The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

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IrishPeter
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The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Fri Mar 22, 2019 6:31 pm

I have been clearing the site for a couple of weeks now, and have developed a fairly keen eye for how much ivy I can wedge in the wheelie bin and still get the week's rubbish in there! The final stage this morning was removing a well rotted tree stump, which must have belonged to a far sized tree as it looked a good foot in diameter as I pried the remains out of the ground. I had had a brain wave in the night that it was probably better to put the raise section there between the patio and the path than up against the house, and certainly, when I suggested it to SWMBO it got a very favourable reception. With the tree stump gone I could then take the level from the edge of the grass (calling it lawn would be an exaggeration) to where I need the decking for the raised section to end.
Site at a very early stage of clearance
Site at a very early stage of clearance
IMG_4317.JPG (80.01 KiB) Viewed 7033 times
The above picture is a view of the site after I had cleared off the brick patio a while ago, but before I got into the tangle of ivy around the old tree stump.

I had intended to finish at that point, but a quick look at the clock showed it to be 11:30am, which left an hour until lunchtime. Armed with that knowledge I decided to dig a couple of holes and concrete in the first support piers. The concrete is now happily drying, and I am inside trying to convince my back that it really was not that strenuous a workout! If I get chance the other two piers for the first section of raised track will go in this afternoon, and I may even get a photo or two.

Cheers,
Peter in VA
Last edited by IrishPeter on Sat Mar 23, 2019 12:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Mar 22, 2019 6:43 pm

Good start Peter, well done and thanks for the update. The exercise will be good for you and the end product make it all worthwhile.
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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by philipy » Fri Mar 22, 2019 7:38 pm

Making a start is usually the hardest part, so well done on that.
Philip

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Sat Mar 23, 2019 1:20 am

I did indeed get a little further.
Construction 3
Construction 3
March 22 C U O me a peony.JPG (81.93 KiB) Viewed 7008 times
This was close of play today. The ivy covered area has been cleared and the first four posts are in. They are a lot more lined up than the look in the photo, it seems to be a trick of the camera angle because every thing measures about right.
Looking from the site of the buffer stops
Looking from the site of the buffer stops
March 22 B.JPG (64.97 KiB) Viewed 7008 times
This photo is taken about where the end of the passenger station will me facing the hill. Where the edge of the construction area is in the near distance the line will turn right and start climbing.
Looking west
Looking west
March 22 A.JPG (68.35 KiB) Viewed 7008 times
This should be roughly the view from the 'back' platform when the station is built.

That's it for now.

Peter in VA
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Dwayne » Sat Mar 23, 2019 12:43 pm

:thumbright:

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Soar Valley Light » Sun Mar 24, 2019 8:24 pm

Great start Peter. You're clearly engineering this to a good standard. :thumbright:

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:06 am

I try and make things substantial, Andrew, but I really don't want to have to lay masonry unless I have to. My main thing is to avoid using inappropriate materials. For example, softwood posts are a non-starter here because of the wet and the termites - hence going for either PVC or concrete.

I got the first of the horizontal rails and some decking boards on Saturday morning before we left to go down to North Carolina, but did not get pictures before I left. The rails are fairly light (3" x 2") but with supports at 3' intervals, and the fact it is not intended to be walked on there is still plenty of structural strength there. The decking board are 1" actual thickness and pressure treated so with regular treatment they should last at least 10 and probably 15 years. If I renew then I may well use composite, but at the moment I am having to watch the budget a bit because even though the money supply is better than last year, I have still taken an appreciable cut in stipend compared to 2015/6.

I have to admit that I am somewhat concerned about the lack of ground clearance at the far (west) end of the site, and I will have to consider whether composite decking boards might be wiser there despite the costs. It really depends if I can get them cut in store so I can get them home in the car. I am also concerned by their relatively high expansion rates in hot weather, which to my mind makes it preferable to lay them at a right angle to the track.

