The Potters Orchid Railway

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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:34 am

I love the meandering line though your landscape. You have every right to look satisfied with your handiwork.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Soar Valley Light » Mon Oct 23, 2017 6:00 pm

This is a very well engineered railway Dazza, I'm impressed! Careful setting out and careful construction will pay you back in spades, all the time spent getting it right will bring big rewards in reliability and a realistic appearance unobtainable by any other means.

I know what you mean about lasers. My laser level is a dirt cheap (£20) model intended for internal construction work. It's about as much use outside as an ashtray on a motorbike even on a dull English day. All the level surveying and setting out for my line was done on nights!

Please keep the updates coming, it's great seeing your line growing. I'm really looking forward to seeing some track going down (not as much as you are, I'm sure!)

Andrew
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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:38 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:34 am I love the meandering line though your landscape. You have every right to look satisfied with your handiwork.
Thanks. I very much want the impression that it is a narrow gauge railway that was forced to negotiate its way around the rugged terrain to get to the other end. As a young lad I was very much impressed with John Allen's "Gorre and Daphetid" with its detail and floor to ceiling mountains, this will be smaller but hopefully live steam.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0tHHK-LI6Y
I am not sure I will ever apply as much scenery and modeling detail as you do Peter, not because of lack of my desire to do so, but due to demands of my other projects, such as my need to keep my model engineering projects rolling (I am a metal worker at heart) and also my full size steam involvement. I also have this problem of needing to earn an income being self employed and that gets in the way of life and projects :( I have been looking at your thread and MAM and I are considering the drip irrigation system from our rainwater tanks which are on the higher level so there will be a good head of water to feed it. It is all falling into place.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Oct 23, 2017 9:40 pm

Soar Valley Light wrote: Mon Oct 23, 2017 6:00 pm This is a very well engineered railway Dazza, I'm impressed! Careful setting out and careful construction will pay you back in spades, all the time spent getting it right will bring big rewards in reliability and a realistic appearance unobtainable by any other means.

I know what you mean about lasers. My laser level is a dirt cheap (£20) model intended for internal construction work. It's about as much use outside as an ashtray on a motorbike even on a dull English day. All the level surveying and setting out for my line was done on nights!

Please keep the updates coming, it's great seeing your line growing. I'm really looking forward to seeing some track going down (not as much as you are, I'm sure!)

Andrew
Thanks Andrew. If all goes well one day I will get back to the UK again soon and I will fly with my loco and we will have to visit a few railways for a steam up and a few ales :P
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 » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:11 pm

The last sections are ready, the levels checked, 5mm of total up and down, a wee tiny amount of super elevation on the bends, the 6mm galv tie rod is in place and the gaps filled and lightly tamped, the concrete bed is leveled, the bricks are for soil support till the later terra forming takes place, the final pour if the rain holds off will be Wednesday evening because I am attending a board meeting tonight , sigh! (Historical Railway stuff)
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The bridge abutments. I would have liked to have the 750mm MVL under arch bridge to hand to ensure all is sweet, but I suspect I will have to do add, or modify when the bridge arrives.

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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 mymodeltrain » Mon Oct 23, 2017 10:50 pm

Very impressive; alot of hardwork. I wish to do the same thing when I have time in the future. When you work with small or large amount of cement; it worths to wear a mask to prevent small particles get into your lungs.

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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:51 pm

The civil engineering contractor's crew finished the last section of road bed under the flood lights last night.

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In the morning light of the following morning the POR board of directors inspect the contractors work. The General manager looks pleased but the manager of engineering is looking pensive about the processes of craning in the MVL under arch bridge when it arrives.

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The rumour circulating is that a chap by the name of Slartibartfast is being assigned to the landscaping of the POR.

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Apparently he is unhappy because he had plans for including his signature fjords (arguing that they give a railway a lovely baroque feel), but has been told by his superiors that they are "not equatorial enough".
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 Oct 27, 2017 9:32 pm

It is Friday evening and I could not resist laying some Peco about the place and then having a gander at it for 10 mins, letting the imagination roll. :) The only small radius turnout is the two for the loco roads. All the rest is Y and medium radius. Thus when loco leave the shed and couple up to the stock it is a straight run out of the yard to the mainline and the same when pushing stock back. A Red Room project is soon to be a small rail radius roller device, to do the best for nice Nigella curves.

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Drilling the concrete, white plugs and screws, :scratch: I wish there was a way to hide, lose or disguise the screw heads fixing down the track. I will have to use stainless steel screws as steel here will be rust dust in 12 months. A dab of paint on the screw heads but the heads look a bit "errrrrr Yukkkkk" . I am thinking screws rather than nails or pins as they can be adjusted as there is sure to be some packing here and there under sleepers.

I feel like some Red Room Loco work on Llewellyn # 1. The cylinders are calling, :P but first it is off to pull weeds in the front yard garden before the sun gets too high. :(
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 tom_tom_go » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:55 pm

To hide the screws you could create a floating road bed with them positioned underneath:

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Took a while to install but does allow for you to level the screws out and create level track with super elevation as required.

