Indeed, Phil, as I found to my cost yesterday evening - I got 2 pieces out, and flushed with success I tried for a third... oops...
Resurrecting a disused garden railway - the SCGR reborn
- Thread starter Clive Tucker
- Start date
Easy to forget (especially when this hot) and things 'dry-up' so quickly.. Cement 'cures' by a chemical process, rather than drying-out..
Managed to get the rest out this morning without too much pain:
A quick test with an appropriate wagon, and after a few runs up and down it looks good:
Happy days!
A quick test with an appropriate wagon, and after a few runs up and down it looks good:
Happy days!
Yep. Read somewhere up to 28 days.
There is something about cemented tracks... love it!
Good thread indeed!!
There is something about cemented tracks... love it!
Good thread indeed!!
Now it needs some colour, 4 ways. Black Cement Powder, Rattle Can Matt Black, Iron of Sulphae (for brown) or earth mixed with water will give a thin change if colour that can be built on. Finally some Yoghourt or milk will encourage some GreenGrowth.Managed to get the rest out this morning without too much pain:
A quick test with an appropriate wagon, and after a few runs up and down it looks good:
Happy days!
Phil, though you are correct in that it cures by a chemical process, if it drys out too quickly the bond could be lost, i.e. fully cures but not bonded.
Thanks all for your comments/suggestions, much appreciated. Still a way to go in terms of getting the diesel refuelling point exactly how I want it, but it's getting there
This afternoon, once the sun had moved round far enough to throw this area into shade, I applied a bit more ballasting:
This afternoon, once the sun had moved round far enough to throw this area into shade, I applied a bit more ballasting:
Well today has been a riveting day, for sure... no, really!
I found an excellent idea for a bridge made of metal studwork on another forum :
Because the track sections that the bridge will carry are 'R5' I knew that the radius of a circle of this stuff was 232cm. Allowing for a deck width of 21.5cm (the width of the celcon block) I was able to work out the chord lengths for the inner and outer sections, and cut them accordingly:
... looking ok so far.
Typically of me, however, I decided after cutting the metal that I would have a lift-out section to allow for access to the darker recesses of that particular corner of the garden. So, a hastily cobbled together plan 'B' resulted in this:
I had to relocate the supporting block that had been hidden away in the undergrowth for several years, but once that was done it started to look promising:
Then on to the riveting!
I managed to get a decent hand riveter from my local Machine Mart, as well as an extra couple of bags of rivets.
Having never used one before it took me a while to work it out, but I got there in the end:
It won't be winning any beauty contests any time soon, but I am well happy with it so far! I've not riveted the underside yet, but I will for the added strength - having said that, it's already surprisingly stable! I can't see any of my live steamers giving it too much bother.
I just need to extend this idea around the rest of the curve, and we're all good for this corner of the line!
I found an excellent idea for a bridge made of metal studwork on another forum :
Because the track sections that the bridge will carry are 'R5' I knew that the radius of a circle of this stuff was 232cm. Allowing for a deck width of 21.5cm (the width of the celcon block) I was able to work out the chord lengths for the inner and outer sections, and cut them accordingly:
... looking ok so far.
Typically of me, however, I decided after cutting the metal that I would have a lift-out section to allow for access to the darker recesses of that particular corner of the garden. So, a hastily cobbled together plan 'B' resulted in this:
I had to relocate the supporting block that had been hidden away in the undergrowth for several years, but once that was done it started to look promising:
Then on to the riveting!
I managed to get a decent hand riveter from my local Machine Mart, as well as an extra couple of bags of rivets.
Having never used one before it took me a while to work it out, but I got there in the end:
It won't be winning any beauty contests any time soon, but I am well happy with it so far! I've not riveted the underside yet, but I will for the added strength - having said that, it's already surprisingly stable! I can't see any of my live steamers giving it too much bother.
I just need to extend this idea around the rest of the curve, and we're all good for this corner of the line!
Sadly the spell of hot dry weather with gentle breezes (perfect for spraying outdoors) has been replaced on the South Coast with something more typical for us
Consequently, progress has been somewhat limited. However, I managed to get the lift-out section of the replacement bridge sprayed with rust-proof primer, followed by some Halford's red oxide primer - which they don't seem to do any more!
I also managed to make some more progress in building the celcon bridge:
Not much in the way of progress, but better than none at all!
Consequently, progress has been somewhat limited. However, I managed to get the lift-out section of the replacement bridge sprayed with rust-proof primer, followed by some Halford's red oxide primer - which they don't seem to do any more!
I also managed to make some more progress in building the celcon bridge:
Not much in the way of progress, but better than none at all!
Yesterday I managed to sort out the second, 'semi-permanent' section that crosses the hebe bush to the next celcon support. A process not without its additional challenges, as I discovered to my cost that I couldn't use the C-section to complete the curve as it left insufficient clearance when crossing the lower line for the second time.
My solution? A piece of off-cut uPVC cladding (which is in storage waiting for my tame uPVC tradesperson to return and refurb the rest of the house with it) and a bolted on step (cunningly fashioned from some spare C-section) to keep it at the desired height:
Another whiff of the primers, and put in place:
Finally, the last hurdle is cleared with the aforementioned uPVC offcut:
Looks good from a clearance perspective too:
It will need painting, and I might try and blag a slightly larger piece when I get a chance. But it's all looking pretty good from where I'm standing!
My solution? A piece of off-cut uPVC cladding (which is in storage waiting for my tame uPVC tradesperson to return and refurb the rest of the house with it) and a bolted on step (cunningly fashioned from some spare C-section) to keep it at the desired height:
Another whiff of the primers, and put in place:
Finally, the last hurdle is cleared with the aforementioned uPVC offcut:
Looks good from a clearance perspective too:
It will need painting, and I might try and blag a slightly larger piece when I get a chance. But it's all looking pretty good from where I'm standing!
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I bought a pukka LGB girder bridge from the Bay of Evil for £24. I had to rearrange the span slightly, though:
Unfortunately it's all moulded in one piece, so my cunning plans to use only the required components have all gone awry. No matter, I just need to take a hacksaw or sharp blade to it, and do it that way. Sad to have to do something so drastic to a £24 model, but needs must and all that!
Hopefully this bridge, in combination with a lump of the aforementioned uPVC cladding should see us right!
Unfortunately it's all moulded in one piece, so my cunning plans to use only the required components have all gone awry. No matter, I just need to take a hacksaw or sharp blade to it, and do it that way. Sad to have to do something so drastic to a £24 model, but needs must and all that!
Hopefully this bridge, in combination with a lump of the aforementioned uPVC cladding should see us right!
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