Jump to content
 

The Ballycrochan LIne


colmflanagan
 Share

Recommended Posts

A bit of fiddling with 009 track on the two bridges; I have decided to have a turnout motor on a point on the girder bridge on the left, just under the front of the coaches, using a Peco side mounted motor hidden (mostly) behind the girders!   I briefly considered an underneath one but it would involve digging a big hole in my rickety sub structures, and it would fail ten minutes after installation anyway, so safety first!

 

I must get a suitable name for my narrow gauge line. Possibly the S N A R  (Stranraer, Northbrook (for Coleraine!) and Ardglass Railway. Anyway, this is No 3, a Roco  HOe model modified, sporting her NCC style numberplates on a slow speed test run across the newly completed bridges (no ballast on the track yet). The driver has parked the train for the photographer, and is enjoying a brew with the guard. - hence the empty cab.

 

486672848_No3onbridge2.JPG.ec5194cdf600f8ed4b26954a4befe1b8.JPG

  • Like 2
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

A new building has appeared at Ardglass (temporarily). It is a BNCR/MR/NCC signal cabin, based loosely on Macfin, (for any who remember that passing place between Coleraine and Ballymoney.   The windows are modified versions of the Ratio Midland ones. The model is entirely made from plastic card apart from some of the detailing inside. The steps are a Ratio kit and it saves a lot of tedious cutting out of little strips of plastic card.  And yellow tape Dymo lettering is a good representation of  the UTA nameboards. The cabin is lit with a 12v filament bulb dimmed to about 9v and this works very well. I like to see signal box interiors, I spent many happy hours in Larne Harbour many years ago!

 

1420431735_PGN4.JPG.30161935c272c15da1f252873414d5f2.JPG

 

The name may puzzle some - and yes, i know there never was a "Portglenone Junction" -at least, not until now.  This cabin will be going to an as yet unbuilt smallish exhibition layout of which more when work begins in earnest. Meanwhile, UTA MPDs 57 and 64 approach on a stopping train.

 

381675329_pGN2.JPG.2f57014fd4527717d29c1509707bc87d.JPG

 

Colm

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Update   October 2019

Work has continued steadily recently, though things like family illness, holidays, and just plain “get round to it” have taken their toll.

 

The pictures show the Stranraer (sic) area, the final major bit of track laying and control to be tackled.  Two general views to start -showing progress so far - I had to stretch them horizontally so the signal box looks a bit "fat"!

 

385206160_Viewtowardsharbourstretch.jpg.8cf47b84f7a501d786d8994b1171a969.jpg

 

2113140981_Viewtowardsenglineshedstretch.jpg.f00ccfda5408e412ab2edb72e00e3029.jpg

After planning the  station design  etc., I began work on  the motive power depot area first of all; the turntable had to be re-wired and now works well, using a two battery system to give fast and slow rotation – it’s totally eyeball controlled so I will need a local controller in that area as the main panel is some distance away; I may use a handheld or possible a smallish panel mounted controller.  The tracks in the engine shed will be laid once I finish work on the main station area.

 

222431934_engineshedarea.jpg.4d85522eeebdd4ab263e1f18a108c78e.jpg

 

The control panel had to be designed and built before starting; in days gone by I started laying track and trying to wire lash ups  to get trains running more quickly - ultimately I found it a bad system. Once again I am using rotary cab control switches and toggles for  isolating sections, (e.g. run round loops)  with LEDs to give me further info –  green ones indicate power and yellow , point position for a couple of the most important routes.  The design allows trains can run direct from Stranraer to Ardglass over two bridges crossing the mainline (as well as being routed via the Coleraine station). The station can receive and send two trains simultaneously on the “main line” to Coleraine or the branch to Ardglass (on the far right of the diagram)

 

1973782029_STRcontrolpanel.JPG.f1931f6f18e0804db91926bfc489f7cb.JPG

On the left is a 1970's Codar controller - beautifully smooth running with all my varied locos, from old Hornby Dublo to the latest offerings. The knob at the top was for operating points - I am using Peco switches as I want a"signal box" feel to controlling movements! The cab controls are in the centre.  Still work to do, as track is laid.

