class26

With the static grass covering of the Flow Country section now finished I thought it time to post a few photos. Jobs left are lineside fencing and to replace the backscene (the same photos but a reprint and mounted better next time - well, it was my first ever attempt at a backscene !)

22 hours ago, David Bell said:

Hi Nigel,

I drove through Forsinard yesterday and I have to say you have really captured the look of the area so well.

Cheers

David

Hello David,

Thank you, I am jealous ! I was last up in the Far North in 2017 taking photos for the layout, riding the line and intended to return later to take further photos for the backscenes but of course the world changed slightly in early 2020 so , as seen above I had to purchase professional images for this purpose. I am hoping to get up this year when the weather improves and the days are longer but of course it`s a fair drive from down here but one that I really enjoy, especially going north !

Best wishes,

Nigel  

1 hour ago, SHerr said:

Thanks, that’s interesting- I wouldn’t have thought of them for ballast/gravel.

Lot`s of little things on the layout are from this company. the snow fences (barrow crossing cut up), platform edges, lineside fencing  etc. 

3 hours ago, JBM37404 said:

I'm going fiction for somewhere in the Tomatin area. Pretending that a small freight branch goes off and some sidings feature. Hopefully a viaduct of some sorts at one end that the single line will sweep over with some cant on the track to give it mainline feel. 

Good location with the viaduct, PW siding and passing loop. Fancy that myself !

2 minutes ago, JBM37404 said:

That's it, full length HSTs and Sleepers plus the freight swing it for the HML for me. The Far North though is a great line. I love the desolation as it winds its way through the harsh but changing scenes on its full length.

 

J

Have you decided which part of the HML you will model ?

2 hours ago, JBM37404 said:

This is great work, love the colours on the open stretch, building an N Highland Mainline layout myself in the new year plenty of inspiration found on your thread.

 

J

Will look out for your layout, i did contemplate the Highland mainline a few years ago. Always fancied a HST thrashing through the scenery !

9 hours ago, SHerr said:

Out of interest, what have you used for the river bank stones/rocks? the size and mixture looks just right.

I used this

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/scale-model-scenery-br005-oo-staffordshire-pink-blend-1-3mm-200ml-11384-p.asp

from Scale model Scenery. I sieved it all to remove the smaller stones which were then used on a another part of the layout 

SMS have a great range in many areas. I was going to use Woodland Scenics but their pebbles are just one colour , too bland really. Its well worth going through Scale Model Scenery`s  entire range at the start of a layout

1 hour ago, Robert Shrives said:

Just ordered some 1mm scorched and 2mm patchy, I have some others as well so hopefully will be able to experiment on Christmas day after putting sprouts on at 06.00 ..

Robert    

Good luck with it Robert ! I look forward to seeing the results.

1 minute ago, Robert Shrives said:

The scorched grass looks very good and I will have to search it out  for my N gauge project, great phots of a lovely layout - here is to warmer days. 

Robert 

Thanks Robert,

I have used War World Scenics scorched grass .2 & 4 ml. After a little experimenting I arrived at probably the best method which is to apply a base of meadow grass giving a yellowy colour then on top with the layering spray apply the scorched grass in various quantities. Maybe I haven`t allowed enough of the yellowy colour to be seen ? I`ll go over a few parts tomorrow for a little more contrast  i also tried it also the other way round (scorched first them the straw colour on top) but this didn`t seem to work as well.  On the river banks dead grass and winter grass is used. Anything else seemed just too green for this far north.

14 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

Just read on sms news that the boss of Wales rail  has announced tyhat Wales should recieve the amount of money that is bring spent on HS2 .His view that as it was announced as a british welsh project they are entitled to the money to rebuild railways in wales.Think that he has a cheek , Wales is starting to think of itself  as an independant country so they should finance thier own projects.

I maybe wrong but don`t they get their share (as Scotland) through the Barnett formula ? ie when money is spent on such projects in England a proportion goes to Wales and Scotland ? 

