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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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Thu Sep 15, 2022 9:27 pm

Old Man Aaron wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 1:31 am Coming together well now. :salute:

Thanks and you will have to come down for a visit and run with BenG
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
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Old Man Aaron
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Old Man Aaron » Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:31 am

With my Bundy (designated travelling loco) finished, I certainly shall!
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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:12 pm

Old Man Aaron wrote: Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:31 am With my Bundy (designated travelling loco) finished, I certainly shall!
Captain Plod has also printed off your ballast trial formulas to compliment his research
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 » Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:34 am

Today there is a break in the rain and as Captain Plod is off this weekend to Gympie to do his two annual guard runs so he and MAM devoted a couple of hours this morning to mixing and pouring 6 x 20kg of Bastion Ready Mix that was obtained from the big Green Box last night. As well as more plants
Next is some steps here and there and some tidy up and then the terra forming and fun of fun fun, track laying.
:lol:

On your mark, set, go
Image

Done. The no concrete space is for the trestle bridge to fill one day, when I make it. I want to make one trestle bridge in my life before I die. Slow but very steady moving locos (Slomo equipped :salute: ) hauling wobble free across the trestle with the whistle howling :D wand emitting vapours on a moonlit evening, should look bloody marvelous.
Image

There is 2-3mm super elevation over the 110mm width of the curved track bed. For the most part this occurs naturally when all is bolted up, then a wee bit of fiddle here and there to settle all in when one does the boxing and a final check this morning before the pour.
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Looking over the top of the Orchid green house from the back deck.
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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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FWLR
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by FWLR » Fri Sep 23, 2022 7:39 am

On reading your explanation of the train going over the trestle bridge, I was immediately taken there and picturing in my mind.

Wonderful. :salute:

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Old Man Aaron » Sat Sep 24, 2022 8:46 am

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: Thu Sep 22, 2022 9:12 pm Captain Plod has also printed off your ballast trial formulas to compliment his research
I'll certainly be interested in reading about your findings. The cement dye in my ballast faded a bit over the year of that line's existence, but the ballast otherwise needed zero repairs, repeated downpours be damned.
Depending on how much glue was used, it can be very difficult to fully remove those ballast mixes from track - even after a year stacked out in the elements.
Given your jack-hammer prediction though, I doubt that would bother you. :lol:
The granite chippings you mentioned over on Farcebook look very good.
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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:01 pm

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:34 am Today there is a break in the rain and as Captain Plod is off this weekend to Gympie to do his two annual guard runs so he and MAM devoted a couple of hours this morning to mixing and pouring 6 x 20kg of Bastion Ready Mix that was obtained from the big Green Box last night. As well as more plants
Next is some steps here and there and some tidy up and then the terra forming and fun of fun fun, track laying.
:lol:

On your mark, set, go
Image

Done. The no concrete space is for the trestle bridge to fill one day, when I make it. I want to make one trestle bridge in my life before I die. Slow but very steady moving locos (Slomo equipped :salute: ) hauling wobble free across the trestle with the whistle howling :D with emitting vapours on a moonlit evening, should look bloody marvelous.
Image

There is 2-3mm super elevation over the 110mm width of the curved track bed. For the most part this occurs naturally when all is bolted up, then a wee bit of fiddle here and there to settle all in when one does the boxing and a final check this morning before the pour.
Image

Looking over the top of the Orchid green house from the back deck.
Image
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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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:43 pm

Cured, set, hard

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Boxing is removed

Image

Bashed up some 1/4 rod to make hooks, MAM planted out the wall hangers, now on the back fence.


Image

If all goes well, in between the forecast rain, the track laying fun begins.
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 FWLR » Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:20 am

Looking really impressive.. MAM's planting that is.. :lol: :lol:

Your track bed is too Dazza... :salute:

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Fri Sep 30, 2022 9:37 pm

Left over pavers laid in the spot where an intended steaming bay with turn table is to be located, however that project is a 2-3 years away at best.
After 4 weekends out of 5 being away at the Rattler it is nice to be home and Captain Plod can start on track laying the extension.


