Gill Head: Kirkby Luneside's neighbour

[Ramrig]

Like that last image. Very evocative, a lonely wagon, lit by a full moon in the background 

[Physicsman]

1 hour ago, Ramrig said:

Like that last image. Very evocative, a lonely wagon, lit by a full moon in the background 

 

Brilliantly-crafted photographic composition, of course.....my ar5e!!!

 

Well spotted, Steve. I think you pay more attention to this layout than I do!

 

[Physicsman]

Evening folks.

 

I haven't forgotten about the moon pics, I simply haven't had time to complete the processing and get chance to stick some on here. In the next day or so it'll happen.

 

A couple of pics and to the casual glance it looks the same as yesterday. More DAS edging and the cutting has had more plaster on the top, extended towards the viaduct. Anyway, make what you will of them! 

 

Jeff

 

PS. I'll be starting on the cess tomorrow. PVA glue, chinchilla sand, and lots of grime. Then I can ballast the viaduct etc - about 20 feet of double track, which I (insanely) enjoy doing.

 

PPS. Steve - it'll soon be time for a brown base coat then some WALLING can commence. AND I included a full moon for you....

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

Looks to me as though the moon has already risen in that first photo!

[Physicsman]

7 minutes ago, Rowsley17D said:

Looks to me as though the moon has already risen in that first photo!

 

Yes, and the behaviour of the moon is quite extraordinary....

 

An object is always at its highest when on the meridian, due south, from the northern hemisphere. The moon in that pic is about due south and hardly risen. AND, on yesterday's pic it was due north. Oh well, it is only a MODEL layout where Rule 1 applies and the universe can behave how it likes!

 

J.

 

 

[John Besley]

Silly question why does the moon look huge when on the horizon?

[sjp23480]

48 minutes ago, John Besley said:

Silly question why does the moon look huge when on the horizon?

I always understood that you are viewing the moon through more of the atmosphere and that it magnifies the moon.

[jacko]

Just been watching 'Our Yorkshire Farm' on channel 5. Filmed in the far north of the Dales, the scenery always brings this layout (and KL1 and 2) to mind. 

[Physicsman]

1 hour ago, John Besley said:

Silly question why does the moon look huge when on the horizon?

 

John, it isn't a silly question at all and nobody has the definitive answer.

 

If the moon is measured when near the horizon and then when it has risen well up, it is EXACTLY the same angular size. So the difference is entirely due to the brain's psychology.

 

The reckoning is that when we look towards the horizon we see the moon against a familiar BACKGROUND, eg. hills, buildings. So we interpret it as being closer, hence looking bigger, than when viewed higher up against a background of "empty" sky.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

9 minutes ago, jacko said:

Just been watching 'Our Yorkshire Farm' on channel 5. Filmed in the far north of the Dales, the scenery always brings this layout (and KL1 and 2) to mind. 

 

I'll take that as a compliment. Maybe the KL layouts, especially the last one, had some decent scenery on them!

 

J.

[John Besley]

11 hours ago, Physicsman said:

 

John, it isn't a silly question at all and nobody has the definitive answer.

 

If the moon is measured when near the horizon and then when it has risen well up, it is EXACTLY the same angular size. So the difference is entirely due to the brain's psychology.

 

The reckoning is that when we look towards the horizon we see the moon against a familiar BACKGROUND, eg. hills, buildings. So we interpret it as being closer, hence looking bigger, than when viewed higher up against a background of "empty" sky.

 

Jeff

Thanks Jeff 

 

It's the same with wind turbines.... to me the most notable "giant" is as you approach Reading on the M4 heading east

[Physicsman]

I've added in the cess area to the sides of the track. This consists of a layer of chinchilla (very fine, grains maybe 0.3mm or 1" to scale) sand onto PVA, allowed to dry and then sprayed with Railmatch sleeper grime.

 

It's only an hour since griming was done, so the pics show glints from some areas of still-wet paint. 

 

The third pic is indicative. The right-hand cutting side is merely sat in place and will need more work once finally fitted into position.

 

Jeff

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Physicsman
Word change

[Physicsman]

Here's a similar view to pic 2, but from a higher perspective.

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

Coming along nicely, Jeff. Are both tracks now all the way round?

[JustinDean]

Loving the track winding through the landscape feel of this. It’ll look spectacular with some trains running through it!

 

Jay

[Physicsman]

2 hours ago, Rowsley17D said:

Coming along nicely, Jeff. Are both tracks now all the way round?

 

Yes, Jonathan. All complete and I really ought to clean the rail tops and run something round before I start ballasting. I know the grimed section is electrically ok, so I will probably just get stuck in!

 

Maybe start tomorrow using the slow (but to me, preferable) "Captain Kernow method".

 

2 hours ago, JustinDean said:

Loving the track winding through the landscape feel of this. It’ll look spectacular with some trains running through it!

 

Jay

 

I hope it'll look good. As you may have gathered by now, it's the scenery/lay of the land that is most important to me.

 

[Andrew P]

I don't know what the Captain Kernow method is, but I always use a piece of wood for the Rail tops, it leaves NO residue etc.

