Tumble Down Falls

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Well the line has been re-instated ready for the Grandkids:

 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Fleece and liner now down, and thought the reservoir holds enough water, the taper on the tank prevents the pump reaching the bottom, so new reservoir on order

View media item 4066
View media item 4065
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
Staff member
GSC Moderator
25 Oct 2009
26,076
4,976
75
St.Neots Cambridgeshire UK
Best answers
0
Country flag
Not sure how much Fleece and Liner you have, you could have used surplus of that rather than a Water Tank May have given the space. Certainly would hold some more water.
 

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
The water feature is in and working, though some finishing touches are needed. The important thing for me is lessons learnt:
  1. I didn't fully appreciate water dynamics, and tried to imitate nature to much, the water course bed was to deep, and unless you have a really powerful flow from your pump water movement is quite slow, so shallower and a reasonable gradient to provide flow.
  2. I cut the excess liner at what I considered the right distance from the water level, the water wicks up the liner and leaks out, so the liner edge is not distance but height from the water's edge.
  3. Positive point, I did find reviewing YouTube videos landscaping expanding polyurethane foam that is good for ponds, and safe for fish (not that I have fish) and it seems to work.
View from the reservoir
View media item 4076
Under the bridge - must determine what i want for a bridge
View media item 4077
The pool at the top.
View media item 4078
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

phils2um

Phil S
11 Sep 2015
1,522
423
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Country
United-States
Best answers
0
Country flag
It all flows downhill from here! ;) Well done Jimmy!
 

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
Staff member
GSC Moderator
25 Oct 2009
26,076
4,976
75
St.Neots Cambridgeshire UK
Best answers
0
Country flag
The water feature is in and working, though some finishing touches are needed. The important thing for me is lessons learnt:
  1. I didn't fully appreciate water dynamics, and tried to imitate nature to much, the water course bed was to deep, and unless you have a really powerful flow from your pump water movement is quite slow, so shallower and a reasonable gradient to provide flow.
  2. I cut the excess liner at what I considered the right distance from the water level, the water wicks up the liner and leaks out, so the liner edge is not distance but height from the water's edge.
  3. Positive point, I did find reviewing YouTube videos landscaping expanding polyurethane foam that is good for ponds, and safe for fish (not that I have fish) and it seems to work.
Noting those issues Jimmy.
1 Flow can be created by making a few Blockers that allow Water to flow faster between them. Much like Rapids do on the real thing. A couple of slightly deeper slower flowing areas followed by a short sharpe drop will create some drama small stones cemented in and G4 over the cement will help. Looks shiny at first but dulls down over a season.
2 Water will always find the way. Always best to cut the excess liner once you have proven the flow including those Blockers for Rapids and other scenic bits.
3 interesting about the foam, stored in the Brain Box for future use.
Still certainly looks the Wild West Water Flow.
 

AlanL

Registered
1 Mar 2016
146
19
Northampton
Best answers
0
Country flag
Excellent water feature Jimmy, the railway is looking great.

When I built my stream I built the sides using 6 inch tiles on edge. but the steam was too shallow and like yourself, discovered the magic of water disappearing up the sides of the liner. Fortunately because the tiles are not permanent, unlike cement, I was able to raise the edging tiles enough to prevent the water loss. On my stream I think it needs the edge to be about 20 mm above the water to stop the losses. Rainfall often triggers the pathway for water loss.

It adds an extra interest for your railway, and an excuse for a couple of bridges which themselves add extra to the railway.

Enjoying seeing your progress on the Tumble Down Falls Railway.

