...and on more than one front.
I wished Alison & the kids "bon voyage" this morning as they set off for 12 nights aboard Pacific Jewel, bound for Cairns (and return).
The afternoon was occupied dutifully taking mother-in-law for an outing (Rivercat to Olympic Park Wharf, bus to Oly Park Station, shuttle to Lidcombe and then home via Granville). A few 81s were sighted along the way on ballast trains, with track work on the Local. Once home, I headed straight for the garage to begin work on proper framing for Brendan's layout.
Currently, it sits on my saw horses, which is rather too low for me, and increasingly so for the young bloke, who is now 11 and taller than grandma. So the decision on the manner in which I should occupy myself while the family is away was made a few weeks ago.
To ensure approval from the Finance Ministry for these new works, the budget was prepared on the basis of economic re-use of existing material. Thus the Yabbie Creek Railway (Closure) Bill was passed unanimously, and this evening, work commenced on removal of the right-of-way, including the base boards and associated trestles, which Dad & I built over 27 years ago in the garage at Oatley. So long, farewell, indeed.
A slow start was made due to the need to shift 8 years' worth of accumulated stuff from the top of the erstwhile layout.
Boxes of models and other accumulated junk removed, the three roads of Yabbie Creek terminus are revealed, along with the loco depot road heading towards the former turntable pit.
Yabbie Ck yard has been lifted, along with the main line back as far as the creek crossing.
Thereafter, work progressed quickly with the de-spiking and salvaging of Peco Code 75 flex track and points. All of these will be cleaned and serviced for eventual re-use on Weddin Jct, once a "certificate of practical completion" for the current project is agreed with SWMBO. A few other items of interest turned up, including some nice terminal strips and five Peco point motors mounted under the boards, along with a couple of capacitor discharge units I had cobbled together on bits of plywood, during my post-HSC holiday to an uncle & aunt at Scotts Head, to learn to drive
.Staging yard before & after.
Dismantling the trestles was somewhat slower. As built, they were solid. Really solid. Every joint had two countersunk wood screws. I remember now slaving away with a brace and bit putting it together, and cursing every time the bit slipped out of the slotted head. It was not a lot easier to take apart! In the end I only sacrificed one length of timber to damaged screws that could not be removed, but I will certainly NOT be using the same type of screw to build the new legs! I will also ensure the outer piece is clearance drilled before assembly.
Anyway, I managed to get the first pair of leg components glued & clamped before midnight, so I guess I'm on track.
Cheers for now.
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