Worsley Dale Garden Railway

[TheQ]

The viaduct is looking good, I hope mine comes out like that, my weather station is sitting in it's box at the moment waiting to be set up near the railway shed, the problem is the house and internet are 150 yards away round the corner I'm still debating how to bridge that gap.

[mick]

 

TheQ said:

...my weather station is sitting in it's box at the moment waiting to be set up near the railway shed....

I find it interesting to learn what other hobbies and interests we all share. Iain just mentioned the connection with Fire Engines and Model Railways and I see railway modellers sharing my other interests of Weather Stations and keeping Koi. I reckon there's now at least four of us on the forum who have or have had a weather station.

TheQ said:

The viaduct is looking good, I hope mine comes out like that...

I'm delighted to learn you're planning a viaduct as they're my favourite feature on a garden railway - it's certainly something I couldn't have omitted. I'm glad I decided to use the aerated blocks because I was at one point very close to choosing to cast in concrete within a plywood frame and from those I've seen I don't think they look as pleasing as they do with blocks. I'll be keeping a close on your plans for a viaduct.

[mick]

Another day of tidying things up but I've made significant progress - at least it feels that way because I've managed to just about complete the whole area at the bottom of the garden, leaving me with just the run along the fence. After pondering what to do with this great big pile of rocks that I've accumulated, I decided to set to and use them to build a low wall running parallel with the bottom fence to hold back the border seen beneath the shrub in the last photos. I've not laid any foundations, didn't use a string line or even a spirit level. I just plonked the rocks down in a trench and cemented them together in two tiers. The pile of rocks I had has all but disappeared and on top of that I even managed to use a load of broken concrete edging stones to top it all off. That saves me another few trips to the recycling point and gives me another border ready for planting. It's going to be time to cut wood for the final 30 feet!

[mick]

This thread's becoming more like Gardener's World rather than Garden Railway but I like to keep everyone informed of progress and it's also good for me to look back on later so here we go again.

It's been a day of cleaning up along the bottom fence in readiness for getting some gravel laid down. We had the bottom fence erected shortly after we moved in here and it replaced a line of old conifers, many of which have left their roots behind. In fact with the conifers in place this route wouldn't have been possible because they were so wide they would have been touching the side of the blue shed. Uprooting the conifers enabled us to reclaim another 3-4 feet of garden! The rubble excavated whilst sinking the fence posts had been liberally spread along the fence and over the past few years it has all become trodden down solid. In places the ground was higher than the base of the wooden fence panels so I've scraped off the top layers and hand riddled the whole lot in order to save the soil and get rid of the stones. The soil has been spread around the garden and the stones are waiting a trip to the recycling centre. Now you get a better image of where the railway will be going next. This first photo shows the view from the end of the viaduct down past the blue shed.

And with my back to the fence panel immediately ahead in the first photo, here's the view looking back the other way with the viaduct just peeping into view.

And finally, the route round the back of the blue shed leads me to my final goal - the rear of the brown shed!

Once I've got some gravel down along the fence so that I don't end up carrying mud all over the garden I'll be starting work on the final phase.

[mick]

I came across these photographs earlier today that show the new viaduct, and the area just ahead of it, as things appeared back in December 2014. Just thought they'd be worth posting as a comparison to how the whole area looks today. Oh those blooming rocks and bags of spent compost!

[mick]

I'm not sure where this is heading just yet but I'm trying to form an impression of a river bed beneath the two girder bridges and as you can see, I'm not sure I'm having much luck.

I've placed the rocks in loosely and then I intend to fill in the gaps with a mortar mix in the hope that I can create some crevices where water might collect and help create mossy type growths around the rocks. There has to be something beneath the bridges to give a reason for them to be there otherwise I might just as well have added additional viaduct piers. I really don't know if this will work or even look right when it's finished but I've got lots of rocks to use up and so it's worth a go. I think once it's planted up and there's greenery growing over from the adjacent border it might look okay.

Elsewhere I've cut some spare log rolls to finish off the twelve or so that were still to be added to the faces of the concrete blocks and with these glued in place I've been able to add the remainder of the gravel infill around the piers.

