The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

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Trevor Thompson
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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:32 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: Thu Feb 16, 2023 4:31 pm The visuals throughout your line are superb, and Simon has made excellent use of them with the photos he's taken. The picture of Dduallt gives an indication of how Tanygrisiau will mellow and become a stunning feature. Where to on the continuation though? Are we going to be seeing Blaneau station in all its glory, with a mainline interchange? I'm really looking forward to seeing you progress.
Thanks for the positive comments! Perhaps I shouldn't say it - but I aim pleased with what I have created. Even Dinah seems impressed - and she was quite un-enthusiastic when I started.

I have already started to draw the final station for the line, and you are not far off in your guess. Not the interchange station but Duffws station. I envisage the lean too sheds for the quarry workers train at the back, with cottages behind, and the goods shed and that rather posh station building in the middle. I haven't quite worked out how to get the goods shed and station building into the foreground without having to reach over them to get to trains. The best I can come up with is those buildings at either end and the rails between them.

I have also started to make the bridge which will cross the steps by the greenhouse, based on Pont -y- Gelli on the line to Llan Ffestiniog.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:44 pm

The track is now laid into the tunnel:
IMG_2799.JPG
IMG_2799.JPG (3.98 MiB) Viewed 3556 times
and ready to extend out of the tunnel:
IMG_2801.JPG
IMG_2801.JPG (4.16 MiB) Viewed 3556 times
The next section will involve concrete steps, and stainless angle laid into the concrete steps again - just like those crossings further down the line. As a technique it has been quite successful. Sturdy enough to take wheelbarrows, reliable and no bridge to obstruct the passage. As a detail I have added some long sleepers to the length of track which goes in the tunnel:
IMG_2781.JPG
IMG_2781.JPG (1.59 MiB) Viewed 3556 times
Every 4th sleeper is long enough to almost touch each side inside the tunnel. This is how it looks when laid:
IMG_2804.JPG
IMG_2804.JPG (2.47 MiB) Viewed 3556 times
The idea is that that track in the tunnel is not held in place or ballasted - it is just sitting there - and the long sleepers are to keep it sitting in the middle of the tunnel - rather than creep to one side. I am hoping that will be sufficient to hold it in place.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Phil.P » Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:51 pm

I would have thought a little ballast would not be a bad thing?
Though I suppose it could hold moisture?

Just thinking it might 'lift' when the rest of the track gets hot. It would then drop, when a loco passes over, but probably lift with just stock. Might this cause uncoupling?

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Sun Feb 26, 2023 8:59 am

Phil.P wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:51 pm I would have thought a little ballast would not be a bad thing?
Though I suppose it could hold moisture?

Just thinking it might 'lift' when the rest of the track gets hot. It would then drop, when a loco passes over, but probably lift with just stock. Might this cause uncoupling?

Phil.P
You may well be correct. I just want to avoid problems with the ballast getting into the flange way. If it doesn't work I will have to think again.

The last set of track I ballasted has quite a few places where the flanges ride on the ballast and not the rail, and I need to clean that out when its a bit warmer. I want to avoid having that problem in the tunnel.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by ge_rik » Sun Feb 26, 2023 9:03 am

Trevor Thompson wrote: Sat Feb 25, 2023 6:44 pm The track is now laid into the tunnel:

IMG_2799.JPG

and ready to extend out of the tunnel:

IMG_2801.JPG

The next section will involve concrete steps, and stainless angle laid into the concrete steps again - just like those crossings further down the line. As a technique it has been quite successful. Sturdy enough to take wheelbarrows, reliable and no bridge to obstruct the passage. As a detail I have added some long sleepers to the length of track which goes in the tunnel:

IMG_2781.JPG

Every 4th sleeper is long enough to almost touch each side inside the tunnel. This is how it looks when laid:

IMG_2804.JPG

The idea is that that track in the tunnel is not held in place or ballasted - it is just sitting there - and the long sleepers are to keep it sitting in the middle of the tunnel - rather than creep to one side. I am hoping that will be sufficient to hold it in place.

Trevor
Clever idea! I think it will work well.

Rik
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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by philipy » Sun Feb 26, 2023 11:50 am

Good idea, but my only concern would be that with the track not being constrained vertically, inevitably dust, then dirt, then leaves, etc, will work their way under, and getting it will be a problem.
Philip

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by gilfachphil » Mon Feb 27, 2023 9:41 am

Good to see some of the sleepers in use Trevor and very sensible to use a long one in the tunnel every so often, saves making more of them. A Henry with long nozzle attached would probably deal with most incipient problems of crud in the tunnel and maybe a bung in each end when not running would also be very useful to hygiene?

