Forsinard and the Far North

[class26]

With the static grass covering of the Flow Country section now finished I thought it time to post a few photos. Jobs left are lineside fencing and to replace the backscene (the same photos but a reprint and mounted better next time - well, it was my first ever attempt at a backscene !)

[class26]

...............and a few more - 

[mallaig1983]

Thanks for the update Nigel. Great work. It looks fantastic and you’ve really captured the atmosphere. My particular favourite photo from that set is the 26 on the bridge. The view along the river and seamlessly blending into the backscene fooling the eye. 
Take a bow Sir.

[Moonter]

I have just discovered this thread/layout. As others have said, congratulations, it really captures the Highlands well. I am following and looking forward to reading the thread from the start when I have more time.

[class26]

A few photos of an operating session at the weekend. Photos were taken by Jools1959

 

Firstly 37261 departs Forsinard  taking the single line for Georgemas

Edited February 22, 2022 by class26

[class26]

further down the line in Flow Country

Edited February 22, 2022 by class26

[class26]

now slowing for Altnabreac in case the request stop is required

[37114]

Wow, the scenery on this is stunning, great job.

[class26]

42 minutes ago, 37114 said:

Wow, the scenery on this is stunning, great job.

Next photos I will get out of the depot 37114  !

[Kylestrome]

1 hour ago, class26 said:

further down the line in Flow Country

 

You've made an excellent job of the landscape.

 

If I may be allowed one small (constructive) criticism? The deer should be a much darker shade of brown. In reality, they would blend in much more with the background. Everything else looks just right!

 

David

 

[class26]

3 minutes ago, Kylestrome said:

 

You've made an excellent job of the landscape.

 

If I may be allowed one small (constructive) criticism? The deer should be a much darker shade of brown. In reality, they would blend in much more with the background. Everything else looks just right!

 

David

 

Thanks, you are right of course and i was actually thinking that also, they are straight out of the "packet" as seen now .   I`ll see what i can do.

[thegreenhowards]

I’ve just finished reading through this thread - superb stuff. I love the scenic treatment of the flow country and the back scene - very convincing. And the locos and mk1s look nicely weathered and very convincing. 

 

if I may offer one price of constructive criticism, it’s that your goods stock looks a little steam era. I think all fish traffic had finished by the 1960s although I may be wrong for the far north. And the other four wheel vans and oil tankers are more 50s/ 60s rather than early 80s which I assume is the look you’re going for. I’m no expert on exactly what ran on the FNL but I’d have thought TTAs for oil and RfD liveried VAAs or cargowaggons for goods would be more in keeping with the era.

 

I look forward to following your progress.

 

Andy
 

 

[Kylestrome]

3 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

I think all fish traffic had finished by the 1960s although I may be wrong for the far north.

 

You are!

 

The "Wick fish" ended in 1981 according to Tom Noble (Diesels on the Regions – Scottish Region, OPC). I have photos in my collection that would suggest that BR 12t standard vans, and other short wheelbase vacuum-fitted wagons, were common up to 1980 on the Kyle line and, presumably, also on the Far North.

 

David

Edited March 2, 2022 by Kylestrome

[thegreenhowards]

8 hours ago, Kylestrome said:

 

You are!

 

The "Wick fish" ended in 1981 according to Tom Noble (Diesels on the Regions – Scottish Region, OPC). I have photos in my collection that would suggest that BR 12t standard vans, and other short wheelbase vacuum-fitted wagons, were common up to 1980 on the Kyle line and, presumably, also on the Far North.

 

David

I stand corrected! But they would surely have had more modern livery like this

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/br-vea-van-br-railfreight-red-and-grey/38-881

 

or at least the boxed in three letter code like this

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/br-vea-van-br-bauxite-(tops)/38-880
 

 

[Kylestrome]

17 minutes ago, thegreenhowards said:

But they would surely have had more modern livery

 

Not in the photos I've seen. Just the usual, heavily weathered, BR brown.

