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Russ (mines a pint)

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Blog Entries posted by Russ (mines a pint)

  1. Russ (mines a pint)
    I probably need to ask more about couplings?
     
    last time I had N gauge it was impossible to remove one of the wagons without overturning the whole train, but that was with the standard couplings!
     
    What are DG's? and how fiddly are they?
    - how far off are the magnetic knuckle couplings as per micro trains style?
  2. Russ (mines a pint)
    As predicted the increase in daylight in the evenings has corresponded in a much bigger uptake of my non-model railway hobbies! I'd become a bit stalled as I mentioned last time with the Banff based layout and it is now stored for the summer.
     
    I mentioned a boxfile diorama which I had started and this is now at track laid and scenics started level.
     
    A few record shots here just to show what is going on though to be honest there isn't really anything worth showing yet.
     

    operations being over seen by no1 cat!
    the t-shaped piece of plywood is for further attention!
     

     

     

     
    Before moving to the station on which its based. I'd mentioned the Alston branch in previous bletherings which had actually spurred me into the impetus of purchasing the 108 which caused so many problems previously- then they announced the re-tooling of the met-camm too Aarggh!
     
    Having been discussing 'small simple' stations with someone else on the forum I remembered this one,which we have also walked past as it is now part of one of the sustrans trails.
     
    There were various trackplans over the years I had started out thinking the one with loop and colliery access was the one (circa 1930's) but tthen looked at the size of the space available in the twin boxfiles and have gone to the arrangement of single road with a disused siding. In making the point 'inactive' - all the moving parts and crossings etc replaced with through plain track I can make this into a test track to run both unconverted and converted stock. The siding can become thoroughly overgrown and host to some long abandoned wagons- which is the sort of thing I like!
     
    - as you can see the station and buildings in proximity are quite simple and shouldn't create anything like the headaches of the ones at Banff!
  3. Russ (mines a pint)
    Well I've flipped between OO/N - N/OO - even forays into other scales & gauges - but its getting harder.
     
    I'm naturally biased to the BRCW type 2 (class 26 & 27) and Dapol has done great things with its rendition,
     
    I've had the old skool offerings from minitrix & lima in the respective scales and the newer 4mm Heljan, but I reckon the Dapol offering is possibly the best we've ever had, particularly regards the 27 cab front, the Lima & Heljan 4mm offerings are much more the 26 than the 27.
     
    Attention to detail with the windscreens on the 27 which are (or at least were prior to the mid to late 80's ) different from the 26's,means its a must have to me.
    - now fortunately the previous N clearout means I can just model somewhere with one of them and a couple of coaches, yes?
     
     
    also gives the chance to lookover a few previous layout plans & ideas:
     

     

     

     
     
    Although most of the highland termini were spacious I'm still looking for a half station approach, without the complexity of the buildings at Kyle, I think I've thought of something - but don't quote me on that !
  4. Russ (mines a pint)
    Definitely a night off the buildings tonight, both meself and my eyes very tired!
     
    Time to veg-out with the laptop and think what to actually make this stuff into...
     
    as mentioned before Cromdale and Blacksboat have simple-ish track layouts, they are both through stations though with the resulatant waste in fiddleyard space.
     
    I remember also a thread on the old forum by Neil Ripley (Rippers) titled a '1001 layouts I'm not going to build' !There was a plan for a minimalist version of Banff on there- titled 'Banffish', it looks quite interesting though I dont think 4 tracks running into a single fiddleyard is something which appeals... There is a version of the real Banff in the Modelling Scotland's Railways book by Ian Futers I think something in between the two might work, it is of course a terminus too, the only downside is a very substantial station house which I am NOT building
     
    - but maybe there is a case for 'mixed & matched' buildings.
     
     
    Other useful points are the fact that it held one into BR blue era, as captured here
    -if only in a freight capacity
     
    Very basic templot version:
    Banff.pdf
    Main factors:
    * simplified passenger platform as per prototype (- this has no points so laid in easitrack can look good but also be used to test N gauge stock prior to conversion. )
    * small goods yard to test coupling/uncoupling
    * straight and curved points
    * third point (and front most) siding could be lost if doesn't seem suitable later without detracting from the other factors listed above.
     
