Balbeggie Sidings

[sulzer27jd]

Excellent work John.

 

Being ex-Dundee Footplate, this is truly superb.

 

It's funny you showing the Class 27s on the Dundee - Edinburgh runs. Dundee and Haymarket Crews shared these jobs equally. These jobs were known as the Double-Dunters, because you did 2 runs per shift.

 

The Class 40 on the Cement puzzles me slightly because from my recollection, the PCAs were generally on the Aberdeen (Craiginches) Cement, and it was generally PCVs which were on the Dundee (Camperdown) Cement. Admittedly, by the time the 40s were going out of service, the PCAs were becoming more common. No criticism intended though. A superb piece of work.

 

BTW you were spot-on regards the consist of the Cement Trains, 20 on - 933 Tonnes. (20 x 40 + 133 for the Loco - straight from the ScR Working Manual!)

 

 

Best Regards

Mark H.

 

Thanks Mark. Looking through the timetable I reckoned there were 5 different diagrams to cover all of the trains. Its interesting to see how that fits with your experience of how the crews work. I tend to use the one set of coaches and change the locos to suit because of limited space in the fiddle yard.

 

That is also the reason why the cement is the same stock.

 

Thanks again

 

John

[edin_bry2x]

Many thanks for the very kind comments.

 

The latest project off the workbench is my Scotrail liveried disco set. Its using Lima mark III's and an Dapol BSO converted to DBSO. The set includes the cut down first class accommodation.

 

Because the second photo below was taken on the Up line the top of the scenic backdrop was very visible so I have added some sky. I must do something about that for photography.

 

Anyway here is an Aberdeen to Edinburgh service passing Balbeggie Sidings;

 

 

 

and 47702 propelling from the rear;

 

I have had a few days working from home which has allowed a little more time to work on the layout. I did however indulge in a bit of train watching and in case you missed it the link is here - http://www.rmweb.co...._1entry138667

 

Thanks again all for the encouragement.

 

John

 

Absolutely fantastic layout, i only hope when my loft space layout is finally realised it has as much realism as this. I love the DBSO what conversion kit did you use - Hurst, A1 or the Dc kits, othe thing was with the arrangement of the rake didnt the 1st class composite Mk3 ride behind the DBSO rather than next to the 47/7?

 

cheers bry

[Andrew F]

Wonderful layout John!. Takes me right back to my childhood and your photography, especially the compressed perspective work is very reminiscent of the photographs taken by the great photographers of the time at similar locations.

Distance, lay of the land and curvature of track , atmosphere and scenic modelling are all first class.

 

Cheers

 

Andy

[P.C.M]

I remember the 26's running MGR's but that tended to be in the Lothians, but no doubt if a failure occurs the shedmaster at Thornton will use whatever is lying around. A couple of 26's in Coal sector livery is a tempting idea!

 

John

 

 

Hi John,

Coal sector 26s would look nice, you could get a 26/0 then, though you probably have enough to do with your blue period stock. The push pull set looks superb BTW.

 

Cheers Peter,

[sulzer27jd]

othe thing was with the arrangement of the rake didnt the 1st class composite Mk3 ride behind the DBSO rather than next to the 47/7?

 

cheers bry

 

You're absolutely right, well spotted. Set line-up has now been corrected.

 

I can't remember whose conversion kit I used and the other one I bought at the same time is still whitemetal pieces in an unmarked bag. I have been working on a DC kits version but a lack of Hornby B&G MkIII's means there is no urgency to get that completed. It's a nice kit.

 

cheers

 

John

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi John,

 

I first saw you layout a while back and was really impressed by it and it is great to see all the new photos you have added. Those long views down the layout are so atmospheric and you can just imagine a hot summer day with the exhausts hanging in the air especially off those 20's on the MGRs. Those sweeping curves really help to add to the realism and it must be nice to be able to run decent length trains through the landscape like that. Are your curves canted, I was trying to work that out from the photos and couldn't decide as the shots of the trains running through them look so real I thought they must be to get that effect so spot on?

 

Thanks,

Mark

[sulzer27jd]

Hi John,

 

I first saw you layout a while back and was really impressed by it and it is great to see all the new photos you have added. Those long views down the layout are so atmospheric and you can just imagine a hot summer day with the exhausts hanging in the air especially off those 20's on the MGRs. Those sweeping curves really help to add to the realism and it must be nice to be able to run decent length trains through the landscape like that. Are your curves canted, I was trying to work that out from the photos and couldn't decide as the shots of the trains running through them look so real I thought they must be to get that effect so spot on?

 

Thanks,

Mark

 

Thanks for your comments Mark. Yes the curves have a cant on them, the tight curves around the end of the layout more so. The only thing to give bother were the class 40's but I now fit extra pickups to them as standard. No bad thing anyway.

