Tim Watson
Western Thunderer
Covenant isn’t valid because they are Road Locomotives, anyway.
Tim
Tim
Breaking Ground - Finescale - of a sort
- Thread starter Richard Insole
- Start date
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- Tags
- peter insole
michael mott
Western Thunderer
Now that chainsaw company ought to pay you for that bit of clever advertising work!
Michael
Michael
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
That was a brilliantly set up gag Tony! You had me quite puzzled at first! I couldn't work out either the context, or what the blue and white blobs on the "painting" were supposed to represent!
Thank you so much for posting that - it was the perfect tonic to open up and find here!
Pete.
Thank you so much for posting that - it was the perfect tonic to open up and find here!
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Yahoo, yahoo, we finally got through!
The last section (nearest in the above images) was by far and away the worst to grapple with!
Thirty years ago, the original perpetrators had laid their hardstanding in several separate "pours", or perhaps more accurately described as "floated puddles" (?) Each batch was hand mixed and of notably different strengths and consistencies!
I started chopping out behind the cut line at the roadway end with a bolster and chisel, and as the mix there turned out to be quite a hard but shallow "screed", seemed to be making some headway. A neighbour was passing, and was a little dismayed by my apparent bravery - or stupidity - and shortly returned with a heavy-duty hammer drill for loan! I must admit that although the machine certainly did make the job a whole lot quicker, I did find that just lifting it up was rather too tiring for me after a short while!
Everything seemed to work fine - if in albeit exhausting fashion - until I reached the final section!
Therein lies yet another mystery:
In a few spots the latter "muck" was notably deeper, but otherwise remained fairly shallow, at around two to three inches. However, the aggregate was distinctly "sandy", and appeared to be a weak mix.
"Ah, ha, this should be a bit easier now?" thought I.
Oh, no, no, no!
The chisel bit just seemed to stay resolutely on the surface - or indeed repeatedly skidded off. Even the drill stayed as steady as a rock. It seemed to be me that was vibrating up and down at high frequency instead.
Naturally, I quickly got fed up of that silly game!
Mr.O., came home from work at an opportune moment... and stood for while surveying a scene of chipped concrete, a silent, smoking drill... and a somewhat slumped, smoking father!
In a pathetic attempt at feigning a cheerful, care free, happy-go-lucky demeanour, I queried:
"Do you fancy having a go O?"
The poor boy took up the offer... and finished off the last two feet of the job! OK, so he didn't exactly go blurry round the edges... and he is still young and fit, but even he admitted that it was tough going!
By the way; Mrs. I. has been busy digging out old photo albums since this task commenced, and from among them this gem (?) taken in 1985 turned up:
Just to prove that I seem to have spent half a lifetime smashing someone else's wretched concrete from around our home!!
Pete.
The last section (nearest in the above images) was by far and away the worst to grapple with!
Thirty years ago, the original perpetrators had laid their hardstanding in several separate "pours", or perhaps more accurately described as "floated puddles" (?) Each batch was hand mixed and of notably different strengths and consistencies!
I started chopping out behind the cut line at the roadway end with a bolster and chisel, and as the mix there turned out to be quite a hard but shallow "screed", seemed to be making some headway. A neighbour was passing, and was a little dismayed by my apparent bravery - or stupidity - and shortly returned with a heavy-duty hammer drill for loan! I must admit that although the machine certainly did make the job a whole lot quicker, I did find that just lifting it up was rather too tiring for me after a short while!
Everything seemed to work fine - if in albeit exhausting fashion - until I reached the final section!
Therein lies yet another mystery:
In a few spots the latter "muck" was notably deeper, but otherwise remained fairly shallow, at around two to three inches. However, the aggregate was distinctly "sandy", and appeared to be a weak mix.
"Ah, ha, this should be a bit easier now?" thought I.
Oh, no, no, no!
The chisel bit just seemed to stay resolutely on the surface - or indeed repeatedly skidded off. Even the drill stayed as steady as a rock. It seemed to be me that was vibrating up and down at high frequency instead.
