Balbeggie Sidings

[sulzer27jd]

I thought I would give an update on progress (more the lack of) on Balbeggie Sidings. Also gives a chance to link to the old list;

http://www.rmweb.co....php?f=9&t=37887

 

The main work has been done at the south end which has gone from;

 

to;

The mainline ballast still needs to be weathered.

 

The small yard is lightly used but does get an occasional delivery still. It normally just hosts a couple of spare wagons;

 

 

Over the summer I really haven't had any time, which is frustrating because when the temperature drops I usually have a tactical retreat from the attic. The basics of the scenery are done and I need to start on signalling now.

 

Despite the lack of progress I did manage to get this photo taken further round the mainline 47210 was caught on cement empties, returning to Oxwellmains at Dunbar.

 

all the best

 

John

[millerhillboy]

Hope to see more of this, love the look of the layout and the traction is superb...

 

Dunbar cements behind HA duffs..... :icon_drool:

[Guest Max Stafford]

Get yourself a nice little oil-filled radiator John. Then you can carry on treating us to glories such as the above scene all through the winter too!

 

Dave.

[number6]

Now this nice. A model of a railway: lovely sweeping curves and very well observed. Look forward to more.

Get that radiator [or some thick socks]!

Raphael

[Guest oldlugger]

Hello John!

 

What's happened? No more info? It would be nice to see some more photos of your very nice layout ... the goods train looks very realistic and the vegetation is excellent.

 

Cheers

Simon

[Rannoch Moor]

Hi John,

 

Agree with the above, but given our respective employments, I appreciate that work and family sometimes impact on the modelling path. (Not to mention keeping the rest of RM Web up to date!) I've only just got round to resurrecting the kilbrannan Ferry thread on this side of the Black stump. But great pics all the same, look forward to seeing lots more once you follow Max's advice.

 

Yours,

 

Gus

[sulzer27jd]

Hurrah!! at last managed to get back into the attic. I've spend a good bit of the day bringing the layout out of hibernation, track cleaning, loco wheels cleaned, even managed to get the yard which had been sprayed cleaned and running. Took some photos to let you all see;

 

47464 on a northbound van train

 

37108 running empty aviation fuel tankers back to Grangemouth

 

20213 & 20199 bringing loaded hoppers onto the main line, having been held in the loops.

 

A regular performer on the pick-up goods - 26031.

 

The layout is now running well, with no issue to deal with. Targets now are;

signals and

extending the scenery out - I had originally made the boards but I think I will put scenic extensions on to fill into the roof trusses. It should make photography a little easier as there will be less of an edge encroaching on the shot.

 

John

[sulzer27jd]

And in case you thought there was no passenger services running;

 

27041 heads a Dundee to Edinburgh service - next stop Kirkcaldy

 

47408 powering the 1A38, 15.00 hrs Edinburgh to Aberdeen service

 

And the same train as it rounds the curve past Balbeggie Yard

 

John

[Parthia27]

Hurrah!! at last managed to get back into the attic. I've spend a good bit of the day bringing the layout out of hibernation, track cleaning, loco wheels cleaned, even managed to get the yard which had been sprayed cleaned and running. Took some photos to let you all see;

 

47464 on a northbound van train

 

37108 running empty aviation fuel tankers back to Grangemouth

 

20213 & 20199 bringing loaded hoppers onto the main line, having been held in the loops.

 

A regular performer on the pick-up goods - 26031.

 

The layout is now running well, with no issue to deal with. Targets now are;

signals and

extending the scenery out - I had originally made the boards but I think I will put scenic extensions on to fill into the roof trusses. It should make photography a little easier as there will be less of an edge encroaching on the shot.

 

John

 

Superb stuff John, really takes me back and captures the feel of the era.

 

D5580

[Peter Kazmierczak]

This is a super layout; has a real "railway" feel about it. I especially like the different ballast effects between the mainline and the sidings.

 

Just one constructive comment if I may; I'd cut off those unsightly uprights from the Peco tiebars.

 

Apart from that, I think it's brilliant. Well done.

[sulzer27jd]

This is a super layout; has a real "railway" feel about it. I especially like the different ballast effects between the mainline and the sidings.

 

Just one constructive comment if I may; I'd cut off those unsightly uprights from the Peco tiebars.

 

Apart from that, I think it's brilliant. Well done.

 

I take your 'point' - Sorry about that awful pun just couldn't resist it.

 

I had been hoping to make progress with installing point motors. After which I had intended to remove the uprights, unfortunately I have had little or no time get into this years projects. When I have had an opportunity I have been social and done some downstairs modelling, usually fitting the pipework to yet another class 47!

 

The latest stock item is a DBSO which will form a disco set with a 47/7. This will be for the later time period rather than running along side some of the earlier power.

 

John

[sulzer27jd]

I have recently been extending the scenery out to meet the roof trusses. One of the main reasons for doing this was to remove the visible edge from photographs. So here is the result - showing the layout in full so that you can see what I mean.

 

 

You can see the extra width. This helps because the roof trusses make you view the layout along its length, something that has advantages, but the edge used to show badly in photos and made for a lot of cropping.

 

Having done some of the work today I sat back and did some train watching;

 

First up - 1N36 the 17.40 Edinburgh to Inverness with 47546 in charge;

 

 

Then came - 2L56 the 18.20 Dundee to Edinburgh with 27041;

 

 

and later the Dundee cement train (6L58) worked tonight by 40064

 

So now to get on with the next job.

 

JD

[Trainsrgr8]

looks really good! Atmosphere by the bucket load! Do keep them pictures coming

 

Danny

[26power]

Hi

 

Your layout thread is one that I "watch".  