 

The entry into the station from Ardglass was first to build and wire up, followed by the main line. (on left crossing over the storage sidings.) There is  a pier siding at the rear, this is a long head shunt and leads to the small goods shed (eventually).  There is a carriage siding beside this which can hold 6 x Mk1 coaches, the length of my “boat trains”.

For the last couple of feet of both these sidings there will be inlaid track - hence no ballast on the ends nearest the camera.

 

1589951243_viewfrompiergoodscarrriagesidings.JPG.198842e54308a98dec72548b156256ea.JPG

I’ve just tried running a long goods train of 20 very old Peco wagons from the fifties and sixties up and down the gradient to Stranraer from Coleraine, and am very pleased that  the gradient is not too steep for this train, it would be as long a train as I would expect to run. My 8 coach HST set has no problem either though it is really too long for the platform!

So, on with the platforms and then station buildings – I shall be using the existing one  from the previous layout while I mull over a suitable new building. The narrow gauge will have its own station near the ferry so the new “Stranraer” will be more freelance, with some NCC/N Irish  features as well as GSWR ones, and possibly swapping signal boxes to give the station a different look. It's looking good, but there's a long way to  go still.

 

808320113_stranraerbldgs.JPG.ff9745112094df19ca69f522aa44ee7d.JPG

view from pier  goods + carrriage sidings.JPG

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

The last month or so has seen some activity, part of which  which might be described as "railway related modelling"!  While the car ferry "Caledonian Princess" is expected to arrive at my new version Stranraer station, I decided to do some detailing at the back of the station buildings, with a quayside at right angles to the main ferry one. This area has seen me swithering quite a bit as to what to do with it. It's partially hidden so was it worth having a quayside at all? Thing is, I;d had a notion of having a Clyde "puffer" to provide a support act for the "Caley P". I wanted to see if it would work -but the best known puffer kit costs well over 3100.00 and what if it simply was too big or just not worth the effort. Then I discovered the Scalescenes " printed kit at less than a tenner. I got one, printed the pages to mount on card and the 12 page instruction, thinking "well, I'll just do the hull -hat'll give me the idea."  Building from card was a new thing for me.  I got hooked and the photos below are the result.  "Moonlight" may be berthed at either of two quayside locations depending on my mood -the one behind the station or the "old pier" as seen in these pictures.

 

2114790197_Moonlightontheloch.jpg.40773590ac3f1fc235abb4ec4f43a3bd.jpg

 

229947365_Lochport2.JPG.66797ffd4225ae0315f010a2054b1e8e.JPG

 

Moonlight.JPG.de371161d24a6424122609f0739ad007.JPG

 

 

This is the quayside behind the Stranraer buildings- you can't usually get this view from the front of the layout front, but  looking from the left hand side the strip of water looks wider than it actually is, and "Moonlight" fits it very well. The pic shows the "double backscene" which i have also used on the lochside and village section above, there are two double tracks running (unseen except from a high position!) behind hills and the sky.

806325020_Stranraerquayside1.JPG.b10ebc5ade22ec202ff459d867e77a46.JPG

And I have progressed track into the station buildings, now definitely planning to re-use them. Narrow gauge terminus between the bay platform and baseboard edge.

1945043954_Stranraer1.JPG.cc22f5256ea1148f5a2e59ddcf940d2a.JPG

 

 

 

913904014_Viewfromstranraer.JPG.d5d52fce6329a799dd7ce9e2c96e1f0e.JPG

 

More anon.

 

Colm

 

 

Lochport #1.JPG

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Fine work Colm. The Clyde Puffer really looks at home and there's a lovely sense of distance in those photos of 'Moonlight' at the quayside. I built one of those Scalescenes Puffers a while back and was very pleased with the result. I found that rigging the mast with blackened brass wire instead of thread made it less susceptible to getting knocked askew by careless elbows. 

