Dymented - the Serious stuff starts!

[Philou]

@lezz01 I didn't have much choice as with having short arms (and deep pockets some might say), I didn't want to struggle working over laid track and getting it mucked up with scenic materials. I've seen layouts where that was done, lovely jobs, but a whole load of flock stuck in the ballast, for example. We'll see how I get on and hopefully this will be in the right order - many a slip and all that!

 

Sorry to hear that you had problems - care to share for the benefit of others?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

No update tonight due to to-ing and fro-ing to the ozzie and doing some domestic stuff in between. I'd don't think there'll even be a posting tomorrow or Wednesday due to getting the house cleaned up for visitors arriving on Wednesday.

 

One good bit of news was that the 'no-nails, no-screws' has set - I was concerned that due to the low temperatures it wouldn't hold the bark to the 'styrene, but it did. The other thing is that as part of my shopping duties today, I was able to get a small bag of plaster to in-fill and coat the scenery that has been done so far - so not all bad.

 

Maybe more tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Boo!

 

Surprised? So am I.

 

Mrs Philou and I did what we had to do and I found I had a spare hour, so into the barn I went! I have now recut where needed the 'styrene in the next module and glued it into place. Having still a moment to spare (a bit more really), I then trimmed and glued all the bark I thought I needed along the face of the now glued 'styrene. I have no picture today to show unfortunately.

 

Whilst that will be drying off, I shall tackle a retaining wall alongside the mainline from where the rockface finishes and the end of that particular module. I wonder whilst I'm in that area if I shouldn't just go in guns blazing and actually complete the Dymented station area. What's going for it is that it'll be one part done - which I think is always a bit of a morale booster - AND I can start re-learning things like scenics, electrics, soldering, ballasting etc. Something for the New Year, eh?

 

No update tomorrow, so speak Thursday.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

Work restarted slowly as it was rather cool in the barn and I had a fit of the yawns this afternoon - found it a little hard to concentrate.

 

Nonetheless, having been satisfied that the rest of the bark had stuck to the polystyrene behind the Dymented platforms, I went back to the branchline cutting to try and fathom out what happens at the interface of an embankment and a cutting. I decided that normally there ought to be a retaining wall either at the foot of the cutting rising to max height at the start of the overbridge with the embankment reducing to zero at the bridge abutment, or a wall alongside the mainline increasing in depth on approach to the overbridge, with the cutting below running out at the abutment.

 

In the end I decided on neither because I considered it geologically near-impossible (and even allowing for Rule 1) to have a rock faced cutting one side and no rock the other. So I shall amuse myself with a bit more bark in the cut, but less than on the other side (the rock outcrop is on a tilt, innit) and the lack of depth will be the reason why it's a cutting and not a tunnel.

 

As there was a bit of time, I also backfillled the gaps between the rock face and the plywood trackbed so I'll have a near-level surface right across when it comes to ballasting and doing the cess (won't be any 'mind the gap') and losing material down the black holes.

 

Here's the photo of Tuesday's work:

 

 

^ The rock cutting has continued behind the mainline and peters out a little way before the end of the retaining wall. Here I shall continue with a brick or sandstone wall until that too runs out (just about on the edge of the photo).

 

I'm glad I haven't decided to go OTT with the rock faces as you need to give a reasonable reason why it's there in that particular form (outcrop in this instance) - bit like tunnels that appear on layouts - just because ;) .

 

More tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums and chumesses,

 

Unfortunately real life came knocking at the door asking for its day back - so nothing happened in the railway room and there won't be anything much tomorrow either :( . Sunday may be my best day to get on as after that we're heading straight into Christmas and we're going to celebrate at others' this year - so parcels to wrap, cats'n'dog to sort out, suitcases to fill etc., etc! Just hope my mojo won't stay on holiday when I get back.

 

Hopefully an update anyway tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

A really small update as I had an hour to spare before getting ready to go to a funeral after lunch.

 

I have measured up for the retaining walls that form the continuation of the rock-face behind the mainline at Dymented and the one that will be the separation between the mainline and the branch back up to Ledbury.

 

Over the next couple of evenings I'll shall have them covered in card and papered as appropriate with some buttresses - can't have a wall without a buttress ;).

 

It's in the bag!!

 

Tomorrow is the giving out of the municipal Christmas hampers to the oldies of the village (over 70s). No prizes, but guess who is having to dress up as Santa? Ho! Bah! Ho! Humbug! Ho! I dunno how I'm going to give a parcel to myself. Perhaps I'll become a Schrödinger's Santa for the day :).

 

More tomorrow,

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Sanity Clause got waisted!

