Micro Model of Invershin Station, Sutherland

[Marly51]

Completed my first model railway based on the North Highland station at Invershin. This micro model was created for an exhibition to celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the Sutherland Railway completed between Ardgay and Golspie in 1868. More details here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135361-invershin-station-sutherland/

 

Initial plan in AnyRail

 

View from above in Perspex case

 

Invershin Station Detail

[Jerry1975]

Looks very nice, is it OO gauge or N gauge?

 

Jerry.

[Marly51]

Thanks Jerry. It is N gauge with scratchbuilt buildings in 2mm scale. I shall be organising some running sessions at the exhibition - still acquiring locomotives and rolling stock.

 

Marlyn

[Jerry1975]

Thanks Marlyn, I like it a lot, well done.

 

Jerry.

[luke the train spotter]

This layout looks really good and I like the fact that it is of a prototype. Look forward to seeing more of it.

[Alex TM]

Hi Marlyn,

 

That's a nice piece of work.  Any thoughts about what sort of stock you want to run on it?

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

[Marly51]

Thanks, Luke & Jerry. It is the history of the railway in my part of the country which has got me back into model-making. I am still learning about the finer details of locomotives, rolling stock and operations. Enjoying following the progress of members here and I must say that the smaller cameo and shelf layouts, with a fiddle section or transverser, is something which I would like to experiment with in the future. Both of you have produced some very attractive layouts.

[Marly51]

Hi Marlyn,

 

That's a nice piece of work. Any thoughts about what sort of stock you want to run on it?

 

Regards,

 

Alex.

Hi Alex,

 

No scratchbuilding of locomotives and rolling stock for me quite yet. This is the main line from Inverness to Wick, so a regular passenger service with a Farish Class 5MT 'Black Five' LMS and three LMS Stanier coaches so far, but hoping to find at least another two. This is a very small layout, but the 'Black Five' managed its running-in session fine. The stationmaster had a side line as coal merchant, he arranged for the Lochinver bus to come to Invershin instead of Lairg and the local post office was at the station. There are also fish boxes evident on the platform in old photographs, so some mixed freight wagons for coal, livestock and fish. As I am also working on a larger layout of Lairg, I have a selection of Peco N gauge wagons to assemble and paint. Looking forward to customising these for both layouts. The twin loops behind the backscene form the fiddle area for two train operation - passenger and freight. I have lot more reading and research to do!

Edited July 2, 2018 by Marly51

[Bill_J]

Hi Marlyn

 

For a moment, I wondered what that was in the station yard, doh! realised it was a light reflection in the perspex case. This is a very nice little layout. Well modelled.

 

I see some of your research elsewhere has borne fruit. Some real height in those trees in the foreground. Many people would edit those, wrongly thinking they "look" too tall. The overall look is spot on.

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your excellent work.

 

Regards

 

Bill

[Marly51]

Hi Marlyn

 

For a moment, I wondered what that was in the station yard, doh! realised it was a light reflection in the perspex case. This is a very nice little layout. Well modelled.

 

I see some of your research elsewhere has borne fruit. Some real height in those trees in the foreground. Many people would edit those, wrongly thinking they "look" too tall. The overall look is spot on.

 

Looking forward to seeing more of your excellent work.

 

Regards

 

Bill

Thanks for your kind comments, Bill - I'm arranging to get some better photographs after the exhibition, when I can remove the perspex cover. These trees are cut down and tweaked from my initial efforts - I am now making trees using the wire method suggested in the other thread. I purchased some commercial trees, but they were not quite right for the Invershin location - will experiment with them for other dioramas. I shall post more as I progress with this. Hope everything is going well with your models?

 

Marlyn

Edited July 2, 2018 by Marly51

[Marly51]

Graham Farish locomotives and rolling stock acquired so far:

 

 

LMS 5008 ‘Black Five’ photographed at Invershin in 1939

http://www.ambaile.org.uk/detail/en/27541/1/EN27541-lms-5008-at-invershin-august.

 

(LMS) Fowler 3F 0-6-0T (Jinty) recorded at Inverness Sheds but couldn’t find any record for the Far North Line. Couldn’t find any record of the prototype No.16389 which this model is based on?