Naturally, I quickly got fed up of that silly game!
Mr.O., came home from work at an opportune moment... and stood for while surveying a scene of chipped concrete, a silent, smoking drill... and a somewhat slumped, smoking father!
In a pathetic attempt at feigning a cheerful, care free, happy-go-lucky demeanour, I queried:
"Do you fancy having a go O?"
The poor boy took up the offer... and finished off the last two feet of the job! OK, so he didn't exactly go blurry round the edges... and he is still young and fit, but even he admitted that it was tough going!
By the way; Mrs. I. has been busy digging out old photo albums since this task commenced, and from among them this gem (?) taken in 1985 turned up:
Just to prove that I seem to have spent half a lifetime smashing someone else's wretched concrete from around our home!!
Pete.
simond
Western Thunderer
I sympathise, when we moved into our house, our lad was 6 months old to the day. The garden was terraced as the site is steep, (and the builders had dumped all the rubble from the hospital over the patio wall, and covered it in something that might have been turf, or, might not). At the bottom of the main slope, right in the middle, and obviously where a small child was going to hurt himself sooner or later, was a plinth. It was about a foot high, two feet square, sharp cornered, concrete and immovable.
I managed to borrow a Kango (well, I had to pay in beer, but that’s no robbery…) and spent all day Saturday, all day Sunday, and most of the following weekend demolishing this thing, which, iceberg-like, was somewhat submerged in the grass. And wheelbarrowing the rubble up the garden to the road, of course. It contained all sorts, the bit from a pneumatic drill, bricks, stones, assorted bits of rebar, metal bits of light fittings. The words “built like a brick outhouse” spring to mind.
Having removed it, I then filled the hole with some soil, tamped it down, grass seeded it and retired to the patio for a beer. Our next door neighbour came to see how I was getting on & congratulated me on a job well done. I asked what the previous owners had it for, was it a statue, or something grand? “Oh no”, says he, “just a birdbath”
”what was he bathing, ostriches?”
I managed to borrow a Kango (well, I had to pay in beer, but that’s no robbery…) and spent all day Saturday, all day Sunday, and most of the following weekend demolishing this thing, which, iceberg-like, was somewhat submerged in the grass. And wheelbarrowing the rubble up the garden to the road, of course. It contained all sorts, the bit from a pneumatic drill, bricks, stones, assorted bits of rebar, metal bits of light fittings. The words “built like a brick outhouse” spring to mind.
Having removed it, I then filled the hole with some soil, tamped it down, grass seeded it and retired to the patio for a beer. Our next door neighbour came to see how I was getting on & congratulated me on a job well done. I asked what the previous owners had it for, was it a statue, or something grand? “Oh no”, says he, “just a birdbath”
”what was he bathing, ostriches?”
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I would like to think that when this job is done, and the railway is finally completed, I wont have to chop or dig anything up, ever again... and the last remaining rubble will be neatly buried under the trackbed and associated buildings for many more years to come!
During all this work we have uncovered quite a collection of archaeological rubbish, both ancient and modern, and just for fun I have decided to later install an hopefully entertaining "cabinet of curiosities" in the station booking office!
Pete.
During all this work we have uncovered quite a collection of archaeological rubbish, both ancient and modern, and just for fun I have decided to later install an hopefully entertaining "cabinet of curiosities" in the station booking office!
Pete.
Richard Gawler
Western Thunderer
Today I did the tiniest bit of remodelling of my own patch (moved some gravel) and unearthed a bolster chisel I lost in 2016. I had imagined it had gone into a bag of waste and forgotten all about it.
Osgood
Western Thunderer
I'm curious as to what the plan is here - looks like you've cut out the edge and excavated a trench, but what are you going to do now?
Is this another of those "Threlkeld" moments I wonder:
Years ago I spent some time at the Vintage Excavator Trust's quarry at Threlkeld west of Penrith, watching from below with an old local boy a Ruston dragline, crewed by two equally old boys, digging shale from a stockpile, slewing around and throwing it behind - just like this:
After 20 minutes or so the driver dropped the bucket and they both jumped out, lit up their pipes and stood admiring their handiwork.
