Craiglang - BR Speedlink in the 1980s

[Alcanman]

Craiglang is a small BR Speedlink distribution depot located in the Glasgow area. A sort of fictitious version of Deanside Transit, which was the subject of a small layout I built a couple of years ago.

 

The layout period is 1981 – 1985, a time when I was making regular trips to Scotland.

 

Traffic is mainly bottled highland mineral water and timber arriving via the West Highland Line. Mineral water in VBA/VDA/VGA vans are unloaded at the distribution warehouse and, timber, originating at Crianlarich, is unloaded at a designated siding. Other wagons arriving are tripped to Mossend yard.

 

The track plan is a simple four track inglenook arrangement with a 6ft x 15ins scenic area plus 3ft fiddle yard.

[Rivercider]

I'm looking forward to this. Will we be able to see Osprey Heights in the distance, or perhaps the Clansman?

 

cheers

[Alcanman]

38 minutes ago, Rivercider said:

I'm looking forward to this. Will we be able to see Osprey Heights in the distance, or perhaps the Clansman?

 

cheers

Here's Osprey Heights in the distance for you.

Edited April 6, 2021 by Alcanman

[Rivercider]

Marvellous!

 

cheers

[mallaig1983]

I’ve just hit the follow button. Looking forward to following progress. Good Luck with it.

Andy.

[Alcanman]

Work has started at Craiglang and good progress made.

 

The track fits my plan perfectly and has been cut to size and lightly pinned in place. I'll make any minor adjustments before proceeding with wiring.

 

The warehouse buildings have been re-cycled from my old 'Deanside Transit' layout. Eastfield's 37191 has just arrived with a couple of VGAs for the warehouse and a couple of OBAs loaded with timber. 

Edited April 7, 2021 by Alcanman

[Alcanman]

Track has now been glued in place and wiring completed.

 

Tested the layout with a short shunting session and locos are crawling around without any problems.

 

I'm happy with the progress so far. Track painting and ballasting next.

 

 

[mallaig1983]

Sounds like you’ve had a productive day. Great news that it’s all running nicely. Some really nice stock there too.

[stivesnick]

Hi 

 

Having seen your American layouts, will watch with interest to see how this one turns out. I am tempted to do a N gauge version, but perhaps not the same effect created in the smaller scale and without sound.

 

Nick 

[Alcanman]

Layout progress update.

 

Track hand painted with Humbrol enamels and ballasting with Woodland Scenics fine grey ballast with a little light grey to give some variation.

[C126]

7 minutes ago, Alcanman said:

Layout progress update.

 

Track hand painted with Humbrol enamels and ballasting with Woodland Scenics fine grey ballast with a little light grey to give some variation.

 

It looks great.  Well done.  Are you going to dirty the ballast with some dirt browns and oily black?  Or is the depot/yard to have been built 'recently', so having clean (relatively) ballast?  Just as a matter of curiosity, how long did it take you to lay all the ballast?  I hated the job on the bit I have done with air-dry clay.

[Alcanman]

31 minutes ago, C126 said:

 

It looks great.  Well done.  Are you going to dirty the ballast with some dirt browns and oily black?  Or is the depot/yard to have been built 'recently', so having clean (relatively) ballast?  Just as a matter of curiosity, how long did it take you to lay all the ballast?  I hated the job on the bit I have done with air-dry clay.

Thanks. The ballast will remain relatively clean. However, I'll add some ground cover/weeds between the tracks to create an overgrown, uncared for look. Something like this timber siding at Crianlarich.

 

The ballasting was done yesterday afternoon. Yes, it's tedious, as is track painting ,but once these jobs are finished you can look forward to more interesting tasks on the layout.

[mallaig1983]

But it’s a job that gets a massive result and really brings a layout to life. Great job.

[Alcanman]

The small gap between the two warehouse buildings has been filled with some foliage and a piece of security fencing. 

 

A few weeds have also begun to appear.

[Alcanman]

Progress at the right hand end of the layout. 