    Scenic thoughts to follow, but I do like the trainshed and cliff straight behind it
  5. Russ (mines a pint)
    One of the features of the blog idea I was really looking forward to was getting the prototype pics in somewhere near the start:
     
    on the old forum I put them in a seperate prototype thread and they got swampled/buried within a very short space of time! I hope these pics may be a useful companion to both the Ian Futers articles/drawings in RM and the 'Modelling Scotland's Railways' book. There are also pages on the Subbrit and Northumbrian Railways webpages.

    Fairloans area looking towards Saughtree

    Fairloans Limekilns

    cinder trackbed nr. Deadwater

    Station approach road

    NW end of stations and thought to be ware a quarry branch took off



    A load of old buffers! - handy if anyone looking for A NBR timber block...


    PW Hut now used as store


    Station

    The very distinctive tree which features in many views of Deadwater across the years.

    station outbuilding, evidence suggests that at time of operation of the railway this building was whitewashed. It has also possibly been enlarged/extended.


    end profile of the buildings






    Deadwater Burn viaduct a typical two arch viaduct, unfortunately for the layout I'd already modelled this on the one arch 'bridge 30' which was a subject of the 'Keilder Forest' RM article!

    the real Deadwater Burn, takes its name from the hardly moving water, this phot was used in the making of the backscene.

    one of the very enclosed by forestry sections of trackbed, a good excuse for a scenic break. (and my border collie! )

    un-explained and rather substantial trackside concrete hard-standing between Deadwater and Keilder, I would like it to have been for rail freight, but suspect it is a more modern addition!


    Bridge 30 which is modelled on the layout, despite it being at Keilder station! - it was done before the site visit, based on pics from the RM article on Kielder Forest station! To this day it still needs the rusty railings adding!
  6. Russ (mines a pint)
    Its nice to have the opportunity to condense the god-knows how many pages of posts from the old forum into 'a potted history' of the last two years or so. This first post is mostly a curious tryout of the new format, so please bear with me!
     

    The layout included my first attempt at building track, A B6 turnout in EM gauge

    Not to mention a scratchbuilt version of the station building. Which was something I really struggled with in the early stages. After a couple of rebuilds of this I managed to get it roughly right. I'm still not happy with the windows, and have modified these in the makeover of the layout, which includes adding a further scenic board (more of that later)
     

    A view of the last time the layout operated properly! this was at Scalerail East Midlands (2008) People who were at the 2008 members day will know that the electrics and fiddleyards of the layout had started to give serious trouble. It was this that made me decide the layout would have to be either scrapped or re-worked. Which is starting to take place now.
     
    I'll be along later when I've worked out how to upload my own images, the layout features on the Northumbrian Railways site, the second two pictures here are my own pictures, edited by the webmaster of that site. A link to the Northumbrian Railways pages on Deadwater, Northumbrian Railwaysand SubBrit SubBritI've contributed a few prototype pics to both these sites from a site visit to the station in 2007.
  7. Russ (mines a pint)
    Amongst other things (including posting off the order for track) have been looking at plans and buildings today, for the trial run I am looking for simple plans and came back to the idea of building another Deadwater but in 2mm or looking at the Speyside line from Nethy Bridge to Craigellachie.
     
    Heres a few picutres from a previous visit
     

     

     

    - would anyone care to hazard a guess to the dimensions of this magnificent goods shed?
     
    I've been looking at the kestrel kits that I have acquired with a view to using them for building aids, made a start on the country station today, I picked this up sometime ago on the grounds that with a few modifications it would not look a million miles from either the border counties or some of the other small stations in Scotland.
     
    I intend to not use the canopy, and am in the process of making modifiactions to the front layout of the building:

    at close of play, you can only deal with this sort of thing for a small length of time!
    - the new windows are now glued in, the etches become rather bent with all the handling, and trying to straighten them up whilst the glue is wet just pings them back off! so going to let the glue go off then straighten everything up, then add strips of plastruct into the gaps between frames.
    - by no means perfect but I think should look OK once the windows tidied up then painted etc, and its better than I could of scratchbuilt I think.
    now some 'in progress' shots

     

     

     
    at first when modifying the building I actually broke the front of it , it has mended pretty sucessfuly and I am sure will look OK after filling and painting!
     
    the last pic of the 3 shows how the front has been altered with a timber frame section, the etched windows yet to be added.
  8. Russ (mines a pint)
    Having struggled with the fiddliness of 2mm for a year or so with little progress to show, and more importantly vastly reduced inclination to continue I decided the time had come to revert to 4mm scale.
     
