Wilmington Light Railway

[WLR_CD]

Rather pleased to discover that moss seems to like Grano Dust ballast.





Martin

[WLR_CD]

More progress on the grounded van body shed. The window now has a peak above it.



Ironwork I laser cut out from Trolase before they changed the specification of the material.



The roof canvas was made with old cotton bed sheet, flooded with MEK to stick it down.



Patches were cut out to represent torn canvas, in this instance a piece also folded back. Wood grain was scribed into the planks that are exposed.



Once the MEK had gone hard, it was a simple matter with a razor blade to trim the edges.



The completed covering.



The main parts were primed in suitable colours.



A close up in the primer stage.



The ironwork fixed in place and the base with some initial colouring.



Here pictured alongside a narrow gauge box van.



There are plenty of little details and weathering to do, this will happen when the whim takes me. For the time being it sits on the shelf awaiting inspiration.

Martin

[WLR_CD]

I missed a bit of the build somehow.

Go back a year and a pile of new sleepers had been delivered.



These were made into a raised bed with water feature. Behind this you can see the hedge cuttings have made good progress.
The water pump I bought about 30 years ago at a boot fair for £5.00.





Martin

[WLR_CD]

Now we are in August 2024...

Back in July, with the nice weather, I planed to get back on with the trackwork. Currently covered over with sheets of felt, held down with bricks and timber and all manner of stuff just dumped on top!

The plants are establishing nicely, the hedge especially so, that needs a fortghtly trim. Hard to believe these started out as cuttings from my friend’s hedge many years ago.

I need to give some thought to the track layout in front of the workshop. It will occupy an area roughly 34’ x 10’, contain a continuous run and eventually raise the track level by 12” to enable it to enter the workshop at the far end, just above window cill level. Once in the workshop it will enter a 12’ x 28’, ‘L’ shape industrial scenic section.

This section of the line will need to share space in the workshop with the 7mm layout ‘The Yard’ and the 16mm layout still under construction, ‘First Sunday in June’.

In this photo Wilmington signal box and engine shed can be scene to the right of the photo, in the background.



The hedge is really establishing well, the planters are filling up nicely. The domestic planning authorities craft cabin gets plenty of use.



Not so great was this area.

On the left is the site for the station, which I think may become known as Horton Junction. The girder bridge will be rotated 90 degrees to take a track from Horton Junction into the garage. This may just be storage or may end up being an industrial area. The garage does have a good view of the line if the weather is a bit rough.



This will be Horton Junction goods yard and engine shed facilities, with main line running past. Bottom left of the photo is the eventual site for a lifting bridge which will take the line across the main garden path. I saw a rather nice lifting bridge on the Southgate Light Railway YouTube channel. I may just have to pinch the idea. Update: Recently the builder of Southgate Light railway has given me all his CAD files for the bridge, Rob has been a great help with information on his bridge.



The same location looking in the other direction. The Hydrangea may have to move unless I can come up with a work around.



In front of the workshop. The swing seat needs to be moved and refurbed. The line should eventually enter the workshop at the far end. This whole area needs to be visually pleasing, have a continuous run, rise about 12”, contain a trestle bridge (already built) and a rockery to use up the many rockery stones I have. The earth in front of the shed was shifted by a fox in just one night!



From the far end of the workshop where the line should enter, a view across to the craft cabin. In the foreground I have made a start clearing the area.



We had a new fence installed this side of the garden, I had to clear back some of the shrubs and trees.
Could be a nice little run down here, but not mentioned that to the domestic planning authorities yet!



Martin

[drewzero1]

Just relistened to the "Cattleyard of Foxes" episode of MRR and between that and this thread I feel like I'm having a multimedia experience!

[WLR_CD]

Just relistened to the "Cattleyard of Foxes" episode of MRR and between that and this thread I feel like I'm having a multimedia experience!

It has been a while since I was on a MRR podcast, Tom seems more occupied with his wargaming YouTube channel these days.
We did do a couple of video MRRs. If he does come back, video is the way to go.
Martin

[WLR_CD]

In early August a friend brought his steam loco round for testing.

The main line overhanging vegetation needed a trim first.





When I do a full prune, the railway is strong enough to take my weight standing on it while using the hedge trimmer.

Martin

[WLR_CD]

After the loco testing day, I continued with my upgrading of the liner and ballasting.

I lost enthusiasm with loose ballast, rain and animals manage to shift it everywhere, in amongst point mechanisms being the most annoying.

I used a VAX vacuum with a reusable bag to remove a lot of the ballast.



A wooden track support needed cutting, this was very easy with a multi-tool.



A neat cut without needing to remove track.



Track and wooden supports lifted in one.



Dustpan and brush, along with the VAX removed the last of the ballast.



Weed membrane held in place with wood strip. It was breezy today which lifted the membrane on occasions.



