The story of the CSLR so far, 2008
Click on the pictures for larger images.
Finally,
time and weather (almost) are permitting work to move ahead once more. The base
blockwork has been constructed and partially rendered to complete the return
loop and station base. The track is still loose in the pictures but is in it's
final place. the long siding with the buffer stops will be one side of the
station platform, the other side reaching the inner running line (left). These
two tracks will join with a curved point that is under construction (or at
least, a pile of brass filings is being made from perfectly good rail!) and
continue around the curve following the base.
The two ends are getting closer... I must finish that new point!
The CSLR has been missing a water supply of its own since demolition began at the end of 2006. Finally a brand new water tank and automatic filling device (i.e. when it rains, the butt fills up) has been installed.
Shown in the picture is the CSLR patent pending treatment plant - a 'Brita' jug with filter and used Squash carton being filled for the first time.
At last, we won't have to rely on regular deliveries from the nearby Sierra Leone Railway Company.
The
water supply project was completed using redundant planking from the
all-important decked barbeque area, which has been relaid using new timbers. Now
we can concentrate on the station platforms and layout - and I must finish that
new point!
FINALLY.... that point is finished and installed - the circuit is once again complete (it's only taken since New Year 2007).
Now, to fix the track, ballast and build my new station - if the rain holds off this Easter, we may get a train running!
May
2008 - the platform has been cast in sand/cement mixture, using two steel
strips as a mould. This allowed me to curve the mould to match the trackwork at
each end and gave an even height at the top. The platform was cast in three
pieces, the two ends involving the curved sections first, then the straight
section in the middle, leaving the cement 24 hours to cure before removing the
mould sides in each case.
Now that the platform has set, a little tidying of the edges
and ends is needed and can be done using a scraper (like those used for removing
wallpaper) as the cement itself can be shaped easily this way.
The pictures also show ballast has been added to the track, and give an idea of the height of the platform itself. This is purposefully only just proud of the rail head and with a good gap between the track and the edge. This is so that visiting stock which may be larger than my own will clear the platform. The ballast is high to disguise the over large gap. With some LGB coaches in the platform however, the gap looks OK - many narrow gauge lines did not raise the platform at all.
The ballast is a mixture of Grano-Dust and PostFix. I had used
Grano-Dust alone in the past, but found that it was washed away over the winter
by the rain etc. Hopefully the Post-Fix will bind it together more strongly.
I've made the mix anything between 50:50 and 30:70 (mostly Grano-Dust) in parts
to test the effect. The mix is made dry and brushed into place with an old paint
brush, taking care to clear the insides of the rails and around point frogs,
checkrails and mechanisms. When its looking good, the whole thing is dampened
with the hose set on fine mist spray so as not to disturb your brushing. After
about 20 minutes, the whole lot begins to harden and a couple of further
dampenings makes sure the water has penetrated right through.
My short siding is designed to allow longer locos to be loaded onto the rails from their transport trays. These are trays fitted with rails on which the locos are stored, and are useful for moving hot steam engines from the bench to the track. Loose fishplates line up the tray with the end of the track and allow the loco to be rolled straight onto the rails. When the siding is not needed for this purpose, I intend to use a dummy wooden platform in place so that the bull in the pictures above does not have to wander amongst the public.