I turned to the old boy and asked "What do you reckon they'll do now?", to which he replied:
"Ah well, likely as not they'll put it all back again"!
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Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
It does feel a bit like that Tony. I lost count years ago of the number of times I've moved stacks of old bricks or piles of rubble... only to realise later that I had moved it all to more or less where it had started from!
Pete.
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
I'm sorry that I didn't answer your question Tony, getting rather caught up with the wonderful story instead late last night!
Although our own hardstanding has a very slight, but constant rise (front to back) apart from a short slope at the downhill, road end, and the new rearward extension must continue at the same pitch in order to deflect surface water from running towards the shed foundations, the neighbour's concrete "mess" notably undulates in every direction!
While I would have much preferred to build a replacement, extended dwarf wall in nicer looking, traditional brick - I realised that simply (hah, hah) shuttering up and pouring our own muck in was the more practical solution!
Having spent so many years trying to be rid of seemingly acres worth of the dreadfully hard, grey stuff... what do I intend to do...?
Quite bonkers eh?... Yeah, I know!
Pete.
Although our own hardstanding has a very slight, but constant rise (front to back) apart from a short slope at the downhill, road end, and the new rearward extension must continue at the same pitch in order to deflect surface water from running towards the shed foundations, the neighbour's concrete "mess" notably undulates in every direction!
While I would have much preferred to build a replacement, extended dwarf wall in nicer looking, traditional brick - I realised that simply (hah, hah) shuttering up and pouring our own muck in was the more practical solution!
Having spent so many years trying to be rid of seemingly acres worth of the dreadfully hard, grey stuff... what do I intend to do...?
Quite bonkers eh?... Yeah, I know!
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Just look what appeared over Lamorna Station last night:
Thanks to Mr. O. for taking the wonderful images above!
We found that the best spot for viewing was by standing on the station platform. The show was both deeply emotional and utterly breathtaking!
Pete.
Thanks to Mr. O. for taking the wonderful images above!
We found that the best spot for viewing was by standing on the station platform. The show was both deeply emotional and utterly breathtaking!
Pete.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Our neighbours have sent similar images around the village this morning, sadly we were fast asleep so missed it all.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
According to the dear old Beeb, it might happen again tonight. Worth watching, just in case!
Pete.
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
All the stars seemed to have aligned in the last few days, although some heavy rain has temporarily stopped play for today! Sufficient materials, (or so I thought) were on site, including the hired cement mixer, Mrs. I., and Mr. O., (the essential extra muscle) were available for the whole week... and better still, the fractious landlords have gone away on holiday to Devon!
Shuttering up turned out to be rather more of a tricky task than I had hoped for though. As I am butting up my wall to the existing hardstanding - and being concerned not to cause any damage (real or perceived) whatsoever, I have not only had to trim the plywood sides to snugly follow all the surface undulations, but also rely on sturdy bracing timbers held back and upright only with stacks of old bricks and blocks!
I am very relieved to report that the "lash-up" job has worked reasonably well, and didn't shift an inch during either the pours, tamping or during the overnight setting!
It would have been more sensible to first complete the shuttering all the way to the garage of course, but I was rather too keen to get the roadway end filled, being largely concerned by the vulnerability of the workings (and public ankles!) on what is a very narrow lane.
(I have never understood why so many people don't seem to appreciate what a traffic cone is actually for - apart from regarding it simply as an obstruction that has to be moved out of their path, or just driven over anyway?!)
I am not too bothered about having a joint around two thirds of the way down the length of the wall, as I don't expect that last section to come under much more load than foot traffic!
By the way, Mrs. I., may not be into baking cakes or biscuits... but it turns out she is pretty adept at making "muck" while "the wreck" catches his breath for the umpteenth time!!
Again, as it turned out we had just enough cement and ballast in the bag to finish a couple of shovels full beyond that point! A bit of panicky bodging at the last minute did the trick though! It was perhaps timely, as by that point we were all pretty much cream crackered anyway!
Pete.
