Aberbrothock

Just thought I'd add these pics of the "real" thing, showing how close it is to the railway, indeed the second pic is taken from beside the erstwhile Swan Office Supplies building across the south end of the station platforms. The buildings look in need of a face-lift, but pubs. ain't doing that well these days with the smoking ban and tight drink-driving limits. I should really go in some time for a dram and see the property from the inside.......... Although I've been making lots of models of licensed premises, it is only to replicate the surroundings of Arbroath railway station, and not due to any bad habits!

The Rmweb threads have gone strangely quiet over the last few weeks - is it something to do with Spring? I've been reasonably active over that time, and the Station Hotel and Bar to be installed on Keptie Street opposite the station building is coming along quite well. I took these shots of progress so far, taking advantage of some bright weather..... They are self-explanatory and show the typical hotel/bar situation of having extensions repeatedly added over time. It will be installed once it has been roofed and had its obligatory dormer windows added.

The diagram is on page 3 of this thread - my take on it, but based on reliable info. from locals.

The diagram is from 1978, and shows what remains of the original, without all the sidings, extra passenger platforms and the harbour branch. I've produced a diagram of the "full" layout of the North Box, and it shows up on a previous page of this thread. I'll check back and add the page no. shortly.

Black and white man was out during the evening to view the latest Metcalfe conversions from low relief brick to full relief stone with brick extensions, ( my wife's suggestion). For some reason the shop fronts are slightly narrower than the house backs - and a different height, and so a fair bit of carving and overlays had to be done to marry to front and rear halves up. The buildings have only been temporarily planted to give an idea of the finished look, and the Station Hotel/Bar has to be drawn out and made to correctly complete the scene. It just shows the lengths some folk go to to get away from the "kitsville" look of their layout! I ought to "retire" the very old Matchbox pickup, or put it somewhere less obtrusive......

Doing a bit of loft clearing today prior to some major plumbing works in the house, and took this overall view of the station, etc., showing the current state of things. Quite a busy scene.

You can tell a lot about a person by their handshake....

I had a walk down Keptie Street this morning and took this pic of the Swan Office Supplies building planted in position. The white sheets in the background are outline drawings of a couple of the buildings in Dishlandtown Street which will need a bit of "flesh" added to help to complete the background. The bus livery is a bit late for my period, but it looks quite well, and the lorry has lots of character. I think the guys in the foreground are very pleased to see each other if the handshake is anything to go by........

There is a bit of artist's licence, but it does capture what the Publicity Office were aiming for, and very much "of its time", a nice collector's item.

Honestly, I haven't been idle over the last few days as these pics will hopefully show. Almost ready to install on the layout, but a few tweaks required which you don't notice until the camera gets its beady eye on to the details! Hopefully, Keptie Street is ready for its latest bit of real estate, and of course I'll have to improve the detail around the site to help it to "bed in".

Weather outside nicer today, so posed the WIP on the patio......... Still lots to do!

A new day with some natural light and the progress evident. Close-ups can be cruel showing my basic attempts at "dressing" the front windows, but from normal viewing distance it'll be fine....... Once glued up the corner will be much neater and down pipes,etc., will enhance the side elevation which will be the one most obvious once the building is installed on the layout.

Beginning to make progress on the Swan Office Supplies building for Kepte Street, opposite the main station booking office - worth comparing with the basic cutout above. The camera decided it would produce a night-time shot, with some interior lighting flooding out from inside - quite atmospheric, I think. More shots to follow as progress made............... Probably a daytime shot next time!

A recent arrival at Arbroath has been a class 05 Hunslet, seen going about its daily business in the main yard at Arbroath in the mid 'sixties. Coal and general merchandise still being dealt with at the yard.

