James Hilton

Welcome to Lochdubh My small hi-fi micro layout ‘Lochdubh’ is featured in the March 2024 issue of BRM magazine. It has developed over the past 12 months, driven by a love of Scottish railways, Class 37s and the Hebrides. Day dreams and nostalgia fuel a fictitious location drawing inspiration from the real Kyle of Lochalsh, the BBCs adaption of Hamish Macbeth and Steve Flint’s Kyle of Tongue… Over the next few days I’ll take us on the journey of the layouts creation through judicious copying and pasting from my blog, so to kick things off let me take you back to March of 2023 and where things all started… For some time (well 35+ years) I’ve wanted a large logo Class 37. Tim loved Scottish railway’s, my library book education showed me them on the West Highland and Far North, I even had a poster on the wall of my bedroom. Much more recently and with my ‘British Rail’ rebirth through N I’ve watched ‘modern’ Farish ones go for silly money on eBay narrowly avoiding temptation - I don’t need one… However, when 37418 appeared for reasonable money last week I’m sure you’ll understand the drive and energy that fuelled its swift purchase. Her arrival and a life long love of all things Scottish 1980s had me digging out old Railway Modellers and watching Hamish Macbeth. It’s funny the creative ‘mojo’, it waxes and wanes and in my life I’ve learnt to let it ebb and flow like the tide. The arrival of the 37 proved another of those turning points, perhaps fanning the very heart of the flames of my passion for model railways? Almost as soon as it was purchased a scan of available rolling stock confirmed my fears, if you want Farish blue grey stock you’d better want a break or restaurant, or have very deep pockets! A brake composite felt like it might work as a stop gap, not that any single coach trains were likely hauled by a 37/4, but at least it had all the bases covered and could perhaps double as a part of the parcel train for the Cambrian project! Sat together on the edge of Beaverbrook, picked out by the room lighting my imagination ran wild. The week, indeed weekend has been spent in the evening with a pen, paper, old books and Flickr on my iPad. I kept coming back round to Kyle of Lochalsh as my first love, inspired by Kylestrome with lashings of Futer’s and a sprinkling of Danny Boyle’s setting of Plockton. The shelf above my bench now resides under Beaverbrook. It is barely 14cm tall now, meaning that even Paxton Road is too tall. However the available space between shelf brackets was just under 60cm wide, could a small shelf scene, basically non operational but with provision for a small fiddle stick be crafted for this spot? Some 6mm MDF in stock and within an hour the wood was cut and the ‘box’ taped together. I settled on a scene inspired by Kyle, assuming still a setting that serves the island of Skye. The pier no longer has rails, and the station is a touch more inland compared to Kyle so our scene is compressed. A stub if the old pier siding remains behind the station with a small yard. Fuel oil is delivered by rail for the ferry and fishing fleet, although fish no longer travels by rail. There is even rumour of timber traffic starting up (if anyone does an OTA in N). Otherwise, it’s 1989/1990. The River Ness bridge is still being repaired and 37418 is one of the small fleet at Muir of Ord, serving Lochdubh to the west whilst the new Sprinters ply their trade north to Wick and Thurso. I’m hoping to get some paint on the box today and I’ve ordered some different LED strip to try out a different colour temperature. I wondered if it needed a cooler look? We shall see! There isn’t much track and not too many structures, it will be nice to have something physical to work on whilst planning and building items for both Paxton Road 3 (more in that later this week perhaps) and the Cambrian project. You’ll notice that it is all N for now as that’s the way the river is flowing, the H0, 009 and industrial OO will feature again when the time comes! For now it’s lovey to enjoy this model and consider how it is responsible for this renewed energy. Until next time, more soon… I’ll pick up the story again later. For now anyone who wants to skip ahead will find the content on my blog here: https://paxton-road.blogspot.com/search/label/Lochdubh

Thank you, I’m glad you enjoy the blog too!

