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

[mallaig1983]

I love your Fort William Rob. So much so that I've been measuring space to see if I can also accommodate one of my own. I think it will greatly increase the playability. I'm blaming you of course lol.

[David Bell]

1 hour ago, mallaig1983 said:

I love your Fort William Rob. So much so that I've been measuring space to see if I can also accommodate one of my own. I think it will greatly increase the playability. I'm blaming you of course 

Sounds like a plan!

[BoD]

12 hours ago, young37215 said:

 

 

 

 

I had to have a second look at that after thinking ‘what the heck has he done to the side of that 37’.

[young37215]

11 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

I love your Fort William Rob. So much so that I've been measuring space to see if I can also accommodate one of my own. I think it will greatly increase the playability.

 

I can see how you could use Fort William station as a substitute to a fiddle yard for passenger rolling stock, it would just need a couple of hidden sidings for freight and engineers rolling stock. The rebuilt Fort WIlliam station is simplistic and very functional reflecting its 1970's origins. Size wise, I do'nt think that a station would require any larger an area than a modest fiddle yard. My version covers an area that is 3000mm x 305mm and I can run load 6 coaches into the platform and still run the loco round.

 

I shall watch your developments with interest.   

[young37215]

Trains are off and running, first movement today was 37022 on the first Oban to Glasgow service of the day seen arriving at Crianlarich.

 

Of all the 37's on WHL4, 37022 or 37608 as it has become, is the only one I need for haulage. It is an old East Anglian boilered loco which is where I had most of the 37's that migrated to the WHL. I have had over 200 37's for haulage but obviously I have missed out on 022 to date. Whilst it remains intact the chance remains that I will have it somewhere.   

 

[mallaig1983]

Rob, Fort William wise your idea of me using it as a fiddle yard was indeed my first idea but then I got to thinking how interesting it would be to operate prototypically what with through trains to Mallaig splitting before reversing, coaches off the sleeper having others added to it, forming up the mixed train, adding the observation saloon etc etc. Basing these plans on YouTube footage, DVDs and the written accounts and using the 1983 timetable. I believe things changed in 1984 all Mallaig trains starting at FW rather than a couple of through trains but I'd be happy to be corrected. I could then run a line from Mallaig Jc behind Glenfinnan and into a fiddle yard on a lower level. Excited by the prospect. More expense now though as I'll need sleeping cars of both flavours and an ETHEL. I'll draw up a plan and post on my own thread instead of hyjacking this one.

 

Your East Anglian haulage sounds an excellent use of your younger years. My misspent youth was bashing 50s in the most part. Only 50 of them so an achievable challenge. Not successfully in my case though.

 

Great to see services have resumed on WHL4

 

Andy

[young37215]

Dirty wheels and track that needs cleaning and running did not spoil yesterdays running. 37017 heads the first Glasgow to Oban service through Garelochead.

 

 

[young37215]

37022 heading south with 1T16 and 37178 on 1B10, the delayed 0837 Glasgow to Mallaig, cross at Garelochead. I have just about finished the recently removed freight dock siding which is beginning to show signs of becoming overgrown.

 

 

[Legend]

Just back from the area. Managed a wonder around Tyndrum Upper . I always come back enthused and love looking at your layout . 

[mallaig1983]

More great photos Rob. The freight dock really looks the part. Some lovely modelling there.

[young37215]

23 hours ago, Legend said:

Just back from the area. Managed a wonder around Tyndrum Upper . I always come back enthused and love looking at your layout . 

Thanks. Its been several years since I last managed a trip to Scotland, hopefully the world will be  a better place in 2021 and make a trip possible.

 

S&T had a busy day yesterday. The Oban doll on the bracket signal at Crianlarich decided to play up. It had not been extending properly when the signal was pulled off for a while, yesterday if simply refused to budge. Fortunately I built the signal bracket on a small removable piece of baseboard in anticipation of problems. The baseboard was removed and the problem identified; the piano wire from the servo arm to the signal counterweight was bowing when the servo moved resulting in the signal not moving. I fabricated a small piece of wire to form a guide and restraint which solved the problem. 37017 was then able to depart.

 

37017 is delayed by the signal failure

Removable section is gently prised out of the ballasted area, the Oban signal servo is the lower one

Guide glued in place

signal tested before being replaced

all seems good, 37017 gets the road for Oban

37017 departs

[ISW]

4 hours ago, young37215 said:

Removable section is gently prised out of the ballasted area, the Oban signal servo is the lower one

Rob,

 

The removable section is a really neat idea / trick. I like that. When did you make the cutout, before or after tracklaying? And how did you manage to make such a neat rectangular cut and leave so little obvious gaps?

 

Ian

[young37215]

18 hours ago, ISW said:

Rob,

 

The removable section is a really neat idea / trick. I like that. When did you make the cutout, before or after tracklaying? And how did you manage to make such a neat rectangular cut and leave so little obvious gaps?

 

Ian

 

Hi Ian

 

Whilst my planning may not be as extensive as yours, I do try and anticipate where problems might ocur. I have made provision to access all servos used for signal control because I wanted to avoid sods law if I did not. I was hoping that having made the provision, problems would not arise!

 

Creating the removable section was simple enough, the area was marked up and cut out with a combination of drill and electric saw at the time I was building up the scenery. The track was laid and ballasted but not the cess so it was fairly routine to create the opening. A piece of chipboard was cut to size which slots into the gap and sits on two offcuts screwed to the underside of the baseboard to provide support. The cutting is not as neat as you might think but once I was happy that the signals worked, the area was ballasted which hid any imperfections with my handywork. 

 

The signal will get tested over the next few days and once I am happy all is well, I shall fill in the ballast gaps once again. 

 

 

 

After Friday's work, the bracket signal was simply dropped back into place

 

 

[ISW]

1 hour ago, young37215 said:

Whilst my planning may not be as extensive as yours, I do try and anticipate where problems might ocur. I have made provision to access all servos used for signal control because I wanted to avoid sods law if I did not. I was hoping that having made the provision, problems would not arise!

Rob,

 

As you say, ignore Sods law at your peril ...

 

2 hours ago, young37215 said:

Creating the removable section was simple enough, the area was marked up and cut out with a combination of drill and electric saw at the time I was building up the scenery. The track was laid and ballasted but not the cess so it was fairly routine to create the opening. A piece of chipboard was cut to size which slots into the gap and sits on two offcuts screwed to the underside of the baseboard to provide support.

Ah, that's much clearer. I had in mind to cut out the rectangle, somehow, and then re-use the cut out bit in the created hole. But, of course, there'd be a gap around where the cutting was done and I couldn't see how to do it properly. Maybe I was over-thinking the problem! Your solution is much better, thanks.

 

Ian

 

[young37215]

No Sunday running yesterday, much the same as was the case on the WHL in the early 1980's where it was'nt until 1984 that a timetabled service first ran. From the previous days operations 37011 is seen on its journey through Crianlarich with 7V86, 0707 Mallaig Junction Yard to SIghthill. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by young37215

[37Oban]

Hi,

I love this layout!  I used to live in Oban in the early 80's and a regular Saturday morning treat was to take the early train from Oban to Crianlarich, have a coffee and cake, wait for the freight to pass through from Fort William then catch train back to Oban for lunch!  Sometimes I would go to Glasgow just for the ride, coming straight back!   I miss the sound of a 37 with 6 on at full chat along Clydeside or growling up Glen Cruiten!  Happy days!

 

Roja

[mallaig1983]

1 hour ago, 37Oban said:

Hi,

I love this layout!  I used to live in Oban in the early 80's and a regular Saturday morning treat was to take the early train from Oban to Crianlarich, have a coffee and cake, wait for the freight to pass through from Fort William then catch train back to Oban for lunch!  Sometimes I would go to Glasgow just for the ride, coming straight back!   I miss the sound of a 37 with 6 on at full chat along Clydeside or growling up Glen Cruiten!  Happy days!

 

Roja

Lucky chap. At least you got to sample it regularly. I never got that far north at the time. I was 13 in 83 so it would of necessitated a family trip or my Dad taking me and to dad Scotland might as well have been on the moon. I think Carlisle has been visited since. It's a huge regret that I never sampled the line back then. Agree that this really is a fantastic layout. 

[37Oban]

I try to go back when I can with my daughter, but, even though there are more trains per day now than there were in the 80's Sprinters just don't cut it for me! 

 

In my time there I had one memorable trip that wasn't cl37 hauled.  On 25th September 1985 the 37 due to take the 13.00 Oban - Glasgow QS failed (i think it was a fuel problem) so another loco was commandered and the only one available was 27001, which had arrived earlier on a freight.  It was too good a chance to miss so I bought a ticket to Crianlarich.  We had six on and left almost a minute and a half down and made heavy weather of the climbe to Glen Cruiten summit.  Eventually we arrived at Crianlarich 14 and half minutes down on schedule!  When we left Oban it was overcast but this turned to light rain by Crianlarich.  The guard told me that if it rained when we left Oban he would have had to walk in front of the loco spreading sand on the rails to give it any chance of making any progress!  If that had failed they would have had to return to the station to detach three coaches!  He missed the  27's but they were life expired when 37's replaced them and as far as he was concerned it should have happened sooner.

 

Roja

 

[David Bell]

1 hour ago, 37Oban said:

I try to go back when I can with my daughter, but, even though there are more trains per day now than there were in the 80's Sprinters just don't cut it for me! 

 

In my time there I had one memorable trip that wasn't cl37 hauled.  On 25th September 1985 the 37 due to take the 13.00 Oban - Glasgow QS failed (i think it was a fuel problem) so another loco was commandered and the only one available was 27001, which had arrived earlier on a freight.  It was too good a chance to miss so I bought a ticket to Crianlarich.  We had six on and left almost a minute and a half down and made heavy weather of the climbe to Glen Cruiten summit.  Eventually we arrived at Crianlarich 14 and half minutes down on schedule!  When we left Oban it was overcast but this turned to light rain by Crianlarich.  The guard told me that if it rained when we left Oban he would have had to walk in front of the loco spreading sand on the rails to give it any chance of making any progress!  If that had failed they would have had to return to the station to detach three coaches!  He missed the  27's but they were life expired when 37's replaced them and as far as he was concerned it should have happened sooner.

 

Roja

 

You can't beat a Class 27 on full chat...

[37Oban]

I quite agree, although didn't experience them as much as the 26's!

 

Roja

[mallaig1983]

51 minutes ago, 37Oban said:

I quite agree, although didn't experience them as much as the 26's!

 

Roja

Brilliant story. Right place right time for you. My first experience of 27 haulage (and the next trip a cabride) was at The  Caledonian Railway last July. A couple of weeks later I was at NYMR and getting 26 haulage. Returning out of Grosmont we had had a signal stop on the bank by the depot. After a stalled start there followed about 10 minutes of slow climbing. The noise was awesome. I knew at the time that was as close as I was going to get. It was a fantastic day. Last day of my 3 months tour of Scotland but what a way to end.

 

Andy

[03060]

Whilst I managed just a few class 37 journeys on the WHL I, also, was too late for the 25s and 27s. The nearest I can get to what I imagine it was like is now on the K&WVR diesel days behind either 25 059, 37 075 or a guest 26, 27 or 37 where because of the nature of the way the line twists and turns it's way up the valley and particularly during the climb out of Keighley .....if you close your eyes, or at least squint a bit, you could almost be climbing up to Glen Douglas !

 

Only lasts for 25 mins or so .....but if you buy a day rover you can do it all again !!

[young37215]

I was lucky to travel round most of Scotland on 26 and 27's including the push pulls between Edinburgh and Glasgow but never got far along the WHL with one.  In 1979 on my first Scottish Rover I recall taking the evening Glasgow Oban train from Glasgow to Garelochead for the afternoon Mallaig back but that was as far as I got. Back in those days I was more interested in new engines which could be had in abundance in the central belt. 

 

I agree with Ian's observation above that the North York Moors is about as good as you can get these days for baby sulzer thrash, I had 26038 up and down the line several times in the hot summer of 2018 which made a lot of noise. 

 

Back to trains and its only class 37's again today; 37178 passed 37011 at Crianlarich with the 0837 Glasgow to Mallaig before heading north. 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by young37215

[David Bell]

I think I must be a little older than most of you. I was lucky enough to travel up and down the WHL behind class 27s numerous times from 1975 onwards. When I was not working in the buffet car I used to make my way to the end vestibule of the first coach in the train and listen to the thrash. On some railtours we included the NBR invalid saloon or the GNSR royal coach. Both have end windows so in one direction we could sit in comfortable chairs and watch the 27 bounce as it thrashed across Rannoch Moor as well as hear the awesome sound. I have also had two or three trips on the footplate of a 27 on the WHL around 1977/8. I have driven one once, light engine, under strict instructions from the driver. I was about 17 at the time. 

[mallaig1983]

I'm really enjoying your early morning photos Rob. Very inspiring just before I head up to the attic for a couple of hours on my own layout before work.

Can I just ask a little about your locos? How many does it take to operate the WTT for a day? How many have you got and are they all sound fitted? Of the sound fitted ones what projects are fitted and to which loco etc?

Now I have decided to include Fort William on my layout I think I will need a minimum of 6 locos as I now plan to run trains to and from Glasgow as well as Mallaig. I currently have 5 available, another needing a respray and 2 on order from Accurascale plus others that I would like when a blue, oval buffer, cutaway cowels split box version becomes available and a couple of RSH examples. I wonder how many you have for WHL4 and against how many you need for one days service.

Right, I'm away to the attic.

 

Andy