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  • RMweb Gold

Hi everyone, I hope you are all keeping well during these "Interesting times".

 

Time to start a construction topic after a 5-6 year mixture of lack of modelling mojo, being away from the hobby and near terminal prevarication.

 

The number of guitars I seem to have acquired over the last few years has blown any argument for staying away from the hobby due to cost completely out of the water so over the last year or so the number of just supposing layout scheme sketches has multiplied until I've been spinning around in a never ending merry-go-round of prevarication. 

Things finally started to firm up last summer and I finally settled upon the Roshven plan from the "Modelling the  BR Blue Era" book, in N gauge. The planning thread and thoughts behind it can be found the layout design area.

 

In summary Roshven was the originally proposed destination for the extension from Fort William which died a death in parliament due to landowner opposition, leaving the way open for the subsequent successful plans to Mallaig.

This layout will be primarily set in the late 60's allowing for the interesting transition of liveries on traction and stock, Mixed trains along with the last years of fish traffic at the harbour side, marine fuel and the last few dregs of a freight service will be the operating theme. I was always a Large Logo/RETB period fan from childhood but the more I research from this period the more fascinating I find it.

 

The astute reader will notice the planning thread is for an N gauge layout. Yes, well not sure what happened there, it sort of just growed. Before Christmas last year I realised there were some very nice OO type 2s around the corner, coupled with the poor availability of a lot of N gauge kits spurred the change.

 

There has been a bit of a pause due to temperature in the garage and lack of time but this is where we are today.

DSC_0216.jpg.643ef63f00209a5ecdbb2ea97694b223.jpg

 

Still very messy, but one more board to build then I have room to tidy things up a little. Track work will be on a raised bed to create the harbour area. Given the floor is very uneven with a gradient to boot, I'm very happy to have everything aligned and level throughout. 

Track plan is here, fairly simple. I know it all fits but exact dimensions are still up for interpretation as we go.

1930063011_RoshvenGarage3.jpg.67bd835e0a928187f7c5081a4eaad1d6.jpg

 

So apologies for maybe posting things a bit early in the process, but my god it feels good to have a project underway again after so long. :dance_mini:

 

 

Edited by slow8dirty
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  • RMweb Gold

Not much in the way of physical progress this week other than cutting fiddle board timbers and fitting alignment dowels for that joint, however have just laid my hands on the RM article explaining how to kitbash the Ratio Midland box into a something resembling WH style, so that has made me very happy. 

A lot of this project is going to be a challenge for me so that will be a nice way to ease myself into things before scratch building the station building. 

I now have a trio of appropriate type 2s for the core traction, but couldn't resist ordering an Accurascale 37, so might have to build 2 versions of the main buildings if I understand the station paint scheme time line correctly (well that will be good practice then, and I don't expect to get it right first time anyway). 

Edited by slow8dirty
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  • 5 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Blimey time for my regular 6 monthly update. :biggrin_mini2:

 

I think I've managed probably 2 weeks solid work on this in all that time! Main boards all complete and now painted since the picture. The 2"x1" timber board nearest the camera doesn't look as skewed as that in real life, which ever angle I put the spirit level on it shows level so that's the important thing. I built it with whatever DIY shed dross I had lying around in the middle of lockdown so it may be a candidate for early replacement with some decent ply, we shall see.

 

Thanks to the Kits of Scottish Railway Buildings thread I'm now aware of this beauty recently released https://www.popupdesigns.co.uk/shop/transport/rail-ballachulish-railway-station-without-extension-oo-gauge-4-x-a4-in-3mm-thick-poplar-ply/. I've always thought of the imaginary Roshven as similar to Ballachulish and also none of the West highland termini structures seem to follow the theme of the through stations, so I'm definitely considering it.

 

In my defense my Yank Plank is at the tracklaying stage now so soon I can validate my status as a railway modeller!

 

 

DSC_0496600.jpg

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  • 2 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Effort has been concentrated on the switching plank lately and truth be told garage is starting to get a bit chilly.

