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  • SouthernRegionSteam

    Coastguard Creek - 15 months of planning!

    By SouthernRegionSteam

    Hold on to your socks - this is going to be a lengthy one! (In fact it's so long, I've now split it into 2 separate posts - the next will be up soon...)   I think it's fair to say that you are all long overdue an update on Coastguard Creek. Due to other commitments, no real progress has been made since the last post way back in March 2021; almost 15 months ago! If anything, things went backwards for quite a while, as I kept finding more and more inspiring locations that I really wanted
    • 8 comments
    • 3,310 views
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Colour at last

The white plaster has been getting on my nerves, so it was good to put some colour onto it at last.   I used Woodland Scenics ground colours, diluted to various degrees, and followed their “leopard spots” approach of dabbing different colours and then tieing it together with a dilute black wash. I am quite pleased with the results, certainly it looks like a landscape now.     The cutting and mine. I used sampler pots of water-based household paint to cover the blue craft foam, leaving onl
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Scenery base layer

There is little room for scenery here, so I want to be sure that what little there is does justice to the other aspects of the layout. I decided to use lightweight plaster of paris (Hydrocal by Woodland Scenics) on the bridge end of the layout, and I'll use a mixture of that and craft foam around the station (where the ground will be essentially flat).     First task was to cover the craft foam layers with plaster cloth. I have also cut out the top of the mine shaft (it's only 3' square and
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Fiddleyard turntable: beginnings

This type of fiddle yard allows complete trains to be turned in a relatively compact space without unnecessary handling of the models—as long as trains are short, which is the case here. Maximum train length is effectively a loco plus four twin-axle wagons, and will usually be around 50'; the turntable is a scale 54'-11" long.     The base for the fiddle yard, 3 mm ply glued to the craft foam base.     The layout end of the fiddle yard. The gap to the right will be filled in and there
Richard T

Richard T

1
derekarthurnaylor's Blog

Aire Valley Railway

Hi All.   Just a quickie. Single attachment showing the latest bit of stock on the Fairfied garden line.. It started off as a toy bendy bus somewhat about the same scale as the two Chad Valley rail vehicles. It was obtained from Pound Stretcher. The power chassis is the IP Engineering budget chassis I picked up at NG North. Somewhere on youtube is a 30 odd second video of it on the move..   See you at York? Cheers Derek
derekarthurnaylor

derekarthurnaylor

0
The Cuckoo's Blog

Raven

This is a picture of Raven that I found here: http://www.broadgauge.co.uk/locomotives/d52_raven_class.shtml   Lovely.   What struck me was how much like it was to these:     Now I don't have a drawing of the Raven class, but they do look awfully similar. So similar, in fact, that I'm starting to wonder why Horny have never produced one of these as a 'fictitious' livery for the Caley - after all, they seem to have done everything else.   So anyway, I picked up a couple of pugs t
TheCuckoo

TheCuckoo

7
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Baseboard progress

I thought a lot about how to tackle the baseboard. As I have no plans to exhibit this, I decided for as simple and robust a baseboard as possible, accepting that in the event of moving house all will likely be lost.   Weight is no object as the shelving can carry 300 kg per unit; nonetheless I wanted something I could easily assemble alone. I shall not need to lift the baseboards—there will be no electrical wiring to tracks or turnouts, and any to buildings will be buried in the ground cover.
Richard T

Richard T

2
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Backscene

For this layout I want a back scene which is unobtrusive. I do not like to see breeze block or grainy wood immediately behind or beside the models.   I had agonised about how to hide the many internal corners, but in the end this was very simple, once I had discovered flexiply, which is a plywood which bends (flops) in one axis. Flexiply will curve down to a 3" radius without effort, and as such is perfect for this application. I initially thought to use carpet tape to attach the flexiply to t
Richard T

Richard T

4
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Workbench

In the corner of the double garage opposite the layout I have set up a workshop from two new units plus an existing unit; the idea is to have space for modelling separate from occasional other use (household, cycling, cars...)   This shows the tidied garage; the workshop is to the right at the rear.   The workshop corner before the recessing of the light.   Later the shelves filled up and I was able to spread tools and so on about...
Richard T

Richard T

0
The EMpire Project

Of dumb buffers and badly designed kits

My tastes in railways (particularly British ones) tends towards the unusual. I am completely uninterested in BR steam, for example, and find myself increasingly drawn to pre-grouping, if not Victorian, railways. While I can't claim to be a fan of the Great Western, Duncan's desire to model Edwardian GWR is at least the right era. While perusing the bay of E a few months ago I happened across a lot for five identical white metal kits for dumb buffered private owner coal wagons. Now dumb buffers t
garethashenden

garethashenden

0
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Making space in the garage

The first step in all this took place in November 2013, clearing out the garage. I then laid a rubber matting floor and fitted shelves, so that the clutter could all be stored and space created for the railway. I started by clearing half the garage into the other half; the pallet contains shelving. Logistically this was quite challenging...     An idea of just how much clutter there is... I had to work in the forecourt (meaning in the wind and rain) when the logistics got too complicated.
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Shelves shelves shelves

Next came the shelves. Two people are required to build them; I managed by myself but not without some awkward moments. The shelves are boltless, meaning lots of bashing with a rubber mallet and the associated reverberating clanging.     Note I hung simple hardboard sheets against wall battens, from ceiling height to about a metre off the floor, to provide a “cleaner” wall surface than the uneven breeze-block. I tell myself this gives me some insulation too, while retaining ventilation of t
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Modelling sources

