mallaig1983

If someone had the space Mallaig in the 60s would be a great layout. Cramped station, loco shed and turntable, line through to the harbour, fish vans etc. Turning that obs would be one of many highlights to the operating session. I knew that it was unlikely that 1998 and 1999 would ever be released and at the time I did think about getting a Devon Belle obs as a substitute as it did work the Kyle line in the 60s. It was only a brief thought though. A 1984 style inspection saloon did actually get used so I can live with being just a year out. Plus the shunting is fun 😀

The complete train is then drawn forward once more prior to being reversed back into the platform road. Ready for departure And heads to Fort William where once the passengers have left the train it will be split up. The saloon into a siding, 2 coaches will join the sleeping cars for their journey south and the remaining 2 will later form the last service of the day back to Mallaig.

Sunday pottering in the attic today. Making a hedge and adding to the greenery behind the signal box. Anything to put off working on the signalman’s cottage! I really must crack on with it again soon though. A little opening session was enjoyed after my labours and 37027 brought in the mid morning service from Glasgow. At Fort William this 4 coach set would have had the two ex LNER observation saloons added, one at each end. However these are not available in RTR or kit form so I am running an inspection saloon in their stead, as this was what was used for the 1984 season. This required some shunting at Mallaig in order to put it on the rear for the return journey. This is an enjoyable sequence to operate and kept me entertained for a while this afternoon. 37027 runs around the rake. …and then detaches the saloon and puts it on the loop.. The rest of the stock is then drawn forward before being reversed through the crossover to pick up the saloon

Official visit or through the fence? Looks a well timed visit either way. Luck you 👍😀

I have decided I need to visit a few more exhibitions this modelling season. Warley has been an annual highlight for a number of years now, covid excepted, and I used to go on the Saturday with Dad and with a friend on the Sunday. It’s a bit much for Dad now with the large show, insufficient seating and the journey up from Oxford often standing on a crowded voyager prior to meeting me there. So this year I thought I’d take him for a look at GETS. It’s only an hours hop from Oxford and a bit smaller show. Dad isn’t a modeller but as a railway enthusiast does enjoy watching the layouts. We both really enjoyed the show, managed to see everything (I think) and plenty of seating so Dad could have a rest when he needed to. I was very impressed with the setup once we got in! Some very nice layouts to enjoy with what I felt was more BR blue era than I’ve been finding at Warley in recent years. Although obviously my favourite era there was some very inspiring modelling on all layouts. My favourite layout was ‘Thorne Yard’. I’m always happy when I find a layout I can lose myself in and just soak up the atmosphere as if I’m there back on the day. ‘Kinlochewe’ and ‘Tulloch Bridge’ were also enjoyed for extended periods. Dad particularly enjoyed ‘St John’s’ WR branch set in BR steam. Credit to the organiser’s and modellers as I felt every layout there was entertaining and inspirational. Well worth the journey and entrance fee. Mention must also go tho the monolith that is making tracks. Obviously a very popular layout and very impressive. Great to see when you got the chance to get near it. Now if the railnuts team ever fancied backdating it by say 40 years………. 🤔 No stock purchases were required but I was almost tempted to get that pair of Mk3 sleeper coaches at knockdown price but then an Ethel would have needed to be funded too. Not sure I know yet whether I made the right call on that. I saw @young37215 through the crowd at one point so a belated Hello Rob. Had a chat with a couple of YouTubers (no not those two) which was nice to be able to say hello. All in all a very good show and a nice weekend away. Should perhaps mention that I managed a grice at Carrog on the Llangollen Rly on my way to Oxford on Saturday. I really go there more often.

I thought I saw you at GETS yesterday Rob. I was enjoying Burntisland and had managed to shuffle to the front with my Dad. I was sure you passed behind with a couple of friends. It was over to quickly to say ‘hello’ but I did keep an eye out for you afterwards. An enjoyable show and some very nice layouts. Gets the winter modelling vibe going. Andy

The trains look great but oh my I am envious of that trackwork.

I agree wholeheartedly, it would be a stunning model but not fitting in with my timescale sadly.

There are a couple of 26s in stock as well that will obviously one day get a wheel stretch on the layout from time to time. A ‘Skirl o’ the pipes’ or similar rail tour being the justification. Why do I have two class 26s you may wonder. Simple answer is I love rats of all flavours ( apart from the toe curling actual rodents) and they were bought at the time when locos only cost 80 quid. There is a possibility of a small depot/stabling point being built as a separate project one day where all these classes could mingle together. But as far as the big project is concerned and backed by the photos kindly shared by Rob I can justify running 25s to Mallaig when the time machine is set to say 78 - 80. And no, before some wag asks I won’t be relaying the earlier track formation. Removable signals perhaps 🤔

Not that common to be fair but more so between Glasgow and Fort William and Oban. They were not unheard of though and I will apply a slight bending of rule 1 to accommodate a couple. They were my favourite loco and Eastfield had a fair allocation so that’s how I will justify it. The main focus will always be on the 1983 fleet but I’d like to capture the earlier period from time to time too. Rule 1 may well have to be brought in to run the odd 26 though.