However some practical tasks have been done on the workbench.

84389349_popuptest.jpg.22e4f6e92eca585d2d549c223f45717b.jpg

 

There is a small company called pop up designs that have been releasing some laser cut kits of Scottish Railway buildings over the last year. they finally got round to the west coast this winter with kits for Ballachulish and Rannoch. Further details are covered in the Scottish modelling sub forum.

After some debate I've purchased the Rannoch kit to use as the basis for Roshven's building, as well as warp speed postage they included this little croft kit as a thankyou. So tonight I've built it exactly as per instructions to see what it will need to bring up to scratch. Have to say I'm very impressed, it really is 90% of the way there. I'll probably add ridge tiles, flashing and fill and scribe the joint tabs. certainly helped me get an idea of what the station building will need adding. The wargames hobby has been using lasercut kits for years and these are certainly the equivalent quality of much more expensive examples in that realm.

 

Considering using this on the high ground above the goods yard/boat yard area if space on the real thing will permit.

 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

Modelling plans took a bit of a hit over Christmas, thanks to my mate Corony coming to stay, So laying the trackbed and tracklaying will commence once the weather improves. Done a dry assemble of the Station building to assess exactly what I need to do to bring it up to scratch (quite a bit) but nonetheless very impressed with this new range.

 

PXL_20210206_174931788.jpg.726e6607f8816883e145fc457da54043.jpg

 

It is quite a bit bigger in the flesh, which gave a minute or two of mild concern.

PXL_20210206_182227381.jpg.d58848cae8b2e47cd4f07898f7059740.jpg

PXL_20210206_182435405.LS_exported_401_1612637127366.jpg.a64604bb2eadcfa4fcb770e40387b7ed.jpgs

So size wise it will fit the bill I think. the little Croft building at the near end doesn't work in that position though. Think I'm going to look for something a little smaller or maybe low relief, maybe something reminiscent of corrugated building overlooking the Mallaig station approach. :scratchhead:

I have engaged in a little bit of retail therapy, for medicinal reasons, that brings the core fleet of type 2 and 3 traction to completion. Any loco bought from now will be for the occasional visitor on the line. Although a green 20 is telling me it should be classed as core traction:D

Edited by slow8dirty
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On 12/12/2020 at 23:19, slow8dirty said:

Effort has been concentrated on the switching plank lately and truth be told garage is starting to get a bit chilly.

However some practical tasks have been done on the workbench.

84389349_popuptest.jpg.22e4f6e92eca585d2d549c223f45717b.jpg

 

There is a small company called pop up designs that have been releasing some laser cut kits of Scottish Railway buildings over the last year. they finally got round to the west coast this winter with kits for Ballachulish and Rannoch. Further details are covered in the Scottish modelling sub forum.

After some debate I've purchased the Rannoch kit to use as the basis for Roshven's building, as well as warp speed postage they included this little croft kit as a thankyou. So tonight I've built it exactly as per instructions to see what it will need to bring up to scratch. Have to say I'm very impressed, it really is 90% of the way there. I'll probably add ridge tiles, flashing and fill and scribe the joint tabs. certainly helped me get an idea of what the station building will need adding. The wargames hobby has been using lasercut kits for years and these are certainly the equivalent quality of much more expensive examples in that realm.

 

Considering using this on the high ground above the goods yard/boat yard area if space on the real thing will permit.

 

 

Just bought 2 of these , got the Taynuilt Signal Box as a thank you gift but doubt I'll be using it as I have the Peco Helmsdale one

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  • 5 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hi all, doesn't time fly when you're not doing anything.  I'll spare you the pictures of recently abused plywood but happy to say the raised baseboard tops have now been put into place thanks to a stint of self-isolating. This was a task that I'm embarrassed to say started to become a problem out of all proportion to reality as I didn't have a clear idea how I was going to do it or any carpentry ability to achieve it. Thanks to the unplanned free time, just getting on and doing it has seen me through. Boards are still fairly lightweight but sturdy and trackbed is level and flush. Quite how this has been achieved I'm not too sure myself.

