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I've got aprox 88 different members of the class in my notebook as having been seen on the WHL during Rob's preferred early-mid 80s period and I keep coming across others as I fight my way through books and photosites such as Flickr ... it's a bit like 'retro train spotting' ... but keeps me amused ... I don't get out much !! LoL.

You may need to edit this Ken ... I was just about to ask how you find it compared with the Jim McGowen version that you built a while back .... but as the new build is a J35, I won't bother ! LoL Hope all goes well with your other half. Regards, Ian.

Hello Dave, Any chance of a photo from the underneath of the 08 chassis please to see how Geoff has managed this as Alan Smith is trying to build a Hunslet shunter (etches by Mike I believe) but is struggling to get the motor in using a High Level gear box, as I also have one to build the more 'ideas' and combinations we see may be useful. That said I have one of Geoff's Hudswell Clarkes so maybe I should be looking there instead of the 08 which must have more room to play with. I'd still be interested though. Regards, Ian.

Morning Rob, Just as a matter of interest, roughly how long does your model of the Arrochar and Tarbet station and goods yard area come out at please. I only ask this as whilst it is one of the more 'desirable' stations to model (what with it's 1980s timber and departmental traffic) I've come to realise that it is also one of the longest 'footprints' of the WHL stations due to the goods yard not being next to the platform. It would just be interesting to know how long your version has turned out to be in 4mm '00'. Regards, Ian.

Thanks Steve, I can never remember which way around acryllic and oil based paints will or won't work with each other, I presume the Vallejo primer is oil based as you've used thinners and that the GW paints are acryllics as you've thinned them with water. Sorry for the 'basics' question but it's been a while since I've gotten around to painting anything and particularly for N gauge models brush painting appeals more than airbrushing for some reason and I do like the smooth finish that you've achieved on this VDA. Regards, Ian.

Hello Steve, What sort of undercoat did you use please ? I have a few departmental N gauge wagon kits which will need painting once built and I like the look of what you've achieved. Regards, Ian.

.... and they haven't used Railtec transfers either, just look at that transfer film left around the ScotRail legend !!

Thanks Rob, you've posted the 'going into the sunset' photo that I couldn't find again this afternoon .... but I did find this 1985 one by Ex-Tractor Fan (possibly of this parish ?) again depicting empty Bauxite and R/f liveried OAAs heading North. I'll stop now .... promise ! Regards, Ian.

Likewise, just to prove myself wrong I've found this June 1986 photo also by John Whiteley, lead wagon being an OAA. I've also found images of Railfreight Red / Grey liveried examples on the WHL, one behind 20213 (by Don Gatehouse) and another that I thought I'd posted on here earlier (but possibly on an N gauge OAA thread ??) Showing both a Bauxite and a R/f Red/Grey OAAs dissapearing into the sunset near Corrour.

You could always justify a couple in Departmental 'Squid' livery.

I would suspect OBAs and OCAs in use on the Corpach flows by 1985 but will check my notes and a few photos. Regards, Ian.

Hello @Daddyman I've not come across many (if any) OAA wagons in RF red/grey on the West Highland Line (WHL) but have seen plenty of photos of OBAs (with the higher ends) in this livery. There are quite a few photos of OAAs in the Bauxite liveries and there is a video clip of 9 being shunted at Mallaig Jct (will try and find it again.) I think that the OAAs were used for 2 different traffic flows both to and from Corpach, these being baled wood pulp in and finished paper products out and it is not unusual to find photos of both loaded and empty OAAs travelling in the same train (usually seperated by a couple of vans) in both Northbound and Southbound trains in the late 70s / early 80s. Obviously then the Corpach lettered version would be appropriate but so also would the other Bauxite liveried models. I wouldn't rule out an odd RF red / grey OAA wagon or two (I have 4 in my N gauge stock) but in the main Bauxite is best. Hope this helps, I've posted at least one photo (from Flickr) earlier on this thread and also I think in @young37215 exellent WHL v.4 thread of OAAs on the WHL as it was discussed there a while back. Regards, Ian.

I agree ... but isn't there another vehicle behind the Siphon G, possibly a SR 12t van by the roof profile ?

Scratchability tests will be carried out tomorrow !

..... and there's a distinct lack of brown sauce on that there breakfast ! (Shock / horror)

Well Ewe certainly looks excited to be there !!

Hello Andy, A really useful table there, thankyou. As regards the 37/5 and 37/6 which I respect are outside of this thread's main theme (so will keep it brief) .... a quick look at photos of our old friend 37039 suggest that it still has the features noted throughout it's life as 37504 and then 37603. Hope this helps. Regards, Ian.

