RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 1, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2015 Abercaldy is a fictitious location in Fife, set mainly in 1986. The layout is a development of my layout Dalwhinnie Junction, when realisation struck that 75% of the operations involved class 47's on through trains. Not that I've anything against class 47's, but I wanted some more variety. The layout is set somewhere around Kirkcaldy/Ladybank area with a lot of the influences from the operations around Kirkcaldy without having to model a specific location. The location features 2 main line platforms and a 3rd island loop, an Engineers area around a former goods shed and a small yard. Passenger trains are predominantly through services although there is a terminating service from Edinburgh that can ether be loco hauled or multiple unit. I am assuming that there are a number of short freight branches feeding a harbour and a paper mill and Distillers. (a la Auchmuty, Kirkcaldy Harbour and Cameron Bridge). Although non see extensive traffic this allows some shunting and short trips as well as some of my modified/bashed freight stock - more of that to follow. After some playing around with track plans, trying not to change too much of the original layout, I managed to come up with a track plan that works - again a few Kirkcaldy influences. The layout is located in the garage as I was lucky enough when moving house 2 years ago to get a double length garage. the layout measures approx 18' x 3'9" so has fairly tight curves at each end and a fiddle yard directly behind the main layout - necessary evils to get a long section of scenic layout. There is a slight incline to raise the fiddle yard slightly, this was supposed to make it a bit higher for easier access over the back scene but in reality probably a lot of effort for little benefit in hindsight. Track is code 75 on main running sections and code 100 in fiddle yard. Control is by NCE Powercab. I have a couple of sound locos and will gradually expand range but obviously not cheap. Main Services are fairly realistic where possible with a bit of modellers licence and often shortened slightly. Edinburgh - Aberdeen Push pull Currently work in progress with some re-badged and sprayed stock - more to follow but my first foray into airbrushing and I'm pretty pleased, and I got carried away with what was supposed to be a short term Airfix bashed DBSO that was only supposed to last a year until Bachmann get their act together . Aberdeen to Plymouth Mk 2 air cons, mainly Airby 2D's with laser glaze windows and re-badged logos plus 47/4 Kings Cross Sleeper Some of 2D's from above with sleepers, again with Laserglaze which makes a huge difference. Kings Cross to Aberdeen HST - new issue Hornby Exec Mk 3s, just deciding on power cars - Heart says new Hornby ones due soon, Head wonders about fitting Bullant motor to Lima PC's - any advice or opinions? Edinburgh to Dundee 26 or 27 plus mk 2's standard Bachmann mk2's with Scotrail branding - or anything else when they failed! Edinburgh to Abercaldy 26 or 27 plus 4 Mk1's - standard ml1's with Scotrail branding or DMU - very fortunate to find a Strathclyde 107 on the web for a very reasonable price. Parcels/Mail I don't think TPO's worked south of Dundee but I have 2 DC Kits and 1 Bachmann TPO so they do run that way now! Freight I really like modifying existing RTR stock and building kits where possible to give some feeling of bespoke stock to the area intermixed with the good array of readily available products. Current ongoing or completed projects are: 2 Scottish Malt Distillers Polybulks from Electrotren Hoppers - conversion not too hard but paint job and transfers a sod - possibly time to email Railtec for some transfers - never done bespoke ones before. Straight sided Polybulk from 2 Jouef wagons Grainflow Polybulks from 2 short Jouef Polybulks Tullis Russell PAA heavily modified Hornby PGA - from previous china clay layout, I was lucky enough to get 2 sets of Scale Model Tranfers sets before he sadly stopped producing them. Clay Tiger - S-Kits again with Scale Model Transfers decals - first proper return to major kits and love it, hang over from china clay layout again - I had 2, sold one but had to keep the other - there is a photo of one on crossing the Forth Bridge behind a 26 on page 23 of 'Diesels in Scotland' by W.J.Verden Anderson, so thats enough for me - anyone know if it would be from Tullis Russell or somewhere else? LPG tank from Bachmann TTA - possibly more to follow as have a batch of badly weathered TTA's off ebay - these were bought for Dalwhinnie but i don't think they were as common up East Coast. Possibly Russell's Coal Containers - now got too many of those awful green Hornby OTA's that were going to get painted. Main Workings are: Cement to Aberdeen Speedlink workings containing vans from Rosyth, Grain in Polybulks , Coal, Fertilisers, Oil and LPG. China clay wagon for papermaking - Clay Tiger and Tullis Russel Hopper from Previous China Clay layout. Engineers stock includes various ballast wagons including Flangeway Mermaids, and a DC Kits Plasser crane - would love a decent 00 Tamper - come on Bachmann in tomorrows announcements! Finally in main wagon projects I'm impatiently waiting for the FTG CO2 tanks, and I can't decide on an MGR service or not - I'm really struggling for fiddle yard space so may have to pretend we are north of Thornton Jnc. I will be posting photo's of rolling stock projects along with layout updates, but as a taster... DBSO - needs Windows, will get Laserglaze for most and improvise rest China Clay Wagons Polybulk Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clecklewyke Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Edinburgh to Abercaldy 26 or 27 plus 4 Mk1's - standard ml1's with Scotrail branding or DMU - very fortunate to find a Strathclyde 107 on the web for a very reasonable price. That really takes me back. I commuted between my home in Aberdour and Edinburgh in the 70s and early 80s and the morning train - about 8.15 from Aberdour - was always a Sulzer BoBo (I presume a Class 27 although we did not use such terms then) with four clapped out Mk 1s. This was a peak time strengthener of the regular DMU service. Although the Mk 1s were old they were still much more comfortable than the DMUs! Half a dozen of us Aberdour regulars usually managed to grab a compartment to ourselves. It was very sociable - a far cry from London commuting. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flood Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Sounds like a good idea, the location and era both give more variety than we get on Kirkhill. Not all the Edinburgh - Aberdeen trains were push-pull and I've noticed your Mk2c CK in the background of the class 20 pic. Certainly in 1988 there was an out and back working on a Sunday from Edinburgh to Aberdeen using an Inverness air braked set. I'm sure you could find an excuse to run one of those rakes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 4, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 4, 2015 That really takes me back. I commuted between my home in Aberdour and Edinburgh in the 70s and early 80s and the morning train - about 8.15 from Aberdour - was always a Sulzer BoBo (I presume a Class 27 although we did not use such terms then) with four clapped out Mk 1s. This was a peak time strengthener of the regular DMU service. Although the Mk 1s were old they were still much more comfortable than the DMUs! Half a dozen of us Aberdour regulars usually managed to grab a compartment to ourselves. It was very sociable - a far cry from London commuting. Ian Good to see its brought back some good memories - unfortunately I was only 13 at the time and live in York so never got to travel in Scotland by train when it was interesting, but do have memories of pictures in Rail Magazine of Railfreight 26's on some of those workings which always stuck in my mind and are probably the inspiration here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 4, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 4, 2015 Sounds like a good idea, the location and era both give more variety than we get on Kirkhill. Not all the Edinburgh - Aberdeen trains were push-pull and I've noticed your Mk2c CK in the background of the class 20 pic. Certainly in 1988 there was an out and back working on a Sunday from Edinburgh to Aberdeen using an Inverness air braked set. I'm sure you could find an excuse to run one of those rakes. Thanks for the info, your layout has been a great source of information, inspiration and jealousy! Particularly useful was the diagram of different formations from a month or so back. The CK is a bit of a rogue at the moment as its a hangover from my previous layout and I'm a mk2 short for the Dundee train, but did think I could run something similar to your suggestion or a weekend diversion of an Inverness service. Do you have any knowledge of Postal workings through Fife or did they all head inland from Dundee? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flood Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Do you have any knowledge of Postal workings through Fife or did they all head inland from Dundee? On all the info I've seen the Aberdeen Postal went from Dundee to Perth and then to Mossend and Carstairs. The May 1988 Railway Observer does state: "On 20th February the 12.40 ex-Aberdeen, hauled by 47660 included red 80331 next to the locomotive. After the mail van was removed 47711 Greyfriars Bobby was attached to the rear for the 16.55 return working of the push-pull set to Aberdeen." Whether 80331 had been previously carded and was on the way to Craigentinny I don't know but it does show that all sorts of options are available. Scotland did have its own allocation of postal stock which appears to have worked on the 21.11 Perth - Carlisle consisting of a POS from Perth, a POS from Glasgow Central attached at Carstairs and a POS from Edinburgh attached at Carstairs (plus BGs and GUVs). Working one or two coaches to Perth in a parcels rake via Edinburgh and Fife would probably be a reasonable possibility (especially using modeller's license). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Great looking modelling really like the slabsided polybulk wagon Looking forward to more of your work Brian P.s look forward to the layout progress aswell Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.C.M Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I am liking the look of this, some nice stock on the go too. Looking forwards to following your progress. Cheers Peter. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Looking forward to more,what great start... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 9, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 9, 2015 Some good progress on the Push Pull Set. I had been intending to wait for the Bachmann DBSO and over Christmas decided to do a 'basic' version from an old Airfix BSO (i.e. probably not all the windows, additional doors etc) Anyway, I got a bit carried away and ended up with pretty much the full conversion from scratch, side windows filled, additional windows drilled and cut and new doors scribed. Also opening for horns opened out and Headlight arrangements from plasticard strips with holes cut in. At the same time I also decided to trial the basic airbrush I had bought a few months previous, didn't work very well but I was intrigued to bought a low end Badger brush instead. Started with yellow ends and was very impressed - never been able to do yellow with brush or aerosol. Then onto bodysides - at this point I discovered that aerosol propellant is useless for anything big as it freezes and looses pressure - but i was liking the airbrush and finish so bought a compressor - one expensive trial now! Anyway, really happy with finish - I also painted NSE Bachmann Mk2 a at same time for one of the 2Zs that often strengthened the push pulls. Again really pleased, other than the NSE version has blue window frames that need to be painted - very fiddly and not the best job but passable. Transfers are Fox stripes (weathered one) and Railtech Branding/numbers. Pictures of DBSO in previous post, I will get Laserglaze windows which improve appearance no end. I have also altered one of the new Hornby Mk2E's - yes I know they should be 2D's but the Hornby 2D's keep derailing when pushed so trying these to see how they go. Sorry to any purists. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 9, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 9, 2015 Great looking modelling really like the slabsided polybulk wagon Looking forward to more of your work Brian P.s look forward to the layout progress aswell Many Thanks, The Polybulk is two Electrotren short wagons joined together, I got lucky with a couple of eBay bids as £35x2 to make one wagon is getting steep. I managed to find drawings on the Barrowmore Model Railway site, so got overall lengths etc. Height seems pretty close as I tink Continental gauge wagons are taller. I've done a cut and shut on 2 Joeff polybulk to make a grainflow and this was fairly simple, but the slab sided wagon was an absolute sod, the small straight sections around the tumblehome were tricky to get straight and file flat. I will sort the bottom hoppers at a later date and possibly fit new bogies but pretty happy to date and gives me something that not many have. After studying photos on Paul Bartlett's site a found a pale light grey one with white decals, on further research I managed to find very similar decals and UIC codes on the Fox Polybulk transfers - Lucky break as the others were all Blue lettered CITA wagons that would have meant bespoke transfers. Main body Colour is light grey from Blue Grey coaches. I've also now weathered it with powders and looks even better - will post a piccy soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flood Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 I have also altered one of the new Hornby Mk2E's - yes I know they should be 2D's but the Hornby 2D's keep derailing when pushed so trying these to see how they go. Sorry to any purists. It may well be the wheel sets on the Mk2Ds. I know that we had some trouble with some Dapol Mk2Ds we bought (axles too sloppy in the bogies) so some experimenting with different axles may solve the problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottishlocos Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hi Like this a lot about time more model railways were set in Fife you can also have railtours as well maybe a few class 37's also remember A4 Pacific Union of South Africa was based in Fife at this time. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Dava Posted March 14, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2015 Like this. How about a class 06 parked in the bay dock platform as Markinch? Dava Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 14, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2015 Hi Like this a lot about time more model railways were set in Fife you can also have railtours as well maybe a few class 37's also remember A4 Pacific Union of South Africa was based in Fife at this time. Dave I have been wondering about Union of South Africa, fiddle yard space is getting a bit tight, but I could add another 3 mk 's to the stopper formation as I think in those days most of the steam tours were still using Blue Grey Mk 1's. Alternatively wait for somebody to do the Hornby K1 as 2005 in Green - surely Harburn Hobbies must have their eye on it to go with the West Highland Mk 1 sets. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 14, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2015 Like this. How about a class 06 parked in the bay dock platform as Markinch? Dava Unfortunately the 06's were scrapped in about 1981, I think they did also frequent Kirkcaldy so would definitely have been an option. The layout is set in 1986 so would need to be an 08 - but this is a possibility. However your ideas not completely dead in the water. Long term I am pondering an alternative timespan of either 1981 or 1984, both would allow class 25's, 40's, and more blue 26's. Of course 1981 would mean I can run a Deltic on either Edinburgh to Aberdeen's or Dundee to Kings Cross, but probably less of existing stock would be compatible where as '84 quite a lot would be similar stock (loco's and rolling stock). It will be a while before that happens though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sub39h Posted March 15, 2015 Share Posted March 15, 2015 Excellent plan and love your stock and coach conversions. Keep up the good work! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 22, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2015 Finally got moving on the HST set, I got a great deal on 7 executive mk3's at the Doncaster show recently so started looking into power cars in more detail. After thinking about Lima PC's, remotored Lima's and the newer Hornby PC's, I then found a thread on here that said the Hornby chassis will fit straight under a Lima body. As if by magic about 4 days later a new spec Hornby powered chassis came on eBay, which was snapped up for just over £40. A pair of Lima Exec PC's followed for just over £30. So, good body, excellent chassis with DCC for £75 - thats about £115 cheaper than I would have had to pay for a new Hornby one. Only downside, currently no lights but for that saving I can live with it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted March 22, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 22, 2015 The HST set arrives with a Kings Cross to Aberdeen service, whilst 37079 waits in the loop with an Aberdeen bound cement working. I'm delighted that Hornby have now added flush glazing to the Mk 3's as Laserglaze to 7 coaches would have been both a pain and expensive. 26037 enters from the North with a speed link working containing vans and the Scottish Malt Distillers Polybulk. The Polybulk is the Electrotren 'Tucher' wagon of which I managed to get 2. All the end details of tanks, pipes etc removed, sprayed white and then blue detail - this was a sod of a masking exercise to try and get them straight and level, but I'm really pleased. Main UIC codes box is the generic Fox item with the mid body wording from the grain flow transfers. Just need to get the main branding and lettering. I have the Word version from the N Gauge society website scaled up - i've printed on paper and looks ok, but need to decide whether to try my luck on inkjet transfers or to make enquiries about custom orders. I have a second wagon, but not done the blue yet - this one luckily had Y25 bogies frames, but the other one has some European bogies. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bescotbeast Posted June 4, 2015 Share Posted June 4, 2015 Wow what a great layout and the period you've chosen is great for Speedlink working which you've amply demonstrated with your above pictures. I'm very impressed with your Polybulk collection and the ingenuity you've displayed. Regards Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted June 28, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2015 Wow what a great layout and the period you've chosen is great for Speedlink working which you've amply demonstrated with your above pictures. I'm very impressed with your Polybulk collection and the ingenuity you've displayed. Regards Simon Many Thanks, I think thats what I liked about the area as a basis of a model, having to create some stock thats not available on the market. They are far from perfect to the perfectionist but I'm really pleased they look right. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Removed a/c Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 Looks like it will be a great layout, shall follow with interest. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted June 28, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2015 I've not posted anything for a while, but after a lot of messing around with rolling stock rather than building the layout I thought I had better get going. some of the wait was deliberate - playing trains and testing both physically and operationally. Anyway, ballasting has started in earnest - I managed to pick up some 'scottish pink' ballast at the Doncaster show this year - not sure who produces it as bags were plain, I think it was one of the bigger stands. It is classed as fine, but fairly variable grading, lots of fine, lots of slightly larger and some very large 'boulders' - I'm fairly happy but would have liked a tad finer on average. Hopefully when I get round to weathering it that may help. Its amazing what else needs doing once you start ballasting - endless packs of Wills S&T toughing and Relay Boxes have been purchased. A few other scenic areas have also had some attention - the road to the over bridge at the end of the station has been re-aligned to allow more buildings/houses and move the road away from the stream/river to give some more natural contours. Also the area around the 2 Up side sidings, this area is sat on Polystyrene as it was going to feature a large stream in the layouts previous incarnation, these have been cut back to provide an area sat below the railway that will feature a Distillers - the redundant goods shed has gone and back comes the Walthers Cornerstone Grain Elevator which I love the look of and it looks very 'British'. This whole area helps the look and creates a better depth and perspective - something I always wanted from the outset was scenery above and below the trackbed for more realism. Ballasted Track trough platforms, also added an underpass within the station that will be for Parcels traffic and will need lift buildings either side. Area around entrance to main yard with Ground Frame and Loc cases. Also in background I've started on a Relay Room instead of the Signal Box, quite a bit to finish on the building yet. lowered area behind yard, with Distillary buildings. Re-aligned road that will feed behind station. Finally, my thoughts are turning to signals - will be colour lights for period in question - Train Tech ones seem good functionality but not sure if they look a bit big - plus I need some feathers. Traintronics seem ok and I think the Berko ones probably look the best but may be most fiddly to install/wire - I don't really do Electronic/wiring! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium SHerr Posted July 18, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 18, 2015 I've had the Island platform building on hold for a while as I couldn't fully decide how to progress the large window frames etc needed for a 60's station re-build. A chance look in my local model shop for something totally different threw up a surprise. I was looking for something for a relay room and small staff accomodation for the yard when i picked up a box for the Peco offices. I've seen this on the shelf many times, and always thought they didn't quite look right. This time for some reason I picked up the box and the alternative suggestions looked much more realistic so I bought one. When I opened the packaging at home I realised immediately that with a bit of butchering they would be perfect for the island platform buildings. The main building (Scenecraft concrete building) will be clad with Slaters Brick plasticard to give a look nearer to the building at Kirckaldy, the brick work is a perfect match. 2 building have been constructed to go under the canopy - a waiting room and a small toilet block, the standard Peco sections were used but the width is reduced to fit the platform and the top lights omitted to keep the Canopy height right. A lot of finishing off but it has a good feel for the era (I think it looks quite similar to the buildings at Peterborough which are a similar style/era. The main roof is 2 sheets of foam board with a gap in the top sheets for the gutter, faced with Slaters Timber Boarding. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markmiller2008 Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Liking the look of the layout so far, im looking at building a simliar layout in my garage once converted and am curious to know what radius curves you are using. i see you have the width as 3 foot 9, im hoping to have about 4-5 foot so just after some advice on how your curves are. Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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