Cheers,
Peter in VA
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by GTB » Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:12 pm

IrishPeter wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:06 am
I have to admit that I am somewhat concerned about the lack of ground clearance at the far (west) end of the site, and I will have to consider whether composite decking boards might be wiser there despite the costs. It really depends if I can get them cut in store so I can get them home in the car. I am also concerned by their relatively high expansion rates in hot weather, which to my mind makes it preferable to lay them at a right angle to the track.
As far as I can discover, the Filcris used in the UK is just recycled HDPE. The composite decking materials such as 'Trex' used in the US and 'modwood' here in Oz are a mixture of plastic and wood fibre (sawdust?) and are more stable. The data I have on the Aust 'Modwood' is that it expands with temperature at about the same rate as steel and much less than recycled HDPE. The same technical data sheet also gives guidance on laying it in hot weather and leaving expansion gaps between boards.

Real wood expands more across the grain than along it, but these recycled plastic and composite boards are homogenous and expand the same in any direction, like metals.

If as you say, you lay composite decking across the framing, you can leave a small gap between pieces and there would be no issues. Using it for longitudinal framing would seem to be OK as well, as the expansion rate is much the same as the metal rails........

Graeme

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by ge_rik » Tue Mar 26, 2019 8:38 pm

Looks like you're making a good start, Peter.
Now the real fun begins! :?

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Wed Mar 27, 2019 5:27 pm

GTB wrote: Tue Mar 26, 2019 12:12 pm As far as I can discover, the Filcris used in the UK is just recycled HDPE. The composite decking materials such as 'Trex' used in the US and 'modwood' here in Oz are a mixture of plastic and wood fibre (sawdust?) and are more stable. The data I have on the Aust 'Modwood' is that it expands with temperature at about the same rate as steel and much less than recycled HDPE. The same technical data sheet also gives guidance on laying it in hot weather and leaving expansion gaps between boards.

Real wood expands more across the grain than along it, but these recycled plastic and composite boards are homogenous and expand the same in any direction, like metals.

If as you say, you lay composite decking across the framing, you can leave a small gap between pieces and there would be no issues. Using it for longitudinal framing would seem to be OK as well, as the expansion rate is much the same as the metal rails........

Graeme
Well, that is good news about Trex. The end piece closest to the grass is more or less ground level so it is going to have to be built of that or something similar, with concrete foundation, or I am looking at it only having a three to five year life span. Even at that I am going to have to lower the ground level a little. The posts I banging in this morning were only 24" for the first set and 18" for the second compared to the 30" for the originals. The ground in that part of the garden seems to rise at about 1 in 6! After that the slope eases to about 1 in 10 to 1 in 12. I suspect the steep bit was generated by the excavations undertaken 125 years ago when the house was built!

Cheers,
Peter in VA
Last edited by IrishPeter on Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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It has grown a bit!

Post by IrishPeter » Thu Mar 28, 2019 1:50 am

The construction work on the 'table' for the main station has proceeded quite rapidly. I had the first 6' panel more or less complete on Saturday morning, and this was joined today by a second.

I would describe the construction as 'orthodox' - PVC legs embedded in, and partly filled with, concrete; 3" x 2' stringers, and 1.25" x 6" decking boards on top. The timber dimensions are nominal, so a 6" board is actually about 5.5" wide, which is why I need to add another two boards to complete the 12' length of the wooden area. However that may well prove to be a handy overlap between wooden, and composite construction. I have yet to start the low level composite (Trex) extension, but once that is added the total area will be about 16' by 4'.
Side view
Side view
27 MarchC.JPG (65.1 KiB) Viewed 6740 times
This is view from the approximate site of the main platform buffer stop looking uphill.
Looking uphill
Looking uphill
27 MarchD.JPG (54.77 KiB) Viewed 6740 times
I reckon this is about where the curve of the mainline into the station will start. In all likelihood it will be about 5 foot radius.
From the grass
From the grass
27 MarchA.JPG (69.24 KiB) Viewed 6740 times
This gap will probably be closed using composite decking boards with the stringers - also of composite - being tied to a concrete block foundation. There is not enough ground clearance to allow for timber construction without rot becoming an issue rather earlier than one would like.
The Gap
The Gap
27 MarchB.JPG (78.51 KiB) Viewed 6740 times
This shot shows the whole of the station area with the transition from benchwork to ground level track is at the very bottom of the shot. The loco shed will be bottom right. The station will cover most of the boarded area, with the goods facilities top left on the bench work as I envision things at the moment.
The "aerial" view
The "aerial" view
27 MarchF.JPG (64.24 KiB) Viewed 6740 times
Once I have the benchwork complete the next job will be to stain or paint the wooden sections grey or brown. Then I will be ready to start laying track. After today's effort the PW superintendent (the dog) is 'cream crackered' and is fast asleep in his bed by the piano. He is certainly better at digging holes than I am - or so he says!