 

The J94 Saddle Tank 68071 was built by Andrew Barclay, Kilmarnock. This BR model will be used on a former LNER layout.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Marly51

[Dava]

I like the station and platform buildings as well as the scenic work and back scene. I'm not familiar with the prototype but it looks authentic. Are there some card kit buildings in there?

 

Dava

[Marly51]

I like the station and platform buildings as well as the scenic work and back scene. I'm not familiar with the prototype but it looks authentic. Are there some card kit buildings in there?

Dava

Thanks Dava - there are a couple of paper kit downloads behind the station - the Model Railway Scenery weighbridge hut and the small Smart Models lineside hut by the point. I shall be taking some better photographs later when the exhibition finishes. The backdrop of Carbisdale Castle is a temporary Photoshop one - my daughter is producing an illustrated backscene with the castle, more in scale in relation to the Station. I have posted some more background details here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135361-invershin-station-sutherland/ I still have some additional detail to add, including fencing-in the garden behind the station and some interest on the loading bay.

 

Marlyn

Edited July 3, 2018 by Marly51

[Marly51]

Another couple of views of the layout (through the Perspex cover)! Rear of main station buildings and view south from platform cabin. I still need to fence in the rest of the line with post and wire fencing. The back garden to the station will have a wooden fence, similar to station fencing.

 

 

[Dava]

Very nicely modelled, I like the road vehicles, Minor Traveller & OB bus.

 

Dava

[Marly51]

Very nicely modelled, I like the road vehicles, Minor Traveller & OB bus.

Dava

Thanks, Dava. The Stationmaster was quite enterprising and arranged for the Lochinver bus to call by Invershin instead of Lairg. A local man told me he remembered this bus being a neutral colour, unlike the Sutherland Transport red and and cream buses from Lairg. The only problem with modelling certain periods in N gauge, is the limited range of scale vehicles. For the larger model (also in N scale), I am working on at present, I have found a basic coal lorry kit, but there are also two oil depots? Carts and horses were still used in the 1940s and I am sure there were some interesting bangers around in remote rural areas.

 

Marlyn

Edited July 5, 2018 by Marly51

[scottishlocos]

Marlyn

 

I really like this layout less is more!

Great to see Far North Line represented as its often overlooked.

 

Would like to see some class 26 and 37s on it as well.

 

Also keep checking Oxford Diecast for suitable road vehicles Langley models also has some good kits for farming/construction vehicles from your era

 

Dave

[Marly51]

Thanks for your kind comments Dave. I agree that it would be good to see more of the Far North Line. We based the model on late 1940s/early 1950s for the exhibition, but no reason not to represent later eras in the line’s history as well! I have an early Fergie for the Lairg model currently on the workbench. Am also being kept on my toes by local men who love their vehicles, but there is a good collection of old photographs available.

 

Marlyn

[andyram]

What a nice looking model. I look forward to seeing more pictures.

[Kaitwo]

What period are you using for your model? My great grandfather was station master at Invershin from mid 19th century til his death 1906. Came across this post while researching the history of the station. Is the model still on display?

Kait

[Marly51]

Hi Kait - the model is based on steam era late 1940s/1950s and still on display in Ferrycroft Visitor Centre. Although the layout is fully operational, it is currently displayed as a static model, as part of the exhibition celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Lairg Station. I think Stuart Holt, who modelled Culrain Station, interviewed the last station master at Invershin - this featured in an earlier issue of the Highland Railway Society Journal. I still have some more details to add to the loading bank by the siding. But that will have to wait until the Visitor Centre closes for the end of the tourist season.

 

More details of the model in this topic:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/135361-invershin-station-sutherland/&tab=comments#comment-3577494

 

And Invershin Station photos in this topic:

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/132019-images-of-the-far-north-line-old-new/

 

Marlyn

Edited August 26, 2019 by Marly51

[Kevin Johnson]

Hi Marlyn you have produced a lovely n gauge model railway. As always the modelling and scratch building is excellent, thanks for sharing your layout.

[Marly51]

21 hours ago, OOman said:

Hi Marlyn you have produced a lovely n gauge model railway. As always the modelling and scratch building is excellent, thanks for sharing your layout.

 

Thanks, Kevin! This was my first attempt coming back into the hobby. I still need to experiment more with trees, as I only used flock-covered shrub material from the garden, which I treated, but suspect may not be quite as long lasting as those created with a wire framework!