Rannoch Moor

As a former resident of Auld Reekie I could not have summed up the atmosphere more pertinently than Clecklewyke has! And looking at the other posts I'm clearly not the only one. I echo all the plaudits on your skills Andy - what was the source of your Cl 100 DMU BTW? That's nearly as Scottish an icon as your canopies and NBR signal box, Regards Gus

Craig, Great photos and thanks for both posting and continuing the life of a geat model. I remember seeing this layout exhibited (can't remeber where) and I did enjoy the BRM article on it a long time ago. I think, though, looking at your photos that the article didn't do the layout justice (good though it was!) given the photos above. Has the layout changed since the article - I seem to remeber the station area was more cramped in the article (or was it just full of stock?!). Gus

Mark, I've given this a good bit of thought after being really impressed with the layout at Scaleforum (great to meet you and the layout BTW!) and I think on balance that I agree with Simon above. A photoshop backscene can be very effective but IMHO the more impressionistic type he advocates avoids the potential of overpowering the foreground, which is the real thing you want the audience to look at I guess if you are exhibiting. A case of less is more as it were... The real limit however, as I acknowledge, is how artistic you are in terms of your ability to paint a backscene that "sets the scene" and gives a sense of place without becoming the dominant feature in itself. So I don't see a problem there for you then, having seen the layout in the plywood flesh as it were! (The bottom line though is to do what you prefer yourself - and again having admired your work I'm sure we will all appreciate whatever you decide!) Gus

Merlin, Thanks for taking the time and effort to post your great photos of a wonderful layout. Love them all, but particularly admired your C16 and K2. Are they the Nucast kits or from another source? Any chance of a track plan please - I missed this in the BRM, Gus

Tim, Agree with Dave and Twa_Dogs - it's great to see you back - nice to see I'm not the only one whose progress is slower than he would like.....! Keep up the track laying, ATB Gus

Peter, I'm so blown away by the pics - the flowing track really is very sexy! The buildings have put me in mind of the Nevis Bridge distillery in Fort William which was served by a small siding. (The buildings are now flats and holiday lets I think, and I remember someone making a great model of it that was featured in the Modeller about 15 years ago). What period are you planning to model by the way? Gus PS Also jealous of your facilities!

Stewart, Agree with all the plaudits above - you were too modest when posting your kind comments on Kilbrannan Ferry, you are well ahead of me! Particularly love the overgrown coal siding. Can almost smell the coal dust, and the colour and texture of the boggy, reedy ground next to it is just right. Your quay, though, is particularly inspirational, although I will have to make sure I don't just try and copy it when I get to that stage on Kilbrannan Ferry - can't have a ferry without a jetty! Like you, Stewart, I will avoid the temptation to clutter it up with a crane. Like Portchullin T, my researches are that Highland harbours tended to rely on the boats' derricks for unloading - that usually included fishing boats as well as cargo coasters etc (I would love the idea of a Puffer, but would prefer a couple of Scots fishing boats. Ben Alder has some lovely ones on his rendition of Kyle but I don't think they are available any more...) ATB Gus

Mark, Great to see you back on the RMWeb at last. Look forward to seeing more, especially as Portchullin (along with some of the other Scots "greats" on here help me stay motivated with Kilbrannan Ferry. Although not much progress there since February due to redecoration of my house! Gus

The In Crowd Dobie Grey

Richard, They look very good indeed. I've been dithering on whether to do a similar job or to buy 3 Comet kits for a set for Kilbrannan Ferry. I quite enjoy etched kits TBH, and the price of the Hornby ones isn't much less so I will probably plump for the latter option. In case I decide otherwise though, would a dark brown colour (to simulate wood surrounds) work for painting the glazing inserts do you think? Gus

Hmmm, I pushed Simon Kohler at MRS on Friday, particularly regarding the popularity, livery variations etc of the 439, but the vibe I picked up was pretty much that he would never get it past the accountants as it was too specialised. (And the T9, M7 etc aren't...?). He was apparently aware of the poll but seemed politely unenthusiastic about either of our top 2. (He was, however, more positive about an LNER K1...). Don't know if he changed his mind by the end of the weekend though (and wishful thinking, maybe he was just playing his commercial cards close to his chest...) - did anyone else button hole him? Gus

