Plenty Happening Here

On Tuesday this week 15 Tuesday Nighters came over for a look at the layout and its progress and was followed by a cuppa and bit of supper and plenty of discussion.  It was a very full turn up.  Discussion did turn to some of the bargains in the Aldi catalogue which went of sale yesterday.  I purchased the cheap compressor which came with two sprays guns.  I also purchased the Moto-Tool with the clamping base and a flexible drive shaft.  I also picked up the Mini bench grinder also with its own flexible drive shaft.  This was then given to the boss, as I said she can put it away until my birthday in just under four weeks. 

 

This was followed by my mate David coming over on Friday night with a couple of locos to get programmed up with a long address and he also dropped off two more locos (actually British HST’s) to have a decoder installed into.  So I am bit by bit showing David how to do all this programming so he can be self sufficient.

 

This morning I made up some styrene formwork so I could pour some concrete bases for the bridge. 

The styrene formwork for my bridge pier.

 

The wooden bridge piers for my NSW timber overbridge as per the Greg Edwards Data Sheet P5.

 

I poured the first one and cut it out of the styrene, and then I glued the styrene formwork back together.  As that was drying, I decided to pour a few plaster rockwork castings for around where the bridge was going to be positioned.  I then poured the second concrete base for the second bridge pier.  When it dried, I again cut that out of the styrene formwork.

This is the first cast of the plaster pier with the timber bent on top of it.

 I had to go out just after lunch for a few hours with the family and upon return went back down to the shed for another hour.  Just to make sure that the bridge was going to fit into the area that I plan to install it in, I tried assembling the bridge on the now basically dry concrete pier bases.

Here is the bridge components sitting on the layout for a trial fit.  I still need to glue all the Styrofoam on the left of the picture and build up the ground level to the right.

 

To respond to Rowan’s comment from last week, I have included some photos of the various trees that I have on the layout, including the few I purchased off Bob at the Buy and Seel the week before.

Looking up Fairy Lane on the layout.  A bit of work being undertaken near the level crossing.  The fencing for the B&B on the right has to be installed.  This lane will eventually become a tree lined vista.  These are the trees that I picked up at the Buy and Sell.

It looks like the sun has come out at the top of the lane around the grader while the rest of the area is under cloud cover.  In the distance can be seen the local community hall.

The same area for another angle.  Plenty of further work to be done in this scene.

 

Looking south towards Border Tunnel.  A variety of trees are in this photo.  Two of the latest ones I purchased off Bob are visible here.

Looking up Running Creek.  A few more weeping willows are needed for here.

Peering through the trees we see the local crossing to a small camping area where the naturalists visit in Summer.

I think we can see the locals having some fun in this photo.  However there is no water in the creek as yet.

 

I did eventually get around to staining up the various wooden pieces for my road overbridge for the Murwillumbah branch that I mentioned in last week’s Blog update.  But it was not until late this afternoon that I finally got around to it. So tomorrow I might glue the bridge together and install it onto the layout.

 

I'm on holidays this week to watch the Commonwealth Games and do a few things around the house.  I might still be able to get down the shed most days and do a bit more work.  I plan to have a running day next Saturday.