ScR steam in the 50's

Great pictures as usual Richard.

Black Five on shed.

And two views of the yard at Thurso taken in natural light.

What can I say, but superb.

I managed it all without needing anything more than the new boiler to repaint, which saved a good deal of work of relining.

A look at the genesis of the 77xxx now, as promised. As said, a melding of the 82xxx tank boiler and the 76xxx body minus boiler with the missing under boiler added from the cut off 76xxx boiler and the grooves in the 82xxx boiler where the tank slotted into filled in with plastistrip and a good deal of filler. I didn't take pics of that stage  much  but here are the basic bits of it all.

Well, the usual hiccups over picture and text positioning, but the gist is there - one day I may work out how to do it properly….
The detached under boiler was sliced down the middle and narrowed so the diameter and taper matched the smaller 82xxx one  - crude but effective, I'm afraid.

All clever stuff Richard.  

Intrigued by the 'natural light' shots - is the layout near a window or can you take it outside ?  If the former, I was imagining the effect of summer sunshine but I suspect where you are, summer sunshine is just the odd couple of days when the temperature soars to around 20 C ………  Where I am just now, we're being hammered by highs just a tad over 40 C and night time lows all the way down to a freezing 25 C ………………  

Couple of recent shots - an overhaul has been going on and I'll look in to it in more detail later, but the Thurso turntable has been enlarged with a Kitwood Hill 57' one instead of the previous 50'  which gives a lot more operational potential. Some shots of the destruction…


 

All in place and the table at work…  

Petermac said

All clever stuff Richard.  

Intrigued by the 'natural light' shots - is the layout near a window or can you take it outside ?  If the former, I was imagining the effect of summer sunshine but I suspect where you are, summer sunshine is just the odd couple of days when the temperature soars to around 20 C ………  Where I am just now, we're being hammered by highs just a tad over 40 C and night time lows all the way down to a freezing 25 C ………………  

From “Post #293,610”, 14th July 2026, 11:21 am

It is in a small attic with a Velux window and illuminated by 6500k natural daylight tubes and I find the best true daylight shots are on an overcast sky, which gives a "scale" daylight - a bright sky produces too strong a light and shadows, but the tubes are a good second option.

Couple of random Helmsdale pics here …

More great shots. I use the daylight flouro's for my layout. 6,500K if I remember. I can get daylight on part of it with the garage door open and that makes a huge difference. Can't have it open too long in the summer though. can't afford to warp expensive rolling stock.

Lovely shots Richard - I love those big sweeping curves and the scene captures the 'emptiness' I'd imagine the line experienced regularly.  Having said that, not many small isolated stations could warrent 5 tracks !!

Petermac said

Lovely shots Richard - I love those big sweeping curves and the scene captures the 'emptiness' I'd imagine the line experienced regularly.  Having said that, not many small isolated stations could warrent 5 tracks !!

From “Post #293,707”, 12th October 2026, 11:37 am

Ha Ha! From L to R, the recently extended goods yard line that was also used as an overnight stock storage to keep the up and down lines clear. the next two the up and down through lines and the last two in reality were two storage sidings  but I have altered that to the engine shed access road and the furtherest right a storage siding.

peterm said

More great shots. I use the daylight flouro's for my layout. 6,500K if I remember. I can get daylight on part of it with the garage door open and that makes a huge difference. Can't have it open too long in the summer though. can't afford to warp expensive rolling stock.

From “Post #293,706”, 12th October 2026, 5:50 am

Heat isn't a problem here in the Far North….

Couple of the finished turntable and coaling stage here.

Ben Alder said

Couple of the finished turntable and coaling stage here.

From “Post #293,719”, 17th October 2026, 7:49 am

As always amazing photos!