 

In your first recent photo (the context one) I wondered if pinning even just white paper onto the rafters above the backscene would be a further help?  Especially as your plain backscene looks pretty white in the pictures anyway.  Maybe something like lining roll would do?

 

Just a thought.

 

Cheers,

 

26power.

 

 

[158722]

Very nice layout - nice to see someone else with the same tastes! Several of your fleet are Airthrey Park regulars- 20199, 37108 and 27041 included! Nice layout, nice modelling. Maybe see you at Perth show in June with AP.

 

A.

[sulzer27jd]

I've spend a bit of time over the last few nights weathering my two sets of coal hoppers. They are pretty standard Hornby HAA of various heritage and have had the pivoting wheel arrangement locked up, repainted into railfreight red and weathered. The two sets operate with empties working clockwise and loads anti-clockwise. I generally don't vary the power unless I have visitors. The daily diagrams allow for 6 trains in each direction.

 

In practise the loading facility (off scene) is limited for space so as soon as a train is loaded it is sent out to wait in the loops at Balbeggie Sidings. This allows the empties to enter the loading plant. Its really just a good excuse to hold a loaded train in the loops as this very much sets the scene.

 

Here is a loaded train approaching through the loops;

 

 

A close up of the loaded hoppers;

 

And the lead power, 20213;

 

J

[Satan's Goldfish]

I don't know why, but for some crazy reason i'd always thought this model was in 'N'! It must have been the length of the trains confusing me, just this last set pictures has made me realise it's in 00 which makes the train length even more impressive!

 

Excellent work, I enjoy seeing this one. Out of interest what length trains do you run? I'm hopefully soon also modelling in the loft but even with all the space I can't figure properly what length i want trains to be (freight especially) to look as realistic as possible, but not so long it makes operation space a bit of a headache.

[sulzer27jd]

I don't know why, but for some crazy reason i'd always thought this model was in 'N'! It must have been the length of the trains confusing me, just this last set pictures has made me realise it's in 00 which makes the train length even more impressive!

 

Excellent work, I enjoy seeing this one. Out of interest what length trains do you run? I'm hopefully soon also modelling in the loft but even with all the space I can't figure properly what length i want trains to be (freight especially) to look as realistic as possible, but not so long it makes operation space a bit of a headache.

 

Thanks, the MGR's run to 24 each. I tried different lengths but we need to remember that our layouts are generally compressed so its about keeping the balance right. So these two trains are about my longest and the fiddleyard was designed around them. The cement train usually runs with 20 although sometimes if I run both the Dundee service and an Aberdeen they get split.

 

The longest passenger tend to be 10 but 8 is more common.

 

cheers

 

John

[P.C.M]

Hi John,

Always look forwards to your updates, the 20s and MGRs look great, nicely weathered. I like the idea of extending the board width with a bit more scenery I have been thinking about doing it myself. Could you run 26s on your MGRs ? I am sure I have seen pictures somewhere.

 

Cheers Peter,

[Satan's Goldfish]

Thanks, the MGR's run to 24 each. I tried different lengths but we need to remember that our layouts are generally compressed so its about keeping the balance right. So these two trains are about my longest and the fiddleyard was designed around them. The cement train usually runs with 20 although sometimes if I run both the Dundee service and an Aberdeen they get split.

 

The longest passenger tend to be 10 but 8 is more common.

 

cheers

 

John

 

 

Thanks John, just so many ideas In my head and not enough building going on

 

Keep up the good work, looking forward to the next pictures.

[sulzer27jd]

Hi John,

Always look forwards to your updates, the 20s and MGRs look great, nicely weathered. I like the idea of extending the board width with a bit more scenery I have been thinking about doing it myself. Could you run 26s on your MGRs ? I am sure I have seen pictures somewhere.

 

Cheers Peter,

 

I remember the 26's running MGR's but that tended to be in the Lothians, but no doubt if a failure occurs the shedmaster at Thornton will use whatever is lying around. A couple of 26's in Coal sector livery is a tempting idea!

 

John

[Neil_S_Wood]

Nice layout John, those long straight sections really show off the trains well.

 

cheers

 

Neil

[Jon Gwinnett]

What a superb layout. Can't believe I've missed it before.

[sulzer27jd]

Many thanks for the very kind comments.

 

The latest project off the workbench is my Scotrail liveried disco set. Its using Lima mark III's and an Dapol BSO converted to DBSO. The set includes the cut down first class accommodation.

 

Because the second photo below was taken on the Up line the top of the scenic backdrop was very visible so I have added some sky. I must do something about that for photography.

 

Anyway here is an Aberdeen to Edinburgh service passing Balbeggie Sidings;

 

 

 

and 47702 propelling from the rear;

 

I have had a few days working from home which has allowed a little more time to work on the layout. I did however indulge in a bit of train watching and in case you missed it the link is here - http://www.rmweb.co...._1entry138667

 

Thanks again all for the encouragement.

 

John

[Lokomotivfuhrer]

Excellent work John.

 

Being ex-Dundee Footplate, this is truly superb.

 

It's funny you showing the Class 27s on the Dundee - Edinburgh runs. Dundee and Haymarket Crews shared these jobs equally. These jobs were known as the Double-Dunters, because you did 2 runs per shift.

 

The Class 40 on the Cement puzzles me slightly because from my recollection, the PCAs were generally on the Aberdeen (Craiginches) Cement, and it was generally PCVs which were on the Dundee (Camperdown) Cement. Admittedly, by the time the 40s were going out of service, the PCAs were becoming more common. No criticism intended though. A superb piece of work.

 

BTW you were spot-on regards the consist of the Cement Trains, 20 on - 933 Tonnes. (20 x 40 + 133 for the Loco - straight from the ScR Working Manual!)

 

 

Best Regards

Mark H.