A Garden Railway Pipedream: the odyssey continues

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
We can run no more:(......temporarily:)

Well, it was planned thus! We had always intended to build a viaduct on the very gentle curve at the bottom of the layout in front of the 3 apple trees. We had had a temporary track in place so we could run, and it was sort of getting to be a permenant temporary section, even though we had been working on the formers. We were given fresh impetus when the workers appeared to build a path across the back of the garden, and said they would happily help with doing the concreting if we did the preparatory work. That was too good an offer to turn down, so on the Wednesday work/play day, we set to.

The temporary section was dismantled without any real difficulty, the footings dug under the eye of our workmen, and they did the concreting last thing in their day.

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We now have an incentive to finish the viaduct as we can't run until we do!

Hopefully, weather permitting, we can do the first half of the prep work for the first pour.

Richard
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
The viaduct has progressed.....

3 of our formers were used for a small section which is a bit of a test bed.

I'll let the pictures tell the story, but we drilled into the foundation to add some vertical rebar and added longitudinal reinforcement, including through the end where the next section will be. Brackets were fashioned to eliminate any spread on the top and the section carefully concreted by a couple of contactors who are working on the garden paths at the moment.

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We hope to remove the shuttering and release the formers on Wednesday. Then finish the prep work for the next section to be concreted Thursday.

Richard
 

simond

Western Thunderer
When we moved in to the current residence, our son was 6months old to the day.

The “lawn” (ok, grassed area) fell from a higher level, through a 30 degree slope to a lower largely flat level, on which was an edifice. About a foot high, and two feet square. I asked our neighbours what it was. “Oh, Jack had a birdbath on that”.

Deciding that a) it wasn’t attractive, and b) there would come a day when young sir would crash into it, I decided it had to go. After three days with a borrowed Kango, the job was done, it included bricks, metal, rebar, all sorts. I asked the neighbours if Jack had been bathing ostriches…
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi,

We've had a few weeks work on the viaduct, and we are at the stage where the concreting is done. To bring you up to date will take a couple of picture-heavy posts!

Firstly, here are some from the first section showing how we went about the preparation.

How many arches and how far apart? We just set out the five formers and played with the space.

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Starting to construct the shuttering.

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Adding the formers.

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Richard
 
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Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Continuing......

Removing the shuttering from the first pour.viaduct e 0921f.jpg

The formers were marked for the fence side as it was thought they would be easier to get out that way. In fact, they did not prove easy to get out, and we destroyed the first one before we worked out a way to get them out in one piece so we could reuse them. From then on, though time consuming, we managed to get them all out. The sacrificial 1 inch of poystyrene was destroyed, wood planks were bolted to both side extending above viaduct height, and they were lump-hammered down to drop the former. Once that bond had broken, it was a case of knoocking each one out carefully bit by bit.

Moving on the the second (of three) sections

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Tim refurbishing the formers for use on the third section

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The parapets are being constructed for 1/4 inch thick 1 1/2'' x 1 1/2'' aluminium angle screwed to the top and bent to shape (the whole viaduct is on a gentle curve), and self-levelling compund will be trowelled between the angle surfaces to give us the track bed height, which looks like being very close to the boards either end.....whew!

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And in all its glory at the end of the day yesterday!

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Richard
 

paulc

Western Thunderer
That is probably one of the best outdoor viaducts that i have seen and seems to fit into its surroundings.
Will you attempt a brick/ stone finish or leave it as is .
Well done Richard .
Cheers Paul
 

paulc

Western Thunderer
Thanks I now have visions of him sat down on the grass with a hammer and stone chisel carefully carving out stones in the concrete face. :D
Well lets face it ( haha see what i done there :)) ) it would take an awful lot of Wills stone sheets .
CheersPaul
 

Dikitriki

Flying Squad
Hi,

Thank you for your comments. The viaduct will be left as concrete for the foreseeable future. I don't rule out doing some sort of coursed covering, but I'm not aware of anything that is quick and moderately priced and to scale to make it a starter. Never say 'never' though. Linda has said that she will do it if I come up with a viable proposal - it is her garden railway and viaduct after all.

It was a momentous day yesterday - the construction of the viaduct was completed. Wednesday's work had seen the second parapet added, the end boards bolted to the concrete viaduct and any gaps filled. Yesterday, self-levelling compound was poured in to the 'tray' level with the top of the angle and the adjoining boards. On the basis that there was no puddling anywhere, we got the construction as near level as dammit and so have a track bed ready for laying. The track will be attached via small stainless steel self-tappers so we shall have to wait for it to properly cure before continuing.

Nevertheless the end of a lot of hard work, and thanks are due to all the group members who pitched in.

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Richard
 
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