Meanach . West Highland B.R 1988

[meanach]

2 hours ago, young37215 said:

Nice work Ian, the Flangeway Mermaid's weather up nicely with a bit of effort. In addition to a similar technique to what you have done, I added ballast dust secured in place with varnish on mine which I think enhances the appearance. 

 

 

 Mermaids at Ardlui, mid 1980's. With their side tipping capability only they seems a strange choice for the single track WHL! 

 

 

 

Interesting Rob , I couldn’t find any on the WHL but no surprise your expansive data base has an image ! Going by the ballast colour and livery of the Mermaids , I’m guessing that’s early 80s dated shot? 
 

I was rather surprised to see that none of the Flangeway models seem available and those that are on eBay are pretty expensive. Luckily I don’t really need any more than 5 I don’t think and I probably have a disproportionate amount of engineers wagons now ! 😂

 

I like what you’ve done with yours . I don’t recall seeing them on your thread before?

[03060]

1 hour ago, meanach said:

Interesting Rob , I couldn’t find any on the WHL but no surprise your expansive data base has an image ! Going by the ballast colour and livery of the Mermaids , I’m guessing that’s early 80s dated shot? 

 

There's a few photos in Ernie's Railway Archive that they creep into such as in the sidings at Spean Bridge and Mallaig Jct Yard (at least 10 in the rake, all Olive livery.)

 

W.J. Verden Anderson has also captured a fine c.1988 Engineers combination of 37401 'MQ of S' in Intercity livery hauling a rake of 6 Mermaids (1 Dutch / 5 Olive), 5 Dogfish (2 Dutch / 3 Olive) and at least 3 Sealion / Seacow (1 Dutch / 2 Olive) heading up to Rannoch and beyond in his postumus Scotland's Railways (Ian Allen.)

 

@PaulRhB makes interesting comments regarding their side tipping use and I've noted more modern side tipping types (Octopus rakes) in photos in the 90s and 00s, so they were obviously useful for certain jobs. I've also added a couple of earlier Black liveried examples to my N gauge collection so somewhere I must have come across a picture of them (Mermaids) in the 60s and 70s eras ... but I can't remember where ?

 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Ian.

Edited March 25, 2023 by 03060

[meanach]

32 minutes ago, 03060 said:

 

There's a few photos in Ernie's Railway Archive that they creep into such as in the sidings at Spean Bridge and Mallaig Jct Yard (at least 10 in the rake, all Olive livery.)

 

W.J. Verden Anderson has also captured a fine c.1988 Engineers combination of 37401 'MQ of S' in Intercity livery hauling a rake of 6 Mermaids (1 Dutch / 5 Olive), 5 Dogfish (2 Dutch / 3 Olive) and at least 3 Sealion / Seacow (1 Dutch / 2 Olive) heading up to Rannoch and beyond in his postumus Scotland's Railways (Ian Allen.)

 

@PaulRhB makes interesting comments regarding their side tipping use and I've noted more modern side tipping types (Octopus rakes) in photos in the 90s and 00s, so they were obviously useful for certain jobs. I've also added a couple of earlier Black liveried examples to my N gauge collection so somewhere I must have come across a picture of them (Mermaids) in the 60s and 70s eras ... but I can't remember where ?

 

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Ian.

I have that book ! Note to self : don’t just check the net , check under your nose ! 😂

[young37215]

22 hours ago, meanach said:

Interesting Rob , I couldn’t find any on the WHL but no surprise your expansive data base has an image ! Going by the ballast colour and livery of the Mermaids , I’m guessing that’s early 80s dated shot? 
 

I was rather surprised to see that none of the Flangeway models seem available and those that are on eBay are pretty expensive. Luckily I don’t really need any more than 5 I don’t think and I probably have a disproportionate amount of engineers wagons now ! 😂

 

I like what you’ve done with yours . I don’t recall seeing them on your thread before?

 

The Ardlui picture is undated but shows the RETB stop board and with no visible sign of the old semaphores it dates 1986 onwards. 

