Out to the shed and Garden in O gauge

Was a very busy couple of days:

Firstly put in the missing link from the sloped section in front of the gate to the rear retaining wall, which I mounted villaboard on before xmas. The missing section is designed to be removable if we want to open the little gate to access the rear lane.







Then was time to create a new opening in the garage to allow the trains from the storage yard out.



Caused the newly opened loop line to be closed due to rock fall!!!






3 bricks were destroyed in the making of the passage. Done by using a masonry bit to drill holes in the mortar, then a cold chisel to open it up, and finally the large knockometer (hammer) to smash the bricks. Took little over and hour to finish the job.


Stuffed a pillow in the opening to keep any roaming, Koalas, Wombats or snakes out!!

Then a quick test to check clearances, Uh oh. Looks like there will be marginal clearance between the garage entry spur and the loop. May have to cut the steel of the garage spur to make clearances.





Rain forecast for next two days, so have arrange for my mate John to come over of Friday and we will build the garage spur.

Cheers Brian

 

Been wet and miserable most of the week. But Thursday and Friday only had the odd passing shower so was able to get lots done.


Started off by lining the hole in the wall with treated pine and painting it with exterior paint. Will put some silicone around the outside next to the brickwork. Also adjusted the last 600mm of the storage board to slope down to commence the downward slope. Hopefully it is a good transition to the garage spur.

Also managed to paint the boards past the gate. Still not 100% about the angle of the crest of the hill, so I haven't glued these boards down. Will do some more testing after I cut the rails.




My friend John came round to help on Friday, and we got stuck into building the garage spur. All day effort that one.


Did some adjustment of the area under the spur and tested with a Darstead Mk1, it fits. I believe it is my tallest piece of rolling stock.



On Saturday morning I did the clean up of the yard. What a difference, almost looks presentable.



Saturday afternoon I started laying the temporary track across the back and up the garage spur for testing purposes.


As I haven't put the villaboard on the curve of the garage spur, so I have temporarily cable tied the track to the Flex- C.

Hopefully I will finish the track work on the garage spur and along the retaining wall over the next few days and do some testing.

 

First trains run today:

Heljan 50 class with 6 Dapol Mk1 coaches



Heljan/Hattons A3 with 6 Dapol Mk1 coaches.



Cheers Brian

 

Chris I have a van ready to go with battery and wifi. You can couple up the 9F and away we will go.





Cheers Brian

 

So the first two phases has been completed and I had my first running session yesterday.

Ian did a quick video of some of the running

 

I have only had the points outside for 5 months and have so far had no issues. I asked the same question and two other members, Ralph and Bob have had their Peco out in the sun for years with no issues.

Time will tell.

Shade would be good especially for the people operating the railway. I use a couple of big garden umbrellas to provide shade for the operators.

cheers

Brian

 

The third phase of the Garden construction has got underway. The weather is so much better to work outside rather than in the heat of summer. Progress is slow, as I went on a holiday to WA and brought Donna and myself back a present, COVID. Recovery going ok, just no energy, after 15 minutes work I need a 2 hour rest.

The extension will hang off the retaining wall and go into a tunnel through the side retaining wall. Once through the tunnel it will proceed into a terminus with a return loop afterwards. The return loop will be constricted to 1.2m radius curve due to space available. I expect not all trains will be able to go through the loop.

First task was to remove 4 blocks from the top row on the retaining wall.




Then to construct the steel framework to hang off the retaining wall. Now that I am out of isolation off to Bunnings to get brackets, ankascrews and other stuff to complete the formwork up to the other wall.



The garden railway has proven popular with the cats as a new highway



Cheers Brian