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

[BoD]

Thanks, I was thinking the same about their looks myself.  

I will watch the rest of your layout develop with interest.  I am sure it will be superb.

 

Edit:  I’ve just had a quick browse and see what you mean about ‘an expensive choice’.   Still, if they look the part......

Edited February 6, 2020 by BoD

[young37215]

On 05/02/2020 at 21:47, meanach said:

I used to use the spring side guys but like you say , they are a bit beefy ! A better option is Northumbrian painting services drivers . 

 

These look better than the oversized Springside offering. Even allowing for an Eastfield driver eating a few too many fish suppers, Springside are probably 20% larger than they should be.

 

I managed to file the platform edge at Crianlarich. The amount removed to bring it within guage was surprising, as was the fact that it took a video to show such a significant problem. Still all sorted and 30 seconds with the vacum cleaner removed the shavings. 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2020 by young37215

[G-DIMB]

On 03/02/2020 at 01:49, meanach said:

Don’t resist , turn to the dark side ! The draw of the west highlands is strong... and we are growing in number! ha ha 

Even though i resist this is one of the few threads i keep coming back to. My problem is i only have a space of 7x2 for the scenic section and i'm not really sure i could do it justice. Then again there is just something about it that i cant get away from!

 

 

 

[young37215]

13 hours ago, G-DIMB said:

Even though i resist this is one of the few threads i keep coming back to. My problem is i only have a space of 7x2 for the scenic section and i'm not really sure i could do it justice. Then again there is just something about it that i cant get away from!

 

 

 

 

The WHL is a perfect choice for smaller layouts with single track operations, short formed trains and stations that are a fraction of the size of those generally found on a main line. On WHL4 for example, Garelochead station including the pointwork at both ends of the station is built in an area less than 2000mm x 450mm which is well within your 7' x 2' of available space.

 

If you want to model a specific WHL station then it is well worth doing some research, there are lots of pictures on Flickr and plenty of articles have been written in the modelling press. I recommend that you seek out Railway Modeller's series of West Highland Wanderings from the early 2000's where you will find a review of virtually every WHL station. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dunmar]

Hi,

In all honesty, I have only recently stumbled on this amazing layout! I too have modelled a real location - Glenfinnan station on the West Highland extension, but to be able to model so much in the space that you have is unbelievable. Can I enquire how you are operating your semiphores, and what mechanism are you using?

Bill.

[young37215]

Hi Bill

 

Thanks you for your kind words, I have enjoyed reading about your Glenfinnan layout both on here and in the model press. 

 

I use Megapoints for point and signal control which I consider a first class product. Most of what the Megapoints system will do can be found in the videos that Dave Fenton produces and my experience is that most of the videos accurately reflect what happens when you use the product. In addition to my posts relating to my Megapoints experiences on page 3 of this thread, there is an old thread Megapoints Controllers which is worth a read if they are something of interest. 

 

I will post some video showing signals in operation at some stage. 

 

Rob

[David Bell]

Rob

 

Your layout is superb. It brought back many happy memories for me from half a lifetime ago.

I used to travel this line regularly in the late seventies as a volunteer on SRPS railtours. I was but a lad then!

These trains could form the basis of an interesting model. In my time they typically comprised a class 27 with 2 Caledonian coaches, two LMS coaches, a Gresley buffet car and two or three blue/grey mk1s. Sometimes the NBR invalid saloon or the Thompson Suburban Brake would be included too. I know these coaches continued to feature on the WHL into the eighties, probably by then 37 hauled

 

Keep up the good work

David

[David Bell]

I remember the night before a railtour BR would deliver the BR locomotive and coaches to the yard in Falkirk. On one occasion the rake included  a mk1 FLK which had two lounges with fixed swivel chairs. There were only 3 such coaches in the whole mk1 fleet.We were well impressed with that!

[young37215]

Representing the additional services that were seen on the WHL during the early 80's has always appealed and I plan to add a path in my WTT to accomodate them. I already have a MK3 set from the Edinburgh Glasgow push pull workings to run the Edinburgh to Oban adexs and my Sealink rake runs similar, albeit mythical, trains from Ayrshire. I would love to run a Royal Scotsman service but the big obstacle that I face is the lack of ready to run rolling stock and I dread to think how much a custom painted Royal Scotsman rake would cost.