I made that post because I don’t think us lot who were there during the best days of British Rail make enough noise. Maybe because the youngsters are more tuned in to social media they are the ones posting more. But I do think we need to bang our drum a little louder so Accurascale hear what we want. I appreciate that the Accurascale class 37 was launched to produce models of locos that have nor previously been released, that’s good but nobody has yet produced an early 80s banger blue, cutaway cowels big standard two a penny ‘80s standard class 37z Nobody!! These things were absolutely everywhere. By today’s standards perhaps not an exciting livery but a livery from a time where the big railway was exciting. A time when I imagine the majority of us were spotting, gricing and bashing our weekends away. That’s an era I certainly want to recreate. Yeah I get the bling is attractive to the millennials and older folks just discovering railways but surely the big money spinner is for locos that is fifty somethings loved and miss? im no marketing consultant but I think both manufacturers of class 37 models are missing this.

Stephen you need to stop pandering to all these youngsters though. They get excited by all the ‘bling’ liveries and I get that but let’s have a whole raft of BR blue for us older modellers. A hark back to the days when the class 37 in a garish livery was unheard of. Today they are considered ‘celebrity’ but let’s have a run when they were just merely the BR workhorse. Lots more banger blue pleeeaaaase. 😉

Not a great deal of modelling to report of late but I am pottering with the signalman’s bungalow and more sheds. Progress is slow but it had been summer (apparently) and other events have taken priority with my time. I have been making sure that my amazing grandkids get time at the beach whenever possible because the joy on their faces outweighs any joy I derive from modelling on a day we could have been at the beach. However, the seasons are a changing and the perfectly timed SLW mini exhibition at Crewe this weekend has kickstarted the modelling season. After I rewired the layout some weeks ago I emptied the swear box which to be fair did Brimmeth over. I had used language I wouldn’t normally use especially in front of Mother! So I decided I had waited long enough and been a patient boy 24/0 although a lovely SLW model was not needed so I was excited when they announced the class 25. Sadly nothing in the first tranche for me, patiently waiting and praying for 25228 in a future project. Scottish 24/1s are then announced, Oo we’re getting closer. Slight regrets of not following my Georgemass Junction, Dingwall or Achnashean daydreams. At the time of the swear box decanting 25083 and 086 were announced and that’s it, I’m spending money. 083 was an Eastfield loco from 76 to 78 and fits perfectly for when I go all late 70s Babysulzer. Recently announced 25244 was also at Eastfield at this time and is an example of the earlier body style (my absolute favourite loco) and before I knew it Phil had guided me to a chair and Jennie was taking an order. So there will definitely be two time periods for the layout now. Anyway it was a really good event at Crewe this weekend with not only a wonderful display of SLW 24s and 25s but two of my favourite exhibition layouts, Mostyn and Portcuillen were in attendance so I lost myself viewing these with no crowds or backpacks. Brian from Braeside @brylonscamel was there and I enjoyed a a good long chat, some very useful pointers, a chance of a way to move the ‘Railway Buildings’ forward and a general chewing of the cud with a very nice gent. Really nice to meet you Brian. So, fully enthused and back in the modelling season we push on with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. Thanks to Philip and Jennie for putting on such a wonderful event and for the invitation to attend.

Just to say what a wonderful afternoon I’ve had at Crewe today. Exciting to see the locos in the flesh and enjoyable chats with both Philip and Jennie. I have been a very patient boy waiting for Eastfield allocated 25s and ordered 083 soon after it was announced. 244 will now be added to the roster next year 😀 so a few months to save up. I really enjoyed chatting at length with Brian from Braeside modelling about all manner of things but especially modelling buildings and I was given a few pointers so thank you Brian. How nice to be able to enjoy the layouts on show without having to steal a glimpse over someone’s ruck sack. Also to be able to chat to the builders/operators while enjoying the layouts. And obviously it was all BR blue so I was in my element. I won’t post photos as others have got this covered in better quality than my own but I’d like to end by thanking Phil and his team for putting this on and for the invitation to attend. Great afternoon

Since starting Mallaig 3 years ago I have managed to aquire a couple of Hornby BSOs which I’m confident are sufficient for the 1983 timetable. I do worry that once I make a start on their conversions that I could get myself into a position where I’d need another to replace something I’ve wrecked. The first one will be a very nervy moment. Working on the coaching stock is a little down my list of priorities at the moment but this thread will prove invaluable when I do get that far so thank you to everyone who have contributed and commented.

Im checking the Forty miles to Skye video now you’ve brought that up Andy. I always thought they were LNER teak/brown but it’s no secret that I’m colour blind. These vehicles do keep coming back to haunt despite the fact that I personally keep deciding to move on as nothing is available to model them on. One day… Edit LNER beech brown according to Tom Noble’s bible.