In the building of Clachbeg I have sourced a variety of materials from a number of suppliers, listed here. To be completed.   Baseboards shelving—BigDug; Industrial quality, robust flexiply—W.G. Powell;Have to collect but friendly service foamboard, craft foam—Panel Systems; Bulk only, but great material Scenery plaster cloth and scenic materials—Woodland Scenics from Hobbycraft; Useful to find these off-the-shelf locally plaster to shape the landscape—Artex filler f
Richard T

Richard T

4
Clachbeg

Clachbeg branch

Scheduled Train Composition The table shows fixed composition of the scheduled trains; additional coaches or wagons may be conveyed.   Goods Traffic—Inbound   Goods Traffic—Outbound   Rolling Stock In Use
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Rolling stock

The rolling stock is fitted with link-and-pin couplings of various designs; central buffers are generally set 18" above the rails.   Rolling stock is limited to 5'-8" wide by 8'-7" high, and up to 20' long. The curves on the branch lines restrict usage to wagons with a rigid wheelbase of 4'-6" or a bogie wheelbase of 11'—as a result most wagons on the branches are no more than 9' long.     Motive Power Locomotives are black with maroon cabs and black roofs, and are generally kept in good a
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Operations

Scheduled trains have priority. Trains to be driven by sight without the aid of signalling. Tokens to be used to manage line occupancy; the token man at Bothy is to ensure that the shared line to Mains is always only occupied in one direction at any time. Train drivers to ring their bells on the approach to stations, halts, bridges and crossings. Speed limit On the main line: 15 mph, except at the two sharp curves where it is reduced to 9 mph. On the branch lines: 6 m
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Passenger service

Main Line     Clachbeg Branch     Passenger trains convey goods as well. Bothy and Falls are request stops only.   Children attending the schoolhouse at Mains—where school starts at 08:30 and finishes at 16:00—have priority on the 52, the 02 and the 92 trains as far as Mains, and on the 46, the 06 and 96 trains from Mains. The number 8 services are often quite busy, as people return from visiting or from the Old Tosh inn in Kinlochy.     Fares   All train services are free a
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Train numbering

Trains using the main line in any way are numbered; train movements on the branch lines which do not involve Strathan, Falls or Bothy remain unnumbered.   Train numbers are made up of two digits, whereby the initial digits 0_ to 4_ are for up trains and 5_ to 9_ are for down trains.   (A distinction is made between regular, scheduled passenger services, which use 0_ for Kinlochy–Strathan services, 4_ for Mains to Clachbeg services, 5_ for Clachbeg to Mains services and 9_ for Strathan to K
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Costs

The CMER is operated as an estate expense rather than for profit, and its use is free for all estate purposes.   The principle expense item is wages, followed by fuel; general maintenance costs including amortisation of occasional capital projects make up the remainder.   The costs of the CMER are recovered as follows: a levy per adult per annum for unlimited use of passenger services a freight charge per mile per tonne included in the cost of all goods shipped in our out of the e
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Route Profile

Kinlochy   The station consists of a 2 chain run-around loop with a low gravel platform, a carriage siding, a goods siding, a pier spur, a coal siding, two storage sidings, a maintenance-of-way siding and a workshop siding with a separate locomotive spur and turntable, and two-track locomotive shed. The platform boasts a simple stone-built shelter.   All turnouts are switched from a small signal box opposite the platform.   The pier spur is typically busy: here a steam crane hoists grani
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg

Clach Mhòr Estate Railway: The Prototype

Clach Mhòr Estate lies in the north-western highlands of Scotland, covering some 48,000 acres, hemmed in by towering mountains, quaking moors and the sea. The name of the estate derives from a very prominent crag near Kinlochy; clach mhòr means “great stone”. The estate is reached by boat from Kylesku, or by long and difficult footpaths: no road connection exists, and the cost of driving a road connection across the surrounding mountains to the nearest road head over 30 miles away would be exorb
Richard T

Richard T

0

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  • Blog Comments

    • BarryP
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By BarryP · Posted

      It's good to see so many positive reviews of a model railway exhibition. I did dabble in S4/P4 way back and Iain Rice's writings were inspirational. I saw Butley Mills when it was first shown at Scaleforum in 1987 and I loved it. Gordon Gravett's models are fabulous and I would love to see them in the flesh, as it were. I did visit two shows specifically to see the magnificent "Pempoul" layout that the Gravetts built, that was the finest I've ever seen. I'm dabbling in "O" Gauge and an opportuni
    • Keith Addenbrooke
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By Keith Addenbrooke · Posted

      Good to see it was a positive experience - and really nice to see a couple of photos of Ditchling Green (I didn’t realise it was still around).  Always struck me as a lovely layout: an early example perhaps of the ‘less is (so much) more’ approach to railway modelling that is now widely appreciated.  Keep up the good work, Keith.
    • Mikkel
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By Mikkel · Posted

      The layout and info display looks very good. Thanks for posting photos of the other layouts, always a gift for those of us abroad - especially when they are this good.   Imposter syndrome is common I think, it can hold us back but on the hand I'll take that over bragging anytime.  
    • Mikkel
      Netherport and Basuto Quay Chronology

      By Mikkel · Posted

      That sounds like a good approach Nick, thank you for clarifying. A sense of space is so important, less is more and all that.   The Penzance photo shows unloading of flower traffic from the Scilly Isles (no date). It features on the front page of this volume by Tony Atkins. The book is perhaps not unexpendable and a tad dry, but it is informative and some of the photos are lovely.    
    • WFPettigrew
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By WFPettigrew · Posted

      If only you'd brought some crossing timbers, we could have had them down too 🤣. It was a pleasure to be able to help!   All the best   Neil 

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