That hurdle out the way hopefully updates may be quicker than every six months on this thread.

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  • RMweb Gold

Bit more time spent last night, will be going with a cassette system again. That decision allowed me to crack on with the fiddle board. As I prepared to exit the man cave I took a couple minutes to mock things up in place.

 

PXL_20210719_192309222.jpg.967f988f8348dfce62fb5f554d87f569.jpgPXL_20210719_192316810.jpg.be7fe9896e52db8a9d6f4719774d8ab2.jpg

 

 

Nothing final and really just similar sized shapes in place, but what is on the baseboard matches what has been in my mind's eye, so the design is good, pending actual track laying. Which is nice.

Edited by slow8dirty
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  • RMweb Gold

Slow down in activity this week as I wait on hordes of cable and connectors that are inbound but paper plans have been transferred to the boards. Modelling time was taken up with a very enjoyable trip to Pecorama this weekend. I've been a few times over the years and nothing is particularly new exhibit wise but I still came away feeling very 'inspired', possibly a result of not seeing any kind of layout since the "before times", but still, very good.

Gardens were lovely as ever and you can't beat the smell of steam, even the 7 1/4" variety. Also, my lovely better half helped stock up my fish van stash, but railway acquisition of this week definitely goes to this chap:D

PXL_20210801_103617386.jpg.516538207f962acc3ee3c68956f75927.jpg

 

Hurry up postie with my DCC bus.

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  • RMweb Gold

If ever anyone demonstrated why Tim Horn, White Rose, Station road Baseboards and others existed, tis I.

 

Other than showing my shonky joinery skills, this is my setup for the fiddle board entrance. Cassettes will be placed on risers to enter the scenic section, other cassettes will be stored and formations made up on the flat baseboard below.

rsz.jpg.63c5e706549b5dd2d6cacf8a4629ea52.jpg

 

This little bodge job means that tracklaying can now commence as all supplies have arrived at slow8dirty towers. Railwayscenics, Model Railways Direct, and Expo tools have all been brilliant dispatching items very quickly once I realised how low my stocks of all the little essentials had gotten. Track is standard code 75 Peco, I was thinking of using Bullhead but I already had some code 75 and it was that that came back in to stock first.

 

Tracklaying on the OO, ballasting on the N gauge! Making up for a few too many years of prevaricating now:D.

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  • RMweb Gold

Today's episode of  Fun With Streamline is brought to you by that fun little guy the humble catchpoint.

 

Track laying is continuing apace, and proportionally everything seems to be coming together, which is nice :sungum:

 

Normally I tidy up my Peco points as I use stall type motors in OO and don't need the mountain of plastic that is at the toe end of the point, as can be seen below.

937979779_PXL_20210814_162555412(1).jpg.370dbfb3d2eb720e394922fcb48b1212.jpg

 

I started to do the same to the catch point above but stopped as structurally it seemed to get quite flimsy. It looks like it will hold together when driven but I'm not removing any more. Has anyone hacked these down more?

Also, at this late stage I'm wondering if I've got the position of these wrong?

PXL_20210814_163836398.jpg.afdcc27e46e7a154f885322d79fca889.jpg

 

There's this one, at the end of the loop, and there will be one at the end of the siding coming off the point next to the loop in the picture. I'm wondering if there should be more distance between the catch point and the actual point? If so I'm not sure if that reduces available siding length too much. The other thing to bear in mind is the loop and the sidings would be much much longer than this in reality, so am I overthinking this?  

Bit late in the day to be asking and I'm not sure anyone is actually reading this but :scratchhead:

 

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  • RMweb Gold
59 minutes ago, slow8dirty said:

I'm wondering if there should be more distance between the catch point and the actual point?

