Time to build a railway...but where?

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FWLR
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by FWLR » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:09 am

Those front wheels are awfully close to the cylinders Peter, but you have done your magic again :thumbright:

Nice little box for her too… :thumbright:

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by pandsrowe » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:36 am

That is certainly a fair amount of metal removal, full marks for having the courage to do it. I see that you have weighted the bogie but is there springing of any description between the bogie and the loco frames?
I have for sometime had one of these Slaters kits on my wish list but I don't somehow think that I will get it to go around my 3ft curves!
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:13 am

You are right Phil, a whole load of original material is now in the bin! I had little option but to tackle the issue if I ever wanted to use the loco, it was so disappointing and frustrating looking at a beautiful machine refusing to go 'off piste'. I tried removing the rear bogie wheels first to see whether the binding was there but to no avail.
The additional weight helps with keeping the wheels in contact with the rails if there is a slight dip in the track, there is enough play to allow the front pair to drop a little. However, there is no room for suspension as the bogie slides on a smooth plate and is permanently in contact on the level.
I don't know what market this kit was designed to satisfy..... excellent as a detailed static model although able to be motorised for use but with severe limitations.
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by ge_rik » Fri Mar 30, 2018 12:46 pm

That's disappointing, Peter. For a kit of that price and complexity, you would have thought they would have ironed out the most basic of user demands - ie making sure it runs OK. Good job you're used to fettling!

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by GTB » Fri Mar 30, 2018 1:58 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:13 am I don't know what market this kit was designed to satisfy..... excellent as a detailed static model although able to be motorised for use but with severe limitations.
You've beaten it into submission and ended up with a nice model in spite of the design, so you can be proud of that.

I've also struck loco kits like that in the past, designed for a market that demands every detail that opens and shuts, but which doesn't seem interested it whether it actually runs or not.

One wonders if the designers of some of these 'high end' kits ever bother putting together a test kit and running it extensively before releasing it on the market......

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Sun Apr 08, 2018 7:52 pm

O, what a beautiful day..... in fact a 'T' shirt day today in West Wales, so a great opportunity to check out the railway and see what damage the winter weather has caused. First a trip around with trowel and bucket to remove all of the weeds before they get a firm grip, that filled a wheelbarrow to start! Then a thorough Henrying, (I don't have a Hoover) to suck up all of the loose material, twigs, leaves etc. from the track and finally make sure all of the points operate correctly.
That made it sound too easy whereas in reality I discovered one or two unexpected surprises....
My track is laid on treated timber supported above ground at varying heights according to the rising ground level, we are also surrounded by fields so there are a great variety of small animals which are always looking for suitable places to burrow.....
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What they are I have no idea but they have made themselves at home all over the railway.
The other thing I discovered was a jammed point which was caused by my home-made crank system. This has been in use for a good four years so has lasted well, however, the steel shaft has corroded inside the brass tube and no longer swivels.....
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Easily solved by making a brass replacement.
One Peco point spring had popped out but still under the cover plate.
Best of all is the ballast has remained firmly stuck with the SBR despite the continuous wet and occasional frost conditions.
I even managed to run a loco or two... now that is rare for me.
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by FWLR » Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:12 am

How do you get to wear a t-shirt yesterday Peter, it was blooming wet again here, it only turned sunny about 6.30pm…. :lol:

Put a humane trap down Peter and trap one of the beggars.
Are or have they caused any damage to your line and have you noticed them around in the past mate.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by IanC » Mon Apr 09, 2018 10:43 am

It was nice here too, but sadly other things prevented me from taking advantage even though there was a local group meeting.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Mon Apr 09, 2018 11:06 am

FWLR wrote: Mon Apr 09, 2018 7:12 am
Put a humane trap down Peter and trap one of the beggars.
Are or have they caused any damage to your line and have you noticed them around in the past mate.
Trouble is, Rod, that we are in their territory! There are any more of them than us and a losing battle would ensue. But in answer to your question, no damage to the railway other than some soil spread over the track occasionally.
Diane's greenhouse has also been occupied by mice which have found a comfortable place to live in her bulbs dry-stored during the winter. She picked up a box and four little faces were looking out at her. She carefully put the box down and they moved on...... perhaps to find a railway to live in?
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by FWLR » Mon Apr 09, 2018 1:39 pm

So do you know what they are then Peter.

