Building Mountains

[granddad gnome]

Well you asked for it so here it is. My fist attempt at mountain building was some 10/11 years ago, and I had this brain wave and tried to build it out of fiberglass layed over and wooden frame, this never got finished on account of the cost. The following year on moving into our new bungalow and putting up a sectional concrete garage (enlarged somewhat) as a train room, track was laid, but her indoors wanted it disguised somehow. So the next attempt at mountain building was considered. Sorry all Nurse has just arrived, more later.

 

[tramcar trev]

I have to build some mountains and I'm contemplating the birdwire over timber frame covered in hessian dipped in cement mortar method.....

 

[steven large]

nemo will mite help u with info as he done on his layout with wood frames.chicken mesh wires with old rag covered with cement and put over the mesh....awesome

 

[granddad gnome]

Here we go again. The first thing to do was to nail together old timber into a rough shape and then cover this with the chicken wire. the old bed sheet were soaked in water to enable them to be shaped better. A good mix of thin brick laying mortar was pored on and spread about by hand,( wearing rubber gloves of coarse).

 

[steven large]

look superb mate.make sure u need a lift up hatches to rescue yr trains if derialment inside the mountain..ok..keep postin mate.

 

[trammayo]

Looking good - like the idea of using sheets as a base (never thought of that). Its a bit like a giant version of Modroc. Excellent lateral thinking processes at work Peter

 

[granddad gnome]

Our next task was to mix a good batch of rendering. I used 3 to 1 grit sand and cement. This was applied with a trowel (and the before mentioned Hand, with its rubber glove) two good coats were applied with a few days in between , the final coat being moulded as best as I could. The whole think was left for a week then we attacked it with aerosol sprays and old paint sloshed around with a brush.

 

[granddad gnome]

Now as for access. It was decided to make the whole thing hollow on two counts, First if need be I could send in my grandson to retrieve any derailments and all so to keep the track clean. Second reason was it made a good place to hide rubbish.

 

[granddad gnome]

Looking good - like the idea of using sheets as a base (never thought of that). Its a bit like a giant version of Modroc. Excellent lateral thinking processes at work Peter

Hi buddy. The sheet seemed to be a good idea at the time but time has shown up a problem. That is they rot away and leave nasty holes. The new method that I will tell you about next is I think much better. It will still rot but not over such large areas at a time.

 

[granddad gnome]

Well as I said I have a new method which I believe from research done may be better. Here it is, but not as a mountain but as flat scenery. First, as always the track bed must be secured correctly and in the right place,(I will show you why later). then place the wire and fasten it down well. I used a power stapler. Then comes the messy bit. (Don't forget your Marigolds).

 

[granddad gnome]

Now we place the soggy bits as required, making sure they over lap a little to bind it all together. At this stage we are using a very watery mix of 3 building sand and 1 cement. This is only to give us a crust to work on later. The soggy bits are in fact strips of builders hessian cut of the roll. This is I am told is better than sheets because it is made of a different type of material that does not rot so quickly, and also by being in strips it is easier to handle and indeed patch up of need be.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Nice to see you on the Forum again

 

[granddad gnome]

Having done a good area and the leaving it a few days, I came back to apply a good thick coat of render. This I mixed with 3 parts grit sand and 1 part cement into a god stodgy mix. I was going to apply this with a trowel but ended up doing it with my hands (in My Marigolds of course).

 

[granddad gnome]

Nice to see you on the Forum again

Thanks a lot buddy. Its great to be back.

 

[Neil Robinson]

Aye, welcome back Peter, you've certainly had far more than your fair share of life's slings and arrows.

 

[pugwash]

Strange, this. On our railways we use chicken wire to support the 'rock' but on the real railways they put oversize chicken wire over the rock to stop it falling on the track. :thinking:

 

[granddad gnome]

I did say earlier that I would tell you about the importance of get track bed right before you start. Well here is the reason, I would have thought that after all these years of messing about with concrete, (It was my full time job) I would have realized the importance of thinking ahead.

Looks good so far

Well not to bad

BUT LOOK WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NEW MEETS OLD.

 

[granddad gnome]

REAL BAD PLANNING.

 

[granddad gnome]

Come on you Guys, why have most of my images appeared as thumbnails and then one lot appears OK. What have I done.

 

[granddad gnome]

Found it. I forgot to click on each attachment to put it in the post. Right