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Peter Butler
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:25 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:55 pm To hide the screws you could create a floating road bed with them positioned underneath:

Image

Took a while to install but does allow for you to level the screws out and create level track with super elevation as required.
Cats are optional.... Koalas may also be suitable.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by philipy » Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:48 am

Hydrostatic Dazza wrote: Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:32 pm I wish there was a way to hide, lose or disguise the screw heads fixing down the track. I will have to use stainless steel screws as steel here will be rust dust in 12 months.
Try brass ( not plated) screws. Within a few months they weather down to a brownish yucky colour that disappears against the brown plastic sleepers. Countersunk are best but even roundheads become almost unnoticeable.
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Sat Oct 28, 2017 9:02 pm

Snipped, Peter, "Cats are optional.... Koalas may also be suitable."
It would be Water dragons (Lizard) , Carpet Pythons, Cane Toads and Possums here. There has been the odd Koala here, due to the march of housing development, they don't last long, due to dogs and cars :-(
Floating track has appeal, however I am not keen of the extra work and implications.

Snipped, philipy, "Try brass ( not plated) screws. Within a few months they weather down to a brownish yucky colour that disappears against the brown plastic sleepers. Countersunk are best but even roundheads become almost unnoticeable."

Peco SM32 sleepers are hollowed out underneath, so the counter sink would have to be shallow. #4 G screw might work. I will get some samples and have a gander. At the moment I have sample #6 round head stainless.
Last edited by Hydrostatic Dazza on Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers from Dazza, The Hydrostatic Lubricator 8)
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Mon Nov 06, 2017 9:59 pm

MAM checked out the track bed, gave it a few adjustments

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Worked out the start point, the only straight line on the railway, off the main line loop into the yards. String line and onwards.

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Stainless screws going in but when I am next on a run around to get stuff I will get some brass.
For now it is getting a technique together and also some shim material such as plasticard to tweak twists and cant etc.

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I was on the phone to a railway mate as I screwed my first Peco down since the last time which was HO. circa 1976

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MAM swapped in the 32mm wheels and we rolled the first item of rolling stock on the POR. Not sure if we have accreditation yet from the regulators but sshhh, don't tell them.

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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 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:01 pm

Nice team-work and a very professional finish to the foundation. This is going to be good.
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 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:25 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:01 pm Nice team-work and a very professional finish to the foundation. This is going to be good.
Thanks Peter. Effing hard to fit it all in, Red Room Action is also calling me,
https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 2&start=30
but as the late D. Adams said, "keep occupied"
Grandfather also told me "it is better to wear out than rust out"
but I never expected to be worn out at age 54......................! All the bike racing and running and long 12-16 hour days working on my feet, and a few bike racing crashes did not help.
I am also involved with two heritage railways and I will be away Friday, Sat and Sun with steam prac and guard training at the Marry Valley Rattler , the restart is next year.

Keen to get to knock off time this arvo and lay a bit more Peco.
Stay tuned for more exciting adventures of the Hydrostatic Dazza , just play Nick Cave's Red Right Hand for my theme or perhaps "The Cure"
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 tom_tom_go » Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:21 am

The effort you have put into your base and track laying will all pay off when the trains start to run.

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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:45 pm

Finished a braze on a frame, then it was down the back to the POR. Slow progress as I gather the tools and make a few drilling jigs and get a technique and sequence sorted. I used 0.30 brass shim to insert at rail joints, it gets very hot here and I am laying in the cool of the evening. Might also get the nice rhythm of wheel clicks. Brass screws are ordered and on their way to replace the stainless screws.

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Mark I eye ball confirms the string line. "Looking good"

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I am in the Red Room tonight, I am modifying my little sheet roller to be a rail roller. To gently preform the rail for curves. Smooth transitions and kink free fish plate joints are my desired outcomes. I have to make a form tool for the rail profile in a 1/4" HSS bit and then to the Myford with the rollers tonight.
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 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:06 pm

With track in place it makes the run look so much longer.
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Hydrostatic Dazza
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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Post by Hydrostatic Dazza » Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:20 pm

tom_tom_go wrote: Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:21 am The effort you have put into your base and track laying will all pay off when the trains start to run.

Thanks. I certainly hope so, when our choo choos (MAM's RH Lady Ann and my Llewellyn # 1)are creeping around with their Slomos spun up, at a scale speed without too much of drunken wobble while rolling over the POR tracks, while I nibble smelly cheese and crackers and sip a nice D'arenberg red while speaking all sorts of drivel with friends while their grand kids are running about looking for the hidden dinosaurs in the garden railway scenery while the aromas of coal smoke and steam oil (Llewellyn #1) is wafting past our nostrils on the breezes, while the Kookaburras sit perched and look upon us and wonder "what the eff are the humans up to now ? " ..................................................
I like doing a nice job. I suppose my chosen path of professional expression has a lot of detail and aesthetic flavour involved and so this carries over to my hobby.
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 » Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:43 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:06 pm With track in place it makes the run look so much longer.
A highlight will be when the MVL bridge arrives and it is craned in and the track runs over that.
MAM has yet to start on her RH kit.
My loco is at least 12 months away before it will steam.
Crikey we might need to lease a loco till our locos are ready
A bit like the Mary Valley Rattler, due to #976 still being rebuilt, #974 was to complete the transfer from the Ipswich Heritage Railway Workshops to Gympie today and be handed over at the interface, but it was failed yesterday with a stuck open regulator. YIKES!
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So no prac work on #974 this Friday for me, I was hoping to swing the banjo and see if I can land a shovel full on demand down the front R/H side of the 8 foot long grate. ( I seem to hook it to the left) Oh well, it has to be later. So just guard training this weekend.
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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