    - despite having been in EM before, I was seeing lots of layouts on here and in the mags that were OO and didn't look any the worse for it, so decided to give that a go again.
     
    - time & space lately is such that a compact, relaxing and easygoing set up is what is required.
     
    - I was extremely interested in the small boxfile/ APA box style of models which seem to offer a confined and compact ready base in which to build in - the self contained 'in' is very much an attractive feature. Even when you accept you may need an exterior fiddle space.
     
    One thing that certainly hasnt changed is my ability to get waylayed and distracted by lots of different prototypes!
     
    I'd promised myself not to upload any more wanderings to my blog until there was actually some 'concrete layout' going on!!
     
    the link below shows how I am getting on:
     
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65770-meanders-ramblings-from-inside-an-ikea-apa-box/page-2
  9. Russ (mines a pint)
    Yet another blast from the past:
     
    I recently discovered I still had the retaining walls from the erstwhile Old Lane, which was a shunting layout which was just getting started when we were moving. It was based on a disused cutting are in Halifax on an ex LY/GNR bit of route which eventually led to the Queensbury triangle:
     

     
    The layout is now landfill - but my retaining walls will now live on in my APA box layout, which may or not yet resemble the old lane cutting!
     

     
    This believe it or not is the THIRD layout I have started inspired by the original real location, you never know one might get completed one day!
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/65770-apa-box-when-you-realise-the-original-idea-was-a-good-one/page-3
  10. Russ (mines a pint)
    Thanks for all the the suggestions and general morale helping in respect of the frustration of the last entry, I'm not giving up on 'Banff-ish' but I am putting it away for a bit. Thanks also 'scanman' for the pm I will get back to you regarding questions/suggestions pretty soon. A decent day on the first day of BST has also confirmed 'modelling time' will be taking a bit of a hit- here's what its up against...
     

     

     
    The baseboard has been mended (yes I did kick it across the room - and I'm normally so mild mannered! ) and modified as detailed in a previous entry. Its going to go into store now for the summer. I am keeping out the buildings and trackplan/track parts and will be working on these as time permits. A trip to the real Banff is also on the cards as our summer holidays are booked in the area.
     
    So the outlook is good but for the now the enjoyment has gone out of it, trying to work on it is just a chore and I don't believe that a good model could come out of just 'carrying on' in that frame of mind. It will be back though.
     
    I'd started modifying two box-files for use as a 'starter project' in N gauge about a couple of years ago, when I was thinking of trying the 'Deadwater' idea again but as a code 55 peco N gauge layout with Union Mills locomotives, this never went much further forward than the 'ideas' stage, but I've dug out the boxfiles again and started adding to them:
     
     

     

     
    adding timber blocks to support trackbed and gluing the boxfiles together, using the timber and the outer coating of the boxfiles.
     

     

     
    A Peco large point compares roughly to an A7 real point, that apart from sleeper spacing is why it looks wrong, I believe a point with over a 1 in 6 divergence (1 ft in every 6 ft) should have a B switch (a B switch is 6 sleepers long, compared to an A switch of 4 sleepers) the A7's were therefore subsituted with B8's and heres sleepers going down onto the templot plan.
     
    The 2mm S.A. sleepers are much better than you can buy in 4mm they are a 'double track width' assuming siding/loop track centres rather than plain double track, so each time you cut one you get a 'partner' which can be used somewhere else in the turnout(s)
     
    the last pic shows 1 rail which has been filed up in the easitrac 1in8 crossing jig. this has also been passed through one easitrac section, beyond which there will be a level crossing so its back to copperclad.
     
    Buildings for this one are quite simple, a box like timber structure on the platform, a level crossing cottage which is already sourced from kit just needs adapting, and lots of trees - a simple life!
  11. Russ (mines a pint)
    As the layout progressed certain angles became favourites on RmWeb, I was genuinely suprised at how well received what was little more than a scenic test track was received. Rescuing few of the better pics, before we move onto the next scenic board!
     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Whilst not forgetting the 'mousemat' option LOL !
     
