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Mallaig and the Road To The Isles


mallaig1983
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After years of searching for suitable platform lamps I was pretty pleased to eventually find something pretty close to what I wanted. Not identical but close enough to satisfy me.

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Those lights certainly give a realistic impression.  I wonder if a collar at the base made from slightly wider plastic tube might enhance their appearance even more.

 

Thinking some more about the grass applicator, I have found that the ‘quality’ of the grass is almost as important as the applicator itself.  I don’t really want to disparage anyone but I found that the WWS grass mixes an unrealistic colour and of a texture that meant use can be a bit hitty missy.  Their different glues are very good though.

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14 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

As I’m now working on the layouts scenery inevitably at some point I’ll be trying my hand at static grass. There are a few applicators on the market and I was just wondering if any followers of this thread had any recommendations? Basically what do you guys use and are you happy with the tool and the effects. Does your particular machine have limits? I don’t have big wide open fields to grass so I don’t need something that will do huge areas. I am doing research on the web and YouTube but I just wondered what my RMweb buddies were using.

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I 've used a Noch Grasmaster for many years and always been happy with the results. I think it was the only static grass applicator available at the time . Yes, it's expensive, but it's been a great investment. Nowadays,of course, there are many other alternatives to choose from. 

 

I would also mention being careful with the choice of grass colours. Some greens are very garish and some have yellows, red, and blue mixed in with the green!  I have had good results with Silflor/Mininatur static grass but it is difficult to find at the moment.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Alcanman said:

I 've used a Noch Grasmaster for many years and always been happy with the results. I think it was the only static grass applicator available at the time . Yes, it's expensive, but it's been a great investment. Nowadays,of course, there are many other alternatives to choose from. 

 

I would also mention being careful with the choice of grass colours. Some greens are very garish and some have yellows, red, and blue mixed in with the green!  I have had good results with Silflor/Mininatur static grass but it is difficult to find at the moment.

 

 

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Thanks for the info Alcanman. I intend to be very careful with my choice of grasses as I’m not only venturing down the scenic route for the first time but I’m colourblind. I can tell reds, greens and browns apart close up but it’s blurred from a distance if not obvious. I struggle to see a fox in a grass field for example. So I may be asking a lot of questions of others as to what they’ve used. One layout I’ve seen in the flesh a few times / stalked around the country is Portchullin by Mark Tatlow and I’ve marvelled at the colours of the grasses used so I’ve got some magazine articles to re read on the subject. I’m also hopeful a few suggestions will come forward like you have just posted. That looks very nice. I watched a nice video on making bushes earlier whilst eating breakfast. There’s a wonderful amount of information out there so much reading and viewing to be enjoyed.

Really grateful for your input.

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1 hour ago, mallaig1983 said:

Thanks for the info Alcanman. I intend to be very careful with my choice of grasses as I’m not only venturing down the scenic route for the first time but I’m colourblind. I can tell reds, greens and browns apart close up but it’s blurred from a distance if not obvious. I struggle to see a fox in a grass field for example. So I may be asking a lot of questions of others as to what they’ve used. One layout I’ve seen in the flesh a few times / stalked around the country is Portchullin by Mark Tatlow and I’ve marvelled at the colours of the grasses used so I’ve got some magazine articles to re read on the subject. I’m also hopeful a few suggestions will come forward like you have just posted. That looks very nice. I watched a nice video on making bushes earlier whilst eating breakfast. There’s a wonderful amount of information out there so much reading and viewing to be enjoyed.

Really grateful for your input.

I use seafoam/seamoss to make bushes and small trees. You can see some on my photo. 

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Yes. I've just returned from the garage where I've been making more seamoss bushes this afternoon.

 

I find 3M photo-mount adhesive works well, but any spray adhesive will do. I find Noch or Gaugemaster leaves give good results.

Edited by Alcanman
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There has been progress on the layout today. Only minor progress on the actual layout though as most of it has been on the workbench. 
Thought I show this pic though as it adds a nice touch.

 

 

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Like many others I imagine, progress on the layout has been at a glacial pace of late mainly due to the weather. The lure of the great outdoors combined with the heat in the attic (has anyone come up with a feseable way of somehow bottling it for winter??) has meant only minor dabbling has been achieved. The forecast for here this weekend was cooler with showers so I had planned to get stuck back into it but the gods had other ideas and North Wales has again been blessed with lovely weather. I was determined that something would be achieved though and I’ve managed about an hour of sanding pollyfilla to create a smooth road. Progress of sorts.

