class37418stag Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 I like your layout so that layout is N gauge? Thank you 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonseasider Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Yes, thank you Graham. Sorry for not acknowledging. Now I've sorted the legs I can fill it in and send it back! That's fine. Important thing is that you picked it up OK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 I like your layout so that layout is N gauge? Thank you Thanks, yep - N gauge. The whole layout is 2.5m long, by 30cm wide. The scenic section is 1.3m, the fiddle yard 1.2m. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 14, 2017 Author Share Posted June 14, 2017 Hi David, I hope you can post a video at some point. Particularly of the auto uncoupling. Just couple of things that you may be aware of anyway, but might add to the variety of workings. Fort William had an 08 shunter most of the time through the 70's 80's and 90's. This certainly made an appearance in the "new" station at various times. I have not seen any photographs of one on pilot duty in the "old" station, but I would hazard a guess that it must have happened on occasions. A proper mixed train complete with brake van ran to Mallaig from the old station, at least until the early 70's. This enables you to shunt a wider variety of stock including MCOs into the station before attaching the coaches (and vice versa). This was replaced in later years by a train with fitted tail loads, usually just TTAs with fuel, but on some occasions, bogie bolsters carrying steel and interfrigo vans carrying fish. This ran until the 37s gave way to Sprinters. Thanks - I am aware of the mixed trains, I must take some photos of them when I run them! I have seen photos of an 08 at the new station, but not at the old. I use a class 20 as my station pilot, which is well documented at both stations. I reckon this may simply be down to the fact that an 08 shunting was run-of-the-mill so didn't get snapped so much as the 20 which was more interesting! Class 20 here and here One wagon I've modelled for this layout, and not yet used, is one of the through-piped container flats which ran from Inverness in the 80's. I also have the issue that with the width of the Farish 08 the coupling rods foul my platforms, which are pleasingly close to the coaches - hence why you'll not see an 08 on my version! Cheers David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Evening everyone, Here are some photos of this evenings workings at Invernevis. Class 26 shunts parcels and goods stock. Class 26 and 24/1 in the station 24117 removes a van and the buffet from an incoming train. Class 25 and 24/1 Class 25 leaves with vans on the rear of the coaches. More to follow.... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Here is the modified container flat in use. A couple of these ran Aberdeen - Inverness - Wick in the mid 80's. My model is a standard Farish flat with TPM headstocks at both ends and smaller wheels. 37108 arrives with the container flat marshalled between the loco and coaches. Close up of the wagon 37108 pulls up past the station building After removing the coaches 27029 releases the 37 20048 substitutes for the usual loco on a short passenger train. After uncoupling the 20 pulls forward of the coaches. 27029 removes the single fuel tank from the rear of the 20's train. and then prepares to leave with the container flat marshalled between the loco and coaches again. 27029 leaves the station. I found a photo of the prototype at last! Here for an interesting train! 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 Last batch of photos... A few years later then the previous posts: 20132 prepares to shunt the TPO which has arrived behind 47706 Strathclyde The 20 shunts the vans into platform 2 for servicing The 20 then stables in the loading dock Another view of 20132 waiting for its next duty 47706 waits for the road back to the stabling point. 47706 again. Cheers 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanks522 Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Very nice set of photos David, layout and stock look spot on! Graham. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Watson Posted June 21, 2017 Share Posted June 21, 2017 David I have just found your layout and I am very impressed. you have got the highland feel just right and hope I can get my layout looking like the location it is set in. Keep up the good work and love the weathering to your locos and stock. kind regards Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted June 22, 2017 Author Share Posted June 22, 2017 Hi everyone, Thanks for all the continued interest. With work on the layout more-or-less complete for the moment, a pair of new locos arrived today. My first ebay purchase for sometime, they look to be pristine and all the detailing parts and nameplates are unused in the box. This is stretching my timescale a lot, as they were repainted in 1992 to mark the closure of Eastfield, but they will look great on the layout! The models are (correctly) the later, refurbished version, but (also correctly) supplied with headcode discs, but without the holes to fix them into, nor the