Ben Alder Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 Looking good; you're making rapid progress. Nice to see a prototype with so much character and originality! Ian The bit is between my teeth ATM, and I am pleased with progress so far- cutting out my nightly meandering to the cask ale tap has made a big difference to modelling output- that three pints at 11 o'clock knocks a real hole in the evening, but as can be seen in some of the shots I haven't gone without. Staying in has been easy over the winter, but come the better weather it is all too tempting to take a stroll to "stretch ones legs". The local pub has also been recently taking in a wider range of guest beers , but I have been sticking to two or three visits a week at the max.- for thinking time of course...... I suppose I model this area through familiarity and acquired knowledge, and laziness as well, to some extent- I did think about the C&O as a prototype for the new model, with thoughts of Glen Ogle head stringing along the valley side, but a reality check made me realise there was not enough room to it anything like justice, and acquiring a working acquaintance with matters Caledonian would have taken months, if not years, to absorb. Also, the recent putting together of the ex- Highland and Caley engines really made this part of the world the only practical option for now, and as a layout of Helmsdale has been in gestation for forty years now I daresay it was indeed time to go ahead with it. Another benefit of modelling backwaters like these is that is is most unlikely that someone is going to come along and make a better version that puts your own efforts to shame , and compromises can often pass unnoticed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted March 25, 2012 Share Posted March 25, 2012 Also, the recent putting together of the ex- Highland and Caley engines really made this part of the world the only practical option for now You do know, Richard, that if you had chosen to build different HR engines, Glen Ogle would have been a definite option, but not in BR days? The LMS transferred ex-HR 'Clans' and 'Castles' to the Callander and Oban before the arrival of the Stanier 5s. I'm impressed by what you've accomplished in such a short time, and I already recognise parts of the layout from prototype pictures. Really looking forward to watching it develop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted March 25, 2012 Author Share Posted March 25, 2012 I'm afraid that its most unlikely that a HR Clan will appear- Falcon kits are way beyond my loco building abilities, although I would love to have a Clan or Clan Goods running around,- if there was then a C&O model may well have been on the cards. We had a holiday at Killin in 1965, and spent time at Callander as well, so memories of the line abound. I'll just have to make do with Barney's and Small Ben's for now though..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 A further progress report on work done this last whiles- the two goods sheds are now all but finished, work on the Helmsdale S cabin is reaching the same stage- a mess shed has been finished and the existing ex-Kyle shed has had some upgrading - nothing outstanding in all this but I'm quite pleased with the level of output....... The two goods sheds are of typical Highland design, with the hipped roof variety, and have been built in my usual way of plasticard with an Evergreen board and batten sheet to represent the distinctive look of most of the Highland's wooden structures. As with all my work, these are not scale models as such but interpretated miniatures that hopefully will all fit together as a whole. Hence they have been shortened slightly to cope with the compressed size of the layout and all dimensions are guesstimates taken from photos and any measurements I happened to have acquired. A couple of shots of them going together- you can see my working drawings in the background of one of them. The mess shed is a copy of one of a series the LMS built during and after the war- Helmsdale Tain and Aviemore all getting similar buildings, and is again a shortened copy. It was covered with self adhesive brick paper with the windows displaying my sixties modellers bodging background by using those from the Airfix booking hall kit. The rear face- with the doors is conjecture due to a lack of pictures but will pass for me. The long lived scratchbuilt Kyle shed has had a reprieve and a tidy-up, with the door arches getting a more realistic depth of masonry and a stone office/ stores block added to the side. The old brick lean to has been retained and this time actually glued to the main shed so the horrendous gaps that showed on the old layout are now things of the past. A toning down or repaint is also on the cards soon.The plain card over the arch will not show as the arch is going to be whitewashed, and a representation of stone courses can be added afterwards. The platform signal cabin is just about ready, and in theory is an adaption of the Ratio GW box, but all that has been used are the steps and bargeboards- neither of which are in place yet! After a couple of stalled starts I built it round the Lochgorm Kits window etches- a blessing for the HR modeller- and the Evergreen B&B sheeting which is robust enough for a small building such as this with some bracing. I did add some detail inside- which will probably make any signalling expert have apoplexy- but was based on an interior shot of The Mound cabin, and will be more or less invisible when the roof goes on. This has taken longer than anticipated due to the need to paint as I go, and I had forgotten the frustations of trying to keep chocolate and cream paint apart on batten sheeting. The N cabin is going to be fully painted before any assembly to save any more of this. Finally, some shots of them in situ- all just plonked in place, but I'm almost there, with the second cabin ready for painting and putting together, and a decision is going to be made soon whether to start scenicising Helmsdale or to carry on building and get the Thurso train shed out of the way first. And a shot taken in afternoon light yesterday- it'll look better when some scenery is added though... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Bear Posted April 23, 2012 Share Posted April 23, 2012 As someone who's contemplating using a mix of C+L track and Peco points, the third from last photo has caught my interest. I have a sample pack of Tracklay and I think I'll give your method of doing the points, the Peco, underlay a test. It looks to work well from the photo, and the difference in sleeper length can't be seen. The buildings look great too! Look forward to seeing more, it's moving along quickly. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 Cheers, they'll look better once painted, but I'm going to to do them in a batch once all are finished. I would say go for the Tracklay-its a doddle to do and makes the nightmare job of ballasting so easy. I trimmed a lot off the Peco points to make them look that bit better and I find that to the eye, once ballasted, their HO origins aren't too obvious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted April 23, 2012 Author Share Posted April 23, 2012 One image I omitted from the last upload- an overall view of the station. The additional watertank has now reached full height, but doesn't really merit a seperate photo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McRuss Posted April 24, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2012 Hello Richard, it is good to see your progress on your Far North layout. Keep on going. Markus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted April 24, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 24, 2012 Nice work on the buildings Richard. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Hi Richard, Well you said you were going to crack on with some buildings, and they are looking good too, great progress. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Great Bear Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 I trimmed a lot off the Peco points to make them look that bit better and I find that to the eye, once ballasted, their HO origins aren't too obvious. What did you trim from the points, from the photos I think you've trimmed the tie bar and taken off the handles but left the spring as you're using solenoids? Anything else - in some photos it looks like something's been done to the webbing but I could be mistaken? Thanks Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted April 24, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 24, 2012 Hi Richard, My first look-in on your project for a couple of weeks. Great progress - I'm enjoying the scratchbuilding. Can almost feel my hands twitching to do the same!! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted April 24, 2012 Share Posted April 24, 2012 Definitely looking Highland Richard!! Is the goods shed overscale - it seems rather overpowering in the picture? They did come in different sizes (Pitlochry is/was huge for example) though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 Definitely looking Highland Richard!! Is the goods shed overscale - it seems rather overpowering in the picture? They did come in different sizes (Pitlochry is/was huge for example) though. Don't think so, although I worked mostly from photos and the drawing of Brora shed. The two photos I posted were cropped and I have noticed that this camera can cause distortion in close-ups. Anyway, here is a side by side of the new build against the older version, taken from the drawing.The pitch of the hipped roof is a bit of guesswork, and perhaps could be shallower, but when I tried a mock-up of it there was too little ridge left, which seemed more obviously wrong than perhaps a bit too steep pitch. Once it is painted and slated and in place it will pass muster for me. Here is - a link - to one of Ernies photos showing the Thurso shed, unfortunately not totally side on, but shows a typical Highland goods shed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted April 25, 2012 Author Share Posted April 25, 2012 What did you trim from the points, from the photos I think you've trimmed the tie bar and taken off the handles but left the spring as you're using solenoids? Anything else - in some photos it looks like something's been done to the webbing but I could be mistaken? Thanks Jon I trimmed away all the Peco operating bits from plain points that were visible and put plain sleepers in place. The blade is held in place by friction from the polarity changing switches attached to the top of the Peco motors- a bit Heath Robinson-ish, but it works. However, the 3-way aysemetrical points didn't get this full treatment, merely having the excess taken trimmed flush with the rest of the sleepers. There was too much involved to risk damaging these expensive pieces, so as they are generally not in too prominent views I left them with that. A bit of careful composition and cropping should make them inconspicious in future photos, or so I hope! Hi Richard, My first look-in on your project for a couple of weeks. Great progress - I'm enjoying the scratchbuilding. Can almost feel my hands twitching to do the same!! Jeff Thanks, I'm pleased with progress as well- just found your railway room thread the other night and am well impressed with what you are putting together- looking forward to the build- keep us posted on progress. Another shot I forgot about for the last photo posting- the perils of using two cameras- the lean-to on the shed from the platform side. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted May 5, 2012 Author Share Posted May 5, 2012 Nothing much to report on this last whiles- a bit too much life getting in the way of modelling,I'm afraid, but I have built the base of the terminus water tower and coaling platform, and these should be finished this week. What work I have been doing has been mainly on the second Helmsdale box, and I am finding thse two somewhat time consuming, but the second should go together quicker due to pre-painting the components. Here is a very much early stages view of it in place roughly to see how it would fit- the door was just tacked in place and has been altered since then. And a couple of views looking towards the station- Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PassengerandFreight Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I've been following topic with great interest and have enjoyed the progress you have made. Can wait for more updates keep up the great work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishswissernie Posted May 6, 2012 Share Posted May 6, 2012 I have just added scans of the 19 September 1955 Freight Working Timetable covering the Farther North (and also the Kyle line) to my Flickr site. You will probably go cross-eyed trying to read it unfortunately!. I have uploaded it in landscape format to provide a larger image. You have a very interesting project; I am very tempted to scrap my latest Western/Midland layout and start another Highland but no doubt sanity will return as I havn't the time really. I did build and exhibit 3 Highland layouts back in the 1980's. regards Ernie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted May 6, 2012 Author Share Posted May 6, 2012 Cheers, Ernie- I will hotfoot it to your site as this sounds most interesting. Your collection in general has been a godsend to me in checking out details and general info and progress would have been at a fraction of what I have achieved without it.What subjects were your layouts based on? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishswissernie Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 .What subjects were your layouts based on? QUOTE The first was called Kinloch Laggan a branch off the HR mainline at Newtonmore, the second was a model of Garve and the third Achentoul was an imaginary terminus off the Farther North line at Forsinard. I have a few photos somewhere! Achentoul was based on Thurso to some extent with the trademark Overall roof. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 Thanks for the pics- Achentoul seems familiar- was it in any of the mags, or perhaps I came across it at a show sometime. Anyway, it set me musing about modelling Scottish backwaters in general, and how awkward it is to do in steam days- any kits are old W/M, s##ds to get to run properly and often difficult to obtain ,or brass kits that are beyond the capabilities of many(me being one of them). Diesel days are well looked after but the relentless decline of traffic and widespread closure programme has always put me off modelling this era. If and when some suitable area specific locos do appear- I am thinking of Caley 0-6-0, 0-4-4T and 4-4-0s, which would cover the whole of the ScR- I imagine that pre-diesel layouts will become a much more popular option. Perhaps their day will dawn soon, although I have been hoping this for thirty-odd years now and have had to go back to the seventies to get the loco fleet I needed for this layout. I know its called railway modelling, and I'm only glad that they were produced at all, and that I eventually did build them, but compared to the almost total availability of the BR diesel classes the steam age modeller has great gaps that will take years, if ever, to fill. Ah well, off the soapbox and back to the workbench, I guess ..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 After much painting and retouching, the Helmsdale platform box is more or less finished. It needs its nameplates, which are in the pipeline,and still some tidying up, but can now be plonked down on the layout and attention turned elsewhere- almost ready to start adding some colour to the railway itself, and painting the other buildings will be a doddle compared to these two boxes. I am in two minds about weathering them, photos I have show them to be clean and tidy c1960, but that's a decision that can be made later. Unfortunately, for me, I will have another box to build- the ex-Mound one that is being transferred to the terminus really doesn't stand close scrutiny as it was built using the Ratio windows- I don't think that 5522 was doing HR window etches when I made this model, and it just doesn't say Highland to me. However, I can't face doing another one right away, so will come back to this later, using the excuse of research- there is only one, rather obscure, photo of the Thurso box around, and I can't remember what publication it is in ATM, so it will be a case of looking through my collection for it. Anyway, a shot of the box in its intended location. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted May 11, 2012 Share Posted May 11, 2012 Very nice Richard. Very nice indeed. Pop it in the signal box portfolio thread; we can see if we can take over the thread with Highland cabins! This one is a Dutton pattern box, if you did not know; whereas mine were McKenzie & Hollands. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted May 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 11, 2012 Very nice Richard. Very nice indeed. Pop it in the signal box portfolio thread; we can see if we can take over the thread with Highland Boxes! This one is a Dutton pattern box, if you did not know; whereas mine were McKenzie & Hollands. Couldn't agree more - let this fine box have a wider audience! This new layout has all the hallmarks of Richard's previous successes, and thoroughly justifies his decision to "move on". Quite lovely! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted May 13, 2012 Author Share Posted May 13, 2012 I listened to your suggestions and posted a picture on the signal box topic, although I am wary of exposing my scant interest in the more technical aspects of signalling to those with a greater enthusiasm for it than myself, esp. when they start asking questions about the interior set-up . Anyway, work on the second box has reached the stage where it can be moved from the workbench and the next project begun. I worked on the rudimentary coaling stage and water tank base at the same time as the finishing off of the box, and here is a shot of it on the bench. You can just make out the coaling area in the photo behind it- I have put the tank base the other way round to the prototype to cover some point motors- and also an interior shot of the HR cabin at The Mound that I used for the make-up of the platform cabin. Finally, two shots of the cabin in place on the layout- I am now itching to get back to layout work, but only one more building to go.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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