 

cheers

 

John

[gordon s]

Hi John, the gallery pics lead me to your layout thread. I can't believe I'd missed it before as it has such understated atmosphere. The new pics looking down the length of the layout are really superb with those long sweeping curves. The scenic work is simple yet very well done.

 

I'm off to follow the link back to your earlier thread to read more about the construction and track layout. Did you paint the backscenes yourself?

 

Congratulations on building a main line with such a realistic feel.

[Guest 30-something]

 

 

I can't remember whose conversion kit I used and the other one I bought at the same time is still whitemetal pieces in an unmarked bag. I have been working on a DC kits version but a lack of Hornby B&G MkIII's means there is no urgency to get that completed. It's a nice kit.

 

cheers

 

John

 

Hi John

 

Could it possibly be the Westward conversion kit you used? I've been hunting for one of those for a good number of years now, the last time I seen the kit was in the mid 90's.

 

Ceers

 

Joe

[sulzer27jd]

Hi John

 

Could it possibly be the Westward conversion kit you used? I've been hunting for one of those for a good number of years now, the last time I seen the kit was in the mid 90's.

 

Ceers

 

Joe

 

if you still want one give me a PM with your address.

 

jd

[sulzer27jd]

Some extra power has been added to the Balbeggie Sidings roster this week.

 

First up - 37188 an Eastfield workhorse. Not glamorous, but gets the job done.

 

 

 

Also coming off the bench is 37196. Formerly a Plymouth loco, it was transferred to Inverness, where it lost it's Tre Pol and Pen nameplates. The patch where the nameplates were is clearly visible. The Raifreight grey was unusual on Scottish 37's.

 

 

 

That should take some of the pressure off the rest of the fleet.

 

JD

[Guest Max Stafford]

I knew a real railway just like yours once, John!

 

Lovely work as usual.

 

Dave.

[Andrew P]

Hi John, first time i've looked at this and it really is fantastic, I must admit I miss a loft for those long goods trains and beautifully ballasted sweeping curves you have achieved it looks brilliant. I dont miss the over hot summer days and bitterly cold winter extreem tempretures though. My layouts are now in a 9 x 7 room and I have a Scottish OO on one side and a Cornish China Clay in O Gauge on the other so in many ways I do envy you. Keep posting the pic's you have really done a great job so far, keep it up. Andy

[45156]

Greetings. John

 

Although not my era or traction type (I am into Motive Power, not traction) I do recall that era very well, and I travelled often on the "disco trains" in Scotland, as well as their 2x27 top and tail predecessors - so I do really remember that era in Scotland, and I can safely say that the pics here do give a very realistic and convincing representation of the stock and workings of the time. Very impressive modelling indeed.

 

Stewart

[sulzer27jd]

Thanks all - much appreciated

 

J

[Melly]

Some extra power has been added to the Balbeggie Sidings roster this week.

 

First up - 37188 an Eastfield workhorse. Not glamorous, but gets the job done.

 

 

 

Also coming off the bench is 37196. Formerly a Plymouth loco, it was transferred to Inverness, where it lost it's Tre Pol and Pen nameplates. The patch where the nameplates were is clearly visible. The Raifreight grey was unusual on Scottish 37's.

 

 

 

That should take some of the pressure off the rest of the fleet.

 

JD

 

 

This is a fantastic piece of work. What makes these pictures work for me is the composition of the trackwork - the running lines look to be slightly differing heights and the ballast is just right. Top work - more please.......

[P.C.M]

Hi John,

Nice Tractors, are they Vitrains ? I have a pic of 37196 in Scotland I will have to dig it out. I think you have got the weathering spot on.

 

Cheers Peter.

[sulzer27jd]

Hi John,

Nice Tractors, are they Vitrains ? I have a pic of 37196 in Scotland I will have to dig it out. I think you have got the weathering spot on.

 

Cheers Peter.

 

 

Thanks Peter. Yes they are Vitrains. I had rather avoided them (don't really know why), but now that I've used them they are actually rather good. 196 came to me as a spare body as I was attempting to get the range of liveries in my fleet balanced up. I then discovered that it was (I think) the only one allocated in the grey. I have seen a couple of pics on Fotopic of it in Inverness and it wasn't in the best of conditions. It worked out in the end.

 

The blue one - 188 - I picked up from E-bay because I just couldn't get a Bachmann version. Other than the yellow being a touch lemon I think it does the job. And knowing that it wasn't going to be the cleanest of my locos I think the yellow is less noticeable. The Eastfield 37's seemed to never get cleaned. The freight locos at least, the passenger locos with the large loco blue were looked after but a lot of the freight working were pretty tough on the motive power.

 

I now have 3 Bachmann and 3 Vitrains 37. Of the two I have had less mechanical trouble with the Vitrains versions and I have had to replace the DCC fitted decoder in one of my Bachmann's because it kept losing its memory.

