Breaking Ground - Finescale - of a sort
- Thread starter Richard Insole
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- peter insole
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
I am thinking along the lines of a vehicle that incorporates as many features of something like this gorgeous beast:
(copyright image shown here for illustrative purposes only)
or maybe a nice, big, green, Grimsby and Immingham - former Gateshead bogie car - with windscreens - would be a tempting subject too?!
Naturally, ours would have to be adapted to carry overscale passengers, but with a maximum width of 1ft.-8ins., and a healthy 7ft. length, there should be just enough room to squeeze three cosily on board?!
Well, a Motorman, Conductor and one passenger anyway!
Excellent - now you'll have to consider a conduit or an overhead system - with the latter doubling up as a washing line when not energised....
Or why not the experimental streamlined tube stock.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
When I had previously mentioned the matter of OLE, the folks at home just laughed - quite naturally thinking that I was merely jesting!
The latest comments along the similar lines were this time met with sort of stunned silence - and even looks that were a mix of incredulity - and mild horror! Now they fear I might actually be serious, and are clearly unconvinced by any reassurances offered that I am quite happy to rely on conventional, on board batteries!
(Whispers) Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but I meant; for the time being anyway!
Pete.
The latest comments along the similar lines were this time met with sort of stunned silence - and even looks that were a mix of incredulity - and mild horror! Now they fear I might actually be serious, and are clearly unconvinced by any reassurances offered that I am quite happy to rely on conventional, on board batteries!
(Whispers) Shhh! Don't tell anyone, but I meant; for the time being anyway!
Pete.
Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
Perhaps go the whole hog and make it an ex-West Ham Corporation tramcar
There'll be no end of suggestions for the chassis.
There'll be no end of suggestions for the chassis.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
To quote a fellow Thunderer, the really great thing about this site is the ability to make contact with other members - and to provide help if needed.
I got a call last Friday, with a generous offer of assistance with that mountain of soil between the rail ends of the loop! He had correctly surmised that I was at a crisis point over it, and came over on Saturday, wielding lots of useful tools, a barrow, and apparently loads of energy! He also brought two empty "ton bags", and in what seemed no time at all, incredibly, filled them both!
Wow! With enormous gratitude, I can now at last see my way through - to the end of the task - well, both ends actually!
On Sunday, The crew - the whole crew indeed, turned up for a running session in the afternoon. It was a wonderful bit of mayhem - that took quite a chunk of the following day to recover from!
Even Mrs. I., got roped in for some driving duties... along with providing the perfect children's picnic "fuel", of the high octane variety!
Her excuse for dishing out a trayful of delights was: "Oh well, that's what grandmas are supposed to do isn't it!"
Mr. O's flower beds getting trampled, the distribution of a fair amount of track ballast, a couple of spectacular derailments and a broken reversing lever on the engine was a small price to pay I suppose!
I did manage to lay the first complete line of edging bricks by the close of play on Monday though...
Being able to stretch a string along the full length of the back straight enabled me to find the precise location of the gradient "summit", but it also revealed an error with the previous heading! Thank goodness I had decided to work simultaneously at the western end instead of just carrying on from here. Only a handful of bricks will need to be re-aligned in order to slightly slew a single length!
Yesterday dawned bright and fair - too bright as it happened after an urgent, and vital "Diabetes" eye exam! When I eventually got my vision back, a second line of bricks were started - and so did the rain!
It wasn't so much torrential stuff, just jolly persistent!
By this morning, what had been like concrete was now a morass of slimy, black goo! It did make digging in the remaining bricks an absolute breeze, but trying not to end up clomping masses of the stuff all around the rest of the garden proved almost impossible!
Even more ballast got distributed - this time it was by me, and my sticky, muddy boots!
Mercifully, it had all started to dry out again by this evening, allowing me to finish the first stage of the road bed...
Oooh! I am looking forward to driving a train through the "leafy glade" very soon!
