Clay Mills Junction Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 (edited) The first three blocks glued by this method. Everything that follows depends on the success of this stage. There are seven blocks, the leftmost I'm not putting an arch in due to its shape. That leaves six blocks with five arches. I'll glue them in two sets of three to make them manageable and do four of the arches. I've got a few ideas for putting them together. Either turning them over on the 12mm ply then sliding them off into position or leaving them upside down and using my supply of massive zip ties to brace them tightly to the ply and lower them into place. Edit: I've been out to check, six do fit on that strip of ply and feels like they are within my lifting capacity so one helper should be enough. I flattened the tops of the first three before gluing and they fitted together much better than the next three, so obviously the filing first is useful. Edited May 9, 2022 by Clay Mills Junction sort photos uploaded from phone 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco Hauled Posted May 9, 2022 Share Posted May 9, 2022 May I ask why you didn't cut the arches into the blocks first? The height of the arches is going to be set by the flat top of the plywood and the blocks would have been more manoeuvrable when you're cutting. They also would be lighter to lift. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted May 9, 2022 Author Share Posted May 9, 2022 52 minutes ago, Loco Hauled said: May I ask why you didn't cut the arches into the blocks first? The height of the arches is going to be set by the flat top of the plywood and the blocks would have been more manoeuvrable when you're cutting. They also would be lighter to lift. Hi, the arches will go with the join on the block at the highest point of the arch. It just makes the join between blocks a little less obvious than having them all the way down to the ground. For that I need to join them first before getting the core-cutter on them. The other, more honest answer is "copying Mick." 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loco Hauled Posted May 10, 2022 Share Posted May 10, 2022 Ah, now that makes perfect sense. I knew there had to be a reason and I guess if you cut them from one block it would either make the supporting piers too thick or to fragile for reliable support. I'm learning stuff everyday. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted May 10, 2022 Author Share Posted May 10, 2022 (edited) I glued the second group of three blocks on to the first group. The first four blocks are perfect. Four to five has a slight lip and five to six is perfect too. I think I was too ambitious getting all six together - should have done two groups of three then put them together as I said I would. It isn't a massive lip. Options are to cut through the glue between four and five and re-glue or file five and six until I get a flat top? In terms of strength, I could lift the six blocks together as they are now. It might be a different story when the arches are cut and the mating surfaces are much smaller. Block 1 is on the right. Edited May 10, 2022 by Clay Mills Junction Blocks numbered from the right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted May 15, 2022 Author Share Posted May 15, 2022 A little video update. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mick Posted May 15, 2022 Share Posted May 15, 2022 Really good to see something running after all your efforts. Still work to be done of course but that's how we've all started and at least being able to run something, even if it's only across temporary boards in certain places, gives you the motivation to carry on and get more of the layout completed. You've made a great job of the track you've managed to get down and it all looks pretty smooth to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 (edited) A few more photos from the weekend works. I started with my core cutter. I did the first one without hammer action and it took a while. Tried the second hole at the other end with hammer and the join next to it immediately gave way, I guess from the vibrations. So having cut the other four holes I re-glued the join. Once that had a few hours to set I started on the final hole. As I cut through, the join gave up again although with the hole done that isn't an issue now, I'll just settle them in separately. So on with sawing the arches. My brother-in-law decided that it now needed a flying blue Ford Anglia. I told him he'd have to make do with a blue Triumph 2000 from a distance. 😂 Edited June 12, 2022 by Clay Mills Junction 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenbrunt Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Looking good, I wish when I do a job all the surrounding areas stay clean. I only cut a couple of pieces of wood and still sweeping up a week after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 14 hours ago, kenbrunt said: Looking good, I wish when I do a job all the surrounding areas stay clean. I only cut a couple of pieces of wood and still sweeping up a week after. You don't want to see the area where I cut them. 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 Yesterday evening I got the final two blocks along the front row sawn down to size. I didn't lay them exactly level but good enough for me to get the track cut so they rejoin at the point and from there I can set the viaduct in place and tidy up that corner. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenbrunt Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 Its looking good and I know the feeling when you can see the end to a project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 (edited) Some track cut. I think I'll need a few millimeters off the outside loop to bring it away from the fence post a little. I'll need to create a filler piece between the passing loop station and the viaduct but that is the final resting place for the viaduct. I think I'll do a straight block off the right hand side of the viaduct and then I need to decide what the structure will be going down the side. Edited June 18, 2022 by Clay Mills Junction Finishing off text to make sense 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted July 2, 2022 Author Share Posted July 2, 2022 (edited) Viaduct in final place, levelled, glued together again, sand cleared and stones spread out. There's still some blocks either side that need finalised. The next bit will be to solder the track feeds then to lay the roofing felt and cut it to shape. After that the point needs to be resprung. Still much to do, but it feels like a stage achieved. Edited July 2, 2022 by Clay Mills Junction grammar 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenbrunt Posted July 3, 2022 Share Posted July 3, 2022 It's looking stunning, you should be very pleased with yourself. I like the look that the viaduct brings to your railway. I have to figure out how I will get phase 2 from Howey Exchange Station and into shed. Having to cross the loops twice on the lower boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted August 9, 2022 Author Share Posted August 9, 2022 Finally I've been able to get started again. Not with much though. By the time I've finished work and eaten there is very little of the evening left. That is another 8 dropper wires soldered to the track though not soldered to the bus yet. If I can get that done this week whilst it is hot and still that should make the outdoor soldering easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted April 10, 2023 Author Share Posted April 10, 2023 As the fashion seems to be a post-winter damage update, I'll report almost nothing. I've had a few weeds growing in the stones under the viaduct but it was so little I didn't think to take a picture. There was a rather large mushroom growing there as well. So with the weeding done and some leaves cleared away, I restarted the building phase by mixing some cement for the front row of the passing loop station that I had not previously done a very good job on. I need to work my way along before I cement the ends of the viaduct in. This being necessary because I cut to the blocks a bit too small to lay in sand only; and, as a reminder, I'm laying the rest in sand as I don't want to make the whole thing too permanent in case I have to move. I'm no expert on mixing concrete or cement so I have no idea if my 6:1 ratio with sharp sand will work. I do think I should have used a dribble more water but we learn as we go. I only mixed just enough for 3 blocks but that was enough for the time I had available. I don't think I'll ever have the time to spend a day building it so these little sessions will have to suffice. I had to do a bit of adjustment to the blocks with a file to get them flat enough but I'm happy with them now. So 3 more blocks along the front to do, I hope during this week, and then I can get on to the viaduct during one of the May bank holiday weekends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted April 26, 2023 Author Share Posted April 26, 2023 (edited) 3 more blocks cemented in last night and a base for the transition blocks to the viaduct in tonight. I'll do a smoother 1:4 mix to finish the transition blocks tomorrow evening. There is a tiny bit of adjustment needed with the file when it is all dried but not huge. As people may know I'm a fan of the Chadwick model railway YT channel. The recent video on servo point motors was interesting. The usual way of doing servos seems to be with controller modules that set the limits of travel etc. I was thinking this was a bit complex for the garden, Charlie's latest video introduced MTB MP1 and MP5 point motors - they seem to be a more physical operation with cams operating the cut-off and for adjusting the length of travel. That means just a simple DC power supply and a two way switch to operate. I'm considering. The second thing I'm considering is parapet walls for the viaduct. Shaped block seems a little too much effort given the time I have. My current pondering is whether I could use more aluminium L section as the structure and stone effect plasticard as the decoration. That might be some way off though as getting it running is more of a priority. Edited April 26, 2023 by Clay Mills Junction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted April 30, 2023 Author Share Posted April 30, 2023 (edited) That is the cementing of the station area and transition onto the viaduct done. Edited April 30, 2023 by Clay Mills Junction 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Mills Junction Posted May 1, 2023 Author Share Posted May 1, 2023 (edited) Quick video to show how much flatter the cemented in blocks are. Just a little fettling to do then on with the roofing felt. I also managed to get the damaged track in the siding on the board replaced. Edited May 1, 2023 by Clay Mills Junction 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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