A diary of Tramway Demiel

Nice pics again, Mikey Someone's nicked your fox, though!

Love the second pic in particular, with the faint steam plume from the tram. Is it an optical illusion, or is the track really listing a little to the right?

Looking at that last pic, I wondered what it would look like if it were to receive the 'old photo' treatment - so, with due apologies to Mikey (and full credit for original pic, and all that):

we went all round with a spirit level but at this spot ,where a set of points are, yes its possible, but i think it is more pronounced in the picture than it really is.

Mikey

Mm Like that Clive! I might have a yesteryear page on my website with sepia pics

mikey

I must say Sepia Ageing suits the old bugger ...

I thought that was his natural colour!

touche Brian!

Too hot for running trains so we have been trying to make the buis (boxwood) into reasonably shaped trees;



Mikey

Where the fox ??

Too much sun

Mikey, I think I have missed a trick here, what have you used for ballast? Sorry if you've already posted about that, I tried looking back at the previous posts but can't find a mention of it. Looks like a kind of coarse sand?

sorry Clive i must have missed your last post. Yes its a very coarse sand mixed with a bit of 'chaux' which is the powdered lime they use to make the crepi (rendering) in these parts. I used it because it best represents the covered sleeper look.I put it on dry and with a 1 3/4" paintbrush spread it along the track and the shoulders. the chaux makes it dry hard but not as hard as concrete so its easily moved if neccessary. We put it on twice after well watering the first layer to soak it into the air spaces in the gravel.

Mikey

Hmm, interesting. Certainly it looks good in the pics. Are you hoping/expecting any moss or similar to take root in amongst it?

I have been experimenting with a mix made from 'ready-mix dry mortar' and some peat and some soil - so far I have only applied it to one track at the Scampington end, just to see if any greenery takes it over. A bit early doors yet, but again it's not rock solid so is easily dug up if need be. I also have obtained a bag of sharp sand so that I can have a go with that and some cement when I get the time.

I read somewhere (think it was on here) that the best time to take pics of live steam in the summer is early in the morning so at 7.30am I fired up the tram ready to see plumes of steam rising into the morning air. Fat chance! it was already 29 degrees (35 at time of this posting). anyway use your imagination;





and then a long goods from the papermill;



Excuse the gate on this last one! I thought I'd cropped it out.



Mikey

mikeyh wrote:

I read somewhere (think it was on here) that the best time to take pics of live steam in the summer is early in the morning so at 7.30am I fired up the tram ready to see plumes of steam rising into the morning air. Fat chance! it was already 29 degrees (35 at time of this posting). anyway use your imagination;

Mikey

Great shots but I think we'll have to wait til December for visible steam

Another great set of pics Mikey - can't be far off your official opening, now?

I have (yet!) another question - That tarpaulin covering the first open wagon, how did you make it?

Also, it looks like your stream bed is all dried up! Must be a real drought on down there

Yes i've cut back the plants that were growing over the bank because I want to make it look like a river 'wall' For the tarpaulin; first cover wagon top with clingfilm then cut to size a piece of open weave material ( I used a bit of an old sheet), soak it in diluted PVA and stretch it over the clingfilm. When it is semi-dry paint it with an oil based paint by 'dabbing' it on rather than brushing it. When completely dry carefully lift it off. the cling film should now be stuck to the underside of the material (thereby making it completely waterproof) .Its shell-like hardness helps it keep its shape.

Mikey

Can anybody tell me what are ideal conditions for pics showing live steam? I'm getting frustrated at setting it all up but theres nothing there!!

Mikey

Winter or a cold morning as soon as you reach a temperature under 10 to 12° c it will smoke a lot.
Over 10 to 12°c depend of the weather i think.

If it's too windy, also, tends to blow steam plumes completely away!

Bearcastle wrote:

Winter or a cold morning as soon as you reach a temperature under 10 to 12° c it will smoke a lot.
Over 10 to 12°c depend of the weather i think.

Our little engines don't 'smoke' (fumer) very much. Well they shouldn't do except for a little burnt oil.
It should be all gas generated steam (vapeur) unless you have a coal fired monster in which case you get lots of real smoke at any atmospheric temperature.

The ideal temperatures for steam are just chilly damp mornings.

Take a cup of tea outside first and test the air. Or those with horses look at the muck heap for a good indication.

Carl Hibbs wrote:

Bearcastle wrote:

Winter or a cold morning as soon as you reach a temperature under 10 to 12° c it will smoke a lot.
Over 10 to 12°c depend of the weather i think.

Or those with horses look at the muck heap for a good indication.

Sorry doesn't work!

Many a morning I add to a steaming muck heap#, but still no visible steam from the Edrig!

# realise I'm setting myself up for a few comments here but it's true

Too warm in the south


yesterday some town had 41°C in the south.

No trains in these pics (just a bit of track) showing the hustle and bustle and also the tranquility of Demiel;







Mikey

Its all looking very lived in (if that’s the word I am looking for) you have certainly put some detail into your work. Mine is still a building site, and will be for a few years I suspect.

Lovely pics again, Mikey. I've just been looking back over the previous 9 pages of this thread, and it's incredible how it's changed in less than a year...

I'd say I like the last pic best, but then I'm biased - but they're all great really!