Jump to content

Worsley Dale Garden Railway


mick
 Share

Recommended Posts

Here's today's photos as promised earlier. The first shows the location of the drilled drainage holes. I'm not sure off hand what size drill I've used to make the holes but it looks to be large enough to me. I may even add some carved feature with a recess on the rear to disguise the holes - maybe not - will see later.

IMG_6590.JPG

Being at the top of each pillar the drainage holes for each side of the viaduct are more or less opposite each other so I may enlarge the channels to improve the drainage further - again maybe, maybe not.

IMG_6591.JPG

And this shows the length of the viaduct with all the drainage holes in place. I hope this proves to be enough. As the track itself will be raised above the top surface by approx 20mm it should be okay.

IMG_6593.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looking great Mick. Really really impressive.

I'd bond the rails on the viaduct and run the bus wies along the ground out of sight to by pass the viaduct. With a bus feed from both ends the bonds won't be doing much work.

Or you could run the bus wires along the back on the viaduct and up your drainage holes.

Or run the bus along the ground and use a black wire, solid core for your dropper, you could make them look like drain pipes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

chris said:

...I'd bond the rails on the viaduct and run the bus wies along the ground out of sight to by pass the viaduct...

I agree Chris, I think bonding the rail joins is best for the top of the viaduct and I'll add a power feed at each end. I've started adding some packing pieces from cut block sections to raise the level of the track base across the viaduct and I've reduced them in width so that I've got ample room down each side to conceal the bus wires. I'll perhaps add a cover to make it resemble a walkway down the sides once the track has been laid and ballasted. Sadly it's started raining so that's the extent of my efforts for today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing as the rain's put a stop to any possibility of further work today I thought I'd take a look over my collection of loco's that have been packed away since we moved here last year. Although I'm looking forward to getting the garden layout up and running there's very little chance that I'll ever be able to make use of all these locomotives on an outdoor line that has been designed primarily as a preserved railway. I can ring the changes every so often of course so that there's something different on show but I can see that there are some loco's that may never get used. It's the same with rolling stock. I've got far too many coaches and wagons for the outdoor line. I could probably assemble at least one dozen lengthy rakes of coaches and still have spares. For instance I know for a fact that I have in the region of 20 or more Bachmann MK1s in Western Region brown & cream livery and wagon wise I have 2 full rakes of 36 x MGR wagons among others.

When we moved here I initially envisaged an outdoor preserved line with certainly no more than half-a-dozen rakes of coaches and only sufficient wagons for 'track maintenance' purposes. I want enough locos to enable some variety and to be able to have special event days such as 'Blue Diesels', 'LNER' etc... I intended restricting operational locos to only those that are fitted with DCC sound. So what do I do with surplus stock? Do I hang on to it all just in case that 'loft layout' ever comes to fruition? Do I sell it on? Storing and gaining access to everything is beginning to create problems!

I think it would be best for me to compile a stock-list of locos and coaches that I know will come in useful outdoors - those that I know I will use in one form or other. I also need to work out which coaches I will be running and find my track maintenance wagons and separate them from the remainder. Perhaps I should start a new thread somewhere so that I can maintain a current list of locos and rolling stock that could feature on Worsley Dale?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just before it got dark I had a quick check over the viaduct and the ballasted track to see if the heavy downpour we had around teatime had caused any obvious damage. At first glance it appears that everything's fine but I'll take a closer look tomorrow morning. The viaduct certainly appears to drain okay so that's good news.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the comments Ian and of course, you're welcome to drop by the forum any time you please.

I think it proves that aerated blocks can be useful as the basis for similar structures. The cutting out and creation of the arches takes only a few minutes and the blocks do cut and carve very easily. It's a relatively simple task to cement them in place alongside one another and of course, to create a curved viaduct should you so wish. That's one of the major benefits in my opinion - the fact that you can build your viaduct to any shape. I think the only drawback is that you are more or less restricted to the height of the block - I'm not sure how stable it would be should you decide to go higher with additional pillar sections. Still, the height of the blocks gives a pretty impressive viaduct as it is.

These types of structures really bring a garden layout to life. They look impressive even without a train in sight. I think this time I can landscape the area to make the viaduct blend in with the overall garden rather than it being as prominent as the one I did back in Selby. And what's more, I don't have to worry about this one getting wet, in fact the changeable conditions can only help to add natural weathering to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It appears that the layout has come through yesterday's downpour unscathed. The ballasted tracks are still nice and solid and there's no signs of any loose stone. The very top of the viaduct was absolutely dry but strangely some pieces of cut block that I had placed on top resembled sponges full of water. Perhaps this is because the top of the viaduct has been treated with water seal while the cut pieces have yet to be treated.

Those cut blocks I just mentioned are to raise the level of the viaduct track bed up to that of the existing plywood base. I've decided not to use plywood on top of the viaduct and to lay the track directly on stone. If I can use pins to temporarily hold the track in place I will do so but failing that I will use a small amount of instant grab adhesive on a few selected sleepers. Once the track is ballasted it should be nice and secure. I need to be careful to ensure that the floor polish, used to fix the ballast in place, will adhere to whatever the track is laid on and so I've not yet decided whether or not to lay a piece of roofing felt stuck on top of the block sections with the usual bitumen adhesive.

The following photo shows a view along the top of the viaduct with a line of cut block sections upon which the track will eventually be laid. The smaller pieces have been cut to clear the drainage holes that I drilled yesterday.