 

My Mermaids have been around a while, I did a piece on weathering them back in Summer 2018 but last years meltdown wiped all the pictures! Like you I have a number of engineers trains and insufficient sidings in the fiddle yards to store them which means they get shuffled around from station siding to siding. This is probably more prototypical than I appreciate although evidence to support this is thin on the ground, photos of engineering trains were never a great favourite for most people.

 

As ever Ernie Bracke has one 

 

 

There are others if you look hard

1986

 

 

 

[meanach]

I knew at some point I’d succumb to a Railfreight red one . When I saw one for £37 I decided that was a justifiable enough excuse. These Rapido ferry vans really are a stunning model.
 

In a change from working on 4 x new tool Bachmann 37s , which seem to be taking forever to finish , I knocked up this one the other evening.

 

It utilises my now tried and tested dirty rolling stock method of MIG enamel dark wash (which seems to have vanished from shops), wiped off with a lint free cloth and cotton buds in thinner. Followed by a couple of coats of acrylic roof dirt and frame dirt and dirty black.

 

The photo doesn’t illustrate that the roof is air brushed to represent the roof seams and a few bits picked out to show some chips. Lastly a touch of rust weathering powder to the leaf suspension, as per prototype photographs. 

Edited November 3, 2023 by meanach

[mallaig1983]

That looks the biz Ian. Lovely job.

 

I have so far managed to resist a purchase as I really don’t need one. The OAA’s on the other hand I can just about get away with so a couple are on order.

 

Ill look forward to seeing the treatment yours get.

[meanach]

5 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

That looks the biz Ian. Lovely job.

 

I have so far managed to resist a purchase as I really don’t need one. The OAA’s on the other hand I can just about get away with so a couple are on order.

 

Ill look forward to seeing the treatment yours get.

Thanks very much . How did you know I’d have a tranche of OAA on order ? 😂. Yeh I’m really looking forward to them , the Alcan PCA and the new Hornby TTA . There’s a whole rake of stock to weather this winter… unless of course some of them are late! 

[lezz01]

Really nice. You gotta love those MIG products.

Regards Lez.

[meanach]

Primo model trees seem to be popping up all over here of late. It was at model Rail Scotland in January 2019 that I first discovered them. They are excellent and it’s pleasing to see that they are gaining in popularity. The chap who makes them is very friendly and helpful . People moan about the price but they are all hand made. They are a lot less than almost any ready to run wagon these days and the trees remain a permanent feature on a layout.
 

I have been steadily replacing my excellent but sun damaged Anita de’cor spruce with those from Primo models.  I have also added some larch and a stunning pine. Seen here, they are all straight, honest ! Meanach’s woods has become a forest. 

[thegreenhowards]

Nice trees. Can I put a little pedantic and point out that they are ‘forest trees’. I.e. they are made to look like they have grown in a forest surrounded by other trees and have therefore lost their lower branches (through light starvation). If they were open grown like you have shown them they would have branches down to the ground (like the ones on the right). Primo do both sorts. These will be fine if you are planning on putting other trees in front, otherwise, I’d suggest they are moved back into the forest with some fully branched trees in the foreground.

 

Sorry to be picky and feel free to ignore - I’m sure most people wouldn’t bother!

 

Andy

[meanach]

49 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

Nice trees. Can I put a little pedantic and point out that they are ‘forest trees’. I.e. they are made to look like they have grown in a forest surrounded by other trees and have therefore lost their lower branches (through light starvation). If they were open grown like you have shown them they would have branches down to the ground (like the ones on the right). Primo do both sorts. These will be fine if you are planning on putting other trees in front, otherwise, I’d suggest they are moved back into the forest with some fully branched trees in the foreground.

 

Sorry to be picky and feel free to ignore - I’m sure most people wouldn’t bother!

 

Andy

Hi, I appreciate the feedback. I’m not sure if it’s evident in the photo but if you look closely you can see some ‘felled’ tree stumps and remains of dead tress littered about. The idea being that these trees have been left and the more uniform spruce to the right are the start of a plantation. 

Edited October 27, 2023 by meanach

[meanach]

This illustrates a few of the stumps of felled trees but I added a few more today in various gaps, following the feedback. Hopefully this adds to the illusion of it having been much more dense. 

[97406]

I’ve only just found this thread. What a fab layout, very evocative of the area and definitely the best era to model. Great stuff!

[thegreenhowards]

9 hours ago, meanach said:

This illustrates a few of the stumps of felled trees but I added a few more today in various gaps, following the feedback. Hopefully this adds to the illusion of it having been much more dense. 

 

9 hours ago, meanach said:

This illustrates a few of the stumps of felled trees but I added a few more today in various gaps, following the feedback. Hopefully this adds to the illusion of it having been much more dense. 

Perfect - I withdraw my pedantry! In fact the main time trees which look this this are evident is on the edge on blocks where the neighbouring block has been felled, so spot on. The extra stumps make it more convincing.

[Module00]

Another great Scotland layout. 😍

[Legend]

How did you come up with the name Meanach?  Just that I've stayed at a cottage above Loch Earn called Balmeanoch and wondered if there is a connection 

[meanach]

On 02/11/2023 at 11:10, Legend said:

How did you come up with the name Meanach?  Just that I've stayed at a cottage above Loch Earn called Balmeanoch and wondered if there is a connection 

Hi . I could have sworn I replied to this the other day but the post seems to have vanished !
 

Anyway , Meanach is a bothy run by the mountain bothies association at the head of Glen Nevis and the junction of a fine walk from Corrour to Roy Bridge via Loch Trieg and the Mamores. I’ve slept in it a few times and have fond memories. 
 

Although the line Meanach is based on is a real location further east , the station and village (and indeed railway!) are all fictional. The line was proposed but never built. Meanach would roughly be north of Ben Alder mountain by a couple of miles. As I’ve walked the hills around there the scenery is based on the terrain in that area.
 

The M.B.A oddly don’t name their bothies in relation to their geographic location. For example you will find Oban bothy is nowhere near Oban but actually at the head of loch Morar!  My station follows in this tradition. Ian 

Edited November 3, 2023 by meanach
Typing on a rough riding T.P.E I.E.T !

[thegreenhowards]

22 minutes ago, meanach said:

Hi . I could have sworn I replied to this the other day but the post seems to have vanished !
 

Anyway , Meanach is a bothy run by the mountain bothies association at the head of Glen Nevis and the junction of a fine walk from Corrour to Roy Bridge via Loch Trieg and the Mamores. I’ve slept in it a few times and have fond memories. 
 

Although the line Meanach is based on is a real location further east , the station and village (and indeed railway!) are all fictional. The line was proposed but never built. Meanach would roughly be north of Ben Alder mountain by a couple of miles. As I’ve walked the hills around there the scenery is based on the terrain in that area.
 

The M.B.A oddly don’t name their bothies in relation to their geographic location. For example you will find Oban bothy is nowhere near Oban but actually at the head of loch Morar!  My station follows in this tradition. Ian 

I wondered if that was the source of your name. I’m a long term member of the MBA with my personal favourite being Bearnais in the Fisherfield Forest.

[meanach]

The humble buffer stop. I am slowly going through the process of replacing my make do Peco stops. Although this one had been kit bashed, it plays a prominent role in any photos or videos I do. So, after a rifle through the ‘bits’ box, out came some white metal parts which I’ve knocked up into a rusting, semi- neglected stop. It made a nice change from the 4 Bachmann 37s I’ve been working on for what seems like years! 

[PaulCheffus]

On 06/03/2023 at 07:44, young37215 said:

I have had a search on Flickr and managed to find a 1986 picture of an Oban bound freight at Crianlarich with what appears a ferrywagon. That will do for me, I will be adding one or two to my shopping list.

 

 

Hi

 

A bit late to the thread but that looks like one of these Belgian Ferry vans

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/belgian4whvan/e1e6dc518

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[03060]

3 hours ago, PaulCheffus said:

Hi

 

A bit late to the thread but that looks like one of these Belgian Ferry vans

https://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/belgian4whvan/e1e6dc518

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

There is a colour photo by George Woods of this loco and (probably) the first 2 wagons of this June 1986 train passing through Loch Awe in the Short Trains section of Modelling British Railways Diesel Locomotives bookazine which I believe was a 2013 WH Smith's exclusive, edited by Phil Parker.

 

I agree that it is a Belgian Ferry van but have never managed to find out it's purpose,  ie was it in commercial service or just being used as a barrier wagon which has been previously discussed in @young37215's WHL v.4 thread without conclusion. It (they, as I've previously posted a picture of 2 of these vans together) seemed to only work through to Oban.

 

Regards,

Ian.

Edited December 1, 2023 by 03060
Correction.

[meanach]

11 hours ago, 03060 said:

 

There is a colour photo by George Woods of this loco and (probably) the first 2 wagons of this June 1986 train passing through Loch Awe in the Short Trains section of Modelling British Railways Diesel Locomotives bookazine which I believe was a 2013 WH Smith's exclusive, edited by Phil Parker.

 

I agree that it is a Belgian Ferry van but have never managed to find out it's purpose,  ie was it in commercial service or just being used as a barrier wagon which has been previously discussed in @young37215's WHL v.4 thread without conclusion. It (they, as I've previously posted a picture of 2 of these vans together) seemed to only work through to Oban.

 

Regards,

Ian.

The question is , what traffic flow would that be working through to Oban from the continent?

 

It’s a real shame that we have ended up with 2 superb models of the same diagram ferry van (Rapido / Sonic models)  when there are so many other variants that will probably never see the light of day. Still , exciting times for us 80s highland modellers with the release of new OAA AND Alcan PCA wagons this month. I particularly love ‘grotting up’ a good wagon! 

[meanach]

Meanwhile my slowly plodding work continues with 260,401,405,423 & 425 all ‘in the works’ and at various stages. 405 & 425 being the most time consuming, owing to the nose swaps. With 425 I also found the donor noses from a 37423 didn’t marry up well and required filler… which then cracked after spraying and required a second attempt. 

[03060]

11 hours ago, meanach said:

The question is , what traffic flow would that be working through to Oban from the continent?

 

It’s a real shame that we have ended up with 2 superb models of the same diagram ferry van (Rapido / Sonic models)  when there are so many other variants that will probably never see the light of day. Still , exciting times for us 80s highland modellers with the release of new OAA AND Alcan PCA wagons this month. I particularly love ‘grotting up’ a good wagon! 

 

The Belgian ferry van is possible in 4mm as seen in the 2nd to last photo on this groups website :

 

https://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_vans.html

 

I hope to emulate this in N gauge using a newly available chassis from the N gauge society having decided that it would be easier to scratchbuild the body rather than butcher one of the superb new rtr models. 

 

Liking the Cl 37/4 builds but why have you had to exchange the nose ends ?

 

Regards,

Ian.

Edited December 2, 2023 by 03060
Correction.

[PaulCheffus]

16 minutes ago, 03060 said:

 

The Belgian ferry van is possible in 4mm as seen in the 2nd to last photo on this chaps website :

 

https://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_vans.html

 

I hope to emulate this in N gauge using a newly available chassis from the N gauge society having decided that it would be easier to scratchbuild the body rather than butcher one of the superb new rtr models. 

 

Liking the Cl 37/4 builds but why have you had to exchange the nose ends ?

 

Regards,

Ian.

Hi

 

Here is my N gauge version scratchbuilt from various thicknesses of plasticard and microstrip. Chassis uses W Irons and castings from the 2mm Scale Association

 

Cheers

 

Paul