Popular Post meanach Posted January 16, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2018 (edited) It has been suggested to me that I move Meanach away from the personal blogs section and into the layout section. A little late perhaps , as it's now 8 years old ! It has just had a 1/4 of it re built ! Meanach is a fictitious place based on a real location . The name is taken from one of my favourite mountain bothies . The line itself is situated between Tulloch on the west highland line and the central highland line . It was actually proposed several times , even as recently as 1971! The finances eventually being deployed to improving the road up the great glen . Predominantly a freight line with heavy timber traffic, several passenger trains a day (4 each way, 1 on Sunday ) traverse the section , either heading north to Inverness or south to Perth. Meanach serves a few spread out settlements and offers handy access to Ben Alder mountain to the south. I chose 1988 as the year as this was my first trip on a family holiday to Ardlui . My parents didn't drive and so everyday , including the trip up , was a class 37 filled banonza ! To the 13 year old me it was heaven . Almost everyday offered a new class 37 to Oban , Glasgow (for the national garden centre) , Fortwilliam . Of course 1988 was also the last full year of loco hauled passenger trains. Meanach is bolted permanently in the loft , a decision I now regret ! It measures 13 feet in width with the station section 11 feet . 2 fiddle yards staggered make it an almost continual run . However I didn't want a 'roundy roundly' type layout . Being set where it is, the occasional class 26 or class 20 wanders over from Perth . The stock consists of speedlink traffic of the era as well as Mk1 and 2a/b carriages . Everything is DCC sound . This was what got me back into the hobby after a gap of 32 or so years. Photos below on this title page thanks to Chris Nevard Modelrail Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach Broken link 33 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 They were right about moving it out of the personal blogs, never seen this before and it looks excellent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2018 Captures the look very nicely, even the trees are right Weathering is very nicely done too, could we possibly have lots more photos 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 They were right about moving it out of the personal blogs, never seen this before and it looks excellent. Thanks very much . I was a bit unsure and worried about repetition as nobody likes being spammed ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post meanach Posted January 16, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2018 (edited) 26023 passes the recently installed workmans bothy , an execellent severn models brass kit. 37408 heads in from the direction of the west highland line . Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach Missing images 26 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Legroom Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 Wow! Can't believe I haven't seen your layout previously so thanks for putting this in the layout section. Can't wait to see more! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike140 Posted January 16, 2018 Share Posted January 16, 2018 How has this been hidden away from us for 8 years?! Thank you for bringing this over to layout topics. Looking forward to seeing more of this. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post meanach Posted January 16, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted January 16, 2018 (edited) 2 views from Alt nan clach river , looking towards Meanach box. Scratch built using brass windows which I picked up at Perth exhibition some years ago . Wills plasticard and balsa wood for the roof. The steps were from a long discarded industrial kit . The interior is lit and fitted out with a wills ? (I think!) white metal interior. The river itself was made from polyfilla roughly mixed to represent swirling water. It was then undercoated and layered with various own mix gloss enamel tones and over layered with W.S realistic water. More recently , due to age I stripped some of the 'water' out as it was looking a little flat! 2 entire bottles later it looks more river like again . I took the opportunity to add some stream boulders and build up the river banks. The low afternoon light captures 37416 approaching from the east. 26035 heads the other direction . Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach Missing images 28 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold young37215 Posted January 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2018 Your pictures really create a strong feeling of the western highlands, the scenic work in particular is first class. If I can get close to this with my WHL based layout I will be chuffed to bits. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted January 16, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 16, 2018 I did see this when you had the blog running but I think you'll get more viewers with this thread Really impressive modelling in the 'less is more' category. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share Posted January 16, 2018 Your pictures really create a strong feeling of the western highlands, the scenic work in particular is first class. If I can get close to this with my WHL based layout I will be chuffed to bits. I've previously enjoyed browsing your layout blog . I think your island platforms in particular are spot on for the west highland line , more prototypical than I achieved with Meanach but it's all a learning curve ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 (edited) Just off the work bench... another batch of Grampus. Slightly more battered than Meanachs time period but I intend to also use these on a forthcoming project set in 1994. Edited October 24, 2023 by meanach Image loss 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Great to see this layout here, Superb weathering and scenic's. Nice work on the Grampus too, looking forwards to you next project. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparxD428 Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Superb layout thanks for moving it to the layouts section. I just love that cracking picture of 37408 , really captures the atmosphere and era perfectly. Cheers Stu Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernBlue80s Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Nicely done. Enjoyed the pictures, especialy liked the river. Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted January 18, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2018 Some excellent modelling and photographs here. Glad you moved it across and I found it. Definitely one to follow. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhysb Posted January 18, 2018 Share Posted January 18, 2018 Stunning layout! Really captures the area. Cannot wait for more photos of this layout! This is definitely followed! Are you able to post a panorama image showing the layout in the loft? Thanks Rhys B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 18, 2018 Author Share Posted January 18, 2018 Thanks all for the kind words of praise . I'm shocked just how much more attention the layouts got in this topic area. Especially as there is so much amazing stuff on here , I can spend hours on this site re living my bashing years. It's also great for info and having been out of the hobby for decades I've learnt so much from reading people's threads . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug002 Posted January 19, 2018 Share Posted January 19, 2018 2 views from Alt nan clach river , looking towards Meanach box. Scratch built using brass windows which I picked up at Perth exhibition some years ago . Wills plasticard and balsa wood for the roof. The steps were from a long discarded industrial kit . The interior is lit and fitted out with a wills ? (I think!) white metal interior. The river itself was made from polyfilla roughly mixed to represent swirling water. It was then undercoated and layered with various own mix gloss enamel tones and over layered with W.S realistic water. More recently , due to age I stripped some of the 'water' out as it was looking a little flat! 2 entire bottles later it looks more river like again . I took the opportunity to add some stream boulders and build up the river banks. The low afternoon light captures 37401 approaching from the east. 26035 heads the other direction . You might like to know that both locos mentioned in this post still exist in real life Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 19, 2018 Author Share Posted January 19, 2018 I have enjoyed riding behind 37401 more recently , although I don’t think it’s the tractor it used to be... and mechanicals probably isn’t! However, I had no idea 26035 was still in the land of the living ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) Bit of an 80s point and shoot film camera effect going on here! 408 passes 413 . Thanks to Chris Smout for the photo! Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach Missing image 12 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 20, 2018 Author Share Posted January 20, 2018 (edited) Some more from this afternoons running session . 26023 approaches the recently installed crossing . A view also taken from across the river from the bothy. 37033 approaches Meanach station at the head of a rake of VGA vans brought down from Fortwilliam yard. Thanks to Chris Smout for the photos. Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach Missing images 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meanach Posted January 23, 2018 Author Share Posted January 23, 2018 (edited) A distinctly B.R blue running day today . Doug Johnson brought over his nicely weathered (and loud!) 24s & 25s. Turning back the clock to the mid 70s . Thanks also to Doug for the camera pics . Makes a change from my usual phone camera pics . Edited March 4, 2023 by meanach 18 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike140 Posted January 23, 2018 Share Posted January 23, 2018 Those pictures are stunning. Do you have any of the whole layout and a track plan? I for one would love to the see them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tug002 Posted January 24, 2018 Share Posted January 24, 2018 I had no idea 26035 was still in the land of the living ! It's at the Caledonian Railway,Brechin - awaiting repairs,according to Wikipedia. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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