From 90s Speedlink to late 70s - today’s visit finds a pair of Molasses tanks for Distillers left in the yard… Wonderful models from Revolution Trains, weathered and fitted with discreet DG couplings.

What a collection of magazines there - some interesting company!!

I really like this! I always wanted to build this one, even collecting some of the stock for such a project - alas, time and a myriad of different projects always meant it slipped down the list so last year I sold the stock to release me from it's shackles - even better, I find you have embraced the idea and made it your own. Great work so far - I'm glad to have played a small part at the start, but the result is very much your own and it's been an enjoyable read so far, look forward to seeing how you tell the story in the next chapter!

Glad you’ve been inspired to create something small and hope you’re enjoying it.

I’ve just finished adding the subtlest of weathering to the model, a thin careful wash on the frames and some suggestion of staining from the load on the tank. The result is just enough to feel ‘part’ of the scene rather than out of the box, whilst retaining that ‘clean’ feel. Paired with the bland ‘general’ 08 she feels every bit the ‘end of speedlink’ era I am channeling with Paxton Road.

Whilst larger locomotives physically ‘fit’ the layout, they somehow don’t ‘fit’ the operation and style of the layout. Hence the 08s continue to rule the roost.

Indeed, very much like the whole layout.

Farish old and new, sitting comfortably together on Paxton Road, more about the Tullis Russell wagon in today’s blog: https://paxton-road.blogspot.com/2024/01/poole-era-paa-refresh-n-part-60.html

The layout has continued to offer moments of calm contemplation over the holidays.

I filmed this before Christmas, a bit of an overview of the layout in its incomplete but operational state.

Mine is just a Chinese Optivisor copy, I suspect they are all the same really, the copies anyway.

I feel I'm being quoted a little out of context here. My approach is not less realistic, less perfect - just it is not cold precision nor accurate operation. It is a model railway from the heart, I love this hobby and I hope that passion is embued in the models that I create. A small plug, if I may, if neither precision in scale or operation appeals, perhaps an artistic approach does - my latest book does try to start a conversation about this - where I talk about the idea with a little more detail and structure.

Thanks Keith, yes, indeed, the blend of scales and layout types and sizes I my workshop is constantly evolving but. British N is certainly something worth considering taking seriously.

Not H0, both running on N gauge mechs in TT1:120.

I haven’t really posted much here about the project, it has bubbled along nicely in the background and been a source of great solace on occasion, away from the stresses and strains of real life. I have put together a video, a heartfelt tour and dialogue about the layout - 10 minutes of chat, and 15 of the layout with some in action shots thrown in too…

I never did build a layout for her Ken, but I’ve recently been building another narrow gauge Canadian diesel, a GMD G8 from Newfoundland! Same scale! It will be interesting to compare them!

Thanks both, it is interesting to reflect that it’s a year ago that I built this project. A trip to Harlech beach last week had me yearning for another bite of the cake, we’ll see what happens in 2024.

Thanks both - the High Level kit 'should' fit, if it fits the Bachmann donor. I will need to check, confirm and adjust the mounting screw positions for the production prints.

I’ve just fitted sound to the model, so it was a chance to do a little bit of an overview. In terms of ‘the kit’, the design is obviously complete, I’m just working out minimum batch size, based upon etch artwork and 3D printer capacity - and will make the production run a multiple of that. Once we’re ready to announce it I’ll post on here (as well as to the Pi subscription email, Facebook and the like).

Thanks Simon, you are the first to notice! It appears we’ve managed to produce an etch with two left sides. It will be resolved with the utmost haste, etches won’t be back until the new year now though. Anyone who has purchased a set will receive a replacement free of charge, we’ll email you all today.

Last month I did a short video about why I love this layout, whilst it doesn’t show a lot of the layout up close it may be of interest…

It is not ready yet as a kit - the prototype model (Phil's commission) uses a Next18 Bachmann 03.

I did so some PBA decals for the wagons, but never did any locomotive ones.