Sorry Mr. T., but no tunnel to be seen here I know, not even a sort of green one (as yet) though.
Pete.
I got a call last Friday, with a generous offer of assistance with that mountain of soil between the rail ends of the loop! He had correctly surmised that I was at a crisis point over it, and came over on Saturday, wielding lots of useful tools, a barrow, and apparently loads of energy! He also brought two empty "ton bags", and in what seemed no time at all, incredibly, filled them both!
Wow! With enormous gratitude, I can now at last see my way through - to the end of the task - well, both ends actually!
On Sunday, The crew - the whole crew indeed, turned up for a running session in the afternoon. It was a wonderful bit of mayhem - that took quite a chunk of the following day to recover from!
Even Mrs. I., got roped in for some driving duties... along with providing the perfect children's picnic "fuel", of the high octane variety!
Her excuse for dishing out a trayful of delights was: "Oh well, that's what grandmas are supposed to do isn't it!"
Mr. O's flower beds getting trampled, the distribution of a fair amount of track ballast, a couple of spectacular derailments and a broken reversing lever on the engine was a small price to pay I suppose!
I did manage to lay the first complete line of edging bricks by the close of play on Monday though...
Being able to stretch a string along the full length of the back straight enabled me to find the precise location of the gradient "summit", but it also revealed an error with the previous heading! Thank goodness I had decided to work simultaneously at the western end instead of just carrying on from here. Only a handful of bricks will need to be re-aligned in order to slightly slew a single length!
Yesterday dawned bright and fair - too bright as it happened after an urgent, and vital "Diabetes" eye exam! When I eventually got my vision back, a second line of bricks were started - and so did the rain!
It wasn't so much torrential stuff, just jolly persistent!
By this morning, what had been like concrete was now a morass of slimy, black goo! It did make digging in the remaining bricks an absolute breeze, but trying not to end up clomping masses of the stuff all around the rest of the garden proved almost impossible!
Even more ballast got distributed - this time it was by me, and my sticky, muddy boots!
Mercifully, it had all started to dry out again by this evening, allowing me to finish the first stage of the road bed...
Oooh! I am looking forward to driving a train through the "leafy glade" very soon!
Sorry Mr. T., but no tunnel to be seen here I know, not even a sort of green one (as yet) though.
Pete.
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Yorkshire Dave
Western Thunderer
The concrete post is crying out for one of these two as an adornment
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I must admit to slowing down a bit over the last couple of days - with the current spell of hot and humid conditions being a significant factor. Nevertheless, the gap is steadily closing, panel by panel!
So far, the two ends are reasonably aligned, but it is going to be fun cutting the final link rails - and when making allowance for contraction/expansion, getting the filshbolt holes the correct distance apart?!
I had to cut and do the messy job of staining another batch of sleepers to complete the loop, so I started early this morning to avoid the expected heat. Frustratingly, it became utterly unbearable again before I reached that final length...
As usual, I am permitted to make a bit of noise after 3pm, so the relative cool of the cellar/workshop is calling!
Thoughts are now turning to what kind of ceremony to perform when the last bolt goes in?!
Pete.
So far, the two ends are reasonably aligned, but it is going to be fun cutting the final link rails - and when making allowance for contraction/expansion, getting the filshbolt holes the correct distance apart?!
I had to cut and do the messy job of staining another batch of sleepers to complete the loop, so I started early this morning to avoid the expected heat. Frustratingly, it became utterly unbearable again before I reached that final length...
As usual, I am permitted to make a bit of noise after 3pm, so the relative cool of the cellar/workshop is calling!
Thoughts are now turning to what kind of ceremony to perform when the last bolt goes in?!
Pete.
Ressaldar
Western Thunderer
Hi Pete,
from your earlier comments, a Brunelian Tunnel ceremony is definitely is highly unlikely but would be nice, especially the band playing in the tunnel mouth!
