H Dumpty & Son's

H Dumpty & Son's - What follows is a record of my efforts at building what has to be one of the smallest outdoor 7/8’s scale layouts – it’s not much bigger than a 4x8 sheet of plywood.  Since I work slow this is about as big of an “empire” that I can handle.  My models tend to be of very small equipment and can negotiate 10 ½ “ radius curves if I lay the track a tad out of gauge. 

And now for a bit of company history...  H Dumpty and Son’s is a small pottery company supplying gardening pots to Gnomes and other assorted creatures living in the woods somewhere in the Northwest.  The pottery equipment is water powered and the kilns are wood fired.  Since incorporating in the fall of 1898 the company has maintained a small tramway used for hauling in clay and firewood and taking the finished pots off to market.  In addition to keeping the pottery working, the tramway supplies birdseed to the growing wren population that lives in the surrounding forest.  Without the birdseed traffic H Dumpty and Son’s would be in even worse financial trouble then they are – their pottery skills leave much to be desired.

Hop-on-board for a You-Tube ride around the railway.

 

H Dumpty & Son's - The 1st version: I never finished the buildings, the water feature was not integrated into the scene and it needed reworking.  Before I could finish reworking the water feature the patio lease was revoked and H Dumpty & Son's found themselves searching for new real estate.

 

H Dumpty & Son's - The 2nd version: Relocated to the edge of the patio by the chimney, H Dumpty and Son’s is slightly larger and has a more sophisticated water feature.  

Before rebuilding could commence I added in electrical service and took out a basement window that cluttered up the area. 

To maintain water levels for the flowing stream a concrete cistern that holds about 55 gallons was constructed below the fountain pool. 

 
The inner form was constructed out of plywood and made to be easily disassembled.  The hard clay soil served as the outer form. Pipes for the power line and water delivery to the stream head were cast into the concrete.
A 2400 gph pump keeps the water moving in two pipes.  One for the fountain and one for the stream.  Valves on each line allow the flow be regulated. Once the cistern was completed a concrete ring was cast to form the sides of the fountain pool. 
Stone was cut and laid dry to form the planter box.  Stones on the edge of the fountain were set in mortar. A view through the gate.
Starting to lay in the brick and tie the fountain into the patio. The brick has been cut around the fountain and the river rocks set into the pool.  The green lid over the pump chamber will be cover with loose rocks
A center rock column has been added as a view block. The final rock work supporting the roadbed is being fitted into place.
Testing the bridge placement. The bridge deck is in but the uprights need completing.
                        A Vulcan 2-ton takes the first trip around the new railway.