Out-Side Layout Construction 

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As usual we learn by our previous mistakes so 3rd time lucky I hope. I have chosen a concrete girder method with a pile at either end to eliminate frost heave and also if you are running long wheel based rolling stock you need a good stable track bed. So timewill tell if this is the correct way to go. The piles are made from 110mm/outside diameter pipe with a single 10mm steel single rod up the  middle. The beams are made so that boxing sits on the piles and poured in place with a 10mm bar through the centre.         

Above left; The end of the shed with the new train door fitted. It took alot of courage & measuring before the first cut! Above middle; First pile in place, piles were dug and poured the day before so they are steady enough to take a beam being poured the following day. Above right; Leveling the 2 piles before the boxing goes on.

Above left; Boxing on & 1st pour has been done each pour has been measured so that it takes one barrow of concrete on the straight & curved sections. Above middle; Everything ready for the step & railway crossing to the shed. Above right; The result, a centre strip of timber was added so it would take walking traffic with out a problem. 

Above left; Now we start the grade with the top starting to desend. The 1st curve was in place at the bottom so now we had to meet in the middle at the same height with a constint grade!! Above middle; 4 span steel girder bridge & piers in place. Above right; Stage one is finished with a grade of 3% to the 4 span bridge easing to a 2% to the corner of the shed then on to level track to & into the shed.

Above 3 Photos; These show different stages of the process, with the curve sections & good view of the piles with the finished back straight. The whole of ths 2nd stage has a 2% grade into the shed.

Below left ; The last time the boxing will be used, it is in place for the final pour. Below middle; At last! The last section has its concrete in place & the main line is linked. Below right; Looking at the stage 2 loop completed. 

There are at least a couple of hundred barrows of concrete in the railways roadbed all hand mixed so I do not intend to move from our current address in this life time!

Ballasting

One main job on the railway was ballasting, this is not the first time we have tried this but hopefully we will be more successful this time. We are using a dry mixture of crusher dust, mortar, cement & blk oxide, Above left; is the first step where a product called CE-MIX is brushed on. This is an industrial bonding agent for giving better adheasive strength when bonding to existing concrete. Above right; the mixture is sprinkled on & brushed to clear flange ways, Below left; The final step is to wet it using a garden sprayer, Below right;  

I hope this method will give the lasting results I am looking for, I have read alot of articles on this but with fingers crossed & a couple of winters under our our belts, time will tell.