The story of the CSLR so far, 2006
Milestones and see the map. Click on the pictures for larger images.
Spring 2006 - Progress with the Deviation and rebuild of Engineer
The problems with the paintwork on Engineer's boiler were attacked head-on:
it was all stripped off and the engine was given a complete new coat of
Doncaster Green. I took the opportunity to add a few extra details, such as a
conduit to the turbo generator, a ladder to the back of the tender and a hanging
rope from one of the handrails. The handrails themselves no longer span the
length of the boiler, but just the firebox and smokebox. I also insulated the
boiler
using a heavy duty tissue paper, between the wrapper and boiler proper.
There has been a battle over the spring month to keep the rails free from leaves and fallen twigs from the trees at the bottom of the garden, but today saw a culmination of clearance and rebuild allowing some steam running.
Here we can see No.4 propelling some loaded wagons into the loop to clear the main line for No.8 with a through passenger train. No.2 has emerged from the Works into a somewhat steamy picture.
Engineer resplendent in new Doncaster Green with gold lining.
April
and May 2006 sees the completion of the deviation around the new pond, then
the removal of the high level steaming yard! The steaming yard was built using
marine ply and decking stiffeners, but the whole lot warped incredibly.
Additionally, the layout was then fixed as an out-and-back, making hard work for
the steam engines when they needed turning.
The answer was to remove the wooden structure and drop the high-level plank-on-sticks from outside the shed at about 1 in 100, to meet the track north of the pond, thus giving a continuous run. The track around the back of the pond remains so that we can turn a complete train if needed.
The next stages are to ballast the track around the pond. This will hide the bright brickwork, and improve the appearance of the rails and sleepers. I'm experimenting with Grano-Dust. This needs no other fixing save damping down a little after brushing into place.
July
2006 - an open day is planned and calls for sprucing and tidying. One major
job is to ease the curve at the top end of the tunnel - a point of problems with
visiting locos in the past. Three metres of track was lifted, the ballast
removed and the rails straightened then re-curved. Undergrowth and embankment
had to be reshaped to allow the more gradual curve.
The
station area of Woody Beach has been changed since the removal of the 'beach'
decking, leaving only a seating area, but the ballasting has been improved to
give a yard-like overall look. Using grano-dust mixed with cement/sand and a
little multipurpose compost gives a fixed covering that will allow the rains to
soak through.
A set of thirty (yes 30) garden lights representing almost scale street lighting have been installed around the church and along the straight sections to the pond. These are LED lights fed from a small transformer in the shed and give off a yellowish light. Quite effective.
The last few days have seen temperatures hitting 30 degrees C in the back garden (somewhat unheard of in the UK!). Lets hope the weather stays fine for the rest of the month at least.
I had a request for an overall view of the garden - it's not easy to see all of it, but here is a semi birds-eye view, from an upstairs window....
Not
sure if this is progress yet, but the dry and wet(!) summer, trees at the bottom
of the garden and age have taken their toll on the strangely constructed garage
- so it has to go. This means there is unlikely to be any CSLR progress for the
next couple of months, outdoors at least, but should make way for a sizeable
extension in the spring of 2007. Subsidence means the base of the garage will
return to lawn and allow a new workshop/shed to be erected on the end of the
drive. The extra space is becoming apparent as the walls tumble. You can see the
subsidence by the low block wall in the left picture - the CSLR is just visible
behind the wall. Those brick columns will have to come down soon.....
Later in November....... dodging thunder, lightening and hail, two skips full of bricks have gone..........
Where to now.........?