Just started small layout

[PhilP]

Can we go back to how Pete is getting on with his set up, please?

So, Pete....
When do you get that short-straight, you need to connect things up?

 

[Jasper]

Bring it on, Pete!

 

[Portsladepete]

So, Pete....
When do you get that short-straight, you need to connect things up?

The Golden straight (spike) came yesterday, so now have a complete oval, just waiting for the weather to give me a break to use the layout . I have a small battery powered kit built tram that I constructed years ago, it had the honour of the first circuit . It had no problems running smoothly so the track is reasonably level and kink free, I only dropped 4 of the wonderful Aristocraft screws in the chippings !
My Aristocraft point motors are now working after replacing the pinions, but my confidence in them isn’t great, just got to work out a way of having all the electrics together and some sort of control panel that can be easily removed when I seek shelter!

 

[Paul M]

If you've some spare rain, you know where to send it! Seriously though, it sounds like me, as soon as I need to do something outside, the weather is against it! Either to hot and dry or monsoon type.
Glad you've managed the circuit, now just play until your heart's content. Don'trush into any changes yet

 

[dunnyrail]

The Golden straight (spike) came yesterday, so now have a complete oval, just waiting for the weather to give me a break to use the layout . I have a small battery powered kit built tram that I constructed years ago, it had the honour of the first circuit . It had no problems running smoothly so the track is reasonably level and kink free, I only dropped 4 of the wonderful Aristocraft screws in the chippings !
My Aristocraft point motors are now working after replacing the pinions, but my confidence in them isn’t great, just got to work out a way of having all the electrics together and some sort of control panel that can be easily removed when I seek shelter!

Oh someone was offering some of them on Ebay the other day, seriously though if you need a few I have some and can pop em in an envelope for you if you PM (Conversation) me your address.

 

[Rhinochugger]

I only dropped 4 of the wonderful Aristocraft screws in the chippings !

Ice cream tub lid under the joint while connecting - 'cos sometimes they just disappear deeper and deeper ....................


Don't ask me how I know

 

[Portsladepete]

That is pure brilliance, I retrieved three by conveniently?? lifting track, blocks etc etc . If only I could ask how you know

 

[Portsladepete]

Finally rain stopped, briefly, time enough for the inaugural Stainz trip around my layout, all ran fine, still not sure whether to leave the Aristocraft points exposed to the weather, I assume it rains in America.
Just got to wire the motors up, although as there’s only two, won’t be the end of the world if they succumb to rain. Not sure about plants to make it less like a green desert, thinking of dwarf conifers, anyone used them?

 

[Edgar]

I had similar thoughts about plantings for my RR, until I priced dwarf conifers. At $60 a piece, a small forest would dwarf my hole investment. I’m interested in reading what others have to say about trees.

 

[dunnyrail]

Finally rain stopped, briefly, time enough for the inaugural Stainz trip around my layout, all ran fine, still not sure whether to leave the Aristocraft points exposed to the weather, I assume it rains in America.
Just got to wire the motors up, although as there’s only two, won’t be the end of the world if they succumb to rain. Not sure about plants to make it less like a green desert, thinking of dwarf conifers, anyone used them?

Aristo Points survive just fine outside, we had them on the Ruschbahn before the owner sadly dies for 8 years outside 24/7/365 with no ill effects. Even the Fishplates with the screws to Aspristo plain track survived well enough.

As for Dwarf Conifers, do your research carefully as many so called are just small when you buy them and will outgrow quite quickly. If you can find a good nearby Conifer Specialist Nursery they will guide you to decent varieties of slower growing ones, they do not come in at £1.99 like your average market but are well worth the money you pay. We were paying around a fiver a pop for slower growing ones when we built the Ruschbahn in 2004-5 so that will give you a clue. Here are some of the varieties we used.
Cham. lawsoniana Green Globe
Cham. lawsoniana Forsteckensis
Cham. thyoides Compresse
Cham. pisefara Nana
Jun. comminis Arnold
Jun. comminis Compresse
Jun. squamata Blue Star
Crypt. japonica Compressa
Crypt. japonica Yatsubusa Sugi
All of these should be quite slow growing and a few will make a great impression. I wish the. Ursery near here that supplied them was still going as of the ones that I managed to salvage from Andrew’s Garden when ripped out I have just 2 left. To be fair they are in a very warm sunny position and have been neglected of water too much.

Other options for a nice set of plants that can be controlled quite well are, Box, Lonicera Ntida, Honeysuckle and Cotoneasta. These can all be kept in small growth by trimming and also by semi bonsai methods. For this you can plant them in pots with some of the bottom cut out, this will in effect stunt the growth. Cotoneasta is a great little plant that will suffer lots of abuse and can be trim shaped into anything from an Apple Tree to a wind blown leaning Tree and many others in between.

 

[Portsladepete]

I had similar thoughts about plantings for my RR, until I priced dwarf conifers. At $60 a piece, a small forest would dwarf my hole investment. I’m interested in reading what others have to say about trees.

Luckily I don’t have room for many, they are £12.99 for there , so am going for a very small plantation

 

[Rhinochugger]

Aristo Points survive just fine outside, we had them on the Ruschbahn before the owner sadly dies for 8 years outside 24/7/365 with no ill effects. Even the Fishplates with the screws to Aspristo plain track survived well enough.

