D6150

🙂 I'm also intrigued that at some point the phone has been removed, but the sign has been left....

Back in (a very cold) Keith today. If I've got this right, the last train between Keith and Keith Town ran in 1991, so these signs have been redundant for 30+ years. To be fair the level crossing sign (which I think must have guarded a foot crossing) looks a good deal older. Good to see the old Goods Shed is still hanging on, although the remains of the sliding doors are starting to come away from the gable end walls. Thanks Ken

Ok this time I promise the F100D is finished. A couple of quick photos to show it with the ground crew in place, formerly Airfix British Commandos. Not the best quality figures, but they have turned out ok, to my eyes anyway. I've been playing around with the photo editing options on my old Samsung Galaxy, and have come up with something that might pass as an atmospheric shot from Lakenheath in the 60's (if you squint). Will post up some photos of what's left of 52817 if I make it up the hi in Spring '24, currently the weather isn't really suitable for amateur hill walkers like myself. Thanks Ken

Back in a wintry looking Huntly today. Behind the modern Scotrail signs the original (?) Goods Shed is still there. I didn't realise how much it had been altered, and it seems to be out of use at the moment. The old-fashioned floodlights look a bit melancholy above the small forest that's grown up around the goods sidings. I think the track is still in there somewhere. On a more positive note the waiting area in the modern Station has an interesting collection of railway photos from the 60's and earlier. Thanks Ken

158717 heading off into the dusk towards Dyce from Kintore earlier today, on a busy service from Inverness. Thanks Ken

Oh well, I thought I was finished but no.. The F100 D now has a section of concrete apron to sit on. It's a cake base that was about to go in the recycling, tarted up with acrylic paint. Maybe not 100% accurate, but I quite like the effect. A couple of Airfix British Commandos are in the process of being converted into USAF Europe ground-crew. Not Airfix best effort with that weird squishy plastic and lots of flash, but they should look better once painted. Back to railways once I can leave this alone, there is a Hornby Dublo Met-Camm DMU waiting to be chopped into one of Haymarket's last class 101's in Regional Railways/Scotrail colours. Thanks Ken

Hello. So the F-100D is just about finished! A couple of bits of paint need touched-in, but I'm not doing anything more, apart from painting the base. Not a perfect model, but happy with the end result, and impressed with Esci's product. Just a pity they aren't around any more. As I mentioned earlier, the real 52817 crashed on a hill in southern Aberdeenshire in 1969, following an engine failure on a routine flight from Lakenheath. A fair bit of the wreckage is still there, and I plan to go and have a look at some point. Looking out the window this may need to wait for spring 24 🙁 Thanks Ken

Thanks for the feedback on the I &AJR plaques. Would I be right in think they were removed from the Orton Viaduct in the 60's or earlier? Thanks Ken

158709 departing Kintore for Aberdeen earlier on today, with a service from Inverness. Thanks Ken

A couple from me from Inverness today. First off, a very ornate plaque recording the names of the directors of the Highland Railway (I presume). Currently beside the buffers at the end of Platform 4, but presumably it wasn't always here? Secondly 6 BT payphones on the wall between Platforms 1 and 2 and the main concourse. I can't imagine these get used very often these days. They still have the BT "Piper" logo that was replaced in 2003... Thanks Ken

221123 at Aberdeen this morning, with the 08:20 service to Bristol Temple Meads. I haven't been down to Arbroath/Dundee since June. Does anyone know when the Aberdeen CrossCountry service was cut back from Penzance/Plymouth to Bristol? Is this a permanent change, and does this mean it's no longer the UK's longest passenger rail service...? Sorry lots of questions! Thanks Ken

F100 slowly moving towards completion. Decals are taking a wee while to do, but about 75% there. I've had to chop them about to get the right serial numbers, which was fiddly. The Decals are from Hannants Xtradecal series, which includes a remarkable range of options for the F100 given that they left frontline service with most users around 40 years ago... Thanks Ken

Apparently there were 26 of the Inter7City sets originally, presumably now only 25. I'm not sure how many are needed day to day for the current timetable. How does this compare to the Class 68 and Mk5 sets? Thanks Ken

A couple of 158's at Inverness last Friday (25/08). 158713 (on the right) had just arrived from Wick. Given that these units are now 30+ years old, they are still quite comfortable for the 4 hour run from Thurso. A catering trolley would have been good if you are reading this Scotrail... 😉 I didn't have time for a better photo as I was running for the connecting Inter7City service to Aberdeen. Thanks Ken

Not really sure if this qualifies as a ghost. However.... Does anyone know long the mural of HR locomotive 68 has been on the wall behind the buffer stops at Thurso? The stops themselves also look quite vintage, including one which appears to have taken a knock at some point... Thanks Ken

F-100D slowly moving towards completion. Most of the paint done, and only a few pieces left to add. I've tried to replicate the scorched finish at the rear of the fuselage, which was a common feature of in-service F-100's. Lots of transfers for this one to match the original, so probably a few weeks to go yet. Kit came from Evilbay, and the seller had included a white-metal ejector seat which is a lot more detailed than the one that came with the kit. Quite pleased with the way this has come together so far.

Ok so not really a ghost, but here's 45690 Leander at Platform 7 North at Aberdeen today. I'd love to know just how much of the Station roof/canopy dates back to when steam was still in regular service. I know there have been a couple of refurbs since the 1960's. Thanks Ken

Definitely a lost opportunity to some extent, but that's hardly unique in terms of the Beeching cuts. There are still local bus services, but what's striking is the volume of HGV traffic from the distilleries, most of which would have originally been handled by rail. Some of the HGV's are run on LPG to try and cut emissions, which is quite unusual. Thanks Ken

Aberlour Station on the former Speyside line earlier today. A lot of original features still in evidence, just no trains. I think the far end of the building may be a newer addition? The goods yard behind where I was standing lasted long after trains stopped in 1971, but has now been redeveloped for housing. Rothes, just a few miles down the valley is unfortunately the opposite, with almost all traces of the Station having been removed. Thanks Ken

Stopped off at Gleneagles today for the first time. It's quite a sizeable Station given what I suspect are fairly light passenger numbers, although I realise now that the size of the site has shrunk quite a bit since it opened in 1919. Generally the remaining buildings are in good condition, with period features retained. I was intrigued by the square-faced analogue station clocks doubling up the modern matrix displays. They seem very familiar, but I can't remember the last time I saw one elsewhere. I would guess they are a 1960s or 70s design, and a quick google suggests they have been there since the 1980's at least. Thanks Ken

158702 at a (very warm) Aberdeen Joint Station today. Working the shuttle service from Inverurie to Montrose, which is now also seeing some 170's in use. Thanks Ken

221122 at Dundee this morning on the way to Penzance. Still not there yet either! I walked up to the front of the train for a slightly different view this morning. Thanks Ken

However you look at it, it's a very long day. 5 or 6 crew changes I think? There can't be many passengers who do the whole trip... Ken

Here's 221129 at Dundee this morning. The Aberdeen to Plymouth service has now been extended to Penzance again, and I think some of the intermediate stops in Fife have been restored (the service was non-stop from Dundee to Haymarket until recently). Quite a busy service this morning, with a good crowd waiting to board in Dundee. Thanks Ken

So here we have an EFE AY-type in Lincolnshire Roadcar livery. I think this was released about 15 years ago, and it's a Leyland Leopard, even down to the underfloor engine moulded into the base. The plan now is to convert this into VRG135L, an R226 new to Alexander Northern in 1972. Overall the EFE model is a fairly good match (I think!), with just a few details to alter. I'm going to try and alter the interior to include a representation of the front mounted engine. Thanks Ken