I created a loading dock beside the goods shed at what is now Culdaff station in 2011. It was made from repair cement, mixed with some exterior PVA adhesive and poured into a mould made from hardboard. It survived well for a few years, but the winter frosts this year have broken the structure up. So much for my concreting skills. For a month or so, I allowed the dock to collapse naturally as it was breaking up on the side away from the track. It then, however, started to fall towards the track, creating a collision hazard, so it had to go. It was removed very easily, the central layer of the dock remained in one piece, as this had been reinforced with grit in the mixture, but the top layer was free of grit as I wanted a smooth surface, and this just crumbled at the touch. I have no plans to replace it, as a further extension, and relocation of the goods yard, is planned in a couple of years time.
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I purchased a Model Town water mill kit in error. I actually intended buying the blacksmith's building for use on the indoor section as a warehouse, this would be placed next to the hole in the wall to help disguise it. The idea being that trains would pass through a gap in the buildings between this and a low relief goods shed (yet to be built).
Anyway the water mill is a very nice kit and I decided to keep it, intending to place it outside near the pond. Once I had put the four walls together I tried the building for size in its intended location between the signal cabin and goods shed at Culdaff. Although the mill could be squeezed into the available space, I thought it looked a bit cramped and unnatural; so it was back to plan A, put the building indoors. The only downside is that in its final position, the rather marvellous working mill wheel is barely visible. The kit went together very well, I have deviated from the instructions and have not used the additional canopy and winch supplied for use on the front of the building. I have fixed the swivelling pulley system next to the door on the upper floor and fitted it with a suitable chain and hook. I painted the stonework on the raised platform and mill race but finished the rest of the building in whitewash and then weathered the lower parts of the walls with diluted green acrylic, for the area next to the water, and diluted track dirt acrylic on the wall next to the railway. The rear of the building was left unpainted as it backs against the wall. |
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