dan_the_v8man Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 (edited) So a couple of years ago I had a raised bed put in the garden with the intention of it forming a turning loop. We hadn't done much with the garden since moving in a few years previously and having a second daughter put a hold on any further progress Edited August 30, 2020 by dan_the_v8man 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Fast forward to lock down and I had time to start again. First thing was a bit of landscaping and building a rockery for the middle of the loop. Some rocks were acquired from a trench that was being dug and a trip to the garden centre was required. I'm fairly in experienced when it comes to gardening so this is a learning curve 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 A bit of digging and some hardboard shuttering and had a go at casting the concrete track base. I quickly found out I'd underestimated the dimensions for the loop and that infact I was limited to the set track curves 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 So with some track on the concrete it was time for a test. I'd got a Dapol 08 still boxed up and ordered a Fosworks DCC RC set and a board from Fil Downs and rather quickly had a battery RC loco running. It was then I found out what I thought was level concrete was far from level but fortunately nothing a diamond wheel in the angle couldn't sort 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 23, 2020 Author Share Posted August 23, 2020 Now with a level track bed attention turned to testing ballast. I screwed the track in place as a temporary method. I'd decided grano dust and SBR as a binder would be a good method that should stand up to toddler abuse! I screwed some lawn edging into the concrete to stop the soil migrating onto the track bed. I'm hoping with time it will dissapear into the plants. I'd seived the grano dust to obtain a finer grade however it just resulted in a dust laden mess that was a nightmare to work into the track and was under scale which pushed me back to grano dust in its raw state. I brushed it loosely into place and then watered it down into position. I was quite happy with it till it dried and looked far too blue. So I'm now giving it a few days to weather, sprinkled some dried soil in place and hoping the colour calms down before I apply the SBR 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 Of course the second I got the SBR applied the sky turned grey and its poured it down for two days straight So out with the sheeting. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 While it was raining I turned my attention to bench after the cranks slipped on my 08. This one's been boxed up since Dapol released the BR blue one so well out of warranty even though it's common problem with the first batch. I've contacted Dapol but so far they've been less than helpful. Never mind, I'd got another Dapol 08 I'd won on eBay last year. Unboxed it for the first time to find nearly all the glazing loose. Stuck it on the test track and guess what, the cranks spun on that too! Grrr! So great sellers out there, kicking myself for not getting it out sooner. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 Well with ballasting out of the window and no locos to play with, it only meant one thing. Digging! Might as well make the best of the wet soil. The straight run up the garden was initially going to go Infront of the fence but after my daughter took great interest in the trains they've been moved lawnside so she can follow them around the garden 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 25, 2020 Author Share Posted August 25, 2020 (edited) Instead of the shuttering I used on the previous sections I'm using treated timber gravel boards made into a frame work which the are going to get filled with bricks, gravel and concreted up to the top sitting just higher than the lawn and flower beds Edited August 25, 2020 by dan_the_v8man 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 26, 2020 Author Share Posted August 26, 2020 (edited) Better weather today so got some more shuttering in and laid some concrete. Found a small cement mixer on gum tree which was frankly a god send! 14 x 20kg bags of ready mix later... Edited August 26, 2020 by dan_the_v8man 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 Short break in the rain gave be chance to do a bit more digging and get some shuttering in ready for more concrete My newest addition to the fleet arrived and unlike my Class 60, it can negotiate the tight 2nd radius curves of the loop with no issues 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted August 30, 2020 Author Share Posted August 30, 2020 A quick run on the test track and I took the hacksaw to the 20 to make some room for the batteries and radio RX. The next 20 I do, I'll be doing on the milling machine instead 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Paul A Biro Posted August 30, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 30, 2020 very nice!! Thanks for posting Andrew 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Martino Posted August 30, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 30, 2020 Well done. Great job. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 3, 2020 Author Share Posted September 3, 2020 (edited) So ordered a new set of wheels for my 08 and guess what, they spin before i've even got them on the loco! In other news I came across an old Lima 33 that's been repowered and although the body is a bit wide, its a robust loco for my daughter to drive Edited September 3, 2020 by dan_the_v8man 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 3, 2020 Author Share Posted September 3, 2020 (edited) So the loop is now laid which means I can get on with the easy run up the garden as soon as the SBR has dried. Once the sun has dropped down a bit I'll get the laser out to get the track nice and straight before easing into some nice big sweeping curves around the top of the garden Edited September 3, 2020 by dan_the_v8man 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 I got track placed on the concrete up to the top of the garden which meant for the first time I could run down the garden, round the loop and back up However before the inevitable autumnal wet weather arrives I want to get the ballast down which means the track needs securing. Rather than screws again I decided to bond the track in a few places with SBR so the brick express had to come out The other running line has been moved over while the SBR goes off then i'll align it to the first track using wooden spacers before bonding it also 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 4, 2020 Author Share Posted September 4, 2020 My lipo batteries arrived this morning of which I'd ordered a selection of various sizes to try. For my Class 20 RC conversion i've used a 4s 850mAh battery. The 14.8V should be more than enough to get a realistic top speed and with the Heljans low current draw, 850mAh should give a good run time. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 Bit more work on the Heljan 20 Started off with a board from Fil Downs which gives a track/remote switch which doubles as battery isolation, built in overload protection, connection for charging and a JST connector for the Radio RX and DCC decoder While the glue was going off I flashed the Loksound V5 with a Legomanbiffo project It ain't the prettiest install but it's all in and working, learnt a few lessons for the next 20 And she's out and running! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 6, 2020 Author Share Posted September 6, 2020 The second track is glued down awaiting the ballast But it does mean I can now have a decent test run on the first part of the track (Excuse the Sunday league football match on the field behind our garden) Light engine climbing the bank and then coasting into the loop 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 9, 2020 Author Share Posted September 9, 2020 A bit of 08 testing was required as it turns out the gearing varies between the models Then it was back onto ballasting - just need to wait for it fully cure, tidy the excess up and weather it a bit 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 9, 2020 Author Share Posted September 9, 2020 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 15, 2020 Author Share Posted September 15, 2020 Not really done anything more in the garden yet other than buy some ply to make the shuttering for the sweeping curves in the next track section. Though I've been converting a Heljan 03 to remote control using the Fosworks gear and Legomanbiffo sounds Just need to weather it and add the amber beacon as per the prototype 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_the_v8man Posted September 17, 2020 Author Share Posted September 17, 2020 Found some nice cylindrical orange LEDs that make a convincing functional Amber Beacon. Tested various light options on the Loksound V5 and although it has a rotating beacon setting I found the oscillating lamp setting more convincing 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted September 18, 2020 Share Posted September 18, 2020 Looks a great setup you have, it doesn't help me resist doing a garden layout though! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now