IMG_6604.JPG

Another decision I have yet to make is whether to lay wooden or concrete sleeper track across the viaduct. I like the look of the wooden sleepers once it is ballasted but I'm sure that the Worsley Dale civil engineers wouldn't have done all this work to the viaduct without relaying the track on top. It may have to be concrete but we'll see.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seeing as the floor polish appears to have been successful at fixing down ballast with track laid on top of a layer of roofing felt, I've decided to do the same thing across the viaduct and lay a strip of roofing felt directly on top of the stone sections using a liberal coating of bitumen adhesive. The following photo shows the strip of felt on top of the stone sections and a length of wooden sleeper track added for effect. The length of track is one salvaged from my previous layout and has had a number of damaged sleepers removed hence the gaps. This photo also shows the gap down either side of the viaduct where I intend to run the bus wires and any other additional wiring that might be required such as that for a point motor.

IMG_6608.JPG

When I imagine a scene featuring a viaduct I immediately think of those black and white images of steam locos making their way across and so whether it's correct or not I think I'm going to have to go with the wooden sleeper track on the viaduct. I've tried the concrete sleeper track too but it just doesn't give the same sense of nostalgia!

The following photo is just a mock up of where a set of points might be located to return to double track running. I'm wondering if one of the side-mounted point motors might be suitable for outdoor use in this location? They appear to be suitably protected within a plastic cover and I imagine that could be further sealed to prevent water ingress. It might be worth giving one a try. If not then I'm going to have to come up with another solution - I could make do with manual operation for a while but sooner or later it will have to be motorised.

IMG_6606.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

chris said:

Blimy. Mick's only gone and put a point outside...

With a single track viaduct I've got no other choice but it will be one of very few.

doublecee said:

Looking at Micks weather signature, Im guessing we will be seeing a lot more updates over the weekend.

Mick, do you know what train will be making that first crossing as and when your ready?

When the weather signature states 'No Rain Today' it actually means "...so far!" Don't expect too many updates.

As for the first train I'm not sure - I've not seriously thought about it up to now. Does anyone have any suggestions? Obviously I'll need to test the track as I go along but I think the occasion of an official opening would be good publicity for Worsley Dale. It's still a few days away so I'll have a think about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

doublecee said:

It would be quite nice to see the oo Garden Railway Forum train as seen on the top of the page, continuing on its journey...

Nice idea. Staring me in the face every single day and I would never have thought of that one. Mind you, I am usually a bit slow on the uptake. That's one in with a serious shout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

mick said:

Seeing as the rain's put a stop to any possibility of further work today I thought I'd take a look over my collection of loco's that have been packed away since we moved here last year. Although I'm looking forward to getting the garden layout up and running there's very little chance that I'll ever be able to make use of all these locomotives on an outdoor line that has been designed primarily as a preserved railway. I can ring the changes every so often of course so that there's something different on show but I can see that there are some loco's that may never get used. It's the same with rolling stock. I've got far too many coaches and wagons for the outdoor line. I could probably assemble at least one dozen lengthy rakes of coaches and still have spares. For instance I know for a fact that I have in the region of 20 or more Bachmann MK1s in Western Region brown & cream livery and wagon wise I have 2 full rakes of 36 x MGR wagons among others.

When we moved here I initially envisaged an outdoor preserved line with certainly no more than half-a-dozen rakes of coaches and only sufficient wagons for 'track maintenance' purposes. I want enough locos to enable some variety and to be able to have special event days such as 'Blue Diesels', 'LNER' etc... I intended restricting operational locos to only those that are fitted with DCC sound. So what do I do with surplus stock? Do I hang on to it all just in case that 'loft layout' ever comes to fruition? Do I sell it on? Storing and gaining access to everything is beginning to create problems!

I think it would be best for me to compile a stock-list of locos and coaches that I know will come in useful outdoors - those that I know I will use in one form or other. I also need to work out which coaches I will be running and find my track maintenance wagons and separate them from the remainder. Perhaps I should start a new thread somewhere so that I can maintain a current list of locos and rolling stock that could feature on Worsley Dale?

There are preserved railways which are also freight lines. Weardale Railway and Wensleydale Railway both carry freight. Change Worsley Dale to Worsleydale Railway and your hey presto you can run what you like. Still dones't solve your storage problems ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes I'd considered the possibility of some kind of freight working over the line too but obviously I wouldn't be able to accommodate long block trains. It's still something I'm looking at so I'll have to see what kind of historic write up I can come up with to justify a few freight wagons.

Storage problems will only be solved when I go ahead and build the loft layout :)

No progress whatsoever today on Worsley Dale. I've done a bit of tidying round in the shed so that I'll be able to make a start in there a bit sooner but outdoors everything is exactly as it was yesterday - only a bit wetter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Love the viaduct and personally think a rake of 16t mineral wagons would make a good engineering test. For the official opening you could use whatever none standard guest loco you fancy brought out of the museum for the occasion. Weather looks good for the weekend so might we see a bridge opening or test?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

flapland101 said:

...think a rake of 16t mineral wagons would make a good engineering test....Weather looks good for the weekend so might we see a bridge opening or test?

The 16t minerals are one of my favourite wagons and it's about time I got back to finishing off my weathered rake. I was just getting the hang of weathering when we moved from Selby and haven't had chance to do any more with them since. In fact...where are they?

I thought you were kidding with all this talk of sunshine and scorching temperatures but you're right - for tomorrow at least. There's not much chance of any official viaduct opening just yet though - there's the track inside the shed to sort out before I can run anything through.

I've just been sorting through my entire loco collection and accounted for all but 2 of them. I even found a Hornby class 101 DMU that hadn't been entered on my stock list. Where the Bachmann 108 and class 47 are I don't know but I'm sure they'll turn up in some other box when I get round to unpacking them.

The reason I've been sorting the loco's out is in response to Craig's suggestion for "the first train to cross the viaduct". I hadn't seen Blue Peter since the house move and just wanted to make sure nothing had gone astray. Blue Peter is safe and well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...