Following the arrival of the class 05 shunter, attention has returned to the civil engineering side of the layout and a start has been made on the former stationary supplier's building opposite the main station booking office on Keptie Street. Occupied for a long time by Swan Office Supplies, the building is now a dental surgery. Here are the main parts of the outside walls taking shape - the front wall is built from a brown ashlar stone, with the remainder from the typical Arbroath red sandstone. The line of the street and railway led to its being angled on its front wall which will require some nasty measuring to get the roof pieces correct........... Nothing is ever straightforward!

Finally got the new 05 shunter weathered and renumbered to pose for some pics in the main yard doing what shunters do........ Some interesting sunshine effects.............

Like many of you, I find it fascinating and challenging to model a real location, in my case Arbroath, between Dundee and Aberdeen on the northern part of the ECML. Due to the variety of stock running at that time, I've chosen the 1955/65 period to portray, which gives lots of scope for late steam/early diesel working, plus loads of goods traffic and passenger, sleeper and parcels trains, both local and long distance. Having chosen a real location, I'm bound by what was/is actually there, but that stops me being tempted by the many wonderful models currently available, which, even with modellers' licence would never have been near Arbroath......... The drawback is that virtually everything has to be scratchbuilt, but it makes for a unique layout. I do have a thread at rmweb arbroath which shows progress "as it happens," with pics of the latest buildings and locos/stock as they come off the production line. Pic below shows the North Signal box and footbridge with an ex NBR C16 unusually doing a spot of shunting, as they spent most of their time on local Dundee to Arbroath passenger services. Lots of local character!

All wonderful pics - so evocative of the area and times past - I particularly like the "back greens complete with greenie poles and washing!"

Hi Les Quietness due to visiting father-in-law in Ninewells Hospital on a daily basis - once you've put in four or five hours travelling over and back plus sitting with him, there's not much time left for enthusiastic modelling. The new 05 needs to be worked on, and I've made a pre-New Year resolution to finish off the outstanding jobs around the layout, so that'll keep me occupied for a few sessions! Hope you and yours are facing the New Year with similar good resolutions.......... Kind regards Ken

A Merry Christmas to all! Just an excuse to show off the latest acquisition which will arrive in the goods yard at Arbroath soon - once it has been renumbered and slightly weathered. It hasn't turned a wheel in anger yet, but that will come soon. (To be renumbered D2584, as pictured at Arbroath in the late Gorge O'Hara's book on Diesels in Scotland). I'll also need to give it some Vanfits and Conflats to play with............. Happy modelling in 2016!

Although north of Edinburgh, Arbroath is still on the ECML, and had much to commend it for variety in the 50/60's, like this meeting of an ex CR 044 tank and an exNBR C16 442 tank - those were the days! All it needs is a bit of wispy steam, but that's naughty....

The new CR 044 has arrived at Arbroath.......... Of course it met its erstwhile companion NBR C12 442 tank 67502 while crossing from the up to the down line. Here are 3 shots of the event. The ex-Forfar train's driver is keeping a sharp lookout as his train negotiates the scissors crossover. The sun is catching the top of the 044's side tanks....... The regular visitor Briggs tank wagon has been shunted by 46464,(Carmyllie Pilot), in the main yard. Yes, folks plenty of variety here!

Lining out a loco is so frustrating! But - there's always the modeller's friend - a nice bit of judicious weathering in the places that need to be covered........ Coal added in bunker, now awaiting cab rear protection grilles from Mainly Trains, and a crew, to give a bit of life. The bunker has a load of coal from a friend in Arbroath, so that's from the correct place then. There's some nice daylight below the boiler and good light through the excellent wheels. Must pose it on the layout so that any passing spotters can "cop" it. Now where did I put my loco headlamps???

My 439 class is moving on apace and has posed for some more photos. Firstly two before paint shop pics :- Just out of the paint shop - some tidying to be done and lining to be added :- and a detail shot inside the cab - the SRPS video of 419 clattering down from Birkhill into Bo'ness was a great help..... Nothing like digital close-ups to show the "naughty bits"!

Thanks Les Best of luck with your big brother/ sister loco, but I bet it doesn't just "fall together"! Health not too bad, staying clear of colds/flu so far.... Ken