Track diagram for Inverness and fort William station

[Trainnoob]

I've decided for my first Proper model railway I want a model of inverness or fort William in modern times, but Im having trouble finding Track diagrams because most of the ones I found are historic and not modern, I've tried google earth and maps but it is not clear enough to see the trackwork.

 

Does anyone know where I can find track diagrams.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Trainnoob
Grammer fix

[Dungrange]

Inverness is a very challenging project for a first model railway and I suspect that you don't have the space to create a scale model, which means that you simply need to capture the essence of what is there at the point in time which is of interest to you.  On that basis, precise details of the track plan are not really required.

 

The best historic mapping source is the NLS, but they don't appear to have anything post 1970 (eg https://maps.nls.uk/view/130172039), probably due to copyright - ie Ordinance Survey will still hold copyright for more modern maps, so you'd have to pay for more recent mapping and it will have to be large scale maps if you are hoping to see the track layout.

 

Fort William is a much simpler station, but as above, I suspect you'll have to purchase a large scale map from the OS if it has to be the current layout, but it's easy enough to get a feel for the track layout from simply looking at Google Maps - https://www.google.com/maps/@56.821446,-5.1014866,18.08z  I think there are only four points in the station area.

[rodent279]

Remembering that Fort William station has only been in it's current position since about 1976. Previously it was about 800m further along the front, right by Loch Linhe.

Edited December 15, 2021 by rodent279

[Michael Hodgson]

5 minutes ago, rodent279 said:

Remembering that Fort William station has only been in it's current position since about 1976. Previously it was about 800m further along the front, right by Loch Linhe.

Indeed and it was a much more attractive building than the current glorified bus shelter, but OP did say he wants modern not historic  track diagram.   I agree I'd rule out Inverness for a first layout.

 

In view of the difference in size/complexity between Inverness and Fort William stations, I do wonder whether enough preliminary thought has been given to choice of possible prototype.  Most modellers are constrained by availability of space in their chosen scale.   You need also to decide where the trains will run to - space is needed for a fiddle yard/storage loops/traverser or whatever, whether it will be a end-to end layout or if continuous running is preferred . 

[scottystitch]

The raildar resource gives schematic diagrams of the trackwork

 

http://raildar.co.uk/map/INV

 

http://raildar.co.uk/map/FTW

 

But, obviously, these are not to scale, but the arrangement of turnouts, etc. is clear.

 

Perhaps these could be used with what you can take from google earth and other resources in the absence of scale drawings.

 

There is also this, albeit dating from 1984 so would need some adaption for the current scene (using the above perhaps) , which would involve spending some Sterling, so perhaps only of use if you were committed.

 

https://nr.printstoreonline.com/inverness-station-general-layout-1984-18920879.html

 

Best

 

Scott.

Edited December 15, 2021 by scottystitch
Added previously omitted link to track plan poster