West Highland Line V4, a 1980's West Highland Line layout

[young37215]

With the wind and rain outside yesterday, it was a day made for indoors and playing trains. Amongst all of the ensuing excitement, I also spent some time with the new back to back gauge which highlighted a number of wagons which were tight to gauge where I hope the effort will pay a dividend of improved running going forward. Still operating the 1983 WTT, 37027 threads its way through the landscape on the approach to Ardlui heading north with 1B14, 1636 Glasgow to Mallaig.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[young37215]

Also from Tuesday's running 37085 arrives at Mallaig with the 1630 from Fort William. After a run round the train awaits the departure of the 18.40 return to Fort William. 

 

 

 

 

 

[young37215]

At Ardlui 37027 arrives and passes southbound 8D09 from Oban headed by 37178 waiting for the single line to clear. After 37027's departure north, 37178 and the slackly timed 8D09 make a leisurely southbound departure. Both locos could do with a light weathering, I am minded to follow the 'less is more' techniques described in Hornby's September magazine.

 

 

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

Are you going to add the buffer beam detail when you weather? I think that makes a big difference.

 

Andy

[JBM37404]

Followed this project for a few years and glad we get a regular updates. It's a great piece of work although my era is 90s I still managed a run into Fort William in 1986 and remember the BR days well. 

 

It isn't half tempting to start a West Highland plan in N on different levels once my Aberkeld Jcn layout has passed its sell by date.

[young37215]

On 22/09/2023 at 10:38, thegreenhowards said:

Are you going to add the buffer beam detail when you weather? I think that makes a big difference.

 

Andy

 

Absolutely yes to fitting bufferbeam detail, indeed several of the fleet already have bufferbeam detailing to some degree. The only question is one of timing, I still have yet to find an acceptable way to do away with the tension lock coupling which is essential so as to free up the space for bufferbeam detail and snowploughs. I have not added the Accurascale detailing yet where, based on comments in the Accurascale thread, I am hoping this provides some inspiration. 

 

37108 with some bufferbeam pipework visible and 6E46 arrives at Crianlarich on its journey to Blyth.

 

 

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

‘108 looks good. I appreciate tension locks, sharp curves and bufferbeam detail are not happy bedfellows!

 

On my 00, I tend to use a fixed brass wire loop instead of the tension lock on my locos. This allows bufferbeam detail on curves down to 3 ft, but I haven’t tested it on anything tighter.

 

My O gauge is a roundy roundy and I tend to use Kadees because I can’t stand screw/three links which seem to be the O Gauge standard. I have a Kadee on one end and screw links on the other and the loco always runs in one direction (with the screw link leading). Both coupling standard support bufferbeam detail. I appreciate this is not much use to you with Fort William reversals!

 

Regards

 

Andy

[Module00]

I like very well these new pictures, excellent Scottish atmosphere. 😍👌

[rob D2]

6 hours ago, Module00 said:

I like very well these new pictures, excellent Scottish atmosphere. 😍👌

Just needs some OO scale midges ( about a million ) and someone to Chuck a bucket of water over it every 15 mins for the full authentic feel ;)

[ISW]

17 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Just needs some OO scale midges ( about a million ) and someone to Chuck a bucket of water over it every 15 mins for the full authentic feel ;)

I don't know if he 'vapes', but blowing the 'smoke' across the layout could also achieve a suitable fog/mist effect for photos.

 

Ian

[Alcanman]

On 24/09/2023 at 07:03, young37215 said:

 

Absolutely yes to fitting bufferbeam detail, indeed several of the fleet already have bufferbeam detailing to some degree. The only question is one of timing, I still have yet to find an acceptable way to do away with the tension lock coupling which is essential so as to free up the space for bufferbeam detail and snowploughs. I have not added the Accurascale detailing yet where, based on comments in the Accurascale thread, I am hoping this provides some inspiration. 

 

37108 with some bufferbeam pipework visible and 6E46 arrives at Crianlarich on its journey to Blyth.

 

 

 

 

Great to see 37108 in action and heading for my home town with the Alcan hoppers. When I photographed 37108 in August 1984 at Oban it had acquired plated over doors and a headlamp,

[rob D2]

6 hours ago, ISW said:

I don't know if he 'vapes', but blowing the 'smoke' across the layout could also achieve a suitable fog/mist effect for photos.

 

Ian

Nice smell too, wife likes cola cherry. Not sure if they do a manky peat  and wet heather 

Edited September 25, 2023 by rob D2

[Vecchio]

Midgets: been in Scotland (Highlands) 3 weeks ago, not a midget in sight. Been 2022 (Oban) no midgets. Been 2017 (west coast round trip) no midgets. Probably they don't like my Austrian blood. Different to those in my garden (Newport Pagnell). They eat me but leave my wife alone...

[03060]

Whilst on the subject of Midges (or even Midgets !) I have just come across this 1981 photo by Midgpee showing the old tea room at Crianlarich Upper. There's a lot to interest in this photo but particularly the stack of domestic coal which is possibly stacked on top of a stage of sleepers, what do you think ? Possibly another scenic detail to rival the dumped fish box pile at Mallaig that Rob and Andy have managed to achieve.

 

Photo by Midgpee, 1981.

 

Regards,

Ian.

[03060]

This view by Glen Batten answers my question regarding the coal stage at Crianlarich.

 

Photo by Glen Batten, June 1980.

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by 03060
Date corrected.

[young37215]

7 hours ago, ISW said:

I don't know if he 'vapes', but blowing the 'smoke' across the layout could also achieve a suitable fog/mist effect for photos.

 

Ian

 

I have plenty of bad habits but vaping is not one of them. With a combination of my lack of electrical skills and colour blindness, I suspect there is more likelihood of smoke/fog from a short circuit somewhere enveloping the layout. 

 

I am not sure when the doors were plated over on 37108 or the headlight added but as one of the first on 37's transferred to Eastfield for WHL operations, 37108 ran for several years with plated headcode and original doors. The standard of weathering in the picture below is fantastic. Eastfield must have worked hard to produce the effect, I hope that I can manage to produce something half as good.  Note the unusual squarer profile on the buffers, I can live without this precision and am content with the Hornby class 50 oval buffers I fitted some years ago. However I do need to get the file and abrasives out to remove the inappropriate rivets on the roof of my model. 

 

 

Another stalwart of WHL operations in the steam heat era was 37081 seen here departing Garelochead for Glasgow with 1T45, 12.45 ex Mallaig. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[03060]

Morning Rob,

 

The photo that you posted of 37108 at Tyndrum has answered another question regarding one of Midgpee's photos of an unrecorded 37 at FW .... note the sticker on the the left hand headcode box light. It gives a date as a pointer for 37108 having still got it's front doors.

 

Photo by Midgpee, Feb16 1981.

 

(Front doors certainly plated over by 5/2/82 according to a photo on the Class37.co.uk website but no notes regarding works visits so perhaps it was an Eastfield mod ?)

 

(NB- End door mods carried out during classified work at Doncaster Nov 1981 - Jan 1982.

 

Edited September 27, 2023 by 03060
Extra info added.

[thegreenhowards]

Lovely photos Rob,

 

I look forward to seeing your attempts at ‘108. You’d need to be brave and very skilful to replicate the condition in that photo.

 

I remember ‘081 only too well. It became a bit of a ‘bowl out’ engine as it was always turning up when I was hoping for something new. What I’d give for a run behind it now!

 

Andy

[young37215]

1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said:

You’d need to be brave and very skilful to replicate the condition in that photo.

 

Recreating 108 to look anything like its 1981 condition will certainly be a challenge, the opposite side of the loco looks even more dilapidated! 

 

 

14 hours ago, 03060 said:

Whilst on the subject of Midges (or even Midgets !) I have just come across this 1981 photo by Midgpee showing the old tea room at Crianlarich Upper. There's a lot to interest in this photo but particularly the stack of domestic coal which is possibly stacked on top of a stage of sleepers, what do you think ? Possibly another scenic detail to rival the dumped fish box pile at Mallaig that Rob and Andy have managed to achieve.

 

Photo by Midgpee, 1981.

 

Regards,

Ian.

 

I have Harburn Hobbies coal sacks in the yard at Crianlarich which creates a reason for the MCV's being attached and detached to freights as required. Based on the above picture I need to think about elevating the coal sacks off of the ground and adding some more general junk to the yard. At a guess the elevation of the coal sacks would have been to make easier for manual loading onto the lorries engaged in local distribution.

 

 

 

 

 

[03060]

Postman's just brought the 'book of the century' !!!!!

 

Happy days are here.

 

( ..... and we have an answer to the 37108 front door question .... Nov 1981 - Jan 1982 at Doncaster Works.)

Edited September 27, 2023 by 03060
Extra info added.

[thegreenhowards]

I also received mine today. I’ve skimmed it this evening and it’s well up to the standard I would expect from Andrew Donnelly. I’m looking forward to digesting it thoroughly.

 

Andy

[03060]

On 27/09/2023 at 07:44, young37215 said:

 

I have Harburn Hobbies coal sacks in the yard at Crianlarich which creates a reason for the MCV's being attached and detached to freights as required. Based on the above picture I need to think about elevating the coal sacks off of the ground and adding some more general junk to the yard. At a guess the elevation of the coal sacks would have been to make easier for manual loading onto the lorries engaged in local distribution.

 

 

From what I can see in the Glen Batten photo there is loose coal at ground level in a sleeper built stockade whilst all the bagged coal is up on a coaling stage which as you say is at about flatbed truck loading level.

 

The Midgpee photo which is harder to see into reveals a higher stack of bagged coal with a ladder going from ground level up to near the top of the stack, which must have been a bit hairy carrying a bag of coal up and down, there's also possibly the bottom rungs of a white steel step / small ladder at the front corner of the stage and in between the two there is what looks like an old fireplace surround that has been discarded along with other pieces of rubbish and hardware.

 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Ian.

[young37215]

You gentlemen that have already received the new SDEG class 37 book have the advantage on me. I have had my email advising that the book has been despatched but I am away from home on holiday at present. My expecatations for the book are high; I am already looking forward to getting home.

 

More pictures that are new to me are the ones below of 37039 arriving at Crianlarich with a down freight. The first wagon is an OAA with an excellent example of the load and tarpaulin I want to create for the Rapido OAA wagons which should be available shortly.

 

 

 

[BoD]

You keep digging out photos that add to my to do list.  Stop it now!!

[03060]

11 hours ago, young37215 said:

You gentlemen that have already received the new SDEG class 37 book have the advantage on me. I have had my email advising that the book has been despatched but I am away from home on holiday at present. My expecatations for the book are high; I am already looking forward to getting home. 

 

 

If it's any consolation Rob mine arrived on the last morning of my 2 week holiday as I prepared to go back for night shifts followed by a quick turnaround for what has now become 4 day shifts (16 hrs including travelling time) so it will be at least next Weds before I can thoroughly delve in.

 

I shan't give you any more spoilers but I don't think that you'll be disappointed though !

 

Regards,

Ian.