Arpster - thank goodness you're back :icon_drool: Look forward to seeing more Gus

Gary, Breathtaking in terms of atmosphere and modelling quality - a real inspiration. I grew up in Fort William and regularly travelled the West Highland and Mallaig extension throughout the period you've targetted, and IMHO, you have distilled the very essence of the WHR - I hope I can do half as well for the C and O with my Kilbrannan Ferry. I have followed a similar strategy of selecting and modifying buildings from along the line, although I intend to run trains from the West Highland as well as the C and O. My layout thread elsewhere has details should you be interested. I particularly liked the beautifully detailed railings you showed in one of the phots early in the new thread - they were very similar to ones that existed many years ago on the Fort William seafront along Achintore Road. How did you make them - were they scratchbuilt? Thanks also fo posting details of your concrete faced platorms - what colour of emulsion did you use to paint them? Again, beautifully coloured and weathered, Look forward to seeing even more, thanks for sharing Gus

Mark, Really impressed with my "namesake" layout, especially the station building. Are the etches for the windows available commercailly at all? They would really suit a future West Highland based project I have in mind (should I ever get Kilbrannan Ferry finished - your progress is speedy compared to mine!) Gus

Dave, Absolutely superb - this really does have the atmosphere - I can almost smell the diesel under the canopies and feel it eating into the legacy of a student hangover as I catch the Glasgow Push Pull to connect with the half four ex Queen Street (27 powered) to get home to Fort William. Happy days... B) Gus

One Step Beyond - Prince Buster

Theme From Coloredman - Teddy Vann Orchestra (A Wigan Classic)

Here reopens the Kilbrannan Ferry Layout thread - hope you enjoy. I will recap earlier progress and give a potted history on the sketchy/fantastic raison d'etre. The layout is a 13' x 2' terminus to fiddle yard layout in my garage. It is EM, trackplan (below) is based loosely on Aberfeldy with much influence fromm other Scots places such as Killin, Dornoch, and is based on a (wildly fantastic) "might have been" C and O (and NBR/West Highland) incursion into the Mull Of Kintyre. The layout is basically a terminus located in Carradale at the end of a 10 mile branch from Campbeltown. The latter was reached by a Caley / C&O branch from Oban that ran south via Kinlochmelfort, Inveraray and Ardrishaig to what in my mind, is no longher the UK's most remote town. Just to add even more spice, the NBR also built their branch from Arrochar and Tarbet via the Rest and Be Thankful to join the line at Inveraray. The name is taken from the adjoining stretch of water that separates the Kintyre peninsula from Arran and where I spent many hours of purgatory (when that was thought to be a valid training method) many years ago learning how to be a safe Officer of the Watch in HMS NURTON, then one of the last wooden RN Minehunters. The buildings are progressing well and I have built up a collection of locos, freight and passenger stock after years at sea in HM Ships. The buildings are constructed from plastic (Evergreen, Wills and Slaters) and are primarily based on examples from Killin Junction and Killin on the C and O. This is a) because I like them, b) they fit into my concept, and c) I have plans for them (Aug/Sep 94 Modellers Backtrack)! The 3 baseboards are complete(@ 4' x 2' and joined by C&L dowels and bolts) and track on the scenic side is laid. The boards are supported by legs made from 45mm square section timber holding the boards 4' above the deck. They have adjustable feet, again by C&L. The support frames are pure Barry Norman made from strips of 9mm ply separated by 20.5mm thick 75mm square blocks of pine. The pics should make this clear enough I hope. The track base is made of 12mm MDF and C&L cork is used for the track itself - the thinner sheet for yards and sidings, the thicker stuff and strips for the running lines. The wiring is progressing (sorting out some snags on the 3 way but nearly there...) and the Fiddle yard will be the next major job. At the risk of repeating myself from the old thread, here are some phots, Gus