Ladybank Road

[Poor Old Bruce]

In case anybody's been wondering where I've got to for two months (Don't all shout at once!), I've actually started ballasting in the last few days, doing bite-size sections of plain line to start with. After trying profiled coffee stirrers to create the flangeways, they either didn't provide enough clearance or hit the rail fastenings and flirted the ballast all over the place, I eventually realised that I could use actual wheels to create the effect I want. First up was a Wrenby Dublo Grain van with those awful Wrenn wheels but I had another look round and found a Triang Utility Van with even bigger flanges which still clear the rail fastenings so it looks like I may make some progress now. It's a case of dropping and rough profiling the ballast and then running the van along the track to create the flangeways, then re-profiling and running the van up and down again until happy with it. I also run the van up and down occasionally while the glue is drying just to check. One day I'll have to progress to the point blade areas (there are nine of those) and try not to glue everything up.

[Ramrig]

Hi Mr Bruce

 

Any pictures or updates on progress please

 

Ramrig

[Poor Old Bruce]

1 hour ago, Ramrig said:

Hi Mr Bruce

 

Any pictures or updates on progress please

 

Ramrig

 

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon (Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca).

[Flood]

4 minutes ago, Poor Old Bruce said:

 

Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon (Humphrey Bogart, Casablanca).

That was on BBC4 on Thursday night. So that was your evening sorted then?

[heavymetalwagons]

Regarding using silver sand for ballast try pre damping it first maybe in a bucket. As i work in construction got a bag out of the container the other day and it was damp as #### no use whatever but remembed this thread 

[Poor Old Bruce]

11 hours ago, heavymetalwagons said:

Regarding using silver sand for ballast try pre damping it first maybe in a bucket. As i work in construction got a bag out of the container the other day and it was damp as #### no use whatever but remembed this thread 

 

Thanks for the comment H but I have found that most ballast materials are easier to spread when dry. They flow much better, if they are damp they just seem to go into claggy lumps that don't do what you want. Then dampen them with some sort of fine mist of slightly soapy water before applying the glue. If you get big drops on the stuff which disturb the surface while spraying, it's best to sort then out later after the glue is well on the way to drying otherwise you (well, I) make a bigger mess.