 

Alan

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, Tullygrainey said:

Fine work Colm. The Clyde Puffer really looks at home and there's a lovely sense of distance in those photos of 'Moonlight' at the quayside. I built one of those Scalescenes Puffers a while back and was very pleased with the result. I found that rigging the mast with blackened brass wire instead of thread made it less susceptible to getting knocked askew by careless elbows. 

 

Alan

That's a good tip, I am conscious that the rigging is rather slack when viewed close up.  It wouldn't do for Para Handy, skipper of the "Vital Spark", a famous lliterary puffer and "the smertest boat in the trade"!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

A bit more progress at the engine shed area of "Stranraer" station;

 

1746685576_Harbourengineshedarea06_12_19.jpg.67cf5ccb56666c02115aa9d8e7fa9729.jpg

 

Trackwork has now been laid in, the engine shed (shortened by a couple of inches) from my previous Coleraine layout, can still hold 4 jeeps or Moguls; the very short stub siding behind the Dublo loco is for my little "UTA" Wickham trolley, and siding behind with MPOD 64 peeping out, is for diesel facilities.  The coaler is also ex Coleraine, as is the water tower, but the latter will be replaced by a new one; the signal box won't be there though it looks well.  The "coal" siding is actually over four feet long and will be used for diesel or steam trains to lay over. Having two roads to and from  the turntable has meant some careful electrical planning.  You can just see an H&M "Commander" controller, and toggle switches peeping out from the baseboard; this is part of an unfinished auxiliary panel - the engine shed is about 7-8 feet from the main panel at Stranraer and you need to be able to see it closely for alignment, as it does not stop automatically at the exit roads. So a loco heading into this area will stop on a section leading to or from the turntable and will be switched to the auxiliary panel.  

So far I've been really pleased by how things are panning out on this layout and working it will be fun, I think. Mind you, photos show odd things up that you've got used to and my background transition behind this area really needs a bit of work to try and disguise the edge between the backscene sheets!! A tricky enough business as it's easy to make a real bodge of it....in which case I'll be forced to photoshop it out on future pictures...tut tut.

 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Saturday 18 January 2020.   2.15 pm.  A big day on the Ballycrochan Line.  The "Caledonian Princess" berthed at her new home at Stranraer (Mk2).  She had been roosting on the top of a wardrobe in our spare bedroom for over a year until I deemed the Stranraer end sufficiently finished - no major works would be needed which might cause damage to the delicate rigging and masts.

2108906685_stranraerfromvillages.jpg.d78bf3693b910bd7281179e44768968b.jpg

 

The new berth is at right angles to the railway station (more like Larne!) but it now has a diorama behind it, with  which I am very pleased.  The Western bus awaits passengers, but like the current Stena rail & sail bus, is often nearly empty....

1145871760_Stranraerstnfromroad.JPG.445b3a9dc05da7fad363b9635baac9a2.JPG

 

There's still lots of detail to be added to the station interior and it needs some sort of canopy(s). But I decided to re-use the existing buildings and they work well in this location, after a bit of hacking, glueing cutting and fettling.  Keen eyed older modellers will realize that the buffers are cut down old Hornby Dublo ones; the lamps are 3mm LEDs though.

724643255_railend.JPG.775073ce737262816dd310fbc5f0040d.JPG

 

The puffer "Moonlight" has been laid up at the village "old pier" for now but will resume her sailings to and from the rear facing station pier in due course. Another Dublo buffer stop is here...  The twin tracks of the main circuit run behind the darker blue strip.

917970472_rearofquays.jpg.2df6960ae5fcd89c3ecd1a47137bd979.jpg

 

A close up of the fully detailed bridge area.  Carl Fisher who lived in Scotland ,built the ship using original plans, over a period of nearly 4 years from 2010 to 2013. It is actually to 3.5mm scale, as both model sites required this so that I could model the vehicle  linkspan area. The ship has LED lighting throughout. I collected it in Stranraer!

bridge.JPG.dbdfb8a6dbf80960a016523f6a97d88d.JPG

 

 

The signal box (1960 version) has been placed in position; I had to tweak the track away about 5mm extra on the quayside sidings behind it give sufficient clearance - its a pretty narrow board. From this angle you can't see the trains in the 6 storage loops behind the station.

