West Highland Line V4, a 1980's West Highland Line layout

[young37215]

The summer is fast passing by and I am beginning to think about modelling again. I really want to finish Crianlarich this year which means that I need to get cracking with the northern end of the station and the junction area. The key to moving the task forward was to find a way to install the junction signal in a way that makes it removable in the event of problems with it or the servos that automate it. Now this is complete, the remaining activity is largely scenic.  

 

The underpass roadway is cork recycled from a previous life as underlay. After a little fiddling and realigning of the walls, I am now satisfied with how this looks. The lower part of the wall is Wills Coarse Stone and the upper part is Slaters English Bond Plasticard. The water tower off of the northern end of the platform has been constructed also from Willis Plain Bond brickwork. All need weathering to blend them together but I am happy with the basic outline.

 

Using the various photographs that I have found as a source of reference, I am slowly building the wall away from the station toward the junction. As the layout is not to scale, I find it necessary to do this one step at a time in order that the representation is a close to reality as is possible. Once I get to the end of the junction with the walling, I will complete the scenery to the rear.  

 

The starting point

First part of wall and railing completed, hole for the signal and attached servos to drop into constructed

Signal in position and ballasted

The traditional view of a train from the top of the station approach

The water tower

37085 departs for Fort William

Progress so far

 

 

 

 

 

[ISW]

Glad to see you back. The warm summer days are not the best for indoor railway modelling, but some nice progress being made I see.

 

[scots region]

Wonderful thread, I wanted to read all of it before posting. Lots of ideas here. 

[andyram]

Just caught up with this thread. This is a stunning layout.

[Signaller69]

Really coming together now, very nice work.

[young37215]

Further development of the northern end of the station has been undertaken where I have made a first attempt at the A82  and surrounding area where it passes the station entrance. I used a combination of plaster cloth on a polystyrene base and Sculptamold to create the land profile and whilst I am happy with the results, the areas filled are still damp and tacky 24 hours after the Sculptamold was laid.  There is still work to do before I add flock, trees and bushes the groundwork.

 

My starting point

 

 

Sculptamold and plaster cloth added

 

 

30 year old Paynes grey paint is no longer grey! I will re-paint this once all is dry.

 

 

Trees and bushes temporarily placed to get a feel

 

 

PLatform view looking north

 

 

Station view from the north

 

 

 

View of Crianlarich looking south from the junction. 

 

 

[young37215]

Further work completed on the northern section of Crianlarich with the embankment adjoining the station subway largely finished and the hill to the west of the A82 flocked. Fencing to seperate the railway yard from the road awaits painting before being put in place. The scrub area to eastern side of the northern approach comprising basket liner topped with Woodland Scenics bushes has been added. Now I feel I can return to the station platform where a little more work is required to complete the area. 

 

A running session followed with everything performing well except for the signals where the servos need further adjustment to get the upper and lower points of the signal arms to more accurate positions.

 

37014 arrives Crianlarich from Oban with the 0740 to Glasgow 1T16

37011 departs Crianlarich with 7B02 to Mallaig Junction Yard

37022 waits and then departs Crianlarich for Oban with 1B08, 0806 Ex Glasgow

37264 arrives Crianlarich with 7D10 including newly arrived PRA wagons

Recently re-numbered from 37284, 37178 with 1B10, 0837 Glasgow to Mallaig arrives at Crianlarich. Must vacum the subway!

Edited September 28, 2019 by young37215

[meanach]

Ha ha those PRA wagons , they’re like a gift from the gods for us West highland modellers ! I’m just finishing off weathering mine at the mo.

[young37215]

6 hours ago, meanach said:

Ha ha those PRA wagons , they’re like a gift from the gods for us West highland modellers ! I’m just finishing off weathering mine at the mo.

Modelling the 1980-85 period which is slightly earlier than you and with the PRA's being introduced in 1984, I can get away with leaving mine in largely 'as new' condition. They might get a light dusting but I am intending to run the PRA's alongside the older 5 plank OWV's so having pristine PRA's and dilapidated OWV's should help highlight the change.

 

 

[young37215]

A few more pictures of Crianlarich from yesterdays running session. I aim to spend time detailing the station platform this week so that I can secure it in place and finish the ballasting.  

 

A panoramic view of the station 

 

 

The scenic area has not been extended onto the next baseboard as yet because this contains the bridge and I want to check that I have the correct height of the bridge before I add scenery.