    Some early shots prior to completion:

     

     

  12. Russ (mines a pint)
    A start has been made on the trainshed buildings, much confidence gained from getting the plans for the real one, thanks to a fellow RMWebber, much appreciated.
     

     

     
    as mentioned before this layout will be 'inspired by' Banff, not a meticulous rendition.
    - the building is definitely to be compressed lengthwise, having checked the plans, the full size would not fit in (and the one I've started building only just fits in- there may have to be more tweaks to the track )
     
    I'm much happier with the buildings now having ditched the butanone which I think must have expired it shelf-life or become contaminated, I'm now sticking stuff together with PVA which seems to work on 'most things' but ti is slower, a bit of assembly leave it and go do something else for a bit, its cut down on the swearing but it is of course alot slower overall.
     
    -but thats given me chance to finish off to 'base level' of the ground in front of the track.
     

     
    -its the 'old newspaper' method again, it'll never work - thats what they said last time!
     
    instead of the messy wallpaper paste I just dampened the strips of newspaper then painted over with 50/50 dilute PVA when it was where I wanted it, then when almost dry (about 90-95%) get some emulsion over it - this is seude vinyl silk:
     

     
    now been left to dry and the whole stuff is pretty solid, I may go for a second coat though just to be sure, this method worked very well on Deadwater Burn despite frequent movement it prothed durable, light and of course very cheap, the version seen here was in fact free, because the paper was one passed on from the neighbour, and the paint was left by the previous owner of the house - its cheaper and lighter than mod-roc and not 'that' much messier.
     
    I've got to work out how or if at all to do the rest of the bits of the station building, the Kestrel building you saw earlier has been cut into sections now. The front bit which I altered with the windows is to go next to a little ornamental archwhich led into a kind of 'close' which gave access to the non-open end of the trainshed - if I go for representing the 'big hoose' in anyway it will probably be from the rear in low profile against the backscene.
     
    Still waiting on the track to come, that should slow things down a bit!
  13. Russ (mines a pint)

    Port Kirkaig

    By Russ (mines a pint),

    I've researched the Northwest Highlands fairly extensively with regards to the HR proposals, of the ones not built I think the Ullapool/Lochinver ones stood the best chance, both for fish traffic but also to serve the western isles and Stornoway.
     
    The proposals were brought to serve existing ports, a line from Garve to Ullapool would have encountered serious difficulties with terrain - the pennines are often referred to as the 'roof of England' and to me the terrain crossed would similarly be called the 'roof of scotland'- the midland railway certainly took on the North Pennines - it cost them dear both financially and in terms of human lives.
     
    A route from the far north line diverging at the bridge at the Kyles of Sutherland, heading up the east side of the Glen Oykel.stations at Rosehall , Bridge of Oykel, Elphin then to a final destination between Lochinver & Ullapool, I offer you 'Port Kirkaig' as this seems to be the cleanest run down to the sea from Elphin
     
    branch trains would obviously be to Ardgye (for Bonar Bridge) or Tain
     
    from th old forum:
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=15183&hilit=ardmair
  14. Russ (mines a pint)
    a bit of a problem getting decent pics in this small scale, suppose I will get used to it!
     

    - the goodshed will be on a plinth/platform which will make it correct height, just checking clearances here.
     

     
    Sea wall progress- foamboard or plywood has been used for support on top of which is Slaters 4mm dressed stone, I've gone a scale up to get those 'big stones' effects you get with large sea walls. The gaps are slowly being filled with scrap polystyrene and/or pink foam - messy! need the vacuum close by...
     

     
    Onced finished the joins were tidied up in the plasticard, handy to keep an eye on this as they can move a little as the glue goes off, the glue drying is speeded up by leaning the whole board end on up against the radiator, once glue is dry any gaps in plasticard can be gone over with a little pva or filla according to size of gap.
     
    Need some ideas now for constructing the train shed, probably the largest & most complex building to be done!
    -any suggestions of sources of good pictures or even plans would be great, even the similar ona at Macduff would do, as there is no way in either trackplan or scenics that this will be a faithful reproduction of Banff, its just 'Banff-themed'
     
    Buchan Bay is an idea I've had for a name but don't know if it'll stick! - or maybe Port Buchan.
  15. Russ (mines a pint)
    A few things have come to light over the last week:
     
    Firstly, as built the board does not fit in its intended storage place, in spite of my best efforts of measuring up etc.
     
