Kirkby Luneside (Original): End of the line....

[robmcg]

In my experience of real railways c1960-68 ballast would often end up where it wasn't strictly necessary, so the sidings are fine. Plus you can weather them with experimental dust grime dirt and neglect, weeds even.

 

I have been thinking of buying a heavily weathered WD 2-8-0    but also a few more Southern Region engines including small engines like 0-6-0s and 0-4-4Ts  and this HAS GOT TO STOP.   Where is the discipline I used to have before this thread and its wicked sister Lunester invaded my life?

 

I'm drawing the line at T9s, M7s and SECR Birdcage carriages, even if me mum were born in Guildford....

[Physicsman]

In my experience of real railways c1960-68 ballast would often end up where it wasn't strictly necessary, so the sidings are fine. Plus you can weather them with experimental dust grime dirt and neglect, weeds even.

 

I have been thinking of buying a heavily weathered WD 2-8-0    but also a few more Southern Region engines including small engines like 0-6-0s and 0-4-4Ts  and this HAS GOT TO STOP.   Where is the discipline I used to have before this thread and its wicked sister Lunester invaded my life?

 

I'm drawing the line at T9s, M7s and SECR Birdcage carriages, even if me mum were born in Guildford....

 

The sidings have less ballast than the running lines and will be grotted up a bit, with a few weeds chucked in.

 

I bought a new WD and had TMC heavy weather it. It's been on some earlier pics and looks great. Some of the custom weathered WDs are amazing - they look as if the rust is holding them together!! 

 

As for discipline....to hell with that!

 

Jeff

[robmcg]

we just had another 6.2 earthquake, tiresome and draining, trains all stopped, not much damage, power still on here. Lots of aftershocks.

 

edit ; a lot of people stuck in town, car and bus logjams, minimal building damage, trains stopped so lots of people not getting home on a Fri evening     called a 6.5 now, 5.7 aftershock power still on this time  centred in Cook Strait again shallow at 8kms  about 20kms south of Wellington.

 

earthquake fatigue for Jan and me, we are sick of them! Even though you can be rational, they are not nice at all. The big ones in Christchurch we survived but it's all a bit surreal.

 

Rob

Edited August 16, 2013 by robmcg

[Jason T]

You could always just put a thin laye of sand/ash on top of the ballast in the sidings, even if it covers the keepers a bit, and then weather it in. Diluted PVA painted in rather than neat, as it doesn't matter if you don't get full coverage.

I presume the sidings in those locations are to stable the branch locos and coaches when awaiting the next duty so chances are that ash, grot and all manner of liquids would be dumped on the surface.

 

As for the ballast shoulder, you could infill it to the same depth between them and the running lines in that area, especially as crew, etc., would be accessing whatever stock was stabled there and access with no shoulder would be easier.

[Physicsman]

You could always just put a thin laye of sand/ash on top of the ballast in the sidings, even if it covers the keepers a bit, and then weather it in. Diluted PVA painted in rather than neat, as it doesn't matter if you don't get full coverage.

I presume the sidings in those locations are to stable the branch locos and coaches when awaiting the next duty so chances are that ash, grot and all manner of liquids would be dumped on the surface.

 

As for the ballast shoulder, you could infill it to the same depth between them and the running lines in that area, especially as crew, etc., would be accessing whatever stock was stabled there and access with no shoulder would be easier.

 

You must be a mind reader! I went to bed at 2am and, before I fell asleep, was thinking of how to grot up the sidings. I was thinking of photos I'd seen elsewhere, and some of the things Chris Nevard has got upto. I'd decided to raise the sand level along the outside and inside some of the sleepers to "fill them in", and paint them the same colour as the cess surround. I think seeing your photos from the other day subconciously worked on me! So I'll have a play later.

 

Will post some pics of the modified cess colour later.

 

You seem to be posting very early these days. Working early?

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

we just had another 6.2 earthquake, tiresome and draining, trains all stopped, not much damage, power still on here. Lots of aftershocks.

 

edit ; a lot of people stuck in town, car and bus logjams, minimal building damage, trains stopped so lots of people not getting home on a Fri evening     called a 6.5 now, 5.7 aftershock power still on this time  centred in Cook Strait again shallow at 8kms  about 20kms south of Wellington.

 

earthquake fatigue for Jan and me, we are sick of them! Even though you can be rational, they are not nice at all. The big ones in Christchurch we survived but it's all a bit surreal.

 

Rob

 

I'm sure I speak for all of us when I wish you all the best as you ride out this spate of earthquakes. I've only ever experienced the tiny ones we get here - they rarely reach 4. And they are disconcerting when they happen (I can recall 3 in the last 10 years).

 

Keep us posted Rob and take care!!!!

 

Jeff

[Rowsley17D]

Hear, hear on the above, Jeff.

 

Back to sidings, now with no evidence or first-hand knowledge whatsoever, I would offer that not all railway companies ballasted sidings or branchlines with ash. The North Eastern did, but I would expect the the Mildand didn't in your location as it was very near a source of quality ballast. Admittedly, sidings would not have received the same treatment as the running lines, so would be grotty stone ballast rather than ash in your locality.

[Jason T]

In the office today Jeff so was up at six and drove over to Chester

[Physicsman]

Hear, hear on the above, Jeff.

