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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

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

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2022 2:31 am
by Old Man Aaron
With my Bundy (designated travelling loco) finished, I certainly shall!

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

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

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 1:34 am
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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
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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.
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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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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 7:39 am
by FWLR
On reading your explanation of the train going over the trestle bridge, I was immediately taken there and picturing in my mind.

Wonderful. :salute:

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 8:46 am
by Old Man Aaron
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.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

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

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:43 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
Cured, set, hard

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Boxing is removed

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


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If all goes well, in between the forecast rain, the track laying fun begins.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 8:20 am
by FWLR
Looking really impressive.. MAM's planting that is.. :lol: :lol:

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

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Fri Sep 30, 2022 9:37 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:49 am
by Tropic Blunder
Looking great mate! making fantastic progress really really quickly

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 10:43 am
by Peter Butler
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!

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:32 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:40 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:49 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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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Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sat Oct 01, 2022 11:15 pm
by Peter Butler
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.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 11:05 am
by FWLR
Love that cactus Dazza, well worth the wait. Does it flower more than once during its life time. :?:

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 8:58 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 8:59 pm
by Hydrostatic Dazza
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.

Re: The Potters Orchid Railway

Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 9:04 pm
by Peter Butler
If the Aussie SBR equivalent doesn't work I will naturally deny all responsibility... good luck.