I've not yet laid any track over the extension - seem to have spent the past two days carrying rocks up and down the garden. In fact at one point I had a big pile set aside for the recycling centre, having carried them all up from the bottom of the garden. I've now carried most of them back down the garden again and there's only some broken slabs for recycling.

[roddy]

Could you do something with a bit of pond liner?

Failing that or any other thing, blame it on wartime bomb damage.

[mick]

 

roddy said:

Could you do something with a bit of pond liner?...

I have a fair bit of old butyl pond liner Roddy (been using it for mixing my mortar on) and I'd thought of using that beneath the rocks but I don't really want water standing around too long and going all smelly. I'm really just after mossy green growth, the stuff that seems to thrive on surfaces that frequently get wet. I can keep giving the area a soaking every few days when I clean the fish out.

[roddy]

Painting the rocks with yoghurt encourages a mossy growth.

[aussietmrail]

Hi Mick, glad to see you have cleared the area for the final stretch to home base and seeing the latest pics, be interesting what the last final curve viaduct you come up with will be awesome , will it look like the Dales viaduct.

The last pic of your steel arch bridge is coming along well with the placement of those rocks, have you thought of blue coloured gravel between the rocks can get different coloured gravel over here , pretty dear, what I want to put between the large pavers under my pergola.

I don't think I would paint yoghurt on the rocks we have too much trouble with ants, must be other methods.

It is real pain with time difference , just after 11pm your time and 807am my time, US time line I have to stay up late to get them in the morning their time.

I missed you talking about weather stations and you had an issue with black outs, we bought a new weather station a few months back, will have to taka couple of pics, would love to get the brand you have got, pretty dear over here.I had to shift the inside screen was conflicting with the Wi-Fi on my lap top.

Tony.

[jimbob]

Have to say that your viaduct puts my efforts to shame. in my defense my line is more a "railway in the garden" rather than a "Garden railway" . Out of interest how long does it take you to cut our the arches, I assume you do them by hand ?

[mick]

 

aussietmrail said:

Hi Mick, glad to see you have cleared the area for the final stretch to home base and seeing the latest pics, be interesting what the last final curve viaduct you come up with will be awesome , will it look like the Dales viaduct...

The viaduct is finished Tony. What you see now is all you're going to get. From here on in the remainder of the layout will be on plain elevated wooden boards running along the bottom fence and round to the rear of the shed.

jimbob said:

...Out of interest how long does it take you to cut our the arches, I assume you do them by hand ?

Yes, it's all done by hand Jim. Cutting individual blocks takes a matter of minutes depending on how sharp your saw is. I think I got through 4 or 5 old handsaws during the construction of the viaduct. Once all the individual blocks were cemented in place and thoroughly dried, it took me approximately 2 hours with a couple of wood rasps to form the 16 curved arches that make up this latest extension. One of the advantages of using aerated blocks, as I'm sure I've mentioned before, is that you can build a substantial structure for very little cost. If all you need is a concrete footing with the viaduct sitting on top, then every 8 arches costs only approximately £30 - and that takes into account the cost of adhesive to glue on the parapet walls. It just takes a bit of work.

[mick]

 

aussietmrail said:

....I missed you talking about weather stations and you had an issue with black outs, we bought a new weather station a few months back, will have to taka couple of pics, would love to get the brand you have got, pretty dear over here.I had to shift the inside screen was conflicting with the Wi-Fi on my lap top.

I think it's time we had a specific thread for weather stations Tony so I've started one off Personal Weather Stations if you want to have a say.

[mick]

I've had a couple of hours down at the bottom of the garden this afternoon and I'm pleased to be able to report that wood has finally been cut. Two narrow lengths of exterior plywood means another 16 feet of track base is in the process of being installed.

I've decided on a width of 10 inches for the plywood base leaving me some room for scenics or perhaps another passing loop. I've had the sheet of plywood in the garage since I began building Worsley Dale so it was just a matter of measuring and cutting. The two cut lengths were then treated to a coat of creosote - the real stuff that gives you a bad head for days afterwards should you spend too long taking in the fumes. The lengths of plywood will then receive a couple of coats of bitumen adhesive before being covered in the usual roofing felt once they are in position. Hopefully that'll protect them long enough for me to get some enjoyment from it all once it's completed.

