D6150

I'm not sure if these have featured here before, but I recently found the Nimbus range of 1:76 card bus kits on EvilBay. This tied-in with a project I've looked at before for a model of an Alexander bodied Ford R1114. This will be based on the Nimbus Leyland Leopard, which I will hopefully be adding windows and an interior to. The main external differences are to the front panel, to suit the Ford's front-mounted engine. Fords were quite popular with the Scottish Bus Group in the 1970's and early 80's, replacing the rear engined Albion Viking. Northern Scottish ran around 170 of them I think, and they seem to have worked fairly well as low cost lightweight buses on mainly rural routes. If this project goes well, I may be tempted to do a model of the unique volvo B57 that was trialled as a possible replacement for the Ford's in the early 1980's. This lasted into the 1990's with Stagecoach Bluebird in Aberdeen. Ken

158710, platform 6N, Aberdeen Joint Station earlier on today. Weird pattern to the dirt on the front. Ken

This is 221127 departing sunny Arbroath this morning, on the Aberdeen to Plymouth service. Arbroath Station has quite a few "Ghost in the Machine" features, but unfortunately I didn't have time to get any other pictures today. Ken

Yes, something else for me to google... In a way I suppose the railways changed the landscape as much with things like fencing as they did with grand projects like Viaduct and bridges. Nairn now has green fencing since you mentioned it.

Thanks for this. Yes it would be, probably considerably older than the signs... Huntly was GNSR then LNER I'm not sure if either had a house style for fencing to be honest...

A couple from me today. First we have Nairn East Signal Box, which has been out of use for 20+ years I think. The main parts of Nairn Station are listed apparently, and Scotrail seems to be keeping them in good condition, along with Nairn Mens Shed. Nairn East looks a little less well kept, but is probably still wind and watertight. A bit further south at Huntly we have a selection of signs from BR sectorisation and EWS at the former goods yard. Does anyone know what the last goods traffic from Huntly was? The yard is very overgrown, but the track is still there. Thanks Ken

Thanks for this. That makes sense as Laurencekirk closed the first time around in 1967....

Here's 170415, Platform 7N, Aberdeen last November. Probably a service to Inverness.

Original cast-iron fire-place and a couple of original 1950's posters in the refurbished waiting room at Laurencekirk Station. Re-opened in 2009 (time flies!).

158741 on the Montrose - Inverurie shuttle service today. The weather seems to have gone backwards in NE Scotland, dull and cold instead of spring-like....

Here's 221126 at Dundee this morning, just to remind me that CrossCountry are still using Class 221's on the Aberdeen to Plymouth service. A busier service from Aberdeen today, plus a good crowd of passengers waiting to board at Dundee.

Thanks for the feedback. Passenger loadings seem to be quite light from Aberdeen to Dundee whenever I'm travelling, so I wondered if a 220 was more cost-effective than a 221? Having said that, there is usually a good crowd waiting to board in Dundee. I've always been puzzled that the reverse trip from Plymouth/Penzance stops at Edinburgh/Dundee. Thanks

Another "under the bridge" shot from me. Here's 220020 at Dundee this morning. Bright but cold, maybe spring is on the way? When I travelled on the Aberdeen-Plymouth service last year it was normally worked by Class 221's. This year so far it's been Class 220's. Has there been a change of policy at CrossCountry or are the two classes normally used interchangeably? Thanks Ken

Hopefully the right place for this... Here's the former goods shed at Keith Station earlier on today (sunny but freezing!). It looks like it hasn't been touched in years, with various bits of machinery still inside. The track in the foreground is what's left of the line to Dufftown and Speyside. There is a buffer stop just behind me, and then a gap of around a mile before the track starts again at Keith Town (now part of the K&DRA). Some of the late-BR era signage is still in place just where the track was lifted, and I will try and get some photos another time. Thanks Ken

First trip of 2023 to Dundee for work. Here's 220012 stopped under the over-bridge at Dundee. I've always assumed it's a footbridge, but does anyone know for sure? A bright but bitterly cold day, with some fab views of the sun coming up over Aberdeenshire and Angus.

As far as I know, the Voyager that works the 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth service is stabled overnight in Dundee beforehand. I'm assuming it will be serviced and cleaned inside (the interiors are usually pretty clean) but I don't know if they have a washing plant at Dundee? There is one at Clayhills in Aberdeen, which I think might date back to the introduction of the IC125's.

158701 in Platform 4 at Dundee today, before departing with the 14:24 stopping service to Arbroath. Class 37 sneaking in behind.... Thanks Ken

Here's 37219 light engine at Dundee this afternoon. Looking remarkably smart after 50+ years in service. Thanks Ken

Here's a photo of 221138 at Dundee this morning with the 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth crosscountry service. As you can see summer is well and truly gone in the east of Scotland, cold and wet. Thanks Ken

158715 about to leave Kintore for Aberdeen earlier this afternoon. This is the "new" Kintore Station, which I understand is roughly where the yard of the original Station used to be, plus the junction with the branch to Alford. The original Kintore signs are back up after they were returned by a local farmer who had them in safe-keeping since the 1960's. Thanks Ken

The sun was still out earlier this afternoon when 158740 got back to Aberdeen, and here's a snatched photo of 70806 shunting the cement tanks at (very green and leafy) Craiginches. Not the easiest location to get pictures of, except from passing trains... Ken

Ok, if you look carefully, you should be able to see 158740 in the yard at Montrose, before operating the 13:48 service to Inverurie. A return to more normal Scottish summer weather today.... There's still a good-sized yard at Montrose, although it's pretty overgrown, and I can't think of any recent freight traffic. Still preferable to the situation at the other end of 158740's trip, where the track has been lifted in most if not all of the yard at Inverurie. Ken

Here's 221135 on this morning's 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth CrossCountry service. Another quick run to Dundee, Voyagers are actually ok for trips of this length and still seem pretty modern inside (I will now await abuse....). Ken

Scotrail 158713 on the 15:51 "Invernet" service from Invergordon to Inverness on 10/08/22. I can remember these units coming into service in the Aberdeen/Inverness area in the early 1990's, where has time gone? Ken

A quick picture of 221120 in Dundee on this morning's 08:20 Aberdeen to Plymouth service. Some fine weather for the run from Aberdeen to Dundee, although the windows could have done with a bit of a clean. A decent performance from 221120 also. Quite a busy service, as the earlier LNER Azuma to Kings Cross had been cancelled.