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Glen Dollar Garden Railway


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Wow its looking very good you should be very pleased how its all turning out and trains running. I still have covers on outside , however running short trains in the shed. Hoping to take the covers off in the coming weeks. Need to redo the track in short tunnel that fits in the cat flap. Me been heavy handed knocked the lined up track out during a tidy up during the winter. Many thanks for sharing.

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  • 3 months later...

It has been so wet this year I've hardly managed to get out into the garden to keep the place tidy, never mind getting anything running.

Some spare time this evening I managed to get the HST and APT sets out. I bought the final two Mk3 coaches for the HST set so I now have a 2+7 set and I wanted to see how it fitted into the passing loop station, my calculation was that it would fit but by how much.20230828_193548.thumb.jpg.58cb2bed8590d83ad1031369efc35034.jpg

20230828_194517.thumb.jpg.5a2cce36734c8195b1cbae74d9d8ed10.jpg

Also I wanted to see if the APT set would fit in the inner loop and whether it could take another coach. Here it is in 4-PC-2 formation.20230828_212414.thumb.jpg.6714f11f28ca926c5f4f9cee99fade8c.jpg

Unfortunately, the extra coaches come in packs of two and I think that 9 cars will be too much. So perhaps I will buy a pair of TRBS (restaurant buffets) and try to sell one on. Latterly, they ran in shorter form (6-PC-PC-2) with only one TRBS in the formation, I may be lucky and find someone who wants to do the same.

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
Inserting pics from phone
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On 5/2/2023 at 8:21 PM, kenbrunt said:

It looks very smart and the length certainly adds to overall look. You should be very pleased. I am saving for a couple of coaches as they are as expensive as the locos were a few years ago. I feel that the hobby is for the collectors these days not the model railways runners. The seasons been a wash out this year.

We had a run up to Chester to see Making Tracks 3. Very impressive and like you running full length sets. Had a great day there talking to Pete Waterman and sitting by the river with an ice-cream 

Yes, its becoming a very expensive hobby. I'm going to be thinning my stock out by selling a few things on ebay I think.

The HST is older coaches (c.2014) with lights. They are currently going for big money on ebay but I picked a couple up that had their lights removed for lots less. It won't cost me as much to install lighting back again as I saved. There are cheaper ways if you are prepared to accept less detail and/or do some work.

Making Tracks is something I'd like to see, current thinking is to go and see it at the Great Electric Train Show. Good you had a good time watching it.

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On 9/1/2023 at 4:53 PM, Andrew said:

Always nice to see full-length trains being run.

From the photos I can't quite see if the HST set fits into the loop, but here's hoping.

Yep, it fits between the points with enough space not to impede the other line. There will be enough space for a platform that accomodates all 7 coaches, if not the class 43's.

 

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  • 3 months later...
  • 1 month later...

Since there is a recent picture of the viaduct, there will have to be some maintenance happening here in spring to clean the stones and bottoms of the viaduct supports. I'll also have to tone down the white of the glue somehow.

The viaduct does need some walls either side of the track and I have looked at the possibility of making them from the off-cuts of concrete block. However, given the trouble Mick has had with pigeons and the difficulty in making them, I'm more inclined to use my favoured 15mm L section aluminium bent to shape. So I think the plan will be to wait for warmer weather and use the blow-torch to bend the aluminium to shape, glue it to the block with a slight overhang and then use paint to get it to a similar shade to the block.

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Nice to hear how things are going from you. This very damp winter must have been a problem for your viaduct. I will have to wait to see how my track and buildings have survived under tarpaulins once the winter weather ends. I have spent a little time relaying the tracks inside the shed. Some of the curves were tight and causing running problems.

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  • 6 months later...

Well, this year I have to report is a bit of a write off for everything. My parents have been unwell so I've spent most of the year up with them and hardly any time at home.

I do have to report that, due to the way I have stored it, the over the decking board has warped slightly at the end connecting to the railway around the blocks. I think the solution here is to fix the end down to the blocks with some kind of bolts. I've also had some thoughts about using the heavier blocks than the aerated concrete for some of them where they don't need to be cut or shaped, but where I might want them to bear weight like the end of a bridge.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I started to cut and bend the aluminium L section. It comes in 230cm lengths from B&Q. No blow torch was needed, I just cut the lower bit of the L in line with the join of the blocks and bend at that point.
I reckon with some alu primer and matt grey paint it will weather itself over time. It could be weathered as well or scribed to make it look like blockwork but I'm not that fussed so probably won't.

