16mm scale ballast!

Dr. Bond of the DVLR · Post by **Dr. Bond of the DVLR** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 5:45 pm

I know it is in effective but it was widely used as it was a cheap fix for light and small railway companies - RHandDR use if as do Bure Valley. It might be infective but it would be prototypical! Interesting about ballast island - never knew that I'll look out for it on my next visit!

taliesin001 · Post by **taliesin001** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:47 pm

Mr. Bond of the DVLR wrote:I know it is in effective but it was widely used as it was a cheap fix for light and small railway companies

Got that right!

The state of the trackwork on the BVR is awful and shakes the locos to bits.

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 7:23 pm

I think anything will bind with PVA waterproof even round aggregate.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:28 pm

"Mr. Bond of the DVLR" Bird grit ought to be fairly cheap (I am sorry and truly ashamed of that one...)

............ and so you should be! I'm lucky enough to live not far from Crich, so I take a couple of containers up there and fill them with 10mm stone - it costs half of not a lot and I generally get to see trams as well!

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Sat Apr 17, 2010 10:36 pm

Ballast too gives natural weathering as seen here!Now awaiting washdown.

Then again it could be the Ash fallout!

cjallenby · Post by **cjallenby** » Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:26 am

I heard fish tank gravel (not in the garish colours that you can get (here on the DVR we actualy have a few jars of cobalt blue stuff!!)) was good. Will have a look and see if it is reasonably priced...

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Tue Feb 15, 2011 11:20 pm

PVA has worked well and track inspection today shows this to has stood up to our severest winter.

steamtoysRUS · Post by **steamtoysRUS** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 1:55 pm

dont use cat litter for sure!

Mrs F Controller · Post by **Mrs F Controller** » Sun Mar 04, 2012 2:29 pm

Glad the pva worked. I don't know if anyone else has the same problem but we tend to lose any ballast by birds 'digging' it out even glued down! Just looked through the whole posting and the pics look great. It's even nicer when moss starts to grow too!

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 3:56 pm

The use of waterproof pva has been successful in fixing ballast to trackbed. This has also protected my timbering sleepers from rot. I dont recommend it for actually fixing track to the trackbed though it does help additionally. This summers has been hot and some expansion has occured thoughthis has not affected the track so it appear to be flexible as well

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 8:58 pm

I use 3mm Dorset pea shingle from an aquarium shop and just add it loose:

(old photo as this was before the summer and I just poured it on quickly to see what it would look like)

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:43 pm

That looks the job! Nice one. It doesn't have to be laid with pva it just keeps it down. If you are in plentiful supply it keeps your ballast wagons topped up

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16mm scale ballast!

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