Graham R

Model Rail Scotland 2017 has been and gone, with the Far North Roadshow in attendance as well as Andrew Gibson's "Swinton" and Martin Stewart's "Ketton Cement" flying the flag for 2FS. First, the Roadshow: Andy, Simon, Stephen, Jim, Graham, and Alistair all took turns. We had more interest than previous years and sold several starter packs, wagon packs, and various publications. Quite a few Scottish members we had not previously met came to say hello, which was nice. Jim Watt's wagons and 2016 Challenge diorama were on display: Bit of a rough shunt on that Watson and Jones PO wagon in the background! Andy Peggie's Challenge diorama was also to be seen: Swinton was there, with a shadowy crew of NEAG activists keeping the trains running: Andrew's bridge (winner of the Malcolm Stone award at the last Association AGM) was on view: I didn't manage very good pictures of Ketton (sorry Martin), but there were several 2mmSA members operating, including Martin himself and Ray Colla. Martin had a last-minute rush to fix pesky electrics but all was well once the show was under way and the layout performed well in its first showing as a continuous run. I gather several bookings were garnered for future appearances ... Finally, just to prove we were in Glasgow, here's what a real soft drinks machine should look like (outside in the circulating area) ... ... tempting at least one visitor to the 2mm roadshow to take solace in sampling the local waters while her other half was hitting the Squires stand: All in all it was a very worthwhile show from a finescale point of view than for several years past, with Liverpool Lime Street, Mostyn and Burntisland amongst the more spectacular 4mm offerings, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Edit: I didn't realise Ketton Cement(ish) won a pot in the AMRSS members' section of the show competition: well done Martin and the chewed fingernails of the previous week must now seem worthwhile. I didn't spend enough time in front of the layout and have miserably failed to show the interesting motive power Martin had on display, but here are one or two more photos: For 2mmSA members, I think Mick has twisted Martin's arm to bring Ketton to the NEAG 35th anniversary party meeting in May, so there will be an opportunity to see it again there (as well as Swinton, whose pointwork I see got a favourable mention in perceptive comment elsewhere on the show).

Jim, that looks gorgeous. Amazing what you managed to do in a space only two-thirds of an A4 sheet ! Graham

You could count bricks and make an allowance for pointing. That's likely to be about as accurate as you get from scaling from a photo anyway. Measure up a few bricks on old buildings locally to get an average size. I'm sure it will make a nice model. Good luck with the project! Graham

The Aln Valley Railway, a heritage line in Northumberland, approached the 2mmSA North Eastern Area Group seeking a stand for their model railway exhibition this weekend. The NEAG had a prior booking but, ever keen to spread the 2mm gospel, suggested the Forth and Clyde group might help. A trip abroad to a warm country! We jumped at the chance (Alnwick is less than 2 hours from Edinburgh by road, or 2½ hours from Glasgow by train and bicycle), and brought the Scottish 2mmSA roadshow as well as the core board of Sauchenford, operating it without fiddle yards as a shunting plank. The Aln Valley made us most welcome and installed us in a BR Mk1 coach, with analogue sounds effects provided by their 0-6-0T "Richboro" operating steam rides from the adjacent platform. Here is Alistair playing trains with Alisdair in mid 2mm patter. (No, he's not having an argument: Glaswegians never argue from a seated position). "Richboro" was apparently stuffed and mounted for a number of years outside the Dapol factory, so maybe it was appropriate we were running finescaled Dapol diesels on Sauchenford. Peeping over the road bridge, we see a class 26 propelling a rake of Stephen Harris 16T mineral empties down the colliery branch, while a class 27 waits for the Down home. I suppose it should be termed a BRC&W Type 2, not a class 27, if in green. We were guilty of flagrantly mixing periods, and the locos and stock need to be weathered, but in truth (apart from Kielder Forest in EM and ourselves) it was not the most finescale of shows, so hopefully no-one minded too much. We had a nice day out and met several current and former Association members. Jim, Andy and Alistair are doing it all again today. Graham

If it's hidden, and your main concern is to avoid derailments on the outer rail of the curve at the expansion joints, you could simply put a short checkrail on the inside rail at the joint. Graham

Not exactly a layout, but still 2mm finescale ... flying the 2mm flag at Perth show this weekend were Alisdair, Alistair, Andy and Graham of the Forth and Clyde area group, supported on Sunday by Roy from the Grampian area group.

