Take the high road

Entry posted by sixteen 12by 10s March 16, 2013

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So where did it all start, one Saturday night in January 1989, standing on the end of Glasgow queen street station, looking at 37408, that was not in the best of health at the time, having been thrashed to pieces on the West highland line. The following conversation with my mate, and several cans of beer, and the “moves book” became a layout design book. From the sketches Lochaline was produced, a West Highland terminus set in the late 1980’s. We did a few local shows, but the invites stopped, and the layout packed away.

Years later, I was sat outside a cottage on Skye, it was a hot and clear day, and you could see over to the mainland, to an area known as Moidart, it was then I sketched out a plan that was to become Glenuig.

The construction of the layout is documented on these pages, and it was this thread that led to an article in Model Rail, with photos by Chris Nevard, and following this article came my first exhibition invite, to my local show at Stoubridge. Again I thought I would attend one or two local shows so when I has an invite to Railex North East and Wigan, it came as a bit of a surprise. From then on the show invites flooded in and I had to start to limit the number I was signing up for and I had to turn a few down for the early part of this year.

Just before Christmas last year, an RMweb member suggested I contacted the exhibition manager of Model Rail Scotland, I did, and within a few hours I received an invite to exhibit at Model Rail Scotland 2013. As I have said I was rather busy at this time, but how could I refuse to take Glenuig back to where it had all began. I booked a few days holiday and the other half decided she wanted to join in the fun, and come along too. We decided to spend another couple of days north of the boarder, how could I resist the opportunity.

We set out for the show on the 300 mile journey north on the Thursday morning, and had a stop off at Martin Mere, Wild fowl and wetlands trust, for a spot of birding, before carrying on up the M6 and M74.

The three days of the show did not go without problems, and Glenuig suffered from expansion problems, but we managed to cope, and even Jan’s operating improved throughout the three days.

The layout was very well received, and I have ended up with invites into 2016. The best part of the event was meeting fellow Rmwebbers, who I have been having chats over the interweb for years.

17.00 on Sunday night came quickly and the layout packed up and our QES was deployed (quick escape system!) or a layout on wheels, meant that we left the site at 17.45. At 18.30, another first as Glenuig, now in the car, passed under the real West Highland for the first time, at Arracar, on the way to Inveraray.

The next day, we woke up to a clear day and not to cold, so without any hesitation, we headed out to Glen Coe via Rannoch Moor, and during the tour Glenuig, still in the car, visited the real Bridge of Orchy. This was a bit poignant as bridge of Orchy is my new project.

This next day it was back down to earth, with the what seemed to be the never-ending drive down the M74, and M6.

Thanks go to all who have helped along the way, Stewart, Ian, and at some point I would love to do it all again!