The Heybridge Railway, 1889 to 1913

[PhilH]

I've been looking for suitable ballast for my narrow gauge layout, something a bit more varied in colour and size than the usual ballast aggregate, and obtained this from a local river:

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Its been passed through a sieve, so the maximum size of the sample is probably just under 1mm, and there are fines in it although it doesn't show in the sample. If you have the opportunity its probably worth scouting round the area your model is based in for any natural material, old gravel pits, river banks, etc. The inside of a curve in a river is the most likely place to find deposits of such material.

Mainline ballast is 2" nominal size, or at least that's what Penmaenmawr Quarry was supplying to BR in the 1960s when I worked there. Whether the specification has changed since or not I don't know.

 

[Richard Gawler]

Phil thanks ever so much. We often go to the area for walks, I can take a empty margarine tub.

In fact thank you to everyone for the last few posts. I've worked out what ballast I should be modelling, and I have ideas on how to go about doing it.

 

[daifly]

Folks

Extracting your own sands and gravel may seem like a very 'green' solution but please be aware that it contravenes several environmental laws and may also be considered theft in some circumstances. Just saying.

Dave

 

[PhilH]

Richard,
Another piece of advice I forgot to mention, when I go 'nicking material from the countryside I usually wear a balaclava, stick false numberplates on the car and make sure I'm not followed when I leave

 

[Richard Gawler]

I doubt I will ever discover what came out of the aggregate workings near Heybridge, but I did take a couple of photos in the Gipping Valley (Suffolk) last week.

View attachment 214383

View attachment 214384
These deposits are beside some excavations now full of water, near Pipps Ford Lock.

I wonder, is this the sort of stuff we are talking about for ballast?

This is a possible ballast mix, trying to mimick the appearance of deposits in the Gipping Valley without the weeds and all legally-harvested.


This is equal parts of sieved bird grit, Proses "genuine limestone 00/H0" and Woodland Scenics "ballast, fine buff", laid loose for the camera. I sieved the bird grit twice, to remove the largest bits and then remove the dust. The grit is catching the light from the flash and looks a little more dominant here than it does in natural daylight.

I am actually rather pleased with this so I can now try some other resources and see if the result is better or worse.