Hunslet 102

A trio of Type 2s, Sulzer power!

These engines were stalwarts on the Scottish region, giving sterling service for many years.

Type 2, Class 27-D5348 , heads a train to Fort William, passing sister Type 2, Class 27-5357, bringing up the rear of an Edinburgh to Glasgow service.

Type 2, Class 26-D5325, trails behind the express, with a short goods from Cadder Yard.

Thanks Spamcan61, SRman and PMP for the replies and the information given.

From previous threads I thought it was a bit of a minefield, I will definitely tread carefully.

Very interesting regarding the packaging, I will certainly keep that in mind.

Hi all

I am interested in a Heljan class 17, but have read some of the topics here in RM Web that have made me apprehensive about getting one.

Is there any guidelines to avoid certain ones or recommendations to go for certain ones?

Are the more recent releases a better model and better option or do they still have the same quality issues?

There seems to be a big variation in price between both older versions and retailers!!

Basically, trying to get my head round it and any other advice, other than what is already on the site would be appreciated.

Glasgow Great Buchanan Street 

Now that I have settled on the name for the layout, the story behind its existence into the 70s is required!

During the 1950s, a proposal was made for Great Buchanan Street and Queen Street stations to be made into one large station serving the north of Scotland, with both stations being demolished with a purpose built larger station on the Great Buchanan Street site replacing them.

Nothing materialised from the proposal and both stations continued as they were into the 1960s.

However, during Beeching, Great Buchanan Street was recommended for closure, along with some of its existing lines. But, fortunately, it was given a stay of execution as it was soon realised that it would put too much congestion on Queen Street station, as it also had a couple of lines retained that were due to close.

Due to redevelopment in the area, it would be reduced to 4 platforms from 6, but would still retain its existing destinations. It would also be granted a twice hourly service to Edinburgh, which along with Queen Street would ensure 4 trains an hour between the two cities, with an additional hourly service still running from Central. This was achievable due to the distance involved in the original destinations served and the frequency of them, that meant the platforms were readily available and made more use of the station, helping it to be as economically viable as Queen Street.

The goods yard, adjacent to the station, was also another reason for the station to remain open, as it was deemed its location within the city centre would help boost the already declining freight traffic. It was also thought that the carriage sidings in front of the tobacco factory, that dwarfed the station, could be re extended into the factory, as per from years ago, to export the tobacco to the rest of the country. This would have provided great revenue for BR, but, this did not materialise and the sidings remained as carriage sidings.

Unfortunately, as the 70s progressed, and containerised freight started to replace loose coupled wagons, it was realised that the freight yard was too cramped and unsuitable for container traffic, and the axe fell on it in 1973.

This hastened the demise of Glasgow Great Buchanan Street station and it would only survive  for another three years, finally closing in 1976, having thrived for a decade since Beeching, and making it into the BR blue/grey era.

The layout covers the stations activities from 1970 until closure in 1976, featuring mainly BR blue era with the odd maroon coach still kicking about.

In happier times, a Class 25 leaves the station with a service to Dundee Tay Bridge, while a Class 37 waits to follow it out with empty parcel vans from the carriage sidings. A Class 40 has backed down onto its train for a later service to Aberdeen.

A view of the tobacco factory that dwarfs the station, it’s self not lasting much longer than the station, being demolished in the early 80s.

Nice fleet! The original layout looked good and was shaping up nicely from the photos, but sometimes there is just that wee thing that bugs you and you have to make the change. 
Look forward to more updates 

Nice photo lineup, particularly like the DMU and the track work looks very realistic 

Many thanks for your detailed replies TT100.

A lot of hours involved to produce a pleasing model, obviously well worth it and the results are proof of the dedication to model something unique.

Fair play to the cottage industry guy, investment without knowing the actual returns is true commitment. He certainly sounds like a dedicated modeller, both for himself and others. It is good and important to support these kind of suppliers, as many cottage industries have long since gone.

Personally, I am too far down the 00 line (excuse the pun) to change! I do like to model bash, which is what I had to do with my Irish models, before any of the RTR stuff came to market. Worsley Works has been a great small supplier, supplying many etches to convert RTR coaches into Irish coaches and railcars (DMUs).

My efforts would not be one for the purest or rivet counters, but they meet my needs and bring back memories of my childhood.

Keep up the good work with your own modelling and look forward to more updates on your great thread.

Very nice indeed, a lot of work, but well worth it and a credit to your modelling skills.

As a matter of interest, or really curiosity, so feel free not to answer!, what is the price comparison between say doing a Lincoln loco Class 37 to completion compared to the upmarket Bachmann, Accurascale 00 models?

From your photos, your models stand up well, better than the earlier Lima, Hornby offerings in 00.

1 hour ago, Flying Fox 34F said:

Hunslet 102,

 

I’ll search this out for you and either send it as a PM or link to to your thread. It may be a few days, while life gets in the way as usual.

 

Paul

Thanks Paul. A PM would be brilliant at any time that is convenient for yourself. No rush, like you, life gets in the way, especially when it comes to modelling! 
Look forward to reading what BR’s proposals were.

Andy 

Thanks Flying Fox (Paul) and Joseph. Yes Paul I would be interested in the file of what BR had proposed. I have my own layout thread under Glasgow Great Buchanan Street, if you were able to link it to it, as I do not want to clog up or derail this excellent thread of TT100, I look forward to more updates from it.

