West Highland Line V4, a 1980's West Highland Line layout

[young37215]

37051 was a long termer on the WHL arriving in March 1981 on transfer from March. There is a great picture of her at Fort William in Nick Meskell's Scottish Class 37 Volume 1, page 38. She was one of the last WHL locos to lose the buffer skirts, round buffers and glass headcode which were removed in late 1984. I have renumbered what was originally 37034 to 37051 in the largely as built condition. A little more work is required to hide the renumbering and where nameplates were previously located, I hope to get close to the picture below.

 

 

 

 

[young37215]

Construction continues with the second control panel now fully wired and connected. I use the Megapoints system where the wiring is generally plug and play and have built the control panel so that the switch and LED connections are close enough to their respective expansion boards that a single 280mm cable out of the packet is sufficient. However I have several points which will be controlled from spare connections on more remote servo controllers located further away which require cable of up to 1700 mm. Simple enough you would think, split the wire and blend in additional equipment wire to extend the cable length. Whilst simple, each point translates to 5 wires (2 for the switch and 3 for the LED) where each wire has two soldered joints. One point equals 10 joints and I had 8 to do; 80 joints later I felt the need to play trains!

 

37051 trundles into Crianlarich with grampus wagons full of spoil

37085 arrives and departs Crianlarich with the down sleeper

 

 

 

 

[young37215]

7 hours ago, Eddie R v2.0 said:

What power source are you using for the Megapoints controller? I see that it’s recommended to be a 12v 3A supply but I’m struggling to find anything meaty enough. I’m doing my testing with a 1.5A version which is ok for one at a time. I’m assuming that with a full board of servos I’ll need the extra oomph! 

 

Megapoints used to recommend a Fusion PS101 regulated 12v power supply which give up to 8 amps and costs about £25. I have used these for about 3 years and apart from a noisy fan on start up, they have done everything asked of them. I am currently powering about 40 servos which will rise to around 70 by the time I am finished. 

 

I have 2 PS101's, not because I think I need double the power but because I have 7 servo controllers spread over a 20+m network with each one requiring its own supply, I did not fancy the long cable runs that only having 1 supply would mean.

 

I see that Megapoints are now selling power supplies. I do'nt know anything about them but I doubt that Dave Fenton would sell anything less than a good quality supply. I think he gets enough phone calls from electrical dotards like me already!

 

[ISW]

1 hour ago, young37215 said:

 

Megapoints used to recommend a Fusion PS101 regulated 12v power supply which give up to 8 amps and costs about £25. I have used these for about 3 years and apart from a noisy fan on start up, they have done everything asked of them. I am currently powering about 40 servos which will rise to around 70 by the time I am finished. 

 

I also have one of those PS101 power supplies, and it also has a noisy fan. I thought it was just me. Quite a few times I've found that moving the PS101 or tapping the unit is enough to stop the noise. One of these days I'll take in apart (yes, I bought the necessary 'snake eyes' security screwdriver bits) and see if I can fix it permanently.

 

[young37215]

11 hours ago, ISW said:

One of these days I'll take in apart (yes, I bought the necessary 'snake eyes' security screwdriver bits) and see if I can fix it permanently.

 

I will be interested to hear how you get on. The noisy fan is only on 1 of my 2 PS101's and it has got progressively louder/worse over the last 12 months. I had thought that a small amount of lubricant might help but I have no idea where I should apply it. 

 

In between working on several small  projects such as the platform for Mallaig station, I like to keep the trains running. 37022 follows the sleeper north with 7B02, the 0606 Sighthill to Fort William

 

 

 

Shortly afterwards 97201 brings the tribometer train in to Crianlarich from the Oban line. I am not sure if the trib ever worked over the west highland line but given the various trials to reduce rail wear on the large number of curves on the WHL, it seems plausible that it could have been used. If not then Rule 1 applies!

 

 

 

 

Mallaig platform walls made from strips cut from Wills coarse stone sheets have been glued together. I need to move the station section to my work bench to fit the platform surface which will have to wait until I have the servos I need to install the point motors at the same time.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by young37215

[mallaig1983]

On 03/04/2020 at 18:30, young37215 said:

 

Hi Rob. I just want to raise a question as to your use of wills sheets for your platform fronts. Mallaig along with all other stations on the extension had concrete faces. I'm using plasticard and 45 degree section to create mine. I've obsessively researched Mallaig for years. Just thought I'd point it out in the name of help. What are you planning for station lamps? I've run out of options. If you have an idea can I nick it? Please??

My boards are now complete and track laying will commence tomorrow. Makes me smile that we have so many of the same locos.

Love your layout. It's a huge inspiration.