The credit card has been less idle though and with a view to now adding Fort William to the scheme it had become obvious that sleeping cars would be required so over a couple of months two have been purchased from the bay. Also another MK1 BSO showed up and was purchased. I’m really pleased that I found another one as I now have two. A few months ago I had none and was cursing myself for not getting some when they were released, naively thinking that Hornby would run them in their catalogue for a number of years. Now not all of the brake vehicles on the WHL were BSOs so I’m happy with the 2 as there are also BSKs in stock and a MK2 BSO so I think that will do. If see another I’ll probably get it but if not, na bother.

Im sure you all know what these coaches look like but they are the only real tangible thing to update the thread with so photos are enclosed. Number transfer sheets will be ordered and a pleasant hour or two can be spent on that. It really is quite a nice feeling to see the coaches with their new numbers.

Anyway I trust you’re all keeping well and enjoying the summer sunshine. 
 

Andy

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Ps I’m pretty sure that Fort William sleeper trains originated from Euston during my period with the Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh services combing from Kings Cross. Could someone more knowledgeable please confirm this (or correct me) please?

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15 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

Ps I’m pretty sure that Fort William sleeper trains originated from Euston during my period with the Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh services combing from Kings Cross. Could someone more knowledgeable please confirm this (or correct me) please?

Thanks

 

In 1980 the FW portion comprised of both sleeping cars and seating coaches was hung on the back of the Royal Highlander, 2150 Ex Euston Inverness and detached at Mossend. For 1983 the portion had transferred to the 2100 Ex Euston which divided at Carlisle with portions for Inverness/FW and Stranraer. Again the FW portion was detached at Mossend and tripped to Glasgow Queen Street where it formed part of the first Glasgow to Mallaig service.  

 

Mark 1 sleepers were replaced by Mark 3's in October 1983.

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35 minutes ago, young37215 said:

 

In 1980 the FW portion comprised of both sleeping cars and seating coaches was hung on the back of the Royal Highlander, 2150 Ex Euston Inverness and detached at Mossend. For 1983 the portion had transferred to the 2100 Ex Euston which divided at Carlisle with portions for Inverness/FW and Stranraer. Again the FW portion was detached at Mossend and tripped to Glasgow Queen Street where it formed part of the first Glasgow to Mallaig service.  

 

Mark 1 sleepers were replaced by Mark 3's in October 1983.


Thank you very much for the additional information. I must admit I don’t know a great deal about the sleeper services away from West Highland metals. I wasn’t aware that there was a Stranraer portion. 

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On 26/07/2021 at 09:43, mallaig1983 said:

I wasn’t aware that there was a Stranraer portion. 

 

According to my copy of 1H80, there were 11 departures from Euston in the evening which I am pretty certain included sleeping car accomodation and that excludes the ECML trains that started from Kings X! The subject of sleepers warrants a thread of its own, Euston passengers had a choice of destinations namely Inverness, Fort William, Perth, Glasgow, Stranraer, Barrow, Liverpool, Manchester and Holyhead and the list excludes intermediate stops. Rationalisation and the coming of the Mk3 sleepers transformed decimated the sleeper landscape during the mid 1980's long before Easyjet and Ryanair appeared on the scene. 

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It’s quite incredible what we’ve lost isn’t it? The sleeper network isn’t something that I’ve ever looked in to much. As you say a thread of its own. There’s probably a good book to be written.

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14 hours ago, young37215 said:

 

According to my copy of 1H80, there were 11 departures from Euston in the evening which I am pretty certain included sleeping car accomodation and that excludes the ECML trains that started from Kings X! The subject of sleepers warrants a thread of its own, Euston passengers had a choice of destinations namely Inverness, Fort William, Perth, Glasgow, Stranraer, Barrow, Liverpool, Manchester and Holyhead and the list excludes intermediate stops. Rationalisation and the coming of the Mk3 sleepers transformed decimated the sleeper landscape during the mid 1980's long before Easyjet and Ryanair appeared on the scene. 

Happy to be corrected but wasn`t there also a sleeper service up the Durham coast ?

 

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The FW sleeper was originally an LNER service that operated out of KX, as did many of the Scottish sleepers.  Electrification of the WCML to Glasgow in 1974 was followed by concentration of all anglo-scottish sleeper services to Euston, including the services that had run from StPancras and which utilised ex-LMS steam heated cars until 1974.  That was all well and good for those living in London, but for those living in places like York, it meant a loss of a direct service to the West Highlands.  I remember as a 7 year old getting on the FW sleeper in what was platform 16 at York; walking down the steps to the platform at 1am, past the EE Type 4 and entring a Mk1 sleeper - very exciting.  I woke an looked through the blind at 6am as we were shunted at Glasgow QSt and then was woken for a visit to the Mk1 restaurant car for a cooked breakfast on Rannoch Moor.

