The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

[Trevor Thompson]

The track from the passing loop at "Dduallt" to the upper footpath crossing is now laid and ballasted:

IMG_2207.JPG (4.4 MiB) Viewed 2609 times

Even though trains cross the viaduct safely as it is it's time to think about footways and railings. The first section of footway added:

IMG_2206.JPG (4.17 MiB) Viewed 2609 times

And that bag of gravel which has been there for over 18 months is about to be used on the footpath behind the house!

[Trevor Thompson]

I have just laid out the next section from the footpath crossing to the hedge:

IMG_2209.JPG (4.27 MiB) Viewed 2603 times

It is following the contour as best I can. The first bit from the step needs a cutting, as does a section half way along. The wooden pegs whose tops you can just see mark the level of the top of the rail rising at a constant 1 in 60. The hose pipe is there so you get an idea of where the track is actually going.

IMG_2214.JPG (4.28 MiB) Viewed 2603 times

You can see where the hose pipe reaches the hedge. That is going to be a bit of a job, getting space in there to make perhaps a tunnel. There will be another passing place just this side of the hedge.

I am going back to add the handrail bases along the footpath and getting ready to lay that gravel!

We are working our way to terminate the line behind that green house you can see in the distance

Trevor

[philipy]

Amazing ( and well done).

[ge_rik]

I do like to see a bit of civil engineering!

Rik

[Andrew]

We are working our way to terminate the line behind that green house you can see in the distance

That's VERY impressive! How long will the completed line be?

[Trevor Thompson]

We are working our way to terminate the line behind that green house you can see in the distance

That's VERY impressive! How long will the completed line be?

Excuse the delay in replying - I had to get the tape out!

The current length of running line is 250 feet. From the head shunt in the terminus to the second path crossing. Excluding passing loops and sidings of course. From the current end of line to the hedge is 55 feet, and from the hedge to the back of the greenhouse another 85 feet.

Once I get through the hedge there is the continuation of the bank running behind the vegetable beds which I plan to build on ( tidying up the bank as I go). It means another bank to dig out, a wall to build and a footpath to lay. That received a positive response, but the track on top of the wall may yet incur resistance. Just got to explain the benefits of the plan properly! In the same way the bank behind the greenhouse is an overgrown mess - which I have just finished trimming, so a terminus here has to be an improvement.

So the completed line should be roughly 1.6 scale miles long.

Trevor

[Trevor Thompson]

We are working our way to terminate the line behind that green house you can see in the distance

That's VERY impressive! How long will the completed line be?

Excuse the delay in replying - I had to get the tape out!

The current length of running line is 250 feet. From the head shunt in the terminus to the second path crossing. Excluding passing loops and sidings of course. From the current end of line to the hedge is 55 feet, and from the hedge to the back of the greenhouse another 85 feet.

Once I get through the hedge there is the continuation of the bank running behind the vegetable beds which I plan to build on ( tidying up the bank as I go). It means another bank to dig out, a wall to build and a footpath to lay. That received a positive response, but the track on top of the wall may yet incur resistance. Just got to explain the benefits of the plan properly! In the same way the bank behind the greenhouse is an overgrown mess - which I have just finished strimming, so a terminus here has to be an improvement.

So the completed line should be roughly 1.6 scale miles long.

Trevor

[Andrew]

So the completed line should be roughly 1.6 scale miles long.

Aha! That's what I was really getting at, I think - and it's VERY impressive!

[ge_rik]

Wow, that is impressive! Particularly so given the high quality of your tracklaying

Rik

[Trevor Thompson]

Thanks for the complements Andrew and Rick.

I have tried the first fit of the coal drops. They are not quite complete, but they fit in position OK. As in they fit where they touch! Some concrete work to add to complete the place where they go. But it is clear that they are going to fit:

IMG_2217.JPG (3.16 MiB) Viewed 2917 times

And I have been mixing concrete again. So the next section is starting to progress:

IMG_2218.JPG (4.83 MiB) Viewed 2917 times

Trevor

[Lonsdaler]

Will a Strimmer be the weapon of choice for the grassed areas between the tracks?

[Peter Butler]

Will a Strimmer be the weapon of choice for the grassed areas between the tracks?

Sheep might be better to keep the cuttings off the track.

[Lonsdaler]

Will a Strimmer be the weapon of choice for the grassed areas between the tracks?

Sheep might be better to keep the cuttings off the track.

Ah, good option if you have them available Just watch out for unexpected items in the running area

[Trevor Thompson]

Will a Strimmer be the weapon of choice for the grassed areas between the tracks?

Sheep might be better to keep the cuttings off the track.

Ah, good option if you have them available Just watch out for unexpected items in the running area

IMG_2227.JPG (2.31 MiB) Viewed 2712 times

I could always borrow a sheep from Rodney ( the farmer next door ). But they don't half make a mess!

So I think its back to the strimmer and the battery grass trimmer. Then it is just a matter of using the garden vacuum to clear the loose leaves.

Trevor

[Trevor Thompson]

The track bed is progressing:

IMG_2221.JPG (3.91 MiB) Viewed 2716 times

I am casting the trackbed in situ rather than using gravel boards on their sides. The end result follows the hillside more accurately, with nice flowing curves rather than straight lines with corners. The uPVC strips from last year are still working as shuttering. Again I am making a ladder structure as I go along, leaving the rungs of the ladder in place permanently. Last time I made the rungs from timber, but now I have left over bits of recycled board - just the right size for this:

IMG_2222.JPG (3.7 MiB) Viewed 2716 times

To keep the grass away from the track as much as I can I am making the side of the cutting out of stone. The down hill side will just have to be strimmed.

Trevor

[philipy]

I'm running out of ways to say how good it looks!

BTW, did you print the slates on the building on the RHS? They look very realistic!

[Trevor Thompson]

I'm running out of ways to say how good it looks!

BTW, did you print the slates on the building on the RHS? They look very realistic!

All the buildings in the photo are entirely printed.

I have gone over to making all my buildings on the printer, and adding all of the detail, slates and stonework, on the computer.

Trevor

[philipy]

Hi Trevor,
Yes I know you print all of your buildings, and make an excellent job of them, that was the point of my rather feeble joke... I was actually asking if you had printed the slates on your house at the RHS of the picture.

[ge_rik]

Hi Trevor,
Yes I know you print all of your buildings, and make an excellent job of them, that was the point of my rather feeble joke... I was actually asking if you had printed the slates on your house at the RHS of the picture.

I can't find an emoji for 'groan' .........


Rik

[Jimmyb]

Hi Trevor,
Yes I know you print all of your buildings, and make an excellent job of them, that was the point of my rather feeble joke... I was actually asking if you had printed the slates on your house at the RHS of the picture.

I can't find an emoji for 'groan' .........


Rik