Best wishes

Andy off of Mallaig 1983 

[young37215]

7 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

Mallaig along with all other stations on the extension had concrete faces.

 

Hi Andy 

 

Thanks for the kind words, I had overlooked the point on the concrete faces! Back to the drawing board with plasticard and section it is then. I have used Plastruct for most of my plasticard requirements but I cannot find any 45 degree section in their catalogue. Whose do/will you use?

 

At least I had not started gluing the platform surface.  The only positive is that I have been pondering changing Garelochead to coarse stone and can re-use the strips Mallaig strips there. I have not looked for platform lights as yet, if I find something that looks suitable I will let you know. 

 

I will lift the Mallaig baseboard onto my workbench for better access to fit point motors when the servos eventually arrive. At the same time I intend adding the little scenery that I have space for. I am aiming for a low relief of the station building and the oil storage area. I am tempted by the Bachmann fuel storage tanks (their reference 44-016) and the Ratio oil tanks kit (reference 530) but having seen neither in the flesh, I am not sure how good a choice they will be. Do you have any views?

 

 

[young37215]

16 minutes ago, young37215 said:

changing Garelochead to coarse stone and can re-use the strips Mallaig strips there

 

A quick review of my pictures archive reveals that the platform walls at Garelochead are also concrete! Nevermind, I will find a use for the coarse stone somewhere.

[mallaig1983]

4 hours ago, young37215 said:

 

Hi Andy 

 

Thanks for the kind words, I had overlooked the point on the concrete faces! Back to the drawing board with plasticard and section it is then. I have used Plastruct for most of my plasticard requirements but I cannot find any 45 degree section in their catalogue. Whose do/will you use?

 

At least I had not started gluing the platform surface.  The only positive is that I have been pondering changing Garelochead to coarse stone and can re-use the strips Mallaig strips there. I have not looked for platform lights as yet, if I find something that looks suitable I will let you know. 

 

I will lift the Mallaig baseboard onto my workbench for better access to fit point motors when the servos eventually arrive. At the same time I intend adding the little scenery that I have space for. I am aiming for a low relief of the station building and the oil storage area. I am tempted by the Bachmann fuel storage tanks (their reference 44-016) and the Ratio oil tanks kit (reference 530) but having seen neither in the flesh, I am not sure how good a choice they will be. Do you have any views?

 

 

Hi Rob, I have seen 45 degree section, I think it may of been on the Squires stand at Warley but now you ask I'm not certain. It's definitely out there somewhere. Perhaps it's available in wood to maybe. 

As for the tanks I made one of the vertical ones out of plastic pipe (B&Q) and then clad it in thin plasticard that I'd put rivets in by piercing gently with a pin. A huge faff but could of looked good weathered. I may go for the Bachmann ones tho, I'll have a look. They're quite distinctive for the layout so I want them to look right. The two long vertical tanks are not identical to each other so a bit of shopping around or scratch building will be needed. I plan to use the ratio ones for the small ones. Knightwing do a pack of the pipework with enough to do an oil refinery so you'll have plenty. Try and find a good photo from the correct period as they did change as the terminal built up. Trouble is most photos are of the train with just a glimpse. Video 125's "Steam to Mallaig" freeze framing may help. 

This is a way in the future for me as I only finished my boards yesterday and am just about to tentatively start laying the track. Got to get my head around Peco unifrog and wiring cobalt point motors. Electrics are not my strong point however last spring I did wire up my campervan conversation and everything worked first time so I'll take some confidence from that.

 

Happy to of helped with the platform heads up. Least I can do after all the inspiration I've taken from your layout. 

 

Andy.

[young37215]

Still searching for some 45 degree strip for the Mallaig platform faces; I could'nt find anything on Squires website although it is the sort of product better purchased 'in the flesh' in a shop or at an exhibition where you can see the exact size and judge what works best for your layout. Just another more reason to despise this dam virus. If anyone is aware of where I might find 45 degree strip, I would be grateful.

 

I am a little clearer on the oil storage tanks which looks a fair match for the Bachmann model which also includes the low surrounding wall. I think these will do for me provided they fit in the space I have available. The 1980 picture below shows the tanks and the track layout that I am trying to achieve albeit in a space constrained area. Again I would like to see the Bachmann model in the flesh but as it is an older model which appears in relatively short supply, I might just have to take an Ebay punt if it is the route I take.

 

 

In between my faffing with the Mallaig platform walls, trains continued to run. Partly the running is just for fun but also because I am learning about how the WTT works best. I have less storage than would be perfect which requires careful timing of shunting manourves at Fort William to avoid filling and therefore blocking Mallaig Junction storage yard as a through line. 