I've yet to decide how I'm going to support the track base along the fence but I'm in favour of wooden posts at this time although brackets secured directly to the concrete posts are also a possibility.

As you can see from the photo, there's still some gravel required alongside the fence to make a suitable pathway.

[drmalesis]

Almost there Mick, no more slacking. Let's see if you can get a completed loop before Winter sets in - then you'll really have something to celebrate for Christmas...

Duncan

[aussietmrail]

 

Quote

Mick wrote

I think it's time we had a specific thread for weather stations Tony so I've started one off (Personal Weather Stations) if you want to have a say.

I will take a couple of pics of my weather station and post them on the post see you there.

Looking forward to what you come with on the last stretch of your layout and have to agree with what Duncan is talking about some thing to celebrate Christmas time running the first train on the complete layout be an awesome time indeed.

I am thinking of painting bitumen paint on the ply timber decks easy to paint with brush, since I wont b using marine ply, too dear to buy when on a budget.

I would use brackets on the concrete fence posts mush easier and quicker , not need for digging hols for posts.

Tony from down under

[mick]

 

drmalesis said:

Almost there Mick, no more slacking. Let's see if you can get a completed loop before Winter sets in - then you'll really have something to celebrate for Christmas...

That would be great Duncan but I find it tends to take longer when you're not entirely decided on what you're going to do. Hopefully by the time I get out there something will have clicked and I'll be under way.

aussietmrail said:

...I am thinking of painting bitumen paint on the ply timber decks easy to paint with brush, since I wont b using marine ply, too dear to buy when on a budget...

I think exterior grade plywood will be fine Tony, especially if it isn't in contact with the ground. It all depends on the quality of the plywood I reckon but if it's well protected from the wet and damp then it should last a good while. I'm hoping so anyway.

[Andrew]

Your viaduct is looking superb, Mick. There'll be tremendous photographic/video possibilities there. Completing the rest of the circuit with timber should be a bit quicker I expect - so perhaps it'll all be done by Christmas! Anyway, as someone whose layout hasn't advanced for ages, I'm enjoying watching your progress and hoping I can find time to emulate your energy. Well done.

[Baimor]

Well Mick, I'm a builder by trade but I have to say your layout and craftsmanship is fantastic!! Every time I see that viaduct it inspires me to try something equally amazing!!!! I'm hoping I've got a few thermalites left over from the extension I'm currently working on so I can have a go at something similar!!

[mick]

 

Baimor said:

Well Mick, I'm a builder by trade but I have to say your layout and craftsmanship is fantastic!! Every time I see that viaduct it inspires me to try something equally amazing!!!! I'm hoping I've got a few thermalites left over from the extension I'm currently working on so I can have a go at something similar!!

'Craftsmanship' isn't a term I would associate with any of my attempts at constructing anything. The viaduct does look impressive, but I guess I was just lucky. I didn't draw up any plans and didn't use any specific tools for marking out other than my eyes (and God knows how they're deteriorating these days). The blocks were laid without any string lines using just a spirit level as an aid to keeping them somewhere in the level and the curve itself was again done just by sight. It's all made up as I go along. I believe the idea is sound and that the aerated blocks are an ideal material for a construction of this height providing you're happy with a single line. I'd love to see other modellers creating their own viaducts using the same principles. I'm sure there are enhancements that can be made to the overall design and perhaps someone will even have a go at making a double track version?

Just before the weather turned I made a start laying track along the extension to the larger viaduct. The track is being laid upon a narrow strip of roofing felt which in turn is held in place with the usual bitumen roofing felt adhesive. I haven't fixed the track permanently in place just yet but did get as far as soldering on the bonding wires across the rail joins.

I'm still thinking about suitable names for individual areas of the layout and especially for the two viaducts so they can be easily identified. I have some ideas in mind so I'll be providing details and an overview of the layout soon.

Oh and one other thing. I'm not so sure that treating my plywood to an initial coat of 'creosote' was a good idea. Once the creosote had dried overnight I gave the plywood a coat of bitumen adhesive - about 4 or 5 days ago now - and it STILL HASN'T DRIED! Do you think that's got something to do with the creosote?