 

Yeah, I dressed up as Santa and did my Ho! Ho! Ho! bit and gave out the one (symbolic) hamper to the oldest citizen of the village (there wouldn't have been enough room in our tiny council room for them to be given all at once). I got waisted because I had to stuff cushions around my mid-riff to make me look like Santa - I tell you what, he must be a really big fat rotund person! It all went well.

 

I have started on the one retaining wall - half done and it ought to be finished tomorrow - I'll show a picture then.

 

That's it! Sorry, not much more to tell - no joke, nothing, nada. :)

 

Less tomorrow (only joking!).

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chaps and chapesses,

 

Good news - Christmas at the Philou household is cancelled! No it isn't, but Santa came twice today.

 

Firstly, a nice parcel arrived by the postlady from the UK. @lezz01 kindly sent me some bridge chairs and six pieces of Exactoscale bullhead rail so I can do the timber baulks on my bridge. What a good chap he is - thanks Lez, it was very much appreciated.

 

Secondly, my BiL called in with my sister and brought me my two pieces of pointwork all the way from Cardiff - another good chap. I did also note that surreptitiously (but ol' eagle eyes saw) a Rapido box changed hands between him and Mrs Philou. I looked away and I haven't tried to find out what it was, so it'll be a big surprise - yay!

 

Buoyed up by all of this, I did some overtime this evening (hence the late update) and completed this bit of retaining wall, and I have a photo:

 

 

^ It will need to be weathered and given a waft of varnish - perhaps tomorrow, but I've got council business to attend to - and then fixed into place. The fixing will be done via the tongue under the wall. Two glue blocks are to be screwed to it and then the blocks fixed onto the underside of the trackbed. Bit of a faff, but it'll be secure and I can't glue it as there's nowhere to get any purchase with mini-clamps while it's drying.

 

All being well, it'll be fixed by Wednesday.

 

Definitely more tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[lezz01]

It wasn't a problem at all Philip. I was pleased to be able to help old chap.

Regards Lez.

[Philou]

No update today as council business ate my time - the only thing I will note is that I forgot to put in some weep-holes along the bottom of the brickwork - and I have a small punch with which I could have done it :( . I'll try and remember next time.

 

Mrs Philou is away tomorrow going to Big town to do some last minute bits and bobs and I might be spared the trip so there's a good chance that the wall will be weathered and fixed in place.

 

More tomorrow,

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums and chumesses,

 

Finally Mrs Philou decided to go to Big town on her own and I was left to my own devices - so into the barn I went. The latest retaining wall was dusted in dark pastel colours as appropriate then wafted over with a couple of coats of matt varnish. It was all fixed in place before Mrs Philou returned for lunch - and I have a photo of the wall in place:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

^ Two shots of the wall in place - I'm quite happy with the result, though the camera is showing it slightly more yellow with the flash than in natural light.

 

It sort of went downhill afterwards as I wanted to set up the retaining wall alongside the branchline parallel to the mainline. Using my way of glue blocks screwed to the retaining wall and the underside of the trackbed, I found there wasn't enough room to get a screwdriver between the wall  and the rockface and I wasted an hour looking for a mini ratchet set that I thought I could use at right angles with an adapter for the Torx screws that I use - nada, nyet, nein, nothing. In the end I just unscrewed the trackbed and attached the retaining wall to it to check the glueblock alignments and that was it - 10mins and it was done - should have done it that way in the first instance!

 

I'm underway with the next piece of wall - it'll be of a similar construction and finish to the two others. I'm not sure how much time I'll be allowed tomorrow but hopefully enough to get the card faces cut, papered and glued in place.

 

Cheers everyone - tomorrow is the shortest day and we should then be rushing headlong into summer - yay!

 

More tomorrow,

 

Philip

[lezz01]

You'll be wanting one of these then Philip.

I'm happy to report operation goat was a complete success. 

Oh yes Santa came early as well.

Now I need to ring Gibson's about some wheels for it.

Now I just need to buy a trifle from Marks and Sparks and do some wrapping and we're all ready for Crimbo.

Regards Lez. 

[Philou]

@lezz01 Are you trying to make me spend some money? The right angled driver looks just right especially with a 6mm hex end. I've done what I needed to do so it'll be a straight-forward vertical drive to fix the wall in it's final position.

 

Nice loco - but will the wheels cost more than the loco? Just asking for a friend ;)).

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[lezz01]

Well the conversion kit is £20.70 and the bogie and tender wheels are £18.50 but as I have the tender wheels in stock already that's down to £7.40 so £28.10. If I wait until Railex in April no postage either. Although Imrex is always an option in January if they still hold it in January and AG still do Imrex. It's not like I don't have enough to keep me busy until I run into Colin at an exhibition so no rush.

Regards Lez.