Shuttering up turned out to be rather more of a tricky task than I had hoped for though. As I am butting up my wall to the existing hardstanding - and being concerned not to cause any damage (real or perceived) whatsoever, I have not only had to trim the plywood sides to snugly follow all the surface undulations, but also rely on sturdy bracing timbers held back and upright only with stacks of old bricks and blocks!
I am very relieved to report that the "lash-up" job has worked reasonably well, and didn't shift an inch during either the pours, tamping or during the overnight setting!
It would have been more sensible to first complete the shuttering all the way to the garage of course, but I was rather too keen to get the roadway end filled, being largely concerned by the vulnerability of the workings (and public ankles!) on what is a very narrow lane.
(I have never understood why so many people don't seem to appreciate what a traffic cone is actually for - apart from regarding it simply as an obstruction that has to be moved out of their path, or just driven over anyway?!)
I am not too bothered about having a joint around two thirds of the way down the length of the wall, as I don't expect that last section to come under much more load than foot traffic!
By the way, Mrs. I., may not be into baking cakes or biscuits... but it turns out she is pretty adept at making "muck" while "the wreck" catches his breath for the umpteenth time!!
Again, as it turned out we had just enough cement and ballast in the bag to finish a couple of shovels full beyond that point! A bit of panicky bodging at the last minute did the trick though! It was perhaps timely, as by that point we were all pretty much cream crackered anyway!
Pete.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
That'll look so much better when it's finished. Good job, Pete, (and your elves).
Brian
Brian
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
Thank you Brian, it will indeed be a huge improvement, not just visually, but for the safety of anyone walking down the side of parked cars as well!
For me this has been an absolutely massive undertaking that would not have been remotely achievable without the "elves" help!!
Pete.
For me this has been an absolutely massive undertaking that would not have been remotely achievable without the "elves" help!!
Pete.
Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
With both perfect weather and a promise of some proper, professional assistance for this morning, the team swung into action for a final "big push":
Things really got moving, and the entire contents of yet another "ton-bag" of ballast disappeared between the formwork in double quick time!
I rather think Mrs. I. was quite happy only to be a provider of light refreshments today?!
A somewhat too well-dressed Glenn (of this parish) came round, and soon found himself on the vital task of doing an "emergency" collection of an extra bag of cement! He then managed to get some shovelling done on the last section... before becoming absolutely drenched from head to toe when removing a hosepipe fitting from the kitchen tap... only to discover that it wasn't completely turned off!!
That was it... all done by lunchtime!
The last section just in front of the shed is narrower than the main wall as it only has to act as a retainer for the block paving to be laid later. I had also left a gap in between the sections to provide sufficient allowance for the subsequent installation of the combined pathway and tramlines.
Just half a barrow load of muck remained at the very last possible mix, and the opportunity was taken to slop it into a hastily dug "foundation" trench at the transition line rather than waste it.
Our builder friend assures me that it would be OK to remove the shuttering from the neighbours hardstanding (at least) by Sunday, so all should hopefully be cleared up and clean on their side by the time the landlords return?!
Pete.
Things really got moving, and the entire contents of yet another "ton-bag" of ballast disappeared between the formwork in double quick time!
I rather think Mrs. I. was quite happy only to be a provider of light refreshments today?!
A somewhat too well-dressed Glenn (of this parish) came round, and soon found himself on the vital task of doing an "emergency" collection of an extra bag of cement! He then managed to get some shovelling done on the last section... before becoming absolutely drenched from head to toe when removing a hosepipe fitting from the kitchen tap... only to discover that it wasn't completely turned off!!
That was it... all done by lunchtime!
The last section just in front of the shed is narrower than the main wall as it only has to act as a retainer for the block paving to be laid later. I had also left a gap in between the sections to provide sufficient allowance for the subsequent installation of the combined pathway and tramlines.
Just half a barrow load of muck remained at the very last possible mix, and the opportunity was taken to slop it into a hastily dug "foundation" trench at the transition line rather than waste it.