    Secondly, I'm going to scrap and totally rebuild the goods shed so far having compared it with the plans of the real one on which its based.
     
    Thirdly, the train shed building has been revamped, it did not need a total rebuild progress shots soon.
     
    The first bit is currently the biggest problem, I've got a replacement trackplan that will fit which is in the style of Abergwynant/Port Pennan style/shape of thing which should go inside of 3ft. Currently thinking about whether to modify the existing baseboard or just join two boxfiles end to end for the scenic section, that would at least give a definined area to work with.
     
    Having got the plans and research on the web I still fancy the GNSR setting, especially as the new 20 has just been announced, the locos were instrumental in freight working on both the speyside and coastal routes- other than that its all up in the air again, as usual!
  16. Russ (mines a pint)
    Though its hard to believe sometimes that I started the Deadwater layout in 2006/7 and thats now erm a long time ago:
    http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10949
     
    I recall converting various type 2 diesels to EM and being hopeful I may be able to get suitable stock to run a more accurate ( ie when the line actually WAS open) period - most of the suitable things of the time were the ex mainline split chassis models.
     
    Its hard to believe there is now not only RTR ex LNER non-gangway passenger stock, but also the D11/2 now to modern standards - tempting?
     

  17. Russ (mines a pint)
    Well I decided to give the point buidling another go today:
     
    Changed a few things from the last attempts, the flux and the place I was working on the stuff!
     
    Seems to have been a better experience altogether, now got the stock rails into this B8 loco release crossover, and although it is seen here in very raw form things do seem to be coming together.


     
     
    I've yet to take the decision on whether to go the full 2mm hog or to put the crossing and checkrails to N standards.
     
    At the week end I hope to pick up a APA box or two from Ikea, which will be my home for this project. (see also this thread)
     
    - there are another two B8 points at 'sleepers stuck to templot plan' stage, thought I might as well get the trackwork started whilst finalising plans as to what to do with it!
     
    the plans edging out into the forefront are a branch into the Northwest Highlands, which was my first thought, almost going back to seeing Steve Flints 'Kyle of Tongue' in the 1980's which has always been a massive inspiriation:
     
    lochinver, Ullapool, kinlochbervie or Durness? - one of them is going to get a railway, in model form at least!
  18. Russ (mines a pint)
    Having measured, planned and all that sort of stuff I'm back with the Border Counties route and its smaller stations with simple track layouts.
     
    Thread here:
     
    After the various things about Blog quality I've decided to go back to the 'thread' approach for the time being at least.
    This is probably not the worst attempt at blogging (as I have been drawing useful feedback from it!) -but I do have to confess to not really knowing what I am doing with regards blocks/entries etc - and its not looking as good or well formatted as some of the better blogs I've seen on here.
     
    I'll probably just leave it there for now until such a time as I can be bothered to work out how to do things & use the blogs to their full potential.
  19. Russ (mines a pint)
    Having spent another evening of swearing, throwing things about the room and generally not enjoying myself I think I am coming to terms with the idea that the making anything more complex than a simple-ish structure from scratch is outwith my skills!
     
    - In fact its taken me a couple of beers and a favourite relaxing CD to even get to the stage of being able to think about my problems!
     
    Come to think of it this was the achilles on with the 4mm stuff and the station building was much more simple, being a basic 2 box structure, I'm sort of wondering what pocessed me to think I might be capable of building such a structure as Banff?
     
    The impending arrival of summer (or at least BST!! ) has led me to think long and hard- I'd hoped to get to 'track laid' stage by this point so there was just the enjoyable stuff to be done, I'm now thinking to put it away for the next set of 'long nights' in the winter or disband completely and start something simpler.
     
    I'm leaning to the latter at the moment, I do want to build something just something which is not taking up so much time with little result or forward progress and seemingly at the moment zero enjoyment/relaxation, I'd even go as far as to say negative relaxation!
  20. Russ (mines a pint)
    I think I need to change the title of my 'blog, I'm still a little unsure of whether this will continue or go back to the old format now 'tis available. There are alot of ways in which I like the 'blog format but it seems that in general, people are not prepared to embrace the opportunity, preferring to stick with what is familiar.
     