1714455305_stranraersignalboxs.jpg.cb86810a93587a200c71c183f625de45.jpg

 

And finally, the whole ship  setup was inspired by this wonderful 1961 British Railways poster which used to be displayed at the old terminal building at Stranraer. (it was over four feet wide!). I coveted it for years but finally got a very good quality copy for the wall of the railway room. Stranraer didn't really look as lovely as this except on rare summer days! the painter took some liberties with reality, though the actual DMU and steam trains and ship were very accurate. I have taken some liberties (and a wee bit of photoshop) also, so am in good company!

1638493913_CaleyPstranraerposterxprint.jpg.72e6a1b36adb57cefae730d1cc7a2d80.jpg

 

poster_angle_fill.jpg.f3954eb280bfb3907dd7867e137d7300.jpg

 

So, onward now with the narrow gauge and lots of scenery to do.

 

 

poster angle stranraer s.jpg

Edited by colmflanagan
duplicate image deleted
  • Like 15
  • Craftsmanship/clever 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The Ballycrochan Line

Did a quick visit to Colm Flanagan’s layout and he was showing me his Hornby Doublo mail TPO set in operation.  If you blink you will miss it, so I’ve shown a couple of runs. I also saw the turntable in operation and a brief glimpse of part of the layout finishing off with the "Caledonian Princess" berthed at her new home at Stranraer.

 

 

  • Like 6
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I thought I'd put up an update on progress on the railway; after concentrating on the "standard" gauge I got an urge to finish off the narrow gauge, which was pretty well as it was in s autumn 2018. Ardglass NG station had track laid but it didn't go very far. And control used the same controller as the standard gauge and I wanted it to be separate.  So, here are some pics starting at Stranraer  NG and finishing up at Ardglass NG, a single track U shaped run of approximately  30 feet /10 metres.  

 

321878771_No180119atStranraer.jpg.2c90d4a2984788cb8b541bb2c29be72c.jpg

 

The base for the platforms at Stranraer and at Ardglass is raised by 1/4 of an inch (6mm) as much of my stock is HOe,  running on 9mm track. They'd look ridiculously small beside a 4mm train - this helps quite a bit!  No 1 seen here is a Roco 0-6-0T heavily carved and chopped into a semblance of a small industrial style narrow gauge loco. 

 

1069919572_Stranraerngstation.JPG.37e65e62bed0c548fdc3c71f63c88507.JPG

 

a view along the line at Stranraer - a loop, two platforms and a siding (on the left). I used the peco "mainline" points where i could and they help running a lot If the camera was pointed backwards from here you might see the base of "Ballylumford" Halt opposite the main lien engine shed - it needs some work and isn't shown here - then the line curves round through 90 degrees and splits before entering Northbrook Station. 

 

1706307056_Northbrookstn.JPG.508fd016e866cf4c9e3146585c3d8bc9.JPG

 

Originally i had planned thispassing station as a junction with a branch falling down to Coleraine Station. This would have left the track where the railcar is  standing and curved down quite steeply to the right. However I realized that it would run far too close the goods shed loading area and make the station look too cluttered. So this section was abandoned. The railcar is an Eggerbahn one repainted and with a new Kato N gauge power bogie. This has transformed it's performance - I spent a lot of narrow gauge time tweaking and fiddling with  the original power unit and finally gave up when it fell off one day!

 

253864024_NendrumHalt.JPG.154206eb8dea3511f5cf61594082965c.JPG

 

Over the two bridges to Nendrum. I am not sure I like the green rustic bus shelter building. Some thing more dilapitaded might be better....

