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Rannoch Moor


MRDBLUE17
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Hi everyone,

 

Thanks for all the interest, likes and comments. Keeping with the 90's theme a stranger has appeared on Rannoch for running in tests. 56037 is one of Max's fleet for his monster layout Maxwell Colliery with its coal loader down the branch. Makes Rannoch look tiny but my tight curves, points etc are a good test to ensure the loco can crawl under the loader with a full take of MGR's behind it. It has been fitted with Legomanbiffo V4 class 56 sounds and has a massive speaker fitted where the former working fans were. This has to have the top edges cut back and filed to suit the body profile and a couple of mounts of plastic fitted to prevent it getting pushed down against the brass flywheel. Fitted facing down it produces the loudest sounds I've so fitted to any model and well worth the extra effort to fit. The loco powers up nicely and when opened right up screams like the real thing too. Will need to do the same on my Colas 56 at some point.

 

Thanks

Mark

 

 

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Hi everyone,

 

I managed to get another triple grey 31 at a decent price from a fellow DEMU member, which started out as 31296 in construction sector markings. This was destined to join the Crewe allocated Coal sector 31's for Nuclear flask movements.

 

Humbrol thinners and a cotton bud work well for removing the existing numbers and sector markings.

 

All the decal parts needed, I got replica sector markings at showcase and the larger tops numbers are from Nairnshire model supplies which is a really useful sheet from Nigel. The small cab front numbers were from an old fox sheet I had in the tin.

 

Etched arrows and Crewe Cats were also added from Shawplan.

 

I never use to attempt anything like this but quite enjoy creating a few different identities from standard out the box models.

 

I chose 31270 as this is one of the rare 31's that carried ploughs so adds a little bit of interest which still need fitting along with buffer beam details.

 

Thanks

Mark

 

 

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Hi Everyone

 

31270 has had its front end detailed, ploughs fitted and a couple of figures added to the cab. The cab side window has also been opened on the drivers side. The Hornby pipes have been supplemented with some air pipes from a Bachmann 47 pack.

 

Thanks

Mark

 

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Edited by MRDBLUE17
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Hi Mark,

 

Good to see you branching out into locos. There'll be no stopping you now! The 31 is looking good. It's definitely worth the effort to fit etched arrows in particular I think and you can never go wrong with 'ploughs.

 

I like to use Preiser's drivers:

 

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=PR16335&style=main&strType=&Mcode=Preiser+16335

 

At £10 for 30, they're a good price, and although not all are suitable, most are. Being plastic, they're pretty well detailed too.

 

Here are a couple of them...

 

A smartly dressed HST driver...

 

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... and a scruffy DMU driver...

 

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Cheers

Dave

Edited by Waverley West
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Hi Mark,

 

I think it's time for you to start a new thread for all the stuff you are doing that isn't for Rannoch Moor!

 

Thanks

Hi Phil,

 

You are probably right it's just easier to add to the one place for now, once the depot is built and I make a proper start on my new layout I'll do a new topic then.

 

See you in a couple of weeks at St Andrews

Mark

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Nice work on the 31 Mark. Out of interest are those the Bachann NEM plough's? PEDs were a b*gger to couple up when they had ploughs. Done it a few times in my early railway career. I wasn't so portly then either.HaHaHa.

Hi Marcus,

 

Yes the plough is from a Bachmann 37. I cut the nem bit off the back and also the buffer beam steps on the loco where they bend through 90 degrees and used these little legs and the buffer beam to glue the plough on. The pipes were then a mix of the Hornby parts and a few Bachmann pipes. They look like they were difficult as they sit quite far forward compared to other locos. 31130 that I'm keeping that way is now on the bench and when I can find another suitable 31 I will add 31324 which also had ploughs to the fleet.

 

Thanks

Mark

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the drivers look really good mate top work.

Quite agree, top work Dave and thanks for the link, looks a useful pack. The cheap Chinese packs are OK for coaches but I didn't really see any I want to put in the cabs.

 

Cheers

Mark

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Snap Mark. I'm currently doing a non motored sound fitted 31 229 with ploughs from a Lima Dutch 31 541. Coppell use on double headers is the plan. Kev.

Hi Kev,

 

Good to hear from you, I will need to keep an eye out for those on Coppell. Of course that nice sound fitted coal pairing are amongst my favourites.

 

Thanks

Mark

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Hi Mark,

Nice work on the barrier wagon. I have a Bachmann VDA chassis in bits at the moment to do something similar.

 

Nice work on the 37 too I remember seeing that loco with the numbers on the nose I think it turned up on a few passenger turns back in the day too. I think I have a few pics of 31270 too it certainly looks pretty good with those ploughs.

 

Looking forwards to the new layout I remember you saying you had something planned.

 

Cheers Peter.

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  • 1 month later...

Hi everyone,

 

Whilst at St Andrews with the rest of the DEMU/Scottish Modellers crew I took along the rolling stock and locos to recreate the Highland Line Flask working that runs up to Georgemas Junction for loading. This operates top and tail with a pair of 37's and I have found plenty of photos of 37602/605 on these workings. I have this pair thanks to the skills of Andi Walshaw who recreated 602 and R3sprays who did a run of 605 in conjunction with Olivias trains. These have been fitted with Bifs matched pair of 37's (the west highland version) and have plenty of thrash.

 

The flask is a Bachmann model but the barriers are from the ex PFA coal container flats. These were available in a limited re run from Charlie at DC kits and I had built these up before the show. The main issue to work round was couplings due to the low running height of the wagon and the way these were to operate in top and tail mode needed a reliable solution. Charlie and Phil offered some helpful advice and some suitable Kadees were purchased for fitting to the wagon. I cut away the lower part of the buffer beam and cut down the sides of the Kadee box so that it would slot in between the frames leaving the end section the original width so the coupling sits out far enough. Quite pleased with this as it looks neat enough and now means I can get some NEM style Kadees to slot into the flask and 37 sockets so the whole train can be formed for running.

 

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Thanks

Mark

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Hi Mark,

 

Just received my copy of Hornby magazine and clocked Rannoch on the front cover.

 

Congratulations on an excellent article, Nigel Burkin's pictures look superb and really show your layout at it's best.

 

It was fun reading about the cottage and the whirligig washing line

A shame Nigel didn't get a picture of the front door complete with letter box (that no one ever gets to see)

 

Well done Mark.

 

Pepsi

 

PS It's incredible to think that Rannoch was begun back in 2009  :O

Edited by ukpepsi
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  • 3 months later...

Hi Everyone,

 

It's been a while since I posted anything on Rannoch, since its appearance in Hornby magazine. The truth is not a lot has changed, a couple of new cars have been added as and when Oxford Diecast release something suitable and a few bits of stock changed or added to the fleet. It was great to meet Peter on his visit from Aus and play trains for a few hours.

 

Next year Rannoch will be heading south along with Keith's excellent Bere Banks to attend the Great Electric Train Show in October supported by Scottish Modellers/DEMU which will be the first show in 2 years so hope to see some of you there. I'm also looking forward to getting a pair of 156's from Realtrack so the 158's can retire as these are key units for the line and the new models will be superb having had a good look and play with a sample back in August.

 

I hope you all have a Happy Christmas

 

Thanks

Mark

 

Below are a few photos whilst playing trains with Eilidh with 66720 on the Alcan tanks and 37174 on an engineers working. This joined the fleet thanks to my mum last Christmas and now has Bifs west highland sounds.

 

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Lovely photos, Mark. Eilidh definitely looks more enthusiastic about 37s than 66s. A promising sign of a discerning enthusiast.  :sungum:

 

A very happy Christmas to you and your family. Hopefully catch up with you again in February at MRS.

 

Cheers,

Dave

 

 

PS I think a Strathclyde 156 might be winging its way to Waverley West too (and maybe even a Regional Railways one too). It looks a lovely model.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hi Mark

Nice to see some recent pictures of Rannoch. Edith looks to be having fun. Wonder if it's anything to do with the Kiddies 66 as we call it at work.

Happy New Year mate.

Cheers

Marcus

Come on Marcus!

 

Get the names right....

 

Eilidh - definately not Edith!

 

Thanks

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