Phil

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Mon Feb 27, 2023 11:39 am

gilfachphil wrote: Mon Feb 27, 2023 9:41 am Good to see some of the sleepers in use Trevor and very sensible to use a long one in the tunnel every so often, saves making more of them. A Henry with long nozzle attached would probably deal with most incipient problems of crud in the tunnel and maybe a bung in each end when not running would also be very useful to hygiene?

Phil
Those oak sleepers you made for me are incredible!

I had some long length of hardwood left over from making points and it didn't seem worth asking you to make 6 special ones for me.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by gilfachphil » Mon Feb 27, 2023 4:52 pm

Blushing

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Thu Mar 02, 2023 9:48 pm

More progress on the civil engineering. The rails now exit the tunnel and approach the first step which will replace that slippery grass bank:
IMG_2807.JPG
IMG_2807.JPG (3.53 MiB) Viewed 3328 times
Shuttering in, concrete laid and stainless angle in place. It needs a few days to cure before I can remove the shuttering. You might be able to see that something moved while I was pouring the concrete so the track set into the concrete does not line up with the track coming from the tunnel. I am impatient to get that shuttering off and modify the trackbed leading up to it to get the alignment right. It is a minor issue but I want to sort it!

With the first crossing sort of sorted, I have also been working on the second crossing which I won't actually need until later in the year. I couldn't resist starting it having already drawn up the 3 D model. I will follow that up with a separate thread under 3 D printing.

Of course details for Tan y Grisiau are also progressing, the goods shed and the cottage gardens should appear in the next few days.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Mar 02, 2023 10:57 pm

I'm astonished how quickly you are working on so many different aspects of the line. On the plus side, the weather here in the South West has been beautiful today, so perfect for outdoor activities.
The best things in life are free.... so why am I doing this?

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by ge_rik » Fri Mar 03, 2023 8:03 am

Peter Butler wrote: Thu Mar 02, 2023 10:57 pm I'm astonished how quickly you are working on so many different aspects of the line. .............
I'll echo that! I've not yet cut the first sod on the modest outdoor job I planned before Christmas!

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by philipy » Fri Mar 03, 2023 8:35 am

I've given up commenting on the speed that Trevor does stuff and the number of things he works on at the same time. I can't comprehend how he manages it all. :lol:
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Trevor Thompson
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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Sun Mar 05, 2023 10:52 am

I have been working on the details which are intended to form a visual backdrop to the trains at Tan y Grisiau. Firstly the goods shed in place:
IMG_2814.JPG
IMG_2814.JPG (3.41 MiB) Viewed 3218 times
As an aside the real goods shed still stands and has just received a new roof.

And the garden walls for the cottages:
IMG_2816.JPG
IMG_2816.JPG (3.8 MiB) Viewed 3218 times
Perhaps I should stress that while the wagon turntables do work I am not really planning to use them - they are just part of the backdrop.

On the other hand the ground frame, and all of the point rodding, actually controls the three points at this end of the station. I will add the files for making the ground frame etc to the 3 D printing section shortly.

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Old Man Aaron » Mon Mar 06, 2023 12:11 am

That's a lot of printing filament! :shock: Getting it done, love it.
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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:37 am

The extension is progressing!

It has now reached the bank which will take it to its upper terminus. The steps are in place, the track connected to the track set in the step, and the first section of the new trackbed set into position:
IMG_2874.JPG
IMG_2874.JPG (5.26 MiB) Viewed 3264 times
From here the track bed will be on gravel boards set on their sides, with a stone retaining wall above and below. The stone is lying in piles in various places ready. Its a lot of soil to move but an hour a day seems to move it forward relentlessly (unless it's raining!).

I hope to reach the greenhouse by September. Whether that includes building the wall remains to be seen!

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Peter Butler » Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:59 pm

Trevor Thompson wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:37 am The extension is progressing!

I hope to reach the greenhouse by September.

Trevor
No Trevor, at the speed in which you work, you will reach the greenhouse by next Friday!
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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Trevor Thompson » Thu Apr 06, 2023 7:28 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 1:59 pm
Trevor Thompson wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 11:37 am The extension is progressing!

I hope to reach the greenhouse by September.

Trevor
No Trevor, at the speed in which you work, you will reach the greenhouse by next Friday!
If only!

Trevor

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by Phil.P » Fri Apr 07, 2023 10:16 am

I assume that the camera fore-shortens the distances?

You appear to have a lot of land to play with. - Not sure if I envy you for that, or not?
I seem to have lost my 'land management' Mojo. I have not done anything of note outside this year, as yet.

Perhaps the restarting of garden bin collections, will spur me on?

Phil.P

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Re: The Railway in the Valley of the Mill

Post by gilfachphil » Fri Apr 07, 2023 1:56 pm

The greenhouse is a fair distance away as far as I remember and with every yard of progress I suspect the job gets more difficult as the land rises and there is more need for digging out and I guess retaining wall might feature.

Good to see you posting again Trevor, there seems to have been a hiatus.

Phil

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