Ben Alder Posted September 2, 2012 Author Share Posted September 2, 2012 Part of today was spent planting some more of the many poles that the two stations housed, and I took a shot or two to see how they looked. This in itself hardly warrants a posting, but the light reaching the railway room window is now giving interesting photo results. September and early October was the time I got atmospheric images of Kylesku, and I played around with the natural light and its changes- much scudding of clouds today, giving very different pictures within a minute or two. So here are some- as can be seen, there is much finishing off to do- I am leaving a lot of these to do at one session once the last of the track is finally checked and fettled, although everything seems to run smoothly. The yard lamps are in place, and I have put the HR crane in its original place beyond the goods shed- this was removed in real life and a concrete hard standing with inset track was installed, but I took the easier option of changing history to suit my needs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted September 3, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 3, 2012 Richard, it's your thread, so you don't have to justify anything you post - especially shots of the layout. I particularly like the second image in your last post. Long view across the turntable to the station and the lighting hints of autumn, possibly with rain on the way! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted September 3, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 3, 2012 As Jeff says, a typical Ben Alder photo-set - there is just so much atmosphere! That indefinable quality is missing from so many model photos, and Richard's use of natural light to advantage is as effective here as it was on the previous layout. Realistic? You bet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Another progress report- landscaping at the Helmsdale depot has been taking place, and at last it now has a first coat of ground cover. Although there doesn't seem much to show for it, this has taken the best part of a week, but I have also been going round the layout filling and painting various gaps and unpainted pieces. I changed the ground area round the T/T, hence the white bits , but these should be dry enough to paint tonight. A before and after comparison. I had the Thurso train shed off to do some work on it and thought I would show all the hidden horror it conceals- a trompe l'oeil for the rear wall and the hidden siding to give storage for two 57' coaches inside the shed. I posted a shot of my Caley 4-4-0 in Railways of Scotland, and these were a couple I took at the same time. As may have been guessed by the rather static stock in pictures this last while, I haven't been doing any running of late, but some of the slow progress this week has been due to me doing running trials at Helmsdale with regard to clearances with the inset track at the shed, which developed into a play session- it was good to see the pre-grouping locos going about some business- and of course I took some pictures. Finally, a couple on shed at Helmsdale- I think there are going to be some good camera angles once things are tidied up here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold A Murphy Posted September 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 9, 2012 There is something so enjoyable about seeing your pre-grouping engines in this increasingly atmospheric, excellent setting. There was a thread recently about naming three most inspirational layouts, I would now include the Far North Line, not for hyper scale, ultra detailed modelling, but for creating a wonderfully evocative, identifiable and fun looking model railway. And I'm well aware there's plenty more to come. Great work sir. Alastair Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham R Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I think covering up most of the concrete rim of the turntable well at Helmsdale has really made a difference. That shot of 57697 with the shed behind is a cracker. Thanks for posting all these! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 10, 2012 Author Share Posted September 10, 2012 :blush: Thanks, I am concerned more with trying to get a feeling of place rather than fretting about the odd mm here and there- heresy in some circles, I know, but its my approach to an interesting and creative hobby that I enjoy. The T/T has been bedded in and, while still obviously not British, will look OK in the background. I might add some underframe details to it, but that will be in the follow-up set of work. Here are a couple of Ben Alder trying it out. And another trial shot from yesterday. I am now at the end of the current phase of the layout build, with structures in place and basic ground cover down. The next job is scenic cover, but today I chanced upon a photo showing the goods office at Thurso goods shed- well, a shot of a chimney and a corner, but enough to get a build going, so I will add this before starting the next stage. I must thank all of you again for the encouragement and continual demand for upgrades- it has been a real spur to progress for me, and helped keep up a workrate that I don't usually achieve. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
trisonic Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Richard, Superb progress. Those photos shout: Scotland! To me........ Best, Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted September 11, 2012 Share Posted September 11, 2012 Ben, I absolutely love your pre-grouping locos. I know Ben Alder is a modified T9, but what are the others? I'm betting vintage white metal kits and no longer available? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold roundhouse Posted September 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2012 Superb backdrop to those lovely buildings. really captures the atmosphere of the far North line. Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Ben, I absolutely love your pre-grouping locos. I know Ben Alder is a modified T9, but what are the others? I'm betting vintage white metal kits and no longer available? They are generally products of the stockpile- most having lain about for thirty years or so, but with the exception of the Caley 812 0-6-0, which seems to be a very scarce creature, all the rest are or have been available until very recently. The Highland 0-6-0's are still part of the DJH range and whoever took over the NuCast locos was still making occasional runs until last Xmas, when he was supposed to have finally retired. What state the moulds are in is apparently open to question, but I got another Caley 4-4-0 from him just before he finished, although I haven't done anything with it yet. The 0-4-4T is a butchery of a Hornby M7 with the help of a Crownline detailing kit and scratch pieces, and was done before I discovered places like here, so no build details were kept, but I have done chapters in my blog on the last builds- see here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/62/entry-6920-a-caledonian-duo/http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/62/entry-6920-a-caledonian-duo/- and here- http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/62/entry-6652-the-highland-twins/ if it is of interest to anyone. There is a further build planned once I get things to a stage I want on the layout, so more appropriate locos are to follow, sometime.