Our builder friend assures me that it would be OK to remove the shuttering from the neighbours hardstanding (at least) by Sunday, so all should hopefully be cleared up and clean on their side by the time the landlords return?!
Pete.
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Peter Insole
Western Thunderer
It feels longer than three weeks since I last posted on this thread, but before revealing the latest news, here are a few catch-up shots:
Apart from the rusty metposts - that are nothing to do with us - I am quite pleased that the finished wall does at last look nice and tidy!
Mr. O has been quietly busy in the mean time... including apparently growing to just over seven feet tall...
OK., so he was standing on some hidden blocks to reach the top...
with brushloads of super, satin, spot on, carefully colour matched, LNER (1937) Green paint!
Incidentally, I did not plan this, and it was only later that I discovered that Mr. O thought he would surprise me by secretly borrowing from my "samples" and mixing up a batch at his workplace!
Despite what is claimed by various sources, this particular (LNER) shade also precisely matches some original (of which I am reasonably confident) samples of Southern Railway "Green No. 3A".
Whatever, I am very, very happy with it... the colour rings all sorts of bells, and anyway has a particularly nice, historical feel about it too!
Finally, to today's latest:
At last, 18 metres of 8mm x 25mm steel for the tramlines!
Much fretting, and finally finding this stuff took a while. Although I have sufficient aluminium rail already in stock, setting it in concrete is an absolute no-no - unless I wanted to sit and watch it turn into two, long streaks of white powder that is! The nearest equivalent in steel flat bottomed rail from the regular miniature railway suppliers would have cost around £200 after delivery charges... so that was emphatically another no!
I searched for any local steel stockists for anything appropriate, and found "good old" Mackays of Cambridge! Their online prices came to just over £120, plus delivery. I gulped, and then decided I probably had little choice but to go for it... with one caveat: I wanted to see it first.
Took a trip on "Rich's" bus into town, inspected the metal, and said "yep" to the nice man at the counter!
"Eighty quid... and a fiver to deliver mate" says he!
"Done!" I replied!
With my abysmal grasp of mathematics, I might well have been, of course, but I am sure by half the amount I would have had to cough up for "proper" rails... and then only to bury all but the tops of the hefty investment in cement?!
Pete.
Apart from the rusty metposts - that are nothing to do with us - I am quite pleased that the finished wall does at last look nice and tidy!
Mr. O has been quietly busy in the mean time... including apparently growing to just over seven feet tall...
OK., so he was standing on some hidden blocks to reach the top...
with brushloads of super, satin, spot on, carefully colour matched, LNER (1937) Green paint!
Incidentally, I did not plan this, and it was only later that I discovered that Mr. O thought he would surprise me by secretly borrowing from my "samples" and mixing up a batch at his workplace!
Despite what is claimed by various sources, this particular (LNER) shade also precisely matches some original (of which I am reasonably confident) samples of Southern Railway "Green No. 3A".
Whatever, I am very, very happy with it... the colour rings all sorts of bells, and anyway has a particularly nice, historical feel about it too!
Finally, to today's latest:
At last, 18 metres of 8mm x 25mm steel for the tramlines!
Much fretting, and finally finding this stuff took a while. Although I have sufficient aluminium rail already in stock, setting it in concrete is an absolute no-no - unless I wanted to sit and watch it turn into two, long streaks of white powder that is! The nearest equivalent in steel flat bottomed rail from the regular miniature railway suppliers would have cost around £200 after delivery charges... so that was emphatically another no!
I searched for any local steel stockists for anything appropriate, and found "good old" Mackays of Cambridge! Their online prices came to just over £120, plus delivery. I gulped, and then decided I probably had little choice but to go for it... with one caveat: I wanted to see it first.
Took a trip on "Rich's" bus into town, inspected the metal, and said "yep" to the nice man at the counter!
"Eighty quid... and a fiver to deliver mate" says he!
"Done!" I replied!
With my abysmal grasp of mathematics, I might well have been, of course, but I am sure by half the amount I would have had to cough up for "proper" rails... and then only to bury all but the tops of the hefty investment in cement?!
Pete.