Portchullin Tatty

...........that's called P4 isn't it? Written by a P4 modeller by the way, we are not all hair shirts!

Hi Sean Like the idea, my house (well technically my garden) sits astride one of the bits of the line to Cromarty that was built in Jemimaville. It proved to be a problem when we bought it because that portion of the land wasn't owned by the house vendor and we had to purchase it of the local laird. There is a little booklet available locally in Cromarty on the line, I keep meaning to get it! One observation is that the stone on the Black Isle (on which Cromarty is situated) is a characteristic pink colour. There is no way they would have imported stone to Cromarty, so it really ought to be pink. Google pictures of Cromarty or Fortrose or Rosemarkie and you will find the colour quick enough. Your amazingly hopeful to think the line soldiered on to the 1980s.............but rule no 1 does apply! Mark

Good to see the thread and another Highland based layout. Did you know that the bridge at Achnasheen has been drawn up and published in my old man's book the Dingwall & Skye Railway - A Pictorial Record? There are a couple of photos too but I have lots more because I measured it up!! If you want these let me know via PM. I also have a batch of photos from 1982, which is presumably dated about right? I would need to ask someone to release them to you, I suspect it will be fine. Mark

Still struggling, I will prompt the person I have been speaking to. It is hard work! Mark

Lochgorm are not closed; drop Charlie a line as per the link on their website. https://www.lochgormkits.co.uk/

Paul, what is the source of your wagon plates? Rarely modelled and quite important in my view!

Hi Wayne I thought you might like to see some of my (and others) photos from Zimbabwe on mt blog: https://highlandmiscellany.com/2017/12/14/zimbabwe-steam-1/ https://highlandmiscellany.com/2018/01/04/zimbabwe-steam-2/ Mark

Hi Matti, On the question of soldering irons and the like, there is a degree of personal preference involved. I use two irons; for most stuff I use a soldering station a bit like this one rated at 50W. It is important to have a couple of bits though; a pretty fine one for getting into tight spots and then a larger flat headed one for more general use when a little more umph is required. This is relevant because a fine point can not deliver the power to the piece no matter what rating the iron is. In addition to this, I have a big beast of an iron rated at 80W, like this one (but a Weller). This has a big bit and can only really be used for seating quite bits of metal together. Although it is rated at 80W, if you leave it on for more than 15 mins, the arm that contains the element can start to glow slightly, so it definitely gets hot and I keep it on for only brief periods because I am a bit scared of it!! I also use quite a strong flux - call La-Co, This is a plumbers flux that is definitely strong and you must wash the components thoroughly at the end of the session and if you are a bit of mucky solderer (like me), any steel tools too. Having said this, it is in a paste which has the advantage that it stays where you put it and is completely soluble sodoes wash off easily (or you can leave things to soak for half an hour). Thus, it does not give you problems later down the line with painting - beware most other paste type fluxes might. My advice on soldering is that the parts must be properly clean (use a glass fibre brush or wet and dry), you need to use a good modelling solder (ie not an electricians solder) and make sure you are using a flux that will last on the part long enough for the solder to flow. Use a good amount of heat, but quickly. I rarely turn my iron down, even for white metal soldering. A worthwhile guide to soldering is the Carrs Handbook; available here or in a condensed version for free here.

LMS Standard Coaching Stock Vol 1 by Essery and Jenkinson is what you'll need for both of these (but it is not easy to get hold off - ie expensive - as the print run seemed to be short). Alternatively, Historic Carriage Drawings volume 3 by my old man which is a lot easier to get hold of. It only has the fish van in (I think it is the right one do please check, i have reproduced the page below). I have the fish van in my stash and whilst I have not yet built it, I have built a number of other Jidenco vans. Not the easiest but not impossible either. The main issue to look out for is that the designer did not factor in the thickness of the metal when they conceived the built up model, you thus get the sides finishing at the same point that the ends start. This is not too much of a problem for the first layer of construction as the vehicle ends up just a fraction short but it gets worse if you have several lamainated layers on top as they are all the shorter dimension. Because there are a number of laminations, you want a good sized iron and use good 145 degree solder, not anything else. And if you have not found 100 degree solder yet, that is what you want for the whitemetal parts. I only discovered this about a couple of years ago, and it is so much easier than any other solution for white metal parts. I would give very serious consideration to the use of sprung W-irons on the 6 wheeled fish van - try the Bill Bedfords. Even in 00, the possibility of rocking on the central axle is there and if it is even a fraction low, the vehicle will derail. I would also give some thought to a sliding central axle although in 00 this is probably not essential. I have shown how I do 6 wheeled vehicles here and here. Enjoy!

