Elmham Market in EM

[James Spooner]

That roughcast rendering looks great, and so hard to do well as is the ageing of it. Makes me feel as if I'm on one of my regular jaunts around the south Suffolk area.

Bob

Thanks for that Bob, much appreciated. Actually, it wasn’t too difficult to achieve in the end. I built out the rain strip above the windows and doors in plasticard but the texture was provided by several coats of Tamiya diorama texture paint, then a light dusting of Humbrol weathering powders.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

This week’s excuse for no progress on my modelling…

 

[Dave Holt]

Can't think of a better excuse!
Looking forward to the Snowdonian, but what's the chance of the lovely weather holding out till then?
Dave.

 

[James Spooner]

Can't think of a better excuse!
Looking forward to the Snowdonian, but what's the chance of the lovely weather holding out till then?
Dave.

I don’t know. To be honest it’s very dry up here and the ground could do with some rain.

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

Well, after a pleasant spell driving steam engines I have returned home and the weather is holding out here too. Ideal for revisiting the rebuilding work on the Wey Valley Light Railway. The usual faffing around finding all the tools and materials I needed, then some clearing of nature’s winter growth and it was off to work. I have managed to drill through the engineer blue bricks to get some fixings in and have also made up several mixes of mortar and laid more bricks. The photos show the progress over the last day or so.

The last photo also shows the bricklaying I have yet to do. To be honest, there is a chunk of masonry that seems to have weathered better than the rest (possibly because it has been protected from frost by the yews) so I might phase the work and only do what is necessary this spring to resume running and then complete the job in the autumn.

Post #509 shows where I stopped last September when I broke a rib (reaching sideways over my former office chair in my modelling room to pick up an axle and pair of wheels that had fallen onto the floor…).

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

The predicted break in the weather came a day earlier than expected so no more bricklaying today. Instead I have amused myself by putting together a garden shed and a greenhouse for one of the cottage gardens, as well as doing more work on the front walls and measuring up and making a front gate. The second gate is next on the agenda…

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

Some unexpected sun today meant I could continue progressing the rebuilding of the Wey Valley formation. I have managed to complete the section as far as the bridge (and in doing so corrected some levels that had been a bit out in the previous alignment). I have also knocked out some bricks coming off the other angle of the junction and laid the first few engineer blue bricks in that direction.

I laid out some of the lengths of track and it all seems to be OK, although it won’t be fixed down until the mortar has set.

The forecast tomorrow is looking wet so I expect it will be back to Elmham Market…

Nigel

 

[Chris Veitch]

I have managed to drill through the engineer blue bricks to get some fixings in and have also made up several mixes of mortar and laid more bricks.

Having a house built (partially) of extremely hard brick I've found Rawlplug bits to one of the only brands that can manage this stuff, with Bosch multi-purpose bits a close second. Anything else turns to mush in a few seconds.

 

[James Spooner]

Having a house built (partially) of extremely hard brick I've found Rawlplug bits to one of the only brands that can manage this stuff, with Bosch multi-purpose bits a close second. Anything else turns to mush in a few seconds.

To be honest I’m not sure what make of masonry bit I’m using but it does seem to do the trick. My poor battery Stanley drill with hammer action is taking a pounding too, but I hope the result will last longer than the Mark 1 lockdown version…

Nigel

 

[James Spooner]

Back indoors today as the weather hereabouts isn’t great. I have made up a couple of doorsteps, drains etc to fit the house to the surrounding ground a bit better and added mortar, then dry brushed bits of varying colours onto the front garden walls. I have also painted in some tarmac to form a pathway in front of the houses. It all takes such a long time as each bit either needs to be painted (and I am using acrylics as they dry faster) or the glue on the static grass needs to set. So, it is a case of lente, lente, but I am making progress…. A photo shows the current state of play.

Nigel

 

[LarryG]

Breaking ribs leaning over things is......well...... a bluddy pain!

 

[Flaxfield]

Breaking ribs leaning over things is......well...... a bluddy pain!

Have I missed something ?.

 

[robertm]

Breaking ribs leaning over things is......well...... a bluddy pain!

I did this just before Christmas, leaning over a wall to reach a wind fall orange. It still hurts but not as much. Really ought to know better by now!
Still in awe of the post war semi council house, they were very common around Felsted and the model is perfect.
Bob

 

[James Spooner]

Have I missed something ?.

Hi Rob

Just scroll up to post #705 above and in that I explain how I broke a rib last autumn. I obviously didn’t learn, because I broke another one (on the other side of my rib cage) a month ago trying to push my wife’s Galaxy… Note to self: be more careful!

Nigel

 

[Flaxfield]

Hi Rob

Just scroll up to post #705 above and in that I explain how I broke a rib last autumn. I obviously didn’t learn, because I broke another one (on the other side of my rib cage) a month ago trying to push my wife’s Galaxy… Note to self: be more careful!

Nigel

Hi Nigel,

Ouch ! Yes, I did miss that in your post. Those injuries that arise out of the most unlikely of scenarios are often the most troublesome and the most likely to re-occur. I know this having been sidelined not once but twice having injured my lower back whilst taking a shirt from the wardrobe.

Rob

 

[LarryG]

I know this having been side-lined not once but twice having injured my lower back whilst taking a shirt from the wardrobe.

Rob

Some shirt. Was it chainmail...?

 

[James Spooner]

The weather has been good enough to make more progress outside. With the engineer blue bricks I can only drill a certain number of rod fixing holes with the battery drill before having to change battery packs and when I have used them both up it is time to get the club hammer and cold chisel out and start knocking old bricks and mortar out. Some of each was done today, although by the time I had knocked out sufficient bricks to make it worth mixing up some mortar I was frankly too tired so called it a day. The first photo shows just why I am doing this. The bricks have spalled so much that the track is literally in the air. The second photo shows the difference between new formation and old formation with the model of the Bryn y felin bridge in the middle and the final photo shows the current state of play. The bricks curving to the left are only placed in position and need to be cemented in. My elderly mother is coming to stay tomorrow for a few days over Easter so I suspect work will cease until her return home.

Nigel

 

[LarryG]

Your grass-level garden railway reminds me so much of mine of 1956 where, using my dads spirit lever, I surveyed a course around the top end of the lawn. It ended up in a cutting at one point, which predictably got very soggy, but nailing galvanised rail to creosoted sleepers felt so satisfying.

 

[Allen M]

Hi James
As I understand it you are screwing your track to the brick base.
I had a garden line laid on bricks for about 35 years. I held the track down with bricklaying mortar mix, add a spot of washing up liquid and pour and brush in as ballast.
I normally obtained this a pointing repair mix (not the put in dry and then water type) from a local DIY store. If it did get a bit of damage brush out the loose and add a bit of fresh.

The only section left at the path level crossing but with a bit more mix added added over the ends.
Regards
Allen

 

[James Spooner]

Thanks all for your interest. The method of fixing doesn’t seem to have been a problem over the last five years and I am content with the flexibility it has offered if there are any issues with smooth running. The line may well need to be adjusted after a few running sessions and I can easily do that by drilling holes in different sleepers to make an appropriate modification. Ballasting may (or there again, may not) follow later…

Contrary to my prognosis of yesterday, I did manage to knock up a quick mix of mortar this afternoon and have cemented in another fourteen bricks…

Nigel