That's it for now.

Peter in Va
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by BorisSpencer » Thu Mar 28, 2019 12:33 pm

Looks nice and substantial.
I may have been tempted to make a bit taller, closer to table height, but I'm old and have to consider my knees and back.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Thu Mar 28, 2019 1:40 pm

Hi, Boris,

I can vouch for it being substantial as I sat down rather heavy on the first section yesterday when digging a hole for the first post for the second section. The height was determined by the fact that I am going to ground as the slope rises so 20" was about the maximum, but that will at least give my back half a chance compared to my old railway which was ground level throughout. However, as I have a certain amount of sciatica bending and stretching help me to some degree. I think when it comes due for rebuilding in about 12-15 years I will be close enough to Medicare to think about raising it to table top height, but so far so good. The inside layout - the Skebawn and Castleknox - is pitched at about 3'3" which is rather nice for viewing trains, but operationally is a bit high.

Peter in Va
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Andrew » Thu Mar 28, 2019 4:02 pm

This is looking excellent - it's great to see a new line emerging, and you seem to be working at quite a pace too!

It certainly looks substantial, which you'll be glad of when shunting etc. I've certainly been grateful that my raised terminus baseboard (essentially a table made from decking board etc) can take my weight, even if it's just as I lean on it when I'm uncoupling or whatever.

Looking forward to more pics in due course,

Andrew.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Mar 28, 2019 8:34 pm

That is certainly progress and substantial construction too! I know we are separated by a small pond but perhaps descriptions of materials are different in our own countries? When you mention 'decking board' I presumed you refer to pressure treated timber which has an extended life expectancy and is usually sold in unfinished (rough-sawn) planks. The ones in your pictures appear to be planed softwood, which is usually untreated against rot and intended for indoor use only.
Perhaps it is available in a different form where you are?
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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Thu Mar 28, 2019 9:56 pm

Peter,

They are kind of halfway between the two here. 'Decking boards' are some sort of pressure treated planed soft wood over here, though you can get things like cedar for a premium price. It has a slight greenish hue which the camera did not pick up, and it smells a bit weird too. With regular treatment it is supposed to last 10 to 15 years, but I am thinking this stuff may well be in the 'we'll see' category, but as it is elevated off the ground and will be getting plenty of fresh air it should be OK. When it goes rotten, if I can still bend and lift well enough to continue with this railway, it will be replaced with composite. Composite has at least three times the life of pressure treated boards, but it is three times the price.

Andrew,
Yes, I wanted to make the terminus somewhat raised to ease shunting operations. I intend following the same sort of sequence operation I used to do in 'OO' when I was a teenager, so there will be several trains each session to be made up and disposed of. This meant a ground level terminus was absolutely out of the question, and if I can negotiate the way leaves with SWMBO, the upper terminus will also be elevated. An intermediate station where a wagon or two a day/week is dropped off and collected can happily be at ground level, especially as NG vehicles were often manhandled to ease operations.

Picture will come when there is something a bit more interesting than a coat of paint - which is my next move.

Cheers,
Peter in Va
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:52 am

The coat of paint was duly slapped on last Saturday followed by a second on Sunday when the weather was reasonably warm. The net result was an area 11' by 4' that looked as though it had been assaulted by the Royal Navy's finest wielding paint brushes - though judging from the shade of grey it looks as though the German Imperial Navy may have been culprit. Anyway, all that acreage of empty timber was just begging to have some track attached to it. Monday came and I marked out where the mainline, head shunt and loop should go, Tuesday they were laid down, so inevitably today I was outside with a coach, a wagon, and a small loco today to see if I could get anything to derail.