The line then curves round again to enter Ardglass NG station, where the loco works and shed facilities will be (right hand foreground) are.  There's also a carriage siding and a goods siding which will eventually have some form of transfer facility with the standard gauge. The signal box is now over forty years old having started life on a friend's 009 layout in 1981.....naturally there's lots of work still to be done on finishing the scenery and structures.

 

408884535_Ardglassngsignalbox.JPG.fd0193dfb80dd229454d902650ab4cfe.JPG

 

And finally, arrival at Ardglass. Control is by two Gaugemaster hand held units at Stranraer and Ardglass, with a form of cab control allowing single or two operators to control the complete line.

 

But Regular track cleaning is essential otherwise 009 gets very jerky and things don't go well. I I really enjoy operating these little engines etc., they do have a different kind of appeal.

 

Colm

Ardglass ng station.JPG

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

A bit of "pottering" around, mainly on the narrow gauge.  I decided to have a proper little station building at the Ardglass end. There wasn't any narrow gauge infrastructure at the platform; I decided it was too narrow and the fence too high, so did this and then re-used a little structure I'd built years ago for my first Newcastle layout; I added a toilet, and an awning, and it looks quite well, I think.

 

2145055685_ardglassng3.jpg.a6943a4a6813337d3136e55fa853b947.jpg

 

957848913_No5depardglassng1.jpg.764402e0f7d2d74e39648d8d9237e4e2.jpg

 

And a small temporary terminus building for the Stranaer end of the narrow gauge; this was originally a shelter at Ballynoe Station on the BCDR, which I once modelled many years ago..waste not want not being my motto; it#s actually  one of the "Culverwell shelters" which were quite distinctive on the county Down. In due course a more pretentious building will occupy this site.

temp bldg at Stranraer ng.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

On 26/01/2020 at 22:43, colmflanagan said:

Saturday 18 January 2020.   2.15 pm.  A big day on the Ballycrochan Line.  The "Caledonian Princess" berthed at her new home at Stranraer (Mk2).  She had been roosting on the top of a wardrobe in our spare bedroom for over a year until I deemed the Stranraer end sufficiently finished - no major works would be needed which might cause damage to the delicate rigging and masts.

2108906685_stranraerfromvillages.jpg.d78bf3693b910bd7281179e44768968b.jpg

 

The new berth is at right angles to the railway station (more like Larne!) but it now has a diorama behind it, with  which I am very pleased.  The Western bus awaits passengers, but like the current Stena rail & sail bus, is often nearly empty....

1145871760_Stranraerstnfromroad.JPG.445b3a9dc05da7fad363b9635baac9a2.JPG

 

There's still lots of detail to be added to the station interior and it needs some sort of canopy(s). But I decided to re-use the existing buildings and they work well in this location, after a bit of hacking, glueing cutting and fettling.  Keen eyed older modellers will realize that the buffers are cut down old Hornby Dublo ones; the lamps are 3mm LEDs though.

724643255_railend.JPG.775073ce737262816dd310fbc5f0040d.JPG

 

The puffer "Moonlight" has been laid up at the village "old pier" for now but will resume her sailings to and from the rear facing station pier in due course. Another Dublo buffer stop is here...  The twin tracks of the main circuit run behind the darker blue strip.

917970472_rearofquays.jpg.2df6960ae5fcd89c3ecd1a47137bd979.jpg

 

A close up of the fully detailed bridge area.  Carl Fisher who lived in Scotland ,built the ship using original plans, over a period of nearly 4 years from 2010 to 2013. It is actually to 3.5mm scale, as both model sites required this so that I could model the vehicle  linkspan area. The ship has LED lighting throughout. I collected it in Stranraer!

bridge.JPG.dbdfb8a6dbf80960a016523f6a97d88d.JPG

 

 

The signal box (1960 version) has been placed in position; I had to tweak the track away about 5mm extra on the quayside sidings behind it give sufficient clearance - its a pretty narrow board. From this angle you can't see the trains in the 6 storage loops behind the station.

