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P.110 Key Publishing's - MBR Departmental Coaches and Track Machines book, looks identical to the pictures of DM720014 (renumbered DR82003 in the 1980s) the base wagon being an ex-LMS 35ton bogie bolster, knicknamed the 'Gozunda', good photos and blurb in the section. Regards, Ian.

Yes, apologies on my part, I've got Tom Noble's bible at my side and even used it to clarify which saloon was which but didn't think to clarify the colour ... teak it is ! (I won't re-edit my original post otherwise none of it will make sense.) Regards, Ian. (Being a 'Luddite' I'm afraid that I need to get to a bank in order to transfer my SDEG cash over ... so only 4 hrs sleep for me today !) PS ... great spot with the Ferryvans.

Apologies for the slight 'drift' Rob, but looking at the train behind 37037 in the two photos above I think that it's made up of (Mallaig end) the Lochaber saloon (Maroon*), b/grey BCK, TSO, BSOT, TSO, Loch Eil saloon (Maroon* at the FW end.) So together with the buffer issue on 37037 .... plenty of variation to model ! Your BSOT in the above photos certainly looks the part, a great bit of modelling. Regards, Ian. *See below for correct colour.

This is the return working showing the round buffers of 37037, the 'Loch Eil' observation car and also a topical BSOT in the formation exiting the tunnel out onto the fabulous Loch-Nam-Uahm viaduct. Photo again by 54A South dock, 1983.

Have you covered 37037 Rob ? Not sure if the body is the correct style or not and I've just noticed that whilst it had round buffers at No.2 end it appears to have had oval buffers at No.1 end ! Photo by 54A South dock, 1983. Photo by Trevor Casey, 1983.

Paint the headcode boxes black, some oil up the side and dump it in the sidings at Ardlui .... run a Royal Train past it ... wait a few days (weeks?) .... and haul it off to works to become 37504 ! Keeping it real !!

I hold the rods onto the crankpins with electrical wire casing offcuts whilst testing, easy to adjust and try different 'gaps' between the rod and the crankpin boss.

The reason that I asked about this was that I couldn't remember logging many BSOTs in my WHL 1980s train formations thread ... and after a quick check realise that my thoughts were right, so I may have to re-look at these notes and see if I've mis-identified several coaches. It also means that I may have to model more than the 2 BCK - BSOT conversions that I'd originally planned for. Some great information coming through at the moment ! Regards, Ian.

Question .... do we think that every regular timetabled West Highland passenger service during the 80s should have included a BSOT ?

Hello @Rugd1022 do you know which photographic site this photo is from please as I've tried Flickr without any luck when searching for Ernest Godward and I like to try and see what other photos the photographer has taken when a 1980s West Highland Line photo appears. Regards, Ian.

That's looking good Rob, spare a thought for us poor N gaugers as the nearest coach that I can find for a Mk.1 conversion is a BCK which will need door sections cutting from each side and transposing ... gulp ... I've seen it done but I'm not relishing it; reckon that I'll be trying a Mk.2 BSOT first for which there is at least a BSO starting point. Regards, Ian.

I would have thought that a full replacement interior could be 3d printed to make life easier rather than just an insert, DC Resin Replicas have full 00 interiors listed on their website for EMUs and DMUs I believe. Regards, Ian.

DC Resin Replicas is the supplier, https://dcresinreplicas.co.uk £8 per 3mm full coach interior.

I'm a member of the 3mm Society and a couple of our chaps have been working with someone (a commercial supplier) to produce new 3D printed coach interiors for both Triang and Kitmaster coaches, bear with me as I have one more night shiift to do and I will dig out the suppliers name for you to try, he was very accommodating I believe. Regards, Ian.

I'm not sure as to how they took over exactly but I do remember that they seemed to be running as 3 car units at first instead of the now customary 2, 4 or 6 car units. This is backed up with photos on p.47 of Bob Avery's Rails To The Isles book (Railway World Special) taken in the summer of 1989, the units themselves being introduced onto the WHL in Jan of that year, with the 3 car re-jig to try and alleviate overcrowding. Regards, Ian.