5 hours ago, TT100 Diesels said:

Hi Hunslet, yes its always trickey trying to come up with a plausible back story to justify the unjustifiable........😉

 

I did consider doing a proper nine-fiver in green and also doing a copy of the preserved 14901 which has been just up the road from HPJ at Peak Rail. But in the end the 07 style super shunter livery won out.

Well a very good choice and a great livery, especially with the wasp stripes, very convincing.

 I too am in the process of coming up with a plausible reason why Glasgow Great Buchanan Street was retained as a station into the 70s along side Queen Street! It is part of the fun of letting your imagination run wild, and convincing yourself that it could actually have happened!

Very nice, with a good authentic cover story 

Very nice Colin and in 00 scale too! Captures the outside of the original station perfectly, until the authorities in their ultimate wisdom decided to demolish it! Would love to be able to do a model like that and have room for it!!!

Thanks for sharing 

Yes, very interesting! Nice step by step guide with clear pictures 

Thanks ph, great photos, all soon swept away after the second pic 

2 hours ago, melmerby said:

The Passenger Station was on the corner of Garscadden Street

Thanks melmerby, pinpoints the location perfectly, with the roof and lines into Queen Street clearly visible.

28 minutes ago, 25kV said:

This link has an aerial photo of the area in which Buchanan Street station used to be (with Queen Street visible on the right) plus a map with the end of the B. St. goods station visible at the top.  Street layouts have changed substantially, but with a map you might be able to locate the site:

https://oldglasgow.tumblr.com/post/73861128512/the-buchanan-street-enigma-the-top-bit-of

Naturally it crosses the boundary of two OS maps...

https://maps.nls.uk/view/82891761

Thanks for the link 25kV, I think I will need to digest it a few times to get my head round it! As you say, the area and roads have changed dramatically.

35 minutes ago, Legend said:

No it was further East . Literally in these days it was at the top of Buchanan Street . I think the station is where Buchanan St Bus Station is now and the goods yard roughly where The Caledonian University ( was the Glasgow college of Technology when I studied there) is now . Just to the West of the Uni was Buchanan House which was built on site of the goods yard - it was the headquarters for the Scottish Region . i don’t know what it is now . I don’t think it’s railway owned anymore . I remember while at college you could look out the back and see the original tunnel going north east towards St Rollox.  I think it was under the road called Dobbies Loan . I’m just old enough to vaguely remember the station . For me the stars of the show were always Central Station and St Enochs 

Thanks Legend. That gives me a better idea of the exact location. My daughter went to Caley University, so I can pinpoint and visualise the area of the station. That area has changed a fair bit in the 30 odd years I have been here, and the station had gone 25 years before that!

 I certainly would never have thought the station was around that area!

38 minutes ago, flubrush said:

 

Basically,  at the top of Buchanan Street,  and quite close to Queen Street station.  It was a short walk between the two stations.

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=15.9&lat=55.86566&lon=-4.25100&layers=168&b=1

 

Jim.

Thanks for the map link Jim, didn’t realise the stations were that close 

2 hours ago, Legend said:

Looking good Hunslet . Glad you enjoyed “Glasgow Stations” . 

Thanks Legend. Yes the book is excellent, a great read and well recommended 

Buchanan Street has many similarities to Belfast Great Victoria Street, with the cramped location and the adjacent goods yard, with both stations and goods yards being completely obliterated within 10 years of each other.

I have been trying to get my head round the exact location of Buchanan Street station from map plan in the book. Am I right in thinking it was around the Charing Cross end, where the motorway cuts through the city?

First up, those that have looked in on the thread will notice a change of name! Having recently devoured the book Glasgow Stations, as recommended by Legend of this parish, I realised that the terminus station on my current layout was more akin to Buchanan Street rather than Queen Street! Well, I think so anyway!

The station on the layout unfortunately did not survive a move of location in the loft, so a rebuild is a must and on the cards. I am thinking of redoing the platforms with balsa wood, replacing the existing Hornby platforms that were overlaid with card.

Anyway, below are some photos of classes 25,27,40 and 101 in the platform areas.
 

Classes 25 and 27 with the damage on platforms 2 and 3!

Same scene with the damage on platform 4

The throat of the station with more damage in evidence!

A bird’s eye view! Class 25 in platform 4  with a service to Dundee. Class 27 in platform 3 waiting to leave with the push/pull to Edinburgh. Class 40 in platform 2 waiting to follow the push/pull set with a service to Aberdeen and a 101 DMU, heading to platform 1, out of sight under the bridge with a service from Stirling.

8 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

You could always run a Deltic as refurnished Deltics were considered but the decision was made to get new General Motors Co Cos instead.  A wise choice ad they are still running well 40 years later.

 

NIR did get second hand Mk 2s at that time.

A Deltic would have been some sight on GNR metals!

That is a superb looking piece of work that captures that iconic locomotive to perfection. A great addition to Kirley Junction 

Great photos and it is always good to have a bit of fun, that’s what railway modelling is all about.

Enjoy the rest of the show 

11 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Nice 'might have been' story. 

The convenience of 16.5 mm track both sides of the water is a lot easier than dealing with the different gauges of 5ft 3" and the narrow gauge 4' 8.5" 😀

Thanks Colin, yes a possible might have been, aided with being able to do it in model form!