Building the RVLR

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 8:37 am

Oh I know all about being a Parson................well Lay Minister, Peter. I'm Minister of Music (posh name for Director of Music) to an Anglo-Catholic Parish and I am also a Unitarian Lay Pastor...........................two differant services in two contrasting styles each Sunday. And it's the "Sabbath"you say

It's all good fun.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:06 pm

SapperAnt:88125 wrote:Let hymns be sung and trumpets blown!!

FIRST TRAIN on the R.V.L.R.!

(vid to follow shortly)

Congratulations! Always a great moment, glad you've made it!

Andrew.

hussra · Post by **hussra** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:10 pm

Congratulations!

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 1:16 pm

Congratulations!

What have you used for the fencing at -20?

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Mon Sep 09, 2013 4:45 pm

Thanks!!!

The fencing is moulded plastic fencing which came with the job lot of o-gauge and SM32 track from the dear old lady over the road so I don't know it's source. I'm going to spray it black to make it look more like cast iron.

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 5:14 pm

Further updates!

I have laid my Station/Yard area as a mirror image of Blythburgh on the Southwold Railway.

I was casting about for ideas of English as opposed to Welsh NG lines and came accross a 13 year old Railway Modeller which had Blythburgh as "Model of the Month" and was hooked. Obviously, my line is 2 foot, not 3 foot. And will use largely ex-WD stock.....

So ....

progress report (my boyfriend and I are having a "Staycation" this week. We were meant to go places and do things and have a mad spring clean before his mum comes over. It hasnt worked quite like that.....)

New foundations laid to create space for the Yard/Sation area.
Founddations laid for the sidings etc.

Track from Jenny over the road cleaned of old mortar and cr*p, points refurbished (one new pair ordered).

Once foundation was solid track laid and mortared and ballasted into place.

Half the loop was done yesterday the remainder today (alas finished in a bit of a rush due to it starting to rain. NOT my best work and e'er now tis bugging me from the garden as I sit in my office so I think the long siding will have to be relaid at some point).

Having been used to ballasting indoor model railways where the ballast was purely cosmetic.....16mm ballasting is proving rather differant - as it has to work as real ballast. Ive found some really fine c.3mm granite and slate chippings which are really angular and lock together nicely. I also made myself a little tamper to pack it all down tight and lock together to hold the track solid.

Keith S · Post by **Keith S** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:06 pm

SapperAnt:89575 wrote:
I was casting about for ideas of English as opposed to Welsh NG lines and came accross a 13 year old Railway Modeller which had Blythburgh as "Model of the Month" and was hooked. Obviously, my line is 2 foot, not 3 foot. And will use largely ex-WD stock.....

This is where I have the advantage being Canadian. My rolling stock is a mish-mash of Welsh, English, and even I.O.M, and no-one is around to correct me or get all funny about it.

Ballasting is a sticky wicket, because though it does have to function as real ballast, unfortunately any sort of rain at all in real life qualifies as a 16mm deluge, and you'll be forever repairing the roadbed if you don't fix it down somehow. I know this because on my little loop of track which I have just hidden in the woods near my house, I actually had quite a nice day of smooth running after I had "ballasted" the tracks as per full-size practice, but then the next week came back to find the ballast was all washed away and I was back to the same old jumping-off-the-tracks nonsense as before.

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:14 pm

Yeahhh

and dont forget the birds.

Ive tried two methods

the first mixing ballast and some sand with waterproof PVA and applying that

the second - and my favoured method - mixing the ballast with dry quick drying mortar, applying the mix and then watering it.

Time will tell as to which will last.

Mind you the ballast Im using is £2.50 for a 10kg bag so I'm not complaining!!!!

LnBmad · Post by **LnBmad** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:22 pm

SapperAnt:89579 wrote: Mind you the ballast Im using is £2.50 for a 10kg bag so I'm not complaining!!!!

Where is this from?!?

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:38 pm

Appologies for the cr*p photos - I'm losing the light!

But yeah, I think they give a good impression of what has been achieved over the past four or five days. All to the good!

Click to see full size image

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Wed Sep 25, 2013 6:44 pm

Ballast from Messrs. B&Q. Amazingly enough.

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:09 pm

Some more progress pics!

Click to see full size image

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:12 pm

SapperAnt:89582 wrote:Ballast from Messrs. B&Q. Amazingly enough.

Was this one of the 'Warehouse' stores? Our local small sized store does not stock this stuff...... I've asked before.

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:15 pm

Yep. The Mahooosive one in Stockport. I bought four bags worth. Its a "Decorative Gravel", comes in 3mm to 5mm grain size, in Gold, Red, Blue and Grey-Green. I opted for the Grey-Green. .

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:19 pm

It looks good but Stockport is just outside my normal shopping area!
My nearest store would be Llanelli which is about 25 miles away.... still too far to be economical!

HereticUK · Post by **HereticUK** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:23 pm

B&Q do home deliveries as well by the looks of it: £5 delivery charge on orders totalling less than £50, free delivery for orders over £50.

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:28 pm

Also forgot to mention: ran the first Steam on the new Yard today.

Did some shunting.

I have learned several things from an afternoon of setting myself shunting puzzles and Pimms.

1. Fit chopper couplings to all stock (chain is too faffy)
2. Remove the blades from the loco to easy coupling and uncoupling.
3. An off-layout steam up area is a must.

Ive also discovered my scratch built long wheel based 4 wheel stock derails over the Peco 38" radius points. So I need to shorten the wheelbase or get rid. They run fine on the curves but derail on the points. This is....annoying.

The current curves are a bit tight. They're the 2' 6" radius ones. Im not sure how I can slacken them without a major rebuild so this means short wheel base stock...or bogeys.

I am also very tempted to extend the Yard/Station area forwards into the sunken garden via wooden shelf attached via battens and angle brackets as a means of creating more scenic space. Probably as a lift-on/off section with the station building,platform etc mounted on it to be taken out for running sessions. This would also increase the realism as I would have the train running through the scenery rather than as is now, on the edge of it! It would also provide greater peace of mind in case of any accident there'd be no drop!!!!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:37 pm

Increase the supply of Pimms and either you will work out the problems or they will find a way of becoming less important!

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Thu Sep 26, 2013 10:41 pm

Thanks, Peter

I think there needs to be more intensive testing and with other like minded individuals. I might declare next weekend, weather permitting, an open house for my train friends. And yes, obviously, increase the Pimms flow in my alcohol stream.

These observations - other than the long wheel base stock hating the 38" radius points - are based on only a few hours. So more studying and observation is required. But usually "bugs" present themselves quite early......

Not that Im complaining. Ive not got a Garden Railway. With sidings and everything!

SapperAnt · Post by **SapperAnt** » Fri Oct 04, 2013 3:04 pm

I think it's official. I need to relay the curves with the new Peco 38" radius. The current 30" radius are just to goddam tight!

I'm going to have a furtle with track templates but I think they shouldnt be a problem and will have the added bonus (in my head) of taking the track away from the wall tops for most of the run which will prevent what happened earlier today - a derailment and a drop of 18 inches to the ground. OUCH.

I think I can see many boxes of curves for birthday and christmas presents.......

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