Portchullin Tatty

I am already regretting my rather bold words that the HR Models kit was not too bad. This may be true of its etchings, but the castings that were provided with it are absolutely rubbish - they look as if they were created by Mr Blooby on his best blooby day out. Yuck, I suspect that I will throw either all of them away or all but one! I have managed to find a dome that looks the part but will have to remind myself how to turn chimneys on the lathe again, as everything else will need to be fabricated............. This is where we are at as of the moment: I have also discovered that if you burnish brass and then take a picture of it, you get glare - sorry!

I have flitted back to the banking tank, making some progress on the body. The source of the kit is a very short lived firm, called "H.R. models". This is the only kit that they ever produced and even this had a relatively limited production run before the firm ceased trading. it is not perfect as a kit but it is not too bad - especially in comparison with Jidenco/Falcom Brass who at the usual source for the Highland's loco's (excepting Lochgorm who are better than either of these). Thus the model is going together fairly fast - this represents only about 4 hours work from the previous pictures of it; I have done rather more since, but need to get the camera out again!

No real progress on the layout, but its new home is all but finished. This is the current state of play for the railway room; opps sorry I meant summer house (in case the Mrs ever sees this posting!)

Hi Chris, I made the goods shed and I did stick on miles of mircrostrip to acheive the beading!! It was not as bad as all that, but certainly took a few hours. The signal cabins were made for me by Peter Bond, I know he did use a proprietary material and I will ask him what it was/where it can be got from. I'll come back to you. Cheers for your comments and I am pleased you liked the article too.

There are a couple of West Countries on St Merryn that have been converted in much the same way. Jeremy Good did them so if you want me to ask any questions I can do so.

I have been provoked again to look at the water columns; which I had (and still do have) intentions to get some 3D prints done of. This is the “type 2†column – which is infact the most common one in use. There were however a number of subtle differences in the design – not just features such as the length of the spurge pipe but whether they were operated from a separate stanchion and wheel or whether they worked from a pull rod. Indeed I have also determined that they had slightly different shapes of the cap and, particularly, the flaring/fluting at the base. My father speculates that the Highland had the columns delivered in different batches; probably from different manufacturers with the phrase "match the one at Dunkeld/Pitlochry" (or whatever station came into their mind). The manufacturers did so but not that well and the differences crept in by accident over the years. This sounds plausible to me!

Thanks Jon.

Jon, where do you source the LED's from and what are their dimensions?

Thanks for your replies guys; I am pleased you liked the article - I did try to be honest on both the successes and the failures. As someone here uses as their avatar, only those that have never done anything have never made a mistake!! Here are a few photos taken in the last few months that did not get into the articel. With thanks to our Mr york for one and Ian Ford for the last two:

The quartering has shifted a long way I am afraid. There are those that pin the wheels to the axles; I have nver done this and reckong I would screw things up but with a piller drill it can be done.

I have to say, that Gresley full brake looks the part!

Looks good James; but that 50 is well and truely lost isn't it?

No it can't Dave; no pull rods to operate the brakes!!!

Too true! I have even put a set of doors at the end so the fiddle yard can reside externally and only be put up for operating sessions!! I am trying to resist designing the next one until its new home is complete (and I have completed a rewire on Portchullin - I am fed up with my hodge podge wiring!)

Cheers for your messages, Dave and the others. The next few shows Portchullin is booked for are: 13/14 October 2012 - Farnham & District (Aldershot) 16 February 2013 – Tonbridge March 2013 - Ally Pally I hope you enjoy the piece in MRJ.

You have rather transformed that Morgan! I take it you have not admitted this little dalliance on the wrong side of the country to Robin?

I am enjoying seeing you several posts materialise, you have the makings of a fine layout I would think. It is particularly pleasing to see the inspiration wall - as you say it will keep you from at least some of the silly errors and help keep you inspired. so keep up the good work!

