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Snow Hill & Valley Railway


MarkE
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31 minutes ago, mick said:

I believe some members here visited Trevor Jones' railway too, probably round about that time. Maybe you've met already?

Yes, ba14eagle was there the day I went, but I didn't realise who he was until he posted a video of his visit on YouTube.

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1 hour ago, ba14eagle said:

And Dave (Riddles) & his good lady were there too.

I really wish I could remember all your faces! I know I bumped into you at an exhibition (perhaps Burton-on-Trent?) . The “good lady” has a much better memory than me. She probably gently interrogated you and will be able to recall everything you said, just to warn you!  I wonder if Trevor will be reading this?

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6 hours ago, ba14eagle said:

And Dave (Riddles) & his good lady were there too.

Oh yes,  I remember Dave and his good lady. They were staying in their motor home so they could visit the railway over the whole weekend. I was there on Sunday and at lunch ba14eagle, Dave and his wife and a young guy (who's name I can't recall) all eat with Trevor in the garden, I was in the the conservatory (with all those amazing orchids over the wall) eating with Trevor's wife Janet,Trevor's cousin Alan and Angela (my Mum). It was an amazing  day, Trevor and Janet were the perfect  host's. I will remember that day for many years to come!

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On 05/10/2021 at 03:17, MarkE said:

Hi All,

Well, I'm  back again, can't  believe it's   been over a year since  my last post! This time I've  got a video, it's not great camera work, but it will do! As I realised the good weather was coming to an end, I was determined to get some filming done. I hope you enjoy it? Many thanks Mark.

I still want to know how you made that viaduct?

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On 06/10/2021 at 18:21, Riddles said:

I really wish I could remember all your faces! I know I bumped into you at an exhibition (perhaps Burton-on-Trent?) . The “good lady” has a much better memory than me. She probably gently interrogated you and will be able to recall everything you said, just to warn you!  I wonder if Trevor will be reading this?

Yes, it was Burton on Trent. 😂 I recall I enjoyed a couple of chats with her - a great conversationalist 🙂

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On 07/10/2021 at 16:05, ThomasI said:

I still want to know how you made that viaduct?

Hi Thomas, I've cheated I'm afraid,  the stone viaduct  is the only bridge on the railway that I didn't build myself. I found a guy who was selling them on eBay in 2016. It's a 00 scale model of the Moorswater Viaduct in Liskeard, Cornwall. The original model was made from individual crushed stones glued together and a rubber mould taken and then casting made in R.C. concrete. He was selling them as containers for alpine plants. I filled-in the groove down the centre with concrete where the pants once were to form a flat crackbed.

Edited by MarkE
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7 hours ago, MarkE said:

Hi Thomas, I've cheated I'm afraid...

I don't think that can be considered cheating? You've very cleverly and successfuly adapted something for another use.  I've purchased tunnels and bridges for both my layouts but although I wish I had the ability to build them to that standard myself I don't feel I've cheated by purchasing them ready made. It's a graden railway and we buy or adapt what we need to construct it the way we want to. Carry on cheating!

EDIT: just located this https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/468460191/a-hand-cast-concrete-model-of-the?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details

Edited by mick
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1 hour ago, mick said:

I don't think that can be considered cheating? 

Well, when I said I had cheated, it was partially in jest! No, l understand we all have to buy commercial items, cost considerations alone for the building materials and equipment required would have been too great for me to build a one off structure like this!  This guy who was producing them had it set up as a small ebay business, he had started by making models of Cornish mining buildings and chimmies etc. as garden ornaments (all in concrete) and had then expanded his range. I would have loved to have bought several viaducts to put together, he had three or four in his front garden, it looked spectacular! All I want to add now are parapet walls, but l'm unsure the best way to go about it? The full size version has metal railings, if I did that, I would be worried about damaging  them when climbing over, if I go for parapet stone walling, I wouldn't have the confidence that I could match the high quality of the rest of the structure.

Edited by MarkE
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Yes Mick, you've  found the link to that very same guy I  bought the viaduct  from! The pictures are the same ones I described in his front garden. I remember him telling me at the time that he had weathered his, but I  can't call how he did it!

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23 minutes ago, MarkE said:

Yes Mick, you've  found the link to that very same guy I  bought the viaduct  from! The pictures are the same ones I described in his front garden. I remember him telling me at the time that he had weathered his, but I  can't call how he did it!

He's made a wonderful job of it...it looks fantastic doesn't it?

If it were me I would be more concerned with wildlife damaging metal railings than I would be from any self-inflicted damage (though I am prone to being extremely clumsy at times). As you say, matching the quality of the stonework would be difficult for someone else to attempt, almost impossible perhaps. Maybe railings would be your better option - you'd just need to be extra careful.

I have to say that it doesn't look too bad without any form of parapet walling or fencing but it would add that finishing touch to what is already a very impressive structure.

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  • 1 year later...
  • 6 months later...

I haven't had time to start any major projects this year, but last summer I upgraded the middle section of the railway. This photo shows the newly ballasted tracks and the new rock cutting and overbridge in the distance.IMG_20230403_135507.thumb.jpg.e3d60e6a8af3444232a003c2351c23c2.jpg

Edited by MarkE
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The next two photos are of an another part of the mid-section that I completely re-built and also adding a new stream, three arch bridge and canal tunnel.

IMG_20230420_151950.jpg

IMG_20230420_141115.jpg

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My main projects for this summer include, up grading the top section of the railway with new  rock cutting, new track using the DCC Concepts new legacy track instead of peco and motorising some points.

IMG_20230404_110553.jpg

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15 hours ago, MarkE said:

My main projects for this summer include, up grading the top section of the railway with new  rock cutting, new track using the DCC Concepts new legacy track instead of peco and motorising some points.

IMG_20230404_110553.jpg

What's DCC Concepts new legacy track?

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1 hour ago, ThomasI said:

What's DCC Concepts new legacy track?

DDC Concept's track products have a higher amount of nickel content, so less cleaning is required. In the view  below, the track was layed in August 2022 and left out all winter, this photo was taken in April 23. The track has never be cleaned but the rail sides still look untarnished .

IMG_20230420_151905.jpg

Edited by MarkE
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In the limited time I've had over the passed few months, I've been working on my new station canopies.IMG_20230503_185950.thumb.jpg.6beecc408cec05f70c9df9f110a4811f.jpg These are some shots of the work in progress.IMG_20230514_201726.thumb.jpg.21746a192fd8ec82ef74496ef137a99c.jpgIMG_20230514_202044.thumb.jpg.5e2fe21e73dee2babc4f6a422e3285ba.jpg

IMG_20230514_201638.thumb.jpg.17b21367bee25637541254d86b1369e3.jpgIMG_20230514_201647.jpg

Edited by MarkE
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