 

Looking good BTW Jeff.

[Physicsman]

17 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

I don't know what the Captain Kernow method is, but I always use a piece of wood for the Rail tops, it leaves NO residue etc.

 

Looking good BTW Jeff.

 

Hi Andy.

 

The Captain Kernow method - named by someone a few years back, after the good captain on RMweb - is a method of ballasting that seems to be VERY tedious and ten times slower than the one you see in all the books and mags. Basically, a fine brush is used to paint PVA glue in between the sleepers and the ballast then applied, allowed to set in place and excess hoovered off. It IS slow, but very precise.

 

I know 90% of modellers would say "sod that" and put the ballast in place then add glue. Fine, each to their own method.

 

I like the piece of wood idea for cleaning the tops. Hadn't thought of that and it's easier on the fingers. Will give it a try tomorrow when the stench has cleared in the Bunker and I can actually breathe in there!!

 

J.

Edited April 22, 2021 by Physicsman
Finish typing the post!

[Andrew P]

1 minute ago, Physicsman said:

 

Hi Andy.

 

The Captain Kernow method - named by someone a few years back, after the good captain on RMweb - is a method of ballasting that seems to be VERY tedious and ten times slower than the one you see in all the books and mags. Basically, a fine brush is used to paint PVA glue in between the sleepers and the ballast then applied, allowed to set in place and excess hoovered off. It IS slow, but very precise.

 

I know 90% of modellers would say "sod that" and our the ballast in place then add glue. Fine, each to their own method.

 

I like the piece of wood idea for cleaning the tops. Hadn't thought of that and it's easier on the fingers. Will giv

YES the words Bow Locks to that comes to mind.

[Physicsman]

1 minute ago, Andrew P said:

YES the words Bow Locks to that comes to mind.

 

Well, you already know I'm insane and this is just further proof that I need that padded cell!

 

Bow Locks - do they have them on the canals in AmpSher?

[Andrew P]

3 minutes ago, Physicsman said:

 

Well, you already know I'm insane and this is just further proof that I need that padded cell!

 

Bow Locks - do they have them on the canals in AmpSher?

Its a place in London Jeff.

https://www.streetcheck.co.uk/postcode/e33jy

 

[Rowsley17D]

It's each to their own regarding ballasting. In the main I used the glue - lay track - ballast - hoover method as used by Larry Goddard amongst others, but it only works for thin sleepered track and one length at a time with the method Jeff uses at the joins and on points. I've never had any success with the traditional lay track - pour over ballast - drip glue all over the place - hoover off method.

[Physicsman]

A quick electrical test before any ballast goes down....

 

The track bus wires haven't yet been fitted from the North (clock) end of the viaduct to the far end of the room, where the reverse curve ends. There are about 7 pairs of dropper wires hanging down on each line, waiting to be attached to the bus. So the system might struggle.

 

Nope, my little diesel runs flawlessly, even at speed step 1 of 128, from end to end. Very encouraging. Must get that track bus fitted though, if only to tidy up things.

 

Ballasting commences tomorrow.

 

And the moon pics will appear eventually. I'm swimming in over 300Gb of data from this week, with maybe more to come tomorrow.

 

Jeff

 

 

[Physicsman]

For anyone not familiar with the "Captain Kernow" method - I think it was Gordon S that brought it to my attention - here's a pictorial guide, showing work done in an hour this evening (I timed an hour to see how much I'd get done, and didn't rush).

 

It does work best for thin sleeper track, such as SMP 00/EM, but can be used on deeper sleepered track with a repeat application.

 

Ok, pic 1: A fine paint brush (around a number 1) is used to paint PVA between the sleepers. A steady hand helps, but after a few minutes the process becomes automatic and speeds up considerably.

 

Pic 2: Ballast (I use N gauge Woodland Scenics Fine Grey Blend B1393) is sprinkled all over the PVA'd area. I use a tea strainer for this. MOST of this will be reclaimed later....

 

Pics 3 and 4: After about 20-30 minutes the area is hoovered up. Putting a sock/stocking/porous cloth into the nozzle of the cleaner allows the ballast to be reclaimed. DON'T leave the ballast on top of the PVA area as the glue soaks through the granules via capillary action and after a few hours the WHOLE lot is a solid mess!

 

Pic 5: What was achieved in an hour. The outer parts of the track onto the ballast shoulder will be done next.

 

I KNOW this may seem tedious, but the time doing this is miniscule compared to the 800 hours on the viaduct, or the time to come making walls. It looks good, and - like Jonathan - I've never had a lot of success with the rapid "chuck the ballast down and glue it with a dropper" method. No criticism, you do what works best for you (I remember the discussion on the KL thread where Jason swore (literally, knowing him) by that rubbery carpet glue, rather than PVA).

 

Jeff

 

 

 

 

[sjp23480]

Jeff,

 

Not sure if you have seen these prints on the Network Rail website - given your penchant for viaducts I thought they might interest you:  https://nr.printstoreonline.com/dmcs-search.html?find=settle

 

Steve