This would mean moving the period from the 1930s to somewhere in the region of 1913. Ultimately this means that the line could have been operated by the North British Railway. There seems to be surprisingly little information recorded about the NBR in a country that has managed to preserve plenty of history about the other lines of the era.
Paint is a real issue, there were several different liveries carried by the NBR, but periods that these were used over seem rather vague, and there were some locos that overlapped from one period to another anyway. Phoneix paints produce some NBR colours, however I find them difficult to achieve a good finish with compared to other brands of paint.
Instead, from looking at photos of a preserved NBR loco (Glen Douglas), I found Citadel Colour 'Gretchin Green' foundation paint.
The colour is a close enough match for me to be happy. Now to try and sort out how to do the lining!!
5 comments:
Hi there Tom
I'm not involved in railway modelling at all but I love the inventiveness of all this (and the made up histories etc.) and I'm a great lover of the Highlands of Scotland and especially transport in the region.
A few comments:-
1. PnC reminds me a lot of Stromeferry which (I'm sure you don't need me to tell you) was the terminus of the Dingwall & Skye Railway from 1870 until it was extended to Kyle in 1897. There used to be a curved run in to the pier - don't know the technical term - a bit like your track plan for PnC. All gone now at Stromeferry.
2. "Cailleach" is a gaelic word meaning old woman. The genitive form ("of the") is Caillich. I'm not an expert of gaelic but you may want to research that final "e" on PnC before you start painting the name boards.
3. It's pronounced "CAL-yich" with the "ch" as in loch (not "Kaleesh")
4. Your bridge over the Plockton style inlet also reminds me of the embankment with a bridge over a similar inlet on the Kyle line at Erbusaig about 2 miles of Kyle.
5. Have you got a hotel at PnC? I feel a hotel would be more historically accurate than a lodge. I'm thinking Stromeferry here again. (Although as it's a narrow guage, no passengers, just goods, minerals, so no need for a hotel, yes??).
6. The steamer - this is something I do know about! It would have belonged to MacBraynes and it's destination would have been Glasgow (not Ireland) via other Hebridean islands and mainland ports. Depending on the era you're going to set PnC, it would be called "Loch-something" if it was 30s.
I could rabbit on for ages! Look forward to seeing PnC developing. How can I see a pic of Dunbracken?
See my blog http://exceptthekylesandwesternisles.blogspot.com/
and Flickr photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/24718842@N04/
Kind regards, Neil
Hi Neil!
Thanks for your comments!
You can find Dunbracken here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=12098 that's on a modelling forum so there's plenty of guff about what products, methods etc. i've used. If you skip to the last few pages it'll show you the final pictures of it completed.
It's the first layout i've built so hopefully PnC will be of better quality.
Right, your comments...
1 - Stromeferry was part of the inspiration, as with some other places so i'm glad you've spotted that as I don't think i've specifically mentioned it.
2 - re. pronunciation, I can't remember where I saw it with the E now. I know there's a couple of places in Scotland that use the E on the end, I just took that name before I knew any different. I will, however, do some digging before I get painting! ;)
3 - Good to know how it's pronounced, being a westcountry boy i was sure i was getting it wrong!
4 - Again, another location that inspired the line, glad you spotted it, although this bit was an amalgamation of several locations.
5 - I am planning on having a hotel, some of the bulidings are changing a little as i do some digging around through old postcards.
6 - Ireland is still to be listed as a port, but I will have a Macbraynes steamer in the quay on the inter-island run. I had in mind SS. Hebrides.
Re. your blog and flickr account, it's actually my photo from Sissinghurst that you commented on a while back, and it's your old postcards I referred above! Small world eh?
Glad you like it anyway.
I'm going to be making a start on construction within the next month all being well.
Thanks for your interest.
Tom.
Tom - extraordinary coincidence that I'd previously commented on your Flickr pic of Sissinghurst!!
I found your PnC blog separately while googling light railways in the Outer Hebrides as I'd heard the Pentland Road on Lewis was the track bed of one (do you know anything about that?) and then I became rather absorbed in 009 layouts (is that the right term?) because, as I said, I love the creativity and giving free rein to imagination it involves.
Why don't you do a Flickr set of Dunbracken and then PnC as it evolves?
Finally - and I don't wish to be over pernickety but I deduce you railway modellers strive for historical accuracy - the SS Hebrides (1898-1955) is a good choice for your steamer but she didn't belong to MacBraynes until 1948. She belonged to John McCallum until 1929, then McCallum Orme & Co until they were taken over by MacBraynes in 1948.
Looking forward to seeing PnC progressing.
Rgds,
Neil
Very small world indeed! It only struck me when you posted a link to your blog and flickr set.
This might give you some more info on the lines of Lewis: http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/islandblogging/blogs/005132/0000008950.shtml
I believe there was a proposed line which would have been part of the same company as that which would have operated the proposed line on Skye.
009 is the correct term, 00 (4mm to the foot scale) on 9 mm gauge, roughly used to represent lines from 2' to 2'6" in that scale.
I do already have a flickr set for my modelling and railway images, but I like to keep them separate from my 'normal' photostream. Being 25 railway modelling isn't seen as 'cool' for someone my age and so i tend to keep it separate. Sad, but many modellers are the same. Here's the other flickr account I use: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16967289@N02/
When I start Port na Cailliche I will be making a purpose built website to integrate this blog into. I'll then use this to update the progress on building the layout and post history, galleries etc. on the website.
Re. SS Hebrides, thanks for the info, I wasn't sure if i wanted to make it that actual vessel or something based on it. It is likely that I may have to reduce it in length a little to fit it onto the layout, so I'll probably name it something else. I found an interesting book of images taken on a trip to St. Kilda whilst on a voyage on the Hebrides: http://www.amazon.co.uk/St-Kilda-Journey-End-World/dp/0752423800 It might be worth investing in a copy for reference when I come to build it. The only problem with not building the Hebrides is finding a name!!
Thanks for your interest, we'll have you building a 009 layout soon! ;)
Best,
Tom.
I was talking with Phoenix Paints at a recent show and mentioned that some users have trouble getting a decent finish. The guy sighed and pointed out that thorough stirring is essential - not just a minute with a matchstick - but a good go with one of their electric stirrers. I've never used them , but I suppose they know their own business, and some users swear by them.
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