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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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Tropic Blunder
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Tropic Blunder » Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:49 am

Looking great mate! making fantastic progress really really quickly
Jake

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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Sat Oct 01, 2022 10:43 am

Not only is the work you do always to the highest standard, but the space you work in is kept in clean and tidy condition, essential for safe working and ability to find everything needed to complete the task efficiently. Top marks all round!
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:32 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 10:43 am Not only is the work you do always to the highest standard, but the space you work in is kept in clean and tidy condition, essential for safe working and ability to find everything needed to complete the task efficiently. Top marks all round!
Thankyou, but it is rather gritty with sand and dirt and leaves underfoot at the moment.
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 » Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:40 pm

This week Captain Plod received some samples to be considered for ballast on the Potters Orchid Railway. First one, 4-6mm stone, this scales to 64mm -114mm (16mm scale), that is much too large for railway ballast. Then a sample of 2-3mm granite chips arrives via ebay. (Angela at Stubbytuby succulents in South Australia, I also respect her secret source). Perfect size for good stone ballast and the it's angular shape. This one wins, so a few conversations on the phone and more colours are to arrive in the near future to compare and or mix, so finally after 4 years Plod has his ballast supply sorted. Plod has also started test colour samples for painting the rail sides. More on that later.

Suggested by some but this is far too big
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The winner for size and shape is ....YAY !

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[url=https://flic.kr/p/2nQdB6G]Image


One of this year's recent plantings in the cactus garden at Potters Junction has cute flowers for the first time.

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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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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:49 pm

and the intention is to use an Aussie equivalent of SBR to fix in place, when the next drought arrives, maybe next summer !
as learnt from this forum


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

Post by Peter Butler » Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:15 pm

Time spent on research and sourcing correct material will be worthwhile. Your choice of small scale, angular, natural stone is best suited to fixing with SBR (or Aussie equivalent) and I have been using the method since about 2016, much of which is still in situ.
You do have an advantage in that your track base is concrete, therefore permanent and stable. Some of mine was on treated wooden boards with felt covering, which moved and perished, although the ballast was still firm.
Forum users can confirm the best way of applying the SBR is to soak the ballast thoroughly with undiluted SBR and then cover for a few days to protect from rain (a regular UK problem!) after which you will notice a colour change. Just ignore the alarming blue appearance... it will fade... eventually!
Try a test piece first, once set it needs a hammer and chisel to shift it.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by FWLR » Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:05 am

Love that cactus Dazza, well worth the wait. Does it flower more than once during its life time. :?:

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun Oct 02, 2022 8:58 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:15 pm Time spent on research and sourcing correct material will be worthwhile. Your choice of small scale, angular, natural stone is best suited to fixing with SBR (or Aussie equivalent) and I have been using the method since about 2016, much of which is still in situ.
You do have an advantage in that your track base is concrete, therefore permanent and stable. Some of mine was on treated wooden boards with felt covering, which moved and perished, although the ballast was still firm.
Forum users can confirm the best way of applying the SBR is to soak the ballast thoroughly with undiluted SBR and then cover for a few days to protect from rain (a regular UK problem!) after which you will notice a colour change. Just ignore the alarming blue appearance... it will fade... eventually!
Try a test piece first, once set it needs a hammer and chisel to shift it.
I am intending to follow your words and music as some time ago saw your results and methods and stored that in the Mk 1 cranium computer.
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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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sun Oct 02, 2022 8:59 pm

FWLR wrote: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:05 am Love that cactus Dazza, well worth the wait. Does it flower more than once during its life time. :?:
It was only planted earlier this year, so we hope it flowers each year. I am pretty sure it will flower as long as it is still alive.
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 Peter Butler » Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:04 pm

If the Aussie SBR equivalent doesn't work I will naturally deny all responsibility... good luck.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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