Breaking Ground - Finescale - of a sort

[Peter Insole]

Oops! Too many related, though separate threads?! I can't believe it is almost six months since I visited this one!

The lure of getting out in the garden is proving irresistible, now at last the ground is starting to dry out in the Spring sunshine, Although progress is agonisingly slow, the railhead is advancing once again...



Getting up and down, traipsing to and from the site to the rail bender and the workbench for trimming and drilling fishplate holes exacted a heavy toll on the first day!

Ironically, as I am doggedly determined to continue taking advantage of the weather window, and not giving my joints a chance to recover, slightly better organisation for the second round has not improved pace by very much!



Ganger, Mr. O decided that the lineside vegetation needed cutting back in the afternoon, but did not dare get too close to the engineer and his specialist equipment...



Consequently, there is now a funny shaped patch of long grass on the south side that will need trimming later!!

Pete.

 

[Simon]

Deep joy, not much in life is better than a pair of rails snaking their way down a garden....

More platelaying tomorrow perhaps?

Wonderful.

Simon

 

[Peter Insole]

Ah yes indeed, and thank you again Simon!

I believe the expression is "Hair of the dog"? : I woke this morning feeling particularly groggy, but I have convinced myself that getting up and out there to finish laying the last two lengths toward the "junction" seems to be the only obvious "cure"!!

Pete.

 

[Simon]

We know it makes sense!

Knee pads, that's all I would add, well tea too, obviously...

Good luck!

 

[Peter Insole]

I have got a pair of those knee pads hanging up in the workshop! These days it is more a case of having trouble getting down to the ground in the first place - or rather; the getting up again that's doing me in!

The platelaying therapy worked in a fashion - although the poor old chair took a bit of a pounding - as the lopsided wreck in the background on three of the following photo's will attest!:

I am happy to have spared viewers any image of the desperately dilapidated director himself though!



The earlier rail bending efforts were somewhat less gently linear than I would have liked, but it is all solidly set now! I suppose the permanent way is supposed to be representative of a light industrial, or bucolic branch line after all?! Fortunately, the slight wobble is much less obvious from the normal driving position, so hopefully I have gotten away with it?!



Having just about got into the swing of smooth transitions, my home made bender busted !!

It was a bit of a last gasp this evening, lugging the unwieldy lump of cast iron back down the cellar stairs and up onto the bench. The first task tomorrow will be trying to fix it - and all for that one last missing rail...!!

I am still laughing - but that is more likely due to the effect of a hefty dose of painkillers?!

Pete.

 

[Richard Insole]

Oh, that really get the juices flowing!!!

It's starting to look like it's going somewhere now. I am somewhat excited for 'The Junction', although this will bring its own challenges for complete "professionals" such as ourselves, it will defiantly be a welcome addition to this already marvellously romantic curve.

It's rather scary to think that it has been 6 months since progress was made on the line. I am really hopeful that this will be the year that we get some real progress made and some rails laid. Once I am allowed out to play, I will be sure to offer up my services to step back into that open apprentice role you have? "Hull ut over hear, bor."

That chair does somewhat look to be a bit 'rum' a little 'on the huh'. They don't make them like they used to. I would place the blame solely on the poor craftsmanship of that there pew.

I am also really pleased to see how well they have faired with all the ground frost(s) and such. If anyone needed proof that you can pull off an otherwise unorthodox method of securing rails to a garden path, the proof is in the pudding here.

So, sorry I couldn't be there to help on this occasion, with much, much more work to be done, I am sure that I can find a way to make up for that

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks Rich, like I said before; no pressure - just whenever you feel ready and able!

Excitement and trepidation in equal measure for today though. I have managed to locate my mislaid pegs and twine, so some surveying and marking out the ground for the junction points and the next curving section of the main line will be the priority job!

First up though, will be to lay down those last two rails to the boundary - including the one that could not be curved due to the aforementioned failing bender!

Therein lies another tale...

After taking the hefty tool back down to the "dank, dark dungeon", and carried out a thorough inspection of the die blocks, I could see no apparent issues! Mystified, I left it there overnight. Yesterday afternoon I decided to try and resolve the matter, and clamped the machine in the big, bench vice. In one of those " dafter moments" I took a straight rail and ran it all the way through. I'm not at all sure quite what I thought would happen, but I certainly did not anticipate the end result:

I got a beautiful curve - with just one pass! In fact, too good as it happens!! What the heck..???

Then the truth finally dawned...