 

The road over-bridge, hiding the entrance to the fiddle siding, is now in place and a yard office and porta-cabin have appeared together with some concrete hard standing made from Wills 'cement rendering'.

 

Jack and Victor are having a socially distanced chat with yard foreman. 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Alcanman

[Alcanman]

The timber unloading vehicle has been weathered and unloads logs from an OBA wagon.

 

The logs are made from small branches of shrubs from my garden.

[A1X]

Is that timber from Tighnahulish? 

[Alcanman]

A couple of low relief non rail served warehouses have been built using a Pikestuff kit that I had to hand.

 

They fit nicely along the right hand end of the layout next to the over-bridge. I've simply painted them with grey undercoat for now. I may paint them blue to match the other warehouses in due course.

 

I've also added some stone walling (re-cycled from a previous layout} which matches the over-bridge and butts up to the bridge.

Edited April 27, 2021 by Alcanman
error

[Alcanman]

The warehouses have been painted blue and these 2 photos show the entire 6ft scenic area of the layout. 

 

The main elements and structures are now in place and I will now focus on adding some greenery and ground cover.

 

After a few weeks operating the layout, I'm finding that the middle long siding is best used as a sorting track for placing outbound wagons. The class 26 can be seen departing from the siding with a short trip freight for Mossend yard.

 

 

[Rivercider]

I like what you have done so far.

 

I have a copy of a list of the Speedlink Trunk services and also feeder services and local trips from 17 May 1982.

Mossend was a busy place, a total of about 30 arrivals and departures of internal Scottish Speedlink workings in addition to the inter-regional trunk services, (as well as the Craiglang trips!)

 

cheers

Edited April 28, 2021 by Rivercider
Additional info

[JohnR]

Sounds really interesting! Can you post a copy?

[Alcanman]

46 minutes ago, Rivercider said:

I like what you have done so far.

 

I have a copy of a list of the Speedlink Trunk services and also feeder services and local trips from 17 May 1982.

Mossend was a busy place, a total of about 30 arrivals and departures of internal Scottish Speedlink workings in addition to the inter-regional trunk services, (as well as the Craiglang trips!)

 

cheers

Thanks.

 

There are six daily Mossend - Craiglang trip workings. Last workings today T56 14:55 Mossend - Craiglang brought in 2 timber loads in OBAs, 1 VDA with bottled water and 1 OCA with sheet steel. Return trip T56 17:42 Craiglang - Mossend consisted of 2 empty OTA timber wagons and 1 empty OCA.

[Alcanman]

When I decided to include a timber unloading siding on the layout, I immediately thought of purchasing some Bachmann OTAs.

 

However, apart from the fact there there were very few available, those that turned up on E-bay were selling for around £40.0 secondhand!

 

At the same time I had purchased a copy of the newly released 'Modelling British Railways Wagonload Formations Vol 2' which includes a comprehensive guide guide to timber traffic. An excellent publication, in which Simon Bendall states that the OTA (ex VDA) modelled by Bachmann was not introduced until 1988. Too late for my chosen period of 1981-1985.

 

However, he also mentions that Hornby OTA (ex OCA) were introduced in 1985, so suitable for my layout, except Hornby  have never released the model in Railfreight livery. A quick search revealed brand new Hornby OTAs available for around £25.00. 

 

The Hornby model is every bit as detailed as the Bachmann model, so I purchased a couple of wagons which were easily repainted Railfreight Grey/Red and weathered. The timber logs in the OTAs will be cut down to size later.

 

[SHerr]

I always think it beggars belief that Hornby have never produced the standard Railfreight red or even Thames light blue OTA’s but keep doing runs of probably the least popular/common liveries - and no doubt then have discussion head office along the lines of ‘why do these never sell’.

 

Nice work on the repaint, I’ve done 2 and they are absolute sods to do a tidy job on. Got another 3 to do as I got 5 cheap turquoise ones from a show along with a comment of ‘thanks, these are taking me ages to shift’.

[F-UnitMad]

Blimey, blink & I miss it..!! Another Alcanman classic to keep watch on!!