Looking forward to the link up.
regards
Mike
Richard Gawler
Western Thunderer
Perhaps a recorded performance of the Hallelujah Chorus would fit, as a prelude to the operating to come.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
The last bit of ballasting was done this morning.
I have found a way of using one of the wagons - with a bag of chippings slumped in just the right position to allow a limited, and controllable stream of slate dressing to be delivered.
The slate on this section is a bit fussy, (and possibly slightly odd?) I know, but I really wanted to keep a more constant appearance all the way round, primarily for the sake of Mr. O. It was after all, his original choice of surface material - until I came along and commandeered his pathway plans for laying a railway!
The slate comes dark and wet out of the bag - goes powdery, pinkish white quite quickly as it dries, and then takes several downpours, or a careful (!) "jet-wash" before finally revealing it's true colours!
The patch in the middle of the straight was left until last, as I was still fiddling with packing and tamping at the "summit", where getting a smooth transition over the gradient "hump" was proving troublesome! The point just happened to coincide with a rail joint, and the aluminium rails seem distinctly reluctant to bend in the vertical plane - except in the centre! I decided in the end that resistance was utterly futile, and will have to be content with a rather more sudden pitch change than I had hoped for - I am fairly sure the children won't be at all bothered, or may even enjoy the effect anyway!
Otherwise, the "marathon" loop is, at last, more or less complete...
Complete that is, except for the final pair of fishplates - at the western, "Washing-line post" end!
A case of cock-up in the counting department - yet again! I buy all my materials in little batches, as and when my pension permits! Not the most efficient way of going about things, but hey-ho, needs must, and all that!
Wagons have been hand propelled all the way round, (several times already - as might be expected!) but a proper, Grand Inauguration Ceremony will now have to wait until next weekend, (weather permitting) or at least at the earliest occasion when all parties are available to attend?!
Pete.
I have found a way of using one of the wagons - with a bag of chippings slumped in just the right position to allow a limited, and controllable stream of slate dressing to be delivered.
The slate on this section is a bit fussy, (and possibly slightly odd?) I know, but I really wanted to keep a more constant appearance all the way round, primarily for the sake of Mr. O. It was after all, his original choice of surface material - until I came along and commandeered his pathway plans for laying a railway!
The slate comes dark and wet out of the bag - goes powdery, pinkish white quite quickly as it dries, and then takes several downpours, or a careful (!) "jet-wash" before finally revealing it's true colours!
The patch in the middle of the straight was left until last, as I was still fiddling with packing and tamping at the "summit", where getting a smooth transition over the gradient "hump" was proving troublesome! The point just happened to coincide with a rail joint, and the aluminium rails seem distinctly reluctant to bend in the vertical plane - except in the centre! I decided in the end that resistance was utterly futile, and will have to be content with a rather more sudden pitch change than I had hoped for - I am fairly sure the children won't be at all bothered, or may even enjoy the effect anyway!
Otherwise, the "marathon" loop is, at last, more or less complete...
Complete that is, except for the final pair of fishplates - at the western, "Washing-line post" end!
A case of cock-up in the counting department - yet again! I buy all my materials in little batches, as and when my pension permits! Not the most efficient way of going about things, but hey-ho, needs must, and all that!
Wagons have been hand propelled all the way round, (several times already - as might be expected!) but a proper, Grand Inauguration Ceremony will now have to wait until next weekend, (weather permitting) or at least at the earliest occasion when all parties are available to attend?!
Pete.
David Waite
Western Thunderer
Hi Peter
Great effort I have enjoyed following your progress well done.
David.
Great effort I have enjoyed following your progress well done.
David.
Tim Watson
Western Thunderer
Very satisfying!
Tim
Tim
Tom Insole
Western Thunderer
Excellent work dad! I'm sadly away this weekend coming but have the children the weekend after so weather permitting I'll bring them down for a run around the loop!
I'm sure little lady will be most pleased to make a complete trip!
And maybe her dad too...
Tom