I wasn't aware that DJH updated the River with an etched chassis and am not convinced of it. Whilst it is a bit of a paint to make one from scratch, it would not be impossible by any means as you have the DJH version as a guide. There are no other versions of the River I am afraid; it is DJH or scratch or in 7mm you only have the option of scratch! DJH do (or did, I am not sure of their status) the castle 1 which with a bit of effort could do a castle 2 but not the castle 3 series. Falcon brass/Jidenco did a castle 1 too which is no longer available. However, I found it was a bit narrow and a bit more short. As I model in P4, too narrow is a killer as there isn't enough room to get the wheels in, so I sent it back three decades ago. Lochgorm Models do a good etched version in 7mm and I did convince Andy Copp when he was still with us to give me a 4mm version as a private favour but given the wheelbase is only fractionally less than the wheel size, it only works with P4 wheels (which is why he did not release it). It is still in my kit pile though!

Hi Matti Great to see another modeller with an interest in the Highland's locomotives (they were only ever loaned to the Caley!). They were very fine locomotives; almost certainly the best 4-6-0 that the Caley had and in the running for the Highland's too. I have one in bits "in the pile" and my father has a finished one. There is some effort in making a new footplate/valance sides, but it is not impossible and would definitely improve the model? I take it you are aware of these: Highland Railway Locomotives - Tatlow Highland Railway Locomotives - vol 2 - Cormack & Stevenson And here is a taster of the real thing; 1930s so well into its life; not quite sure where.

Cherry Bakewells the size of the serving ladies head; i'll have one of them, whats its address again?

I am advocate of sliding axles; I developed Bill Bedford's idea slightly and worked out a fairly easy way of making them. See this blog post: https://highlandmiscellany.com/2018/02/20/sliding-axles/

Fox bogies were widely used in the pre-grouping companies in the later 19th/early 20th century era. I have seen them in use on LSWR, LBSC, GE, GN, NER, HR, Caledonian, NB, ECJS and I suspect that the list is quite a lot longer. I haven't seen an increased depth on 4 wheeled bogies, but you may well be right if there was a perception that the loads were greater. The Caledonian 6 wheeled bogies do, for example, have deeper channels between the axleboxes, but the same depth as the 4 wheeled bogies for the sections at either end. All the 4 wheeled bogies that I have seen have clasp brakes on all wheels and the Caley 6 wheeled bogie (which I have drawn up as a future product if anyone is interested) has them on all wheels too. Not saying there isn't room for some that didn't though!!

The bogies are available from me directly, as well as Justin's stand. I am taking the view that things should be post free at the moment too. https://miscellanymodels.com Actually I am away for a week (firmly in NER territory, if that makes it more acceptable! ) but they are in stock and I can send them as of next Monday.

Hi all, Yes, these pipes are intended to be gas pipes. I do not have direct evidence of these pipe routes on NER coaches (although I do recall seeing some on the ends going onto the roof) but it is quite a common feature on coaches of the era. For example in one of my favourite pictures from HC Casserley and now owned by Ernie Brack.

Looks smashing Jamie; it is so rare to see a proper size building modelled.

I think there are several processes in a sewage plant; one is an aeration of the material and it does have sort of whirlpools in it. However, I think this is a fairly early stage of the process and the material is less - urrmmm - clear! It will have rather more colour to it (do I need to say which one) and will have slightly more white froth in several locations in the bed where the air is pumped in. The later processes are to spill the now rather more clear liquid over filters. This is where you see the sprinklers slowly going around an almost black filter bed. Possibly worth doing a bit or research into the processes, as I am no expert its just my train used to go past them each day; Hersham I think they were! There is bound to be a British Standard on it somewhere! I enjoy your thread by the way. Mark

Both! It was one of the first P4 models I built so I would have just been a teenager! Where does time go?

Well done for the fish van; the Jidenco kits are not easy at all. This is what mine looks like. Missing the R by the look of it and I must do something about all the dust on the roof! Mind you, it will be 40 years old by now; agghhh where does time go?

Jonathan, Go to High Peak Council's planning portal; which you can find here: https://www.highpeak.gov.uk/article/299/Planning-applications Most councils now upload planning applications that they receive, including the drawings. Thus, for many buildings there are drawings in the public realm that you can refer to. Given that Buxton station is listed and hence even relatively minor alterations require consent, there are a whole load of drawings of the building available through this. Older applications have not been uploaded, so look for applications post 2007 or so. Good luck, and I enjoy this thread. Good to see an LMS man!! Mark

Do you have a "mint gauge"? Reference RSG in the Scalefour Society's stores. It is a very useful tool for finding misalignment through turnouts or tight to gauge sections.

