A Scottish Branch Line Terminus: making a start in EM Gauge

[rhnrhn]

I thought I would start a thread to document the consruction of my new layout which will be a Scottish themed BLT in EM Gauge. Last summer I had been reading Ian Futers excellent books "Modelling Scotland's Railways" and "Scottish Layout Projects", which contained a plan called "Lochend" which was designed around a baseboard of 7ft by 1ft 6.

 

During this time I was dismantling a previous layout, which was taking up too much space, that was built on a board 2m by 1.2m, in old money 6ft 6 by 4ft. Having seen the plan for "Lochend", rather than scrap the entire board and its frames I decided to cut it in in half longitudinally leaving me with 6ft6 by 2ft and disposing of the rest.

 

The plan for "Lochend" is relatively straight forward using standard left and right hand turnouts, so I thought it would be a good place to make a start in EM Gauge, using the EM Gauge Societies ready-to-lay track.

 

EM Gauge B6 Points are rather long and to fit the board I adapted the plan somewhat, the scheme of which is below.

 

It is a tight squeeze, but as it can handle a BR Type 2 Loco hauled 2 carriage train (which isn't unprototypical), as well as short goods trains, I think it will work. 

 

In anycase keeping the stock requirements to a minimum means less to convert to EM Gauge!

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn

[rhnrhn]

I printed the plan out at full size on several sheets of A 4 to check guaging train lengths etc:

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[rhnrhn]

Having verified the layout plan, the real track was cut to size and assembled to the board using drawing pins, so that the position of point motor slots, decoupler recesses and wire dropper locations cound be marked out. At this time the cork underlay was also cut to size:

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[rhnrhn]

I will be using Kadees for coupling. Decoupling will be done using Kadee permanent magnets. These are mounted on card flanges and then assembled through cut out holes from the underside of the base board.

 

This brings them flush with the top of the cork matting:

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn

[rhnrhn]

Wire droppers made using 1mm dia multistrand wire. Although the joints are good, soldering this type and size wire to finescale bullhead rail was bit tricky.  I think next time I will use a single core wire for this. Once fitted to the board, a cut down sleeper will be inserted to fill the gap.

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[rhnrhn]

The track was fixed to the baseboard using PVA Glue applied to every 10th sleeper or so, and held in place with drawing pins until it had set. Once set, Wills Point Rodding was fitted.

 

Compared to the finescale bullhead rail, the rodding is a bit chunky / overscale, but on the otherhand it was not too fiddly to assemble, and with the right painting and after ballasting, I think it will do.

 

Edited January 9, 2022 by rhnrhn
image, spelling

[rhnrhn]

With the track laid and point rodding installed, the area around the track bed was rattle-can-sprayed first with acrylic matt black and then acrylic matt chocolate, (having masked the moving bits of the pointwork first) to give a mucky look. 

 

A plinth for the goodshed was installed and then ballasting was applied.

 

At the throat end of the layout to represent fairly clean ballast, a mixture of Noch HO / TT scale Red-Brown (09367) and Brown (09372) Ballast chippings was used.

 

Towards the bufferstop end and for the release crossover, Noch HO/TT scale Dark Gray (09376) was added to the mixture to represent muckier and oily ballast, where the locomotives would have been standing.

 

For the sidings Busch dark grey Quarzsand (7524) was used to represent ash ballasting.

 

In due course these will be treated with some static grass...

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, rhnrhn said:

I will be using Kadees for coupling. Decoupling will be done using Kadee permanent magnets. These are mounted on card flanges and then assembled through cut out holes from the underside of the base board.

That’s clever, I hadn’t thought of doing it that way.

Paul.

[rhnrhn]

On 09/01/2022 at 14:56, 5BarVT said:

That’s clever, I hadn’t thought of doing it that way.

Paul.

Thanks, I thought it better if the magnet's weight was supported seperately from underneath rather than by the track itself. 

Richard

[46444]

Very nicely done Richard. 

 

Anything inspired by Ian Futers is always worth following. 

 

Looking forward to seeing this progress. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Mark 

Edited January 10, 2022 by 46444

[SHerr]

Interesting idea, my current and much bigger layout concept (late 60s Scottish) started with me playing around with a similar sized board and a plan loosely based on a scaled back version of Lossiemouth. 
 

The original concept was not too dissimilar and was meant to be a small portable extra layout but ended up in me scrapping the main layout and developing the theme further!

 

Are you setting the layout in a particular area/territory or general Scottish? Ie any pre-grouping architectural style?

 

Good luck, will follow with interest.

[rhnrhn]

17 hours ago, SHerr said:

Are you setting the layout in a particular area/territory or general Scottish? Ie any pre-grouping architectural style?

 

 

I haven't decided on a precise location yet, but I am looking to set it in northern Scotland as a fictitious branch off the Far North or Skye Lines, so architecture will be based on that found on the Highland Railway and the Dornoch Light Railway.

 

To that end I am using the Pop-Up-Designs Dornoch Station and Highland Goodshed kits as a basis, together with the PECO Highland Signal Box.

 

Period is rather vague, but post nationaIisation, anytime between late 50s to mid 70s - I have some BR Blue, BR Green and BR Steam rolling stock that I would like to use...

 

[SHerr]

49 minutes ago, rhnrhn said:

 

I haven't decided on a precise location yet, but I am looking to set it in northern Scotland as a fictitious branch off the Far North or Skye Lines, so architecture will be based on that found on the Highland Railway and the Dornoch Light Railway.

 

To that end I am using the Pop-Up-Designs Dornoch Station and Highland Goodshed kits as a basis, together with the PECO Highland Signal Box.

 

Period is rather vague, but post nationaIisation, anytime between late 50s to mid 70s - I have some BR Blue, BR Green and BR Steam rolling stock that I would like to use...

 

Good stuff, I’ve used a few Pop Up Designs kits and if you treat them as a base to start around you can get something quite good. The likes of Dornoch with the improved recessed windows give more depth. I’ve also used the Peco cabin - 1 bit of advice, paint the door before you complete the porch, I didn’t and you can’t have it in a different colour as you can’t get in to paint it!

[rhnrhn]

Although the track is laid and ballasted, and the electrical connections checked with a multi-meter, the layout hasn't yet been tested with rolling stock owing to the fact that the wheel sets that I ordered are going to be a little while yet still.

 

So rather than start building up baseboard scenery (in case it turns out that some rectification to the track is needed) I am focussing on the layout's buildings, starting with the station building.

 

The layout is looking to represent a fictitious branch line terminus north of Inverness, so I am using the Pop-Up-Designs Dornoch Station kit as a basis.

 

Following the methods described in the article by Chris Leigh in the July issue of Model Rail, I have enhanced the basic kit by cladding it in Evergreen Board and Battening together with Scalescenes Brick and Slate papers.

 

I have also embellished it with Ratio Guttering and Wills Chimney Pots. The clock was made by attaching a paper clock face to a drawing pin head.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[Dragonboy]

Interesting how you fit the magnets. I’ve a project on going albeit in N but I’m just cutting a slot in the cork and then putting an address label over the top to cover any gaps and before ballasting. Is there any reason why you are doing it the way you are?

 

Brian

[rhnrhn]

35 minutes ago, Dragonboy said:

Interesting how you fit the magnets. I’ve a project on going albeit in N but I’m just cutting a slot in the cork and then putting an address label over the top to cover any gaps and before ballasting. Is there any reason why you are doing it the way you are?

 

Brian

The magnets together with their steel intensifiers are some 7mm thick. My cork base is only 2mm thick, so I had to cut slots in the baseboard. I didn't want to hang the magnets from the track itself as the magnets are quite heavy and the track quite fragile.

 

Richard

[Dragonboy]

Looking back at your magnets I can see why you need to do it that way. I hadn’t appreciated how thick the kadee magnets are. I’m using the Dapol Ez shunt couplings which are kadees in all but name and their magnets are much slimmer although I’m using stronger magnets I bought elsewhere as they work out cheaper. 
 

Brian

[rhnrhn]

The battening was brush painted using Games Workshop Wraithbone for the Cream and Revell 84 Leather Brown for the dark brown. Guttering, Window Frame outers and the Doors were picked out in the leather brown, with Games Workshop Corax White used for the inner Window Frames.

 

Masking the battening to separate the cream and brown areas was quite tricky. First I loosely laid Tamiya Tape along the section to be masked and then working from left to right pressed the tape into each batten groove using an ice lolly stick. The brown was then applied with a lightly loaded brush in stages.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn
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[SHerr]

The station building looks excellent with the cladding. I was considering the Dornoch building but wasn’t sure you could get the right board and battern embossed sheets but thankfully you’ve pointed me in the right direction.

 

Out of interest what have you used on the roof?

[rhnrhn]

22 hours ago, SHerr said:

I was considering the Dornoch building but wasn’t sure you could get the right board and battern embossed sheets but thankfully you’ve pointed me in the right direction.

 

You might also want to have a look at this thread, I found it very useful.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/162467-seeking-dornoch-station-photographs/

 

 

[rhnrhn]

22 hours ago, SHerr said:

Out of interest what have you used on the roof?

On the roof I used Scalescenes TX18a Roof Tiles. The ridge tiles were formed over a 1mmx1mm square section strip. Flashing around the Chimneys is also Scalescenes, TX00b Roof Flashing.

[SHerr]

34 minutes ago, rhnrhn said:

 

You might also want to have a look at this thread, I found it very useful.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/162467-seeking-dornoch-station-photographs/

 

 

Thanks, don’t know how I’ve missed that topic!

[sb67]

You've made a fantastic start rhnrhn, I'm a fan of Ian Futers plans so I'll looking forward to seeing this develop. 

[lmsforever]

Looking good branch lines in Scotland are interesting,  Pop Up are very good kits use them on my layout ,at moment I am detailing one of thier crofters houses . 

[rhnrhn]

The goods shed was constructed using the Pop-Up-Scenes kit as a basis. As with the station building it was clad in Evergreen Battening Sheet (0.01" Spacing, #4543).

 

I didn't use the doors that came with the kit, which at 3mm thick I found to be a bit chunky, instead making them from 1mm thick plasticard, with planking scribed by hand. The sliding door runners and hangers were constructed from plasticard strip.

 

Guttering is Wills and Downpipes Ratio. Glazing was done using Deluxe “Glue and Glaze” (which was also used for the station.

 

The battening was painted using a mix of 2 parts Revell 06 Tar Black with 1 Part Revell 84 Leather Brown, whilst the doors were painted Leather Brown, and the ironwork (guttering, hinges, runners etc) Revell 74 Gun Ship Grey. The window frames were picked out in Games Workshop Corax White.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by rhnrhn