Autumn Arrives on the SVR

The weather has been doing its best to undo all of the work that was done on the railway earlier in the year.

Birdlip Junction Station with a few leaves on the line

No other work has been done on the extension since the open day.  In fact work has now been suspended until next year as other priorities have taken over.

The Open Day - Before and After

The plan was far too ambitious but nevertheless a successful open day was held on 13th August.  The photos show what has been achieved over the last 4 months.

The side garden

Birdlip Junction Station

The bridge over the pond

The tunnel area

The shed area

The pony truss bridge

The original viaduct

The curved viaduct and shed side tunnel

Other photos from the open day

Birdlip Junction

The old viaduct and start of the extension (unfinished)

It isn't going to be completed on time!

It's raining today and due to other commitments I've now only got three days left to prepare for the open day.  It isn't going to be ready.

The 3metre gap in the new extension

Another view of the gap

Block work still incomplete

Another gap in the alignment

A bridge in the side garden still in need of complete refurbishment

Another gap in the alignment

A curved viaduct - still to be put in

Birdlip junction - refurbishment almost complete

Trackbed by the tunnels

Another view of the incomplete block work

The new viaduct and bridges

Latest Bridge Completed (Except for Handrails)

With only 13 days to the open day another piece of the extension is now in place.

The complete under-arch girder bridge

A test train on the bridge

18 Days To My Open Day!

Construction of the second bridge has dominated this week.  Both sides are nearing completion.

The sides are almost complete

Looking back towards the shed and the first bridge

At the other end of the new extension, the first five blocks have been mortared in and two more have been cut.

The start of the incline

The next set of blocks will form a curve parallel to the lower track.  The trackbed of the lower track still needs finishing.

Two more blocks laid on the foundation of the original alignment

Another Bridge

Very little has happened outside recently.  Since getting back after a week away on holiday the weather has not been conducive to concreting and mortaring.
I have designed the next bridge which will be a 1.25m under arched girder bridge.  It proved to be a little more difficult than I had anticipated as I didn't know how to calculate the radius of the arch, but a Google search led me to http://www.mathopenref.com/ which provided the following information.

Given an arc or segment with known width and height:

The formula for the radius is:

where: W  is the length of the chord defining the base of the arc H  is the height measured at the midpoint of the arc's base.

I've started cutting the aluminium which was left over from the last bridge, but work has now stopped until I can get more supplies.

The plan for the next bridge

Closing the Gap

The Viaduct End
More Cain Howley Structures viaduct sections have been purchased from Steve Warrington of Back 2 Bay 6.  These have been roughly positioned ready for final levelling and alignment.

The first few sections of the viaduct

 Another straight viaduct section has been positioned to the left of the new bridge.

An aerial view

To the right of the three viaduct sections a new 1.25m removable bridge (yet to be built) will carry the next section of the line.

The Other End
At the other end of the line foundations have been laid for the first 2.5m and thermalite blocks have been cut to provide the gradient.  These have been roughly positioned ready for final levelling and alignment.

The other end of the new line

The new line will continue to gain height as it runs parallel with the existing lower level line.

Another view of the other end of the new line

The Other End of the Loop

Work has temporarily moved to another location.  This is where the 'figure of 8' loop will rejoin the back garden circuit.  Another point (left hand side of photo) has been added to the passing loop.  The newish 60cm straight track marks where the new line will connect.  The viaduct also needs some repairs after the severe frosts last winter.

The original viaduct

 Preparations have started in preparing the foundation for the new line.

Where the new line will rejoin the back garden circuit

 The side walls have been cut off the last 2 sections of the viaduct so that both lines can now avoid Mrs Beeching's conservatory.  The block and piece of wood mark the location and approximate height of the new line.

Modifications to the original viaduct

Bridge Construction Completed

The aim is to complete a 'figure of 8' loop passing through the 'railway station' shed - leaving the back garden circuit on the left of the garden.  The bridge will carry the line back over itself.  A viaduct will then carry the track down gradient at 1:30 to re-join the back garden circuit on the right hand side of the garden.

The completed bridge roughly positioned for testing alignment and clearance.

To the left of the bridge there will be another viaduct section and to the right a further two straight viaduct sections.

Looking back to the recently constructed embankment and tunnel mouth where the railway emerges from the shed.

After passing over two further viaduct sections the track will follow the line of the flowers to join up with the back garden circuit just out of sight to the left of the picture.  Mrs Beeching's conservatory which necessitated the re-bulding and extension of the railway can just be seen on the right.

The way ahead.

As the viaduct will be too high to easily step over another bridge, an under arch this time, will be constructed in the middle of the viaduct which can be removed to allow access to the back garden.

Another view of the bridge - looking back towards the shed.