I used my original track spacer, which made lining up the screw holes very easy.



My new method of ballasting using Grano dust. The other line is due to be ballasted with Grano dust.



Damped down, it was getting late, so SBR will be applied the next day, or so I thought!



The next day was rather wet, so radio on and sort the ballast into grades in the shed in the dry for a few hours.
In this view you can see the ally greenhouse shelves under the layout. Handy for loco servicing items and handsets on running days, rather than spread all over the ground.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

Finished ballasting this part of the main line.



A video of when I ran a loco before replacing the ballast. It was a bit windy that day!



Martin

[WLR_CD]

I made a start on building the first of two crossovers required for Horton Junction station. This I did on the bench, makes it a lot easier than on the actual railway and not dictated to by the weather!

Laying out the track and cutting to fit. I made some track spacers from timber offcuts.



My railway is made from secondhand track bought over many years. I clean the railhead when laying because it makes it a lot easier when looking down the track for alignment.



Got carried away with this point, leaving the check rails dirty as per prototype. I really must get out more!



All track now cut.



I use a small mirror when ‘sighting’ track alignment.



I plan to use radio control aircraft fittings as point rodding, allowing one switch to throw both points.

A crank and some end clips which have 2mm threaded rod, this will enable very fine adjustment.



This gives a rough idea.



Cutting the track webbing allows the control cable to pass under the rail.



The total crossover mounted on timbers. I will probably paint the blue rods black. Ordered some flat ally strip which won’t arrive until later, then I can finish this off and install on the railway.



Martin

[Old Man Aaron]

Ah, I've seen that 1:1 narrow gauge wagon before - you're on the 16mm Assoc. Farcebook group!
Coming together beautifully. I also leave my guard rails weathered, but with paint.
Love the shelving under the raised track.

[WLR_CD]

Ah, I've seen that 1:1 narrow gauge wagon before - you're on the 16mm Assoc. Farcebook group!
Coming together beautifully. I also leave my guard rails weathered, but with paint.
Love the shelving under the raised track.

I am indeed, good spot.

Martin

[WLR_CD]

The metal strip arrived, I made some temporary metal straps to hold the crossover in formation prior to fitting to the railway.
Also made a start on making small brackets to hold control cranks.





Martin

[WLR_CD]

A start has been made on the second crossover for Horton Junction.

I have found not all Peco straight left and righthand points are indeed straight, some are more like a ‘Y’ point.

It makes straight track sections look uncomfortable to my eyes.

This straight point has a distinct curve.



I straightened the point by fixing each end first, while using a small clamp to pull the point straight, I fix in place with a screw.



Checked with a mirror, looks a lot better.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

I dropped in the two crossovers and laid the first track into Horton Junction. I used a builders line to get the track straight.

Annoyingly, part way along Horton Junction station there is a distinct rise. This coincided with one of the leg supports, so digging out the brick supports to lower them about 15mm was today’s project.

Not helped by all the plants that had now grown up around the area. It was also the least accessible of all the legs, but at least it is done now.

This shows the hump. Ordinarily not a problem, but I just know it will complicate things later when making the platform, plus uncoupled coaches may start to roll.



Making a start digging out the front support brick.



Brick out with the aid of a shovel to slightly lift the leg. Soil was scrapped out and brick placed back.

The rear brick was worse to get out, but luckily I had a block paver that was about 15mm lower than the brick removed, this then became a simple swop over.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

With a change in the weather, outside trackwork had come to a halt.
I will need more track support timbers, so had a session turning some hardwood into dust and strips.



The dust did highlight cobwebs in the workshop!





I do need to source some genuine creosote to treat these timbers, my supply is getting very low.

Martin

[WLR_CD]

I got the approach tracks to Horton Junction station screwed down, until I ran out of screws!

I have two boxes of screws ordered for pick up at Screwfix.



With nothing better to do having run out of track fixing screws, I ran the first loco into the Horton Junction bay platform.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

I have laid more track at Horton Junction, plus the mainline that goes to the rest of the railway has started to curve through 90 degrees.

First passenger train into Horton Junction.



The longest train parked where the curved platform face will be.



The longest bay platform train.



Starting to work out platform area, but was running out of daylight.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

Just for a bit of fun.



Martin

[WLR_CD]

The other day I started with a blank canvas and ended with a blank canvas!

The blank canvas will eventually house Horton Jnc. goods yard, cattle dock, engine facilities and the through line to the bridge that will cross the path over to the other side of the garden.



I sorted out all my purchased over the years, secondhand track, into Peco and Tenmille piles.

Pile of Peco track.



Pile of Tenmille track.



I placed some points on the blank canvas and quickly realised I need to curve three points before track laying can continue.

The next job is to curve the points to fit the six foot radius track already curved.

Martin