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted September 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 11, 2012 I've not been on for a while, and only now had a look through to see where you are up to. All I can say is wow, you have progressed so much in a short time and it is looking stunning. I feel very lazy now for my lack of progress Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold A Murphy Posted September 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2012 Richard, I assume you are aware of these guys, who list an 812/652 kit? http://www.caleycoaches.co.uk/index.php Alastair Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 I've not been on for a while, and only now had a look through to see where you are up to. All I can say is wow, you have progressed so much in a short time and it is looking stunning. I feel very lazy now for my lack of progress Yes, in some ways I've suprised myself with the output- just shows you what I could have done over the years if I'd gotten my finger out! Richard, I assume you are aware of these guys, who list an 812/652 kit? http://www.caleycoac...co.uk/index.php Alastair There be brass- that needs to be shaped and folded- had nasty experiences with this sort of stuff in the past and don't intend to go there again. Loco building is a means to an end for me, and I don't want to spend the time required to master this sort of stuff. Fortunately I have gathered most of what I need in whitemetal. The Highland 0-6-0's were made in lieu of the lack of further 812's, but I actually prefer their looks to the chunkier Caley loco. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 11, 2012 Author Share Posted September 11, 2012 Definitely looking Highland Richard!! Is the goods shed overscale - it seems rather overpowering in the picture? They did come in different sizes (Pitlochry is/was huge for example) though. This question has been bubbling away in my mind for months now, and I have been giving it some attention now the bulk of the work is finished. As usual, the goods sheds were built from photos and a few measured dimensions, and I was aware of discrepancies in the roof pitches, which I chose to ignore. However, I can see that some adjustment might be necessary with these two buildings. I had access to a gable ended shed drawing but couldn't manage the only one I know of of a sloped roof version- MRC 1950's, so not the sort if thing readily available-and it is one time that I would have liked a look at a drawing. Here are a couple of mock ups with adjusted roof profiles and an attached link to the Thurso shed and any feedback and thoughts would be appreciated. I am leaning to the lower of the two ATM. I have a couple of prototype images behind them, and here is the link- http://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/5649030906/in/set-72157626440055275 The 2" model is the larger of the two, BTW, and the smaller one is on the left in the end views. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold McRuss Posted September 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 11, 2012 Hello Richard, to me the smaller one looks better. Markus Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted September 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 12, 2012 I agree, and the pitch of the roof looks far better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 12, 2012 Author Share Posted September 12, 2012 Thanks for the feedback, on and offscreen- I worked on the smaller version last night, and managed to get the existing roof off without damage and trimmed them down, leaving the gluing till today as it was past 1am before I had got the adjustments done. Then today, Eureka!- a set of drawings for the type of shed I am doing- I had got things near enough. Based on the drawings my shed is slightly longer, and the overall height is 4mm more, with the end pitch angle being at 42 degrees as the drawings 40. As the formers had been glued in place I decided that these are tolerances I can live with, so re-roofing can go ahead. A photo of WIP- a chimney is set in place for the office- the RH pic shows a glimpse of it behind the cattle wagons, and more on this once I get it put together. Anyway, thanks to RMweb I am up and running again! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stuartp Posted September 13, 2012 Share Posted September 13, 2012 Agreed, the smaller one looks better, I'm not sure my own shed is correct either. The trouble with hipped roofs is that even where the shed is still standing it's almost impossible to work out the angles from the ground without tying something heavy to the end of the tape measure and lobbing it over the top. The 40 degrees figure is one that might be worth jotting down for future reference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 18, 2012 Author Share Posted September 18, 2012 A quick catch up on the last weeks output. To some extent, my constant ability to butterfly has broken out, as I have spent most if the time scanning and posting some of the photos I took in the early seventies, of Wick and Thurso and various other places. These were in response to queries about the area, but it could take a lot more time to get through my assorted, unarranged collection of images. Still, it's a change from the layout. The roof rebuild has been done- managed to re-use the existing one with a bit of trimming, which was a bonus, and I managed to find an obscure shot of the attached office, which is being added ATM- I'll go into this later, but here are a few pics of me trying it for size in situ tonight, and a shot of the modified Thurso shed and the ,obviously now, wrong pitch of the Helmsdale one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack P Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Looks good Richard! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted September 19, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 19, 2012 Richard, although it wasn't a life-changing decision, I agree that the new roof is an improvement on the old one. Without a comparison, the previous one was more than adequate! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Hi Richard, Lovely atmosphere to your layout, you capture the feel of the prototype very well. All the best Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
landscapes Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Hi I Second Dave's comments you really have captured the far north atmosphere in every way, may I ask what you have used for the roof tile finish on your goods shed as I am still deliberating over what to use for Haymarket 64B shed roof. Regards David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Alder Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 Superb backdrop to those lovely buildings. really captures the atmosphere of the far North line. Ian Thanks, the backscene esp. at Helmsdale was a major factor in deciding to change the layout, as it provides a setting I could never manage by hand. Although not of the area, I think it blends in well enough. Hi I Second Dave's comments you really have captured the far north atmosphere in every way, may I ask what you have used for the roof tile finish on your goods shed as I am still deliberating over what to use for Haymarket 64B shed roof. Regards David It seems to be coming together, I must admit. I did have reservations at the beginning about whether it would look of the place,but I am pleased with how it has turned out so far. The roof papers are from a firm called True Texture http://www.truetexture.co.uk/ and give a rather nice slate finish- it certainly saved me a lot of effort. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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