souwest

I recently got a copy of Steam on the West Highland Railway, an 18 minute film of a railtour by Glens Loy and Falloch, from Queen Street to Fort William. The date was around 1960, as the north Glasgow electric posts were shown at Ardmore. My question is, that between Fort William Station and Rannoch, shortly after leaving FW, you have a clear shot of a signal with a home arm on either side, both showing clear (upper quadrant). I'm sure that the WHR did not have rock fall signals like the Oban line, but I am perplexed by this signal. Can anyone help? Souwest

The first Mrs Souwest was told quite early on about my interests. As it was she had grown up in a preserved railway town, her brother volunteered at said steam railway and was a BR driver with a goodly collection of OO LMS kits. Mrs Souwest is from the US, where they have the correct attitude to model railways and she is all for it. She even offered to knit me a tunnel and some hills when my scenic modelling mojo left me. She does not like dirty locos, and when confronted with an A4 and Coronation class in 00 asked where the betteries went! Oooer missus.

Hi, In all fairness someone who has a hobby (a reasonably respectable hobby), that involves some engineering, mechanical and intellectual thought, as well as the ability to read and think is someone who, biologically speaking is worth catching. Someone who is solid, predictable and probably conservative with a small c ( Herr Goring excepted) is someone who has potential partner boxes ticked. Yes we have a few numpties and heidbangers in our parish, but not many.

A question about the connecting spur from the C&O to the NB main line. How often was this used, before the closure of the Caledonian line east of Crianlarich? Freight from Oban to NB destinations would surely be despatched swifter by working to a marshalling area such as Stirling or Perth, or Greenhill rather than down the WHR. Unless there was much trans-shipment north I would not have thought it would have been used much. But no doubt someone knows differently. Thanks Sou west

Hi, A question, as much on any West Highland station as A&T. How would the station at Arrochar (or Tulloch, or Glenfinnan) or any station on a single line, with a headshunt off the passing loop, and sidings trailing from the headshunt be shunted? I presume a northbound freight would drop off any wagons/vans into the headshunt and they would either be towroped, propped or allowed a controlled descent into the sidings. I know on some branch lines the wagons would be worked to the end of the line and dropped off on the return trip, but the West Highland is no branch, and I cannot see many traders being happy to watch their assets head north to return hours later. The converse, how would goods vehicles be delivered to the Shandons, the Ardluis and the Bridge of Orchys of the line? This would seem to have to involve the loco running round, pulling out the vehicles for the sidings and propelling them in. I would appreciate confirmation of this, or details of what really did happen. Thanks Souwest

Hi, I've tried emailing Ian Clements, the loco builder from Princes Risborough - is he still around? If he could pm me I'd be grateful. Souwest

Try Am Baile - Highland website.

Hi there, In the 1970s Railway Modeller Howard Geddes of the Highland Railway Society (now) wrote an article on his model of Blair Atholl, and covered traffic movements including whiskey barrels north and south and the routes they took. Some good photos of his model too. A beautiful station - go visit! All the best Stewart

Hi, If modelling beware - these plans show the siding coming off the running line. It came off the south-bound loop and is clear in the photos. Also, Scale Trains April 1984 featured this station with lots of photos. Souwest

Now that Oxford Rail are producing some cupboard door wagons it would be great if A Large Retailer was to commission some traders wagons in limited edition runs. Can we have Salmon and Young from Greenock?

Great photos - yes that is it exactly. I was confused as the remaining wood looks to be square (presumably to fit to the viaduct easier) and telegraph poles being round it befuddled me. Many thanks for clearing this up.

A mock tudor pillbox? Only in Bournemouth.

Hi there, Impressed as I have been in Bournemouth for 6 years and am delighted to follow the progress of the model, and wonderful to see it progress to the West station as I live close by. On the two viaducts by the gasworks, the one nearer the sea seems to have the remains of a post on the top of the parapet. Was this a solid wooden signal post? Regards Souwest (From the Other Souwestern line)

I believe so.

I'm sure puss will oblige with the frogs - dead or alive! Mind you our old one brought back fushia heads.

Certainly the only model shop in Bournemouth worth going into and spending money at. Friendly staff, helpful, and does not smell of dirty old men, cigarettes and musty old mould.

Hi there, Layout and locos look great. A very wise touch naming the loco after your wife - but her date of birth in the number is Standing Into Danger surely?

Thank you - one of the Scottish Scale Locoworks - not my effort. I am working on an old Meteor Jumbo which is approaching trials stage though. It will emerge on here once finished and bathed in black.

Also available in blue. Souwest

Is there a source for transfers for for these gorgous locos?

Hi, I think what the issue is, is that there are a lot of low price kits available, for various manufacturers of varying degrees of quality, and with varying levels of detail. There are of course a lot of kits at a mid price range, and many which are expensive. The average new or reasonably new modeller, or modeller on a tight budget would prefer not to spend money on a kit which they feel they could not do justice to. On the other hand they do not want to buy a cheap model which is not accurate or needs a lot of knowledge to put right errors of size etc. I realise there are many good, competent modellers who could easily make a poor kit look superb. There are a lot of modellers who given the best kit (not necessarily the dearest) may not do justice to it. Any kit review is subjective, but at least given an opinion. The Guild's magazine carried out some very good comparison "how we built.." on Tower Class 20, Warship and 8F. Sadly two of these are not available any more. Whitemetal in any case is not an ideal substance for a large scale loco. It would be good to have similar features with two or three modellers giving their opinions of a particular kit. I don't think some of the Guild Worthies who may not want to offend any manufacturer could object to this, if any critisism was positive. Whatever you do, enjoy doing it. Stew