Corrour

Here's a wee reminder David. best wishes, Robert

Martin this gives some scaled details of Grandtully layout. kind regards, Robert

Hi Graham I had a trawl through also. Cream was certainly common with chocolate brown for windows, barge boards etc. Some boxes were, as you say different, i.e. Achnasheen was light blue at one stage. best wishes, Robert

Hi Keefer. Thats it, the Up-Down Main would allow through running with box switched out; and King Lever allows you to set signals/points for what would normally be conflicting moves. best wishes, Robert

Hi Keffer, The Tokenless Block was driven by a number of reasons but reducing operating costs was envisaged as with the Crainlarich - Rannoch set up you could switch out any, or all, of the intermediate boxes at Tyndrum Upper, Bridge of Orchy and Gorton. Also the TB had the advantage the signalman could switch out whilst a train was still in section, but heading away from his box. However the ability to switch out became a double edged sword. The signallers in the intermediate boxes realised that they would lose overtime and the Murray's who ran Gorton resigned. The railway couldn't get anybody to take such a desolate posting so the box was switched out almost after TB was commissioned and never reopened. I have been told this in large part was why TB wasn't extended over the rest of the WHL. If your interested I can give a bit more info on this interesting bit of signal history if you ping me your email via site. kind regards, Robert

Hi Keefer, Please see attached scheme plan extract that shows while the Loop remained for Down traffic the former Up Loop became bi-di with install of signal 13, or at least thats my understanding? best wishes, Robert

I understood the Up Line at Bridge of Orchy became bi-directional under Tokenless Block in the 1960's, in order to allow switching -out?

Gents, some info on this topic from a friend very knowledgeable on the interface between Scottish railways and industry: With reference to Lossiemouth and freight traffic, the harbour also saw deliveries of fuel oil onto the quayside and the post-WWII redevelopment of the military bases at Kinloss and Lossiemouth required huge volumes of cement to be delivered to a reliable timetable. Across Scotland, cement was transported to site either pre-bagged or in bulk (powder) loads. Transport was by a mix of ships (coasters into ports such as Grangemouth from Kent), road vehicles (flatbeds and bulk tankers) and by rail (vans and bulk tanks such as Presflo's). Blue Circle had two sites in Scotland that saw a lot of deliveries using Presflo rail wagons - Cambuslang and Irvine. It appears that many construction sites received their loads using a mixed journey of shipping, road and rail - depending on site location, volume of cement required and the supplier. After WWII, there were some colossal infrastructure projects in the Highlands driven by public-sector investment, with cement companies such as Blue Circle and Tunnel competing with each other. For those with an interest in period road vehicles to complement their railway interests, the cement companies were using Commer trucks fitted with a 2-stroke diesel engine and complete with a supercharger. Other period trucks on this traffic were Foden S21, Scammels, Leyland Super Comet, Leyland Comet and Leyland Bison. The earlier trucks would each take 8 tonnes of cement and by the 1960's the loads had increased to 15 tonnes - worth thinking about if the rail siding was full of Presflos and departure time was imminent! During the 1950's and 1960's there was still a lot of manual labour involved, with 'hand-balling' 50kg paper sacks of cement out of 12T Box vans onto Flatbed lorries - from the nearest railhead to the construction site. Alternatively, a trainload of bulk rail tankers (e.g. 'Presflo's) could be used - but only if a supply of compressed air was available to 'blow' the cement out of the rail wagons and into a road tanker for the final stage of the journey. Blue Circle appeared to have an advantage over some other cement producers at remote railheads, in that their road tankers were fitted with an integrated 'Roots' type blower - allowing them to discharge (blow) from the rail tanker straight into the road tanker and drive the 'final mile' to site. At site, the truck driver could then simply 'blow' his cement into a storage silo - ready to be used as required. Even today you will see 'blowers' fitted to bulk grain and cement lorries - attached to chassis rails with a drive-shaft off the gearbox. Pressure wise, the earlier cement conveying systems were operating at low pressure 1 to 1.5 barg (15 - 22 psig), then it evolved to 2 to 2.3 barg (29 - 33 psig) The same type of blower technology was also fitted to vintage Bentley cars as a form of supercharging to boost their racetrack performance - often seen located beneath the front headlights, being driven off the engine crankshaft. At railheads with permanent cement handling infrastructure (silo, weighing facilities etc) - a large blower with drive motor would be located in an adjacent shed, with pipework from the siding to the silo. Discharge from the silo to the road tanker was usually by gravity. There were also blower units mounted onto four wheel trailers - these were more commonly used by the military for starting what are now classic jet aircraft. Usually the pneumatic conveying of cement is referred to as 'blowing' - you are talking about high volumes of air at low pressure to 'fluidise' the material - not using high pressure compressors.