Alan
 

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Last year I read an article about using Bonsai trees on a model railway, just for those that do not know, Bonsai trees are not a special type of tree, but a method of cultivation, take any sapling, constrain the roots (and trim occasionally) and keep the top pruned, that is the basics of Bonsai.
Anyway, I have kept Bonsai for a number of years, including a number of native species, so last year I planted a Hawthorn (in a plant pot) in my railway, other than a "haircut" earlier this year no extra treatment including no watering, and it has thrived:

Hawthorne.jpg

So this year I have prepared a number of trees, sycamore, birch, salix, hawthorn, prunus, and a couple of bought dwarf conifers, and planted them out:

Plantation_1.jpg

Plantation_2.jpg

Plantation_3.jpg

and now I have my small "plantation"
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
Staff member
GSC Moderator
25 Oct 2009
26,076
4,976
75
St.Neots Cambridgeshire UK
Best answers
0
Country flag
Nice set of trees Jimmy, I keep getting seeds from a tree at the bottom of the Garden In the School playing field. They seed anywhere,
B739FF97-56A6-485F-BD08-EB01AB25B9EC.jpeg
I have used a couple in my modest Bonsai collection but Taking your inspiration I must get some more native seedlings. Plenty to be found on my daily walk with Barney. Plus a few spaces where Conifers have given up the ghost. I learnt about the pot planting concept some time back in Garden Railways mag and it was succesful for a time, but I am poor ar remembering to water! Lost a lot of Bonsai to that and also my protracted trips to Somerset, now I put the Bonsai in a tray in a shaded area and fill with water before I go away, not lost any since I started doing that.
792E28A3-97FF-46DA-956D-CABAE80AC252.jpeg
5BFE1E38-B3A0-403B-B41E-559F6CF13126.jpeg
 

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Nice set of trees Jimmy, I keep getting seeds from a tree at the bottom of the Garden In the School playing field. They seed anywhere,
View attachment 268760
I have used a couple in my modest Bonsai collection but Taking your inspiration I must get some more native seedlings. Plenty to be found on my daily walk with Barney. Plus a few spaces where Conifers have given up the ghost. I learnt about the pot planting concept some time back in Garden Railways mag and it was succesful for a time, but I am poor ar remembering to water! Lost a lot of Bonsai to that and also my protracted trips to Somerset, now I put the Bonsai in a tray in a shaded area and fill with water before I go away, not lost any since I started doing that.
View attachment 268761
View attachment 268762
Jon, very nice. I have kept my Bonsai in the shade for years now. Almost 30 years ago I worked at Marham and use to travel home to Stafford there was a nice little Bonsai place near Wisbech, on the A47, they had a super display, and all the accessories you could ask for
 

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
Staff member
GSC Moderator
25 Oct 2009
26,076
4,976
75
St.Neots Cambridgeshire UK
Best answers
0
Country flag
Jon, very nice. I have kept my Bonsai in the shade for years now. Almost 30 years ago I worked at Marham and use to travel home to Stafford there was a nice little Bonsai place near Wisbech, on the A47, they had a super display, and all the accessories you could ask for
Yes been to that joint a couple of times, well overdue a visit as I am need of a few trays to match pots, original trays sadly got broken. I moved most of my Bonzai to this shelving a month or two back and it is mostly shaded except first thing for an hour or so. Only real place as everywhere else suitable has train boards! But it does miss the fierce midday sun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Over the last week I have been working on my water feature. Although I have a reasonable flow, I was never quite satisfied, my old pump had a flow of 1,100 l/h at 1 mtr head, whereas my new pump is 4250 l/h at 1 mtr head. Also I was loosing water, more than considered from evaporation etc, I eventually traced this to water seep/weep as the water entered the sump, so part of the work was to remove and refit the sump.

Water Feature Change_1.jpg

Water Feature Change_2.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user

JimmyB

Now retired - trains and fishing
23 Feb 2018
6,891
910
69
Weston-super-Mare
www.tumble-down-falls.co.uk
Best answers
0
Country flag
Plans for my phase 2 extension are in hand, however they are slightly more fluid than phase 1 which had to fit in a defined space. A spur will head off down the garden, but once it has left the confines of phase 1 the exact route is still in "planning" but it will run through the plants past the arbour seat, and circle back (or at least initially) possible with a reversing loop. However this track will be for live steam and battery only.

Plan on the spur track in red:

View media item 4724

Photo of the location:

View media item 4725
 

dunnyrail

DOGS, Garden Railways, Steam Trains, Jive Dancing,
Staff member
GSC Moderator
25 Oct 2009
26,076
4,976
75
St.Neots Cambridgeshire UK
Best answers
0
Country flag
Yet another Railway Lang Grab starts. Look forwards to seeing how it progresses.