It’s my turn for a t-shirt today Peter, power washed the bottom patio and top has well this morning, sweating my proverbials off :lol: :lol:

Going to get “Partrica Anne” running this afternoon ... :D :D

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by ge_rik » Mon Apr 09, 2018 6:45 pm

That's normally my Easter weekend job, getting the railway ready for the new season. A bit indisposed at the moment.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by mymodeltrain » Tue Apr 10, 2018 3:15 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Sun Apr 08, 2018 7:52 pm O, what a beautiful day..... in fact a 'T' shirt day today in West Wales, so a great opportunity to check out the railway and see what damage the winter weather has caused. First a trip around with trowel and bucket to remove all of the weeds before they get a firm grip, that filled a wheelbarrow to start! Then a thorough Henrying, (I don't have a Hoover) to suck up all of the loose material, twigs, leaves etc. from the track and finally make sure all of the points operate correctly.
That made it sound too easy whereas in reality I discovered one or two unexpected surprises....
My track is laid on treated timber supported above ground at varying heights according to the rising ground level, we are also surrounded by fields so there are a great variety of small animals which are always looking for suitable places to burrow.....
IMG_5326.JPG
IMG_5325.JPG
IMG_5324.JPG
IMG_5323.JPG
What they are I have no idea but they have made themselves at home all over the railway.
The other thing I discovered was a jammed point which was caused by my home-made crank system. This has been in use for a good four years so has lasted well, however, the steel shaft has corroded inside the brass tube and no longer swivels.....
IMG_5327.JPG
Easily solved by making a brass replacement.
One Peco point spring had popped out but still under the cover plate.
Best of all is the ballast has remained firmly stuck with the SBR despite the continuous wet and occasional frost conditions.
I even managed to run a loco or two... now that is rare for me.

I also have many holes like that in the garden, particularly more significantly this year around the track. But this happens mostly in the Winter since I did not run the trains. There are 2 types of holes created by chipmunks and moles. From your photos, it seems you have chipmunks since the holes are deep, round and created from above. Moles usually dig tunnels underneath and when in reaches to the surface, you would see a tunnel of cracking soil and small dunes. Usually, in Tennessee there are services to get rid of moles in the garden, but for my experience, I just need to turn the light on at night and let the trains run around; it is effective enough to scare the moles since they don't like vibration. To scare them more, I have a sound card with noise from farm animals, I noticed that moles' activity moved out of my railway on the other side of the fence.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Apr 10, 2018 6:54 pm

I absolutely love the idea of wild Chipmunks alive and well and living in West Wales! Somehow I have my doubts and I'm unsure whether I would enjoy their presence. We do have moles, loads of them, and their hills and holes are easily recognisable. The holes I have in the railway appear to be larger than mice would need but I haven't seen any other animals which could be responsible on the site. We do have voles, rabbits and rats elsewhere so it might be any of them? Strangely, our dogs (Springers) take no notice of activity on the railway itself but do dig into mole-hills and even on flat surfaces where they smell moles underground.
Because we have a mole problem I have tried to deter them by placing vibrating equipment underground. I can tell you they don't work as our moles pop up next to them!
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Apr 10, 2018 8:57 pm

I've got it Peter, mines!

Couple of Claymores will do you right.

Otherwise, maybe a local Welsh choir could sing them to their deaths?

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Apr 10, 2018 9:16 pm

Why am I getting the impression you have had a bad experience during a visit to wales in your past? I'm sure there are many who would defend the Welsh choirs as supreme amongst their peers and not to be confused with pest control!
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by tom_tom_go » Tue Apr 10, 2018 9:32 pm

I jest Peter although brown bath water might have put me off when I was a child on holiday in Wales.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:17 pm

Brown bath water is a thing of the past, certainly in Wales, we did have a natural supply here when we first moved in but modern filter systems took care of that. However the brownest water I ever bathed in was in Scotland.... fresh from the peat bogs, although it tasted OK.
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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by LNR » Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:36 am

Peter Butler wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:17 pm the brownest water I ever bathed in was in Scotland.... fresh from the peat bogs, although it tasted OK.
Is this a Welsh thing, drinking bath water :shock:
Grant.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by FWLR » Wed Apr 11, 2018 8:20 am

I might have an answer Peter for your hole’s, it may be weasels or a weasel……..
Just seems like the size of the holes are to big for mice and maybe there are lots of mice around that the weasel can prey on.

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Re: Time to build a railway...but where?

Post by Peter Butler » Wed Apr 11, 2018 10:37 am

LNR wrote: Wed Apr 11, 2018 2:36 am
Peter Butler wrote: Tue Apr 10, 2018 10:17 pm the brownest water I ever bathed in was in Scotland.... fresh from the peat bogs, although it tasted OK.
Is this a Welsh thing, drinking bath water :shock:
Grant.
Do you mean it's not normal practise?
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