The Potters Orchid Railway

A place for the discussion of garden railways and any garden style/scale portable and/or indoor layouts
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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Feb 12, 2018 9:34 pm

Oooo! you are a tease..... actually I think MAM is giving the sniffing check first.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun Feb 18, 2018 9:58 pm

The S and T department consider a sample semaphore kit and this one they consider promising. They have one more kit to consider that is yet to arrive. Then they will give their final report to the POR board of directors of which firm they suggest to award the POR signal contract to.

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Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by markoteal » Mon Feb 19, 2018 5:08 pm

That was a big box for one signal! :shock:
Where did I put that uncoupler?

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Feb 19, 2018 9:41 pm

MAM and staff are working on the the POR contracts, applying glazes to give a more correct "Grimy" appearance.
This one has the perfect to my eye engine shed grime colour. However after the yet to done firing it is expected to lighten up. All is a bit of an experiment and a learning process with MAM and the Pottery aspect of her expression.


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a coal pile will be in here

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Prototype water tank base.

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MAM gave the stone tread steps of the loading dock the worn appearance

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As for the location of the other items in the box, the fork lift driver has misplaced them in the POR stores warehouse, but these items are bound to reveals themselves in the weeks and months to come.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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markoteal
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by markoteal » Tue Feb 20, 2018 10:41 am

Loving it - be really interesting to see how they come out of the kiln - the detailing on the steps is particularly good
Where did I put that uncoupler?

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by jim@NAL » Tue Feb 20, 2018 9:50 pm

looking great

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:16 pm

I detest painting, anything to do with paint\, models, house, bikes, anything to that is not art. :(
I have Chris Vines book "How To Not Paint a Locomotive" as part of my therapy.
Out comes the Humbrol last night.


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Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by tom_tom_go » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:19 pm

I agree I am not a big fan of painting, I try and chemically blackening stuff these days.

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:33 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:19 pm I agree I am not a big fan of painting, I try and chemically blackening stuff these days.
I have to master painting. Not since my Airfix days have I used the Humbrol in any meaningful way. :scratch:
So getting my head around using brushes and air brushes again is the need and some signals and some resin buildings is a start so with progressive steps and learning
:study: of techniques I can get a good finish on the LLW #1 loco, and then onwards.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun Feb 25, 2018 8:42 pm

MAM continued on with the POR building contract. Another water tower base was constructed, it is yet to be fired.

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Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:15 pm

The brickwork is so good it could be full size. It will be interesting to see after it is fired, I hope it retains its matt finish.
The only advice I can offer about the use of Humbrol (other paints are available) is to sort out all gloss paints and throw them away. Any surface finish can be achieved with a final lacquer and give far better results than any gloss paint.
My own preferred paint is acrylic which will withstand the weather conditions outdoors on structures made from a variety of materials, even through the worst West Wales can throw at it.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:22 am

Thanks for the good tip with the paint. Every one and any one, feel free to reply to my threads with any tips. You are most welcome.
We have one thing here that Wales has less of.
Huge amounts of UV , hence we are the skin cancer capital of the world
I will pass on the nice comments to MAM

Peter Butler wrote: Sun Feb 25, 2018 10:15 pm The brickwork is so good it could be full size. It will be interesting to see after it is fired, I hope it retains its matt finish.
The only advice I can offer about the use of Humbrol (other paints are available) is to sort out all gloss paints and throw them away. Any surface finish can be achieved with a final lacquer and give far better results than any gloss paint.
My own preferred paint is acrylic which will withstand the weather conditions outdoors on structures made from a variety of materials, even through the worst West Wales can throw at it.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by philipy » Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:06 pm

The clay structures do look good, but like others have said, I've been wondering if they would turn glossy when fired. I'm sure MAM knows what she is doing though!
Just one other comment, the brown brick water tower colour looks too even, to my eyes. Bricks even from the same batch are never all the same colour.
Philip