appropriate lights. This is entirely accurate, as in real life the locos had dummy headcode discs fixed to the cab fronts, as the original fixings had been removed years before. The plan is: Remove the lighting and PCB. (the lights aren't right with the discs fitted) Work out a way of coupling them closer when double heading Add some weight to dummy 26007/D5300 Fit the name plates Add high-intensity headlights and headcode discs (apparently Ratio no longer produce their n gauge loco headlamps, kit no 249) Add "001" and "007" numbers on the cab fronts and correct the position of the OHE warning flashes. Light weathering. Cheers David 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted June 23, 2017 Share Posted June 23, 2017 I might have one pair of headlight mouldings. I've PM'd you. Great work as always bud! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted June 30, 2017 Share Posted June 30, 2017 Hi David, Apologies if you have seen this site already: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/ It was the photo of the floods almost up to platform height that grabbed my attention! Regards, Martyn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jamest Posted July 3, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 3, 2017 Hi David, Are you taking this to Minehead next month? I saw an announcement on their thread sounding suspiciously like this layout. If so looking forward to seeing it. Regards, James 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 3, 2017 Author Share Posted July 3, 2017 Hi David, Apologies if you have seen this site already: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/ It was the photo of the floods almost up to platform height that grabbed my attention! Regards, Martyn. Hi Martyn, Yep - one of my favourite sites, not just for this project either, it's fascinating. You wonder if the likelihood of flooding was another reason for the relocation. I find it odd that one of the main given reasons for closing this station was that the railway cut the town off from the loch side, yet they replaced it with a dual carriageway! Cheers David Hi David, Are you taking this to Minehead next month? I saw an announcement on their thread sounding suspiciously like this layout. If so looking forward to seeing it. Regards, James Hi James, Yes I am, I was pencilled in for next year, but had a call this weekend due to a cancellation. I've got 5 weeks to practice my uncoupling under pressure! Cheers David 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted July 3, 2017 Share Posted July 3, 2017 Looks really good and reminds me what can be done in N gauge in a small space Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 Not strictly related to this layout, but I've got my running-in and testing station set up this week. A second hand Gaugemaster LT from ebay, adapted slightly to hold a length of code 80 mounted on a bit of foam-core, upon which sits a set of DCC concepts rolling roads and a wheel cleaner. Not having had a circle of track for several years, nearly all my locos could benefit from a really good run. The built-in ammeter is useful to get an indication of any problems too. Cheers David 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonas Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 That looks a really useful workbench addition. Puts my strip of unitrack blu tac'd to mine to shame! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psiborg Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Always had a soft spot for N Gauge. The first layout I built when I started modelling, back in 2002, was an N Gauge terminus - always hated the HUGE couplings on photos though Your layout is superb and shows how much the hobby as moved on! Simon (Psiborg) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eddie reffin Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Hi everyone, Thanks for all the continued interest. With work on the layout more-or-less complete for the moment, a pair of new locos arrived today. 20170622_223931 (1024x768).jpg 20170622_224112 (1024x768).jpg My first ebay purchase for sometime, they look to be pristine and all the detailing parts and nameplates are unused in the box. This is stretching my timescale a lot, as they were repainted in 1992 to mark the closure of Eastfield, but they will look great on the layout! The models are (correctly) the later, refurbished version, but (also correctly) supplied with headcode discs, but without the holes to fix them into, nor the appropriate lights. This is entirely accurate, as in real life the locos had dummy headcode discs fixed to the cab fronts, as the original fixings had been removed years before. The plan is: Remove the lighting and PCB. (the lights aren't right with the discs fitted) Work out a way of coupling them closer when double heading Add some weight to dummy 26007/D5300 Fit the name plates Add high-intensity headlights and headcode discs (apparently Ratio no longer produce their n gauge loco headlamps, kit no 249) Add "001" and "007" numbers on the cab fronts and correct the position of the OHE warning flashes. Light weathering. Cheers David Hi David, Superb stuff bud. Really loving the atmosphere that you have achieved with the