Mr. Sewell is still a member of the NBR Study Group so I took the liberty of phoning him to ask the position. Briefly, they are out of print and due to advanced years he is not seeking to reprint them himself. Any future print run is likely to be under the auspices of the NBRSG. If you are not a member, you could contact the chairman, Robin Boog, through "chair at nbrstudygroup dot co dot uk " to find out whether this is likely. I happen to have all three volumes - very useful books - so if there is something specific you want to know, send me a PM and I will try to help. Graham

Hear, hear. It was very much appreciated, particularly since David also had to combine Shops 2 and 3 from the usual two showcases into a single one, which I'm sure took an evening at least, and no dount another one to put it back how it was. I should have posted this earlier: Particularly appropriate that David chose Caley Blue as his livery for the day, since the site of one of the Caley's largest sheds, Perth South, was within buffer-clanking distance of the hall. Look forward to other postings when some of the other snappers sort out their snaps. Graham

The first 2mmSA Scottish Supermeet took place on Saturday, in the fair city of Perth, and highly enjoyable it was too. Four layouts in various stages of development, a roundy-roundy test track open to all, the 2mm central shop (thank you David!), the Association chairman there to meet members (thank you Andy!), two "talks", and sunny if cold weather. Here are one or two images: Ian Noble's "Banff and Knock": a detail of Knock station: and the distillery sidings in Knock yard, with Alisdair Campbell's GNSR 4-4-0 almost ready for the paint shop: Anthony Yeates' "Corrieshalloch": scenics started and buildings ready for painting: A rainy-looking day in the 1970s with a Class 26 departing for Kyle: Six decades earlier, with (I think) both Anthony and Alisdair's stock: and the neat-looking Denny-style fiddle yard (one at each end of the layout) Martin Stewart's "Ketton Cement", at an early stage with mock-up buildings, RTR stock and unballasted track - but clean, unfussy design evident throughout: Mick Simpson's new layout, bare board and track at the moment: David Long hears the back story from Mick: Tony Heywood's test track: with Roy Bremner's rake of two LMS suburbans and an LNER brake from, I think, Masterclass etches: Sorry Roy, I did not notice that the brake is not railed correctly. Martin explaining his flat-bottom point jig system, which creates a backbone of rail and a few copper-clad sleepers and fills in the gap with a laser-cut mat of wooden sleepers. I should have made more of an effort to get better pictures, the system is beautifully thought out and executed and the points on Ketton Cement look great: [Edit] Jim Watt's demo with his Buchanan Kits etches eluded my camera, maybe someone else can post a photo, but here is the finished product: Thanks Alisdair for conceiving and organising the meet, and to all the exhibitors who brought their layouts from far and wide. regards Graham

I bought a nice photo album from Book Law's stand at the Glasgow show yesterday (one of their latest publications, "Steam Memories 1950s-1960s No.83: East Coast Main Line 8, Edinburgh to Aberdeen": ISBN 978-1-909625-53-2) which has an excellent photo of Inverkeilor in 1955. It has similarly excellent photos of many wayside stations on this seection of the ECML, incuding Inverkeilor's neighbours Letham Grange, Cauldcots and Lunan Bay. Most are credited to CJB Sanderson via the Armstrong Railway Photographic Trust. I have no connection with Book Law beyond buying their book, but I thought this was £8.50 (cover price £9.99) well spent.

The 2mm roadshow was also in evidence at Model Rail, manned by the Forth and Clyde area group. SInce they are a modest lot they declined to appear for the camera, but we also has a special guest star in the shape of Edward Sissling of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Workshop Group, moonlighting from Wansbeck Road: with his sack-truck style tool caddy, beautifully finished as his projects usually are. This permits an ultra-fast departure to the nearest curry house after a show. The Forth and Clyde Group are still in the bacon roll era (nae deep-fried Mars bars for us, the plastic granules in them melt) and we make do with rucksacks, briefcases, and old whisky cartons. Thanks to the Model Rail organisers for inviting us and giving us a comfortable space at a well-run and enjoyable show. (Still on in the SECC until 5pm tonight!)

A few shots of Mick Simpson's Wansbeck Road at Model Rail Scotland in Glasgow this weekend ... One of the two train tables ... ... and its cunning adjustable stops so that an empty track can be aligned for a train to arrive, then the adjacent track can be immediately lined up for a train to depart, without having to eyeball the rail alignment. Mick originally had fixed stops but found that different temperture and humidity in exhibitions played havoc with the exact alignment ... so he made the stops adjustable and sets it up for each show. Ah'd put that back where you found it if ah were you, bonny lad ...

Jim, that signal really looks superb and just shouts "Caley". Great job. The operating mechanism looks very neat. Will you be releasing it (or the whole signal) through Buchanan Kits, and could you bring it along to the 2mmSA stand at Glasgow show next month so we can have a look? (May need to buy a pair of these "CR spectacles" you mention in order to see it properly ...) Graham

Here are a couple of shots of Inverkeilor before the platforms were cut back which will at least give an idea - but probably you remember it like this from your schooldays. Before WW1 there was a Saturday afternoon local from Arbroath to Inverkeilor only. Down platform looking south: View looking north: Inverkeilor station in 1950 One big change was that the line north of Inverkeilor was only doubled in the interwar period - I can't remember the exact dates but I think it had reached Lunan Bay by 1930. As you probably know it is still single for a couple of miles between Usan (or Usan Junction as it's now called) and Montrose. You can see the 1901 station layout here and the Up line extends north of the station as a long siding for a few hundred yards before stopping dead here. By 1923, the siding had only extended another few hundred yards - it seems like the viaduct over the Lunan Water were the obstacle. From the maps, there was never an awning on the Down side building, but there was a footbridge and a smaller platform building on the Up side. Apart from an extra refuge siding on the Up side which I imagine was added in WW2, the layout seems to have been unchanged until the goods yard was closed in (?) the 1990s. I thnk I'm right in saying that Inverkeilor signalbox has the oldest lever frame still in use in Scotland: it dates from when the box was built in the 1880s. regards Graham