 

 

37085 arrives with the down sleeper, the newly built southern water tower can be seen

 

 

37085 has the road and awaits departure

 

 

37014 arrivng with 1T16 from Oban. I am pleased with the effect of the spur from the Oban line, it looks just as I recall trains arriving.

 

 

37014 passes the northern water tower and slows for the station stop

 

 

37011 heads north with 7B02

 

 

37022 awaits departure to Oban with 1B08 

 

 

Trains pass at Crianlarich

 

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by young37215

[meanach]

23 hours ago, young37215 said:

Modelling the 1980-85 period which is slightly earlier than you and with the PRA's being introduced in 1984, I can get away with leaving mine in largely 'as new' condition. They might get a light dusting but I am intending to run the PRA's alongside the older 5 plank OWV's so having pristine PRA's and dilapidated OWV's should help highlight the change.

 

 

You don’t happen to know Doug Johnson do you ? He’s just told me of a friend who’s modelling the West highlands in an earlier time frame to me . Sounds very coincidental!

[young37215]

21 hours ago, meanach said:

You don’t happen to know Doug Johnson do you ? He’s just told me of a friend who’s modelling the West highlands in an earlier time frame to me . Sounds very coincidental!

Yes, I know Doug and having spoken to him on Sunday at the Lydney show, I am sure that it was me he was refering to. Who knows, I guess our paths will cross somewhere along the way.

[Dougjuk]

Hi Rob,

 

Just spent two days reading through your thread, really enjoyed it.  The layout is looking great and I reckon Ian and I need to visit sometime, however a visit to Ians fantastic layout needs to be done too.  There are a few things you could share with him around the servo's etc and controls.

 

I will try to set something up.  

 

You have given me the push to write something about Marshend and my home layout too.

 

regards

 

Doug

 

PS:  We also have a GWSR gala coming up.

 

[young37215]

Further operating activity around Crianlarich by way of some fun and testing that everything still works as it should. Crianlarich is about to see an engineers possession to allow for the station to be updated and ballast completed.

 

A pair of 20's arrive from Oban with a return Adex to Ayrshire. Not prototypical but I really like the Sealink liveried coaches.

 

 

 

27041 shunts the breakdown train coaches. Hopefully these will not be seeing immediate action!

 

 

20's await departure 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[meanach]

When I saw those sea link coaches I thought I’d got an excuse to buy some!

[young37215]

After a possession occupying most of Sunday, Crianlarich station has been smartened up and ballasted into its final position. Ballasting covered the rough edges on the platform base arising from the cutting that was necessary to reduce platform height which was a relief. A few detailing tasks remain to be completed but overall I am delighted with how the station has turned out. Now all that remains to complete Crianlarich is the bridge scenic section.

 

Platform has had its edges painted white and holes drilled for signs and lights.

Lights and signs fitted, plant tubs secured and gravel glued

 

Station in situ under gauging test. The lights work and because I want to add lighting to the station building and signal box a hole has been drilled in the platform under the station building to allow wires to pass through the baseboard for this purpose. The platform will be glued down so it's important to align the platform and baseboard holes.

The view from the top of the underpass, I think the hiker is saying ‘ I hope I don’t hit my head on that sign’ to his partner! It is a bit lower than I had intended.

Committed; platform ballasted and glued in place.

View of the largely completed station 

Edited October 7, 2019 by young37215

[young37215]

A little running today as a break from the ongoing work with the bridge across Strathfillan. Here I am modelling the first of the two bridges on departure north towards Fort William from Crianlarich which passes over the village crossing the A85 and the old Callander and Oban line. On WHL 4 I am having to deviate a little from the real thing because on passing over the diamond, WHL 4 turns slightly left whereas the real thing turns right. This is causing me a headache as I try to create the most of the available space to represent as much of the village as possible. Today I moved the start of the bridge about 150mm north to create more space to model the small park area and WW1 memorial. To move forward I am waiting for several items ordered on line to arrive, most notably the Slaters dressed stone plasticard which is required for the pillars on which the bridge sits. 

 

37108 arrives and departs Crianlarich with the Alcan hoppers

 

37022 arrives with 1T32, the midday Oban to Glasgow service

 

A little later 37014 arrives with 1B11, the midday Glasgow to Oban service having passed 37022 at Arrochar

The old bridge location

The new bridge location 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by young37215

[Dougjuk]

Nice job, are all you loco's sound equipped ??