 

Cheers

 

John

[P.C.M]

Thanks Peter. Yes they are Vitrains. I had rather avoided them (don't really know why), but now that I've used them they are actually rather good. 196 came to me as a spare body as I was attempting to get the range of liveries in my fleet balanced up. I then discovered that it was (I think) the only one allocated in the grey. I have seen a couple of pics on Fotopic of it in Inverness and it wasn't in the best of conditions. It worked out in the end.

 

The blue one - 188 - I picked up from E-bay because I just couldn't get a Bachmann version. Other than the yellow being a touch lemon I think it does the job. And knowing that it wasn't going to be the cleanest of my locos I think the yellow is less noticeable. The Eastfield 37's seemed to never get cleaned. The freight locos at least, the passenger locos with the large loco blue were looked after but a lot of the freight working were pretty tough on the motive power.

 

I now have 3 Bachmann and 3 Vitrains 37. Of the two I have had less mechanical trouble with the Vitrains versions and I have had to replace the DCC fitted decoder in one of my Bachmann's because it kept losing its memory.

 

Cheers

 

John

 

Thanks John, You have inspired me to get on and do my Vitrains 37/4 I need a rest from doing 47s. Look forwards to more pics of the loco's at work.

 

Cheers Peter.

[sulzer27jd]

Unlike spotters today who use websites, forums and mobile phones to let everyone know what's about. Back in the day it was go lineside and hope. Every so often it would all come together. Like a day searching for 37's.

 

 

First train through - 16.20 Dundee - Edinburgh, 37188 ED providing power.

 

 

Then the Craiginches to Millerhill 6V73 with 47408 GD. This photo was inspired by this one;

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=43215

 

 

A couple of Aberdeen services pass. HST on one so no photo and a Haymarket 47 on the second.

 

6V77 - MGR empties to Kingslaw loading facility. 37694 The Lass O'Ballochmyle in charge;

 

 

wearing what is for Balbeggie Sidings the very latest livery it was worth a second shot;

 

 

Then the last of the 37's for the day. 37196 IS on a Rosyth Dock to Thornton Yard working.

 

 

 

Any excuse to use my latest additions!

 

JD

[Wummyock]

Superb layout!!!Do you have a trackplan and what size is the layout?

[sulzer27jd]

Superb layout!!!Do you have a trackplan and what size is the layout?

 

Here is the trackplan;

 

 

the layout is about 30 x 9'.

 

The entrance to Kingslaw Loading leads to two dedicated loops for the loaded (clockwise) and empty coal (anti-clockwise).

Unfortunately the fiddleyard is constrained by the roof trusses as storage roads are at a premium.

 

Thanks - John

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi John,

 

Nice to see your latest updates of lineside photos and your new fleet additions. They look really good and comparing your 47 on its freight to the photo thta inspired it shows just how realistic your whole layout and operation is. It is also interesting to see a different era of operation to what I knwo today on that line as up until last year use to commute to Kirkcaldy although the only trains similar where the HSTs on the Aberdeen serives and I use to see the MGR's although in the hands of EWS 66's, not the same as your 20's and 37's though.

 

Keep the updates coming as they are very interesting to see.

 

Thanks,

Mark

[sulzer27jd]

Some period pieces - ahh - those black & white days;-

 

47546 has been a regular performer on the 12.00 Aberdeen - Edinburgh (1G64). Seen heading round the sweeping curve past Balbeggie Sidings, beyond this point the train will drop into Kirkcaldy for its next stop. June 85

 

Long summer evenings allow daylight photography of the 07.30 Penzance to Aberdeen (1S55). Still a bit to go before 47704 Dunedin gets to Aberdeen. Passing Balbeggie Sidings just before 8 o'clock in the evening.

 

Just minutes after the Penzance and with thunder clouds gathering comes the Oxwellmains to Dundee cement (6G58). Tonight with 47009 in charge, a Haymarket engine with light grey roof. Although given the work staining it is hard to tell.

 

JD

['CHARD]

Unlike spotters today who use websites, forums and mobile phones to let everyone know what's about. Back in the day it was go lineside and hope. Every so often it would all come together. Like a day searching for 37's.

 

 

First train through - 16.20 Dundee - Edinburgh, 37188 ED providing power.

 

 

Then the Craiginches to Millerhill 6V73 with 47408 GD. This photo was inspired by this one;

 

http://www.rmweb.co....attach_id=43215

 

A couple of Aberdeen services pass. HST on one so no photo and a Haymarket 47 on the second.

 

6V77 - MGR empties to Kingslaw loading facility. 37694 The Lass O'Ballochmyle in charge;

 

wearing what is for Balbeggie Sidings the very latest livery it was worth a second shot;

 

Then the last of the 37's for the day. 37196 IS on a Rosyth Dock to Thornton Yard working.

 

Any excuse to use my latest additions!

 

JD

 

 

Can't believe I'm the first to vote that post up or comment on it! - Awesome!

 

I love this linesiding roundy, it captures its prototype inspiration exactly. Fantastic work!