As for Dwarf Conifers, do your research carefully as many so called are just small when you buy them and will outgrow quite quickly. If you can find a good nearby Conifer Specialist Nursery they will guide you to decent varieties of slower growing ones, they do not come in at £1.99 like your average market but are well worth the money you pay. We were paying around a fiver a pop for slower growing ones when we built the Ruschbahn in 2004-5 so that will give you a clue. Here are some of the varieties we used.
Cham. lawsoniana Green Globe
Cham. lawsoniana Forsteckensis
Cham. thyoides Compresse
Cham. pisefara Nana
Jun. comminis Arnold
Jun. comminis Compresse
Jun. squamata Blue Star
Crypt. japonica Compressa
Crypt. japonica Yatsubusa Sugi
All of these should be quite slow growing and a few will make a great impression. I wish the. Ursery near here that supplied them was still going as of the ones that I managed to salvage from Andrew’s Garden when ripped out I have just 2 left. To be fair they are in a very warm sunny position and have been neglected of water too much.

Other options for a nice set of plants that can be controlled quite well are, Box, Lonicera Ntida, Honeysuckle and Cotoneasta. These can all be kept in small growth by trimming and also by semi bonsai methods. For this you can plant them in pots with some of the bottom cut out, this will in effect stunt the growth. Cotoneasta is a great little plant that will suffer lots of abuse and can be trim shaped into anything from an Apple Tree to a wind blown leaning Tree and many others in between.

Luckily I don’t have room for many, they are £12.99 for there , so am going for a very small plantation

Cham. - Chamaecyparis
Jun. - Juniperus
Crypt. - Cryptomeria

Box - Buxus sempervirens

Yeah, there are quite a few 'dwarfs' that grow into big trees, so it's worth making sure that you buy from a nursery that knows.

 

[Portsladepete]

Aristo Points survive just fine outside, we had them on the Ruschbahn before the owner sadly dies for 8 years outside 24/7/365 with no ill effects. Even the Fishplates with the screws to Aspristo plain track survived well enough.

As for Dwarf Conifers, do your research carefully as many so called are just small when you buy them and will outgrow quite quickly. If you can find a good nearby Conifer Specialist Nursery they will guide you to decent varieties of slower growing ones, they do not come in at £1.99 like your average market but are well worth the money you pay. We were paying around a fiver a pop for slower growing ones when we built the Ruschbahn in 2004-5 so that will give you a clue. Here are some of the varieties we used.
Cham. lawsoniana Green Globe
Cham. lawsoniana Forsteckensis
Cham. thyoides Compresse
Cham. pisefara Nana
Jun. comminis Arnold
Jun. comminis Compresse
Jun. squamata Blue Star
Crypt. japonica Compressa
Crypt. japonica Yatsubusa Sugi
All of these should be quite slow growing and a few will make a great impression. I wish the. Ursery near here that supplied them was still going as of the ones that I managed to salvage from Andrew’s Garden when ripped out I have just 2 left. To be fair they are in a very warm sunny position and have been neglected of water too much.

Other options for a nice set of plants that can be controlled quite well are, Box, Lonicera Ntida, Honeysuckle and Cotoneasta. These can all be kept in small growth by trimming and also by semi bonsai methods. For this you can plant them in pots with some of the bottom cut out, this will in effect stunt the growth. Cotoneasta is a great little plant that will suffer lots of abuse and can be trim shaped into anything from an Apple Tree to a wind blown leaning Tree and many others in between.

Just ordered these, Chamaecyparis Thyoides, got to be wary as our back garden faces the sea and North, great information as usual, thanks

 

[Rhinochugger]

Just ordered these, Chamaecyparis Thyoides, got to be wary as our back garden faces the sea and North, great information as usual, thanks

Pete, I wasn't doubting Jon's list - it's just that sometimes in the world of conifers there's a little bit of badge engineering - what did you want? oh, this is it

 

[Portsladepete]

Cham. - Chamaecyparis
Jun. - Juniperus
Crypt. - Cryptomeria

Box - Buxus sempervirens

Yeah, there are quite a few 'dwarfs' that grow into big trees, so it's worth making sure that you buy from a nursery that knows.

Looks like I made a lucky guess,

 

[David1226]

Yeah, there are quite a few 'dwarfs' that grow into big trees, so it's worth making sure that you buy from a nursery that knows.

This reminds me of the time I was driving past a prison and saw a dwarf climbing down the outside wall on a rope. I thought to myself That's a little condescending'.

David

 

[phils2um]

Not sure about plants to make it less like a green desert, thinking of dwarf conifers, anyone used them?

If you were in the States I'd send you to Home Depot. They've got Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees for $10 each. The trees are thrive in my climate which is true 4 seasons. I've got 15 of them along with a few other evergreens. The first spruce trees were planted four years ago and most recent just last year. I prune them after they are established to keep their size in scale. A couple of pics of the trees (and a train of course).

 

[Portsladepete]

Pete, I wasn't doubting Jon's list - it's just that sometimes in the world of conifers there's a little bit of badge engineering - what did you want? oh, this is it

Didn’t think you did, luckily my Amazon purchase tallies with both your lists, I think! Pretty clever about the pot stunting idea, although I will probably be arrested for cruelty to conifers.

If you were in the States I'd send you to Home Depot. They've got Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees for $10 each. The trees are thrive in my climate which is true 4 seasons. I've got 15 of them along with a few other evergreens. The first spruce trees were planted four years ago and most recent just last year. I prune them after they are established to keep their size in scale. A couple of pics of the trees (and a train of course).

View attachment 268324View attachment 268325

 

[Portsladepete]

That is stunning, I wondered about pruning, Home Depot is somewhere I wish we had, everyone in the US seems to get everything there!

 

[Edgar]

If you were in the States I'd send you to Home Depot. They've got Dwarf Alberta Spruce trees for $10 each.

View attachment 268324View attachment 268325

Thanks. That’s the kind of information I was looking for. There’s a Home Depot thirty five miles north of me. If or when I come up with the guts to leave this hollow, I’ll check them out.