Hello Andy and all, Having worked some very silly hours this week I've only just managed to watch the full video ... a really great find ! By it's markings the green and cream coach is one of the first 6 TSOs (and one BSO) introduced for the 1985 season which were withdrawn and replaced at the end of the 1987 season (ref Tom Noble's book) and photos from this period seem to show 5 or 6 coach G&C coloured trains so maybe this was the 'spare' being utilised for extra room on a service train. There are one or two other photos on Flickr showing these coaches being used in other service trains to Glasgow. The 1987 replacements had different markings and 6 or 7 coach trains can be found from this period, again 1 BCK and 7 TSOs suggest that there was always a 'spare' available. Also seen in G&C livery during the 1980s were the saloon Loch Eil and another BCK without markings and a light grey roof that I believe belonged to the McAlpine family. Regarding the split box 37 with valance, 37039 was still active on the WHL in the summer of 1985 before failing and being called into works for refurb. It had black headcode boxes in 1985 but they were yellow (as seen in the film) prior to this. (It became 37504 but returned to the WHL as 37603 in a later guise to work the aluminium ingot trains for Freightliner and is the star of the 'Heavy Metal' DVD.) As regards the splendid rail, road and river bridges across the River Morar I agree totally as to it's use for a superb scenic break in what (for me) was the most romantic and beautiful place that I had (have) ever come across .... until some **** built a by pass right across the front of it in a crime against nature .... IMHO !!! .... (sorry, I may have mentioned this before, LoL.) I shall now calm myself by watching the 12 min Oban film mentioned above which I've just found. Hope this is useful, Regards, Ian. (1986 Oban film now watched, better quality filming and timber loading at Oban station itself depicted which I was unaware of before ... so also V. Good.)

Morning Rob, Not sure whether this one has been mentioned before (apologies if it has) but I came across it this morning and thought that it might be of interest for your Crianlarich car park. Taken by australia3393 in 1983 so perfect for WHL v.4. Regards, Ian.

An interesting page here on the BBC this morning of common insects through a Macro lensin a park in Glasgow, not maybe in the spirit of this thread as it is somebody else's work but the photos are definitely worth a look at. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-66468444

And then it can be officially named 'Triggers Broom' !! LoL

Hello Rob, glad to hear that your Wife is feeling better and that you've managed to avoid illness, although I have to say that I for one have rather enjoyed the recent products (videos and photos) which have come from your self imposed exile ! Regarding the recent comments discussing the possibilities of modelling different weather scenes it did occur to me that a layout such as WHL v.4 could probably and quite prototypically include say one station scene that is presented as if having just suffered a recent localised Summer downpour which I know I've certainly experienced when travelling in the Western Highlands, only to go a mile or so around the corner and find myself in glorious sunshine. Wet platforms and rocks, bright glossy, vibrant greens and yellows of the damp grass, bracken and heather plus shiny slate roofs and a few puddles could be quite convincing, not forgetting a few potential passengers or walkers still wearing their 'Pacamacs.' Purely me thinking out aloud but it's these sort of experiences that make this a most 'magical' area and bring out the romantic appeal of the place for me. I'm looking forward to the new modelling season with anticipation ... I might even manage to join in this year ! Regards, Ian.

Hello @97406 Just as a matter of interest, where do you get your IPA from, please ? I have rather a lot of N gauge 37s to modify, some involving full repaints and whilst I can potentially get some Industrial IPA from work I would prefer to buy a proper bottle of it first so that I have a suitable container in which to keep it and transport it. I once tried Boots chemist but the assistant didn't know what it was. Regards, Ian.

Super photos Dave, thanks for letting us see them. Both engines looking very smart, you'll have to try and get a couple of Modelu figures or suchlike to represent you and your kid. Regards, Ian.

One other mildly interesting observation to come out of these photos is the station name spelling; when I wrote my original reply I spelt it Garelochhead but then edited each spelling to Garelochead having seen the underpass sign in one of Ernie's photos .... only to then find it spelt (correctly in my opinion) with the doudle 'hh' on the platform signs in other photos. I won't bother to re-edit them all now ! Regards, Ian.

Yes, Garelochead I reckon, as seen in this Ernie Brack photo which explains why I can't see the underpass from where the photographer is stood. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/36535962716/in/album-72157685023339563/

My 'immeadiate gut feeling' is that it's taken at Garelochhead (Southbound) and that the covered wagons are OAAs, I'm afraid that I can't get a very clear image when enlarging it so may have to wait until I buy it. I also can't see any sign of the archway to the underpass that is at Garelochhead, so I may be totally wrong. I'll try and compare the hills with other shots taken there but it was those which made me think Garelochhead initially. Regards, Ian.