Whilst on the subject of reference books, one that I had missed (I hope) when it was released was the 'new' Crecy/OPC Speedlink vol.1 (Opens and Vans) wagon book by David Larkin. This, I saw in a magazine advert (Booklaw £25 + p+p) and has now been delivered; a quick glance through (as I'm on nights again) reveals many good quality photos (NB all in B&W) of wagons that were found on WHL freight or departmental trains in the 80s and whilst I haven't yet noted any 'specific' photos taken on the WHL it will be a useful reference to aid to some whilst modelling these .... including the OAA wagons that are on Rob's radar at the moment. (I've used the term "I hope" in my first line of this post as it wouldn't surprise me that if when I dig my way through the mess that is my supposed 'modelling room' I find that I've already bought this book .... it wouldn't be the first time !!) Regards, Ian.

Oh, I don't know .... on the morning of a 1 day show I once had to build a new pair of layout legs in the exhibition hall carpark as we had left one behind at the clubroom, the layout was nearly built when we realised "err, urm .... oh !" Good luck with the mods. Ian.

Just for clarity in understanding Jeremy's description am I correct in thinking that :- In the Mallaig direction Signals 15 is the Distant, 14 the Home and 13 the Starter .... ... and in the Fort William direction Signals 1 is the Distant, 2 is the Home and 3 the Starter ? Regards, Ian.

Morning Rob, Possibly Douglas Fir trees, but from the images I'm seeing in a quick search they seem to vary quite a bit, some with foliage only starting halfway up the trunk and others more like the Crianlarich examples with a much fuller foliage distribution. Western Hemlock is another possible but again quite a lot of variation in these also, certainly pines of some sort. I have several books on trees but the one I want is AWOL at the moment, possibly up in the loft, I'll have a look when the rest of the household surface. Regards, Ian.

I knew that you wouldn't be disappointed by this book Rob .... but .... can you put it down now, please, as I haven't had my 'daily' fix of WHL v.4 update posts for more than a week now !! What with the detail contained in this excellent book and the Hornby Mag Class 37 weathering article there must be something brewing up in your loft ? Regards, Ian.

That was the sort of thing that I was thinking of although I haven't seen the IRR issue I've mentally noted these either on here (RM Web) or more probably in a Bylines magazine. I take your point though regarding possibly less work overall by building a rotary tippler .... all food for thought. As usual I have most items already in stock for this and several other potential layouts I just need to stop working as much and build one or two of them ! Anyway thanks for the reply, I'll check my IRR collection again and maybe have a trip up to Ingrow if I haven't got No.249. Regards, Ian.

Hello Dave, I'm enjoying all of this wagon coal extraction process that's been researched and developed over the last few weeks. I'll be very interested to see some photos of it all in action when you've finalised on your design as I feel that this way of getting coal out of wagons is probably more achievable (to me) than say a full motorised wagon tippler which I know can be done as I've operated one on Mike Edge's Cwmafon (?) layout and probably more of a likely prototype other than 2 men with shovels to have been employed at a smaller industrial type location that I'm hoping to build a small layout for ..... in my dreams ! Great progress, as ever. Regards, Ian.

I've just had a couple of nights on Filey Brigg which is quite a good spot for wildlife, usual assortment of gulls, a few red admirals, a couple of large white butterflies and even a possible peregrine sighting which typically had moved on by the time I got my glass out, all seen from my van on the campsite there. I also took the time to watch a magpie sat on the fence but studying something higher up in a tree, it made me realise just how 'strong' the black, white and blue colours are on these common birds, quite stunning really. Highlight of the trip was an early morning walk up onto the Brigg itself to watch a non event sunrise but which at least yielded a flypast by 4 cormorants which then wheeled around and down in a large arc before landing in the bay and a good 15 mins watching a small ground feeding bird (there were several of them around) which I didn't really recognise so memorised the main features of sparrow like size and plumage but with black and white feathers at the wing edges, fairly obvious light coloured eyebrows and yellow bill noticable even in the poor pre-dawn light, nervous movements but calmer the longer I remained still and watched .... looked it up whilst having breakfast to find out that they were Snow Buntings which I'm not sure that I've ever seen before. There was also a small warbler flitting about in the undergrowth but I'm still not very good at identifying these. I think that I'll have to try and get back there before the campsite shuts for the winter and maybe try and photograph the Snow Buntings if they are still there.