 

37014 departs Crianlarich with 1B10, 0837 Glasgow to Mallaig

 

37026 arrives with 1T24, 070 Mallaig to Glasgow. 

 

Edited April 14, 2020 by young37215

[mallaig1983]

On 13/04/2020 at 07:39, young37215 said:

 

I

[mallaig1983]

Just come up for air from from a bit of wiring.

Rob, more great photos of the layout. The prototype photo is great too and one I haven't seen before. Very very useful and a great view of the tanks so thanks for sharing that. Still wracking my brain as to where I've seen the 45 degree. Thinking it was possibly in the model shop in Warwick, sadly gone a few years. However if you check out Gary's (sixteen 12by 10s)Glenuig thread you can see how he's done it. It's a cracking layout and the platform is very realistic. 

Andy

[mallaig1983]

It's very clever and looks perfect in the flesh. Gary I hope I haven't infringed any copywrite by screenshooting your image.

Andy

[carltonf]

Hi, great to follow your progress.  I've sort of stalled with my layout of Mallaig.  But thought I'd share these with you - I made my curved platform from 2 layers of XPS insulation board - 10mm and 6mm.  They are light and easy to cut to curves, for example.  The top layer I cut a chamfered edge to it to try and simulate the platform faces on the West Highland.  I actually made these before my first ever visit to Mallaig last year, and maybe could have done better.  But they are ok for my standards.  I've used bought card pavings for the edge, and I plan to fill the gap for the platform surface with Woodland Scenics snow, which is easy to smooth and level.

 

The station laps are the closest I could find to the 1970s version, cheap LED models from ebay, painted in appropriate colour.

 

And the oil depot is a mixture of Knightwing and scratch built.  The large tanks are plastic drain pipe, with plasticard top, all painted silver, awaiting weathering.  Well, everything on the layout is awaiting something or other!

 

My plan for the station was to have a removable roof, and retaining wall in 3 sections to represent with roof, without roof, and current day.  I may have been a bit optimistic, and that has stalled too! 

[young37215]

It seems that Mallaig is becoming the modern day GWR branchline must have model! 

 

Thanks for your pictures, all of your chamfered edges, platform lights and oil storage facility look a decent representation to me. I would not lose too much sleep over worrying about what others think, it is your layout and you should do what works for you. I make no apology for buying in buildings wherever I can because anything I produce from scratch is unlikely to meet the standard I want hence I why I am currently favouring using Bachmann's oil storage. I am still in the research phase for the oil storage and how best to represent it at this time. Pictures of the oil storage facility are limited, it seems to me that the facility only gets captured on the edge of pictures taken of the platform. SwissIrishErnie's Flickr site again provides a good example, I am trying to find a picture of the facility taken from the opposite side, somewhere by the station building looking south.

 

Yesterday I received several new Dingo servo brackets which, once I work out how to put them together, means I now have what I need to motorise the points in Mallaig Junction Yard and Fort William station. This will require lifting several baseboards to access the points which means little opportunity for any running. Not a bad thing because it eans I should be able to concentrate on getting the servo point motors fitted. 

 

 

[mallaig1983]

19 hours ago, carltonf said:

Hi, great to follow your progress.  I've sort of stalled with my layout of Mallaig.  But thought I'd share these with you - I made my curved platform from 2 layers of XPS insulation board - 10mm and 6mm.  They are light and easy to cut to curves, for example.  The top layer I cut a chamfered edge to it to try and simulate the platform faces on the West Highland.  I actually made these before my first ever visit to Mallaig last year, and maybe could have done better.  But they are ok for my standards.  I've used bought card pavings for the edge, and I plan to fill the gap for the platform surface with Woodland Scenics snow, which is easy to smooth and level.

 

The station laps are the closest I could find to the 1970s version, cheap LED models from ebay, painted in appropriate colour.

 

And the oil depot is a mixture of Knightwing and scratch built.  The large tanks are plastic drain pipe, with plasticard top, all painted silver, awaiting weathering.  Well, everything on the layout is awaiting something or other!

 

My plan for the station was to have a removable roof, and retaining wall in 3 sections to represent with roof, without roof, and current day.  I may have been a bit optimistic, and that has stalled too! 

Love these photos. I think that your tanks look great and your idea for the platform lighting is closer than I've come up with for my version. Try and unstall and keep going.

Andy.

[young37215]

Yesterdays development work was limited to building servo brackets and fixing servos and micro switches to them. After finishing the dozen or so of these I had exhausted my stock of servos which was before I start on the new Dingo brackets. I had had enough of work for the day and reverted to running trains. The operating day is drawing towards its close, first up is 37049 on the 7D20, the 1520 Corpach to Mossend as it passes through Crianlarich. This is followed in Crianlarich by 37081 on 1T52 the 1755 Oban to Glasgow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BoD]

7 hours ago, young37215 said:

Yesterdays development work was limited to building servo brackets and fixing servos and micro switches to them. After finishing the dozen or so of these I had exhausted my stock of servos which was before I start on the new Dingo brackets. I had had enough of work for the day and reverted to running trains.

