Aberbrothock

I've had quite a good reception to these pics of the station on my own thread, and thought I'd share them more widely. A fine, sunny evening.........

Interesting to hear from one of the local occupiers - your building features in low relief behind my model of the station. I'll have a look at an old large scale map pf the area to see what description is noted. The library beside Kirk Square used to have copies of the valuation rolls from past years which would show the occupiers' names which could be interesting, although quite a of of old records have moved up to the Angus Archive at Restenneth outside Forfar. The B&W Minstrels were a great institution for many years and are sadly missed - but no longer PC.

I am quite gratified with the positive response to my musings and photos, but won't rest on any perceived laurels. Much remains to be done/tidied up, and my wife already thinks I'm a bit obsessed, but I otherwise stay out of mischief.

Took some photos with my phone last night - the phone takes up much less space around the layout and you can get into some "tight corners." (The "real" thing for comparison). Peeking through across the island platform towards John Menzies bookstall. Arbroath North Box - looking North........ The Angus Bar. (I did have an A35 - but not in that colour!). A useful exercise, I think.

I've used the lockdown and rainy weather yesterday to replace a point on the southbound line from Arbroath station. First photo shows the replacement point in situ with its predecessor leaning, temporarily, on the retaining wall. Some of the sleepers used wood strip with office staples inserted to allow the rail to be soldered in place, but was becoming quite unreliable - it was made about 1969/70 (!), and was due to be replaced. I'd forgotten that I'd already replaced some of the sleepers with copperclad strip some time in the intervening years...... Second pic shows my Heljan 05 testing the running of the newly installed replacement. In contrast to the dreadful weather outside, the sun regularly shines on my world of Arbroath.......... A NEW POST ADDED - I've been cleaning the track all aver the layout - quite a chore! - but as part of the job, I removed the platform canopies to get easier access to the track, and took these shots in passing. It's always a nice reminder of what lies almost unseen beneath the canopies.

I've used the lockdown and rainy weather yesterday to replace a point on the southbound line from Arbroath station. First photo shows the replacement point in situ with its predecessor leaning, temporarily, on the retaining wall. Some of the sleepers used wood strip with office staples inserted to allow the rail to be soldered in place, but was becoming quite unreliable - it was made about 1969/70 (!), and was due to be replaced. I'd forgotten that I'd already replaced some of the sleepers with copperclad strip some time in the intervening years...... Second pic shows my Heljan 05 testing the running of the newly installed replacement. In contrast to the dreadful weather outside, the sun regularly shines on my world of Arbroath..........

Using "lockdown" time to complete some more Parkside wagon kits, I've made up four cattle wagons, two LMS and two LNER, which make up quite a nice unfitted freight, seen posing in the NBR yard at the north end of the layout.

Been working on the "spine" part of the layout which takes the southbound loop line round to the "Dundee" loops - some pics - A2 crossing an Up goods. And passing Hospitalfield Junction 'box. Quite green and summery........

Hi Les Good to hear from you again, and that you're still making progress on the layout - and health-wise........... Your junction looks great, especially with the single NBR line to Montrose. Your 08 will need to be energetic to leap over the gaps in the rails, but the scene reminds me of early days in the late 'seventies when I laid my first tracks around the junction. All the best to you and yours for 2021.

Up in the loft today and did a few posed shots of goods trains passing hauled by one of Arbroath's pet Ivatt class 2's, 46463. And the principal of the "show" simmering in Arbroath main yard.

Took a "drone" trip over St Vigeans junction yesterday which shows the track layout from North and South. It was a fascinating project to do and does excellent service, as long as you remember to throw the correct switches to get all the settings and polarity correct....... A visit is due from the autoballasters to tidy up, by the looks of it. Another absorbing job to do - just a bit like watching paint dry!

Despite today's dreadful weather, I managed to do some gardening today - in the loft, of course...... Some greenery added to the garden area behind the Angus Bar, now looking a bit more finished.

Lighting up time - some more lights added at the Guthrie Port bridge, and elsewhere.......... North Box. Keptie Street. Yes, the nights are drawing in.

Hi 26 Power I used to copy pics into a lower quality format which saved a lot of space - I may do so again, or follow your suggestion. I don't recall seeing many brake van trips depicted.

Part 2

The line played host to a brake van tour today. I have quite a collection of various vans with origins varying from LMS, LNER and BR, so it seemed like a good idea to recreate the specials that ran on goods lines in the 50/60's, so my special ran into the Inverbrothock Goods Yard - pics follow. The stock was hauled by a venerable CR 0-6-0, and she of the shunting done by a much more modern 04 diesel. (Two sets of pics to cope with the 10mb max file size).

And some more plantings this afternoon.......... Everything looks more natural, I think.

Don't know about others, but I'm finding it hard to get the mojo going re adding to the layout as we're in such a no-man's-land just now, but I did get a supply of trees from far-off China the other day, and set them up to see the effect - quite good, I think.......My wife thinks they're all too much the same height, so a bit of adjustment required, then. (Just following orders!) I've also made up a Parkside LMS brake van which I'll pose somewhere on the layout once it has been numbered.

Thanks Les All well here - about to go away for a couple of days with the caravan now that it's permitted again......... I tend to go with natural, fairly grey granite chip ballast, except for the sidings and yards which are done in a pretty grotty earth covering. I get annoyed when I see goods yards with immaculate stone ballast which the old companies would never have spent money on - particularly the NBR! A lot of the ballast in this area is now more reddish stone than granite, as well as you say, stained with brake dust.

I was “inspired” by a pic of a (real) EE Type 4 at Arbroath the other day, and went for a few diesel shots on the line today. 4 diesels beside the old NBR North yard pictured over the “shed that never was,” with some of the rolling Angus hills and Arbroath mills in the background. The Type 2 has disappeared northwards and the fitted freight behind the Type 4 rattles and sways to a stop at the Up gantry - methinks the driver has overshot slightly……... Meanwhile the Type 2 splutters northwards along the “re-opened” Forfar line, (which neatly takes it to the North Storage Lines). Tomorrow’s heavy rain clouds are massing above….. All in all, quite a fun running session. Kind regards Ken M

The cobbles look as though they've seen lots of traffic and rough repairs - the ones through Dundee's docks were very similar and played havoc with car suspension as I remember.... and the loco's not bad either!

Correct - 46464 is going (back), to Aviemore where it ran for a while quite few years ago before somebody lit a fire without checking that was water in the boiler, which not surprisingly caused some damage, taking it out of service. It was moved down to Bridge of Dun for general restoration, but lack of resources meant pretty slow progress. There is now and agreement with the Strathspey to take it back and complete the job. Details on the Strathspey website.

You're correct - it is Scoonie Hobbies which is pretty low on stock at the moment, but the banter with the friendly staff makes it very worthwhile to visit.

A - nother birthday took me to local model shop in Kirkcaldy to come away with a second Ivatt class 2 loco to match my other one acquired some years ago. They now nicely reproduce the "Arbroath Twins," 46463 and 46464, which alternated serving goods traffic to Arbroath. Some reasonably quick work with craft knife and methfix transfers renumbered the "donor" loco 46460, as 46464. Also pictured is a nice BR standard unfitted livery brake van, bought at the same time. Some weathering to do, but the "twins" will serve the layout very well. You're correct - it is Scoonie Hobbies which is pretty low on stock at the moment, but the banter with the friendly staff makes it very worthwhile to visit.

So you want me to fit the shorter engine/tender connectors, then?