The line you’re trying to protect is the platform not the other sidings, so in this case it’s fine.  And throw off away from the platform line even though it’s towards the other sidings is good too.

Paul. 

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  • RMweb Gold

The gentlemen of the board of the Lochaber Extension Railway Co, were glad today to be informed by the contractor( Messrs Smudge and Daughter) that permanent way had been laid to the waters edge at Roshven Harbour.

In any other business it was raised that there is the small matter of the goods yard outstanding and that to this date the contractor had still not found a navvy drunk enough to understand the electronical control wiring proposal.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Tracklaying complete! Family holidays and an hour here an hour there sessions in the garage meant it took a couple weeks to do the final two sidings, but after tidying things up I'm quite happy with how everything "sits".

PXL_20210912_143623521.jpg.d42adce9fb5fab49737a16ac06070b1a.jpg

 

From the fiddle yard

PXL_20210912_143640995.jpg.6e84e2d3f9a4291dd952fe9cd704e44a.jpg

 

Point motors and bus to fit, then control panel to do. After that I can return to the top of the boards and start on the fun stuff. 

Well, after the ballasting. I'm well happy to be at this stage after so many years of prevarication but I am just starting to realise how much there is to do. Lots of kit building and scenic treatment, with some testing thrown in:senile:

 

Smoke me a kipper for breakfast, I'll see you all if/when I come out from underneath the boards.

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  • 1 year later...
  • RMweb Gold

Oops, still here, doesn't time fly! Somehow returning to normal work arrangements totally kyboshed most of my hobby plans throughout 2022. I finished most of the underboard wiring by Christmas last year but never returned to things again once the garage warmed up enough😕

Doesn't make for an interesting thread, but I was stuck with how to build my control panel and I think that stopped me from pottering when I wasn't really focused.

Have to say Taunton Railex has really reignited my modelling mojo, so work is underway on connecting control panel to point motors ( not gone well tonight, possibly some help needed post's in the wiring forum areas soon!), Back boards are on my N gauge switching plank and scenic work started on that to continue through the worst of the winter. The building kitbash and wagon kits stash for Roshven is also poised to tide me over and keep progress over the worst of the winter. But I'm determined to get everything running before things get toochilly out in the garage. Honest, I am!

Signs of life guys, signs of life.

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  • RMweb Gold

Spent Saturday at Warley, where a few bits and bobs may have fallen into the supplies bag. Have just gone out to see if I can get to the bottom of the the point motor not working, and why my understanding of electricity is fundamentally wrong.

Didn't take very long, turns out I just put the unstripped wires into the point motor terminals obviously meaning to strip and tin later on. Of couse later on was 9 months later and I'm an idiot.🙂

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  • RMweb Gold

Some actual model making in progress.

 

PXL_20230128_162009017_MP.jpg.90825d047df9e9d5ea0a270062afd345.jpg

 

Making a WHL style box from the contents of the Ratio Midland box kit. The idea is from a RM article, I've soon realised the instructions in the article were more notes rather than step by step instructions, but the article gave me the confidence to go off piste for the first time so it achieved its goal.

A way to go, and definitely a bit of filler required here and there, but quite happy with how it's going so far for a first attempt.

(Apart from the back wall being a whole plank too low???)

Edited by slow8dirty
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  • 4 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Still here! Track and point wiring now complete! Testing found one frog wire not connected properly to it's switch and a teensy tiny flaw in the platform release crossover. Embarrassingly, it took me quite a while to realise I'd done a basic error and was missing an insulated joiner on one of the frogs 🥴. Even worse I only realised as I was trying to reinsert the rails to the joiners after lifting the point and the short miraculously disappearing🤨 

So repairs made, waiting for glue to dry to see if alignment will be ok. Otherwise all good. 

Testing was done with an old Bachmann 2MT that I bought on eBay years ago for about £20, a bit of a service later and I was really impressed with the smooth running. Won't be a resident on this layout but it's done sterling service this afternoon.

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