millerhillboy

Grahame

 Last few pages are really showing the fruits of your labour, its starting to come together superb, some much well observed detail and superb execution as well. 

Great pictures of Millerhill again, and particularly Monktonhall junction. Always a buzz to see them.

Again in line with what was said above I never saw a 56 in that mid-lates era. Although I'd gave up spotting about possibly 88-89 at a guess, due to being 15/16 years old and having erm other interests shall we say.

However I did continue to be a member of Monktonhall golf club which is disected by the ECML and in fact Monktonhall junction effectively joins parallel with the 8th hole there so I very much did see but didn't note down the arrival of the 56s.

Agree with Duncan on that one, so much more interest on layouts like yours, especially when you can see so much thought has been put into the buildings and infrastructure.

Happy new year Steve,

 Lovely work on those Gresleys, looking superb even as they stand IMO

I think the back story of you appearing in the photograph is just fabulous and I can understand why that has energised you into this project.

It must bring back memories of childhood friends, childhood adventures, sounds and smells even from hanging about the railway.

Just incredible.

13 hours ago, Waverley47708 said:

 

I spent many happy Saturdays at Waverley in the mid 80s, 85 to 87 or even 88.  Never saw anything as exotic as a green Peak though.

Green peak would definitely be regarded as rare, think the green 40 was in once or twice. The GWR green 47s I missed although obviously we've seen evidence of their visits.

Rarest thing I ever saw in that era was a 31 at the west end side. Came out from the sub platforms, sat in front where the 08 would normally stable and then headed back east again. 

T'was a 31/4 if I recall

Dont suppose 31s were entirely rare at Waverley but in all my visits to Waverley, time spent at Millerhill and time spent spotting at Monktonhall junction I didnt see another one in that era.

Great work Simon, and nice to see you record the progress. 

Some finetrax panels will look superb on there

great looking shed area, once that comes together it'll look great with some nice big locos lying in there

Thanks for the update Tom, looks lovely. Looking forward to seeing my black ones, with a bit of luck they're being delivered as we speak!!

Red boxes had loco numbers scrolled on them if I recall, and I'm pretty sure I stuck a rail riders sticker there too!!! special bonus points if you can incorporate those into your excellent model!!

superb pictures again, I'm very much enjoying this trip

I'm half expecting to see myself on one of the Waverley station pictures its right in my era where as an early teenager I spent a lot of time sitting on the red boxes that are in the picture of 47665 under the Scott monument at the end of the dundee train platform where I could watch the continual shuffling of the dundee service stock and locos, with locos coming off and sitting in the centre road awaiting the next circuit.

do keep them coming if you can, they are hugely appreciated.

theres not a bad picture on this thread, stunning work

They really don't look like you've 'winged it' at all, quite the opposite. I was assuming you'd say they were all prototypical such was the detail and convincingness of the end result.

great work, so much thought must go into the design of these buildings. I don't even know where you start.

Loving these smallwonder, do keep them coming.

Particularly enjoying this era of Millerhill and Waverley photos, really invoking some memories. Spent a lot of time around Millerhill, Waverley and sometimes Craigentinny in that era.

That's got to be the closest thing you can get to the real thing in model form, as you say the expectancy of an approaching train, the singing rails, the approaching noise and then the physical presence of a big heavy train blasting past.

My first experience would have been in about 1980ish as a young boy watching deltics blast past at line speed on the ECML, its a set of feelings that has never ever left me so I fully understand where you are coming from with the motivation for this layout.

You're also getting the noise and presence of the O gauge rolling stock which adds to the experience of a passing train which the smaller gauges lack (although have other benefits I suppose)

So the question is how are you going to reproduce the smell of the clag, that's the only thing missing now!!

first picture has to go into the realistics pictures of models thread surely?

The all round show winner, Scarlington, a superb debut with a clean sweep of the trophies. 

Superb show up at falkirk today and yesterday, a great way to bow out from Forth Valley college and onto the new venue for next year.

I might be biased but there were three superb N gauge layouts in Scarlington (which had trio of trophies beside it late on Sunday afternoon),  the wonderful Dragonby and the nicely executed Billingham which I particularly enjoyed I have to say.

The Scarborough guys showing Scarlington also had the stunning Durham Street with superb O gauge stock. Special thanks to one particular operator who was brilliant letting my wee boy and his grandad turn a few locos and move a couple of locos about at the turntable end of the layout. Small things like that are so important encouraging the next generation.

I'm doing a disservice to many other layouts which I'm not mentioning by name, I really am. There wasnt a bad layout there IMO.

Special mention for the german military layout which both my wee boys loved with tank trains etc.

As I say a great way to finish at Forth Valley before the move to Grangemouth

Some great N gauge layouts this year in both halls, really nice to see.

The colours you've used on those viaduct pillars are spot on to my eye, it may have drained you but its been worthwhile the bridge looks superb.

Double wow

These pictures show the quality of your scenery work to its fullest, the level of work would look good in any scale never mind N. That first picture of the MGR train going away under the bridge is quite superb IMO