I'm trying it first on the original lenth of blocks down the left edge of the garden past the bushes. That section has the track damaged by birds etc. and at least one length of flexi needs replaced. I thought the L section would stop the birds going on the recessed track. I also need to replace the roofing felt down there so will cut new felt to suit the gap between the L section.

Another problem with that section is the shrubs growing over it. My second idea was to cut up 2ltr pop bottles and create covers for when the railway isn't in use to keep detritus out.

If it works in that section, I will create some walls for the more complex shape of the viaduct in the corner using the same method, although spending slightly more time on the appearance maybe.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Posted (edited)

I'm at home for a while now so will hopefully get the opportunity to make progress. I think this is going to be a job that gets done in lots of little bits rather than one mammoth session. I do seem to have made a mess in the process but that will be sorted later.

I've started the process of adding the aluminium L section walls. First was wire brushing the blocks to clean the surface up, then I cleaned the surface of the L section with some IPA. Squeezed out Gorrila glue along the longest straight length and tried to get the L section to stay in place. I found a few bits where there just wasn't enough glue to fill the pits in the blocks so I had a second go with more glue. Then a slight mismatch of block heights caused an issue, I think some of the bedding sand has washed away in the 4 years since I started. So up came a couple of blocks to get them out of the way until they can be re-laid.

With that sorted, I used the blocks I'd taken up to weigh the L section down while the glue is setting (24 hours). The aluminium slightly overhangs the face of the block, I thought that would look better on the viaduct so am trying it here, I think the unseen side is more likely to be in line though.

I have a busy week then hoping I get the time to relay the blocks, cut and glue the L-section on the other side and replace the track so I can run a train.

20241006_161036.jpg

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
Added imagefrom phone
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That doesn't look bad at all Barry, in fact it's worthy of serious consideration for my own viaducts. I doubt the pigeons would be able to dislodge it. My only reservations would be cats because they tend to jump onto my viaducts from the fence behind so they're either jumping down onto the viaduct from height or using it as a step up onto the fence. But this has to be a big improvement over the slivers of aerated block I've used before.

I'm not sure which adhesive I would use because I've tried all sorts previously and they all seem to go soft and pliable over time. I've used the Gorilla brand before and it did last that bit longer.

I agree that it would look better with the overhang and that's how I'd installed my pieces of aerated block.

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Posted (edited)

The first blocks that I bonded with gorilla glue were in 2020 and are still stuck strongly. It's supposed to be able to stick and set even under water.

The L section is stuck fast now. If I used mole grips to pull it, I'm sure it would lift all the blocks with it. I think I could have gone for a more pronounced overhang given the strength of it, but certainly no animal is going to be damaging it and with the track now down in a recess it should be better protected too.

I am thinking that a cat incoming for the first time may get a shock with a 1mm wall of aluminium pointed at its paws. As I said I'm looking at a clear rain cover for mine but I'm also looking around at junk for something that could act as a track protector. Something like old hornby platform might make an infill when the railway is out of use. If there is a specific spot the cats use then it could just sit there to give them a safe landing zone.

 

20241010_181806.jpg

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
Adding picture
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So just a little bit more progress and some step-by-step photos of adding the other side wall to this section.
First thing is to position the L-section and mark out where my first cut is to go. I started by the tunnel section as it doesn't really matter where the other end finishes. This shows me at the second cut as I forgot to photograph the first.
20241012_161333.thumb.jpg.791a81ea8d6319b0ae4817b55da28279.jpg

when I'm happy that the cut will be in the right position, I used my dremel to make a little nick in the edge that could be seen both sides. The bend will be in the corner so I just estimate where that will be. I should say that I've not been too scientific about the measuring or cutting and it seems to have worked out fine.
20241012_161341.jpg.e17be1581300e8487eef19402b259f57.jpg

Then I turn the L-section over and grind a line across the surface to mark where I will cut it. Note that when the wall is on the inside of a bend like this, only a single cut is needed as the L-section will be bent out; when the wall is on the outside of a bend it'll need a V cut into it - again I just estimate that.
20241012_161400.thumb.jpg.7c68cf722bc51bf63dbc2480fc0a9a59.jpg

The next stage is to cut through line I've made with the dremel. Then I turn it over and lay it in position, bend the L-section to shape and check it all lines up.
20241012_161704.thumb.jpg.f56189815a029628256a48ef1653e299.jpg20241012_161710.thumb.jpg.daafa2ebe056b6ec86b604883f345bbf.jpg

