Max Legroom

Thanks Martyn Checking through a few books it looks like you are spot on! It's going to be a difficult choice deciding which version to go for! Best wishes Max

Ooh that looks nice. Not sure if the yellow vertical divide for 6112 at the corner is quiet right but I could be (probably) wrong.

Looking forward to seeing this one progress.

Hi Tod I’ve recently gone dcc and bought my first sound equipped loco. It’s brilliant! You won’t regret the investment in just one sound equipped loco on a small layout. Best wishes Max

Certainly opens up possibilities for an industrial or dockside corner. Or a flight-of-fancy micro!

Hi Luke What a fabulous little layout. You've done a brilliant job with the scenery. Max

Thanks Simon Something based on Killin would be great. I'm looking at the new Peco Highland signal box and thinking of the possibilities. I started a layout based on an imaginary line to Portmahomack but never got beyond basic scenery before the foam core card baseboard split when I inadvertently lent on one end! All the best Max

Hi Roja Thank you for your advice. I'll have a go at wiring for the juicer in situ. It would certainly make things easier. I must admit that I quite like to change the points by hand as it gets me up close to the action and saves quite a bit of hassle. Wire in tube or good old coat hanger wire through the front of the baseboard would work nicely. All the best Max

I've pushed the boat out and bought a couple of 1980s items of stock. Loch Awe is sound fitted, my first sound-fitted loco, and the PRA gives a feel of the WHL though out of place in Strachur. I've got enough stock to run a 1980s timetable. The 37 has really shown the flaws in my pointwork at the station throat with sound cutting out in places so I'm going to pull up all of the points and add juicers or possibly point motors. The pointwork in the fiddleyard has juicers and runs flawlessly. One thing to point out about the lovely Kernow PRA is that the buffers are very long so the screw link couplings have to be installed slightly proud of the bufferbeams to avoid derailing when coupled to adjacent stock. The biggest problem with DCC sound is that it is very difficult to go back to no sound!

I managed to have a decent running session this weekend. Next step is to draw up a timetable. The class 25 is shunting an ex-works brakevan and is one of the very few items of stock that hasn't been weathered. I'm undecided whether to weather! I've also been weathering a few more road vehicles. The Mini has a Union flag painted on the roof so it must be around 1977! Maybe it belongs to Sir Fitroy's family?

Just spotted this layout thread. Stunning stuff! Superb weathering!

Thanks for the info. The whole station colour thing is a bit of a minefield! I didn’t know about Sir Fitzroy. Might be scope for a cameo. I wonder what car he drove?

Thank you for the compliment. I’m glad this little slice of Scotland helped you relax. I must admit to pouring a beer and just watching the railcard go up and down on occasions. Very therapeutic!

I was looking at the new Peco Highland signal box and contemplating a Highland micro layout as a home for my class 26. I think the thing that attracted me to the original St Catherine’s was the lack of a run around which makes operation interesting at times.

Thanks Legend I did drive the route last spring but turned back at Strachur and headed north to Fort William. I must follow the road across to Dunoon next time. The GG class 122 is Dapol and one of my favourites. I know there was some criticism on here but I like the way it is put together. I’ve got a second waiting to be redecorated in early 70s blue.

Another shot of the first train. The mark 1 coaches are due to pass through the works shortly for renumbering and removal of end steps. The daily coal delivery waits unloading in the goods yard. The figure is from the excellent Modelu range.

The fiddle yard is now finished and the first train can run! I wish I’d used frog juicers on the scenic section! I stupidly thought that just relying on clean point blades would be ok. All part of the learning process I suppose. I deliberately went for hand thrown points as I like the idea of getting up close to the action. Lance Mindheim talks about this quite a bit. I know I’ve mentioned this in an earlier post but dcc is great fun. All the best Max

The new fisheries building is in place behind the station and next to the imaginary quay. Here is a shot of the older abandoned building which is a bit of a tribute to Ian Futers’ original St Catherine’s. Both were put together from Wills sheets. The carriage siding in front has recently been reballasted following a couple of derailments - hence the fresh ballast. The ancient Lima BEV is due for replacement soon. Below is the station sign though I will probably get a better print of the lettering at some point. The platform surface at this end of the station is tile grout on plastic sheet and has warped in the recent warm weather so will need to be replaced at some point. All the best Max

I can see a few Highland layouts appearing because of this release. Looks really nice and saves a lot of work scratchbuilding (if that isn't your thing).

Looking forward to following your progress. Modelling in HO will certainly give you a bit of extra space to work with. Makes all the difference when you only have 110cm to work with.

Wow! This is something a bit different.

I was told the same by Dapol when I queried the missing decals.

A quick snap of the Wickham trolley and the mottley track gang with big Rab facing backwards as usual! I’m still building up the courage to fit a dcc chip but I think I’ll replace the bogus ballast with something more realistic.

Stunning layout. Totally believable.

Hi James Thanks for your kind comments. If I’m completely honest, I’ve stolen most of the ideas from various other layouts! I have given a bit of thought to the placement of the various elements and tried to avoid cramming in too much. All of the buildings are from kits or ready-made which has saved some time. Also, dcc has been a bit of a learning curve - especially the wiring! All the best Max