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Thanks for the info. The Gateway project is - fortunately! - adjacent to the station and these groundwork’s extend beyond the existing tracks and in line with the stated future railway line as shown on the map. It’s maybe only a hundred metres or so, but heading towards Hawick/Carlisle! (Or maybe is another coffee shop….)

I noticed some groundwork’s beyond the terminal buffers at Tweedbank yesterday. Looks like it could be to form a run round loop? Can anybody confirm if that’s what’s happening.

Thanks for the info, much appreciated

Hello. Going back a little… what’s your CCTV set up? I’ve got a blind spot on my outdoor track ( conveniently at a Halt! ) where this would be very useful. I’ve been round the houses on eBay etc but not found anything suitable. Thanks

I answered my own question….. as the container roof lifts off I used a small self tapping screw through the container base using one of the existing holes. Sorted! But perhaps Dapol should have thought of a fixing……

Just received one today; am I missing something? - the container just sits on the chassis with no apparent fixing method ( apart from the chains perhaps? ) On an outdoor track with inherent “wobbles” there’s a feeling that what sets off may not actually arrive! Any suggestions, it is it just me….

The end of the line this morning, gates to Crombie Depot. This part of the line is on a bridge which seems to prevent the vegetation covering the rest of the branch.

Found this; site of Braeside in 2016

I read somewhere (possibly on RM web, but can’t find it!) that heavy trains - not sure at which point they are classed as “heavy” - from Townhill Junction to Lathalmond required a loco at the front and rear on outward run and both locos to be coupled at front on return to provide adequate braking. These journeys cross the main spine of the WFM railway at Lilliehill Junction (Townhill) and the OS map from 1947 show some SPs (signal posts?) at this junction. Wonder if there was a signal box here, which would have provided section breaks? I also assume that most of the many pits would have a pug, or maybe even horse drawn, to run wagons to exchange sidings for the main spine. Gets interesting this line, who knows where this is going to end up? ( not as a model for me, my line is based on the Highlands!) Edit..... just found Lilliehill Junction on Railscot, good info and answered that there was a signal box here.

Thanks for the info. I’ve got a fair number of books which include Fife, but somehow not West Fife Mineral lines.... plenty of coal traffic photos and info but always somewhere else! Maybe history of the actual collieries will throw up something.......

From Wikipedia, it is sourced as being factually correct. Last station opened by NB....... A platform was constructed on the Charlestown branch for the use of workers at Crombie Depot. Work started in December 1915 and it opened on 25 May 1916. It was for the use of workmen employed at the depot only. However the station was opened to the general public as Braeside on 1 March 1921; this was the last station to be opened by the North British Railway.

The Lathalmond branch was part of the extensive West Fife Mineral Lines. Lathalmond itself was a MOD facility and the rest of the branches served numerous collieries in the area, the motive power being provided by Dunfermline 62C and its sub-shed at Kelty. So we would be seeing various ex NB / LNER J classes predominantly. My grandfather was a driver based in 62C and spoke about working the colliery traffic, but that was many years ago ( I would have been about 10! ). I’ve plenty of maps of the area - many of the branches are also now footpaths which I’m familiar with; but can’t find any photos or information about the actual operation of the lines. Anybody have anything? Thanks.

Still in situ today..... crossing next to Lime Works in Broomhall Estate.

There’s a few photos on Ernies site. Worth a look?

The amount of work you guys get through is astonishing! Great read, really enjoying it - looking forward to the next instalments.

Thanks Dan

I’ve got a pair of O Gauge locos (BR STD Class 5 & Black 5) which both worked - in the real world! - the HR lines north of Perth and were fitted with tablet exchangers on the drivers side of the cab. An obscure item.... but anyone aware of who makes these (in O Gauge) or has details of them? Thanks

Success - for 2 coaches!! Is a bit fiddly, but learned a lot from my first one.

Thanks Ellis, I’ll give it a go soon - maybe being a bit too cautious! PS.... why no SC prefixed numbers on transfer sheets? (my only complaint!)

I attempted to fit some “no smoking” signs in my RMB.... few problems to overcome; the bogie with the power pick ups has very little slack cable to play with and doesn’t actually come off! However it does swivel enough to access the roof screws. My tip would be that once you have unscrewed the roof - temporarily fix the bogies back on to avoid damaging the underframe. The water pipes feeding the RMB are well fitted to the roof so suggest you gently slide out from the coach end brackets. Off comes the roof, but all it reveals is the circuit board for the lights which is well attached and taped to the coach sides. With no apparent slack cable to the bogie and possibility of broken wiring I decided to leave it to another day.... reassembly takes a bit of persuading, but at least got it back to original state. Anybody had a success with this? Tips welcome!! Should add - I realise the bogie with the pick ups doesn’t actually come off the coach, I meant it didn’t have enough slack wire to come off the mounting screw.

From whathappenedtosteam.com (a new site for me) Ward’s scrapped about 40 locos starting at the end of 1962 and continuing into 1963 and 1964. There was then a lull until 1968 when a batch of class 5s and standard types, including four Britannias, came from the Carlisle area. Obviously not actually North Queensferry, but close by!

That’s amazing!! Never saw that story. Thanks

Thanks Keefer, an extra branch (perhaps just more of a siding) I’d not been aware of to the north side of Inverkeithing Bay.

Yes, the branch to Rosyth Dockyard is still in situ although mothballed for quite a number of years now. All traces of the North Queensferry spur disappeared in the early 1960’s when the Forth Road bridge road links were built. Only trace now is at the pier itself. I also remember the lines of steam locos at the shipyard, also the surprising scene of numbers of 16t mineral wagons dumped in the water awaiting scrap due to lack of siding space! The crane fished them out as required.... wish I’d taken a photo...

I’ve been reading about the Charlestown (Fife) branch with great interest, then stumbled on its near neighbour recently - North Queensferry Pier. Although closed to passengers when the Forth Railway Bridge opened it lasted as a goods branch until 1950’s. Possibly a good prototype for modelling; small yard, pier, ferry boat and possibly Forth Railway Bridge as background! The branch can be found on the excellent National Library of Scotland on line maps, but beyond that..... Anybody got anything interesting? Thanks