 

The SRPS adexs are a possibility, I am guessing that I can find stock details on the 6 Bells web site which I will have look at. I did run a quick picture search on Flickr but was unable to filter out all of the later day excursions which tend to proliferate. Again this will provide me with some reserach opportunity when I have a spare few minutes.

[David Bell]

Here is a list of SRPS stock which was certified to run on the mainline at the end of the seventies,

LMS Porthole CK No 24725, diag 2159

LMS Stanier TO No 27389, diag 1999

LMS Stanier TO No 27407, diag 1999

LNER Gresley Buffet Car No 644, diag 167 

BR(Thompson design) Brake Composite No 80417, diag 360

CR Brake Corridor Composite No 464 (then numbered 7369), diag 111a

CR Third Corridor No 1375, diag 124

NBR Invalid Saloon No 461,diag 3050

GNSR Royal Saloon No 1  

 

 

[young37215]

An interesting list for sure but how many of these are currently available in model form? I ask becuase I am not familiar with rolling stock that pre dates the blue and grey diesel era which I grew up in.  

[David Bell]

It rather depends on how close to prototype you want to be and what compromises you are prepared to live with. I have been collecting stock which might form the basis of a SRPS railtour train for the last couple of years, see attached photos. These are all currently in straight out the box condition. The Gresley Buffet Car and Porthole CK are good models of the prototype. The other Stanier coach is a third corridor rather than a third open so not quite right but captures the look of the SRPS coach. The Thompson brake has 4 compartments rather than 6 so likely a kit would be a better option. All of these are currently available. The two Caley coaches are not accurate models at all but could be made much better by replacing the ends the bogies and doing some work on underframe details at the sametime preserving the printed sides. These come from a limited edition set which included the Caley single loco.I got it on eBay a couple of months ago.

[David Bell]

Last picture referred to in my last post

[young37215]

Thanks David, some interesting pictures which provide food for thought. I will try and find some pictures of the actual trains to get a feel for the SRPS adexs with a view to creating a rake of stock to run them.

 

Elsewhere it has been a busy week behind the scenes with the extended Fort William station trackwork being tweaked and the 36 droppers required soldered in place. I am pretty much done with Fort William for now which should be able to run trains into the station once I connect up the line to the exisiting lower section. 

 

 

 

   

[Dougjuk]

Looking good Rob, going to be good to get the WHL driver onto Marshend tomorrow, in return maybe time for me to come down and drive on the WHL.  

 

 

regards

 

Doug

[meanach]

On 07/02/2020 at 08:08, young37215 said:

 

These look better than the oversized Springside offering. Even allowing for an Eastfield driver eating a few too many fish suppers, Springside are probably 20% larger than they should be.

 

I managed to file the platform edge at Crianlarich. The amount removed to bring it within guage was surprising, as was the fact that it took a video to show such a significant problem. Still all sorted and 30 seconds with the vacum cleaner removed the shavings. 

 

 

All cleared for 156s now ; ) ha ha ha

[Dougjuk]

Getting worried about you Ian, next you will be selling of the loco's and buying more sprinters.

 

Doug

[David Bell]

Rob, 

I almost hesitate to ask, have you been tempted to model the Mexican Bean? Perhaps you already have

David

[young37215]

Spent yesterday at the Monmouth Show helping Doug run his excellent Marsh End layout. The dire weather dominated events reducing footfall and causing an early closure of the exhibition. The  widespread flooding was the worst I have ever seen and the journey back to Bristol was completed with trepidation that the flood waters would end up closing the road. Fortunately this was not the case but I feel for those living in the area who have had their homes flooded.

 

The Mexican Bean was first painted in 1985 which is right at the end of my early 80's time window. Combined with the fact that it mostly worked an Oban to Crianlarich shuttle meaning it would only arrive and depart Crianlarich on WHL 4, it is highly unlikely to appear. Neither are Sprinters which did not infest the WHL until 1989 which is well outside of my window and, more importantly, I do'nt like them!. 

[David Bell]

Could not agree more on the Sprinters!

[young37215]

I recently acquired a couple of new Scottish 37’s through Ebay which were sold by fellow RMWeber Eddie Refin. I commented on Eddie’s Scotrail Workbench thread back in December 2019 that he had ‘several class 37’s I positively lust after’ and I am delighted to match my words with actions.

 

37017 requires a sound chip which is on order but can run silent in the meantime. 37017 is an interesting loco which although fitted with steam heat boiler, was vacuum braked only until its 1985 main overhaul and conversion to 37503. Following transfer from the Eastern to Scottish Region at Eastfield in September 1981, the loco spent its time in Scotland flitting between Eastfield and Inverness depots. The first such transfer was to Inverness in May 1982 following which a headlight was fitted sometime during 1982. On return to Eastfield in January 1983, Eastfield applied their trademark white stripe. The loco returned to Inverness in October 1983 still with white stripe where it remained until returning back to Eastfield again in December 1984. The white stripe lasted until late 1984 and 017 finally left Scotland in August 1985 when it was transferred to Cardiff.

 

017’s lack of air brakes meant that whilst it was perfectly qualified for passenger work, it did not work much freight on the WHL because by the early 80’s this was predominantly air braked. Interestingly I have found a 1984 picture of it hauling 3 empty OBA’s just south of Ardlui. It seems that there was an unofficial ‘use on Oban trains only’ restriction applied by Eastfield. The Class 37 Loco Group’s recorded workings show that 017 was less regular than some of the more common 37’s seen on the WHL but she did cover the entire line on a number of occasions.

 

The introduction of a vacuum braked only loco on WHL4 presents me with additional considerations when diagramming meaning that, in line with real life, I suspect that 017 will end up at Oban more frequently than Fort William.

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by young37215

[thompclass37]

Recently (very) returned to the hobby after many years away. in the past my brother and i built a couple of tail chaser type layouts based on CJ Freezer's excellent track plans. however i come back with a desire to do something base on a real location. Definitely was thinking of something West highland based as i have always loved the landscape, it can have an epic quality. Was thinking of something based around/on Ardlui in the first instance which can later be incorporated into something bigger when i get round to building a suitable sized shed in the garden.

 

Have been blown away by the quality of what i have seen on the site, and when i discovered this one i was hooked. have spent a few days following this from the first post and quite frankly I'm not sure if I'm more inspired or daunted by the sheer brilliance of what i have seen here, the bar is certainly at a high level.

 

Did you start with a track plan in mind or did you just let it evolve as you want along.

again absolutely fantastic and look forward to following the progress of this wonderful layout

 

[young37215]

On 18/02/2020 at 20:50, thompclass37 said:

Have been blown away by the quality of what i have seen on the site, and when i discovered this one i was hooked. have spent a few days following this from the first post and quite frankly I'm not sure if I'm more inspired or daunted by the sheer brilliance of what i have seen here, the bar is certainly at a high level.

 

There is nothing complicated about WHL4, quite the opposite in fact because all I am doing is copying real life. It might be bigger than average but the basics remain the same. I am following a 'one step at a time' approach to the various parts of the layout in an effort to avoid hitting the dreaded brick wall.

 

Did you start with a track plan in mind or did you just let it evolve as you want along.

 

There is an original track plan which gets refined as things develop because in my experience a plan never translates perfectly to baseboard. That said what I anticipate as the end result does not differ by much from my original plan. 

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2020 by young37215

[Alcanman]

Nice to see 37017 and the progress of your layout. Great work.

 

I saw 37017 it's during it's time at Inverness.  Headlight fitted but without white stripe.

 

 

[young37215]

14 hours ago, Alcanman said:

Nice to see 37017 and the progress of your layout. Great work.

 

I saw 37017 it's during it's time at Inverness.  Headlight fitted but without white stripe.

 

 

 

Nice. At a guess the picture was taken in July 1985 given the lack of white stripe, the ScotRail branding on the coach and the Class 37 Loco Group recording 017 as doing several Far North trains that month even though being Eastfield allocated at the time.  I have assumed that the repeated swapping between ED and IS in the early 80's reflected 017's vacum only brakes status. Does anyone know different?

 

Having done some research on 017 I received Videoscene's Class 37 Hauled, Volume 10 yesterday which duplicated my efforts entirely and nearly word for word! It was interesting to see pictures of 017/503 on the Wenslydale Railway awaiting restoration work and I hope that they will have the old girl working again soon.  The DVD contains 40 minutes plus of class 37 WHL footage and whilst most of the 1980's material has been shown in previous videos, there is much to be liked.