The bell was worked by lever 3 in the South box; the North box did not work it after South closed. The LNE 1937 and 1947 sectional appendices state that goods trains could be run into either end of the through goods loop (as opposed to the "passenger independent" through line on the yard side of the Down platform) when authorised by the shunter or person in charge of the yard. South and North boxes used block bell codes to work the through loop, but the yard bell would have enabled South box to advise the yard shunter of an expected movement. By 1960, these instructions for the goods loop had disappeared from the sectional appendix, so it is likely that the bell was out of use before then. It's nice that it still survives. As I recall it was painted light blue in the 1970s. regards Graham

This 1947 signalling diagram is maybe of interest: Good luck with the model Graham PS there are a few photos listed in the Norrie Forrest collection - see 037/4 and onwards in the list. Available from the Transport Treasury for a modest fee ... haven't seen these particular shots, but usually they are worthwhile.

Glad you joined, I'm sure you'll enjoy the magazine. You mentioned a photo of Stannergate West signalbox in a local Dundee photo album .. can you remember which one? I've never seen a clear picture of that box. regards Graham

I spent many hours on that footbridge in the 1970s... I reckon you caught it pretty well. A huge improvement over the Airfix footbridge. The support piers are just right, also the handrails. If you were to do it again you might make the "toories" about half the size. But if I could transport myself back to stand on it now, I'd be quite happy with toories the way you have them. By the time I knew the mill building it was Giddings and Lewis-Fraser (I think) ... the big GLF logo was on the wall looking down on the crossing; yellow black and grey or white, I think. Your depiction fits very well with earlier photos I've seen. To be complete it needs the gentle sound of 4 bells for the Up expresses, 8 on behind a class 40, less often a 47 or even an HST, from the open signalbox window next the footbridge. :-) Well done! You should be very pleased with that model.

Hi Ken, Here's the signalling diagram for Stannergate as it was in the 1960s, recorded by Forbes Alexander and made available by Robert Dey. As you probably know, until the 1920s Stannergate had a through yard with up and down access at both ends, and the passenger station had running loops off the main lines. The layout was considerably simplified after the West box closed and the signalling was rationalised in several stages over the years. The diagram shows its final form. Please keep posting photos of your layout, which is very impressive. You've done a great job with the station building and the hotel - hard enough to measure up, never mind to model. I have fond memories of standing on the bars of the Wellgate crossing gates watching the blue DMUs, 24s, 40s and 47s in the 1970s, and very hazy memories of green DMUs and Ivatt 2MTs in the 1960s from the Keptie Street bridge. Your model catches it all very well. cheers Graham

By coincidence the January issue of the Caledonian Railway Association's journal "The True Line" has an excellent shot of Stannergate East box by Nick Tindall (part of an article on Caley signalbox design with 27 photos). If you're not a CRA member you could always e-mail the editor - PM me if you want the address. The Stannergate sidings were also used to refuge Down mineral trains waiting for paths or fresh crews on their way north, according to 1940s-1950s working timetables.

Hi Andy, You are right ... I've updated the diagram using a sketch dated to 1933, and as you say the splitting distant had gone and the branch home had become a subsidiary arm. Lochty No More posted an image of the Branch Distant signal higher up the thread. There are some nice photos of the remains - mostly bridges - of the Kirkcaldy and District Mineral Railway on this site. Interesting that the tunnel to Seafield under the ECML is still in place.

Here's a drawing of the arrangements when Invertiel Jn opened in 1896 (from a sketch made available to me by Robert Dey - thanks Robert). I would guess the signalling would have been simplified by the 1950s however. You might also be interested to see John Hinson's diagram of Foulford Junction at the other end of the Kirkcaldy & District Railway. The sketch I worked from says Invertiel worked to Foulford, but there was also an intermediate block post at Auchtertool from 1896 to 1923. [Edited to fix drawing mistake] cheers Graham

Taking Motherwell as a limit, the 1960 sectional appendix lists Down mail apparatus at Coatbridge Junction, Carmuirs West Junction*, Larbert Junction, Gleneagles*, Cupar (sic) Angus South, Alyth Junction, Forfar South Junction, Bridge of Dun*, Dubton North*, Laurencekirk* and Stonehaven*. Only the ones with an asterisk had Up apparatus. The LMS 1937 appendix only lists the apparatus used at night, mostly in the Up direction: Dunning, Forfar and Laurencekirk had Down standards, and Stonehaven, Fordoun, Laurencekirk, Dubton, Bridge of Dun, Gleneagles, Blackford, Dunblane, Larbert, Coatbridge and Carluke Up. I wonder if the traffic pattern was different, or the Down train simply always ran in daylight.

There are some in this thread... but maybe you'll prompt someone to add some more

Oh well then ... the Edinburgh Suburban at Blackford Avenue?