ScR steam in the 50's

Very nice Richard. I would think these smaller places would be kept quite tidy, but there would probably be piles of useful materials such as rails, sleepers, chairs and sand and ballast kept somewhere. Plus the odd oil drum or two, barrows, etc.
I may have missed it, but may I ask what make is the turntable? Is it a modified Peco?

Cheers all, - most photos of these smaller sheds do appear to be fairly tidy except for ash piles, that were transitory things, so an uncluttered approach is called for, I think.

The turntables are both Roco  metric 60' models. if you know what I mean- forget the length in metres, but it manages 4-6-0's and can just hold an A4 or Clan if I'm feeling frisky! The cost is eye watering but it is fully indexed and with a bit of tidying up can just about pass for a British type. I looked at the alternatives, but there is nothing nearly approaching this type of quality around. Metalsmiths do a 70' equivalent of the prototype Helmsdale model, but have yet to get around to doing a 60' version, and I wanted to get the model finished so opted for this one- very pleased with it as well.

Hi RichardI agree with you about the price! However, yours does look the part.I have made do with a modified and motorised Peco turntable.Keep up the good work!
RegardsRay

Impressive progress!
I loved to see photos of your late layout but the new one is better still. You really have built a layout that is great for taking photos with beautiful integration of background.

Thomas

[user=27]FS[/user] wrote:

Impressive progress!
I loved to see photos of your late layout but the new one is better still. You really have built a layout that is great for taking photos with beautiful integration of background.

Thomas

Thanks,  this layout has been built with the natural light firmly in mind, and I should have some good daylight shots to show next year- no light at all here just now, I'm afraid. The last layout was rebuilt in its room before I entered the digital age, and was crammed in with no thought to light and camera angles. Looking back, I should have positioned The Mound better, as I regret taking it apart, but the two new stations use the space far better, and apart from the branch train, much of its workings can be transferred to Helmsdale, so all is not lost as far as that is concerned.

The terminus will be far more workable than Kylesku, and the old harbour area that got some good light is now the goods sidings, and trial shots this autumn showed promise. Watch this space!…..

Edit- a shot of one of the fishing vessels from the old layout.

it's the attention to detail that's so impressive Ben. :thumbs

Apart from lovely modelling, this careful detailing does indeed move it up from a model railway to a miniature of the real thing.  Most imprssive.

That shot you posted of the loco exiting the tunnel taken with your Canon has wonderful depth of field.  Can you remember if you took it on a manual setting or is that camera capable of such things on auto ?

Looking forward to sunrise next spring so we can see more …………………:roll::roll:

:oops: ;-) ,- thanks …. The photo was most likely taken on AV - I tried out various settings on the Canon, and in fact don't even think I've used the automatic one. One of the main reasons for upgrading, apart from a hopeful increase in picture quality was to get back to having to think when taking a picture, and I found that AV tended to give the best results. I'm still finding my way around this camera, and it has been neglected during the build, but will get back to it now I am not so focused on the layout construction.


Another one from the archives- Black Five's aplenty on shed at Kylesku.

The end of a busy year for me- created a new layout at a pace previously thought impossible- and hope next year to have some more "finished" pics to show. Anyway, thanks for all the interest shown- greatly appreciated- and wishing  All The Best for the coming Year.

Happy New Year to you too Richard.
Thanks for providing us with much inspiration.
Ray

Nice touch, and a very nice layout. Happy New Year one and all.

:cheers

A super shot once again Richard. :thumbs

My best wishes for 2013 to you and yours too. :cheers:cheers

Despite my silence of late, I have been busy- at the bench ,adding to the loco roster, a task that I find takes far longer than putting together buildings, but progress has been made, and some area specific engines are now on the layout.

They will probably mean little to those who are unfamiliar with the place and time modelled, but they do set the scene, and some have been in the pipeline for far too long….., but at last are running.

This is a Stanier 2-6-2T that worked the Thurso branch till the end of steam.









The Small Bens have been breeding- Ben Wyvis here, with another two to follow.

Contd, due to usual techie problem.

Ben Alisky shunting.




Ben Alder in its lined black mixed traffic livery -it never actually received this, but whatho, - it looks good!

Quite outstanding, sir!  I find your photos inspiring.

Very nice!
May I ask did you scratch build them or modify ready to run?
Regards
Ray

 Thanks both- they are basically Hornby T9's cut about to give a more Highland shape. Both engines were designed by the Drummond brothers, who swapped and shared ideas, giving a distinct "family " appearance to their locos. They are actually a bit too beefy  to be a scale model, but the superb running of the Hornby engines made the original idea of an old white metal kit a no-no. Parts from the kit were incorporated in Ben Alisky and Wyvis, but my improved Ben Alder had to be improvised. TBH, I've got beyond worrying about a mm or two here or there if I'm ever going to get pre-group locos running to current standards, and it is only really in broadside views that the compromises can be seen- a slightly excessive wheelbase and a boiler that is too long by some mm. The drivers should be smaller as well, and I did try adjusting some of the errors, but all that did was accentuate the others, so decided to leave well alone and live with it.

The reason others are appearing is the availability of spare drivers to get rid of the traction tyre, which released some donor engines for further duties, hence some extra Bens- they will be put to good use!

A photo showing the original Southern loco and its distant cousin- new smokebox boiler fittings , altered cab and cut down tender change its appearance  quite a bit. Details of the work involved can be found here -http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69241-ben-alders-workbench/ - to save me going over it again!

Great work, they look the business! I am sure some rivet counters will disagree but our hobby has to be full of compromises anyway so a mm or two doesn't matter if the loco looks right and gives the right impression of the original.

Unfortunately all my modelling has stopped until I get a 12x12 shed installed this spring ( whenever that is).

Love your posts, so many thanks for them.
Ray

Another build has been one half of the pair of 16XX GW panniers that lived at Helmsdale to work the Dornoch branch- for years I had a Bachmann one renumbered but the 16XX's were noticeablly smaller, so a couple of Nucast kits emerged from the pile and were put together. Unfortunately one's progress strayed behind the other, so it has been packed away for a bit while I turned my attention to other things, but here is the one busy shunting a restaurant car during its rest spell from branch duties.

On shed.

 



And at work.












Edit- notice the two different restuarant cars- this was because I was trying a different coupling system  and there would have been some unsightly omissions from some of the views- no corridor connections for example-no doubt I'll explain later!

Well, the things you learn on this forum!I never knew that ex-GWR locos traveled that far north. However, I am not surprised, some ex-LNER B1's found their way onto the North Wales Coast line.

Keep up the good work!