Signaller69

A few details added in the loco shed. An 'A' frame used for wagon repairs, a small raised inspection platform and various odds and ends including old chimneys, wagon wheels, buffers etc. The rear shed wall and track (4ft) still need attention. And a local use for an old chimney as a flowerpot! The pit pony Feed Van no.1 must be in for repair. This is "based on" (using an old Hornby Lime wagon) rather than an exact copy which would need to be scratchbuilt (maybe one day. . .) A couple of experimental black and white shots! And a faded old colour one, well, just because! Martyn

I used this method many years ago to convert some 'N' gauge points for 009 use and it is fairly straightforward; I left the original sleepers/spring arrangement around the tie bar, and also the plastic under the frog area (with half sleepers fitted from the outside). I can't see the 00 versions being any more difficult - just be sure to work on a flat surface. I would say the effort was more than repaid in that the eye is not drawn to the obvious discrepancy between sleeper styles. Ok so maybe the "chairs" are wrong (ie blobs of solder unless cosmetic ones are added) but to my eyes this is far less noticable than the sleeper spacing/length. Like yourself I am considering this option for my next layout, depending on what range Peco do to go with the new bullhead track. Martyn.

A few jobs being done ready for Colwyn Show, namely the interior of the loco shed having internal brick walls fitted along with some detailing, and the old cliche of a mains water pipe "bridge" fitted over the fiddle siding exit through the backscene. Foliage will also be added around this; this is the aspect of the layout I am least happy with, a bridge would work better of course but the real place has none and the area is quite open; being almost a micro layout it's a compromise I have accepted. The folding legs have also had 4" removed as it was impossible to work the layout from behind as was (awkward as the control panel is here), but still gives a relatively high viewing level.

Nice work on that station building Simon, yes the 00 one is rather good too. How about adding end screens/walls under the canopy ends, I think that might add a nice Scottish flavour and give a different look without TOO much extra work? Just a thought! And yes I have so far resisted one of those bargain 26's (Green sywp), only on account of them having the original exhaust arrangement, but I am weakening by the week!!! Martyn.

Thanks Simon, doing the canal has had its share of frustrations with trying to get a slightly wavey water surface in the loch, water 'lifting' at edges etc but its getting there slowly! Regarding the station building, that is a good idea as other eyes may see something that we have not thought of, it has given me food for thought with Crinan this week regarding the retaining wall etc. Is it the building itself, or how it fits into the scene that is frustrating you? Just to throw another idea into the mix, how about a small, covered fish auction near the cold store? Not seen that done before? Cheers, Martyn.

Been a while since I updated as the layout has been in storage since Christmas! However today it has had the cobwebs dusted off in order to see if anything needs attention, and make a few small alterations. The next outing will be to Colwyn MRC's exhibition in Llandudno on 29/30th July.

A bit more progress has been made, a basic grass covering has been applied to the extension board ready for further treating, the small Lighthouse (real one here: https://goo.gl/images/9rxDS1 ) is taking shape, and small waves added to the water (almost went horribly wrong, but after much remedial fiddling I'm reasonably happy with it now). Edit: next jobs will probably be making lots of handrails for around the canal etc, soldered up from brass wire, and also the backscene. Progress is currently slow due to getting Talywain ready for Colwyn MRC's show in Llandudno on 29th/30th July.

A couple of other ideas, the Snailbeach District Railway had a narrow gauge siding at Pontesbury running on a pier over a standard gauge siding; Ore hoppers with bottom doors were discharged straight into std. Gauge wagons below: https://www.hfstephens-museum.org.uk/images/stories/railways/snailbeach/pontesbury%20c.1926.jpg In the Buckley area (N. Wales), bricks were carried in narrow gauge "Shipping Boxes" (basically small wooden flat wagons with ends); these were pushed straight onto special std gauge Traders PO flat wagons with ends (EG Buckley Traders Society, which would hold 6 or 8 shipping boxes), and held in place by a simple drop down bar on each side. These were then taken down the Buckley Branch to Connahs Quay Docks where the shipping boxes were lifted on to ships by crane/derrick. This practice continued into the early 60s but using standard open wagons which had replaced the earlier Traders wagons. As a general rule whatever was the easiest practical method of transhipping the particular commodity would be employed to keep labour costs to a minimum.

Superb work Psiborg, you have a great eye for detail. I've always thought wagon works are a great subject for a layout. Martyn.

Hi Nige, Officially passengers will leave through the Station but I imagine use of the ramp will be sanctioned too as the gate is inevitably left open during the day, to allow the tractor and ferry bound mail etc easy access (something I hope to model); the gate in the previous photo will be resited, probably at the top of the platform ramp with fencing down the side of the ramp (if it were at the bottom of the ramp it would have to open into the roadway which probably wouldn't be ideal, although traffic levels, given the location, would not be busy apart from when the ferry has just arrived (and even here we are talking a fairly small vessel capable of holding no more than a dozen or so vehicles probably). Thanks, Martyn.

Nick, Another Flickr shot at Goole July 1980, oval buffers at no.1 end (round at no.2 end if other photos are correct possibly?) and the unusual centre headboard lamp iron. Sure I read somewhere it was vac brake only until 83. https://www.flickr.com/photos/67444577@N02/6545017545 Edit: Yep dual braked at end of 1983:http://www.class37info.co.uk/fleet.aspx?strnumber=37040

Nice photos Nige and thanks for the suggestion, that would make a super model but I fear would be rather OTT for a remote place like Crinan! As with Mallaig, Oban, Kyle etc the poor foot passengers would probably be left to the elements whilst transferring to/from the ferry. In any case the road layout would mean any such structure extending down to the pier would have to be elevated and would thus act as a view blocker to some degree whereas I am aiming to have an open feel in that area. Thanks, Martyn.

