A circle of SM32 track in the garden.

[Steve Cook]

There's two kinds of grit in my garden, bird grit and potting grit.


On the left is Bird Grit, ever so slightly smaller than the Chick grit available locally, but without the significant amount of shell present in the latter. I know slightly more about feeding chickens and hens that I need to now, stuff about gizzards, soluble and insoluble grit etc - what I can get is a combination chick grit at about £8/25kg bag. It is a bit bright, too small, and even though its sharp edged does not grip the sleepers well at all.
On the right is potting grit, a new arrival at the local garden centre. Mostly sharp edged gravel, about the desired size but rather red in colour. Grips the sleepers well already, even without the extra strips of wood that have been recommended. £5/20kg bag, possibly on a 3 for £13 but the girl behind the checkout was not sure
Based on the above, the potting grit is the one to go for. Not sure about the colour though so planning another tour of the DIY sheds to check out their horticultural grit, Q&B have a volcanic one that looks much better colour wise.....but then I've already discovered how misleading photos on the internet can be this morning....
Steve

 

[Osgood]

What is the size of the two products, Steve?

 

[Steve Cook]

I've attached a couple of photos so you can gauge the size range Tony





I bought six bags of horticultural grit from B&Q in the end - similar size to the potting grit but more favourable colour...will stick up photo later.

Steve

 

[Heather Kay]

You may find the potting grit will fade to a grey colour, if it's the same granite constituent in roadstone. It comes out of the ground pink, but quickly weathers to a grey.

 

[Osgood]

You know what I'd be tempted to do? blend just a little of the finer material into the top to fill in some of the bigger interstitial spaces

 

[Dog Star]

... interstitial spaces...

Now that is a good word for Adrian, especially after his introduction of onomatopoeia to members of the forum .

regards, Graham

 

[Osgood]

Double entendre certainly fell on stoney ground - and it wasn't chick grit

 

[Steve Cook]

You may find the potting grit will fade to a grey colour, if it's the same granite constituent in roadstone. It comes out of the ground pink, but quickly weathers to a grey.

Ah thanks Heather, I'll keep an eye on the stuff that I have left over - I'll stick it somewhere outside in the sun and see what happens.

Some of the B&Q stuff is down now, much browner at the moment, slightly more pea-shingly than I had hoped, but I think there is enough sharp edged content to make it do what I want. At £6/25kg it wasn't bad value, be interesting to see the dried colour tomorrow after its been washed over with the hose.





Other jobs today have included trellis trimming and installation, helping the neighbour deal with the hedges on his side (and my side) of the fence, making a small seat at one end of the planter and using up the materials stored since last year for those little jobs (re-felt roof on recycle bin storage shelves etc etc). Two 8' strips of wood have been painted with stain/preserver ready for cutting down to size and fixing to the track, a job for tomorrow after I've decided the best easiest way to fix said bits.

The mud mound is much higher after this mornings digging and compost session, it'll settle down again over the next couple of weeks with the rain whilst I plan out the scenic treatment to come. In theory, I should be in a position to get track down tomorrow and muck around with the bird grit as an in-filler.

Steve

 

[40126]

Im hooked on this, Steve , Cant wait for tomorrow

Steve

 

[Simon Dunkley]

I tend to find that with much of their stuff, whatever it's supposed to be for..!!

That's why it has their name on it: so you can avoid it.

 

[Steve Cook]

Busy day doing another tip run (rubble and turf), more earth moving, shopping, car cleaning and driving (it was pleasant Caterham weather - I popped out for fuel and to warm the car up, took hour and a half and 60 miles ) so not much time spent on the circle. I have taken note about doing it properly, but for the moment I have just filled the trench with gravel, flopped the track into place, tamped down and fired up

First circuit in progress (poor photo as I was on the phone at the time and excuse the 'warming up' baking tray )


Got a good half hour run out of her and plan to do the same again tomorrow. The blackbird is back and spent its time alternating between flicking mud onto the track and questioning my choice of motive power

'I'd have bought a Roundhouse mate'


Well the good news it all works, I've got a run in and so far its been 10 days since spade hit soil. I'll relax into it a bit more now, there is scenic stuff to consider, better track fixing, possibly better ballast for the top layer and loads more small jobs in the garden....just in time for the rain

Steve

 

[lancer1027]

Great stuff Steve cant believe its only took you 10 days puts me to shame.

Plus you could always throw in a couple of points and go wandering off in another direction of the garden.

Rob

 

[Rob Pulham]

You can't beat a bit of audience participation Steve

 

[Simon]

That looks great, I like the fact that your blackbird came back

I had an "audience" for my garden fiddling today - not quite as considerate as yours though....



And no lineside pass either

 

[Steve Cook]

Great stuff Steve cant believe its only took you 10 days puts me to shame.

Cheers Rob It was only that quick because the scope was small (KISS) and the 'Garden 5' (motivation, money, space, time and weather) all coincided for long enough to get it done. Think your project trumps mine in terms of civil engineering alone, let alone everything else You keep it at

Plus you could always throw in a couple of points and go wandering off in another direction of the garden.

Oi, I've only just got the circuit finished

You can't beat a bit of audience participation Steve

He's on form today, I think the extra earth with high worm content has got him over excited...ruining my trackbed though Dread to think what state it will all be in when I get home...

That looks great, I like the fact that your blackbird came back

Might even have to consider a feeder for him - especially if it keeps off the trackbed. Speaking of which

I had an "audience" for my garden fiddling today - not quite as considerate as yours though....
And no lineside pass either

I don't know, she looks like she shuffled over a little bit She can always have a home up here and you could keep the 'well behaved one'

Steve

 

[iploffy]

I dunno shampoo the cat, leave it wet, send the train round and Bobs your Auntie you have a carriage washer

 

[Ressaldar]

pity that you do not live in Cornwall Steve - you could have said that you had two chuff(ers) in the picture.

Looks realy good, thanks for posting, a good inspiration for others with the scattergun in the armoury .

cheers

Mike

 

[Dog Star]

I dunno shampoo the cat, leave it wet, send the train round and Bobs your Auntie you have a carriage washer

Yuk .