    One thing I've just realised with the 'blogs is that your 'blog has to cover all your contributions, whereas you can have seperate threads for each different interest. Again I think this is good from my aspect as I get side-tracked way too easily.
     
    Anyway this entry covers the Halifax based Old Lane stuff:

    which was based on a simplified version of one of Hugh Flynn's plans on the layout plans on the old Rmweb. The opportunity for a small shunting yard , with high walls, and most of the architecture & landscape unchanged from industrial revolution days, presented itself in the form of the Old Lane area which was a L&Y/GNR joint section of line.



    I lost a bit of intereest when I received a couple of appropriate EFE vehicles of Ebay

    - thinking in particular that the bus is well bad, its one of the earlier EFE vehicles so I suppose we will have to let it off! - the lorry is not too bad though.
    Having done Deadwater with the EM track, the 'Old Lane' layout was intended to be doing things the easy way, but with a nod to scenery.
    all the track is standard peco 75 sleeper depth is hidden by building surface up to sleeper tops (and over) in some cases then using flock painted with cheapo project paint, this sells in B&Q and you can get a reasonable size tin for about ??3 which covers a far bigger area than railmatch ever could! the track is then weeded up with basket liner. obviously in this selection of pics much trimming back awaits.


    One day it'll be a nice little layout!
     
    Things are progressing slowly because we are waiting to here about whether our moving is going ahead, we find out on Fri 13th of all days, wish us luck!
  21. Russ (mines a pint)
    Getting the APA boxes together has given me a better idea of what space is available, both within the boxes and in the space where they will reside when not in use!
     
    There will have to be a few re-thinks. I was originally going to have a seperate fiddleyard attached to the end of the boxes, but the space for the boxes is absolutley filled by the boxes and there isn't really going to be space to store a seperate fiddleyard, whatever there is will have to be contained and self-contained within. This will require knocking some more holes into the boxes so I want to be sure before I start doing that! a full-size plan will be in order I think.
     

    Another thing was trying the space out with the points I'd already started and bits of rolling stock- the plan I had in mind doesnt look like its going to fit, or not without looking cramped in anycase. It seems that halving dimensions from 4mm plans does not quite work out!
     
    At least I know that if all else fails, a 'border byway' will still fit in even with both those changes in conditions!
  22. Russ (mines a pint)
    Most of the construction work on the original layout took place back in 2006/7, and beyond pulling back up some pictures such as building constructions and trees etc, I dont really see the need for verbatim copying/posting of pages past, as they are still of course available on the old RMweb, which at the moment we are re-assured is going to be continually available as an archive.
     
    I linked to the new place from there so here is the OLD Deadwater Burn thread. Isn't that 'insert link' tool just the best? B)

    this pic from the first page shows how promising the station was looking ' till I went and put the windows in I have never been happy with the windows, mental note to use ready made ones in future!
    Most of the construction efforts take place within the first half of the original thread, alot of the more recent stuff was cogitating about where next to go either with this layout, or a replacement.
     

    A major coup in the project was getting my first handbuilt working point together, which was a big personal achievement, up to this time I had reserved the right to revert to OO and Peco track, the point is a pretty bog standard B6 built with PCB solder construction.
     

    a 'progress' shot from way back when, you can see just how narrow the depth is here, whether the finished layout would get a 'depth of scene' look when finished was still very much in the balance here. As a contrast this is how that area looked when finished:

     
    Trees:

    we'll come back to them in another installment.
     

    The Scottish end of the layout was a similar story, depth had been pared down to allow for extra fiddle yard capacity (in the 6'x1' 2007 layout challenge) One of the most frustrating things was that I had allowed for 3' cassettes to handle short passenger trains, which in the final plan never actually happened, went for freight only, and the occasional Mk1 sub that was run as a departmental 'works train' shorter cassettes of 2'6 were more than adequate.
     
    Thats a good place to move onto the new plans for Deadwater Burn, which may or may not include a change of name, the layout is about 80-90% correct for the real Deadwater though some features have been moved about/invented a bit. The new plans feature a much greater departure from the prototype, to the extent that a new name might be in order, of course the general ambience will still be the NBR on the 'literal' border, and featuring essences of the Border Counties line.
     
