Jamaica Road

[Max Legroom]

Here are a few early photos of my new project, Jamaica Road, which is set on the north bank of the Clyde in the period from roughly 1976 to 1984. Control is dcc Prodigy Express and track is Peco code 75. It was inspired by Dalnottar Riverside and several of Ian Futers layouts and the idea is to replicate a couple of hours at the lineside rather than run a specific timetable. Hopefully the photos will give an idea of the trackplan and concept.

 

First up is the left-hand board which is mainly a fiddle yard. Peco loco lifts and cassettes based on the loco lifts will be used at this end which represents central Glasgow.

 

 

 

The next board shows the station area which will consist of an island platform and anover bridge incorporating the station building to the left.

 

 

Next up is the junction. The main line looks to be double track but is actually a bidirectional freight line to the rear and the single track mainline to the front. The freight line is imagined to go to a yard just down the line. The line to the lower right is the original mainline but now is a freight line serving a small engineers depot and an exchange siding.

 

 

The engineers depot will allow a bit of shunting and provide a nice setting for some of the lovely models of departmental stock that have appeared over recent years. The fiddle tracks at the rear and the industrial line will run onto a a further small board to allow some exchange of stock at this end. Track has been sprayed with Railmatch grime and the painted with various shades of MIG rust, MIG washes and the sleepers drybrushed. Buffers are Lanarkshire Models NBR salvaged from Strachur.

 

All the best

 

Max

 

 

[LDM34046]

Welcome!

 

A great start and excited to see the progress!

 

LDM

[Max Legroom]

Here are a couple of snaps showing the progress so far. The backscene is in place and is simply lining paper on plywood and painted with white emulsion with a bit of blue added.

The platforms are in place and the station building and roadway will be over the track where the Limby DMU is standing.

 

Hopefully I should make a bit of progress during the festive break.

[Bungus the Fogeyman]

Having enjoyed Portmahomack, I'm looking forward to seeing this one progress

 

Disgusting of Market Harborough

[Max Legroom]

The station overbridge is starting to take shape. Cable ducting alongside the track is in place prior to ballasting. My plan is to install colour light signals with a ground frame to control the points to the sidings.

 

 

The bridge supports are ancient Hornby bridge piers that were in the spares box. They will largely be hidden away so should do the job of creating an impression of a subterranean railway.

 

 

 

[Max Legroom]

Progress has been slow during the winter but most of the track has been ballasted and the cable ducting is in place. Here is the station building over the tracks.

 

 

The foot crossing is in place from the platform end to what was the signal box but will now just be a groundframe and wasteground. A road bridge will cross the lines roughly where he baseboards join.

 

 

Last up is the right-hand end of the layout showing the location of the S&T sidings. The line on the right is imagined to curve down and under the mainline to serve a shipbreakers and dock. I'm planning to exchange wagons with an industrial to add to the action.

 

[Max Legroom]

The lighter evenings have encouraged a bit of progress.  The retaining walls have largely been built.

 

For the background, I've reused a couple of buildings from Strachur and installed a couple of Radical Flats background buildings. These were produced for the US market and are excellent though I believe they are no longer available. They look OK in a British setting to my eyes.

[Max Legroom]

Slow but steady progress on the scenics/detailing side.

 

The second pic shows the site of the former signalbox and the replacement ground-frame. Dummy point rodding still to be added. Vegetation is a mix of Martin Welberg, Woodland and Geoscenics.

[lmsforever]

Like your progress reports good layout that should provide interesting operation ,like the road bridge ,will be following.

[Max Legroom]

Slow but steady progress.

 

 

08883 is tripping a ferry van through Jamaica Road station in the early eighties. Some local authority housing has appeared (Bachmann) and a garage block (plastic sheet).

I need to get on and install the colour-light signals. Also, the passengers are getting fed up abseiling down to the platform!

[Max Legroom]

I managed a quick trip in the time machine back to the late 1970s. Making sense of freight workings in those pre-internet days could be a challenge. Today I spotted a couple of Haymarket's class 20s heading east off the freight line with an unfitted coal train. Where did they originate? No idea, but they made a nice sight running through the bi-directional down platform before crossing over to the up line beyond the station. A class 08 was idling nearby but that was it for today.

