount of progress before the weather went cold again - concrete to form a base for the coal siding:
and the track re-laid onto the concrete:
That includes 2 off 3 D printed wagon turntables to feed the coal drops (as per the prototype). So there is just enough room for the goods-shed.
Trevor
and the track re-laid onto the concrete:
That includes 2 off 3 D printed wagon turntables to feed the coal drops (as per the prototype). So there is just enough room for the goods-shed.
Trevor
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
The big difference is that I now have more information about the prototype - and of course I had to make use of that information. Well better to try it and modify it than to never make it in the first place.Old Man Aaron wrote: ↑Sat Apr 02, 2022 11:39 am The new arrangement looks like it'll work much better. Just a shame you're having to rearrange things to work the space. Brilliant work as always!
Trevor
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
Great work.
What about leaving the added section of the footbridge as it is or paint it in a slightly different colour to show that it had been repaired at some time?
What about leaving the added section of the footbridge as it is or paint it in a slightly different colour to show that it had been repaired at some time?
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
That's looking very good. The goods shed is especially nice - it's going to be a challenge to propel wagons through it though!
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
Brilliant!Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Wed Apr 06, 2022 9:33 amI am fitting ball races to most of my wagons - and they actually go through it under gravity as per the prototype.
Trevor
A couple of my wagons have roller bearings and it is amazing how free running they are...
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
This is looking great Trevor. I'm really looking forward to seeing the coal drops in situ.
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
It has taken a while to actually do it, but I have installed the fencing and all the buildings in a semi permanent way, and re-ballasted everything:
The coal drops are almost ready to print, well as much of them as I can actually get into the space available:
Trevor
The coal drops are almost ready to print, well as much of them as I can actually get into the space available:
Trevor
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
That ballasting looks very effective, Trevor. Can't wait to see what the coal drops look like.
Rik
Rik
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
A couple of weeks ago I was delighted to be invited back to the Railway in the Valley of the Mill. I brought the Moel Rhos Railway's loco No. 2 Chough - which, despite being a manual RH Millie, is actually great fun to run on this end-to-end line. I also go to see Linda in steam for the first time since painting (I'd seen her painted before and in steam before but never both at the same time!)
I took quite a lot of photos...here's one and the rest are in the full album.
I took quite a lot of photos...here's one and the rest are in the full album.
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
That is an absolutely superb picture, well done to both of you.
It actually looks like a real narrow gauge train in a real narrow gauge station.
It actually looks like a real narrow gauge train in a real narrow gauge station.
Philip
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
Wonderful photos of a lovely line, thank you!
I like them all very much, but my particular favourite is the one of "Chough" alongside the bank of wild flowers.
You're a brave man to run manual live steam on a steeply graded, sharply curving, end-to-end line AND take photos!!! Trevor's permanent way must be excellent...
All the best,
Andrew.
I like them all very much, but my particular favourite is the one of "Chough" alongside the bank of wild flowers.
You're a brave man to run manual live steam on a steeply graded, sharply curving, end-to-end line AND take photos!!! Trevor's permanent way must be excellent...
All the best,
Andrew.
-
- Trainee Driver
- Posts: 978
- Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:30 pm
- Location: South West Wales
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
The really impressive thing is how "Chough" runs so slowly and predictably. Simon was able to just set the regulator and away she goes - really slowly and strongly leaving him free to take photos.Andrew wrote: ↑Tue May 17, 2022 12:28 pm Wonderful photos of a lovely line, thank you!
I like them all very much, but my particular favourite is the one of "Chough" alongside the bank of wild flowers.
You're a brave man to run manual live steam on a steeply graded, sharply curving, end-to-end line AND take photos!!! Trevor's permanent way must be excellent...
All the best,
Andrew.
I do like the photos though! Especially the ones with Linda in them.
Trevor
Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill
Thanks all for your kind words about the photos!
Trevor is too modest about the track work - it is very solid and even - the construction is detailed further up but the effect is that you really don't need to worry about letting trains do their thing unattended, even on the viaduct with its sizeable drop! So I can think about the camera rather than the loco. It is also true that Chough performs very well - that superb Roundhouse Engineering - and with a near silent burner and steaming for ages on single fill, always enjoyable to run.Trevor Thompson wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 10:20 amThe really impressive thing is how "Chough" runs so slowly and predictably. Simon was able to just set the regulator and away she goes - really slowly and strongly leaving him free to take photos.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests