Jump to content
 

Auchintoul & Inverness Citadel. A Great North of Scotland Railway medley.


ianathompson
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

I suppose that I had better introduce myself and Auchintoul.

 

My main interest is continental narrow gauge railways and I have a large layout (the AFK for any-one who has run across it) upon which most of my modelling time is spent. I post about this layout regularly on another forum and also run a website for it. However, like most modellers I have always dabbled in other interests and Auchintoul is one of these. It is envisaged that I might occasionally provide info on this forum about it.

 

Auchintoul is an N gauge model of a GNoSR station. There is no point looking for it on a map nor is there any point looking for the town itself. Those familiar with rural Banffshire might however realise that Auchintoul House is in the parish of Aberchirder, the location of the model. As I have played fast and loose with the geography and economic history of the settlement I chose not to name it Aberchirder but to use another name. I know that Foggieloan is the local nickname for the town but plumped for that of the local big house instead.

 

I have to be honest and state that the original intention was to present a might-have-been for Gardenstown, along the coast from Banff, and a site well above the cliffs was surveyed and selected to begin construction of Easter Gamrie, named for the civil parish. I later realised that the traffic potential of a line between Fraserburgh and Macduff was too limited and sought another location. Although the layout remains unaltered (well not quite, but that is another story!) it was relocated onto a connecting line between Maud Junction and Cairnie Junction running via Turriff. This will allow more trains to run.

 

The route has been surveyed using OS maps and Google Earth and would have been physically feasible although the gradient calculations out of the Deveron valley to Auchintoul had eventually be 'back calculated' on a gradient of 1 in 70 to avoid too steep an incline. A timetable is currently under construction for the pre WWI era. This will form the basis of a 1950s/60s/early 70s version as the original restricting infrastructure seems to have prevented too much speeding up. A rather more fanciful 2000s era upgrade is also envisaged.

 

Enough of the supposed background, the layout is a place to play trains so here are some photos to show the (excruciatingly slow) progress to date.

 

33813106106_1d252bdb58_z.jpgdecant 045 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

In a 1950s view we see a Fowler tank standing alongside the incomplete goods shed with an down train for Cairnie Junction. This engine was deputising for a BR standard loco as these has not been produced by Grafar at that time.

 

33698010102_7fe366fc8d_z.jpgdecant 047 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The same train is seen in its pre WWI format at roughly the same place. Running it into position for the photo reminded me that the footbridge still needs shimming up as the chimney took it with it! The footbridge was laboriously converted to the GNoSR style from a whitemetal NER version. The loco is a class O converted from a Union Mills model and the carriages are scratchbuilt 6 wheelers. Before anyone points out the discrepancies these models are caricatures rather than scale models. The railway's secondary importance as something occupying the study, aka library, is apparent from the background.

 

33854154545_d36d51284d_z.jpgdecant 050 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A rather cruel close up of the 'minor' box based on that at Spey Bay, although it still awaits steps. The signalman is showing the green flag to indicate that the train has been accepted by Netherdale under the warning arrangement, as provided for in the Box Instructions. Scratchbuilding in 2mm scale probably requires more accuracy than I will ever muster but giving it a go is part of the enjoyment!

 

33854155305_d49aabcda0_z.jpgdecant 052 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Auchintoul station is clearly based (hopefully!) on that at Portsoy. This was roughly measured up (on my last visit to watch Highland League football) to provide a reasonably accurate model. The same version, in a mirror image, was used at Cullen and in the light of its originally intended location on a cousin of the 'Coast' line I felt that it would fit the bill. It has now moved 10 miles inland! (They are all railway books by the way.)

 

33724515071_7db5744035_z.jpgdecant 055 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The main box (based on Tillynaught Junction) is still under construction but the whole point was to show the current pride and joy, a working Stevens drop flap signal in N. This is the red blob in the foreground. The points are scratchbuilt, with interlaced sleepers, and the track is laid at 6 foot from rail to rail rather than the widened distance produced by a well known manufacturer's products in N. The point into the distillery (right) has a co-acting single blade trap point working off the same 'lever'. Lots of blue language was required to set it up!

 

That's it for now. I might even complete the full run (version 3) in this bout of work and hopefully the layout will not be left in suspended animation for the next year as it has been for the last one. One other point. Does any-one know what the shunting signals were called. Where I currently work they are 'dodds' but I am sure that this was not the usual GNoSR term.

 

Ian T

Edited by ianathompson
Rename
  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

More playing trains and little progress towards completing the oval, although a couple of minor track issues have been sorted. This selection shows a modern scenario which probably stretches the original too far but..... well it is a second/third layout and life is so much easier when you can buy such nice models over the counter rather than scratchbuild everything!

 

33509512490_1a5e3d8ac6_z.jpgdecant 057 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A class 66 pulls in to cross a Sprinter. Not sure whether to designate the near (up) platform as a bi-di and retain the loop for freight only. The footbridge has gone, rotted away like most of its contemporaries, and the station building may be replaced with a bus shelter. the loop could be worked from the box which had been demoted to a groundframe. A few GNoSR boxes still survive and all the ones that I work are pre-grouping examples. The wagon in the foreground is a German 'rolling road' wagon for lorries. If you are going to contemplate such a wild scenario you might as well go the whole hog. Spent the morning giving and taking the train staff from real 66s. They are quite impressive as they bear down upon you!

 

33509517340_ac8c6594bb_z.jpgdecant 061 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

 

Meanwhile in the sidings the contract hire loco for Moray Distribution (or somesuch company, maybe Foggieloan Logistics?) waits to take the inbound wagons from the 66 and pull out an outbound raft. The repainted Ibertren hoppers are a bit crude but the other European stuff looks okay. Containers are being loaded on the siding and the vans stand on what may become Tesco's warehouse siding.  You know the sort, some horrid carbunkle on the landscape. Somewhere in my extensive continental selection an 0-8-0 V65 lurks which would be ideal as a superannuated shunter.

 

Ian T

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 11 months later...
  • RMweb Premium

After almost a year in hibernation Auchintoul has vaguely stirred to life in recent days.

The layout is very much the little sister to the AFK (see the Overseas Modelling section of the forum) and is rather neglected.

For most of that time it has acted as a store for books and magazines.

 

40091769725_9e794d6830_z.jpgops decant 021 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The Fowler 2-6-4T has been woken up to resume shunting the yard.

In the meantime the KPC controller has blown itself into oblivion and so a substitute was connected to the layout.

( I did have the foresight to make sure that all the DIN plugs are compatible so that I can use whatever is at hand! )

Big mistake!

After a period of break dancing I realised that the pulse feedback controller was not the best option for an N gauge coreless motor.

Found simple DC feed controller to connect up with a spare cable and then discovered that the cable was wired back to front compared to my normal conventions.

Somewhere there is a Pentroller lurking in a drawer but eventually the loco was persuaded to move smoothly.

 

The model represents a heavy loco that should drift along with the regulator shut off.

The loco met the points and stalled.

This was a bit surprising because I am sure that they were working properly before the 'closure'.

As I have an aversion to scurrying electro-mice this meant fettling the points.

The loco now goes through them smoothly, sometimes.

Maybe  handbuilding N gauge points was a step too far but I rather suspect that the rough treatment that they have received has been a more important factor.

 

40091773335_e242c4a59e_z.jpgops decant 022 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Many points were built as co-acting with the single blade traps as that seems to have been standard GNoSR practice.

This meant installing an under baseboard operating system whereas my preference is for something very simple on the surface.

I also decided to make them work so that all were pulled into the reverse position, as in a proper box.

Another mistake as this means changing the direction of the pull for some points!

 

Any way if you don't try something different you get stuck in a rut don't you?

I will stick in my rut in future!

Strong arm tactics with soldering irons and hacksaws persuaded some blades to play ball but then the wheels fell off.

Replacing whatever component broke meant re-jigging the whole system and a certain amount of blue language.

Certain point mechanisms were placed on the surface and then the whole thing was left in abeyance for some time.

 

40091771855_bd701295f2_z.jpgops decant 025 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

I never did work out how those on the remote siding, sited on an embankment, would be worked but it will not be a problem now.

 

The rather cruel photos show the crude point construction methods.

These were aired on my website and elsewhere on this forum.

This brought forth the expected approbation about my poor constructional methods despite having built around 100 for the main layout.

Given that the GNoSR used interlaced sleepers for their points there was little alternative to scratchbuilding. 

 

Any way if you wish to be shocked or amused the methods are available at http://myafk.net/building-pointwork

 

I can just imagine the perplexity some correspondents would have had had they only seen my German N gauge layout built years ago with all sorts of unlikely formations!

Hopefully Auchintoul will be finished in this session to a point where it will be possible to run around the entire circuit without mishap.

 

One final point. What has happened to the post preview facility? I used to like this but it does not now seem to be availble.

 

Ian T

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

Easter Monday afternoon and no football because it is all rained off locally.

Good job I did not travel 100 or so miles to catch the game that I had considered attending to add to my 120+ tally of League Grounds!

 

I'm fed up with the pernickity demands of N gauge locos running on scratchbuilt track.

I thought some of my 7mm NG locos were divas but...!!!

Anyway I will soon return to appeasing the N gauge prima donnas but a different challenge called.

 

 

I collect Biller Bahn, the immediate post war Oe NG tinplate system, and have just bought a battery powered diesel from Germany to 'complete' the set.

These are horrifically expensive in pristine condition but mine was bought relatively cheaply along with a few other choice items last week. Of course it came 'mit defekt'.

Two wires connected to the motor showed that all was basically well but every time batteries went in the thing stopped!

Took the top off and found a dry soldered joint.

Two minutes with the iron have probably added a lot to its value but that's not why I bought it.

 

41185250611_6c0bca9e56_z.jpg42 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

At last I have found a technology that I can cope with! Battery power on the kitchen table with sectional track!

 

Hope to be back soon in a slightly more serious mode!

 

Ian T

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

On a slightly more serious subject this time the photo below shows an embryonic scene from the sixties.

The gremlins living in the pointwork have temporarily been exorcised allowing me to finish wiring parts of the circuit that have stood moribund for some time.

 

41188722732_26605af971_z.jpgops decant 029 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The Fowler 2-6-4T shunts at Mains of Kirton after climbing the two miles of 1 in 70 from Netherdale.

I know that the Fowler locos were not used on the GNoSR but it is subbing for a Standard 4MT, two of which currently live in boxes.

 

This is the first attempt to shunt the siding as it has only just been wired up ~after 18 to 24 months of waiting!

The out of focus crank in the foreground will be cut back and hidden in a PW gang's shed.

The idea on this side of the layout is to show rural Banffshire in Autumn in contrast to the more normal summer proposed for Auchintoul itself.

I intend to scratchbuuild a copy of King Edward station for the halt itself.

 

Sticking the (unfinished) fiddleyard in the middle might not be the best idea ~ one problem being the steep bank behind the station to provide clearance for stock running into it.

 

As i now have a full circuit that appears to be usable I suppose that I ought to begin running in the numerous locos that have been bought but sit unused at the moment.

 

The baseboards are a dog's breakfast as they had to be widened when Farish began stipulating 11 inches as a minimum radius.

This is the third piece of line through this location. Hopefully it will last longer than its predecessors.

 

Ian T

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

Just a brief update for the few interested.


 


A lot of time has been expended in fettling the track.


This has involved moving small bits of metal fractions of millimetres to ensure that the N gauge locos can run over them smoothly.


This process has also involved dismantling the pre-Grouping loco to try to get it to run more smoothly.


I suppose that we are spoit nowadays by the can motors incorporated into the latest generation of "off the shelf" offerings. 


Most of the recent activity has involved running in locos and opening boxes of stock which is certainly different from scratchbuilding everything!


 


As some of you will be aware I run a website about my main layout which is operationally orientated.


The latest articles on the site examine the generation of loads for wagons using dice.


 


I only mention this here as the principles can be applied to layouts of any size or gauge (even though the AFK is narrow gauge).


For any-one visiting the site I hope that you enjoy it.


 


This can be found at http://myafk.net/operational-factors-home


 


The site has now become very complex.


I try to check it before publishing updates but if there are problems please report them here.


 


Thanks


 


Ian T


Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

A little more progress has been made.

All the points and locos now seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet at any rate.

 

The basic landforms have been sketched in and backscenes erected.

 

I have one question which I would like to have answered if possible.

 

Did the GNoS serve private coal merchants in its yards?

 

This is not quite as daft a question as it sounds. As I understand it a lot of coal came into the area by coastal shipping but what about the towns away from the coast?

I have looked at as many period photos as I can without being able to definitely find an answer.

In BR days things had changes and 12T opens were quite common.

 

40876320544_e00ee4c902_z.jpgoperations 002 - Copy by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The distillery takes PO wagons from the Fife coalfield as this was the closest to Auchintoul.

 

41587340831_e6caa671fd_z.jpgoperations 005 - Copy by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Class O number 10 pushes the wagons up the steep incline to the Foggieloan distillery. The Union Mills mechanism is not as smootha s the modern Farish offerings

but it has more guts. A standard 4MT tank doesn't want to know with 3 mineral wagons!

 

39779432450_65385cf5ba_z.jpgoperations 008 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The land forms were sketched in when a blob of white glue landed smack on the tiebar of the point on the bridge.

This glued up solid despite efforts to wipe the glue away.

Larger replacemant parts had to be manufactured to get it working again. Ones that I could see!

 

40876324264_9c0a3b4c61_z.jpgoperations 010 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The position of the point on the bridge.

 

40876325494_6d86675bc6_z.jpgoperations 012 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The whole layout. Auchintoul on the left. Mains of |Kirton at bottom right and fiddle yard in the middle (or it will be if I ever get round to it.

My antipathy to fiddle yards has been expressed elsewhere.

 

 Look forward to being enlightened about the POs.

 

Ian T

 

Edited by ianathompson
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Have had the pleasure (?) of having a play with this today, and ended up having a prolonged shunting session in the yard, generally getting tied up in knots!

The operation of shunting the yard (against the clock, every move counting as 3 mins) quite quickly showed that an hour can pass very quickly!

The train arrived and the local traffic was cut out, and then the job of picking up all the outgoing traffic, and replacing them with the incoming stuff, but making sure that the cattle trucks were against the loco, meant that many moves were required, and that was without sorting any traffic for the Distillery...

 

Andy G

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

The Banffshire & Buchan. 

 

Preamble

 

It has been well over a year since Auchintoul first appeared on this particular website and so far the thread has followed a well trodden path, so why vary from this?!

 

The first couple of posts were along the lines of, "Hello, here I am, this is my layout." We have probably moved on to the, "Here is the rationale" part.

 

I must admit that I have aired some mildly critical views about the lazier desultory histories and geographies presented to justify model railways.

("Must try harder boy/girl" I used to write in my long gone teaching days!)

Some of those views made it into print in Narrow Lines, the journal of the 7mm NGA, and one even made the hallowed  letters page of the Model Railway Journal, gently rebuffing, or so I thought (!) one of the great and good of the hobby. The opprobrium received on this website made me review that latter perception.

 

Perhaps I ought to post as "Pompous Ass" in future!

 

Anyhow here we go!

 

The location

 

Whenever I taught geography (as opposed to the preferred options of soccer/rugby/cricket) I used to select the 'Transport' option on the GCSE courses as far as practicable.

This involved some minor legerdemain with statistics, mathematically analysing transport networks. (Nothing too demanding as compared to attempting to teach Stats to undergraduates when I was a PG.)

The GNSR was a classic example of a 'tree' with minimal interconnectivity. My model, I therefore decided, would 'infill' part of this network and provide an alternative east-west route which would statistically massively improve the GNSR.

 

The first choice was to base a layout between Banff and Fraserburgh, a line which was partially applied for by the GNSR as a branch to Rosehearty.

Even allowing for the physical problems of discerning a route beyond the latter village into the Gardenstown area I quickly realised that the traffic prospects would be extremely limited.

 

Option two, therefore, was to select a site with more prospective through traffic to augment the basic diet.

A quick cast around suggested that a line between Cairnie Junction, Turriff and Maud Junction would kill many birds with one stone.

It would directly connect the Buchan ports of Fraserburgh and Peterhead with the west and open up the intervening countryside, which was good agricultural land.

In the process Aberchirder would receive a railway rather than relying upon buses from Huntly and agricultural output would be stimulated.

 

Vallance (The Great North of Scotland Railway, David & Charles 1965, p120) records that the Maud-Turriff section was actually proposed as the West Buchan Railway but that WWI intervened.

In my alternative universe the line was built and extended beyond Turriff to become a secondary through route.

With the site thus selected and the town renamed after the local 'Big House', to allow for pragmatic deviations from reality, I surveyed the proposed route.

 

 

40492462310_45cff2b110_z.jpgBanff & Buchan by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

 

The line has been plotted on Google Earth as shown.

I will spare you the machinations but the gradients for the Banffshire & Buchan were calculated (using pencil and paper, no electronic calculators here) to eventually give a feasible route which is shown on the map. The line leaves the GNSR mainline between Huntly and Cairnie Junction near Rothiemay station, which has been renamed Ruthven, and takes a circuitous route to Turriff.

The orange markers indicate passing stations.

 

The only one at a significant settlement west of Turriff is at Auchintoul.

The adjacent loops are provided to split the adjoining sections which would otherwise be too long for sensible operation.

That at Netherdale is necessary because it lies at the foot of a long stretch of a 1 in 70 whilst Denspark is almost literally in the middle of nowhere.

King Edward, on the Macduff branch, was similarly sited to split the section, although the LNER quickly dispensed with it.

 

The yellow markers indicate stations without a loop.

The GNSR seemed to be quite lavish in the provision of such establishments in places where traffic prospects would, on the face of it, appear to have been slim.

The layout includes Mains of Kirton, the building of which will be based upon that at King Edward.

 

 

42298329211_cfb5028bb5_z.jpgauchin 3 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

 

The railway's location in relation to Aberchirder is shown on the Google Earth photo.

The town was laid out on a grid plan during the eighteenth century so it was a simple matter to extend the grid "when the railway arrived".

The station is shown by the yellow marker and Station Street, at its junction with a continuation of School Street is shown in blue.

A footpath connects the road with the station, passing alongside the Rest & Be Thankful which is a cryptic comment upon the early services provided by the GNSR.

 

 

The train service.

 

The typical British branch line saw only three or four passenger trains each way per day, contrary to what could be believed from a casual glance at many models, supplemented by the local goods.

This of course is not an enticing prospect for a modeller keen on operation but the layout is supposed to provide a bucolic counterpoint to running a quasi mainline NG system. (The AFK, about which I occasionally post in the Overseas Modelling section of the forum.)

On a through line such as the Banff & Buchan a couple of additional goods might or might not run and that would be it for the day.

Passenger trains were split and joined at Maud Junction to provide services to Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

The B&B combines an additional portion from these trains to provide a direct service to Keith via Turriff and Cairnie Junction.

 

 

The model

 

One thing that irks me about model railway design is the almost unthinking subservience to the cult of the fiddle yard.

Obviously one would have to be an idiot not to appreciate the opportunities afforded by such devices but I do question whether they should be allowed to dominate model designs to the extent that they seem to.

In many instances a small station is fed by a monstrous fiddle yard three or four times as big as the scenicked area.

 

Having reduced their significance on my main layout (and written at length about it on my website) I decided to similarly downplay the N gauge layout's fiddle yard. Having paid good money for the baseboards and the room in which they sit I did not want to see trains hiding in a limboland of bare plywood.

 

 

One cost of fiddleyards is that modellers unthinkingly concentrate upon stations rather than the railway in the countryside therefore the back side of the layout has been developed as a line through a rural scene, which will hopefully materialise as Banffshire in Autumn.

The fiddleyard has been squeezed into an emaciated footprint between the two scenes. Trains reverse in or out as required, and if they cannot do this successfully, over sharply curved points, they have no place on

the finished layout.

 

I append some pictures of the layout under test, now that the trackwork, if not the wiring, is complete, along with a few observations. For the time being these are sixties BR trains as there is insufficient stock from other periods to run a timetable as yet.

 

 

42298329941_204bc2815d_z.jpgA1 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A couple of trains lined up in the central fiddleyard which fits behind the backscenes.

 

42298330611_d2233bca04_z.jpgA2 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Another view of the GA showing Auchintoul on the left the fiddleyard in the middle and the run through the countryside at the right with Mains of Kirton at the bottom right.

 

42298337651_aa24609f47_z.jpgA3 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Some provision has been made for getting all the wheels of the N gauge locos onto the track in the narrow space!

A straight piece is available beside the wheel cleaner where the backscenes curve apart.

The untidy wiring in the yard is obvious. It is out of sight and easily accessible.

 

 

42298332401_00009f5710_z.jpgA4 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The train reverses out onto the sharp curve before entering the scenic section.

If it enters the main station this is not important as I am on the other side of the layout and cannot see it.

The trace of the old set track curve is apparent. This had to be removed because the modern N gauge locos demand an 11 inch minimum radius.

 

41577391004_795e237d45_z.jpgA5 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The down Fraserburgh-Keith train eases into Mains of Kirton.

 

41577397334_8c49779002_z.jpgA6 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A Morris Minor waits at a wayside crossing for the train to go by. The crossing keeper's house is in the background.

 

41577399694_13d8dfb6cb_z.jpgA7 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The train is held at the down home which is the clearing point for its Keith-Fraserburgh counterpart.

The parsimonious GNSR rarely used outer homes. The home is slotted and the lever is reversed in the minor box.

The signal is yet to be built and in reality it would most likely be on the other side of the bridge, yet another model railwayism!

The quite distinctive bridge design is based on photos that I have taken of GNSR prototypes.

 

40492478160_fd89e50225_z.jpgA8 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

With the down train held at the clearing point the 2MT runs into Auchintoul under a typical GNSR girder bridge beside the distillery.

The locking mechanism and the detection bar are already in place at the business end of the point, which is interlaced, as were many which survived until closure.

 

40492479520_0fced2a929_z.jpgA9 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The up train pulls to a halt opposite the station buildings, having handed the token over to the signalman.

The platform is very low, in contrast to many models (another pet hate!) and portable steps will be required for any passengers wishing to board

 

40492480190_99bac2819e_z.jpgA10 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The track has deliberately been placed at a scale six foot between the platforms.

One by product is that it increases the apparent length of the platforms when compared to the usual spacing used on models.

This is often too wide due to the geometry of a well known track brand but there is still space for the (working) shunt signal in the foreground.

The signalman pulls the lever on the down home which releases the slot and clears it before the Keith-Fraserburgh train runs into the platform.

It has already been taken by Denspark so the section signal is off.

 

It will be quite a trek to get the token before replacing it in the machine and getting a release from Netherdale for the up train and he must not forget to replace the home's lever, which puts the home back, and pull the slot for the section signal.

 

27429453117_c8f1aaf9d5_z.jpgA11 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

First in, last out. Having got the token from Denspark the signaller walks the length of the up platform and gives it to the engine crew before crossing to the minor box (behind the loco).

He replaces the home lever into the frame, normalises the FPL, reverses the points, reverses the FPL again (not necessarily essential (depending upon the locking) but good practice anyway) and clears the section signal.

 

Hopefully he has released the slot from the major box otherwise it will obstinately remain "on" necessitating a walk back to the main box and another trip to the minor box to normalise the levers after the train has left!  Here, the "wee trainnie" is on its way.

 

42298348311_4861147d2e_z.jpgA12 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The sixties were more lenient times than the current railway's working environment so after all that palaver he might wander up to the Rest & Be Thankful in Station Street for a quick half.

Good job that there are so few trains!

 

This is an area of Auchintoul still known as 'The Quiniesbrae' after the fishwives who sold the products of the two ports from their creels to the town's inhabitants.

They gathered here to catch the return trains at the end of the day.

 

From the modelling point of view I suppose that it is still "Could do better!"

 

Ian T

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Premium

It has been a little while since I last posted about Auchintoul.

 

On the physical side of things the landscape and backscenes have been roughed in to provide a foundation for the more detailed work which will follow.

 

Some troubleshooting was needed with the fiddle yard pointwork, as expected, but this now seems to function properly.

 

A basic timetable has been prepared and initially tested, although more work is needed before it can be considered complete

Here is a selection of views illustrating the latest progress.

 

43191792871_6939a62b21_z.jpga15 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The Maud Junction to Cairnie Junction passenger runs into Auchintoul over the Chirder Water viaduct as it approaches Auchintoul.  

 

43191789991_d4a5044597_z.jpga13 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A mid sixties view of the train standing in the station with BR maroon stock.

The footbridge must be the last GNSR survivor as most succumbed to rot during the LNER period.

 

42287689645_5800c78cc3_z.jpga14 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The 'traditional' helicopter shot shows the general arrangement of the station with the town on the hillside above it to the left.

The paper markers indicate the possible positions of a cattle mart and various warehouses against the backscene.

 

42287690635_2d48e1e806_z.jpga17 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

In a pre WWI shot a class O pulls the local goods past the crossing keepers house on the back side of the layout.

 

43191793981_8d2fde1985_z.jpga16 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

This is a wider view of the train with the distinctive GNSR brake in the foreground. The 6 wheeled van is a NBR vehicle.

The train is mostly composed of opens as was the usual practice in this era.

The backscene is supposed to present the more threatening skies of Autumn.

 

The layout will probably be left in this state for some time to come as work must progress on the main (room sized) 7mm NG layout.

Hopefully the slightly more complete state of this layout should encourage rather more usage than was the case during the last interregnum.

 

Ian T

Edited by ianathompson
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

Operating Conundrums

 

Auchintoul has reverted to "semi moribund" status since the last post but a recent visit by Andy Greening saw it briefly spring to life, in BR fifties/sixties mode.

You will have to forgive the preponderance of R-T-R items taken straight from the box.

 

This resulted in an interesting session that threw up some operational wrinkles and questions which might be of interest to readers interested in prototypical operation.

To recap, Andy is a current NetworkRail signalman and I spent the last 16 years of my working career as a relief signaller.

It might be an N gauge railway but it has to operate like the real railway;~ within the Regulations!

 

We were attempting to run part of a provisional timetable, albeit that I was aware that there were some problems with this before we started.

I suspected that the proposed timetable would need a major redrafting and it will certainly be adjusted in the light of experience, but the session gave an enlightening insight into the problems faced every day on the steam worked railway reliant simply  upon the omnibus telephone, line of sight handsignals and the Tyers No 6 token instrument.

 

The basic timings used in the scenario were

 

Up goods arr 07.29 Keith-Maud Jct to shunt distillery only

 

Down passenger arr 07.49 Maud Jct-Cairnie Jct dep 07.51

 

Up passenger 08.17 Keith-Maud Jct dep 08.19

 

Down fish (express) pass 08.42 Fraserburgh-Glasgow

 

Up goods dep 08.55

 

The moves were carried out under the Regulations for Train Signalling and Signalmen's General Instructions 1960 edition (no gender equality back then!)

 

This played out as follows.

 

43504596941_8fcde885b1_z.jpg1 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

1. At 07.45 the up goods stands in the up platform as the first down passenger of the day heads towards Cairnie Junction and Keith (with an unrepainted LNER coach on the rear)..

 

Although 15 minutes have elapsed between the goods train's arrival and the passenger no work could be done during the interval because this train works the distillery (*) which is trailing to the goods train.

The traffic for this is marshalled at the front of the train and comprises the six vehicles in front of the brown hopper.

 

Unless the signalman runs down the platform to take the Netherdale-Auchintoul tablet from the passenger train driver, an unlikely event, whilst giving him the one for the  Auchintoul-Dens Park section, there will be a further slight delay.

 

* various names are contemplated for the distillery such as Foggieloan, Strathdeveron or simply Auchintoul. Any preferences anyone? Have a sip of a nice single whilst you ruminate.

 

 

29633543738_0dc917216d_z.jpg2 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

2. The down passenger has departed and the Netherdale-Auchintoul token is back in the machine.

The up goods needs to pull forward to "cross the road".

The signalman is in Auchintoul's major box so he gives Netherdale  the 5-2 "release token" bell code under Regulation 7(d) and takes a token out of the machine.

He will have to walk along the platform to the minor box at the Netherdale end of the platform to reverse the points whilst giving the token to the driver as he passes.

 

Would he pull the slot on the starter given that this was a shunting move (always assuming that he had released the slot in the major box)?

Would the shunt move clear the home or would it stop, as here, just clear of the detection bar?

 

Having reached a clear understanding with the driver that he is about to make a shunt move the signalman authorises it onto the single line, (preferably by a yellow flag if I was doing it, given the recalcitrance of some drivers).

In this case the train has pulled forward and cleared the locking bar, as shown, although it is still missing here.

 

In all probability the home would be beyond the bridge on the prototype, but it will not be on the model.

If it did not clear the home would the guard give the driver a hand signal having seen a flag from the signalman authorising it to set back?

 

 

29633544638_31633444de_z.jpg3 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

3. The back half of the train has been left in the down platform and the loco and distillery wagons have run onto the main line again before setting back into the up road.

The signalman leaves the points reversed in the minor box, pulls the slot on the up starter (for the soon to arrive up passenger) and walks back along the platform to the major box.

 

Here he reverses the points into the distillery siding and pulls the Stevens drop flap "dodd" before replacing the token into the Netherdale-Auchintoul machine and sending 2-5 "token replaced" to Netherdale.

In all probability a "knock and drop" 1 beat would replace the prescribed sixrteen beats, unless a Signalling Inspector was present!

 

As this is a regular occurrence I originally assumed that he gave 1-1 "answer the phone" to Dens Park to inform him that he could take the up passenger.

This version of the Regs does not authorise this bell code, however, so I presume that he calls Dens Park on the omnibus using the special ring code.

 

I also assume that he replies to the subsequent 3-1 request with 3-5-5 to indicate that he is taking the train under the warning arrangement.

This would have to be authorised under the Box Instructions.

 

In these circumstances the train would the approach Auchintoul at extreme caution expecting to find the home signal at danger.

The observant will note that a big click-clock has beamed down from the AFK (upstairs) which shows that each move takes three minutes, a fairly leisurely interval, but this is a bucolic backwater.

 

 

29633545358_3c2fddf977_z.jpg4 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

4. The up passenger eventually arrives to find that the shunting is blocking the mainline.

You will notice that the clock, that tyrant ever watching over the shoulder of our signalman, shows that the train is now late.

At least in this era he will not have TDA on the phone squawking about a one minute delay!

The passenger is held until this is in the clear and the home signal can be cleared.

The 4MT tank is now locked into the sidings as any movement beyond the sidings' gate would be derailed by the single blade trap point.

 

 

29633546088_2fe9af70bc_z.jpg5 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

5. With the up local passenger standing in the platform, well clear of the distillery siding points, does the 4MT resume shunting?

This would be a well rehearsed move performed on a daily basis and the driver would presumably be aware that the passenger train was standing in the platform, despite his intellectually challenged status as a driver (all bets are off!).

 

Our consensus of opinion is that, dodgy as it may seem, if this is a regular occurrence the move might well take place on a hand signal from the box, without the siding signal being cleared.

Once again a clear understanding would have to be reached with the driver.

 

I worked with a laid back boss like this.

"It's OK so long as nothing goes wrong, in which case I don't want to know!"

 

 

43456824372_09a9898bed_z.jpg6 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

6. The passenger train has gone and the section signal has been put back to normal by the lever operating the slot in the main box.

The distillery shunting has been completed, with the picked up wagons now attached to the loco.

 

These leave the siding and proceed towards the up section signal. Regulation 7 (a) allows the signalman to put a shunt into a section behind a train going away from the station.

This is one of the few occasions when the driver can legally enter a section without the tablet.

 

The section signal is locked with the block instruments and cannot be cleared again, necessitating the move to be authorised by a handsignal.

As the points into the distillery need to be put normal behind the move this handsignal would presumably be given from the major box as the signalman begins another trek to the minor box.

 

Auchintoul can expect to be asked to take a down through fish express from Netherdale as soon as the passenger train clears the section.

Assuming that he has authorised the shunt move past the up section signal, as described above, Reg 7 (a) stipulates the he must give the 3-3 "blocking back" bell code when he receives the 2-1 "train out of section".

This Regulation is written on the assumption that the signalman is always present when on duty but of course he has to walk between two boxes at Auchintoul, with the instruments being placed in the major box.

 

We come to a grey area here.

I suspect that many signalmen would develop 'temporary deafness' and would not answer the 1 beat "call attention" pleading that they were out of the box when it was received.

It is important to remember here that part of the up goods is currently standing in the down platform (photo 3) and that a shunt cannot enter the Netherdale-Auchintoul section when a train is coming towards Auchintoul.

 

I presume that this 'deafness' was even more acute if there was a delay in the shunting and the move had not even left the distillery when the 1 bell was received.

I suppose that in extreme circumstances the express could be taken.

 

It would then be stopped at the home signal and handsignalled through the station on the down line if necessary, but this really would be a last resort.

 

Today all is running smoothly and the signalman walks to the minor box, replaces the levers operating the signal slots and puts the points normal before handsignalling the shunt back onto its train.

Whilst doing this he also operates the slot on the home signal before once more walking back to the major box.

At his point he 'hears' the block bell, or more probably rings Netherdale on the omnibus phone.

 

 

42787764424_10627f779a_z.jpg7b by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

7.By courtesy of a low flying drone (I'm sure that these were around at the time, what with flying saucers etc) we can observe that the up goods is now reformed but that it is standing in the down platform.

The signalman takes the fish train from Netherdale but we now come to another grey area. 

 

Would he send 5-2 to Dens Park to get a release for a token covering the shunt move to put the up goods onto the up road?

The Regulations state that he should.

This would then require sending 2-5 when the move was in the clear and replacing the token into the machine before sending 1-3-1 to release a token for the fish train.

This would be "a right palaver".

 

I suspect that he would more likely give Dens Park 1-3-1, place a reminder appliance over the home signal slot and the section signal levers, check and recheck that the points were across, and then authorise the shunt move to go into the Auchintoul-Dens Park section with a handsignal.

 

This also raises a question about how assiduously shunt moves were recorded in the TRB and how closely the timings were audited!

Any ideas anyone?

 

 

43456825792_c3abd2118b_z.jpg8 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

8. As this is a propelling move we can surmise that the driver will hopefully appreciate that he is not going too far away rather than accelerating the train, particularly as there is a steep falling gradient beyond the bridge!

If the driver is not careful he could have a runaway or snatch a coupling out.

All rather nerve racking as it is an unauthorised move and could result in a Form 1 (Please explain.......)

The section signal, just behind the loco (or it will be eventually) cannot be cleared for this move because it will lock the points.

 

Once the move is clear of the detection bar it would have to be replaced to release them but if it had been cleared it would need releasing from Dens Park block instrument again before it could be cleared once more. 

This could be achieved by sending 3-5 "cancelling"  and replacing the token before sending 1-3-1 again but would be self defeating as an exercise in avoiding work.

 

Having made sure that the reminder appliances are on the relevant levers our corner-cutting signalman gives the driver a yellow flag to proceed.

 

 

43456826172_850905a461_z.jpg9 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

9. The loco propels the train beyond the home signal, (which will be placed near where the loco stands), in preparation for running into the up platform.

The main point of this photo is to show that the locking bar and FPLs have been vestigially  modelled at this, the south end of the layout

The distillery sidings are to the right..

The co-acting home signal would be cleared to authorise the move.

The adjacent 'dodd' will indicate that the road is set into the goods yard.

 

 

42787765004_47174382b6_z.jpg10 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

 

10. With the shunt move now in the up platform the points are reversed once again, the reminder appliances are removed and the signals are cleared.

Finally the fish train passes.

 

I would almost say "barrels through" but there is no Manson tablet catcher which necessitates a reduction in speed from the through train to carry out the token exchange.

In any case BR timings in the sixties were not too different from those on the pre WWI GNSR as they were restricted by the infrastructure provided in the first instance.

 

 

In retrospect I suspect that I misread the timetable but I might go so far as to incorporate the need to 'cross the road' in the finished article.

 

A recent article in Model Railroader made the point that the professionals faced these difficult and demanding situations every day and developed tried and trusted routines to deal with them.

It is more difficult for modellers, who only run their layouts occasionally, to develop the same routines.

 

I have never carried out shunting with loose coupled trains, neither have I operated a Tyers No 6 instrument.

With this in mind it would be interesting to receive the insights of any forum members who did perform these activities regularly (or still do on preserved railways).

 

If nothing else it shows how much fun can be had with a simple layout in the right conditions.

 

 

 

Ian T

Edited by ianathompson
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

You said ‘walk’ in relation to going from the block post in the station buildings to the signalbox at the points. Is the bike broken? Gone now, but Nairn still used a bike in the 90s and (I think in 1983) I saw a token exchange on the move at Nairn - it was the signalman moving (on the bike) and the train stationary!

Paul.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I have wondered about whether to 'provide' a bike or not!

 

From what I can recollect of Nairn's arrangements, having crossed the bridge on the way to watching County play, they were about 200 yards apart.

 

I certainly saw a bike in use at Brora back in the day when I went to watch Rangers play but the boxes appeared to be further apart there.

 

Some GNSR boxes seem to have been quite close together, such as at Spey Bay, which Google Earth suggests were about 180 yards apart.

 

The signaller had a third port of call on the Highland however as the block instruments were in the station building with both boxes effectively being glorified ground frames.

 

In typical GNSR pattern the Auchintoul West box contains the instruments whereas Auchuintoul East is effectively a groundframe.

 

Incidentally I understand that the GNSR frequently did not provide name boards at it's boxes.Is this correct?

 

Ian T

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Premium

Inverness Citadel

 

I have given up trying to change the topic's title. Perhaps some-one could enlighten me as to how you do this?

 

Anyway as a serial builder of unfinished layouts an idea occurred for another GNSR layout.

 

Although work continues with Auchuintoul and the AFK I am likely to be spending more time with my elderly mother at my sister's home in the Cotswolds.

 

All well and good but obviously there is no model railway there.

 

Enter Inverness Citadel: a small fold up layout designed (?) to be a self contained easily portable layout (well that's the plan).

 

30724956788_e8a7253922_k.jpg16 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

30724958788_61041a4444_k.jpg017 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The two photos give a general idea of what is planned, although it bears little resemblance to any prototypical design and basically amounts to cram as much track in as you can to sustain interest.

 

Hopefully this idea will make some progress eventually.

 

The rationale is that the GNSR finally beat the Highland Railway's blocking tactics and reached Inverness via Forres Picthill and Nairn West End.

 

In the early twentieth century there was plenty of space for expansion to the east of the city although today this area (out towards ICT's ground) is a badlands of industrial units, fast food joints, by passes and all the ugly paraphanalia of modern settlements.

 

For any residents of Inverness the layout is located just off Shore Street where the Cromwell's citadel was located. It can be pinpointed by the fact that Citadel FC's stand will stand roughly where the red pen is.

 

Citadel did not of course go bust in 1935 but still play on in the Highland League in my alternative reality.

 

Regards

 

Ian T

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

Inverness Citadel: The theory

 

A somewhat sketchy background was given to the Inverness "might have been" in the last posting. Hopefully this posting will fill in the details for those few interested, although given its length I am sure that most of you will have lost the will to live before reaching the end!

 

Without delving too deeply into the minutiae of mid Victorian Railway politics the Great North of Scotland Railway was the in simple terms the first railway in the area that it was named for. That this eventually proved to be a grandiloquent name for a relatively minor railway was more down to the antics and attitudes of its early directors than anything else. The initial intention of the railway was to link Aberdeen and Inverness but, as has been well documented, the good people of Inverness grew impatient with the Aberdeen based company, formed their own company and built directly southwards to Perth thereby side stepping their rivals. As the initial route of the Highland Railway took it through Forres it was a simple matter to throw off a branch to Keith which was as far as the GNSR had reached by this stage. Having been thwarted in their initial ambitions the GNSR continually attempted to extend their system towards Inverness but, with the exception of the circuitous route between Keith and Elgin, and the resulting acrimony regarding the exchange point, they were rebuffed by the Highland.

 

 

Many of the expansion attempts were based upon supporting proposed branch lines north of Inverness as an excuse to secure running powers over the Highland's route. In my alternative universe I have assumed that the (imaginarily extended) 1891 proposal for an  Garve and Ullapool branch became reality. The Highland built these branches but the GNSR was left with the orphaned remnant of a line into Inverness. This was completed in 1895. Five minutes drawing lines onto Google Earth produced a line paralleling the Highland's route. A recent trip to watch Cove Rangers (to complete the full set of Highland League grounds) and a trip into Inverness on the train proved that this was reasonably viable in physical terms, although the Auchintoul route was interesting to view on the ground!

 

43971891425_b33ae33dd9_k.jpgInv Cit 031 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The detailed proposal is shown on the adjacent map. The new line branches off the old mainline to the south of Elgin and runs into Elgin Boroughbrae (so recently renamed that the Tippex wasn't dry!) sited to the south of the Highland station. As the second railway in the town the GNSR was "expected" to add a suffix to the station names to avoid confusion, (although it appears not to actually have done this at Elgin). As the football ground rejoices in the name of Borough Briggs the morphologically challenged engineers decided that the slight slope downwards from the Borough centre gave them the excuse of using "Brae". At least Quiniesbrae at Auchintoul actually is a slope (and not half!)  The provision of a chord from the Coast line and the Lossiemouth branch rendered the old station redundant although it still serves as a much reduced transfer point for goods traffic. There is, of course, no need to any longer walk along the exchange platform to catch a Highland connection to Inverness. The new line ran roughly a mile or two south of the Highland's route pausing at Forres Picthill and Nairn West End. The suffixes were devised with the help of Wikipedia, although its reliability is often open to debate! There is apparently a large stone covered in Pictish runes at Forres and the West End of Nairn was a noted area of Victorian villa development.

 

Inverness remained a small compact town before WWI with a population of about 20,000 (presumably, extrapolating from Wikipedia) with plenty of open space to the east of the town. The bucolic backdrops are clearly apparent in photographs of the Highland facilities looking eastwards towards the Moray Firth. The lack of population in this area was also cited as one reason for Citadel FC's demise in 1935. The GNSR crossed the Highland's mainline at Culloden and built a yard at Seafield which served as the loco depot and exchange point for traffic with the Highland. It then re-crossed the older company's line near Raigmore to run into its terminus at Inverness Citadel. The station was named for the short lived citadel established by Cromwell's troops in the 1650s following the Civil War as a base to dominate the Highland clans. Citadel football team had been playing at Shore Street since the 1880s and so the GNSR built their station alongside the ground, a short walk from the town centre, roughly where the oil terminal stands today. Harbour Road was built after WWII but I have assumed that the railway's arrival meant that it was built much earlier and slightly to the north of its present route, with station fronting on to it.

 

The working arrangements for the line are subject to some speculation. As presented the route diagram indicates eleven stations between Inverness and Nairn. Any-one familiar with the area will appreciate that this is mostly open agricultural land almost devoid of settlement. Culloden, Croy and Cawdor are actual villages which would merit a station (and Culloden had one on the later direct Highland mainline) but I have assumed that the GNSR instituted a suburban service similar to that operated at Aberdeen in the early years of the twentieth century. Although Aberdeen was a much larger city the GNSR had become an innovative forward looking company by 1900 so it seems reasonable to suggest that they might have attempted to drum up some traffic with a more intensive service out to Nairn. I envisage the settlements (some of which don't actually exist) to have grown moderately rather than massively, allowing the service to be maintained by one or two locos and sets of carriages. This is my cover story for the Dapol M7 that I intend to convert to a GNSR class R. I have already had one unsuccessful bite at this cherry but have determined on another attempt. In any case it might also provide an incentive to attempt to create a Cravens class 105 dmu as well.

 

43971889585_3a669e5bcf_c.jpgInv Cit 030 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The station layout, as shown by the sketched box diagram, is laid out with an arrival and a departure platform, although by BR days this distinction was no longer quite so applicable. A siding parallel to the platforms serves the goods shed. This is based on the physical layout at Elgin, although the signal box diagram for Elgin East shows that it was accessed from the yard by hand points. I had originally intended that this road would be provided with a platform face and used by parcels traffic which would make sense given the close proximity of the backscene/football ground perimeter. The semi redundant nature of the departure platform suggests that the vans dealing with parcels and Post Office traffic could easily stand at the bufferstop end of the platform. The goods shed could then be supplemented by a loading bank. The signalled part of the layout is relatively small as it is assumed that a six lever groundframe controls the inner part of the arrival platform and that most of the points in the yard are hand worked. Freight traffic is limited by the length of the loop road to about ten wagons but this disadvantage provides an excuse for a frequent service. It is assumed that all freights are trip workings from Seafield Yard with shunting being done by the loco. The cramped nature of the model layout, somewhat at odds with the expansive layout that could have been provided in reality requires these trains to partially reverse into the yard to run round, accounting for the unconventional layout and working methods. The real life football ground was noted for its malodorous nature due to the neighbouring slaughter house and tannery as well as the raw winds nipping in from the Firth. These have translated into a meat packing warehouse and a flour mill on the layout. The as yet undesignated kick back siding could serve a tannery as well. Other traffics include coal and a shunting stick extension into the port that would provide an excuse for fish traffic, timber and petroleum.

 

One area of conjecture is the nature of the station buildings that would have been provided. My first inclination was to provide a quite substantial building based upon stone ones at Elgin (GNS), as a sort of 'Elgin-lite'. Recent reflection suggests that the railway's very late arrival would have been marked by a much more modest establishment. The Highland was the main player in town and the GNS was the usurper with little real prospect of making inroads into their hegemony. My latest inclination is to provide a small wooden structure which could have been cheaply provided with the possibility of a more substantial rebuild if traffic exceeded expectations. The terminus at Balmoral, the starting point for the royal trains, was similarly constructed of wood (and has just been rebuilt following a disastrous fire) so what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander. The Balmoral example was parallel with the platform however and the layout demands one perpendicular to the platforms. Cannon Street on the Hull & Barnsley provides an example of my intentions as it was another was another minor terminus similarly built of wood in a backstreets location.  (I understand that the Hull & Barnsley had originally intended to extend the line to a much grander terminus near the city centre). I am sure that there were many other similar secondary termini throughout the country.

 

That might seem to be a lot of flummery for a small shunting plank but if you are going to model 'might have beens' it is best to have at least a flimsy take on an alternative reality, if only to salve your conscience.

 

Ian T

Edited by ianathompson
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Inverness Citadel: Practicalities

 

After all the blather of the previous post the idea here is to take a look at the actual model. I have, over the years gained experience in designing and constructing models that were supposed to be compact; easily portable and quick to set up or dismantle. They were not! This is my latest attempt based on these failures. I am not holding my breath that I will be any more successful!

 

29947259587_296c1614a0_c.jpgInv Cit 001 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The shenanigans in all its glory! The idea is that the whole thing is self contained and that I can walk in, put the layout down and be up and running in five minutes. To this end the baseboards are much deeper and more complex than usual (and heavier as well) because they are meant in the finished version to include stock trays, integral control panels and controllers and a cubby hole for tools, quick release clamps and a quayside extension. It has just been found that this latter is too big to fit into its designed recess (as shown)! More work with the hacksaw and chisel is in prospect.

 

31011023218_18649646bb_c.jpgInv Cit 008 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The intention is that everything is integral and slides out to allow the layout to operate. The controller will live in a drawer and the switch panels will also slide out. Note the quick release clamp which allows the quay extension to fit onto the layout end. Two other clamps will make sure that the joint across the hinges is secure.

 

29947260387_9c47e716ce_c.jpgInv Cit 004 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The sector plate also hides within the framework of the layout.

 

29947261197_12d4b149cc_c.jpgInv Cit 006 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Simply remove a bolt and unfold the layout and you are ready to go. The layout is crammed with track with the two island platforms at the left. The goods arrival line runs through the double slip in the bottom centre and trains have to be reversed into the yard to release the loco. Designing this layout was a bit hit and miss as despite three goes on a full sized sheet of paper using Peco templates there were still problems once the pointwork had arrived which necessitated a re-arrangement to get it all to fit. It looks to flow about as well as can be expected using fixed formations, although there are a few unnatural jogs here and there. This is my first use of proprietary pointwork since Noah left the Ark and I am used to just 'going where I want'. On the other side of the coin the trackwork was put down in one go rather than taking weeks to assemble. Even then the use of a slitting disc and a few tweaks with a soldering iron and some copperclad sleepers were called for. I suppose that the cramped nature of the layout, seriously over crammed with track made this inevitable.

 

31011024768_07c0b8541c_c.jpg005 - Copy by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The main layout, continental 7mm narrow gauge, has track that just goes where it wants, including through the middle of a point on the quayside at Eromarbordo. There are plenty of other weird and wonderful formations elsewhere on the layout....

 

31011027168_80efac4dca_c.jpg005 (2) by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

... but on the other side of the coin you cannot just slap it down at one go! Wonder what chance there is of Peco replicating this!

 

44163460764_cc24326b42_c.jpgInv Cit 012 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Back to the job in hand. The sector plate is pivoted outwith the layout itself, as seen at the right. The drawer is pulled out and locked into position with the bolt at the left. The previous intention of using a hinge, hence the recess in the baseboard, did not work.

 

31011028758_a0bd741307_c.jpgInv Cit 015 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The sector plate has been bolted on and all is ready to go. It will receive sides and an end stop in due course.

 

44833504562_6e9e4be6c0_c.jpgInv Cit 016 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Within five or ten minutes, maybe longer depending upon how long it takes to position stock, the first train pulls in from Elgin/Aberdeen. The camera battery was running down at this point which I hope explains the fuzziness of the photos.

 

43071998890_46d0cc00b2_c.jpgInv Cit 018 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The points are operated from the front of the layout and I have used my preferred techniques as far as possible. The rods are surplus rail and operate the microswitches which will change the point's crossing polarity, although some of these proprietary points don't seem to have the wiring connections that I think they should! I will wait and see what happens when I try to wire them up! The black styrene stops the loops round the tie bars from overriding them. These connections are so much easier to arrange with a copper clad sleeper! It was originally intended to put the microswitches at the back until I realised that being unable to solder activators to the far side of plastic tie bar massively complicated the issue. Eventually the styrene will be covered by landscaping materials as will the switches. The 'knobs' are chocolate block connectors. I don't usually bother to cut the plastic housings off when I use them on the main layout but the small nature of N gauge and the close proximity to some of the sidings suggested (after the inevitable false start) that it would be a good idea. A couple of (ungapped) copperclads have been inserted to keep the alignments and also slightly tighten the curve of the 'curved' point.

 

43071999480_d8fd5555df_c.jpgInv Cit 020 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The flour mill (left) and the meat packing plant (right) will be flats hiding the sector plate and will travel in one of the drawers. They come from a Walthers kit and will be adjusted as needed. That reminds me that somewhere or other a grain elevator kit lurks in a drawer. The coal merchants' siding is in the foreground.

 

43072001260_c0fc6aa4bc_c.jpgInv Cit 022 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Unfortunately out of focus but the battery was flashing red by now! The top end of platform 1, the old departure platform, may be better used for parcels and Post Office traffic hence the full brakes parked here. This would then free up the goods shed road, behind, for other traffic. There is easily room for a dmu to come into the platform.

 

44833512782_e34cfd8bcb_c.jpgInv Cit 024 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The use of the semi redundant platform and the more varied role of the goods shed raises questions as to what this siding ought to be used for. The obvious choice of a whisky distillery does not appeal as the one at Auchintoul has more space than this one and even that is undersized.. Maybe a tannery could go in here. It would seem to be a prototypically noxious industry for a port area.

 

44833513642_906eeb11a1_c.jpgInv Cit 027 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

I have managed to cut off the front of the loco but this shot does show the short nature of freight trains that can be accommodated. The line in the foreground leads to the quayside.

 

The next job is to complete the wiring and then run the layout intensively, away from home, to discern any areas that need attention. I suppose that, if it proves viable, it could be exhibited but that would seem unlikely given that most Saturdays are taken up watching or being involved with sport and that church music takes out most Sundays.

Ian T

Edited by ianathompson
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Premium

First impressions on the road

 

Citadel had its first run out away from home, not an ideal situation, but one created by my late decision to go ahead with the build. I had expected a few problems and I was not disappointed!

 

The first problem arose from my carpentry skills, or lack thereof! When placed on the table at my sister's the layout overhung the edges by some margin and adopted a shape akin to a French circonflex accent (i.e. with the extremities sloping upwards towards the middle). This caused the trailing wheels of steam locos such as the 4MT tanks to derail, especially in reverse, as the fixed wheelbase lifted the bogie above rail height on the adjacent board. This will require some woodworking bodgery to correct. The diesels were a little happier and so work in the yard was handed over to them.

 

The performance of the Peco pointwork was indifferent to say the least. There were a few problems with derailments but by far the more worrying aspect was the failure of all the rails to energise when they should. The three way point at the entrance was dead on one blade which gave poor running until rectified with the soldering iron and, in desperation, a paperclip soldered to an adjacent rail. One of the older points, with built in switching (?) failed completely, both at the crossing and the blade. Running was further compromised by a failure at the adjacent double slip, which was live at the guard rails but dead on the crossing. As I have previously noted I am quite happy to build my own track and it was only laziness that led to the use of Peco's products. The problems can easily be rectified with a soldering iron and some wire so I am not too worried but it does raise the question as to how other modellers cope with these shortcomings, especially those who are unable to solder. Four points exhibited these problems out of the dozen or so bought. A number of rail joints were slightly out of alignment and will require attention before the layout goes out again. I had quickly forgotten just how picky N gauge is.

 

The transition to the sector plate also proved problematical and the nearest road could not be accessed at all, although it was checked before it went out, honestly! Never mind, there is a slight difference in levels which will need addressing before it is used again.


31247516088_9ea092fff6_c.jpg1 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

On the operational side the layout had not even been test run until it was set up. The long siding leading to the quayside (red arrow) quickly proved to be a white elephant and the latest thoughts are to access the quays (off shot at the bottom right) by a crossover from the headshunt and use the space for a coal yard. This will free up the siding in the yard (top right, occupied by 16T mineral wagons) for general goods. It will also make the quays available without having to reverse too many times. The blue arrow indicates another operational problem area. The point in front of the dmu (in a temporally challenged livery!) will be removed and placed closer to the buffers. This will then be worked by a groundframe. It should then be possible to shunt wagons with the loco locked into platform 1 rather than pulling out onto the approach road (on the sector plate) for every movement. This will please the signalman even if it doesn't the shunter and loco crews. A fair length of the goods siding as laid is redundant anyway.

 

No timetable as such was in use and it is intended in any case that the goods trains will be trips, as required, from Seafield Yard. The complexities of the layout, forced by the space restraints, resulting in short headshunts and a number of kick backs, call for some care in shunting if the yard is not to become tangled up. Passenger services were operated by the dmu(s) covering the Nairn suburban service and the steam locos the Elgin services.

 

31247517038_2eacf25256_c.jpg2 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

A passenger arrives from Elgin behind a standard 5MT whilst the 2MT waits with a short fish train.

 

31247517638_7c8c35d10f_c.jpg3 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The coal siding in the foreground will in all probability become a general siding and a bridge will eventually hide the exit, crossing over the position where the vans are standing.

 

Whilst I would not want to think that this was my main layout there is plenty of scope for development.  The problems will gradually be addressed so that work progresses towards a more complete rendition. The main layout, the multi stationed AFK, has been standing idle for far too long and this is where effort will be expended in the immediate future.

 

Ian T

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • RMweb Premium

Just a brief update about the very limited progress made with the N gauge layouts. The AFK, naturally, takes most of my time.

 

Auchintoul has been untouched for some time but Inverness Citadel fulfilled its intended purpose over Christmas period

 

A bigger supporting table (hence no hump in the track) and some attention to various track joints resulted in a better performance.

The Peco points were also fiddled with to ensure that their electrical continuity was as it is supposed to be rather than non functioning as supplied.

The layout ran in a sixties transition mode using steam and diesel stock.

 

Some track alterations are now required for operational reasons and then, hopefully, scenic work can begin.

 

Meanwhile thoughts have inevitably occurred about replacing the short stub, representing the quays alongside the Ness, with something a little larger.

 

The following photos show  a sketched out proposal.

 

46002195844_6c354ce093_c.jpgops decant 004 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

This is an overall view  with the station at the bottom and the quay at the top.

 

46002194964_d89baa950b_c.jpgops decant 002 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The central siding, below the crane would be disused in a modern option. The scenic break by the Cargovan would be a warehouse.

 

46002197894_2d8a4fc983_c.jpgops decant 006 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The oil depot siding would be reached by a kick back from the headshunt. The lead is long enough for a class 37 and two bogie tanks but it is a very tight squeeze for a class 66 and two. The shunter is therefore on contract work to shunt the quays.

 

All a bit far fetched, I know, and trying to model in so many periods will create its own problems.

The trackwork on the extension would be scratchbuilt.

 

On the pre-grouping side I have decided that the NBR branch to Fort Augustus was built through to Inverness as intended so a donor chassis has been found to convert into a C16 (LNER designation) 4-4-2T.

If this ever comes to fruition I will publish a revised map of the Inverness railways.

 

Ian T.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Premium

Some months on from the previous post Auchintoul hosted another semi serious session today.

A couple of points have had remedial work during the interim but the layout has seen little action, except as a roundy roundy for running in purposes.

 

After some time discussing, amongst other things the problems of the real railway, with Andy Greening we ran through the same sequence as last July, which seems likely to become a fixture in the timetable whenever it is eventually produced. Once again the main point of contention was shunting the up goods from the down platform to the up road to let the fish pass.

 

47156538042_29607af175_c.jpg59 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

The train is similar to the previous photo, even to the locomotive type and orientation. This seems reasonable in that if it worked there was no reason to change it. The consensus this time around was that the Auchintoul signalman would take the fish from Netherdale but would move the local freight onto the up road by sending 5-2 "Release token" to Dens Park. This is allowed in the Regulations for both Shunting and Engineering purposes. The driver is not allowed to enter the section without the token. The signalman shows the driver the token and calls him past the down home without clearing it. 

 

If the driver now runs away on the gradient the signalman is now covered by having used the correct bell code and can blame the driver. He can even give him the token if he feels so inclined and take it back when the engine passes over the barrow crossing, although one really would not trust the driver in these circumstances. I can think of one that I worked with where I would have done this!

 

47156540412_6e91f51002_c.jpg60 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Once the driver clears the locking bar the road is put across and the goods returns to the (correct) up road. The Auchintoul signalman then sends  "Train In" and he and his Dens Park counterpart enter 2-5 in the book followed by 1-3-1 bells (for the fish) two minutes later. Three further minutes are allowed before the correct "Train Entering Section" is put into the book. Of course this is cutting corners and would be frowned upon by Authority. If an Inspector was around an unofficial private code such as 1-1 (which later became "Answer the Phone") could be used to ensure working by the Book. The telephone would, of course, be on the omnibus circuit. No point in broadcasting one's misdemeanours!

 

Ian T

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Upon re-reading this thread, partly to remind myself of what I had written, I came across reference to a desire for a Cravens class 105 dmu.

 

47209857971_b266086956_c.jpgops decant 005 by Ian Thompson, on Flickr

 

Well here it is. Best not to look too closely and do not ask about the mechanical turpitude of MaD (the AFK's works), with my other hat on.

 

The photo, taken from the "wrong" side of the layout, also shows the massive waiting shed based on that at Pitmedden, on the GNoSR mainline.

Although it could pass muster as an OO9 model it is as accurate as I can make it with reference to photos.

 

Ian T

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...