Nice to see the coaches developing. I find it imperative to solder a strip of square/rectangular section along the top of the etched sides. A piece 1*2mm or similar and make sure it is low enough not to foul the lip that is on the underside of the extruded roof but not interfere with the glazing. If you don't do this, the sides are always prone to being squished as the model is picked up and the sides picking up a bow as a result. Seeing your mention to the underframes; Palatine's underframes are well worth a look (and not widely known of). They don't have the chunky holes in them like the Comet ones and if you leave the flat portion of the Comet ones in place they make a convenient point to split the body from the underframe (much easier for handling and painting. Enjoy!

Careful Mick, they have a very low rating and DCC will zapp them. You can see what happens to them here.

Obviously, where there is water in a locomotive yard, there really ought to be coal too. The Highland, like many other railway companies of the time (certainly the Scottish ones), sought to stockpile coal. This was presumably insurance against coal strikes and allowed them to purchase coal at times when the price was favourable. Thus, quite substantial coal stacks where very much a feature of shed areas in the pre-grouping era. Typically, these were arranged in engineered stacks, with the sides formed in “dry-coal walling” and then loose coal behind. I can’t recall ever seeing this modelled, so I though I would change that! The actual structure of the loading bank was formed in plasticard and Wills random stone sheets, but with the mortar courses softened as I described for the water towers. The shape of the coal stack was formed with a piece of house insulation left over from a DIY job and then real coal used to form the effect of…..err……real coal. Actually, real coal does not look quite like real coal without a bit of effort. It does shatter into angular but irregular lumps like real coal (especially if lignite coal is used) but its glossiness does not scale down. However, a vigorous brush with generous amounts of soot black weathering powder takes the gloss back and the whole becomes quite convincing. You do feel as if you are going to get pretty filthy if you go up onto the bank – and until the whole is fixed with matt varnish, you would! Individual coal chunks were glued in place to form the wall structure. To get the effect, it is not enough to simply scatter the coal onto a bed of glue each chunk has to be laid individually with care taken to lock it into the course below – just like a real dry stone wall. Thus, the vertical walls of this took about a day to complete, scattered over about 8 stints because it is necessary to let the glue dry after every couple of courses to stop the layers collapsing. It is then possible to scatter the loose material behind the walls onto a layer of glue – the above picture shows the contrast in effects between the two methods. But it is hard work shovelling coal into tenders, especially as the locos got larger and their tenders higher. As befitting such an important place as Glenmutchkin, it has all the modern amenities for coaling engines, a hand crane and a large bucket! In this case, I have fitted servos to this so that it operates – partly as a bit of fun and also to slow things down in the yard to a more realistic pace without it getting too boring for the viewer. The crane operation was achieved by way of three servos – one to rotate it and then one each for the front and rear of the coal bucket. These are all mounted onto a cradle that is rotated by the former – thus as the crane rotates so too do all the servos and there is a quadrant shaped slot in the base to the rear of the post (just visible in the picture above) that allows the cables to rotate too without snagging. The base of the crane; the projecting rod telescopes into the actual crane (and there is a rod inside the crane post that telescopes into this too and appears below and onto which the servos clamp The cradle is mounted to a solid rod that is in turn secured to the actual crane. This then slides into the rod that can be seen projecting from the base in the picture above. This means that there is limited strain on the crane or the mount as I had feared it might otherwise snap with any heavy-handedness on my part (something I am prone to!). The rest of the crane was made with brass hollow section and pulley wheels from Bill Bedford. A series of guides were made of small section tube on the pulley wheels, at the winding drum and across the jib to retain the operating cables. The bucket was fashioned from metal sheet and is filled with low melt solder to give it as much weight as possible. It is secured to the servo arms with invisible thread – which is a nylon seamstresses material used for making invisible stitches. It comes in both clear (which really is invisible) and black, I used the latter. It is much better than cotton thread as that has a furry finish that looks terrible after a time or if it is painted. It is, however, very fine and rather wriggly to knot, so using it involves a certain amount of cussing! And this is what it looks like in operation………… A little of the bouncing about of the bucket is caused by it sitting on my servo test rig, so the act of changing the switches imparts a little vibration. Hopefully, when mounted on the layout this will be less obvious. I do still need to do the final detailing on this; tools, a bit of discarded debris and a couple of fellas from Modelu standing around doing nothing (because static people in animated poses look silly on a model layout!).