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The station platform now has a surface, made from 1mm thick cardboard. The edging stones are fabricated from thin card strips 10 mm wide and scored 2mm from one edge. The strip is cut into individual stones each 10mm wide, which are then bent at right angles along the score and glued in place. The platform surface is painted using Faller Roadway Paint and the stones using Revell Stone Grey. The joints between the stones were highlighted using dark brown weathering powder.

Sommerfeldt have a form of lattice post based on German Prototype - so it can be done: https://www.sommerfeldt.de/de/Abspannmast-105-mm-hoch--lackiert.html

The landscape towards the scenic break is formed from expanded polystyrene insulation using a hot wire. The edging is constructed from 5 mm thick softwood, which also acts as a guide for the hot wire when forming the contours. The polystyrene will be coated with wall filler to provide a smooth hard surface. But first I want to finish painting the overbridge before I glue it in place, as well as install the platform surfaces.

For the lighting I have used a battery powered LED strip, which I have cut into sections, with each section used to light a different building. Once installed the sections will be re-connected in parallel to the battery box...

A picture of the completed signal box with modified interior and lighting.

There are som drawings of Manson Catchers here:- https://lmssociety.org.uk/topics/singleLineWorking2.php

Duly noted... Thanks for the tip

I have made a start on the signal box which is built using the PECO LK-201 kit based on the one at Helmsdale. I want to fit an interior which at the moment has beeen constructed using guesswork and elements of the Ratio Kit 553. However when I look at photographs of the exterior of real thing when it was still in use I'm not sure about the result, in particular the shelf holding the block instruments which looks too high...

I realised that I wasn't happy with the appearance of the tail lights I fitted to the mark 1s. To remedy this I used a couple of Springside Models Modern Image Loco Lamps (Reference SPDA99), from which I removed the reflective crystals and drilled a hole through the housing where the crystal was. I filed and emery papered the rear of the lamp body and superglued it to the coach. I had to take care when centering it, otherwise I found that the light would bleed through round the side of the lamp.

Platform edging is constructed from 19mm wide pine strip. covered with Scalescenes brick paper and elements from the Scalescenes platform kit to create the ledges. A concrete lintel formed from painted card bridges the gap where the point rodding emerges.

I took delivery of some Ultrascale wheel sets which means that I could test the electrics (aka play with trains). Apart from the fact that I had attached the turnout motors feeder wires back to front (I am using DCC Cobalt Alpha Digital motors) resulting in the point frog polarity being the wrong way round, all went well. This means that I could make a start on the baseboard scenery, i.e. building up the landscape and building the platform. To that end I have fitted wooden edging to the front and sides of the baseboard, and have made the edging for the platform: The rather straight edge at the end of the board will be shaped in due course.

Sound advice, I hadn't considered toppling, being more concerned with trains not stopping and running straight on off the end (also won't buff out) or doing something silly like setting the wrong train off in the wrong direction, for which there is a bufferstop...

Before ballasting the track over the baseboard joint, I inserted a piece of paper between the boards which had Tamiya masking tape taped to it. The Tamiya tape is waxy so the ballast didn't stick to it and a nice clean joint was achieved. Then I realised (as can be seen in the picture) that I had used the wrong ballast, that over the join being coarser. So I had to remove it and do the job again.

A view of the wiring arrangements for the fiddle yard. One end of the loop is anchored to the traverser, the other end is anchored to one of the crossmembers of the baseboard frame.

When the layout is not in use the fiddle yard is hung from the fishplate and angle-bracket, and its legs removed so that the layout can be stored against the wall, there being just enough room between the main board and the book case to take the up-ended fiddle yard.

The boards are aligned to one another with a fish-plate and angle-bracket that are mounted to the main board. They are held together with latches.

It's at the Keith and Dufftown Railway: https://keith-dufftown-railway.co.uk/rolling-stock/

Any of the WMPTE liveries please, including the National Exhibition Centre / West Midlands Red White and Blue special... 140001 as a spin off would be great (IIRC the "pre Rapido" Richard Foster himself referred it in an enthusiastic article about Pacers ?)

The off stage storage traverser was constructed using a 1.0m x 0.5m baseboard frame kit as a basis. The traverser itself is 80cm long and will be 3 roads wide. Metal drawer runners are used to ensure smooth operation. The end of the board which joins on to the layout will also be scenic, containing the ubiquitous road overbridge as a scenic break. This gives a bit more scenic space to the main board and will allow for a future module to be inserted without having to redo the break. They will be held together using hinges with removable pins, but first I need to tackle the 1.5mm height difference - best laid plans etc...

I also decided to take advantage of the included LED taillight. It was inserted into a 2mm diameter hole drilled in the vicinity of the lamp bracket. Not exactly prototypical, but nevertheless functional. I might try and disguise it with a modified moulded plastic tail lamp. Also if one doesn't look too closely it's not so obtrusive when switched off...

My coaching stock for this layout comprises a double pack of the Bachmann Scotrail Mk 1s, which include passengers and come weathered. Scotrail branding is a bit later than the period that I have in mind, but I think it still helps set the scene. I took delivery of some DCC Concepts 14mm Diameter EM Wheelsets which come with pick ups wound round the axles, which I have connected to ESU Lightbars so one can see the passengers. These were good value I thought at €19.50 with built in decoder and additional tail light LEDs. Having disassembled the first coach, I realised that Interior moulding would need to be painted as the shiny brown plastic would surely look strange when lit. Matt grey was used for the floors and guards compartment sides, matt red brown for the compartment partitions and sides, matt blue for the seats. Not the tidiest paint job I must admit, but acceptable once the coach was reassembled.

I took my cue from looking at the Highland Railway Society's pictures on www.ambaile.org.uk https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/27548/ https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/26556/ https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/26983/ https://www.ambaile.org.uk/asset/25627/ ...there seem to have been quite a few.

Dapol GWR Square Post Lower Quadrants masquerading as Highland Railway signals, after painting with a toothpick and replacing the finials with Mackenzie and Holland ones from Wizard Models / Model Signal Engineering:

Hi Drew, I have just recieved my DRC newsletter e-mail including pictures of 4079. She's looking good. You must be pleased / satisfied. Good luck with the launch in April... Regards, Richard

Hi Scott, Thanks for this, I wish I had seen this sooner, it looks a lot easier to build! Interestingly, when looking at a large scale maps, the footprint of the building at Hillside looks to be 20m by 16m, which believe it or not is about the same as that at Muir of Ord, if both the elevator (ca 20m by 10m) and unloading shelter (ca 20m by 6m) are considered together. I think either way I am pushing the boundaries of Rule 1 by suggesting that such a small terminus would be home to such a facility, but then again I need a destination for my BRT Grain Hoppers! Regards, Richard