 

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On 26/07/2021 at 09:04, young37215 said:

 

In 1980 the FW portion comprised of both sleeping cars and seating coaches was hung on the back of the Royal Highlander, 2150 Ex Euston Inverness and detached at Mossend. For 1983 the portion had transferred to the 2100 Ex Euston which divided at Carlisle with portions for Inverness/FW and Stranraer. Again the FW portion was detached at Mossend and tripped to Glasgow Queen Street where it formed part of the first Glasgow to Mallaig service.  

 

Mark 1 sleepers were replaced by Mark 3's in October 1983.

Early 1971 and the sleeper I was on from Euston, divided at Carstairs one part heading for Glasgow with me, my parents and the rest of the family heading on to the Outer hebridies, the other part I believe went on to Edinburgh.. 

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On 26/07/2021 at 09:04, young37215 said:

 

In 1980 the FW portion comprised of both sleeping cars and seating coaches was hung on the back of the Royal Highlander, 2150 Ex Euston Inverness and detached at Mossend. For 1983 the portion had transferred to the 2100 Ex Euston which divided at Carlisle with portions for Inverness/FW and Stranraer. Again the FW portion was detached at Mossend and tripped to Glasgow Queen Street where it formed part of the first Glasgow to Mallaig service.  

 

Mark 1 sleepers were replaced by Mark 3's in October 1983.

 

In the 80s I used the Motorail service to Scotland from London every year around September time.  I always booked up at the last minute so had to take pot luck as to which route I could get on.  So I travelled variously from Kensington Olympia, Kings Cross or Euston usually on a friday night and to Inverness, Aberdeen or Fort William.

 

Inverness services changed loco in Mossend yard, Sparky off and 47 on.  But Euston to Fort William services never went near it or Queen Street but rather ran straight into Glasgow Central where they changed loco and reversed, the Sparky coming off and a 37 attaching on the other end.  It then ran south out of Central, turned sharp left 180 degrees, crossed the Clyde going north and then turned about 90 degrees left onto what I think was the low level line going west then via Helensboro and onto the Fort William/Oban line. 

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10 hours ago, Combe Martin said:

But Euston to Fort William services never went near it or Queen Street but rather ran straight into Glasgow Central where they changed loco and reversed, the Sparky coming off and a 37 attaching on the other end.  It then ran south out of Central, turned sharp left 180 degrees, crossed the Clyde going north and then turned about 90 degrees left onto what I think was the low level line going west then via Helensboro and onto the Fort William/Oban line. 


Do you have any more details of that route out of Central to Helensburgh? I could see how it could have been done up to the early 1960s, but I’m at a loss to see a continuous route in the 1980s and I’d like to know how it was done.

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I'm sorry I don't.  But I didn't dream it even though it was 'god knows' what time after midnight, I was wide awake (not in my sleeper cabin), on the platform at Central to see what was coming on the other end, and then head hanging out of the door window, watching where we were going.

 

Now I'm not an expert at all about the rail routes in Glasgow but it definitely turned all the way round and then crossed the Clyde and my impression was that it ran onto the low level line,  it definitely didn't stop anywhere and reverse again.

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Just looked in my  'Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland' by SK Baker, sixth edition march 1990.  My journey was around the mid 80s.  I've got an older one but I'm mid moving so it's in storage.

 

How about, south out of Central, left at Eglinton St. Junc, left at Larkfield Junc, past Polmadie, left at Rutherglen Junc West, left at Rutherglen Junc North, across the Clyde and onto the low level line ?

 

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3 hours ago, Combe Martin said:

Just looked in my  'Rail Atlas Great Britain & Ireland' by SK Baker, sixth edition march 1990.  My journey was around the mid 80s.  I've got an older one but I'm mid moving so it's in storage.

 

How about, south out of Central, left at Eglinton St. Junc, left at Larkfield Junc, past Polmadie, left at Rutherglen Junc West, left at Rutherglen Junc North, across the Clyde and onto the low level line ?

 


OK, that works.

 

I was confused by the “… turned sharp left 180 degrees …” in your original post. Also, I didn’t know that the west to north curve at Rutherglen was in use for public services (obviously, not many).

 

Thanks.

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