Georgemas Junction in N

[BernardTPM]

What great photos! The NBR coach looks like a 9 compartment Third, the elliptical roof making quite late, I should think - note it's a different elliptical shape the the CR one which is nearer to early LMS in shape. The NBR coach would have had raised panelling on the panels and doors ('Scottish' 3 layer pattern) as built. Replacement horizontal planking was quite common in later years. The first LNER coach looks like it was probably a catering vehicle originally. And in the July 1976 photo there's a beige Austin or Morris 1800 in front of the Land Rover - very much a period colour! An appropriately super detailed MINIX would add a touch of individuality to a 4mm model layout.

[Godders]

George mas.

 

Thank you

 

Godders

[jennarivo]

Re. removal of goods shed- I've no idea, but I think it was well before the general rationalisation of the system. I've asked about this on the Highland Railway Society Yahoo group, so a date may emerge.

 

Thats great thanks, I'm not sure if i'll model it or not as it was obviously gone by the 70's, but it would add some operational value I suppose

[Graham R]

The old-maps.co.uk site has 6-inch maps surveyed in 1960 and 1970... the former shows the goods shed, the latter doesn't... OS maps can be wrong on railway details , so not definitive proof.

[jennarivo]

I know what you mean - scraps of detail built up from blurred photos which mean little to anyone except fanatics other people!

 

Anyway here's what I've dug out, the quality of both the shots and my scanner is pretty dubious, but as I said, only fanatics need apply...

 

 

 

Thanks Graham, they're fantastic, my goodness that measuring stick certainly got around!

 

 

 

 

The cabin diagrams at North and Junction (the latter very indistinct, but I have a transcribed version if it's of interest):

 

 

Certainly would be

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any idea what the raised stonework would have been on the loading dock on the left middle side of this pic?

 

This all great stuff

[jennarivo]

The old-maps.co.uk site has 6-inch maps surveyed in 1960 and 1970... the former shows the goods shed, the latter doesn't... OS maps can be wrong on railway details , so not definitive proof.

 

Thanks for that, never heard of that site before I must have a look.

 

Theres probably a few bits and pieces that won't strictly be 1970's, I intend to leave the Thurso Bay platform in place and may even include the shed at the south end. It might have been better described as - Georgemas Junction, somewhere between the 1960's & 1980's

 

cheers

Shaun

[Ben Alder]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Any idea what the raised stonework would have been on the loading dock on the left middle side of this pic?

 

This all great stuff

 

AFAIR, wasn't it a loading bank for ballast hoppers?- all this is just reinforcing my lack of foresight in photographing the once everyday, - just shows how much change there has been.

[jennarivo]

AFAIR, wasn't it a loading bank for ballast hoppers?- all this is just reinforcing my lack of foresight in photographing the once everyday, - just shows how much change there has been.

 

Thanks for that,

 

Would there of been a ramp leading up to it? Was the ballast tipped straight from road vehicle to hopper or was shovelled by hand?

 

cheers

Shaun

[jennarivo]

Time for a quick update.

 

Have spent the weekend pondering over track and baseboard construction, probably going to go with Peco Code 75 with large radius points on the scenic section and medium radius elsewhere.

 

So far i've decided that the baseboards will be topped with 6mm ply, haven't quite decided yet whether to frame them with ply or softwood. Did consider using foamboard but don't think its quite for me.

 

Trackplan is more or less decided will attempt to draw it and upload it sometime during the week. I don't think it is prototypical for an exact point in time but includes various features from different periods of the stations history.

 

Materials (new roof) have now arrived for the railway room and I hope to make a start on that next weekend.

 

Took another photo of the railway room today now that it has been cleaned up and all the junk gone.

 

 

 

cheers

Shaun

[jennarivo]

Some progress has been made this week

 

Electrics in the garage have been disconnected and I have been up on the roof the last few nights removing nails, so far i have managed about a quarter (only 300 to go) whilst getting eaten alive by the famous North of Scotland Midge (is that how its spelt?).

 

Anyhow back to the trains

 

This is the proposed trackplan

 

I have added approx positions of the scenic breaks and A9 overbridge

 

All three routes will run round into one fiddle yard, rather than separate ones - which will give me a continuous loop for 'running in' locos (something i've never had the luxury of before)

The Thurso branch bay platform will be included to add a bit of interest - even though its not quite in keeping with the proposed timeline.

 

Part of my reason for wanting to model this station is the opportunity it gives me to produce relatively large area of countryside scenery. I intend to extend the scenic area to about 1m to the north of the station which will allow me to include a couple fields in different stages of grass.

