Beginners OO 1950's Banff

[aardvark]

Detailing of the signal box continues, but I've yet to permanently attach the stairs. A photo will follow when I do that.

In the meantime, I've drawn up the first of the Scotstown cottages based on a photo, and started cutting out the windows.



These are a row of but and ben cottages just west of Banff that face onto the North Sea, with the railway embankment behind. This one appears to have been renovated, as it has twin windows in the front, and a pretty fancy front door. I'm not convinced that this is entirely correct for my period, but it will bring some variation to the row of cottages. In reality there were 15-20 cottages, but I'll model just 4, building them individually.

Another thing that the layout really needs is more rolling stock: currently, I only have one RTR loco and 2 RTR carriages, which kind of limits operations, as well as interest. I also have two assembled Parkside wagons, and a small stash of kits, but I don't count these as none have couplings, which is where the problem is.

I know about Andrew Jackson, DG, Dingham, Flippem, Kadee, Sprat & Winkle, screw-link, three-link, and Bachmann and Hornby tension locks, but have to choose one. Many residents of this parish will have settled on one of these years ago, and can undoubted tell me about the advantages of their particular choice for their particular layout, and the disadvantages of the others.

I'll have a go at S&W couplings, as I already have a trail pack of 4mm finescale autocouplers (T/AC3/3) which were recommend by my mentor @Ben Alder and over which I have been procrastinating for more than 8 years. I'll try single-ended couplings - a bar at one end of a wagon/carriage/loco, and a hook at the other - and chemically blackening the brass to hopefully make them less obtrusive. Since prototype operations require up trains into Banff to run tender first, loco fronts will have the bar, thereby setting the tone for the rest of the rolling stock.

The trial pack comes with mounting plates and instructions, so it should be easy, right? What could go wrong?

8/8/24: added Flippem

 

[Bill Campbell]

Another thing that the layout really needs is more rolling stock: currently, I only have one RTR loco and 2 RTR carriages, which kind of limits operations, as well as interest. I also have two assembled Parkside wagons, and a small stash of kits, but I don't count these as none have couplings, which is where the problem is.

I know about Andrew Jackson, DG, Dingham, Kadee, Sprat & Winkle, screw-link, three-link, and Bachmann and Hornby tension locks, but have to choose one. Many residents of this parish will have settled on one of these years ago, and can undoubted tell me about the advantages of their particular choice for their particular layout, and the disadvantages of the others.

I'll have a go at S&W couplings, as I already have a trail pack of 4mm finescale autocouplers (T/AC3/3) which were recommend by my mentor @Ben Alder and over which I have been procrastinating for more than 8 years. I'll try single-ended couplings - a bar at one end of a wagon/carriage/loco, and a hook at the other - and chemically blackening the brass to hopefully make them less obtrusive. Since prototype operations require up trains into Banff to run tender first, loco fronts will have the bar, thereby setting the tone for the rest of the rolling stock.

The trial pack comes with mounting plates and instructions, so it should be easy, right? What could go wrong?

Also worth having a look at Dingham couplers although you need to buy them from the Scalefour Society or the Gauge O Guild via a member.

These are primarily intended as single-ended and are quite unobtrusive mounting in the coupler hook slot so no major adaptations to stock. Delayed uncoupling is standard using permanent or electromagnets.

Regards.

 

[aardvark]

Also worth having a look at Dingham couplers although you need to buy them from the Scalefour Society or the Gauge O Guild via a member.

These are primarily intended as single-ended and are quite unobtrusive mounting in the coupler hook slot so no major adaptations to stock. Delayed uncoupling is standard using permanent or electromagnets.

Regards.

Thanks Bill. It's a real shame that Scalefour choose to hide these couplings away - I somewhat begrudge the £34 to join just to have the opportunity to try the couplings. The rest of the finescale thing would be wasted on this little ol' OO modeller.

But cheers and thanks anyway - I do appreciate the input.

 

[Nick C]

Thanks Bill. It's a real shame that Scalefour choose to hide these couplings away - I somewhat begrudge the £34 to join just to have the opportunity to try the couplings. The rest of the finescale thing would be wasted on this little ol' OO modeller.

But cheers and thanks anyway - I do appreciate the input.

'Pre Grouping Railways' sells a variant on the Dingham - New Flippem Automatic coupling system in both 4mm and 7mm scales - I've got a pack that I've been meaning to try for ages...

 

[aardvark]

'Pre Grouping Railways' sells a variant on the Dingham - New Flippem Automatic coupling system in both 4mm and 7mm scales - I've got a pack that I've been meaning to try for ages...

Thanks Nick: that's very useful information, and they even have a trial pack! I've added Flippem to the list in my earlier post.

 

[aardvark]

The first of the cottages begins. Windows are cut from 0.25mm plasticard, laminated, ...



... walls and other parts are cut from 1mm card, ...