To bits of news from today. Firstly there is a lengthy feature in the Model Railway Journal on Portchullin - I hope you enjoy it! Secondly, we topped out the summer house (aka railway room) today. At last it is dry inside it and whilst it still needs work to finish it, the end is nigh and it really is time to allow the plans for new layouts to start to get hold............

That is very impressive Jon!

Slowly!! Having more or less deserted the family for the various sojurns with the layout in Feb/March, I have had to largely ignore it since to ensure divorce does not come my way. Once the summer house is at least water-tight (this weekend I hope), I have some signals to build for the Rail Express Elcot Road, then I can get back to proper stuff!

Whilst I have been busy with things rather larger than 4mm to 1ft (see herehttp://www.rmweb.co....n/page__st__100), I have managed to do a little modelling. Indeed, I started something new (don't you just love starting things?). Once again I went to Missenden for their Spring Modeller's Weekend - and very good it was too (again, it is well worth going if you are tempted). I managed to get another smoothly running chassis, which I consider a big win as I do not find making truely smooth running chassis easy. This is what it looks like so far: A slightly ugly duckling at this stage I am inclined to think? It will turn into, if not exactly a swan, at least a purposeful engine like this one: (photo thanks to Ray Nolton) I reckon this is sitting high on its chassis by the way? or if you would like to see a prototype picture; try here http://www.ambaile.o...id=51325&zoom=2 These were what tended to be called "Banking Tanks"; although their correct name is "39 Class" after the first of the class. They were designed for, and predominatly used to, bank trains up Drumochter - so both Aviemore and, particularly, Blair Atholl had a clutch each. Despite being slow moving brutes, the LMS classified them as passenger locos, so the old Highland men at Lochgorm painted them fully lined red. That is what I will be doing when the time comes. This is the first locomotive that I have built using continious springy beams (CSBs). Once the dimensions were set up (and High Level do a neat jig for this), this was a breeze - I actually thought it was easier than either traditional springing or compensation. I still have some reservations about 4-4-0's/0-4-4's with CSBs, but other than these I am sold.

Agghh, but it is not me that know's the cost of everything on a construction site but the value of none is it Andrew!?!?! Just teasing!

A New Home for Portchullin.................... Modelling time has been in a premium for a bit; partly as a result of the layout's exhibition commitments, some to do with work but also because Portchullin is getting a new home! Its present home is in the attic and as I live in an old house, this is accessed by a very tight staircase. Getting it home from an exhibition late on a Sunday night, possibly after a long drive and certainly a weekend standing on my feet was a chore. Therefore, after some considerable time of negotiating with the planning authorities (both the domestic ones and the councils) permission was granted for a 5.5m * 3.5m summer house. This is not quite large enough for Portchullin but it is only one of the fiddle yard boards that does not fit and by careful selection of the appropriate summer house, this can be set up through the entrance doors when required. So here we are with the current efforts............. As you can see, the fact that it has rained every day since the damn thing was delivered has not been missed. Don't worry, it will be roofed in by the end of next weekend so you can assume that the weather will be rubbish in East surrey until Monday, when it will turn fine again! It will be a real boon getting the layout up in its entirity - if you keep your eyes on the quality model press in a few weeks, you will see that I have a lot to say about any silly b****r who builds a layout that is too big to set up in their home.................

I like the model of the model; it shows a plan that has sought to consider the environment around the railway and sought to make it realistic. You also get wonderfully flowing curves when you use templot. I certainly did not get to grips with it all that easily! Is the hole on the end of the board not a bit large, to the point that the weakening the board?

What you mean one like this............................? Sometimes called the 73 class (as Blandford1969 has pointed out) but more often just known by their names - Snaigow or Durn. These 4-4-0's designed by Christopher Cummings (possibly only notionally as much of the design was probably done by the manufacturers Hwthorne Leslie) were primarilly used on the heavy mail trains to Wick & Thurso. Again, the model is by Jim Mackenzie and the photograph is by Ray Nolton.