Completion of the Main Line

Ballasting resumed in the opposite, anti-clockwise, direction from the former end of track near the fruit trees.  The meant a much shorter trip from the ballast pile near the front gate.

Part of this section required extra-deep ballast as the ground is low-lying and boggy in winter.  The width of the weed mat was increased from 600 mm to 800 mm to allow for the extra ballast depth.

By late afternoon and, with a little pushing and shoving, the track was finally joined to form a complete loop without requiring any cutting, which was amazing.  Even though there was still about 10 m which wasn't ballasted, it was possible to drive a train across the gap for the first time at low speed.  

A momentous occasion!

The next day, the last few metres of track were ballasted.

Another day, another pipe and more ballast

 Another drain pipe required attention, as it had been pushed out of the ground by roots.  

The pipe weighted down before backfilling and tracklaying.

Meanwhile, another 2 m³ of ballast was delivered, sufficient to do the remaining track with a little bit left over.

At the end of the day, with about 20 m of track to be ballasted, the rails at each end of the loop touched, but with a gap of about 70 mm.  Much thinking that night about how to resolve the gap.

The longest straight

Ballasting proceeds along the rear of the garden where the longest straight stretch, of about 25 m, is situated.  This section slopes down to the lowest point on the line and includes two level crossing panels for garden maintenance access.

The "top" level crossing in position.

Steady progress down the slope.

An extension required for the overflow pipe from a rainwater tank.

The "bottom" level crossing in position and level.  Later, surplus dirt was used to built up the adjacent grass areas.

Moving a point

 Since the decision to reroute the main line close to the gazebo, this LH point near the garage is no longer needed in this location, where it had been since June 2023.

The point has been removed, and replaced by straight track and a short (1.5 m) level crossing section for garden maintenance access.

After being turned around to suit the new planned location, the point is loaded on the train ready for relocation.

The new location has been readied including conduit buried in the ballast for 12 V power for electric point operation.

The point in its new position, for now at least.

A check revealed that the passing loop would be too short with the point in the position as per the previous photo, so it was relocated to after the next curve, resulting in a generous length of about 16 m for the passing loop.

To get a good alignment for the next straight section of track, a slight angular adjustment was required.  An existing offcut further cut in half resulted in a curve of about 2.5°.  Note the bolt-on joiner on the right end rather than the usual welded joiner.

More track set-out

After an afternoon clearing weed trees (Flinders Range wattle) which had sprung up in the area near the dam, we were able to set out most of the remaining track to make sure there was enough track to complete the main line.

It looks like there is enough space to the right of the main line for a passing loop.

Some of those small bushes in the foreground will have to go for the passing loop!

The main line almost joins up near the small lily pond.  It looks like a straight section will have to be cut to fit, but there will be enough track.

Progress on Track Construction

Since the new shipment of track arrived on 15 December, there has been considerable progress with about 70 m of new track laid.

New track past the gazebo and the second of two holes punched through the surrounding hedge.

Removal of two not-so-precious bushes opened up a route through a bushy area.  The bare tree trunks belong to Silver Princess flowering gums which have spectacular flowers in the spring.

A shallow cutting was required through a garden bed so the track could flow through into another "garden room".

The current end of the track.  This area was a bit waterlogged last winter, so the track has been built up using surplus dirt from elsewhere, with some slotted drainage pipes under the ballast.

Here is the latest track plan.  Recent track construction has been past the gazebo, and through the trees and garden areas along the southern boundary.

More Ballasting

Good progress with tracklaying just after Christmas used up the last of the ballast stockpile.  

Fortunately, the local landscaping suppliers were open again after New Year and were able to deliver 3 m³ of 10 mm cracked pea gravel the same day, which should be enough for the remaining track.

Prior to this load, about 4 m³ of ballast has been used.  The ballast wagon holds 5 buckets (about 5 litres) of ballast, which is enough for about 1.5 m of track, on average, depending on the depth of ballast required.

Fresh supply of ballast

Ballasting in action.  The track here is on a downgrade, so I had to use my left hand to control the train's speed via the handbrake lever.  The small buckets contain additional ballast to top up the ballast wagon if required.

Levelling the ballast with a broom.