 

Here are the pics.

#

[Max Legroom]

A Fort William bound freight passes the newly installed station steps.

The structure is embossed plastic sheet laminated to 4mm foam core board. The steps are from a Dapol footbridge which, by coincidence, was exactly the right width and saved a lot of time. A spare door from the Peco station gives access to an imagined storage room underneath.

[Robofleeds]

This is a cracking layout! I love the balance you have struck between the buildings and their location on the layout - they look part of the landscape rather than being ‘planted’ on it as is often the case. Some of the camera angles also add a touch of realism. Nice job!

[Max Legroom]

I thought I could do with a suitable time machine to transport me back to the late 70s/early 80s. In Back to the Future style a car should do but which one? After a bit of thought it just had to be a mark 1 Golf GTI complete with go-faster stripes and, no doubt, tartan seats. That number plate might raise a few eyebrows in 1976!

[mallaig1983]

On 10/11/2021 at 09:42, Max Legroom said:

I thought I could do with a suitable time machine to transport me back to the late 70s/early 80s. In Back to the Future style a car should do but which one? After a bit of thought it just had to be a mark 1 Golf GTI complete with go-faster stripes and, no doubt, tartan seats. That number plate might raise a few eyebrows in 1976!

Ridiculous Sir, shame on you. Get that Golf in the post to me 

[Max Legroom]

Looking down on the station from the main road.

I've still got quite a bit of detailing to carry out but you can just see where I have left some of the supporting girders open to the left of the station above the down line. I was a bit worried this would look a bit contrived but I think it's OK and adds a bit of atmosphere.

[Max Legroom]

Here are a couple of photos of 08883, one of the original Bachmann releases and now with a dcc chip hardwired (surprisingly straightforward). 

 

 

It's imagined that there is a freight yard about a mile west of Jamaica Road which caters for petrochemical and steel traffic (for marine use). An Eastfield 08 is based there but shunts Jamaica Road when required.

 

[Max Legroom]

Here is the area next to the location of the signal box. 

The toilet remains for the use of local staff, as does the lamp hut. Note the shiny class 47 lurking in the background - straight from the box. This is the first 47 I've ever owned as it's taken me all this time to appreciate them!

I was recently watching a video on the remains of the former lines north of the Clyde when I spotted the remains of a lineside hut. All that was left was the chimney which I thought would make an interesting feature. One Wills chimney (from their lineside hut) and a bit of filler/paint and here is the result which I'm really pleased with.

 

All the best.

[Max Legroom]

Here are a few photos showing recent progress.

[Max Legroom]

I've added a few details recently.

The wagons on the nearest track contain scrap from the shipbreakers and molasses from the docks and destined for Fife.

[Max Legroom]

Here are a few photos of some of the more recent details.

 

A Chopper bike is a must for any 1970s layout. Here is one from Smart Models.

 

Shuggy, who works in the ticket office, fancies himself as a bit of a mod. Here is his scooter parked where he can keep an eye on it.

 

 

The colour light signals are now in place though non-working at the moment.

 

Finally, here is Legroom himself checking out a mineral wagon. I was scanned by those lovely folk at Modelu a while back as a birthday present.

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by Max Legroom

[Max Legroom]

A quick trip back to summer 1978 to catch 55011 on a BR excursion from Newcastle waiting for the single track section. On the platform Legroom seems more interested in that former sand tippler full of spoil!

[5BarVT]

Just noticed the driver’s bag (even though it’s been there for ages).

It’s excellent.

Paul.

[Max Legroom]

15 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Just noticed the driver’s bag (even though it’s been there for ages).

It’s excellent.

Paul.

Hi Paul. The driver is one of the excellent figures from Modelu. Best wishes

Max

[Max Legroom]

Here is the right-hand end of the layout.

 

 

I've added a small extension board so that I can stage two shortish trains on each of the main and freight lines. There is also an offstage area for the line to the docks in the foreground. The siding at the front will be used as an exchange siding to justify some of the nice industrial shunters currently available. In reality, the exchange would probably have taken place further down the line but this arrangement does add more operational fun!

All of which means that I need to get on and build a bridge to disguise the exit through the hole.