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:45 pm

philipy wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:06 pm The clay structures do look good, but like others have said, I've been wondering if they would turn glossy when fired. I'm sure MAM knows what she is doing though!
Just one other comment, the brown brick water tower colour looks too even, to my eyes. Bricks even from the same batch are never all the same colour.
The tower is made from slabs, not individual blocks, and its all MAM's fun. She tells me that the glazing processes are not all completed. One can have matt glazes post firing. The glaze subject is huge and I have no comprehension of it all. After firing some glaze outcomes are different than what was expected, so if the out come does not work, just do another one. She is using recycled Pugged clay. It might crack etc. The intention is that Potters Orchid Railway is not going to be a super detailed scale diorama. It will be more a garden with a railway in it than a railway in a garden. However the points and signals (with LED lamps) will be fully operational from two interlocked frames (provision to disconnect two key points so they will trail and one can ignore the signals etc for simple operation) The intention is to be operating, with the sights and smell and sounds of steam with friends, fun to operate and fun for all ages. The super detailing I will leave to others as I have model engineering desires to sate and I also play with 12" to the foot scale stuff as well.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun May 13, 2018 10:42 pm

Normality returns to the staff of the POR as the dust settles after the success of the "Handmade Bicycle Show Australia".
A return to the program of the POR and yard landscaping is underway again. Signalling, tunnels, irrigation lines and the major terra forming has to be completed before the pavers and stone is laid and then planting will be fun.
The summer growth here was lots of rain, lots of sun and repeated often, it all had to be let go while I concentrated on the bike making caper and the show, and small break with MAM (driving 3,200 kms).
At 8.00 am Sunday the hand weeding begins

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2 pm, the small bowl of wild self sowing Cherry tomatoes is waiting in the siding for collection.

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After


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Then under lights I could not resist shoving heavy rock around to give me mind's eye a picture of the future.


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There will be substantial hills behind these rocks and the rock faces will be double in height.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Mon May 14, 2018 10:57 am

What amazing plant growth in a short time..... Indiana Jones would not look out of place there!
The rocks will make a wonderful backdrop and give a sense of scale to the railway.... nice to have some time to devote to your hobby at last.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by bazzer42 » Mon May 14, 2018 11:25 am

Those rocks are something else and will make wonderful view blockers of trains on the move. Can't beat catching sight of a train and trying to guess when it will reappear.

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by mymodeltrain » Mon May 14, 2018 6:36 pm

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: Sun Jan 21, 2018 8:40 pm The POR has not received much attention as the staff have been occupied at the Llewellyn Locomotive works. While listening to the ODI the S&T department gave some thought to the lever frame and cabling.

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1.20mm stainless wire inside Shimano gear cable casing.


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Meanwhile at Potters Junction there was some glazing going on


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Some thought to the terra forming was applied, using what ever scrap was laying about to give an idea.


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One day this will all look tidy like the upper terrace.
That is a good mask for working with cement, spray paint aerosol and any other work that has dust particles.

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by IanC » Mon May 14, 2018 7:59 pm

mymodeltrain wrote: Mon May 14, 2018 6:36 pm
That is a good mask for working with cement, spray paint aerosol and any other work that has dust particles.
Yes, I use a mask like that, with replaceable filters for all painting, sanding or anything else involving fine airborne particles.

That plant growth must have taken some clearance!

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon May 14, 2018 8:27 pm

We on the coast had the perfect summer for growing any thing, sun, heat, with weekly heavy rain and more sun woith many showers to keep all moist. The sweet potatoes were huge! Some 30cms longs.
Yet the inland is in a terrible drought and our drive down the Newell Highway to Melbourne was grim to see. Dirt and dust and feed was being trucked in for the live stock. I was doing work in the Red Room in the evenings on the loco and I am close to completing the assembly of the motion but for making the eccentric rods, however I am keen at the moment for the cooler months to be spent on landscaping labours, so I need to sort the signalling out and get that installed and working before the summer .
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
The chances of finding out what’s really going on in the universe are so remote, the only thing to do is hang the sense of it and keep yourself occupied. Douglas Adams

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