Marly51

What a great idea and a fun way to share your interest with your daughter! Marlyn

Great to see what everyone has been up to recently. I have been so bogged down with domestic chores, during this crisis, that my model making has taken a back seat. As I am no longer able to go down to Carrbridge for reference photos, I will make a start using whatever I can find online. Must see if one of the railway societies has a drawing of the station building plans and elevations? Marlyn

Another fascinating project, Job. Most of my archive photos are of interiors of old Scottish schools! Many schoolrooms had a map of the world, which was like oilskin on a linen backing. This little book has a chapter on Victorian schools... Will post anything I find. Look forward to hearing your background story. Marlyn

Love your clever technique for the bunker interior, Callum!

Very few folk had cars in the 1950s and the train was essential for visiting family in the Highlands. I have modelled an early memory of Waverley Station in the CakeBox Box Challenge. Another strong memory is of staying on my own with my grandparents in Grantown on Spey, aged four. I must have suddenly missed my mum on the first night I stayed on my own, because the next day I was put onto the Edinburgh train at Grantown on Spey West. My granny asked the guard to look after me and I sat with a kind old lady who kept an eye on me until we reached Pitlochry. The guard then came and sat with me all the way to Waverley where my dad was waiting on the platform. On the tram journey home, I suddenly felt a bit sick, so we got off and walked the rest of the way - too much excitement in one day. Sadly when my granny died a year later, my sister and I were looked after, on the day of the funeral, at the Grantown West railway cottages. I think we were very spoiled by the kind wife of the signalman. Although memories of steam include feeling a bit grubby and having smuts in your eyes, there was an incredible excitement when we heard the powerful sounds of these large locomotives approaching the station. Travelling by train was the big adventure! The railway employed many local people back then and most of our folks knew the station staff and railway workers, so it was very much part of our daily lives, which is why I love recreating that era in my models.

The thing that got me into model railways was helping my young brother design his layout in the 1960s. My basic Helix school geometry set was all I had, but I quite enjoyed it and afterwards we both planned layouts we could never afford! The drawing desk with parallel motion rule was what I used before computers became generally available with creative software. I still start off with a rough pencil drawing, gather together reference material and photos, then plan out possible track options in AnyRail. For buildings, I like to plan out the basic dimensions by hand, and then go to the computer if I want a coloured paper kit which can be printed out then assembled. The pencil, rubber, and a small drawing board are still essential items in my workshop!

Great suggestions Stubby and Jerry! I’ll look at a couple of options. Rolling stock is quite limited in this range, but will see what is possible. I like a challenge! Marlyn

I haven’t given up on the possibility of producing a small layout based on one of the old Edinburgh stations from the 1950s/1960s. Although I have already located most of the reference photographs available, last weekend I found a second hand copy of ‘Edinburgh’s Last Days of Steam’ in Caledonia Books, Kelvin Bridge, Glasgow!

Carrbridge Station was a favourite starting point for some of my cycling forays in younger fitter days! I like the architecture, but it may be a challenge to reproduce in such a small scale. Scalescenes have produced a simple paper download kit of terraced houses, which I will try out. Then I might try to create my own printable kit of the station building. A good excuse for a day trip to Carrbridge for some reference photos! I may use some artistic licence and introduce a ‘closer’ Cairngorm backdrop, behind the characteristic silver birch woodland. Photo courtesy geograph.co.uk project. So far, on my very brief internet search, I have not found any photographs of a BR Class 67 EWS, taken on the stretch of line between Perth and Inverness. Found this BBC piece about EWS 66043 derailed at Carrbridge in January 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/8446583.stm

Thank you for sharing more photographs, Paul! I am an advocate of using recycled materials, whenever possible, and enjoyed reading the article in Model Rail - it is a very clever design. Hope you receive some good offers? Marlyn

Well I deliberately went to Model Rail Scotland without a shopping list, because I have everything I need to finish my current main layout and two smaller projects. But I could not resist this little T Gauge BR Class 67 EWS Starter Train Set. I have included a photo of the display model from T Gauge stand. Ideally I would like to create a Highland themed micro with one of the stations between Perth and Inverness. Not planning to buy any extra track so it will be a case of creating some interesting scenery. NB This is the TGauge.com display model at their Model Rail Scotland 2020 stand. Check www.tgauge.com for their full T Gauge range.

The Bridge at Ramagen - Al Turner Sauchenford - 2mm Finescale Association - Forth & Clyde Area Group North of England Line 2 - Scarlington - Scarborough and District Railway Modellers Hornsey Broadway - Kier Hardy Castlebridge - Cumbernauld MRC

Sorry, Phil and Mark! I didn’t manage to note this layout when I took the photo and tried to identify it from the exhibition catalogue! Thanks for letting me know. I believe it is Cragganmore - will edit the post accordingly! It was a great exhibition this year! Marlyn

Oops! My post was created twice?

And some more shots... Irrgarten - Clydeside MRC Cragganmore - Elgin MRC Kettlewell - John Stocks & The West Scotland 4mm Group Scenic corner of Whithorn - Alisdair M.Macdonald Muckstan Hollow

Some more shots from Model Rail Scotland 2020: Talybont and Llanbrneglwys Railway - Edinburgh & Lothians Miniature Railway Club Ochiltildhu - Fraser Neilson

Micro models created with Scale Model Scenery base board kits.

Great to catch up with old friend, Alistair, from the 2mm Association, Forth & Clyde Group!

Thoroughly enjoyed our mother/daughter trip today. It’s been the wettest Glasgow we have ever experienced. Thank you to the organisers and all the exhibitors! Trams of Yesteryear - Glasgow South Model Tram & Rail Group Jackson’s Yard - Chris Stafford, South Tyneside O Gauge Group Bankfield Road - John & Jackie Kneeshaw Garty Bridge - Helensburgh & District MRC

I did wonder, Paul? It came up with a Barry search - will see if I can find it again and post the link! Marlyn

Hi Hi Paul - I thought this photo had an embedded link. I am pretty sure it is a photo of Woodham Brothers Scrapyard in Barry. Marlyn

Hi Kevin, Sadly no progress since the New Year, but I hope to get back into the model shortly. I haven’t been on the Forum for a while, so have to catch up with what everyone is up to. Hope your models are coming along? Marlyn

I agree with your approach totally, Ian. My dad showed my brother and I how to use tools safely from an early age and modelmaking has been one of my favourite activities since childhood. My own daughter also made models from an early age, progressing from basic cardboard box houses, for her collection of plastic animals, to detailed scale buildings when she was a teenager. Now she is happily working in the digital games industry as an illustrator and designer! Marlyn

I still have a couple of ideas and parts for some additional Cake Box projects, so will post progress in this section when I get round to them. It’s been good fun so far. Marlyn