Marly51

The billboard posters on  the actual newsstand took longer than I expected, although they will be so tiny as to be hardly legible on the completed structure, which I am now assembling, using my usual layered construction. Prints mounted on a single layer of cereal box card this time. Just got to source some 1950s Scottish/Highland posters, for the finished piece.

Lots of holiday memories of beach huts in Findhorn, but many of them were blown away during storms or washed out to sea! Good luck with getting the model finished on time, Captain Albino!

TechnicArrow, when I returned to railway modelling two years ago, my main interest was modelling the scenery and buildings. Having watched your short videos, as well as those of other modellers, I have come to appreciate the operation side more.  Amazing how much detail you have crammed into these three boxes, and also created a very realistic model as well! Thank you.

On 27/07/2018 at 17:00, Marly51 said:

A week ago I undertook a small measured survey of the signal box at Rogart Station. We are using Rogart Signal Box as the prototype for two models on the Lairg Station Layout.

The station is privately owned and also the location of Sleeperzzz - hostel accommodation in old carriages, showmans wagon or B&B in the ‘Waiting Room’. http://www.sleeperzzz.com

 

 

Currently modelling two HR signal boxes in 2mm scale, but couldn’t resist buying the 00/H0 Peco kit, which I may use for a diorama or shelf layout!

I have already drawn up plans for a German HOe layout, so might just have a go at an alternative on this board! Even if it doesn’t go further than the planning stage!

2 hours ago, JohnR said:

Surely getting a circle in O onto that size board would be very tight? Whats the minimum radius?

Oops - 0 Gauge is a non- starter, John & Douglas! Too busy doing micro-models and N gauge - put it down to over enthusiasm! Think I’ll have to move the 0 gauge into the garden! I’ve renamed the topic and will see what I can do with the smaller scales!

The posts about wagon loads of barrels being transported by rail reminded me of my early days working in the bank as a ‘foreign business’ clerkess in the late 1960s. We dealt with Exchange Control and Bills of Lading for the export and import of all kinds of Scottish goods including whisky - barrels full on the outward journey, empty on the way back. While this documentation was mainly for shipping, I began to wonder about earlier loaded wagons being transported by ferry to the Continent. Who knows what historic detail about the movement of goods is still hidden in old archives or lost? Found this interesting link https://www.igg.org.uk/rail/7-fops/fo-ferry.htm

I have just been offered a 4ft diameter table top, which I am considering converting into a multi gauge circular test track layout. As I am already working on a 9ft long N gauge layout in three sections in the workshop, space is limited. My collection includes locomotives in 0, 00 and N gauge. I have seen photographs of circular test tracks in model railway club rooms. It would be quite easy to have the circular board raised by a pulley to the workshop cross beams, when not required. The board would be supported on folding legs when in use. One of the first model railways I ever saw was a layout raised to a living room ceiling, by pulley, in a small tenement flat in Dundee, in the 1950s. The layout sat on the kitchen/dining table quite comfortably!

As I also enjoy modelling scenery and buildings, I would quite like to leave enough space between the different tracks to allow for some moveable low relief detail. Opportunities for photographing the models against a suitable backdrop!

I shall post some more as I work out a few details. It would interesting to hear from any members who have constructed something similar?

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

Marlyn, this is my favourite among your cakeboxes, so I'm glad to see some progress. But you really must stop prioritising the other projects, cake boxes have feelings too you know!  

Thanks Mikkel! I do like having a few things on the go, but will finish this one for the challenge! There are just too many interesting topics to explore for railway modelling!! 

Do you think painting the back of the board, or pasting lining paper on the back, might have provided enough tension to adjust curvature of the board?

On 05/09/2019 at 14:05, OOman said:

This is a new build I am planning after a few failed starts with other layouts.

This diorama will have a goods theme to it, with an embankment at the back of the diorama. The items I will be using are:

Model scale scenery 200x200 diorama board,

Peco setrack,

Wills timber built yard store,

5 Plank wagon,

fencing, ballast, static grass, shrubs, bushes and a few wild flowers.

I have made a mock-up of diorama.

 

It’s good to experiment, Kevin! Mock-ups can help us decide whether an idea is going to work or not! Good luck with the build!

Marlyn

53 minutes ago, 47137 said:

It didn't work for me either - same problems and I scalded myself with the stuff too! I did have some success with Woodland Scenics "Realistic Water" but when I went back to its bottle some months later it had set solid. So I only used a small part of the product. This was for water about 1-2 mm deep. I was pleased with the effect but expensive for what I achieved.

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/55633-thread-shed/&do=findComment&comment=704237

 

- Richard.

 

I agree Richard. Even my local model shop mentioned they thought these products were a bit on the expensive side. I’ll see how I get on with my older tried and tested method!

Marlyn

4 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

I hope you are inspired to include this into a layout next  

Maybe Paul! I am not fixing it permanently to the base, so that is always an option!

I am focusing on my other Cake Box just now, but the news stand for Waverley is printed out and ready to be assembled! I also have to decide whether I will have time to include some station canopy roof girder details - not sure if this might be too fussy? The backscene from the station along the tracks towards the tunnel under the Mound, with Edinburgh Castle in the distance, might be sufficient - we’ll see?

This roof tiling ‘lark’ is a slow process! Can’t wait to get going with the scenery and rail embankment! For the window shutters, I found a section of pre-printed ‘green’ on some cereal box card, and a green pen from a cheap ‘poundshop’ set was the exact match to touch up the edges!

11 hours ago, Caley Jim said:

An email to Alisdair Campbell brought the following response:

 

As far as I am aware (which is based upon Peter Tatlow's book), the Highland did not have any specialised lime wagons. I expect it was put in sheeted opens, whether bagged or in bulk.