HGLW diesel, a tin van, and the 4-wh third take the loop
April 3A.JPG
April 3A.JPG (51.77 KiB) Viewed 7023 times
Reverse angle. The area to the left of the train is intended for a goods shed, but I may just build an sort of representative extension to the Bazaar - a loop with a couple of sidings - instead. It just depends on how Darjeeling I want to make this. The original thought was more Darjeeling-esque than a true model of a prototype. The second Darjeeling station (fl.1891-1947) was in my mind when designing this railway. I find the present Art Deco building is rather attractive - though the effect is rather spoiled by the concrete box (hotel? hostel?) over platform 2 - but decided it would a pain to model. However, all was not lost as the old station had a slightly quirky charm to it with its many gabled canopy (a different sort of a pain to model) and very simple track layout.
April 3C.JPG
April 3C.JPG (43.73 KiB) Viewed 7023 times
An attempt at the traditional train approaching three-quarter shot. This should be the main platform road when things go a bit further than 8 feet.
April 3G.JPG
April 3G.JPG (33.32 KiB) Viewed 7023 times
Alas we can go no further... for now!
April 3H.JPG
April 3H.JPG (56.24 KiB) Viewed 7023 times
That's it for now!

Peter in VA
Last edited by IrishPeter on Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Apr 04, 2019 1:46 pm

You must be feeling rather pleased with yourself after all of the planning and preparation. It is going to be good regardless of what you decide to do.
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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by IrishPeter » Thu Apr 04, 2019 3:54 pm

I gave some serious thought to the post-1947 station. The 1947 track layout is a little larger than its predecessor - two bay platforms, through platform, loop and through siding; turntable road, and two road loco shed. The older station lacked the through roads, and was simply a loop and a couple of sidings. The 1947 canopy is a lot simpler, but the 1947 building has radiused corners with windows in them, and a bunch of other things that would drive me to distraction trying to model them. The 'I do this to enjoy it' rule was applied and decided the older building was more doable with my limited patience/modelling skills, despite the canopy. The other consideration is that the DHR was busier in the 1930s than it was later, so the rather small 2nd station dealt with three through trains a day, with the Mail often running in several sections, plus the two Kurseong locals.

One thing the research has showed me is that the DHR was built on shoestring budget considering the sort of country through which it passes. The original station at Darjeeling was nothing but a rather extensive tin shed, and probably consisted of no more than a loop and possibly a siding (not apparent in the one surviving photo.) The railway built some more permanent digs after 10 years (1891) but that was a relatively simple stone structure, and the track layout was not altered until somewhat later when they took the loop out of the roadway, and re-routed it across the back of the railway's property. I am sure that a line of trolleys and wagons sat in the Hill Cart Road was none too popular even in the days of mainly pedestrian and horse drawn traffic. Given the propensity of the DHR to operate trains in several sections by "visual interval and smoke signals" there must have been times when the station was very hard pressed indeed.

The big compromise in the design was not having the room for the extension to the Bazaar. That could have curved round to run along the back of the house, but I decided a lifting section would be a monumental nuisance. Also given the width of the station I need to be able to move swiftly and easily from one side to the other when shunting. As a result, the initial plan places an iron goods shed similar to the one that survives at Kurseong in one corner of the station bench work. Operationally it will be a bit of a pig, as to shunt the goods one will need to have the loop platform clear, but I like a minor operational headache or two.

Sorry, I rather when off there!

Cheers,
Peter in Va

P.S. I wonder what the HMI will make of staff and ticket with permissive block working. Should be an interesting report! :D
Traffic Pattern? What pattern? Spuds out; grain in, but cattle, sheep and passengers are a lot less predictable.

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Re: The Far End Tramway - Construction starts!

Post by Andrew » Thu Apr 04, 2019 4:13 pm

It's great to see some track going down - and doesn't your new stock look fantastic in the sunshine?!

The "I only do this to enjoy it" rule is a good one - and one I often only remember after I've tied myself up in knots over some obscure and irrelevant detail or other!

Cheers,

Andrew.

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