1714455305_stranraersignalboxs.jpg.cb86810a93587a200c71c183f625de45.jpg

 

And finally, the whole ship  setup was inspired by this wonderful 1961 British Railways poster which used to be displayed at the old terminal building at Stranraer. (it was over four feet wide!). I coveted it for years but finally got a very good quality copy for the wall of the railway room. Stranraer didn't really look as lovely as this except on rare summer days! the painter took some liberties with reality, though the actual DMU and steam trains and ship were very accurate. I have taken some liberties (and a wee bit of photoshop) also, so am in good company!

1638493913_CaleyPstranraerposterxprint.jpg.72e6a1b36adb57cefae730d1cc7a2d80.jpg

 

poster_angle_fill.jpg.f3954eb280bfb3907dd7867e137d7300.jpg

 

So, onward now with the narrow gauge and lots of scenery to do.

 

 

poster angle stranraer s.jpg

 

Hi Colm,

 

A great layout and really atmospheric.  Really pleased to have found this thread :)

 

Cheers, Nick

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Colm.

 

This layout ticks so many boxes - multiple stations, a harbour, great scenery, narrow gauge. The list goes on. I love it and am looking forward to seeing more.

 

Just one question - why "Stranraer?" The layout shows many Irish influences and names, but in the middle of it is a well-known Scottish seaport. I know it's your layout and you can call your harbour town anything you want to - Stranraer, Port Stanley or Cair Paravel. It's yours. 

 

It just sounds a bit Scottish for an Irish layout. 

 

 

Don't care myself. Just feeling a bit baffled (some people who know me would say "No change there, then.") 

 

Love it anyway.

 

Best wishes

 

Cam

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I did think of  alternatives but decided in the end, that as i had the station buildings and signal cabin, I kept thinking of the place as "Stranraer" ( to which I've always had a soft spot) - and the backscene to the harbour has I think a distinctly Scottish feel, so I just left it! I've lots of SW Scotland based locos (including jubilee 45739 "Ulster", ) and stock to run a timetable based on departures in 1965. Call it an "Ulster Scots" layout if you think that helps!

 

Colm

Link to post
Share on other sites

Some more pictures of progress at the Stranraer end of the layout, the motive power depot if now pretty well finished -  using some of the structures at Coleraine (because there's not room for a significant Coleraine on this layout).  The water tower is new and is the ancient Dapol kit, which still, I think, looks great - oddly one thing missing from the original kit is a water bag, so i have added one! This view shows "Ballylumford Halt on the narrow gauge with No 5 on a local service. Nearest the camera is the diesel fuelling point - pretty rudmientary and freelance.

 

462617219_FVSTResarea1.jpg.028fbf2997e6ee759e1d701e92f7045d.jpg

 

Some more views of this area

 

1753423513_watercoalwagon2.JPG.458790314b48ece62a2fd69a97a32e2b.JPG

 

282134966_es45485.JPG.892035b5631353df1f5d7d8aa9425cd6.JPG

 

A Stranraer based Black 5 is on shed at the moment.

 

623725208_wickhamandtarry.jpg.8610b8ee58138d49267e222c9ead7b53.jpg

 

I just love the little Bachmann Wickham inspection trolley, mine is in "UTA" green and the area looked a bit "bare" so a very short siding was added to my original plans. Behind are the comprehensive toilet facilities for staff and a "tarry" for other refreshment...

 

386754750_backofshed.jpg.6f7d3e11ce426e31da4903d6f2bfd6d3.jpg

 

Clearances are quite tight round here, withe the branch line to Ardglass curving round, the tightest curve on the layout,  but I got it all squeezed in. The background seems a bit misty today. The cutting carries the main lines behind.

 

96095930_viewtowardsnorthbrook2.JPG.aa4b95e73122c09419cdcdb5592b217c.JPG

 

And finally looking from "behind " the coal/water area. the whole fenced off "hill" on the left as far as the wall/parapet of the tunnel mouth, can be lifted off to gain access underneath to the main lines, if I don't allow for this sort of event I will have a nightmare the first time anything derails....

 

Colm

  • Like 3
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...