Ballasting as a disastrous experience

So much for spiritual experiences!

Here is the result of yesterday's spiritually driven ballasting session. As usual, once the PVA bonding was dry, I tipped up the board to let any loose grains fall off. Unfortunately, 30% of the new ballast dropped off leaving what looked like a disease ravaged railroad behind it.

Conclusion:

I think what happened was that I tried to ballast too long a stretch at the one time and lost track of where I already had and where I had still to apply the PVA/water/detergent mixture. The earlier and entirely successful trial efforts had been over 15 to 20 cm whereas this time I had tried double-track over 70 to 80 cm.

I also suspect that the PVA was too thick and had a tad too much detergent in the mix.

I think that the glue should have the consistency of milk rather than cream and that a mere droplet of detergent for every half-tumbler full of PVA/water is sufficient. The glue must disperse readily over as wide an area of ballast as possible otherwise  it's a case of applying one blob after another and  leaving gaps of unbonded ballast between the blobs.

Anyway, tried to remedy the situation and 95% of the ballast is now in place.

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Perfect Pop Song:

The Beatles' "I'll Follow the Sun" from their 1964 album "Beatles For Sale" is one of my favourite Beatles tracks with a brilliant instrumental intro and yet, it is only 1 minute and 49 seconds long.

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A Collect:


Oh Lord,
We beseech thee,
Mercifully to receive the prayers of thy people
Who call upon thee.
And grant that they
May both perceive and know
What things they ought to do,
And have the grace and power
Failthfully to fulfil the same;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen