Meanach . West Highland B.R 1988

[meanach]

19 hours ago, young37215 said:

 

The rust effects are first class, I'll be pleased to get close to these with my ZGV's and other metal bodied wagons. Had a quick look at the Deluxe materials product on line and it looks a bit of a faff to use, is that a fair summary? 

 

 

Hi Rob . No it’s really quite simple . You mix some powder with a little solution until it’s like a paste . I have found that you need more powder then they state , but mine is 8 years old ! You then apply it with a paint brush and it goes on kind of blue / green colour . It sets pretty quickly and you go over it with the rust developing formula on a clean brush . That process is about 15 - 20

mins .
 

About 8-12 hours later you have real rust ! It’s cons are that it’s not super workable . It’s quite course and is probably more suited to O gauge . Definitely practice on an old body first ! 

[young37215]

Cheers Ian. I'll keep this as an option, I want something that creates more than the flat effect of simply adding paint which you clearly have achieved with your Turbots.

 

I can trump your 8 year old powder, I have some 30+ year old weathering powders which I will try mixed with paint before investing in something like the Deluxe product.

[JBM37404]

Great layout. Fantastic era and stock quality is great with the weathering.

 

I wondered how the rockfaces on the cuttings were formed. I am looking to do some in places on my Highland mainline style N gauge layout.

 

Cheers

 

J

Edited April 14, 2022 by JBM37404

[meanach]

On 14/04/2022 at 10:47, JBM37404 said:

Great layout. Fantastic era and stock quality is great with the weathering.

 

I wondered how the rockfaces on the cuttings were formed. I am looking to do some in places on my Highland mainline style N gauge layout.

 

Cheers

 

J

Hi and thanks . 
 

The rock formations are from Woodland scenics moulds made with their own plaster type mixture . Once set I popped them out and hacked them about with a small saw. I filled any voids and glued them to my back scene using No Nails glue.
 

 They were given a sprayed base coat of brown (Rail Match Track dirt) then painted with Games workshop acrylics (4 shades of grey). Then I used MIG enamel based dark and  grey washes , working whilst the paint was still wet so that the colours blended . You have to work quite quickly with acrylic paint as it dries super quickly . Finally I dry brushed the edges with white and very pale grey acrylic. 
 

Ian 

[G-DIMB]

Every time i see this thread together with @young37215layout thread i always get tempted to do west highland around 1988. I really must get these thoughts out of my head as i already have far too much to do and not enough space to do it all in. Also I'm not sure how easy it would be to turn a GWR BLT into a Scottish WHL terminus but now you have got me looking. Better take my meds! 😃

[JBM37404]

22 hours ago, meanach said:

Hi and thanks . 
 

The rock formations are from Woodland scenics moulds made with their own plaster type mixture . Once set I popped them out and hacked them about with a small saw. I filled any voids and glued them to my back scene using No Nails glue.
 

 They were given a sprayed base coat of brown (Rail Match Track dirt) then painted with Games workshop acrylics (4 shades of grey). Then I used MIG enamel based dark and  grey washes , working whilst the paint was still wet so that the colours blended . You have to work quite quickly with acrylic paint as it dries super quickly . Finally I dry brushed the edges with white and very pale grey acrylic. 
 

Ian 

Cheers Ian, 

 

Was thinking of using some Woodland stuff, last time I did anything similar was 30 odd years ago with chicken wire and paper mache!

 

John

[meanach]

1 hour ago, JBM37404 said:

Cheers Ian, 

 

Was thinking of using some Woodland stuff, last time I did anything similar was 30 odd years ago with chicken wire and paper mache!

 

John

The hills and glens are formed with car body repair mesh over polystyrene but the big mountain is good old chicken wire ! All of it was covered in plaster bandage. The advantage of the more expensive mesh is that it’s very fine and easy to mould to shape. 

[thegreenhowards]

I’ve been admiring the pictures of your Turbots and I think I need to get onto mine. I’m modelling early ‘80s so I think mine will be cleaner or less rusty at least. I’m also thinking about a load. We’re they used primarily for spent or new ballast? Or could it be either? Also what wagons would they have run with? Presumably things like Dogfish or Grampus?

[young37215]

9 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

I’ve been admiring the pictures of your Turbots and I think I need to get onto mine. I’m modelling early ‘80s so I think mine will be cleaner or less rusty at least. I’m also thinking about a load. We’re they used primarily for spent or new ballast? Or could it be either? Also what wagons would they have run with? Presumably things like Dogfish or Grampus?

 

I have been researching a the Turbots lately and can add a little to the debate. On the basis that the Turbots first appeared in 1982, yours would be relatively unscathed. Although they could be used for fresh ballast , the lack of chutes to deliver ballast directly from the wagon like Dogfish and Sealions could limited their use meaning that the majority of their work was spoil. They were most commonly found in rakes comprised exclusively of Turbots of varying lengths as determined by the engineering work they were required for. If you look on Flickr there are plenty of examples of Turbot to use as a basis for weathering and a few showing workings other than ballast. I particularly like the 1986 one at Oban below, interestingly the fresh ballast suggests that on this occassion the turbots may well have been used for delivering new ballast.  

 

  

[03060]

Another one for the Engineering fleet, which as it's just too late for Rob's WHL v.4 thread, I hope that you don't mind me posting it here as it's taken from J&K Video's 'ScotRail Memories 1988' DVD (on which I'd forgotten how good the footage is.)

 

The wagon type appears in Key's Modelling British Railways Engineer's Wagons - Part 2 with a comment that at least one of the 5 wagons transferred to ballast duties in Scotland carried the legend 'West Highland Engineer' but without a photo of it to confirm I was rather pleased when I spotted this on the video as a train passes through Crianlarich. As the the wagon in the video carries a different number to the one mentioned in the publication then there must have been at least 2 labelled as such, all 5 being painted in Olive livery, coded ZGA Seal.

 

Not sure if anything is available in 4mm scale but these wagons were basically 'cut down' 5 plank versions of the 8 plank Ferry High wagons coded OJA/OJX.

Edited May 9, 2022 by 03060
Extra info added.

[meanach]

On 21/04/2022 at 06:34, young37215 said:

 

I have been researching a the Turbots lately and can add a little to the debate. On the basis that the Turbots first appeared in 1982, yours would be relatively unscathed. Although they could be used for fresh ballast , the lack of chutes to deliver ballast directly from the wagon like Dogfish and Sealions could limited their use meaning that the majority of their work was spoil. They were most commonly found in rakes comprised exclusively of Turbots of varying lengths as determined by the engineering work they were required for. If you look on Flickr there are plenty of examples of Turbot to use as a basis for weathering and a few showing workings other than ballast. I particularly like the 1986 one at Oban below, interestingly the fresh ballast suggests that on this occassion the turbots may well have been used for delivering new ballast.  

 

  

I’ve only ever seen them together as well . Possibly brake comparability? I have seen them with fresh as well as spoil though . A lesser spotted Mexican bean in shot too ! I shall be ordering one of those when Heljan finally release them , even if it is a touch earlier than I model . 

[G-DIMB]

I have seen a photo of seacows on the WHL but no shark was with the rake so i assume they used manpower to do the final work. I wonder if also the lower line speeds mean that possibly the more basic approach wasn't a problem hence the more regular use of Turbots for general engineering work.

[young37215]

1983 Bridge of Orchy and some fairly new, largely pristine Turbots make an appearance on the WHL. The cropped rail in the foreground and what appears to be the loads on the Turbots suggests rail renewal activity, I seem to recall concrete sleepers were laid at the southern end of the station around this time.  

 

 

[young37215]

More Turbots!, 1988 pictures I stumbled upon whilst researching coaching stock formations

 

 

 

[thegreenhowards]

All this talk about Turbots has encouraged me to weather mine. One of mine was weathered when I bought it. Whoever did it had made a nice job of distressing the doors but the rust was a bit unsubtle. So I removed some of the rust and toned the rest down under a thin streaked coat of roof dirt. The other two I’m leaving lightly weathered as they would have been fairly new in the early to mid 1980s. The underframe on all three was treated the same with my standard mix of precision frame dirt, Humbrol Matt black and Humbrol 27004 metalcote. I used precision weathered wood on the interior floor. I’d be grateful for any constructive criticism.

 

 

In the nearest wagon on the second photo, I’ve added some Legacy steam era 4mm shed ballast (loose) as a trial. Could this work as spent ballast?

 

PS Sorry about the gardening glove. They’re such free running wagons that it was needed to stop them running away!

 

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by thegreenhowards

[D6775]

Some excellent looking Turbots there and some great reference shots. I am just starting a second batch of 7mm ones, this was one of the first batch:

 

[meanach]

Well , what a conundrum Bachmann have provided. Not one but 2 of the upgraded Class 37s on my wish list were announced today (401&423).  The only problem is that I was praying for Accurascale to announce them ! Although these look far better than previous incarnations , I can’t see any sign of a stay alive or a facility for a decent bass speaker. 🤔 Earlier , now sold , version of 401 . 

[meanach]

On 20/06/2022 at 07:04, young37215 said:

More Turbots!, 1988 pictures I stumbled upon whilst researching coaching stock formations

 

 

 

Interesting . They look rather clean. Going by the weather I’m wondering if that’s early 88? Although of course , being the highlands it could be June !

[mallaig1983]

1 hour ago, meanach said:

Well , what a conundrum Bachmann have provided. Not one but 2 of the upgraded Class 37s on my wish list were announced today (401&423).  The only problem is that I was praying for Accurascale to announce them ! Although these look far better than previous incarnations , I can’t see any sign of a stay alive or a facility for a decent bass speaker. 🤔 Earlier , now sold , version of 401 . 

well I doubt Accurascale will produce them now that Bachmann have announced them. They do look rather nice though. You’ll have to investigate the stay alive and space for a decent speaker. 
I was disappointed with the announcements as only 043 would have been suitable but in Blue with white stripe. I can’t understand why they have duplicated that one.

[thegreenhowards]

I’d say wait for the AS model. They may not do 401&423 but it’s easier enough to renumber one. That way you’re supporting a young up and coming company who are doing great things for our market. (No connection to AS other than being delighted with my Deltic).

[D6775]

On 20/06/2022 at 07:04, young37215 said:

More Turbots!, 1988 pictures I stumbled upon whilst researching coaching stock formations

 

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread again, but this picture inspired me to put some loads together for a couple of my Turbots:

 

[thegreenhowards]

4 hours ago, D6775 said:

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread again, but this picture inspired me to put some loads together for a couple of my Turbots:

 

 

I like the look of those concrete sleepers. Did you make them or are they available off the shelf?

 

Andy

[meanach]

4 hours ago, D6775 said:

 

Sorry for hijacking this thread again, but this picture inspired me to put some loads together for a couple of my Turbots:

 

It is rare to see photos of them showing either interior or loads other than ballast. It was inspiring for me too! 

[D6775]

16 hours ago, meanach said:

It is rare to see photos of them showing either interior or loads other than ballast. It was inspiring for me too! 

 

Very rare, I think that's the first picture I have seen of them loaded with sleepers. 

 

17 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

 

I like the look of those concrete sleepers. Did you make them or are they available off the shelf?

 

Andy

 

They are Peco 7mm Individulay Concrete Sleepers and match sticks. In 4mm I'd probably strip a length of Peco Concrete Flexi and use some 1mm square plastic suitably painted. 

[thegreenhowards]

18 hours ago, D6775 said:

 

They are Peco 7mm Individulay Concrete Sleepers and match sticks. In 4mm I'd probably strip a length of Peco Concrete Flexi and use some 1mm square plastic suitably painted. 

Thanks. I’m also 7mm. I am looking for something to fill these Dapol beauties.

 

 

I had been thinking of some spent ballast, but the concrete sleepers are something a bit different. If I’m clever enough I might make them removable and be able to interchange between the two!

 

Andy