2 hours ago, billywhizz said:

Same here, looking forward to centre head code Scottish headlamp 37/0’s being announced. That is going to get expensive!! 

Waiting for the Inverness based 37`s

8 hours ago, APOLLO said:

All this farting about in the UK whilst China has built a new high speed line from China to the capital of Laos, Vientiane, (Not in Yorkshire !!!!!) - opens tomorrow. Soon onwards through Thailand to Singapore. Will be built and running before our government publishes a map of our "proposals" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

https://www.voanews.com/a/china-launches-high-speed-rail-through-laos-in-first-leg-of-southeast-asia-corridor/6336517.html

 

It's absolutely pathetic what is happening in this country, the place where railways were invented.

 

I'm absolutely disgusted with our useless government. Useless in every category. (and the opposition ain't any better).

 

What do we plan ? - HS2 through Warrington Bank Quay Low Level - Yippee, can't wait  !!!!

 

Brit15

 

 

 

 

Whilst I very much agree that the UK spends way too much time (and money) on consultants reports, puts them in a draw , waits then decides to have another report. Rinse and repeat to make it look as something is happening whilst doing absolutely nothing we should never forget China is an authoritarian dictatorship whose government can do whatever they wish. Should your property or business be inconveniently in the way of a project you have little say in the process and most likely have to accept whatever compensation offered. Courts are controlled by the party so no point in challenging there. 

12 hours ago, Kris said:

If, as is looking likely, the Eastern branch is cancelled, I hope that they at least build the first few hundred meters of the track bed to enable a much less disruptive build in the future if/when it is reinstated. 

If rumours are true it seems they are to build the first 40 miles as far as East Mind parkway so your wish will probably be granted. 

7 hours ago, Dava said:

Benefits to Chesterfield Sheffield & Leeds in reduced travel time will be reduced. Leeds little better than currently via KX & ECML. This approach will just cost more in the long run, take longer & deliver less.

 

People in East Midlands & on the Transpennine route have been let down & lied to so often by Tory politicians about electrification, HS2 & NPR we have no reason to trust this lot to  deliver what is announced.

 

Shameful.

 

Dava

Maybe wait until Thursday ? This government has a record of media management ie letting a bad picture be pedalled in the press so that when the real proposals are known it appears to be better than expected but not anywhere ass good as the original proposals !. We will know in 48 hours now !

15 hours ago, lmsforever said:

The article I read talks of HS2 trains traveling at 60mph between Leeds  south to Brum not a white heat project looks like  Kings Cross Leeds will become a viable fast route and HS2 will become a London to Brum branch line albiet a fast line.I wonder if further cuts will happen or the powers that be will pause the contract this obviously is an emergency hapening but with the country as it is and continued covid you never know.  I hope that works progress as this is along term job consideration has to be required to carrying on wiyh work.

But the classic lines south to Brum are considerably higher than 60 mph so where does this come from ?

I think there is confusion where the article says having to travel for 60 MILES on "classic" lines which has got misread to having to travel at 60 mph . Even the direct route to Toton from Chesterfield is 80 mph and largely 4 tracked. I would have  though 2 of those tracks would get a substantial upgrade

4 hours ago, Pandora said:

This is a very valid point, simulations show   the HS" trains taking  a very long   time to both accelerate to, and brake from, the high linespeed proposed,  a reduction in designed linespeed may save considerable costs of construction and still deliver a fast embark to disembark journey time. 

It doesn`t save very much, it`s almost the same price to build for 140mph as 200 mph  

On 16/11/2020 at 21:57, jhb171achil said:

The old stone cottage with the ivy all over it - what's the origin of that? On my Irish layout I'd like something like that, as such structures are very plentiful in rural Ireland!

I stumbled over this site recently and thought it might be useful for you. 

https://braesidemodels.co.uk/shop/