WEST ORTON

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teedoubleudee
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Re: WEST ORTON

#221

Post by teedoubleudee »

No.4 for me.
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Puddles
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Re: WEST ORTON

#222

Post by Puddles »

Hello Steve
Have you used any PVA on your ballast test tracks?
I purchased a light grey ballast and it went very dark almost black after gluing it in place with watered down PVA.
I was rather disappointed but learnt to live with it as I had purchased tons of the Stuff and being new to model building at the time I did not think of testing to see if it would change colour when glued in place.
Puddles
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#223

Post by Steve M »

Puddles wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:37 pm Hello Steve
Have you used any PVA on your ballast test tracks?
I purchased a light grey ballast and it went very dark almost black after gluing it in place with watered down PVA.
I was rather disappointed but learnt to live with it as I had purchased tons of the Stuff and being new to model building at the time I did not think of testing to see if it would change colour when glued in place.
Puddles
Yes Puddles, the usual 50/50 mix on the test pieces. On a previous layout I used a granite sand which took on a slight green tint. I have read that some PVA brands are especially prone to ‘tinting’ which is why I always test now.

Jury is still out on which ballast I use although definitely not no 4 (sorry TWD :D ) it’s far too coarse for OO but I put it in the trial for a reference point. I’m baffled by their description - ‘fine’!!
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Walkingthedog
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Re: WEST ORTON

#224

Post by Walkingthedog »

I used medium OO on my O gauge. Well that’s what it said on the tin/bag.

I reckon the best way to pick the size is to look at the size of an OO hand. The ballast need to be smaller than that.
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Hound Dog
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Re: WEST ORTON

#225

Post by Hound Dog »

Steve,

No 3 for me all day long...... No 1 is too fine and No 4 too coarse.....No 2 is so-so.

I have a few bags of various ballast that I am happy to send you a sample of, but they tend to be browns rather than greys.

Let me know and I will put some in the post - cheers Richard
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#226

Post by Steve M »

Thanks for the offer Richard but it has to be grey (to match my complexion from too long in the shed :D )

Using the fist size rule, 2 is closest. Further sieving has removed even more fine dust which has made the resultant mix look a lot more respectable. It’s a lot of work but at £2 per kilo it’s worth it.

While sifting my eye roamed along the shelf where I display my locos - a Castle has a new driver. A huge bl@@dy false widow spider which ran off before I could wield the hoover. Now I know it’s watching me. :shock:
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Mr Bones
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Re: WEST ORTON

#227

Post by Mr Bones »

To my very novice eye it's either #2 or #3. Might have to explore the chinchilla sand option.
If I knew that spider was there watching me, that would be the shed in quarantine :shock: :D
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#228

Post by Steve M »

Trial, day two.

I put the sand through the sieve again, removing yet more fine grains, then mixed the remaining coarser grains with the bag of Woodland Scenics medium grey - roughly 4:1. Test section no.1 still drying, but I think this is the best mix yet.

Image20210621_160706 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr


And now to introduce Ms. Drusilla Deathstalker who may well have made off with a member of the Castle loco crew.

Image20210621_160852 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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Mr Bones
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Re: WEST ORTON

#229

Post by Mr Bones »

#1 is looking good :)
Ms. Drusilla Deathstalker isn't :cry:
And the Lord said unto John “Come forth and receive eternal life”, but John came fifth and won a toaster!
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Steve M
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Re: WEST ORTON

#230

Post by Steve M »

Made a start on the ballasting of the easy sections. Used my patent mix on the rails and the sieved fines for the cess.
Not looking forward to ballasting the junction though. :D

Image2021-06-22_07-24-22 by Steve Mumford, on Flickr
"Not very stable, but incredibly versatile." ;)
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