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Roshven (planning thread)


slow8dirty
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Hello all, well, someone had to do it ;).

 

Yes it's Roshven from the classic Modelling the BR Era book, which has been much discussed around the forums and here over the years, and I'm sure inspired many a modeller with WHL sympathies.

 

After a few years away from the hobby I've been plotting the last couple of months for something suitable to restart things with. I have to admit several versions of Roshven have been drawn up by myself over the last few years, so it hasn't taken long to come up with this one tbh. I was looking for something fairly small and quick to do;

a) To get me back in the hobby quickly

b) My track record for DNF is pretty terrible, so a small project would be perfect

c) Small enough to keep me out of the garage.

 

Coupled with having got rid of all my previous stock and my unhealthy obsession with bucolic country branch lines in the BR era, its a no-brainer to finally get on and do this one.

 

The plan was 2'6" by 8'6" in OO in the book. This will be in N gauge,  4'8" by 2', which keeps the station small but allows it to sit "in"  the surrounding scenery more. I envisage presenting this with the front and the Harbour/buffer stop end as viewing sides if that makes sense.

 

Operation will be pretty much as intended in the book. So 1965-75, Class 27's on short mixed trains. Fish vans a go go!

 

Easily achievable in N Gauge, in fact what I remember of the running qualities of Dapol Bo-Bos is what makes this viable in N gauge. Last time time I visited RMweb there was talk of an N Gauge Class 29, sad to see that didn't happen, however the Worsley Works body etch looks like it could be an interesting project! And I do want this to be more of a modelling exercise any way, rather than RTR collecting which I have been guilty of before :whistle: .

 

So I don't think this is likely to be a long thread as construction is about to start, more a chance for anyone to point out any howlers I've missed at the last minute and any advice from those who know things.

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Sounds like an excellent idea... go for it! I also love that book and it has inspired a number of ideas of the years. My copy is well thumbed!

 

Actually I think it is better suited to N gauge. As you rightly state, 2mm scale allows more room to breath and make the most of the setting and wider environment, which is clearly one of the main plus points for the plan. It could even be done on one baseboard... always a boon!

 

All the best and hope you manage to get this project off the ground.

 

David

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Roshven in the real world, was originally mooted as the terminus for the West Highland extension, but landowner opposition amongst other factors led to Mallaig being chosen, and the rest is history. The back story however this line was built first with the Mallaig line being built later. In reality this would not have survived so I envisage a similar feel to the Ballachulish branch for this model. However the plan will allow me to run green 27s and 29s at first, through to blue 25s & 27s & maybe blue 37s into the 80's. Not forgetting class 20s. The RETB and large logo era will probably stretch plausibility too far, but that i doubt that will stop me. some very useful threads have been written on here over the years, including this http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=24258

 

One of the 4x2 boards from my old OO layout is the foundation for this, so construction officially starts when I strip that and modify it slightly.

West Highland Chalet (Glenfinnan) style buildings will be what I'm after, still gathering decent plans at the moment. Whenever I've sketched this out before finding something decent for the ferry pontoon has stumped me, but this time i think I've found it;

LangleyLaunch & Pontoon Set (N Scale 1/160th) Ref: 58102 


 

Their quayside walls look appealing too, but I'm not yet sure what height I'm going to build the jetty at yet, think I might just build from sheet material.

Oh, and I bought my first bit of rolling stock the other weekend too, a Farish mk1 BCK, so thats all the passenger services sorted then.

 

This about wraps up the planning stage tbh, I did contemplate N finetrax for quite a while but have decided to try and crack on with walking before I try to fly!  Invernevis by David41283 has proven to be very inspiring and useful regarding the finescale option and also to just how good an N gauge layout can be in this sort of space, go check it out.

 

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  • 11 months later...
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And finally, almost a year after posting, I cut the first timber for this:blush:, but things are off, it is no longer a pipe dream. I've failed on two points, it obviously hasn't been a quick return, and it hasn't kept me out of the garage, but it will very soon actually exist. :biggrin_mini2:

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Only just found this thread Matt, as a massive WHL fan with a cupboard full of N-gauge stock just waiting for a layout on which to run I will look forward to watching with interest. Now that you've made the first cut good luck with the rest.

 

Regards,

Ian.

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  • 4 weeks later...
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Centre Board up and roughly in position. As always the design gets slight tweaks during the build process. Minor things like size, number of boards, scale modelled in. Just minor tweaks, hardly noticable!

DSC_0178rsz.jpg

 

My 2mm:ft mojo has been satisfied by my efforts in american switching shelves on the other side of the garage of late, so somehow Roshven has morphed up a scale, duno maybe I prefer my Sulzers to have Danish DNA? 

Sizewise, will be a slightly thinner and longer version of the original plan in the book now, maybe, it's kind of designing itself at the moment!

Edited by slow8dirty
I'm pants at I.T.
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • slow8dirty changed the title to Roshven (planning thread)

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