    The problems facing the layout became all too apparent at RMweb members day 2008, when problems with electrics came to the 'fore

    The siding is well stocked with wagons,for visual interest as I'd lost the polarity change wire for the point, was able to process trains through the layout but not shunt.
    Also the 'linkspans'(for want of a better phrase) between layout and fiddleyard cassettes had become tired and were causing many problems!
     
    Alot of my new ideas for layouts had come to naught, and I was feeling quite frustrated.
    This statement did either strike a chord or nerve or something, and my modelling 'moping about' had to cease! 

    One of the plans for extension, this is my favourite tho' there is a condensed 'lite' version in case our house move turns up less space. Broadly the same except that the fiddleyard is incorporated into the new scenic board rather than requiring a separate board.
     
    New buildings, this is for the new forestry siding as the previous one now becomes part of the run round loop!

    which has been kitbashed from the oringinal starting out point of a canal building from the skaledale canal buildings range:

     
    I constantly give thought to portraying other era's - the most obvious would be 50's era steam, save for the fact that although this area is better served than some of the LMS areas of Scotland the ex-LNER tackle, J39, V3 type stuff is still on old split chassis, which are a much harder task to convert to EM than some of the more modern offerings, the Bachmann Jinty and Panniers for example regauge simply with 'drop-in' wheelsets.
     
    Apart from the closure of the Waverley route a possibility would be the late 70's/early 80's with TOPS diesels and more modern wagons:

    - though I'm tempted now to do this on my other layout.
     
     
     
    Any questions or comments are most welcome below.
  23. Russ (mines a pint)
    Well after a lot of different ideas competing for an end on, stacked up space in a small airing cupboard, its hopefully time to tie up all the loose ends.
     
    That 'clear moment' type thing came not only looking at a beautiful blue Loch Fyne yesterday, but also that there are some fairly big gaps in what I want out of N gauge RTR, I dont have the position time-wise to build alot of things and the combination of a new and decent-ish 24 and the prospect of the Dapol 26 becoming reality are what attracted me to the scale in the first place.
     
    After a bit of time looking at ex NBR byways in Argyll, Cumbria and the borders, its time to focus on the currently 'easy option' that the good standards of the 24 and totally expected of Dapol with the 26.
    There are hopes, but no gaurantees that a decent 25/27 will come out these respectively. However the N market is much smaller, so its time to make use of what we've got and are promised!
     

    back to the map again:
     
    I'm still in favour of a more Northerly route to Ullapool than shown, from Bonar Bridge, a proposed route could have served both Lochinver & Ullapool with a combined route up Glen Oykel. I have a title of Strathkannaird which could be Ullapool or Lochinver or maybe somewhere in between (there is a real one- but its spelt slightly different ) further reading from the old RMweb if you can be bothered!
     
    going to 'publish' this before I delete it like last time ! (more later...)
  24. Russ (mines a pint)
    Spent a few days in the vacinity of the Ballachulish branch last week, a fair amount of which can now be cycled and walked along. Strangely this did not provide the same lure as looking at pics of the old railway operating.
     
    This is an unusal phenomenon for me as I often find visiting the sites prove to be more interesting than the old photos. I think I might have come to the conclusion that because of the location in relation to the 'tourist traps' of the West Coast may have dulled the attraction in a way that the Waverley and more Northerly and North Easterley routes in Scotland seem a little more off the beaten track.
     
    Certainly the Speyside lines and The Waverley route are for more attractive walking/cycling destinations as the Ballachulish cycle route runs and will run for much part next to high speed/improved road which has encroached onto the old railway alignment.
     

     

     

     

     

     
    Interestingly enough the recycled railtrack has better surfacing condition than many of the A-roads in Argyll!
  25. Russ (mines a pint)
    Started so many layouts that never got finished theres always the ones you wished had got finished.
     
    This was a small test piece for handmade track - inspired by some of the smaller stations on the Spey valley railway which is now a cycle/walking route in much of its length.
     
    The layout based in the APA box is also of GNSR outline, but in a more coastal location, and 'light railway' insired like St Combs. (see: http://www.flickr.com/photos/38727358@N04/, an interesting Flickr page)
     
     

     


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