 

David

[Bon Accord]

2 hours ago, thegreenhowards said:

I stand corrected! But they would surely have had more modern livery like this

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/br-vea-van-br-railfreight-red-and-grey/38-881

 

or at least the boxed in three letter code like this

 

https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/br-vea-van-br-bauxite-(tops)/38-880
 

 

 

Right upto the early 80s aside from the diesels and Mk1s being painted in corporate image colours the stock and infrastructure on the Far North and Kyle lines had changed very little for 20 years.

BR 16t mineral wagons and 12t vans - all in a dirty brown livery - were the order of the day freight wise. Stations still had their BR enamel totems and signage and nearly all the signal boxes were still open.

It was something of a time capsule.

[turbos]

I believe the Kyle line was the last line to have cattle trucks still in use for livestock, a bit of a timewarp north of Inverness.

 

Brian.

[Regularity]

9 hours ago, Bon Accord said:

BR 16t mineral wagons and 12t vans - all in a dirty brown livery - were the order of the day freight wise.

In the case of the former, was that due to rust, or were they fitted examples only? Or more simply, was there a brake van?

[class26]

Sorry haven`t commented on posts above recently , been slightly distracted due to events out in Ukraine and having family links. Shocked to the core and can think of nothing else.

Pure barbarism. Sorry to bring politics onto these pages but this is beyond the pale. 

 

About freight on the FNL I will be the first to say i am no expert . Ben Alder of this parish is the man for this but it is certainly true the lines north of Inverness were and are time warps which in many ways is the beauty of them.    

I do have some rail freight vans as someone posted above and will get them out for some pics shortly.

I am still in the process of assembling stock and once the Sutton Loco Works Highland 24`s are out I can back date some freight workings in any case. My freight stock has had less attention than the passenger stock but i will get there. i do tend to run what i want using rule no 1 although I try to be reasonably accurate.

 

I do appreciate all the above comments re freight , thanks to those who took the time to post

Edited March 2, 2022 by class26

[Graham T]

Cracking layout.

 

But far more importantly - I hope any family you have out there are ok.

[Ben Alder]

By the time the large logos appeared regular freight had all but vanished from the Far North line, especially the northern half, apart from the Lairg oil tanks.What was left was mainly a declining domestic coal traffic that vanished after the miners strike and apart from an occasional spell of activity now and again that never managed to last it has remained that way since. It was traditional wagons to the end, but latterly an occasional van or two and weather beaten steel minerals that were to be seen. Here is a selection of the very last days of daily freight, taken 1981/2/3, to illustrate the paucity of traffic then.

 

[Ben Alder]

There were still nuclear specials then and engineering traffic and now and again one off trains, usually fertiliser, that showed up and the later ones used newer vehicles but these never were much of a feature during freight days. Unfitted wagons had all gone by this time but trains still used a brake van, and one was kept at Georgemas for the branch workings.One or two of the occasional specials here.

[class26]

8 hours ago, Graham T said:

Cracking layout.

 

But far more importantly - I hope any family you have out there are ok.

They are (mostly)  thank you. The majority made it to Poland but they are devastated beyond words at their beloved country being decimated, and for what cause ? 

[class26]

7 hours ago, Ben Alder said:

There were still nuclear specials then and engineering traffic and now and again one off trains, usually fertiliser, that showed up and the later ones used newer vehicles but these never were much of a feature during freight days. Unfitted wagons had all gone by this time but trains still used a brake van, and one was kept at Georgemas for the branch workings.One or two of the occasional specials here.

Richard, thank you for all the photos , all extremely helpful and shows I am not too far adrift !

[60021 Pen-y-Ghent]

Here is my (not very good) photo of 26032 heading north from Forsinard in September 1980 with an interesting mix of stock.

Edited April 13, 2022 by 60021 Pen-y-Ghent
Reinsert image