 

Doug

 

PS: your making me think I need to write a blog for my fixed layout.

[young37215]

I find it reassuring to document progress, it helps me keep focused and serves as a useful reminder that I am moving forward when motivation is low.  Today  has been spent trying to get the look and feel that I want in the area of Crianlarich village. The postman delivered the bits I have been waiting for; the arrival of the Slaters plasticard means I can now finish the pillars that support the bridge. As the A85 goes under the bridge it rises gently up towards the junction with the A82 and the Crianlarich Hotel. I have added a layer of 8mm polystyrene as a first step to representing this, the small park and A82 will get raised a little higher once the glue holding first layer has set. To get a flavour of how it will look I placed several trees in the area between the Oban and Fort William lines. This feels somewhere near how I want it to look, the next step is to glue down the polystyrene to form the contours of the land. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fencing around the yard has been installed

 

 

 

The spur of the old C&O line will be modelled but not linked to the rest of the layout

 

 

new arrivals from Harburn Hobbies, the war memorial and a portacabin for the yard

 

 

 

Edited October 10, 2019 by young37215

[young37215]

Ever onwards!; Strathfillan begins to take shape with scenery up to the bridge started. Further scenic work will have to wait until I have completed the bridge pillars which need some fine tuning and filler applying to the gaps between the plasticard. Once the pillars are complete I can start gluing the bridge together, at present it just rests on top of the pillars. I have ballasted up to the bridge on the Fort William line and as far along the Oban line as I need to go. 

 

Oban line ballasted

 

37027 departs Crianlarich with the 1250 Mossend to Corpach freight

 

37085 crosses the bridge with the 1245 Mallaig to Glasgow

 

 

 

[young37215]

A few more pictures of recent running sessions showcasing the progress made with Crianlarich. 

 

Freight trains cross

37027 awaits the road

 

37027 departs 

 

 

37049 arrives with the 1350 Mossend to Mallaig Junction Yard

 

Dusk shows the lights to good effect

 

 

Darkness falls over Crianlarich

 

 

a lone passenger awaits the arrival of the sleeper

  

 

 

[young37215]

Managed a little more of the scenic work with the embankment adjoining the Oban line spur now covered with basket liner and flock. After testing I am satisfied that the Oban line spur is pretty much complete; all I am waiting on is the determining the precise fence line that seperates the railway from the roadway. After time spent searching Flickr I am a little clearer on how I will completet the next step of representing the Crianlarich Hotel and surrounding area. 

 

37039 with 8B05 for Oban, the daily service from Mossend

New arrival to WHL 4 37026 arrives at Crianlarich with the opposite working to 37039

37026 has the road, I have started to add the various signage from my 1980's pre RETB era  

37014 comes off the spur from the old C&O line with 1T52 for Glasgow

 

 

[Bill37]

Looking really good.

 

Bill.

[ISW]

On 16/10/2019 at 13:40, young37215 said:

Managed a little more of the scenic work with the embankment adjoining the Oban line spur now covered with basket liner and flock. 

 

37039 with 8B05 for Oban, the daily service from Mossend

 

Everytime I see basket liners for sale in the garden centres my temptation is resisted because it just doesn't look real. However, in the light of your recent exploits I'm going to have to reconsider. You really make basket liner + flock look both good and realistic. Very impressive.

 

[young37215]

1 hour ago, ISW said:

Everytime I see basket liners for sale in the garden centres my temptation is resisted because it just doesn't look real. However, in the light of your recent exploits I'm going to have to reconsider. You really make basket liner + flock look both good and realistic. Very impressive.

 

 

I have used basket liner previously and found it an acceptable way to cover larger areas . You need to be selective as to what you buy, there are numerous choices and not all of them are any good for modelling.  I use an impact adhesive (No More Nails, cheap B&Q etc.) along the edges and press down firmly which helps avoid a large 'lip' between the liner and baseboard. A recent trick that I have employed is an all over light sprinkling of Woodland Scenics soil fine turf which darkens the base of the liner and seems to make a noticeable improvement. If you split the second picture in half, you can get an impression of with soil to the left and without to the right. The right hand side will get treated at a future date when I have it trimmed to size and glued down.

 

I have only used liner in the areas in the pictures below (except the bank on the very left in the first picture) which, like the remainder of the scenic area, is various Woodland Scenics material.