Ox Mountain Railway

Dandelions are one of the earliest opening flowers and because of their colour provide an early and well advertised source of nectar for bees etc.
 
Dandelions are one of the earliest opening flowers and because of their colour provide an early and well advertised source of nectar for bees etc.
I don't mind them in the grass and I do leave areas uncut until flowers have died back - its just the railway seems to be a favourite place for them (but not for me!).
 
Dandelions are one of the earliest opening flowers and because of their colour provide an early and well advertised source of nectar for bees etc.
That they may be but I still do not want em in my lawn (or anywhere else in my garden for that matter), plus there are plenty of other early flowers out before them in the rest of my garden.
 
Ah, I'm letting my lawn become more of a meadow, so dandelions are welcome early on (but not allowed to seed), but once there are more flowers such as the clover, the dandies are severely dealt with. May is no mow month anyway.
 
Last edited:
Dandelions are one of the earliest opening flowers and because of their colour provide an early and well advertised source of nectar for bees etc.
I have plenty of celandine, flowers before dandelion and I am happy to leave it be :)
 
I have plenty of celandine, flowers before dandelion and I am happy to leave it be :)
Have to say that celandine is one of those marmite type of plants, I do like it and it is always a joy to see it in my local copse as it is the first to flower in there. I have some black leaved celandine that I love to see when it appears.
 
I've finished (for now) with the weeds and all clearances seem OK to run a train - although some of the track needs cleaning!

DSCF0993.JPG

It's been tiresome - yesterday morning it was a soft one and the bushes held the water so it jammed the shears, wet my sleeves, and annoyed me. I had to wait until this morning to finish cleaning up the Box leaves.
 
I've finished (for now) with the weeds and all clearances seem OK to run a train - although some of the track needs cleaning!

View attachment 299213

It's been tiresome - yesterday morning it was a soft one and the bushes held the water so it jammed the shears, wet my sleeves, and annoyed me. I had to wait until this morning to finish cleaning up the Box leaves.
You're fortunate to still have some box bushes with leaves, my MIL's hedge has been eaten buy the Box Beetle
 
Good heavens! I've already noticed the start of an invasion of the Gooseberry Saw Fly larvae on the Red Currant bush! :fearful:

Yesterday teatime, I decided to test the track (on the trestles) for electrical continuity and clearances. I've been wanting to do this for ages and was thwarted nearly all yesterday afternoon with water scheme prpblems (as per norm)! Anyway a quick clean of the rails, out with a loco, and off it went .....

....start
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (1).JPG

onto the start of the "high level" line
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (2).JPG

Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (3).JPG

..... round the trees
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (4).JPG

onto Ivy Ledge...
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (6).JPG

... and across the bridge ......
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (7).JPG

descending down to the main line ....
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (8).JPG

and onto the inner circle .....
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (9).JPG

.... and finally, journey terminated for thetime being because of the flowers!
Trestle track testing 27.02.22 (10).JPG

So everything went OK but I still have loads of woodwork to carry out on the trestles
 
It's been tiresome - yesterday morning it was a soft one and the bushes held the water so it jammed the shears, wet my sleeves, and annoyed me. I had to wait until this morning to finish cleaning up the Box leaves.

You're fortunate to still have some box bushes with leaves, my MIL's hedge has been eaten buy the Box Beetle

Indeed he does, thus far ‘touch wood’ mine are unaffected.

Last year I had a small patch of my box hedge with the moth lava, and ddn't do anything, this year 3/4 of my box has been eaten, the information for treatment is sparse, any info on treatment would be appreciated.
 
Last year I had a small patch of my box hedge with the moth lava, and ddn't do anything, this year 3/4 of my box has been eaten, the information for treatment is sparse, any info on treatment would be appreciated.
I don't think there is any treatment, try squirting a water and washing up liquid mix over the little gits, that may drown them before too much damage is done
 
I don't think there is any treatment, try squirting a water and washing up liquid mix over the little gits, that may drown them before too much damage is done
Pity the old regulars like DDT and 1080, and all the other now nasty solutions (that worked), have been banned.
 
Yesterday was a nice day (weatherwise) so I took adavantage! Early morning (very early for some) I cleared a space so I could get to the saw table. With that bit done, I cut up some tanalised timber offcuts that I hope will allow be to follow the curves of the trestles. Then I ripped down a piece of 2x3 (CLS so I ended up with 3 lengths at around 3/4/20mm thick. I then took everything into the garage and gave everything a coat of solvent based treatment. Then I stood everything outside so they would benefit from the sun ......

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (3).JPG

The long lengths are for the bridge decking and, hopefully, will add strength to the weatherworn structure,,,,,

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (1).JPG

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (2).JPG

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (4).JPG
The decking timbers that flanked the track were only about 5mm thick and, as can be seen in Pic3, had started to give up the ghost (as had many of the supporting cross members - the latter to be seen in Pic4. The former "decking" now has another use - fire kindling!

There was another downside to ripping down the timber - warping! Bent as a nine bob note!

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (8).JPG

Bridge repairs 29.05.22 (7) - Copy.JPG

More to follow!
 
Last edited:
Yesterday was a nice day (weatherwise) so I took adavantage! Early morning (very early for some) I cleared a space so I could get to the saw table. With that bit done, I cut up some tanalised timber offcuts that I hope will allow be to follow the curves of the trestles. Then I ripped down a piece of 2x3 (CLS so I ended up with 3 lengths at around 3/4/20mm thick. I then took everything into the garage and gave everything a coat of solvent based treatment. Then I stood everything outside so they would benefit from the sun ......

View attachment 299422

The long lengths are for the bridge decking and, hopefully, will add strength to the weatherworn structure,,,,,

View attachment 299423

View attachment 299424

View attachment 299425
The decking timbers that flanked the track were only about 5mm thick and, as can be seen in Pic3, had started to give up the ghost (as had many of the supporting cross members - the latter to be seen in Pic4. The former "decking" now has another use - fire kindling!

There was another downside to ripping down the timber - warping! Bent as a nine bob note!

View attachment 299427

More to follow!
Ready-made aircraft propellers - stock in trade of many timber suppliers ;);)
 
Talking of insects, look what a magpie dropped into our garden 20220528_151422~3.jpg
It's about 11/2-2" long. Quite harmless (I think), but it looks bloody fearsome
 
Back
Top