Lucky catch at Lochdubh...
In the spring of 1984 the forestry commission on Skye chartered a few unusual freights on the Lochdubh branch bringing fertiliser for a new plantation on the island...
BR used a variety of air braked open wagons including OBA and OCA on the services and here we see 26040 in the middle of a shunting operation as the wagons are unloaded, one at a time with a forklift from the loading dock just beyond the road bridge.
These photos are taken on Lochdubh, my hi-fi micro - a small slice of Scottish highlands and which features heavily in my new book - which will be out shortly. The Class 26 is a repainted Dapol model and the OBA are from the latest Farish release, all weathered in the same shades as the rest of the layout providing a wonderful coherence to the scene. Read more by using the 'Lochdubh' label below. Until next time, more soon...
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Morning James. What would anyone give for a time machine! Your layouts are the next best thing. I'd go to Lostwithiel station, summer 1995 and I'd take a notebook and camera this time! Take care
ReplyDeleteThat sounds magic, is that pre or post CDA?
DeletePeak CDA. A mixture of Trans rail and RFD 37's. At least twice a day Lostwithiel seemed to be completely overwhelmed by clay trains. They came from all directions, empties from Fowey, loaded from Parkandillick, rocks, moorswater or marshmills at Plymouth. The highlight for me was the arrival of 37671, Tre Pol and Pen. I made a note of the 37's I saw, but nothing else. I know I saw plenty of RES 47's too and a class 60 on the silver bullet tanks. My uncle left me there for a day (he was a builders rep based at moorswater, he showed me the ECC private shunter over the fence from the builders yard) with a packed lunch and picked me up later when he finished work. Honestly, I thought I'd found the promised land!
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful. Yes RES 47s would be around by then for sure - I saw plenty at Crewe. Didn't see as many 37s until they regularly came up the coast again after the 31/4s on the RR trains Holyhead to Manchester.
DeleteGood to hear about the new book. Will it be from Wild Swan again? I've just read your first two and they really have transformed my thinking. I'd been heading - rather uneasily, gloomily, tbh - towards either EM or P4, but I knew I was destined to find myself disappointed with slow progress and lack of skills. Thinking about what I actually want from a model railway is, of course, the secret. Although I like accuracy, I really want atmosphere (and three link couplings... however fiddly!). You've even got me admitting that I rather like 08 shunters, although I also hanker after a GWR 517 (looking forward to Dapol's next year). Anyway, I'm rambling, so thank you for reading (if you got this far).
ReplyDeleteHi Jonathan - thank you for the comment, and pleased to hear my writing has helped you refine what you want. If you only model a small area and in a closed cameo presentation you can’t see along the rails to see the narrow gauge anyway! The new book is Wild Swan, yes and a fourth will follow early next year all being well and a few magazine projects to share in time.
DeleteHello James, I am excited to hear about your new book. Is there any ETA for it? I want to keep my eyes open for it. I have your other two books and enjoy going back to them for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteIt will be very soon, it’s in print! All good railway book shops, published by Wild Swan, I’m sure Simon would appreciate your trade at www.titfield.co.uk
DeleteHey James, There is nowhere better to post this to you, and in a way its appropriate to the era... I ordered my first "main actor" today, and it is due for delivery tomorrow. I've bought the Hornby departmental 88DS in BR Blue. Next month I'm getting my first four wagons. I credit both you, and another modelmaker with giving me the push to get going :) Looking forward to getting my layout going later in the year.
ReplyDeleteThank you - but at the end of the day, it is your own will that has got you this far and will carry you forward. Inspiration is great, but motivation comes from within and that will keep you on the right track! Enjoy!!
DeleteHi James
ReplyDeleteAnother good example of your offstage operation as a way of increasing operations. On my layout I have three " offstage tracks which can function as woods transfer , a branch line with a woods camp at the end and the location of a gravel pit. All it needs is a bit of imagination!!
Pleased to hear your new Book(s) are getting near to publication. Is there a date when it goes on sale - not on Wild Swan yet but I keep looking
Best regards
Alan
Thanks Alan - in the case of Lochdubh there is no off-stage as it is really a diorama that can be operated, than a layout as such.
DeleteThe books - the third one, in print, will be out all being well towards the end of August. The fourth - in very early stages - is likely to be 2025. The fifth - I think I need a big long holiday to write it, so who knows!