[Andy Hayter]

Point of order:  The solstice is actually on the 22nd this year - curse of the leap year and all that.  It is at something like 04:20 CET so I am not sure whether the 21st or the 22nd is the shorter day. 

Edited December 20, 2023 by Andy Hayter

[lezz01]

Well would you believe it both the correct bogie and tender wheels are up on eBay right now. Oh and BTW the 90deg driver attachment is from Amazon and cost me £6.99.

Regards Lez.

[Philou]

14 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

It is at something like 04:20 CET

 

I don't suppose it will matter much as I shall be tucked up in bed at that time!

 

I never knew that the leap years affected the solstice - do they also affect the summer ones as well?

 

I note in France that their meteorological service count the start of winter as on the 1st of December - furriners .... mumble mumble .......

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[5BarVT]

1 hour ago, Philou said:

 

I note in France that their meteorological service count the start of winter as on the 1st of December - furriners .... mumble mumble .......

Not a furriners thing, just a Met Office thing - UK Met Office counts the same way.

;-)

Paul.

[Andy Hayter]

5 hours ago, Philou said:

 

I don't suppose it will matter much as I shall be tucked up in bed at that time!

 

I never knew that the leap years affected the solstice - do they also affect the summer ones as well?

 

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

It won't affect me either but it can affect which of the two days will be the shorter.

Yes it can affect the longest day as well.

We mentally fix the solstices as 21st December and 21st June.  So we fix the occurrence of these events as being respectively every 365 days.  The Earth however goes around the sun in 365days and a tad under 6hours.   So the solstice (both of them) goes forward nearly 6 hours every year and can end up being on the day after the 21st.   Then along comes a leap year and resets the calendar with the astrological movements and we go back to the 21st being right again.  

 

My probably flawed logic says that the hours of daylight in the Northern hemisphere will be getting shorter until 04hrs whatever on the 22nd, so the amount of time for the daylight to lengthen compared to the 21st is reduced by those 4 hours so the 22nd will be the shorter.

 

[figworthy]

30 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

 

It won't affect me either but it can affect which of the two days will be the shorter.

Yes it can affect the longest day as well.

We mentally fix the solstices as 21st December and 21st June.  So we fix the occurrence of these events as being respectively every 365 days.  The Earth however goes around the sun in 365days and a tad under 6hours.   So the solstice (both of them) goes forward nearly 6 hours every year and can end up being on the day after the 21st.   Then along comes a leap year and resets the calendar with the astrological movements and we go back to the 21st being right again.  

 

My probably flawed logic says that the hours of daylight in the Northern hemisphere will be getting shorter until 04hrs whatever on the 22nd, so the amount of time for the daylight to lengthen compared to the 21st is reduced by those 4 hours so the 22nd will be the shorter.

 

 

Here at the Manor House, the evenings are already drawing out (a whole minute so far), but the mornings are still drawing in, and will continue to do so until the end of the month.

 

Adrian

[Philou]

9 minutes ago, figworthy said:

the evenings are already drawing out (a whole minute so far), but the mornings are still drawing in

 

When the Met. Office was the Met. Office and they provided the weather forecast I remember Ian MacAskill used to make a point that for a few days after the solstice (winter/summer) there was an imbalance in the gain/loss of daylight and it wasn't evenly spread - to do with the earth's 'wobble' IIRC.

 

The third retaining wall is under way and I'm partway through putting the building papers on it - no photo at the mo', but maybe one later - if not, tomorrow as there will be the pilaster, cappings and corbels to make and attach.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums and chumesses and hello to all those that may pop in from time to time.

 

Christmas seems to have arrived as today was gift wrapping and suitcase filling and major angst as to whether 'The Lump' will be able to get into the car - a rather high sill and she isn't quite as agile as she may have been (35kg). I did suggest to Mrs Philou that we could attach the lead to the rear bumper and let her run behind - plenty of exercise I thought over the 200 mile dap. The idea wasn't well received and I can't think why.

 

On a more serious note, all the above meant that there was very little progress on the latest retaining wall, so I'll hold it over until we get back after the New Year.

 

As I shall be unlikely to be in communication with the outside world until early January (c'mon, no tears - it's only 10 days), it just remains for me to wish you all a very Merry Christmas (or Season's Greetings) and very Happy New Year. I sincerely hope that you'll all have reasonable health and a little wealth in 2024.

 

Oh, and the weekend has arrived!

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Flying Fox 34F]

Philip,

 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 

Paul

[Philou]

I'm still about - outskirts of Paris. Made it with the dog in one piece and all the presents plus suitcases - downside is that the dog is car sick! How do I know this 8/ ?

 

Anyway, all is well and the festivities start this evening.

 

Cheers everyone and stay safe.

 

Philip

[lezz01]

Have a good one Philip mate.

Regards Lez.