Yr Hen Felin & Yr Orsaf Newydd

[gilfachphil]

Thanks Philip,

Interesting to read about your use of foamboard outside. I've never played with SBR though I know a man that uses it. I assume Postcrete is just a sand/cement mix, is it spread dry onto the wet SBR?

On another happier note:-

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I have lusted after a set of the WLLR Pickering coaches and last Saturday at Stoneleigh I succumbed to temptation and bought these from GRS. Unfortunately they only have the 45mm wheel sets and I need the 32mm ones however I have a possible source of the 32mm version, shoud know in a day or two whether they are available and alternatively an engineering friend well known to this forum has offered to help.

The same friend has insisted I now need a live steam Earl or Countess to pull them! I thought I'd just pose them with one of the locos I have built to have a look.

Phil

[FWLR]

Those coaches are very very nice Phil. Yep a live steamer pulling them would look great, but what you have looks the part I think, but what do I know, others with far more experience in these things might suggest something else, who knows.

But remember Rule 1 Phil, (it's your line and if it's ok for you it's ok for others....)

[gilfachphil]

Thanks Rod,

I thought the loco was not too dissimilar to Earl at a quick glance. She’ll certainly do for now.

Phil

[philipy]

Interesting to read about your use of foamboard outside. I've never played with SBR though I know a man that uses it. I assume Postcrete is just a sand/cement mix, is it spread dry onto the wet SBR?

Phil,
Sorry, I forgot to reply. Yes, "Postcrete" is a proprietery readymix sand & cement product. It must also contain accelerants of some sort as well. To use it for it's intended purpos you simply dig a hole, put the bag of dry mix in and then position your post, then pour water in and it sets in about 20 mins! I've used it fairly extensively for raised trackbed legs. The same type of product is available in own-brand versions from Wickes, etc.

So for platform tops I spread it dry on to wet SBR, but you have to be careful that it doesn't ball and stick and give raised lumps. If I were to do it again, I think I'd spread it dry then add the SBR, as in track ballasting.

[Peter Butler]

From my experience with any mix using SBR I have found that it doesn't like being applied directly to a wooden base. The wood will expand and contract causing cracks in the material mix, eventually leading to detachment from the baseboard.
I now use a strip of roofing felt in the area before applying the mix. The same applies to track ballast using SBR, and possibly cement too?

[gilfachphil]

I have family visiting at the moment. A running day was held in mostly sunshine today with much of my stock in action:-

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Given a good ration of hot sun on the platform surface it was found that the 2mm gaps I had left for expansion were not enough so further thin slices were excised. The black foam board was curling away from the glue so it was replaced with the original piece of recycled plastic. I think this may now work as, so long as the gaps are big enough that they ends do not meet when hot the material will probably stay fairly flat. The gaps do not detract too much from the appearance as far as I am concerned.

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Phil

[FWLR]

Can I make a suggestion Phil. Why don't you try with some 3 or 5 ply full length, you then can put wood screws countersunk every few inches or so and then fill in the small gaps with wood filler or something that will be ok to use outside. For the ramps at the end I would score the underneath about 2mm deep and about 4 to 5mm, then you would be able to bend the ends to what you need them to be. It wouldn't do any harm to get a short scrap piece and try the underneath first to see if it works and how much you would need to score. I am fairly positive that it would work Phil, until you give it a try you will never know if it works.
In fact I have some ply in my shed and I will try it for you..

[gilfachphil]

Hi Rod,

Thanks for your suggestion. I think it would need a very special grade of plywood to survive outside in the climate of West Wales. I know that there is a totally waterproof form of MDF but it is very expensive.

At the moment what I am doing seems to be OK. It has been hot and sunny today and the material does appear to have stayed flat mostly so I think I will persevere with it as it is inherently waterproof and here!

Best wishes,

Phil