The very first experimental bend was trialled with the machine on the cellar bench. Thinking I was being clever, all the rest so far have been done outdoors on my "Workmate" - set up on the concrete pad in the garden - to be more efficient and nearer the site. That portable bench is quite heavily constructed, and awkward enough, but clearly there is an unforeseen problem:

I believe the term for it is "kinetics" ?? Simply put,; when the gear is securely clamped onto a large, cast iron vice, that is itself firmly bolted to a perfectly rigid, built in workbench, all the energy applied by the arm and the long lever and into the die block is directed straight into the loose object - in this case the rail. None of that generated energy can escape - indeed, more to the point - it is all reflected back. Despite the appearance of sturdiness, the "Workmate" is a leggy affair, with a wooden bar top - half of which is moveable. Basically, there are too many "twangy" bits in the design - and that is where quite a lot of the vital energy ends up going, instead of the prime object!!!
A fairly good example of this principal can be found in the design of bicycles: A tourer needs to comfortable over long distances, whereas, a racer has to enable it's rider to achieve maximum speed (best use of energy). As always, there is a trade off. The extremely taut frames, wheels and tyres of the latter deliver everything to the interface; in that case, the road surface, but the ride will be almost unbearably hard going - whereas the tourer, with it's flexible frames, spongey tyres (and even spring suspension in some cases) may be more benign on the buttocks, but will be much harder work in the Quantocks!

It is perhaps an interesting point, but I wonder about all the DIY'ers, or even professionals, that are unwittingly burning and wasting so much more effort and energy than is actually necessary when using some of their tools ?? - Although I have long suspected it, modern plastic saw horses must surely therefore be the invention of lunatics?!!

Pete.

Edit; I should add that being one myself, I am now resigned instead to walking miles up and down to get the job done!!!

 

[Tom Insole]

Once that last rail goes in you know what you'll need whilst the points are constructed...

A limit of shunt sign! If only we knew where one was.....

Tom.

 

[Peter Insole]

Whew, what a lovely warm day! Although I managed not to peg out until the late afternoon!!



The green twine and little dowels are far too easy for me to trip over, even though I know exactly where I put them - Believe me, that's from hard experience!!

Laying the bricks out also allowed me to view and check all the proposed alignments from a distance - just to make sure that when the turf is cut I don't find myself heading towards an awkward corner and possibly ending up in the railway equivalent of a cul-de-sac!

Of course, sensible people work from previously prepared drawings, but I found the lumpy, bumpy topography of our little estate a bit off putting. For this project I am content to allow the terrain, and the "Authorities" to dictate, and all the while comforting myself with the thought that even the main line companies generally plotted and purchased wider strips of land than were actually needed - partly just in case unexpected ground conditions required a slight deviation from the originally planned route!

So far, so good (?) anyway...



Mr. O., will be the beneficiary of some additional planting - and have a bit less grass to mow when the nice gentle curve of the main line is dug out and those knocked about edgings are firmly realigned!



The approximate route of the loop/branch from the junction can be seen as a trampled rut in the grass leading off to the left in the above image, while the main line comes down to the bottom right.
The nearest peg appears to have been driven into soft ground, but it is in fact hard up to the hidden edge of the last section of original straight concrete path. Removing that will have to happen very soon - and will no doubt give rise to quite a few grunts and groans in the process?!



Above, the view from the loop.

Although the points might have been better placed in the middle, or transition, of the reverse curve in the background, I do rather like the idea of a slightly more snaking, narrow gauge "adventure" effect on the return journey along the line?!

Pete.

 

[Richard Insole]

Oh, that's great to hear that you have managed to sus out the rail bender. Sometimes, the simplest solution is often the one we made first. (not my best turn of phrase). The habit is to try and overcomplicate matters and try to make our lives and the work as easy as possible. Somewhere in the mix of all this, we end up doing it the hard way.

Plastic saw horses were probably conjured up by a drunk lunatic thinking "Whys doesn't it look nicer??". Sadly, a lot of tools now need a 'flare' to make it look good rather than work properly.

That really is looking smashing. I look forward to being able to see this in person, as I am sure you are right in saying the photos don't do it justice. I for one, am very excited about the points. It's great to see the mock-up of what they will look like.

Keep up the great work. I will be delivering the next batch of rails, iminantly.

Cheers,
Rich

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Won't be long before the bunting is out for the line's grand opening and a banquet .

 

[Peter Insole]

Thank you Rich and Dave. Still a rather a long way to go, but at least it feels like we are getting a bit nearer to our own version of a grand opening ceremony! We might just about manage to run to a few flags and packet of biscuits by then - rampant inflation, mad politicians or pestilence permitting?!!