 

Back to sidings, now with no evidence or first-hand knowledge whatsoever, I would offer that not all railway companies ballasted sidings or branchlines with ash. The North Eastern did, but I would expect the the Mildand didn't in your location as it was very near a source of quality ballast. Admittedly, sidings would not have received the same treatment as the running lines, so would be grotty stone ballast rather than ash in your locality.

 

I need to "degrade" the quality, and quantity, of ballast in the sidings and grot up the track a little. I won't overdo this - I'll have a go later and see what it looks like!

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

In the office today Jeff so was up at six and drove over to Chester

 

You mean you actually have to go into an office every now and then? 

 

Chester is one of those places I've never visited - strange, really, as Chester Zoo was always a popular attraction in the north west.

 

Time for some exercise....

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Here is the result of painting the cess and neatening-up the main and branch lines.

 

 

 

I'm going to have a go at grotting one of the sidings in a minute...

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Well, I said I'd have a go at one of the sidings....

 

I've hacked ballast out of the end half of the siding. If the result looks half-decent, I'll do the rest:

 

 

Add suitable amounts of PVA:

 

 

Sprinkle on the "ash" (coloured, sieved sand):

 

 

 

Allow to dry.... (ongoing)...

 

Jeff

[Rowsley17D]

Could you not just have put the ash on top of the existing ballast without the need to hack some of it out?

 

I'm off home now to see if Hattons have posted my 4F.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Rowsley17D

[Physicsman]

Could you not just have put the ash on top of the existing ballast without the need to hack some of it out?

 

I'm off home now to see if Hattons have posted my 4F.

 

Are you sure the 4F info is correct? Hattons' website shows none of the 4F variants in stock and "due into stock Aug-Sept 2013". Kernow and others also have 4Fs as "on order".

 

I hope you're right - it looks like a lovely model.

 

Jeff

Edited August 16, 2013 by Physicsman

[aberdare]

Hi Jeff

 

The ballasting is looking good so far, it will be interesting to see how it turns out later, like one or two others on here I have an unlimited supply of ash when the weather cools and I use that for mine. Some of the photographs I have show piles of it in various places on the lineside, waiting for a wagon to take it away maybe.

 

Just a little of topic for a minute, but I had a day out last month - taking some of Lindas relations on a York moors tour - and I took them to Glaisdale near Grosmont, I don't know if you have ever been but there is a road and pack horse bridge over the river and a viaduct above that. I thought of you and took a few pics which may prove useful to someone if not yourself, not the right area but hey, information is information. A lovely little spot to visit if you are into that sort of thing

 

 

 

 

 

Catch you later

 

Jim

[Physicsman]

Nice photos, Jim.

 

I've only been to Glaisdale a couple of times - I did a long walk on the Moors, starting there, many years back! As for Grosmont - well, been there a few times! Wonder why?

 

Jeff

[Rowsley17D]

Are you sure the 4F info is correct? Hattons' website shows none of the 4F variants in stock and "due into stock Aug-Sept 2013". Kernow and others also have 4Fs as "on order".

 

I hope you're right - it looks like a lovely model.

 

Jeff

 

The old plastic has been debited and the email says it's due to be packed, so early next week?

[Jason T]

Same here, will probably arrive on Tuesday when I am in London

[Physicsman]

I changed my mind - again - about the siding and ripped out all the original and today's ballast/sand:

 

 

The track was then filled with sand only and is drying at the mo.

 

 

 

I'll paint the sand ("ash"/"cinders") the same colour as the cess, once the PVA has hardened.

 

Jeff

[Physicsman]

Same here, will probably arrive on Tuesday when I am in London

 

If the 4F's are imminent, I'd better get one ordered.

 

Does anyone know if the decoder is in the body or, as with the recent WD - and standard practice with Hornby - is the chip in the tender?

 

Jeff

[Alister_G]

I don't know for sure Jeff, but it's shown as a 21-pin Chip - I can't see that there would be room on the 4F for that in the boiler, so I would guess it'll be in the tender.

[Physicsman]

I don't know for sure Jeff, but it's shown as a 21-pin Chip - I can't see that there would be room on the 4F for that in the boiler, so I would guess it'll be in the tender.

 

I would hope so, too. I hate taking the bodies off steam locos, but tender fitting is easy. I've emailed Hattons to find out. And they are showing 4Fs in stock, so they may be getting an order from me imminently!

 

Jeff

[Andrew P]

I changed my mind - again - about the siding and ripped out all the original and today's ballast/sand:

 

100_3932.JPG

 

The track was then filled with sand only and is drying at the mo.

 

100_3936.JPG

 

100_3937.JPG

 

I'll paint the sand ("ash"/"cinders") the same colour as the cess, once the PVA has hardened.

 

Jeff

Evening Jeff, that looks much better.

 

Nice Job.

 

BTW I am meeting up with Ray and Polly tomorrow at the Midland Railex so I am really looking forward to that and I have promised them that we will go for a coffee and a chat.

 

Bodgit

[Andrew P]

Agh the 4F that's another one to go on Bute Road, I have the Hornby one and I am lucky that I have a good one.

 

I will look for a deal on one tomorrow.

 

Bodgit

[Jason T]

See you tomorrow morning Bodgit

 

P.s. that looks a lot better Jeff