Garden Railway Forum

It looks great Grant, and it works!

That looks so real...

Most impressive, little things mean a lot!

Grant, I am very impressed by the detail and realism that you have achieved here. A question I have, are the bell crank mounting plates fixed to your sub base or are they in some way attached to the track?
I ask because I am proposing a rodded operation of points to my line's extension and I have been thinking that if the crank plates are attached to the sub base, I believe that any movement of the track (eg temperature) is going to result in a partial movement of the points.
Maybe I'm just being over cautious but would appreciate your views.

Hi Phil,
Yes the base plates are fixed to the sub base, but as the two in the pic. are controlling dwarf ground signals it isn't a problem. However due to the heat of our summers I have found that as in real practice the cables do expand and for that reason I've incorporated short springs (visible on the right hand bell crank). These allow me to over pull the lever if necessary, and that combined with the McKenzie Holland feature of three notches on the quadrant plates for the reverse position, gives me much come and go.
Grant.
PS The lever on the ground frame for the main line signal requires all three notches in summer, only one in winter, but the distance is about 3.5 mtrs.

Great job on the rodding gear the weathered an worn look is so realistic.

philipy wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2017 6:59 am

LNR wrote: ↑Fri Dec 08, 2017 5:06 am
Rodding and other gear is looking like its been there a few years now, not so clean.

Yes, It does look extremely prototypical now, lovely. Needs a second look to realise its a model.
Envy you the weather to be able to get out and do it, I have a complete station and some line side fencing waiting to be installed!

I couldn't have put it better! Fantastic job Grant.

All the best,

Andrew

As a point rodding geek, I have to say that I agree.

Peter in Va

Thank you to everyone for your comments, they are appreciated.
Hoping to get back to running some trains and get some decent pics.
As is probably obvious I use steel as opposed to brass for most outdoor stuff, and always give it a liberal coat of killed spirits of salts (hydrochloric acid) to promote rust. I can get steel items coated in rust after 3 nights out, especially in winter with the colder temps. Instant weathering.
Grant.

LNR wrote: ↑Sun Dec 10, 2017 4:48 am always give it a liberal coat of killed spirits of salts (hydrochloric acid) to promote rust. I can get steel items coated in rust after 3 nights out, especially in winter with the colder temps. Instant weathering.
Grant.

Unfortunately I can achieve exactly the same effect by simply handling things. For some reason I've always had extremely corrosive sweat. When I was a kid I handled something of my father's that I wasn't supposed to touch and he knew I had because a few days later my fingerprints were rusted onto the steel surface!

Well I did get to boil some water today, so some more pics. of the same scenes you've surely seen before. Raising steam in the workshops. Passengers boarding and staff looking impatient. Rounding the curve before plunging into the tunnel Things are looking greener after winter, won't stay that way for long. Warringine Creek from the other side. Bridge over the Warringine valley Level Crossing into Nayook. To end up in the Crib Room at Nayook.
Grant.

Later that day. Dan has walked up from the mill for his bread, (don't think he pays for it, well he does provide the flour!) Loading cattle for the up trip. Heading home. Back at Leawarra, urging embarking passengers to hurry as the cattle must be unloaded and watered.
Passengers do take precedence, but livestock comes a close second under the rules.
Grant.

Wow Grant, what a brilliant line you have :thumb right: :thumb right:, I must say your attention for detail is second to none...I love the Crib Shed, in fact I love all of your line, it’s Fantastic...

Just a joy to behold, Grant, as always. Thank you

I agree, a masterclass of how it is done!

I can only echo the above comments, a real feast for the eyes on a snowy morning here.

Great set of pix Grant. I don't recall seeing the trestle before. Very elegant looking structure.

Rik

Beautifully staged pictures, the landscape is good but the characters make it come to life.

Great photos Grant - sat on a train with sleet beating against the window, I can feel the relative heat already coming from those photos in the early summer in Aus

Hi Grant.
I am sooo jealous. Lovely pics.
David.