Russ (mines a pint)

well Pete, I've been having a look at it again today, the Port Pennan layout which was on the old forum doesn't look all that different from Banff really (both plans I think originally came from the same group of modellers IIRC), apart from having a seperate platform face at Banff, so I think what will follow will indeed be a condensed version, loose the short frontmost siding possibly, try get rest to fit in the length of 2 boxfiles joined end to end. I remeasured the goods shed again and found that it IS actually more or less to scale, must have been something I was drinking last night, so now on with trying to get the roof in proportion, quite difficult as the ridge of the roof is only about half the length of the entire length of the building. here's a link to the real one . I hadnt quite realised the trackbed was raised, the other pics I have seen being from the station end. This is why it may help to loose the other siding, the crossover can move out a bit to allow the track to rise. I do like seperate levels in track and for such a small and simple layout I think this feature is more attractive than anything offered by an extra (v. short) siding?

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!

as others have said that photo is very good and looks real. More when you are ready please!

Dont worry Jim its far from finished that is just a mockup to judge sizes and proportions against the trackplan! - its likely that the outside walls will survive but as you say the inside will be built and the arch probably either neatened up or rebuilt. its just to get an idea.

I know I was in two minds whether to go for blog/thread etc. I might put a thread up too when I've something more to show... The blog format is good for starting out, ramblings and generally thinking aloud, bits can be added & removed without it making the other bits not make sense! Yes Banff is ideal in alot of ways, perhaps a scenic break will have to be contrived but in the BAnff-ish plan linked to earlier this has already been taken care of by 'rippers', I've gone for a mixture of features from this and the plan in Ian Futers book 'Modelling Scotland's Railways, I dont think either trackplan is true to prototype, but I'll hopefully end up with the best bits of each. Time period is at the moment right at 'the end' - seem to be a bit of a habit developing

if you did it all in one hit you might find you can see where the sleepers are as it all dries and settles- certainly does in 4mm - the smaller scale might make things kinder on the eye! another selectively applied layer can sort it- interested to see how it goes in the smaller scale - as I've joined in with it myself due to a lack of space, but its taking some adjustment!

The effects in the bottom pic look encouraging- did you build the clay up in layers or do it all in 'one hit' so to speak. I used both DAS and other 'air-drying clay' in previous layouts the cheaper stuff is better I found, the texture is easier to work with. Layout looking very impressive! B)

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!

Thanks Steve!

Aw ###### theres a real one! - will think of something else! at least I found some nice picsof the trainshed to be going on with, fairly confident to scale it to about 60ft - one short coach- length by about 28ft - 3 times width of the actual track- it seems like the heght seems to be my perpetual problem, taller than the train would be good

Might as well get on with the below track level stuff whilst awaiting the track order! - also keep up with the buildings, thinking originally the goods shed might be a write-off, but I think with a bit of fettling (ie bodging ) it'll be ok.

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.

yes may have to move the first point out a bit had not noticed it had got too close- I did wonder about a 3 way but think thats just asking for trouble!

C'mon Charlie, your doing yourself out of sales here! admittedly they were more common to Morecambe/Lancaster- they went to Ribblehead daily for a sometime, a short commuter working back into W yorks? this looks further up tho'? Garsdale? and a 3 car unit in Carlisle- I'd hate to think about how it had got there if NOT up the S&C! whilst this would be your ideal resourcefor running them on the GSWR route to Kilmarnock! - apparently all were recalled here for gearbox mend including 142's - the pics suggest they worked up with sprinters or under own power- possibly worth a seperate thread, there is even a pic of a 141 in Kilmarnock - bit of a sideline but just hoping to broaden the appeal!

Following on from the 'basic version' I measured up what was left of the board with a 16" length for fiddleyard, thats a type 2 and shortish freight train (approx equivalent to 2'6" in 4mm which was length of Deadwater cassettes ) So I now have a straight: banff a4.pdf and a curved: bannf curved A4.pdf version, think I prefer the curved, a few tweaks and I think its nearly there. EDIT : just to add the tweaks, bannf curved A4.pdf a simple alteration to the goods shed line to straighten the bit in the good shed and point tweaked to allow more room between goods shed and other line, likely print this out and add a rough idea of scenery tomorrow.

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

H'mmm thats true, when i was faffing about with buildings yesterday my wife said "O its nice to see you have such a relaxing hobby" very sarcastically!

Not at the moment but have been looking at their website, which brought me to Banff, a simplified version of which might be very tempting!

yeah its old grafar fishvan, its probably miles out!!

the more I look through the pics the more I think the goods shed is of 'outrageous proportions' in real life http://www.railbrit.co.uk/imageenlarge/imagecomplete2.php?id=24593

Well after getting the station windows something like, straightening out as the glue went tacky reduced the 'pinging off' effect and subsequent swearing. Maybe I got complacent, measured out and cut up the plasticard for the goods shed, put it all together tonight, tested it with a box van and erm, it doesnt fit through the door - so thats the first time I've been underscale - I'm thinking then that N gauge is slightly larger than 'true 2mm' then - the door should be a scale 10ft wide and the van a scale 9ft ... ho hum , that bits been sorted now. -the goods shed is also slightly low, again this is a relativley simple fix, add some to the bottom, or possibly make a 'base' that doesnt interfere with track, then hide with vegetation etc. Anyway much as I love the 'green' scenery making, I've had enough of buildings just for the now! The 'usual suspect' asked about trackplans -the two stations that are sticking out like a sore thumb for this are either Cromdale or Blacksboat, there is a plan for the latter in the 'Modelling Scotland's railways' book by Ian Futers, but the former is a little more interesting, in that it has a more interesting bridge for the scenic break, and a distillery branch- there's always the option of taking the 'best bits' of each? It part depends on how easy/difficult the point construction is, if it goes like the buildings then it could all be code 55 by this time next week!

Hi, yeah I can see the likenesses with the ratio model, I already had this and some other kits which match, the dimensions are a bit small on the kestrel one, but then a bit of compression never does any harm on a model! The amount of swearing etc that has gone into getting the windows something right (I would be very happy if all model buildings were window-less ) I think I will be sticking with it unless I really foul something up!

yeah have a few ideas, but waiting to see just how tricky the points are to assemble in this scale!

cheers Don, 80mm by 50mm approx then, just put the windows straight and filled the gaps on the station windows now, looks good! in fact wish I had waited to take the piccy now! can go on tomorrow though.