1980s Ballindalloch in OO

[50002Superb]

Evening,

As you may know I currently have another project on the go which can be found here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/127623-scotland-1980s90s-terminus-depot/.

The above is my long term project and being relatively new to modelling there are aspects I want to learn through trial and error elsewhere given the size and scale of that undertaking.

With that in mind I also want to create a smaller layout based on Ballindalloch, a now defunct station on the GNSR, albeit set in the late 1980s.

The reason for choosing Ballindalloch is simple, I had a wonderful two week break less than 50 yards from the station last year, taking in a wonderful part of the world.

My initial question to my fellow rmwebbers is whether I have the space?

I am working in OO and have a baseboard of 72cm x 141cm.

I have located a map of the railway as it was in the 60s and would like to retain the single line approach entering / exiting the station area. I think operationally it would be interesting to operate.

In addition I would like to retain some, if not all, of the brewery Yard but perhaps give it a mixed use distillery and shortbread angle.

My initial trouble is that I do not have an application, such as Anyrail, from the tablet I use so struggling to get past the ideas stage.

I can provide an extract from the Ordinance Survey website if this doesn't breach copyright?

In terms of the board I am content for it to enter from the west where the station begins and ideally would prefer for it to exit to the North / East at the mid part of the bridge crossing the Spey.

Whilst I'm not blessed with plenty of photographs from when it was a working Railway there are some via Flickr albeit not many of the goods yard other than when its caught in the background.

https://flic.kr/p/Gay7bs

https://flic.kr/p/9S7Wn3

https://flic.kr/p/6yqweW

All input would be appreciated.

As an aside I would like to join a local club. I am based near Junction 25 of the M1 between Derby and Nottingham. Does anyone recommend any of the local clubs that are looking for new and willing members?

[Ben Alder]

Have you looked at Ernies Archives - there are one or two there. here is a link to one.

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/34911250074/in/album-72157685827366556/

 

Think you might be struggling to get much in that length though - what form of storage/ access are you planning  - can these be cassette type add ons? Looking forward to seeing this develop as it is a much neglected part of the modelling world and had some very attractive stations, and distilleries!

[50002Superb]

Hi Ben,

 

Yes, I'd seen those but thank you for highlighting them.

 

I was thinking of using cassettes but I'm beginning to think the space available is not enough for the main layout? 

Edited January 10, 2021 by 50002Superb

[SHerr]

I looked at a number of stations around that area whilst planning my Spey Bridge layout including Ballindalloch. Photos are a bit hard to come by but as said above Ernies site as well as the GNOSR association are good. Also George O’Haras’s book has a lot of shots of the Speyside line.

 

In the 60s most trains on the line were a single coach with the occasional 2 coach train but potentially freight trains a little longer. Ultimately that would dictate your main viewing area. From photos studied I reckon most platforms were probably about 4 coaches long although possibly shorter than a mk1 coach. 

 

You could assume that the passing loop has been removed that would save you quite a bit of space taken up by a turnout at each end and clearance for passing and model as a single platform but would still be fairly small as well as giving a challenge to shunting freight services. I am assuming the fiddle yard would be in addition to your 141cm? 
 

The problem with Ballindalloch is that the goods yard is beyond the the station where other stations on the line like Cromdale the yard is behind the station so keeps space down. You may be able to get something to work but it would be quite cramped.

 

The ‘what if it was still open in the 80s’ is a great idea and has been the basis of a few of my layouts from the past as you can use some smaller branches but also have licence to have made some 1960s/70s rationalisations.

 

Good luck, I like the idea.

[50002Superb]

Yeah the fiddle yard / cassettes would be separate. 
 

the reason I chose Ballindalloch over others was the yard being separate. 
 

the question still remains could have fit it all in though. 
 

I’m beginning to think not. 
 

I wish I had access to anyrail or something similar to play around with. So frustrating being in lockdown!!

[Ben Alder]

The old fashioned Peco paper point templates might be a substitute.

 

[50002Superb]

Are they downloadable from somewhere?

[B McG]

Here's a link that may be of use to you.  It's my go to resource for old track plans:-

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17&lat=57.41254&lon=-3.39046&layers=168&right=BingHyb

 

Cheers

Bryant

[5BarVT]

8 hours ago, 50002Superb said:

Are they downloadable from somewhere?

From the Peco site.  Search for a Peco Track Templates on your favoured search engine will find them.

Paul.

[SHerr]

22 hours ago, 50002Superb said:

Yeah the fiddle yard / cassettes would be separate. 
 

the reason I chose Ballindalloch over others was the yard being separate. 
 

the question still remains could have fit it all in though. 
 

I’m beginning to think not. 
 

I wish I had access to anyrail or something similar to play around with. So frustrating being in lockdown!!

For basic planning I use ‘Empire Express’, primarily because it’s available for Mac as well as Windows machines. The basic version is a free download and whilst limited to 50 pieces that should be enough for what you need and you can save multiple drawings. 
 

It’s probably not the best for fine detail planning but I find it great for first pass playing around with multiple layouts to work through what does and doesn’t fit. It’s incredibly easy to use you just drag and drop from the extensive catalogue (certainly for HO/OO). You can then use other methods for working the detail.

[Ben Alder]

I have a set of the paper ones if you have problems downloading.

 

[50002Superb]

5 hours ago, B McG said:

Here's a link that may be of use to you.  It's my go to resource for old track plans:-

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17&lat=57.41254&lon=-3.39046&layers=168&right=BingHyb

 

Cheers

Bryant

Thanks,  that's the one I was using, such great operational opportunities! 

[50002Superb]

22 minutes ago, SHerr said:

For basic planning I use ‘Empire Express’, primarily because it’s available for Mac as well as Windows machines. The basic version is a free download and whilst limited to 50 pieces that should be enough for what you need and you can save multiple drawings. 
 

It’s probably not the best for fine detail planning but I find it great for first pass playing around with multiple layouts to work through what does and doesn’t fit. It’s incredibly easy to use you just drag and drop from the extensive catalogue (certainly for HO/OO). You can then use other methods for working the detail.

 

I'm using a Samsung tablet so will see if it works on that.

[SHerr]

28 minutes ago, 50002Superb said:

 

I'm using a Samsung tablet so will see if it works on that.

Ah, I'm not sure there's anything that works with a Tablet which I always found frustrating.

 

My reply got me thinking that I might have knocked up a basic sketch of Ballindalloch when trying to plan out my Speyside layout.

 

After a quick trial I had indeed but wasn't quite finished so added a couple of bits. The squares are 1 foot and the plan is based on Peco Streamline. There is a really good photo on the Railscot site of the Goods yard in 1968 which is what I based this on.

 

 https://railscot.co.uk/img/26/515/

 

[50002Superb]

That is an incredible photo, I'd not seen that before!

 

Thanks for sharing it.

 

Basically using your sketch I probably need twice the length on my boards.

 

I'm not discounting it, I just need to make sturdy boards that can fold away. I would say "not my forte" but I'm not sure what is!