ScR steam in the 50's

Sorry, forgot to comment on the figures- the lorries are repainted Pocketbonds and the figure is,I think, a Montys from Dart Castings, but I couldn't find it there tonight when I checked the site. Good 4mm figures are few and far between, and mine have been gathered from near and far, but as usual, I haven't kept any record of it, so I'm relying on a memory that seems to have very little recall in these matters :roll: I'll try to think where it came from…..

I'm just catching up after a long "lay-off" Richard and this latest batch of photos have certainly raised the bar.

The light in your latitudes at this time of year is remarkable and you've made excellent use of it.  Of course, it goes without saying that, regardless of what the light does, there has to be something worthy to photograph - you don't need me to remind you just how worthy your layout is. :thumbs

Like Alan, I love the shot of the signal box and also, the mail vans and coal lorry.  In fact, it's unfair on the other shots to pick any one out of the bunch - they're all really, really good. :cheers

What do you do during the long winter nights up there - get everything ready for sunrise next year ? 

Lovely railway Richard,
Its full of the right atmosphere.
Tell me are you into 3-link couplings for your rolling stock?
They do look well even if they take extra work with shunting and such. Plus you get that nice buffer bumping when a train slows to a halt.
regards,

Derek.

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

What do you do during the long winter nights up there - get everything ready for sunrise next year ? 

It's not a lot of fun here from now till February, that's true, but I am trying to not fritter away these months by pottering- I have found that I can sit and work at the bench for longer in winter- no natural light distractions on the layout!. Just in the process of deciding what to build next- I have several to do, but persistent rumours of some ScR R-T-R are making deciding what to start with a bit difficult, as I don't really enjoy loco kit building per se, especially the lumps of white metal that are offered as Scottish pre groupers, so don't want to spend weeks on something that might be duplicated in a year or so. Decisions, decisions…….

[user=477]shunter1[/user] wrote:

Lovely railway Richard,
Its full of the right atmosphere.
Tell me are you into 3-link couplings for your rolling stock?
They do look well even if they take extra work with shunting and such. Plus you get that nice buffer bumping when a train slows to a halt.
regards,

Derek.

Thanks-glad folks seem to recognise it as being in the Highlands….

I have used 3-links in the past, but buffer locking and the struggle in coupling put me off them. I use Sprat and Winkle 3mm delayed actions, and am more than pleased with them- robust,not critical in set up and just about passable in photos. Due to the arrangement of the layout, mine are single ended, which makes life a bit easier, and I have set them so that buffers can contact in shunting. To that end, I have fitted sprung buffers at the hook end of each wagon, which can give a gentle colsing up, and allows propelling on curves. A couple of shots might show this off.



The coupling in the hauling mode and for propelling coupled stock.



And in the delayed action position- this allows the RH van to be shunted and left apart from the LH one.The buffers do make contact when this happens, but the wagon rolled slightly while I was composing the shot so apart they are……

I can see where you might have though there  were 3-links about- here is the original of the open wagon I posted up- The hook of the S&W was very apparent in it, so I experimented with a bit of cloning out- something I usually can't be bothered with to any great extent(beyond hiding specks of dirt or so that escaped the eye), and posted up the doctored version by mistake:oops:

Many thanks Richard for the photo,s and explanation of your coupling system. Those S&W couplings do look better than the standard RTR offerings.
regards,

Derek.

A couple of coach works now. Firstly, a LNER Pigeon van with its traffic at Thurso- the baskets have been taken out ready for release…..

And at Helmsdale an ex Pullman car is in use as a restaurant car- changed days from today's trolley service……

Back again! Unfortunately, I cannot remember what I had posted in the "missing" week, so will look at what is in  the gallery and try to guess…

However, this is new-a horse and lorry waiting in the yard at Thurso. These had been replaced with Scarabs by the time I was modelling, but little things like that don't hold one back- always like seeing a horse at work… It is a forty year old Slaters kit that has graced every layout I have built since a teenager, but has been given a facelift, with brakes and a pail and feedbag for the horse. A nosebag should hang from the other side, but that has yet to be made. The carter is having a break, catching up on the news between loads, it seems….

Ben, good stuff;-)

I like you use Spratt & Winkle couplings, I notice that you don't use the full coupling with each wagon, a lot simpler that way as long as the wagons are in the right order as mix & match will cause a problem…but I guess you know that :lol:

Phil

Cheers,- the S&W's are a very good coupling, and I like to keep things simple, so, as there are no return loops on my layout, the single end variation is enough. Some engines have a hook and bar, and there  are some wagons with hooks at both ends , but overall I am more than happy with this coupling, esp. for hands off shunting. To complicate matters, the coaches have Kadees, but most passenger engines don't venture onto goods traffic- the Black Fives are fitted with one or another, but I have five of them so there is always a suitable engine around…

A shot of a GW 16xx waiting its fire at Helmsdale shed. There were two here, for the Dornoch branch, and spent time about between the two places. Here, it has had a washout and any running repairs, and will be given a day or so light duties to check everything is OK before another spell on the branch.

Wonderful photos as always Richard. :thumbs:thumbs

I love that horse and flat having a break.  I've often said, it's all in the "detail" and your layout is bursting at the seams with it. :pathead:pathead

Hi Richard, really like the photo's of your layout, such attention to detail. The shot with the horse and trailer and the guy reading. Is he reading a paper or checking his order book for his next load? Brilliant keep them coming.

Don't know if it's the way you've lit it, the backscene, or both, but the shot of the 16xx just shouts 'Daybreak at the Shed' to me.


Ed

Thanks all- there will be more detail appearing sometime in the New Year- work taking over until Xmas- but I have quite a few figures ready and plugged to turn up in photos sometime- activity here must be carefully thought out; there were  times when very little happened in this part of the world, and a couple of figures standing around might be prototypical, but will need to be swapped about to provide a bit of variety.


I am lucky that I can call upon natural light to help me with the photographs- makes all the difference :lol: and that backscene could have been made for Helmsdale. If only someone had photographed a remote Scottish terminuses environs (in colour and panoramic, in the late fifties, then my happiness would be abundant!)



Anyway, a couple more recent shots, again in natural light. Firstly, a view of Thurso T/T and shed facilities.






And two from a combined running and photographic session at Helmsdale- I featured it recently in my RMweb thread if anyone's interested. A HR 0-6-0 shunting a PW mess van into a siding…..

Ben, nice bit of sunlight shining through the clouds there;-)

 

Phil

Hi Richard,

I think you strategically chose the room with the best light for your layout ! Superb pics once again. :thumbs

Cheers, Gary.

The light is a pleasing bonus for the layout, and to an extent determined the placings at Helmsdale- it doesn't work quite so well at the terminus, on the other side of the room- gets too much direct light which can overwhelm the model. Thos last two pics were taken in overcast skies, but still allowed shadows to fall on the model. All good fun!

I might have posted this up before,but gone missing- so a double header leaves Helmsdale to tackle some of the climbs that make operations here interesting.

Really nice scene,s there Richard.
The background and skys really bring out the best from your railway.
That track and ballast with point rodding does look the part.

regards,

Derek.

Thanks- using 00 track makes a big visual difference, and that backscene could have been made for me ;-) I have also  found that by modelling an actual place you are half way there to what you want. If I only had more room…..

Anyway, another view of the Barney with its PW train.