 

cheers

Shaun

[Portchullin Tatty]

Good to see another Highland based layout! And more than that, with the two of you in the extremities of Caithness, the density of exHR metals modellers per capita must be pretty intense up there!!

 

I take it you have Diesels in the Highlands, there are a few appropriate era photos of Georgemas in there. Most of my photos are rather early for your intereste period but have you found CANMORE? There have a number of photographs that will interest you - http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/8289/details/georgemas+junction+station/

 

Are you a member of the Highland Railway Society? If you are, then you will have found my article on converting a Bachmann 24/0 to one appropriate for the far north lines. If not then PM me and I will send you something (or join the HRS!!!!).

[jennarivo]

Hello all

 

You may have thought that this topic was dead, and in a sense it is.

 

Not long after conceiving the idea to build this layout I woke up one morning and decided that the quiet life in Caithness was no longer for me.  I wanted to live in a city!

The last 10 months has been spent offloading various ties such as animals, house, land, etc and trying to decide where exactly I wanted to live.  After a few months I had decided upon Edinburgh and that I was going there without a job.  

 

So to sum up, everything is now in place and I head for Auld Reekie on the 21^st June – on the train of course.

 

Now to get back on topic.  Originally, back in the day where space was not an issue I was going to produce this build in OO.  Now however, with my living space dramatically size reduced I have come to the conclusion that if I want to continue railway modelling I am going to have to scale down a bit – so to speak.  Therefore it is my intention to proceed with this layout but in N scale.  Over the last few months I have been gradually selling off everything I currently own in OO most of which would have been far too modern for the period that I intend to model anyhow.  I have also been picking up a few N scale bits and pieces, although as I have never followed this with much interest before it is taking me some time to research what is available and to differentiate between the older and newer models available.

 

As the flat I am moving to initially (for 6 months or so) is a bit small for an actual layout, it is my intention to make produce the buildings and bridge that will be required.  This will also give me some time to carry out much needed research into some of the N scale aspects that I am completely clueless about – track, semaphore signals, scenics, ballast, stock – everything basically

 

Keep watching, this is going to happen

 

Thanks to everyone for all their help so far

 

Cheers

Shaun

Edited January 17, 2015 by jennarivo

[Happy Hippo]

Shaun,

 

Good luck with your new venture.

 

Regards

 

Richard

[Ben Alder]

A real change for you, Shaun, and all the best with your plans and future. There's plenty of railway inspiration in Edinburgh though- especially in the old freight lines, so be careful- you might be heading off in a new direction.........

 

Richard

[jennarivo]

Thanks for that, yes certainly will be a big change.  Don't think I'll stray from Georgemas though, I've put in a fair bit of research and I think I probably possess more pictures of the station than anyone else on the planet at the moment. 

 

I also have plans of pretty much all the structures that require building drawn out already, was actually going to order some materials this weekend and have them sent to my Edinburgh address so they're there when I arrive.

 

I was feeling quite comfortable about scratch building everything in OO but not so much with the change to N, especially after I realised today that the North Box will only be about 15mm wide.

[George Woodcock]

Hello

 

    Just seen this thread. First went there in 1965 so that will be how you are modelling it. My version of course is much later circa 1997/2004 when it was the most unlikely freight terminal in Great Britain; all sadly gone now though. All the best with your project , I wish you well.

 

                                                                                         Cheers

 

                                                                                                George (Woodcock)

[jennarivo]

Hello

 

    Just seen this thread. First went there in 1965 so that will be how you are modelling it. My version of course is much later circa 1997/2004 when it was the most unlikely freight terminal in Great Britain; all sadly gone now though. All the best with your project , I wish you well.

 

                                                                                         Cheers

 

                                                                                                George (Woodcock)

 

Thanks for that, yes it is unfortunate that there isn’t any freight at Georgemas any more (apart for Subsea 7’s occasional pipe traffic).  Although, I was talking to DRS staff at the flask terminal a few weeks ago (while chauffeuring some VIPs around) and they indicated that a certain large supermarket chains containers might be making an appearance there in the not too distant future.

 

Materials for the signal boxes (and other board & batten structures) have arrived at my Edinburgh flat and I will be arriving there tomorrow afternoon so hopefully at some point next week actual modelling will commence

 

cheers

Shaun

[jennarivo]

Ok, we have some progress

 

I made a start on the North box yesterday afternoon, initially to replicate the board and batten I was going to use 0.010" rod glued into the 'v' groove on Slaters 1mm planking.  However after some trials I decided that it was going to be far to fidgety and not really worth the effort.  Therefore I proceeded using the 1mm planking alone.