layout. One idea for closer coupling with the 26s is to use the Dapol knuckle couplings between them. I found that it reduced the gap quite a bit! Cheers Eddie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Hi David, Superb stuff bud. Really loving the atmosphere that you have achieved with the layout. One idea for closer coupling with the 26s is to use the Dapol knuckle couplings between them. I found that it reduced the gap quite a bit! Cheers Eddie Cheers Eddie, I use the fixed knuckle couplings between much of my stock, I find one short and one medium makes the coaches really close. With the 26, the NEM pocket protrudes a couple of mm in front of the buffer beam, which means even a short coupling sticks out further than a medium on most other locos. What I've done with my 26's is trim down the shank of the short coupler until it doesn't stick out too far, then fix it into the pocket with canopy glue. I cut quite a lot off in this case, there was very little shank left! I'll post some pictures later this week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 9, 2017 Author Share Posted July 9, 2017 Always had a soft spot for N Gauge. The first layout I built when I started modelling, back in 2002, was an N Gauge terminus - always hated the HUGE couplings on photos though Your layout is superb and shows how much the hobby as moved on! Simon (Psiborg) Hi Simon, Thanks for the comment. I think the Dapol couplers have been a real step forward. Not only do they look considerably better than the traditional Rapido, they allow you to fit much more detail around them. For me the biggest difference is that they actually make an N Gauge terminus a realistic possibility as you can couple and uncouple so easily. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psiborg Posted July 10, 2017 Share Posted July 10, 2017 Hi David, I know what you mean. I model in OO now and all of my stock is fitted with Kadee couplers and I have no intention of using anything else now. I assume you are the same with the Dapol couplers in N gauge! (more pictures please ) Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 23, 2017 Author Share Posted July 23, 2017 Good evening everyone, Here is 26001, still a little to do, but it's nearly ready for Railtour Service to Invernevis. So far I've painted in the buffer shanks, detailed the bufferbeams, added the headcode discs and headlight, repositioned the OHLE warning flashes, fitted the nameplates, added the '001' to the front and fitted a driver. Some of the washes are a little heavier than I'd like so these may be thinned down a little. With the first exhibition for this layout in just under a fortnight, I've been getting the layout ready to show. More details have been added. I thought the area in front of the station looked a little bare, so I added a small goods office next to the loading dock. I also stumbled upon some really nice castings of telegraph poles with street lights which were ideal to provide some lighting for the siding area. The lorry has been much toned down from the rather garish livery. There are a couple of people and a couple of vehicles outside the station too. Some telegraph poles have sprung up, with barely visible wires. Other general clutter has been added. I've also been working on some stock. I picked up the cl 24 very cheaply with a split gear. I've sorted the gear and this is nearly finished as 24112, which finished it's career at Inverness. So far I have plated over the nose doors and centralised the headcode discs, I've also filled in the body side steps. I also picked up this stereotypical scottish grain hopper in a bargain bin for a couple of quid. So far I've removed some of the extra bodyside ribs and made new bufferbeams from bits and pieces. More pragmatically, I've now got some curtains to hide the trestles. Having obtained prices from proper fabric shops to get these made, I decided to find a different options. In the end these are made from two cheap navy blue bed sheets from eBay and some iron-on velcro. Cheers David 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennarivo Posted July 24, 2017 Share Posted July 24, 2017 Hi David, looking good - what have you used to represent the phone lines? cheers Shaun Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
David41283 Posted July 25, 2017 Author Share Posted July 25, 2017 Hi David, looking good - what have you used to represent the phone lines? cheers Shaun Hi Shaun, It's a product called EZ Line. It's a really stretchy thin nylon thread, superb for this sort of use as it stretches when snagged rather than snapping. It is available in different colours and thicknesses. I used the thinnest (can't remember what grade sorry) and a pale green colour to represent weathered copper. I initially bought it for catenary wires on a previous layout. It is an american product, but I found it from a model aircraft supplier in the uk, who sold it to make the rigging between the wings of model bi-planes! I've done three layouts with it now and barely made any inroads into the reel I purchased. Very good stuff, sticks in place quickly with a tiny dab of CA glue. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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