The Skarloey Railway 1942-1960: Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing

[THS92-GWR-NO]

Stumbled on your thread here now, and having gone through it from beginning to so far end, I am truly amazed!

 

When you posted the first photos with your trees it took me a few post to realise that it wasn't real life 

 

This really takes the biscuit 

[Tom F]

2 hours ago, THS92-GWR-NO said:

Stumbled on your thread here now, and having gone through it from beginning to so far end, I am truly amazed!

 

When you posted the first photos with your trees it took me a few post to realise that it wasn't real life 

 

This really takes the biscuit 

 

Thanks Thomas! I'm really glad people are enjoying the photos. I think I enjoy photographing the layout as much as operating it!

 

It's 1944, and Rheneas's crew have had a tough time getting the old engine to the quarry.

"Is that injector picking up now Bill?"

 

[THS92-GWR-NO]

16 minutes ago, Tom F said:

 

Thanks Thomas! I'm really glad people are enjoying the photos. I think I enjoy photographing the layout as much as operating it!

 

It's 1944, and Rheneas's crew have had a tough time getting the old engine to the quarry.

"Is that injector picking up now Bill?"

 

 

I bet, my layout still haven't got enough scenics for me to get to that point, and I keep having decision avoidance when building the scenic parts 

[Tom F]

On that crisp autumnal morning, looking down the forestry track, we got our first glimpse of an engine….

[THS92-GWR-NO]

5 hours ago, Tom F said:

On that crisp autumnal morning, looking down the forestry track, we got our first glimpse of an engine….

 

Gives me an instant rush to run down to the crossing with my camera. Love it

[PaulRhB]

On 11/09/2021 at 12:23, Tom F said:

I felt I was running the risk of saturating the thread with photos of the layout.

Saturate away old bean  

[Tom F]

7 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Saturate away old bean  

Thank you!

I'm going to be moving on to rolling stock shortly. I've RNAD vans to get building! 

[Tom F]

Last lot of slate out of Ward Fell for the day. No. 2 will stop briefly for water at Glennock, before the wagons will be shunted into the exchange sidings at Crovan's Gate. Where the slate will then be loaded into standard gauge wagons on the NWR.

 

 

Edited September 13, 2021 by Tom F

[Tom F]

'Heading home....'

[Tortuga]

2 hours ago, Tom F said:

'Heading home....'

Not going that way they’re not! That’s heading up into the forestry plantation!

 

Wait… Sodor, not Talyllyn!

[Tom F]

4 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Not going that way they’re not! That’s heading up into the forestry plantation!

 

Wait… Sodor, not Talyllyn!

Hehe indeed!

That way eventually leads onto the fell tops onto the Skarloey to Peel Godred road.

[Tom F]

Feeling a bit reflective this evening.

Exactly a year ago, I posted on Facebook how I felt I was suffering from depression and needed to see a doctor. I was seriously concerned over finances (I'm a peripatetic music teacher by trade) and felt there was little hope. My own modelling interest had pretty much gone.

 

12 months on, and Scaca Fell, the first stage in my Skarloey Railway odyssey is complete and I'm currently writing up the article for Railway Modeller.

Just a reminder to myself, and others....that anything is possible!

 

 

Edited September 14, 2021 by Tom F

[AdeMoore]

Very touching Tom, what a turn around and what a remarkable piece of modelling to mark your return to the top of model making. I hope financially you’re recovering too.

I wish you every success with your continuing railway odyssey and writing about it.

Also a window of sunshine showing positive outcomes are within reach for anyone suffering in similar ways.

You are a great ambassador to the hobby.

cheers

Ade 

[MPR]

10 hours ago, Tom F said:

Feeling a bit reflective this evening…
… just a reminder to myself, and others....that anything is possible!

Tom, it’s been great to see this layout develop over the last few months, it shows artistry and craftsmanship of the highest order. I really hope that you have gained as much satisfaction from it as we all have in watching it grow -I’m looking forward to seeing the next chapter! (and of course Cwm Prysor in due course!) Occasionally, I go back and check the early views to remind myself just how small it is!
My very best wishes to you

Martin

Edited September 15, 2021 by MPR
Abbreviated quotation

[1722]

7 hours ago, Tom F said:

Feeling a bit reflective this evening.

Exactly a year ago, I posted on Facebook how I felt I was suffering from depression and needed to see a doctor. I was seriously concerned over finances (I'm a peripatetic music teacher by trade) and felt there was little hope. My own modelling interest had pretty much gone.

 

12 months on, and Scaca Fell, the first stage in my Skarloey Railway odyssey is complete and I'm currently writing up the article for Railway Modeller.

Just a reminder to myself, and others....that anything is possible!

 

 

Tom, it’s great to hear how things have changed over the past year for you. A year ago you made the most important first step; speaking out and seeking help. As someone who has been there myself, it’s a tough step to take too, but once taken it’s a huge weight off your shoulders. 
 

Amazing work and can’t wait to see the article. 
 

When are you breaking cover on the second aspect? :-)

[Tom F]

2 hours ago, 1722 said:

Tom, it’s great to hear how things have changed over the past year for you. A year ago you made the most important first step; speaking out and seeking help. As someone who has been there myself, it’s a tough step to take too, but once taken it’s a huge weight off your shoulders. 
 

Amazing work and can’t wait to see the article. 
 

When are you breaking cover on the second aspect? :-)

 

Thank you!

Well, I really need to get the RNAD vans built and finished as they are a big part o the operating sequence for Scaca. I also want to finish loco No. 1 'Skarloey' and get the RNAD diesel built. However I plan to start work on the next instalment in a month or so:

 

 'SKARLOEY' (the station).

[sb67]

What a turn around Tom! Thanks for sharing that. Your work is stunning and an inspiration to all, I'll look forward to seeing the RM article and a someone who's suffering a bit of a blip myself it's good to see that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. 

Keep up the good work 

[Tom F]

9 hours ago, sb67 said:

What a turn around Tom! Thanks for sharing that. Your work is stunning and an inspiration to all, I'll look forward to seeing the RM article and a someone who's suffering a bit of a blip myself it's good to see that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. 

Keep up the good work 

 

Thanks for your kind comments Steve.

Glad the thread is helping you at this time. Model railways has a wonderful escapism aspect about it, which I know personally has been of great help to me over the past few years.

 

 

[didcot]

Stunning work.

[CameronL]

On 15/09/2021 at 09:25, Tom F said:

 I plan to start work on the next instalment in a month or so:

 

 'SKARLOEY' (the station).

Really looking forward to that. Do you have any more layout build threads? 

[Tom F]

6 hours ago, CameronL said:

Really looking forward to that. Do you have any more layout build threads? 

 

Thank you. Check out Cwm Prysor on a forum search (granted it's unfinished)

 

I've had some really good help recently on researching the military use up at the Quarry. I had initially presumed RNAD ammo sites and MoD ammo sites were one and the same. This doesn't seem to be the case, and the MoD had their own (Eastriggs is one I've been looking into).

 

So we are able to keep to the  Awdry lore, which very much states that Ward Fell was an MoD site.

In the meantime, No. 2 prepares to dispatch loaded slate from the exchange sidings.

[Gypsy]

Absolutely stunning as ever Tom but to be pedantic (sorry), it would have been WD back then not MoD (which did not come into being until 1946).

[Tom F]

15 hours ago, Gypsy said:

Absolutely stunning as ever Tom but to be pedantic (sorry), it would have been WD back then not MoD (which did not come into being until 1946).

Yes of course, you are indeed right.

Awdry constantly refers to it as MoD (even during the War Period), so forgive me for the error.

This does make things rather interest, as the layout spans 1942-1960, so there will be a subtle difference in branding on vans.

The on loan diesels were only there during the war period (according to Awdry). For the moment, I'm only depicting one of them, alongside locos No. 1 and 2.

Edited September 18, 2021 by Tom F

[MrWolf]

At the risk of being another pedant, The War Department (War Office) remained so until 1964 when it became the Ministry of Defence.

 

That aside, I've been following the truly impressive progress on here and picking up a lot of information on scenery, there's a lot more open countryside than track on my layout too.

It's my own fault for setting my railway in a real location!

[Tom F]

No. 2 'RHENEAS', passes over the crossing in late October, 1940.

 

Sir Handel Brown, the owner of the railway and slate quarry was recently showing some military types around some of the old quarry workings. Old Pete Taylforth reckons they are planning an invasion! His nephew Ben Taylforth doesn't particularly care, as long as he can still fire these little old engines, on this lovely little railway in the East Sudrian Fells.