From the size of the quarries at Shinness, I suspect that the quantities of lime from there were pretty small. From the NLS map site, the 6 inch map series 1843-1882 clearly show the quarry, probably in operation. The actual date of the map is not shown on the NLS website, but the Sutherland Railway has been built. It was opened in 1868. The later 6 inch series (1888-1913) map shows the quarries as disused by that time, so clearly the trade was dead by then. There was a lime works beside Lairg station, function in the earlier series and disused in the later. Interestingly, limekilns were present, but disused, at Shinness in the later series, but do not appear at all in the earlier series. It would be a fairly laborious walk these days to get to them, as the raising of Loch Shin for the hydro scheme has cut off the access track meaning a bog trot round the head of an inlet where once there was a wee lochan. 

There are no other outcroppings of limestone in the area round Lairg, although there was a kiln near Lairg station. Again, it was disused by the date of the later series.

Perhaps the 1930s-1940s traffic was inbound, although another possibility is that it was being trucked from the Assynt or Durness areas by that time for export.

 

HTH,

 

Jim

 

Thanks Jim (& Alisdair)!

If local supply was limited, it is possible the lime was inbound for the Lairg Brickworks, which were built in in 1937. The 19th century limekilns at The Airde, Loch Shin, are still intact. The Lairg brick was made with sand and lime and the Brickworks also sold, sand lime and cement locally. https://www.scottishbrickhistory.co.uk/lairg-quarry-and-brick-company-ltd-lairg-sutherland/ Now I need to find out whether the bricks were transported by road or rail, but  that would be during the days of LMS not pre-grouping!

Marlyn

On 02/09/2019 at 22:03, Caley Jim said:

The CR had some 40 8T lime wagons (Dia 25) which were basically Dia 22 open wagons with peaked roofs.  They were for carrying quicklime in sacks, this being the basis of the disinfectant used in cattle wagons.  The limestone used as a flux in the iron and steel industry was carried in ordinary mineral wagons.

(Caledonian Railway Wagons and NPCS by Mike Williams; p161)

 

Jim

Jim, do you know of similar lime wagons used by the Highland Railway? Lime was quarried at Shinness north of Lairg, where the landowners also built limekilns in the early 19th century. This lime was intended  for both agricultural and building use, including land reclamation - it was transported by boat, down Loch Shin to Lairg, then taken onwards by road to the station. ‘Lime works’ (lime burner) existed by the station in the early station  days, later a shed was built there to store lime for the brickworks. One of the older local men thought that lime may have also been transported by rail in the 1930s - 1940s?

Marlyn

Brylonscamel and Justin 1985, I agree with you both on the challenges of scratch building. Artistic licence is often necessary to produce the model which sits well within the ‘modelled’ landscape as well as trying to remain true to the essence of the architecture! Great modelling both of you!

13 hours ago, brylonscamel said:

 

This elevation of another Highland distillery may also be of interest ..

I love these old architectural drawings! Great reference! 

Marlyn

With holidays and visitors, model making has slowed down to a standstill, over the last fortnight! Second floor of the hostel elevations with 17 tiny windows completed last night, so I can finally assemble the building and get on! Window shutters, sills and other details still to be added.

Your CakeBox makes me smile, Andy! Full of seaside holiday colour and activity! 

16 hours ago, TechnicArrow said:

You want ideas, I've got them... what follows is the result of a student downloading AnyRail, and having lots of time (read: procrastinating) but no space or budget at that time. Maybe this thread could be used to collect other track plans for this size into one place.

Some interesting options, TechArrow! Like you, I have drawn up many plans for medium and small layouts, using AnyRail. Mine are all based on real locations, which I hope to eventually model a few over the next few years! 

8 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Brilliant!

 

The little NG wagon is unusual in this application, in that it looks much more like a mine tub than a typical slate wagon.

This is all new to me, Nearholmer, but really enjoying reading everyone’s analysis of the different loads, wagons and loading techniques!

On 30/08/2019 at 23:10, Marly51 said:

The only image I could find re Caithness quarry transportation is of a tramway only  (from the wonderful Johnston Collection of Photograhs curated by Wick Heritage.)

https://johnstoncollection.net/show_image.php?ind=JN25281B045

 

There is an old photo of loaded quarry wagons and trolleys at Ballachullish, similar to the one posted above by Nearholmer, but I don’t have a link for this one.

 

 

Tracked the Ballachullish photo down with help from another forum member. It was posted by Grantown East Cultural and Heritage Centre. http://www.grantowneast.com/

4 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

Marly

 

Very interesting photo (if you like quarry railways, probably not if you don't).

 

I'd be prepared to wager that track is SG, or close to it, rather than NG, and the smoothness of the "four foot" strongly suggests horse-haulage.

 

Apologies to the OP for taking things a bit OT.

 

Kevin

 

EDIT: Now, how about this?! A horse-drawn train, on said tramway! The wagons are fitted with frames to allow the on-edge slabs to be supported, just like their tiny brethren at slab quarries in Wales. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nationalmuseumsscotland/5903855369

 

EDIT: This gives the gauge as 4ft 7.5ins https://www.caithness.org/caithnessfieldclub/bulletins/1998/guage_of_slate_quarry_tracks.htm

 

EDIT: Herewith a film of the horse drawn Nantlle Railway, carrying roofing slate, in action, which should give some idea of what the Caithness operation was like  https://player.bfi.org.uk/free/film/watch-rails-to-talsarn-1962-online

 

Thank you for this Nearholmer! There are also a couple of  photos from other Caithness quarries, with single horses (not heavy horses) and carts alongside the quarrymen. The Caithness slabs are huge - I can't imagine many being loaded onto a regular cart! Definitely worth more research!

Apologies to Ruston for digressing from the main topic of wagon loads! 

Marlyn