 

Any excuse, honestly. 

 

On 16/04/2020 at 07:47, young37215 said:

 

 

 

When you see a picture like that doesn't it just make you wish you had a time machine.

[young37215]

3 hours ago, BoD said:

 

When you see a picture like that doesn't it just make you wish you had a time machine.

 

I would not take much persuading to jump back 40 years for another all line railrover or two. The trouble is I would want my current bank balance and Iphone to accompany me. 

[young37215]

The evening draws in and 37014 arrives at Crianlarich with the up sleeper where it passes 37012 on the last Glasgow to Oban train of the day. 012 will snooze at Oban overnight before returning with the first train the next morning.

 

To show I am not the train playing wastrel that some might think, a few pictures to show the start of scenic work at Garelochead. The upper level which I now call Glenfinnan Loop has been screened off with 120mm high plywood strips which hide the track bed whilst allowing me to see and reach the trains. Track through the station has been ballasted and scenic material placed as a trial to get a feel for what is achievable. Whilst this means I cannot run trains until the glue drys, by not lifting any baseboards I have kept the possibility of playing trains open!

 

The up sleeper

screened off upper section

Lots of glue on the ballast, the gap between track and platform will be filled once the station is completed

Developing ideas at the northern end of Garelochead

 

Edited April 18, 2020 by young37215

[young37215]

No trains but some progress at Garelochead where the embankment to the eastern side of the station begins to take shape. Construction is layers of polystyrene with a Sculptsmould topping and a few outcrops of rock. Once the paint has dried I will dress the surface with Woodland Scenics coarse turf. Trees and bushes will only get added once the western side is complete so as to avoid damaging them as I reach across.

 

 

 

[young37215]

I’ve been more productive today than in weeks. The embankment has been dressed and the platform gravel started. I fear that the gravel is too ‘new’ looking but hopefully I can weather and tone this down in situ.

 

 

[mallaig1983]

On 15/04/2020 at 20:50, carltonf said:

Hi, great to follow your progress.  I've sort of stalled with my layout of Mallaig.  But thought I'd share these with you - I made my curved platform from 2 layers of XPS insulation board - 10mm and 6mm.  They are light and easy to cut to curves, for example.  The top layer I cut a chamfered edge to it to try and simulate the platform faces on the West Highland.  I actually made these before my first ever visit to Mallaig last year, and maybe could have done better.  But they are ok for my standards.  I've used bought card pavings for the edge, and I plan to fill the gap for the platform surface with Woodland Scenics snow, which is easy to smooth and level.

 

The station laps are the closest I could find to the 1970s version, cheap LED models from ebay, painted in appropriate colour.

 

And the oil depot is a mixture of Knightwing and scratch built.  The large tanks are plastic drain pipe, with plasticard top, all painted silver, awaiting weathering.  Well, everything on the layout is awaiting something or other!

 

My plan for the station was to have a removable roof, and retaining wall in 3 sections to represent with roof, without roof, and current day.  I may have been a bit optimistic, and that has stalled too! 

Love these photos. I think that your tanks look great and your idea for the platform lighting is closer than I've come up with for my version. Try and unstall and keep going.

Andy.

[mallaig1983]

On 15/04/2020 at 20:50, carltonf said:

 

 

You're making great progress. This layout is an epic. I've never followed anything as big. Great standard of modelling too. I'm really enjoying following this. Keep up the good work and inspiration.

Andy

[young37215]

Slower progress today as I was thwarted in my efforts to construct the underpass at Garelochead. This leads out to Station Road which in turn drops down into the town. My problem is a flat baseboard which means I need to do some wood cutting if I am to create the underpass.  I should have sorted this at the time I installed the baseboards but, as ever, hindsight is a wonderful thing. 

 

I used the Mk3 push pull set for guaging the platform and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of tight spots. These need resolving so that I can fix the platform down and finish ballasting. I completed the gravelling of the platform except for the ramp at the southern end that leads to the underpass because I want to be clear on the underpass before I apply the gravel. 

 

In an effort to tone down the bright new gravel I left a small amount overnight in a cup with a strong solution of bleach. This morning the bleach solution was bright red; sucess was my initial thought. Surely the gravel cannot give up that much colour and remain bright? Wrong, it can and it did. One further effort tonight in a very strong bleach solution although I am not optimistic.