I ordered my copy this morning also. I find that I had missed signing up for an email notification for this so thanks Rob for mentioning it your post this morning. Not having received an email I don’t know if it includes the flyer. If not it is worth looking up for the wonderful photo of 37014 with its rather discreet teeny tiny thin white stripe. Also of note and apologies if dragging this slightly off the current topics but unless I’m mistaken there appears to be at least 2 of the international vans, that were discussed up stream some months back, in the consist. But I could very well be mistaken. SDFID-Sh-37s-flyer.pdf

I’m eagerly awaiting this particular loco to be released. Not owning an airbrush and unknown talent in using one I’ll have to be patient and bide my time. Looks stunning 👍

Yes it is another useful video full of details and warrants a few viewings. With very little freight on the Mallaig extension I too have been planning on a couple of engineers wagons at Glenfinnan so that clip made me smile too. The small warehouse building will also have to be scratch built so that was very useful too.

As my attention has turned to the signal box area of Mallaig I decided that the next building that really needed to happen was the signalman’s cottage. Working by guessing dimensions as I have no measurements (a practice that I have been forced to use for most of my buildings) a card mock-up was first made and offered to the scene. I was content that I’d established what the footprint and height of the walls were roughly I was a little disappointed to find it didn’t fit. The depth I had allowed was to narrow and I had a hill and a rock face in the way. Now Street View has been a good friend to me while I’ve been building Mallaig but I’m pretty sure this area today is changed from how it was in 1983. Sure the cottage is still there but the car park for the health centre appears to have had some development of the landform in order to allow it to be flat. Steam To Mallaig dvd has been a big help and resulted in the big knife attacking my landform to accommodate the cottage with something similar now sitting behind it. However once passed the cottage there is a shed and this shed blocks a decent view of the landform that the garage above the signal box looks like. Trawling through Flickr and YouTube I came across the little gem linked below. Filmed in 1988 the shed has gone so a very helpful view can be seen. I haven’t linked the video so you can all enjoy my newfound view behind the box but because I think you’ll enjoy a rather nice run up the West Highland Line in the snow. The WHL section kicks in around 5:25 mins in. It’s been on YouTube a year now so you may have already seen it but if you haven’t, enjoy 😀

Pop Up designs do a laser cut kit of Ballachulish station. I think it is available as two kits for the complete building but perhaps one or both of these kits could be used for a station at Kinlochleven? If not identical there would have been similarities and entirely plausible if Kinlochleven had of been the terminus with Ballachulish a through station. This line would have been built by a different company to that portrayed in the Kinlochmore thread so the new Peco laser cut kit wouldn’t be so accurate but obviously this is entirely down to how fussy you want to be. It’s your model railway after all so your rules. As BoD has said we’re a friendly bunch within these threads and a nice community to be involved in. Sometimes when you are in need of a little boost to the mojo or some advice on modelling or the prototype it’s always there. Welcome to West Highland modelling and I’m looking forward to watching your layout develop. The line from Connel Ferry to Ballachulish is nowadays a cycle/footpath and although not as remote as the West Highland Way could be something you’d like to walk or cycle in the future. Andy

Im enjoying following all your excitement and reviews. This really does look like a beautiful model. By my user name you can see that for me it is out of era and area but I am very jealous. I live very close to the Cambrian and may just as easily have built Pwllheli in the 50s as Mallaig in the 80s. Our interests are wide and our space, time and finances narrow but if there is a second run I fear a weakness may overwhelm. If only BR had of used a Manor instead of one of those boring Midland 5 things (😉) on the 84 steam specials. Excited and a tad envious of you all who have received them and absolutely gutted for you folks who have been severely let down by Key. If I do get a Manor it won’t be through them! Enjoy your stunning models folks.

Yes indeed, there is quite a lot in there of interest. I thought it was definitely worth sharing. It was a quickly fired off post due to it taking longer than hoped to copy the link for some reason. I will have a look for the Oban line video and let’s keep our collective fingers crossed for one on the WHL mainline.

Found this little gem this morning. I hope the link works. https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fyoutu.be%2F0XtgRx8Lg8A&data=05|01||23bd1e180eb141bd7b8808db9fd86cd4|84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa|1|0|638279524104591610|Unknown|TWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D|3000|||&sdata=2LVG4rfEJx4BcbmpVdniFwsrpv7fbVileUQwCr25eDA%3D&reserved=0

Good question Bill. I pondered the very same and decided it almost certainly would have been. My paint collection believe it or not does not contain BR blue. Well it does in the form of a rail match rattle can but sledgehammer and nut scenario would be severe overkill. Besides I wanted it to be faded BR blue so I ended up using a French blue and Sky blue that were used for painting the work worn ‘Heather Ann’ on the slip. To my eye it’s a slightly faded BR blue and I think stands up well to photos of the era, indeed the scenes linked by Mr Young earlier today. I have struggled to find a decent 1983 clear photo of the box but the 1984 photo minus the white steps and newly painted window frames makes me feel satisfied I’m close enough. The keen eye will of course notice the blue barge board between the brick base and the matchboarded facia. This is not included in the Peco kit.