37Oban

Ah, James Bolivar diGriz, or Slippery Jim, alias The Stainless Steel Rat! I think it's time to get them off the shelf and read the books again! Roja

To make it easier to hand load fish boxes into open wagons? Roja

Brambles! You've just got to have brambles! Roja

Hi, mm, looks more like stonework. The base colour looks like a sandstone or millstone, and there are various sizes of blocks, particularly in length, that wouldn't happen with bricks, especially ones manufactured in a commercial brickworks brickworks. Roja

Hi, I've only just come across your layout, and all I can say is "Wow"! Although I live well south of the border my railway interests are railways around Glasgow, the Central Belt, and, because I once lived there, Oban! My dream layout, if I ever had the space, and, more importantly, finances, would Oban, with, or without, the mpd and town freight yard, in either EM or 7mm! I can but dream! I'm currently building a layout, St Mungo's, although it's in store at the moment pending a move. It's a product of my imagination but something that could have, maybe, have been built, on the south bank of the Clyde near Adelphi Street. It's in EM, with a viewing area of only 4' x 18" with a 3' turntable fiddleyard (yet to build) There will be two operating periods: 1964-70 and 1918-22. I've joined the Caledonian Railway Association and have the main books, apart from signalling, which is next on my list. Seeing your layout is both inspirational and informative. Time to get back to the workbench, those Ratio carriage kit conversions wont make themselves! Regards, Roja

Hi, when I built a couple of 7mm locos I used to spray on cold days without any problems. I used automotive rattle cans for primer and colour. I used to warm these, and the loco parts, in a cool oven then quickly out with them and spray, wrapping the parts waiting for spraying in a towel to keep them warm. Never had any problems doing things this way, but you have to be careful not to let the oven get too hot for safety reasons! I had my oven set for 50C, enough to warm things up without melting any white metal fittings, but everything, especially the cans, were removed when warm to the touch. It's not worth risking any higher temperature as this may cause the cans to explode! At a pinch balancing things on a radiator works, but you have to be careful doing this, it's all too easy to knock things to the floor! Roja

Did you use hot or cold water and how long did you have to leave them to soak? Asking for a friend! Roja

Hi, I've just had a quick gleg on t'interweb and came across this image. Does it help? ISTR seeing a couple of similar pictures in a book many moons ago, but I no longer have it. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/lifestyle/nostalgia/tractors-leaving-meltham-1960-were-8905201 Roja

Hi, speaking from personal experience, I found it best to decide which couplings to use before tracklaying. Doing so makes it lot easier to work out the best location for the magnets (if using) discover unforeseen fouling points and then installing then testing before doing any other work. Easier to correct any changes required then crack on with other projects once happy with the setup! Roja

Can almost hear the sound of EE engine echoing of the rock walls, although my favourite would a hard working 27! Magic! Roja

Not just me, then! Must be a rule of railway modelling! Roja

Great minds and all that! You've really caught the essence and atmosphere of a line I knew well and still travel along when I get chance, which is all too infrequent nowadays. Hopefully that will change in the next couple of years! Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Hogmanay! Roja

Hi, the first thing that came to my mind regarding this is a levelish area with a few hummocks, a mixture of short grass, as grazed by sheep, tussock and cotton grass, with some bog myrtle and the odd tussock of heather, with, maybe, some lowish rocks showing. Maybe a hidden burn or small pools of water. Very Rannoch moorish but also found all over the west and north of Scotland. Roja

Hi, not to get bogged down in physics, but unless all the parts involved are engineered to work in harmony with each other, there is always a small a small amount of waddle when using such a rolling road. There's the interface between the rail and roller saddle, play in the rollers and play in the locomotive chassis. I have run various diesels on a similar rolling road, with various degrees of waddle yet they run as smooth as silk on my layout. IMHO I wouldn't worry about the small amount of waddle displayed on the rollers, it is doubtful if you'd notice it when they're running on the layout, unless you're pretending that they are express locos!

Railtour! Roja

Darn, guess I have no chance of getting a camel now! Roja

I've lucked out then, don't have a sister! Would my brother do? Roja

I have just realised there are further questions! Does Algy know which case and where it's going? Is this a code for moving the packing crate from the back of the lorry in Little Muddle? Roja

Well, not much chance of getting anything done this afternoon, just downloaded "Biggles Takes The Case" to my Kindle. The questions are, which case and where to? Be a bit cold at the seaside! Roja

I do, when I have the time. I still have the first one I bought, "The Camels are Coming", way back in the mid 60's when I was a wee nipper! I've about twenty five or so books, so a long way off the complete collection! Always wanted a Sopwith Camel! Roja

Hi, before committing yourself, have a look at Broom Junction, EM layout. There's a model of a portable cattle loading ramp there. I'm pretty sure I've seen others as well. When I get a few minutes I mat have a trawl of t'interweb! Roja

Hi, I would have thought the requirement for cattle dock would depend on the proposed amount of traffic. If of sufficient quantity then a cattle dock would be provided, but if the traffic was of a more intermittent nature then the use of the the temporary pens on the platform, using the loading ramp, or a portable, wheeled ramp would seem more likely. The advantage of the wheeled ramp is that livestock can be loaded at nearly any spot in the yard, especially if other goods wagons are occupying the other positions. A moveable ramp would also make a nice little cameo model in it's own right! Roja

Brambles! Got to have some brambles! Roja

Hi, the end of the overbridge will need some form of support. If left like this it will, inevitably, get caught on something an possibly cause some serious damage to it! Better safe than sorry, even if it's not quite prototypically correct! Roja

Hi, like the way things are progressing! Mm, ideas for the industry? I agree not a dairy, and definitely not an engineering works or chemical plant. Howsabout a food canning plant, a pet food manufacturer or a jam and preserve manufacturer? Roja