Hi Glen I have a few photos of Dysart box and signalling diagrams, if of interest. Drop me a PE if you'd like a shoofty. Best wishes, Robert

Stewart drop me an email and I'll send you some diagrams/photos. kind regards, Robert

Nice pics AJCT. Here's signalling diagram and an old pic that may be of interest. The Distillery did have its own signal box which closed in 1935 being replaced by the GF. kind regards, Robert

Hi Tod, I can supply a drawing showing layout at Aberfeldy Distillery if you ping me your email. kind regards, Robert

Hi Alistair< I can help you with signalling diagrams that I did for the GNoSRA, and photos of boxes, if you drop me a PEM with your email address. kind regards, Robert

Evan, Here's the signalling diagrams for the Glenfinnan layout I produced for the museum there a year or two back. kind regards, Robert Glenfinnan-BR-[M5-ud]-rot.pdf Glenfinnan-RSC-[M5-ud] Rev.2-rot.pdf

Gary, I have a lot of information on Stanley Jcn-Forfar signalling. Ping me your email and we can discuss further.. Robert

Gents, A friend who is not a signed-up member of Forum, but is most knowledgeable of railway operations in the west of Scotland, asked me to pass on some thoughts, and links. I have many memories of being driven past their rather busy Dalmarnock Road depot (at ground level above the sunken Dalmarnock Station) and the fairly direct connection to the West Coast Mainline at Rutherglen. The original painted over bridge at the depot carried their name for decades after the company ceased trading as Tartan Arrow. You will see from the links it appears to have been the usual British cocktail of innovative management, trade union requirements and public-sector politics. Just across from the Tartan Arrow depot there were a series of tracks running at street level into the local gasworks featuring level crossings with pedestrian footbridges built into the gaswork's high brick walls. http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/14th-april-1967/31/like-clockwork-tartan-arrow-liner-train-service-st http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/22nd-october-1965/28/tartan-arrows-london-glasgoi-went-with-br http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=33343 regards, Robert

Gents, Some details on changes in signalling over the years at Inverkeilor as promised, which in turn helps understand changes in layout and working. kind regards, Robert Inverkeilor Signalling Timeline.pdf

PS I have some historical notes by the late Ed Nicoll, including a sketch of layout in 1880 that I'll scan for posting.

A wee bit more history: MT29/86 Inverkeilor Oct 25, 1932 – Mount reported inspecting the widening to Usan. The single line facing connection at the north end had been removed and replaced by a Crossover, the trailing connection of the Dead End Siding at the south end had been moved further out, and an additional Dead End Siding provided. In and Out Shunting signals had been provided and the points suitably trapped. All signals had been converted to upper quadrant with arms & lights repeated as necessary. There was also sequential locking (mechanical and electrical) and 3-position block instruments installed, controlled by track circuits and signal positions in accordance with modern practice. There was a new Up Advance Starting with track circuit in the rear as far as the new connection; also a new track circuit in rear of Up Home, and that existing in rear of the Down Starting re-arranged and extended. The frame had 18 working and 4 spare levers. kind regards, Robert

Dava, Here an early layout plan. kind regards, Robert

Hi Dava, I may have some detailed map detail on the layout of the RNAW at Almondbank. There were several different locations in the area during wartime.....now reduced to Vecto Aerospace. Will have a look for you. kind regards, Robert

Hi Dava, For related interest here's the diagram for the Junction. As previously noted I would highly recommend John Young's book. kind regards, Robert Methven-Jcn-M5-1939-Rev.1-rot.pdf

Ah sorry Andy I only have info for north of border. Notice Boards tend to be for changes in working procedure i.e. between key token and yard working. kind regards, Robert

Where is the board for Andy? I might have a diagram in my collection that could give info...could you ping me a photo? kind regards, Robert