Please excuse that rather gloomy forecast, but I had some worrying news first thing yesterday morning: Mrs. P. announced that she has had a positive Covid test.

Now unfortunately I am one of those who were officially classed at the beginning of the pandemic as "extremely clinically vulnerable", so this was a bit of a shock.
I am trying to be philosophical about it. No use crying - we are where we are, but I do admit that I went out and stayed in the garden until quite late, with perhaps a hope that I might be able to supress some of my fears by remaining fully absorbed in the project !

Thank goodness the weather is so gloriously conducive at the moment - and there were some other bright moments too...



While still innocently unaware of what was brewing, the junction point foundations had been dug out and edgings laid (with anti moggy squatting measures applied!) by the previous evening. Ganger, Mr. O. had also come down after work and made light of removing the last obstructive section of concrete path as well!

Extending the trench by getting stuck into the "grassy bump" would keep me busy!



I had not got very far by midday, but that was due to two main factors: Primarily, my health problems are such that I can only manage three of four spades full at a time before having to rest and catch my breath. Despite many days of particularly warm sunshine, that beautifully rich, almost black topsoil is still heavy with moisture. Standing on the shovel blade to drive it down was dead easy - the trouble was that once it was in, it stuck firmly there! The clods finally arising weighed a ton, and in order to keep the rest of the site as clear and unaffected as possible, had to be carried away too!

A special delivery by a fully masked up Rich was timely indeed...



Ten "double" lengths of lovely, spanking new rail to stand and admire, "Ooh an' ah" over and excitedly point at all the places they can be put!!

The bearer also handed me a heavenly ice cream as well!

Much fortified, the deepening dig was driven with greater determination - and briefly perhaps even a little more vigour (?!) ...



I was assured that Ganger O,. having taken a test, and still being negative, could join in for the last push through the cutting...



That was tough going, but the boundary of the "Secret garden straight" has been reached at last!

The task for today is to make a start on the edgings, but the real fun of smashing up, filling and pounding in loads of hardcore is yet to come!!

Pete.

 

[Pencarrow]

Excellent work Pete, best wishes to the boss on a speedy recovery and fingers crossed that you stay unaffected.

 

[Peter Insole]

Thanks Chris. Much appreciated!

Pete.

 

[Pencarrow]

Looks to be very nice soil, much better than the heavy clay around here.

 

[oldravendale]

Bad news, Peter.

Fingers crossed for a quick recovery and lack of transmission.

Brian

PS - that is looking wonderful!

 

[Tom Insole]

I think I know what sign I need to produce next...

on approach to that archway my PTS training states we should see relevant signage as such:



Again Rough dimentions I can do the rest of the legwork

Tom.

 

[Peter Insole]

Thank you Brian and Chris. Thanks too for the offer Tom! It might be a bit big and bright for our little, old fashioned "Mineral" branch line. I do have another idea that you might be able to help me with instead:

Strangely perhaps (?) I have never been one for giving objects, animate or otherwise, names or titles. Back in the day, a treasured family pet was simply the "Cat", or sometimes "Puss", and occasionally "x@**@/*x+@#xx"! As far as I was concerned, I was happy to leave it for others to christen them!

Yesterday afternoon, as I was slumped in the rickety seat and soaking in the sunshine, I surprised myself! While looking up and down the construction site, it suddenly occurred to me that this "grand project" has a distinct and distant origin:
The death of a much loved relative, dear Aunt Joyce, that back in 1988 started an almost inevitable process, culminating at this point. Funds from the sale of the family home in Wadhurst, Sussex, not only saved me from bankruptcy, and prevented our present home here in Suffolk from being repossessed, but after appropriate reinvestments, the purchase of a small 16mm scale loco with the meagre remainder proved to be the start of the dream! I could not help feeling it would be entirely appropriate for some form of commemoration...

The "station" will therefore have a name!

"Lamorna"

Any thoughts on weatherproof signage would be most welcome Tom!

Pete.

 

[Osgood]

You seem to be making quicker progress than HS2 - and I bet they don't have the same moggy issues that you are having to deal with!

 

[Jordan or Plymouth Mad]

I've read through this thread several times, and I still think I'm missing something I note what appears to be a complete absence of sleepers, or, indeed, any mention of how the rails are fixed down (I can see screws, but screwed into what??) or held to gauge.
As a Connesuie conessu someone especially interested in Rickety Track, I'm interested to see what's happening here.?