Once I'm happy with the cuts and position. I remove it from the blocks then I get a small wire brush and clean the top of the blocks where it will sit. I also cleaned the L-section as it had been sitting out for a long time by using IPA on the bottom surface. Then I applied the Gorilla contact glue to the L-section in a zig-zag as per the instructions. I was quite generous with the glue as it does need to infill quite a few gaps in the surface.
20241012_163523.thumb.jpg.7c332bd46b8b94281949cdd52a020608.jpg

With the glue on I put it in position on the blocks and made sure I was happy with the alignment.
20241012_163624.thumb.jpg.160f6610c3b8f7524e1a06ff2b78ba8c.jpg

Finally the blocks went on to weigh it down while the glue sets over 24 hours.
20241012_163756.thumb.jpg.8ce45783c41909696e14182182070c27.jpg

 

 

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
more pictures
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On 12/10/2024 at 12:28, Clay Mills Junction said:

So just a little bit more progress and some step-by-step photos of adding the other side wall to this section.
First thing is to position the L-section and mark out where my first cut is to go. I started by the tunnel section as it doesn't really matter where the other end finishes. This shows me at the second cut as I forgot to photograph the first.
20241012_161333.thumb.jpg.791a81ea8d6319b0ae4817b55da28279.jpg

when I'm happy that the cut will be in the right position, I used my dremel to make a little nick in the edge that could be seen both sides. The bend will be in the corner so I just estimate where that will be. I should say that I've not been too scientific about the measuring or cutting and it seems to have worked out fine.
20241012_161341.jpg.e17be1581300e8487eef19402b259f57.jpg

Then I turn the L-section over and grind a line across the surface to mark where I will cut it. Note that when the wall is on the inside of a bend like this, only a single cut is needed as the L-section will be bent out; when the wall is on the outside of a bend it'll need a V cut into it - again I just estimate that.
20241012_161400.thumb.jpg.7c68cf722bc51bf63dbc2480fc0a9a59.jpg

The next stage is to cut through line I've made with the dremel. Then I turn it over and lay it in position, bend the L-section to shape and check it all lines up.
20241012_161704.thumb.jpg.f56189815a029628256a48ef1653e299.jpg20241012_161710.thumb.jpg.daafa2ebe056b6ec86b604883f345bbf.jpg

Once I'm happy with the cuts and position. I remove it from the blocks then I get a small wire brush and clean the top of the blocks where it will sit. I also cleaned the L-section as it had been sitting out for a long time by using IPA on the bottom surface. Then I applied the Gorilla contact glue to the L-section in a zig-zag as per the instructions. I was quite generous with the glue as it does need to infill quite a few gaps in the surface.
20241012_163523.thumb.jpg.7c332bd46b8b94281949cdd52a020608.jpg

With the glue on I put it in position on the blocks and made sure I was happy with the alignment.
20241012_163624.thumb.jpg.160f6610c3b8f7524e1a06ff2b78ba8c.jpg

Finally the blocks went on to weigh it down while the glue sets over 24 hours.
20241012_163756.thumb.jpg.8ce45783c41909696e14182182070c27.jpg

 

 

Interesting approach.

May I ask what kind of glue you used?

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2 hours ago, ThomasI said:

Interesting approach.

May I ask what kind of glue you used?

I used Gorilla Heavy Duty Grab Adhesive 290ml. https://uk.gorillaglue.com/gorilla-heavy-duty-grab-adhesive/

I've also cut up some 2 litre drinks bottles to create a cover, but unless I can harvest some on recycling night from other people then it may take a long time to build that enough.

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Not much to report. I've cut the roofing felt to fit between the aluminium L-section.

I've also managed to collect 5x 2l drinks bottles and cut them to provide some cover, they seem to have stayed on despite the windy weather. I think that is helped by the lip created from the overhang on the L-section. I stuck an old Joueff Mk3 under them to see if it got wet and it didn't.

I've reclaimed a full length of flexi-track from elsewhere and cut that to fit in place of a broken one. Next job is to solder it in. Some repairs to the staging sidings are necessary but it looks like I may get a train to run before the end of the week.

Edited by Clay Mills Junction
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To clarify, I use 25mm L-section raw aluminium for this. 

I think I said somewhere in the past that I used 15mm aluminium L section, so apologies if anyone has bought the incorrect materials, it's definitely 25mm.

Also I think that is 2mm thick so that is 6" in scale which is reasonable for the type of wall being recreated. 

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