FINAL NEW FWLR LINE

[FWLR]

I like those rivets on your HGLW engine - it adds some fine detail that really brings the model to life.

George

Thanks George.

[FWLR]

The Willow tree, that's been a bane of the line and the garden is hopefully coming down tomorrow.

The tree,

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So has it's being took down, I have had to take up part of our line.

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Not a real problem however, because Anne wants me to extend the line at the top curve.

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So when the tree and the weather warms up, there will be a slightly longer line at the top curve.

[Peter Butler]

That's a big tree to fell without causing some mess, and potentially, damage. I hope the guys are pros and know their stuff. Please send pictures of them in action.... it would be great to see.
PS.... do you have a wood-burner?

[tom_tom_go]

It's a shame it has to be cut down as they are important for wildlife in ever developing urban areas.

I hope it's not being felled just for the railway!

[Peter Butler]

I must agree with your sentiment Tom, but is is clearly a beautiful tree in the wrong place. I love trees, we have lots and I nurture most of them, but if they need to be felled, I do. However, if they are not too well established I prefer to uproot them and plant them elsewhere. I doubt Rod has this option, he has more tree than garden!

[FWLR]

I love trees Tom, but it's uprooting the back neighbours fence and it's when we get those gales, like we have had these last few months, it does sway from the bottom, so when you look at the top it's very freighting. Also the only birds that mainly go on to it are pigeons nesting and roosting, so you can imagine the mess they leave all over the place. The bushes and small trees to the right of the track have bird feeders on them, coconut feeders and one of Anne's garden ornaments that is hanging on one of the trees, I put mealy worms on it for the smaller birds, although the starlings and blackbirds do get some as well.

In a way yes Tom it's also going because of the mess they leave on the track, it's ok to a point for me, I can do some thing about it, but the Grandchildren are a different matter.

[ge_rik]

I'll bet it was an attractive little tree 20 years ago, but it looks like it's now outgrown its space. Maybe you can replace it with a slow growing rowan, an acer or something similar.

I remember when the council took down some larger trees on the the boundary of our garden. They took them down in stages, starting at the top. Fascinating to watch, but the job required someone with the agility of a chimpanzee to wield a chain saw at the top of a swaying tree, making sure each branch was secured with a rope for lowering once it was lopped.

Rik

[tom_tom_go]

Tree surgeon is a skilled job for sure...

[BorisSpencer]

...it's also going because of the mess they leave on the track, it's ok to a point for me, I can do some thing about it, but the Grandchildren are a different matter.

I wouldn't let them near the railway until they're potty trained.

I'll get my coat.

[IrishPeter]

In the ordinary UK back garden willows are a mixed blessing at best, not least because they grow quickly and tend to takeover. They also have a propensity for failing catastrophically with very little or no warning. Given that it is swaying alarmingly and undermining the fence it has probably outstayed its welcome. Mind you in the old days they were extremely useful trees in that they were pollarded and systematically harvested for basket making, hurdles, etc..

On the other problem - 'Keep Britain tidy eat pigeons!' Notice over the lintel of our neighbours shed when I was a kid.

Cheers,
Peter in Va

[Andrew]

Mind you in the old days they were extremely useful trees in that they were pollarded and systematically harvested for basket making, hurdles, etc..

I think I read somewhere that Col Stephens planted some alongside the KESR as an additional income stream... A tree that size in the lineside would make a 16mm scale Stephens a very rich man...

[FWLR]

Well the tree has almost gone. The landlord wanted to keep the main part of the tree has a reminder that he planted it when he lived in the house some 45 years ago.

The guy who came to do the job has a diploma in tree surgery from the forestry commission when he did his apprenticeship, so the tree was in good hands so to say. He did a great job of actually not doing any damage at all to the back fence, in fact the neighbour came out and thanked him, although I am hoping it does get replaced, but I am not holding out for it.....

Some photos of it coming down,

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Has you can probably see, though it's not quite clear in the 1st few photos, he is taking the lower branches off first, so he can lay them down as a cushion if you like, to stop the bigger branches and the thicker trunk he cut off to land without causing any damage, for which he did.

And this is the final photo with it clear away, although there are some bigger shaving and we were not able to get due to the expected sleet shower, that did turn to a little bit of snow. So I will need to get one of those garden vacuums when it gets a bit calmer and get rid, otherwise it will end up with a really big bare patch of lawn.

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Even Anne's concrete containers and the scarecrow didn't get harmed.....

The guy did however need to cut the bigger logs up to what he called biscuits, so he could get them to his wagon, the reason being was our garage is fixed to the side of the house with just a standard door leading into it from the garden, but he did manage to get a large enough piece for his sculpting he does when he has some spare time.

I myself am knackered though, has he didn't have anyone to help him clear the branches away, so being the type of person I am, helped him with the smaller branches that were dragged through the garage. I couldn't believe how long those branches were, until they were felled........

Anne wasn't happy when she came home, but if I didn't help him, he would have got caught up in the sleet and snow we had. I am regretting it now though. It's not my heart, it's all the other muscles that haven't really been used for such a long time. The backs of both legs and my back are hurting so much.... Might need to get Anne to give them a massage Although they are very tender to touch, so I will leave it and let them heal on their own....

[Peter Butler]

Thanks for the pictures and description of the felling Rod, trees are much larger and heavier than we think. We always underestimate the effort involved in removing the branches and trunk, especially when we have to do it manually.
Just rest for a while to recover, the wood-chips should take care of themselves without causing further harm.

[philipy]

Willows are extremely robust, so I think you might need to keep an eye on the stump for suckers growing out of it. If you let them grow unchecked you'll simply end up with a Willow bush rather than Willow tree!

[FWLR]

Thanks Peter. Wont they leave bare patches though, it took some mowing last year and lots of feed to get it looking like a lawn after we moved in.

[FWLR]

Willows are extremely robust, so I think you might need to keep an eye on the stump for suckers growing out of it. If you let them grow unchecked you'll simply end up with a Willow bush rather than Willow tree!

Thanks Phillip for your info. A Willow bush Phillip, can't say I have ever seen one. Would be easier to look after would it. Only reason I am asking is, the back does look rather open now and has the back fences don't belong to the landlord, I can't see them getting replaced anytime soon.

[philipy]

I was trying to illustrate what I meant when I said "bush", the technical term is "Pollard".
This shows what can happen:

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[Peter Butler]

A beautiful looking tree there but potentially back to square one in Rod's case. That probably represents just a couple of years growth too!

[pandsrowe]

Depending on your point of view pollarding can be quite appealing where there is plenty of space but in a small garden a bit of a nightmare. I had a very similar situation to Rod about 15 years ago in my garden where the willow was reduced to around 10' tall, the resulting growth the following year was so dense it severly reduced the amount of light getting into the garden. I ended up having to pollard it every year, not my idea of fun so after a few years of doing that I eventually had the tree professionally removed which is what I should have done in the first place.

[FWLR]

I would have had it completely down also Phil, but the landlord wanted to leave some of it.

May get that guy to come and see if he wants some more big trunks for his sculpting...