Whinburgh and Slitrigg - Main line across the border

[61656]

Coaches are looking good - are you hand painting? Maroon looks a lot easier than blue and grey, but maybe I’m underestimating the lining!

 

I was surprised to see you chose the Mainline RBR for conversion. I picked up a blue and grey one recently and I think it holds its own against the current Bachmann offerings. It would be interesting to compare before and after photos. 

[coronach]

35 minutes ago, 61656 said:

Coaches are looking good - are you hand painting? Maroon looks a lot easier than blue and grey, but maybe I’m underestimating the lining!

 

I was surprised to see you chose the Mainline RBR for conversion. I picked up a blue and grey one recently and I think it holds its own against the current Bachmann offerings. It would be interesting to compare before and after photos. 

The Mainline window surrounds are a bit chunky and the version I bought was badly scratched on one side. The coaches done so far are hand painted (5 coats including Undercoat and varnish) but I have obtained a tin of Railmatch aerosol maroon for the next few.  The lining is HMRS pressfix - not too onerous. 

[coronach]

Progress on Upgrading another Hornby Mk1 sleeper using Comet brass sides. I’ve sprayed this one with Railmatch acrylic maroon Paint and gloss varnish which gives a rich lustre to the finish, which is very pleasing.  I’ve also added Comet corridor end plates and Bachmann commonwealth bogies.  Hinges, coach board brackets and bump stops are made from brass lacing pins. 

Edited July 28, 2020 by coronach

[coronach]

On 28/07/2020 at 17:20, coronach said:

Progress on Upgrading another Hornby Mk1 sleeper using Comet brass sides. I’ve sprayed this one with Railmatch acrylic maroon Paint and gloss varnish which gives a rich lustre to the finish, which is very pleasing.  I’ve also added Comet corridor end plates and Bachmann commonwealth bogies.  Hinges, coach board brackets and bump stops are made from brass lacing pins. 

And the other side

[coronach]

I’ve just completed a conversion of an old Bachmann Bulleid corridor compo into a semi open brake 3rd using Comet sides. Unless the 1966 Waterloo -Aberdeen excursion hauled by 4472 included one of these, it’s very unlikely they ever ran on the Waverley Route but my layout has an Anglo-Scottish diagram incorporating SR stock :-)

Edited August 30, 2020 by coronach

[coronach]

A few photos taken just now. A southbound freight eases out of the up goods loop at Whinburgh South after being recessed last March. If that’s not a long enough delay, the Hawick bus is crossing the line at Slitrigg level crossing after waiting six year for the gates to open !

[coronach]

I have spent most of my modelling time during the last six months repainting, repairing and completing coaches and vans. Many vehicles were only fully painted and finished on one side So I have had plenty to go at. There is much still to do too. I’m really enjoying completing old models, which includes bringing the whole up to my current standards. ATM I don’t get so much enjoyment out of operating the railway though. 

[Ben Alder]

4 hours ago, coronach said:

I have spent most of my modelling time during the last six months repainting, repairing and completing coaches and vans.Many vehicles were only fully painted and finished on one side

 

Glad I'm not the only one with this shortcut.........

[coronach]

My current project is a conversion of the Hornby LMS 12 wheeled composite restaurant car to a first class car. I am using Comet sides. Not as straight forward as one thinks because the interior layout is a mirror image with the kitchen on the other side. The compo car was a feature of the otherwise Mk1 stock ‘Waverley’ set in the 1950s and early 60s, but I understand that a first class car was used in 1962 until replaced by a Mk1 catering car. It is also interesting to note that only a buffet service was provide to passengers - not crewed to serve full meals. As there is no buffet counter, I guess this must have been light snacks and drinks served at the tables. One side and interior completed so far. Roof and other side in progress. 

[coronach]

So ..... I popped up to the loft for half an hour to operate the railway for the first time in ages - not having been inspired to do so for ages. It was quite therapeutic to partake in some leisurely shunting with the J36 and operate a few main line trains. Most things worked but there a few electrical issues to repair and finish off. No derailments thankfully. I hope to finish the restaurant car this weekend and maybe reinstate it in the Waverley set

[danstercivicman]

On 06/06/2020 at 14:00, coronach said:

Now the track is relaid on the southern approach to Whinburgh, I can continue with the moorland scenery .  Vallejo textured earth Paint is great as a base, followed by many layers of scenic scatter attached with diluted PVA. The trick will be develop the scenery so that the two parallel sets of running lines remain distinctly separate in the minds eye

 

Wow! 

 

Super scenery! 

Edited October 16, 2020 by danstercivicman

[coronach]

I’ve finished the LMS RF, which is running in the Nottingham - Edinburgh summer relief train to the Waverley. It is a ‘layout coach’ that doesn’t benefit from too close a scrutiny but I am pleased with it -  maybe a bit of finishing needed

Edited October 24, 2020 by coronach
Extra pic

[coronach]

A couple more shots before coffee time

[coronach]

I found some photos taken in 2007; quite early in the construction of Whinburgh & Slitrigg.  I have always maintained that this is a slowly evolving layout but I am pleased with the evolution so far.  Still more to do, and the more I create, the more there is to keep working!

 

[coronach]

A few more

[millerhillboy]

nice to see where you are now compared with where you came from

 

this is a cracking layout

[coronach]

49 minutes ago, millerhillboy said:

nice to see where you are now compared with where you came from

 

this is a cracking layout

Thank you.  The basis is an earlier layout of just Whinburgh station, which was constructed in an 18ft x 8 ft garage when we lived in the Midlands.  The original track layout was constructed to the extent that I had a roundy-roundy with a developing fiddle yard and a few basic train formations.  When we moved house 17 years ago, I had access to a 17ft square loft so I cut back one of the station approaches (beyond what is now the three arch bridge, and put in a tighter curve.  I also realised that the available width meant that I could create a folded figure of eight and incorporate a gradient, including a model of Whitrope Siding SB in one corner and an additional wayside station - Slitrigg at the fiddle yard exit, with a viaduct in between and Whitrop tunnel behind the fiddle yard.  The result is a layout with a complete run of about 70 ft, which takes a goods train 2 minutes to complete.  The gradients are a bit of an issue for some steam hauled passenger trains of more than 6 coaches but I have wired the layout so that a banker can be dropped off the rear at the summit from either direction before crossing over to the other line and running back down the gradient whilst the train continues into Whitrope tunnel.  This year has provided me with more time to develop the scenery, which is great but I am finding that some of the original work needs repairing and replacing.  .....  and there is loads remaining to do.  One thing I am pleased of though is that it is all my own work :-)

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by coronach

[coronach]

On 29/01/2020 at 17:19, coronach said:

So.... plans for this year:

1. Complete the ballasting on the downhill straight south of Whinburgh

2. Further develop the scenery

3. Complete the detailing of Whinburgh station - started 15 years ago

4. Connect the semaphore signals to a lever frame at Whitrope Siding

5. Complete the wiring of the fiddle yard.

6. SAVE UP for another Clayton Type 1, the Hornby A2/3, Hornby 78000 2MT, an Oxford Rail J27, Dapol Class 21/29

etc etc etc.

 

 

 

 

So ..... it is November and how have things progressed?

 

1.  Ballasting done

2.  Significant progress with the scenery - far more than I would have predicted but that is Covid-19 for you!  Trees, moorland, a tunnel mouth - what else?

3.  Whinburgh station is still half finished

4.  Home and starting signals connected at Whitrope Siding - a bit of fettling still to do.

5.  The fiddle yard wiring is still a boj - job

6.  I don't know about saving up but I now have the Class 21 diesel and the J27 and 78047 are due for delivery as soon as they are ready from the works.

 

What I hadn't anticipated was the number of coaches, vans and wagons that have been through the shops, some changing identity/ type and others just been downgraded do a more workstained condition.

 

 

[coronach]

A few pictures of alternative viewpoints this evening   The first shot is the hidden ramp descent behind the viaduct towards the fiddle yard

[coronach]

[coronach]

The viaduct is one of areas that need further work to complete. The basic structure is nearly 15 years old. It will really benefit from landscaping plus drainpipes and railings. Another major item to start on will be the back scene - take a deep breath!

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, coronach said:

I do enjoy looking behind the scenes. Thank you.

[coronach]

This Christmas, the modelling project is to build Slitrigg SB, to replace the ‘temporary’ NER signal box with a NBR design - and one with steps at the correct end !  All constructed from left over ply, foam board, plastic arm and bits from my scrap box

[coronach]

[coronach]

Mustn’t forget the train register!