A very interesting project and I wish your group every success. The water tower is a work of art too. Martyn.

Looks an interesting new project, should be good if the original version is anything to go by. That cold store looks rather good too.

Thanks for the comments Paul. The Ferry markings were done on my old computer onto transfer film, it may be possible to stretch fonts, will have a look in due course, you raised a good point there. The 37 is off the beaten track, a case of "Rule 1" (along with the 05 and 17!) - unfortunately Scottish Region had no split headcode variants in 1970, so my excuse is it was due to come off the train at Millerhill in favour of a local centre headcode loco, but due to failure it stayed with the train, but with a local crew. Scottish 40's worked the real train forward from Millerhill (if not throughout) iirc although this ran to Muir of Ord, not the West Highland! Bufferstops: yes a rail built one of some variety looks to be the way forward. Kyle had a nicely painted red and light grey one around this time; here again passengers walked down the platform ramp onto the quayside (as did electric tractors towing caged trolleys, for carrying mails etc presumably). Cheers, Martyn.

Thanks Nige. Stone is the local building material of choice in the area so I think a wall would have to be of this, with fencing generally of wood or cast iron railings. Mass concrete however was widely used in viaducts, bridges etc by the supposed contractors, Robert McAlpine & Sons so it may not be too implausible to have concrete walls, but I've never seen any examples of concrete fencing/walling erected by them, so far. . . Cheers, Martyn.

Thanks for the suggestion Markus.

Many thanks for the suggestion, as for the history of the line, well I've been vague about that as I'm still working on it! As depending which I go with, it either left the NB West Highland line at Arrochar & Tarbet (a somewhat difficult and graded route to put it mildly), or the Caledonian Oban line at Loch Awe (much easier but rather long in terms of time taken to get to Glasgow)! All that is certain is that the Engineers were Simpson & Wilson, with Robert MacAlpine & Sons being the contractors once the Mallaig Extension was completed in 1901. . . Hence the similarity in railway buildings to the Mallaig line. Whisper it, but existing buffer stops presently are Peco (assumes BR replaced the originals at some point, or thats my excuse at least!) I have seen the Lanarkshire ones and they are very nice so I will add to the list of possibilities!

Hi David, Apologies if you have seen this site already: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/ It was the photo of the floods almost up to platform height that grabbed my attention! Regards, Martyn.

Thanks for your comments, food for thought indeed. Being pretty much a mirror copy of the arrangement at Mallaig the wall supports the roof girders, which was a fairly common arrangement, and ends at the station building, presumably this also kept the Atlantic weather from damaging the canopy and off the passengers; I used the Ratio kits as they were convenient at the time but they could be replaced with a more bespoke scratchbuilt wall without too much trouble, in which case the section at the side of the building could possibly be cut back a little to end where the canopy ends as you say (or the canopy extended to match the wall), with a lower wall extending to the buffer stop. Thanks, Martyn. Edit to add, extending the canopy is out as it would obscure the building more. As far as I can tell there was no canopy at the side of Mallaig either.

With progress on the extension board progressing I'm currently deciding how best to terminate the short platform extension. By which I mean the style of buffer stop and the wall between station and the NCL Depot access road as seen here: Regarding the buffer stop I'm thinking a rail built one, but would something more substantial be more appropriate? I had originally thought of sharply curving (disused) rails across the road (ie level crossing) as if to a pier (this situation existed at Kyle, though not from the platform line), in which case a "recently added" rail built one would be perfect, but there simply isn't space to make it look plausible (the radius of the curve would make 1st radius set track look like a straight line in comparison!) As the layout is set c.1970 modern types of buffer stop are right out of course! As for the wall, I have a pack of the same Ratio arched retaining walls used along the canopy, however this would to a large degree hide the Station Building and forecourt and create unwanted shadows. A cut down version perhaps? Or a plainer, low wall or even just a fence or something totally different? Any train in that platform is largely hidden by the retaining wall already, but a loco poking out at this end might make a good photo opportunity. . . And part of the reasoning for building the extension is to make the Station frontage visible after all. . . ! Any prototype inspired suggestion welcome! :-)

Thanks Jim, The Depot Manager will be dismissed immediately while the Fork lift is made compliant! Hadn't realised such laws had been around so long if I'm honest, thanks for pointing it out. Martyn.

Looking great as usual, I really like the flange lubricator you have added near that point, super attention to detail that, don't recall seeing that modelled anywhere before. Hope your electrical problems are resolved now too.

The first recorded visit of a Class 37 to Crinan occurred today, D6728 arrived on 4S46 Block grain working from Doncaster, before visiting the fuel point. It later headed back with a very light 4E47 empties. The resident photographer was lucky to get a few snaps in poor light. The reality is that this test run would have taken place a couple of weeks ago, however the 37 was declared a failure from the off, due to one of the bogie cardan shafts being out of its universal joint, so it didn't even leave the fiddle yard under its own power! This time the run was thankfully succesful, the loco runs very smoothly, though a little noisy. A little grease will hopefully cure this.

Loco was apparently repainted in July 79 and displayed at Llandudno with spotless silver buffers for the Blaenau Ffestiniog centenary. This info and more on Derby Sulzers page, lots of useful info, dates and photos for 081: http://www.derbysulzers.com/24081.html Edit: definately no No.2 end numbers in April 1980 as per 12th photo in this Flickr site: https://www.flickr.com/photos/tigerman20/galleries/72157627831919062/