 

The four sides of the box c/w etched windows fitted, these etches are from Peedie Models in Orkney and I think they look ok, they were more or less the correct dimensions for the front window, not quite right for the side windows but close enough for me.

 

The four sides stuck together, the floor is 0.040" plain plastic, the footprint of the box is about 18x16mm

 

Stonework footing now fitted, this is just Slater dressed stone

 

This is it on completion of this afternoons activities, window and door frames fitted ready for an interior and its corrugated roof.

 

Not entirely sure where to obtain interior bits and bobs and 2mm corrugated sheeting from, did have a look round online the other night but without success.  Any ideas?

 

I'm going to make an attempt to scratch build the staircase tomorrow (haha that should be fun) and start cutting sides for some of the platform huts.

 

Cheers

Shaun

 

 

[GWRPhil]

Ok, we have some progress

 

I made a start on the North box yesterday afternoon, initially to replicate the board and batten I was going to use 0.010" rod glued into the 'v' groove on Slaters 1mm planking.  However after some trials I decided that it was going to be far to fidgety and not really worth the effort.  Therefore I proceeded using the 1mm planking alone.

 

P1040641.JPG

The four sides of the box c/w etched windows fitted, these etches are from Peedie Models in Orkney and I think they look ok, they were more or less the correct dimensions for the front window, not quite right for the side windows but close enough for me.

 

P1040642.JPG

The four sides stuck together, the floor is 0.040" plain plastic, the footprint of the box is about 18x16mm

 

P1040644.JPG

Stonework footing now fitted, this is just Slater dressed stone

 

P1040646.JPG

This is it on completion of this afternoons activities, window and door frames fitted ready for an interior and its corrugated roof.

 

Not entirely sure where to obtain interior bits and bobs and 2mm corrugated sheeting from, did have a look round online the other night but without success.  Any ideas?

 

I'm going to make an attempt to scratch build the staircase tomorrow (haha that should be fun) and start cutting sides for some of the platform huts.

 

Cheers

Shaun

some brilliant work there.

[jennarivo]

A bit more progress was made over the weekend and today, still haven't started the stairs for the north box but have knocked up a couple of small corrugated iron buildings, both of which were situated on the down platform between the station building and the A9 road bridge

 

Structures ready for painting

 

Painting complete, ready for weathering

 

A class 37 alongside the incomplete north box, a small taster of things to come - in the very distant future

 

A couple of shots of the more or less complete north box, just needs some stairs now.

 

On this weeks 'to start' list is the junction box and the station building - which seems to have had its middle chimney stack removed and a few windows placements altered sometime in the 70's perhaps???

 

That's all for now

 

cheers

Shaun

 

 

 

 

[jennarivo]

Work started today on the junction box, as before using Slaters 1mm planking for the walls and etches from Peedie Models. 

 

I have shortened the length of the box by about a scale foot as the window etches are not quite the right size and I wanted to maintain the right look of the upper windows of the prototype, I don't think it will be noticeable when complete.

 

 

This is all of the progress for today, heading to Glasgow shortly to see Bon Jovi tonight

 

cheers

Shaun

[jennarivo]

Hi guys,

 

A quick update on todays progress.

 

Junction box now starting to take shape

 

 

I'm quite happy with the way it looks so far.  Prior to adding the rear wall & roof I will give it a light coat of primer, paint the window etches white, add the glazing and the interior bits and pieces.

 

Everyone's thoughts, criticism and tips are more than welcome.  In fact, they be appreciated as I've never really tried scratch building before nor have I ever attempted to model a real location.

 

thanks

Shaun

[jennarivo]

Not much progress was made over the weekend, partly due to the tropical weather but probably more to do with the vast amount of alcohol I seem to have consumed.

 

Back to work today though,

 

Junction box is coming on nicely, just some minor bits and pieces to be added yet, then its off to the paint shop.

 

The rear or the box, which looks out over the Thurso branch

 

The front, with its little brother alongside for comparison

 

Hope to make a start on the station building tomorrow, in between painting the junction box.

 

cheers

[D1059]

Very nice buildings - scratchbuilding them is my Achilles heel. I struggle to produce something that I think looks half decent, then I compare it to the resin ready to plant stuff available and it just doesn't bear comparison

[jennarivo]

Morning all,

 

Flashing and guttering now fitted to Junction box, hand rails will be added after painting.  I did intend to add the stove pipe, however I don't have any suitable rod so will add this at a later date.

 

 

Was going to start drawing out the station building today but I seem to have lost the dimensions that I took when I was there last.

 

Does anybody happen to know what the footprint of the station building is? - I make it about 11m x 7m from the pictures????

 

cheers

Shaun