... which are then papered, windows fitted, and assembled into cottage halves, ...



... which are then joined into a full cottage, ...



... doors, ceiling and roof supports added, ...



... roof halves are tiled and attached, ...



... and ...

Oh.

It seems that I've finished.



Here's the new cottage with the SmartModels RES03 cottage that I started with back in May 2022.

 

[stuartp]

The rest of the finescale thing would be wasted on this little ol' OO modeller.

Not necessarily. You get a magazine up there with MRJ (technically if not stylisticly) and access to a lot of finescale bits and bobs applicable to all 4mm gauges. You just need to look elsewhere for track and B2B gauges

Your mileage may vary if course but this committed OO modeller has been an S4 member for a few years now, primarily for the magazine.

 

[aardvark]

Thanks Stuart. I'll take a closer look.

 

[daifly]

There are a lot of ScaleSeven modellers (me included) who are S4 members as they enjoy the quality modelling shown in the mag and at shows.
Dave

 

[aardvark]

So, with cottage 1 complete *, cottage 2 is next.



Construction will be much the same as for cottage 1, excepting the dormers, so I don't think I'll bother with more photos.

* Excepting chimney pots, guttering etc. My photo shows mostly 2 pots per chimney, so quite a few pots ("cans" in Scotland), will be required for the 4 cottages.

I also meant to do curtains, but it seems the Mrs has them down for washing.

 

[aardvark]

Does anyone know about chimney pots?

The photo of the Scotstown cottages that I'm working from shows a wide variation of chimney pots. I'm inclined to buy a few packets from SmartModels, who have an even greater selection, but before I do that, does anyone know whether chimney pots were regional? It would be nice to avoid doing something stupid. At least this once.

Yes, I know I should just replicate the ones shown in the photo, but regrettably, they're not particularly clear.

 

[40057]

Does anyone know about chimney pots?

The photo of the Scotstown cottages that I'm working from shows a wide variation of chimney pots. I'm inclined to buy a few packets from SmartModels, who have an even greater selection, but before I do that, does anyone know whether chimney pots were regional? It would be nice to avoid doing something stupid. At least this once.

Yes, I know I should just replicate the ones shown in the photo, but regrettably, they're not particularly clear.

Depends on the age of the buildings. Go back a couple of hundred years and all the building materials would have been sourced locally. Into the 20th century, and the same products were being sold and used all over the country. If your cottages are pre-1850-ish, they are likely to have thick local slates. Later, the slates would be thinner and Welsh.

 

[aardvark]

Depends on the age of the buildings. Go back a couple of hundred years and all the building materials would have been sourced locally. Into the 20th century, and the same products were being sold and used all over the country. If your cottages are pre-1850-ish, they are likely to have thick local slates. Later, the slates would be thinner and Welsh.

Thanks 40057. I can't be sure of the age of the cottages, although I'd guess that they post-date the railway, which was built in the 1860's. Perhaps the cottages were late 1800's. Perhaps.

 

[40057]

Thanks 40057. I can't be sure of the age of the cottages, although I'd guess that they post-date the railway, which was built in the 1860's. Perhaps the cottages were late 1800's. Perhaps.

I’m pretty sure the first Ordnance Survey maps (1865ish) are available free online. These are very detailed and you will be able to see if the cottages were there at the date of the survey. It is possible of course that the cottages were much altered, or rebuilt on the same footprint, at a later date, so even if shown on the map the buildings in the photo might be later. Probably though the map will tell you if the buildings are pre-1860ish or later.

 

[aardvark]

That's a good idea.

 

[40057]

That's a good idea.

Here is Banff in 1867:

 

[aardvark]

Yes, that's them - the pink rectangles below the high water line, directly above "Full-screen".

Perhaps interestingly, there is a gap between the first (eastern) cottage and the next, where a small hill is shown. The gap was filled in by two more cottages sometime before the 1902 map.

My resources say that although the line was open on 30 July 1859, the line wasn't extended to the harbour until 31 March 1860, and passenger services didn't start until 1 May 1860. By 14 May 1868, the harbour line had ceased operation.

 

[aardvark]

Construction of cottage #2 continues. The main part of the building is complete up to the ceiling in much the same way as cottage #1 described previously.



This photo also shows the dormers, which I construct as boxes that sit on the ceiling and poke up through the roof.

Here's a dry-run with the dormers in place.

 

[Tony Comber]

I visited Banff a number of times in the mid to late 70s as I had friends who had inherited the family property and decided to use it as a holiday home for a few years until the expense became too great. Walking past the cottages in Banff one of the things that struck me was how many of the front doors had been painted and grained using scrumble and combs. (As per the fake teak of LNER steel panneled coaches.) Many of the older trawlers also had the same effect on their wheelhouse doors so presumably there was one, or possibly several, painters in the town who could use the technique. I inherited my grandfather's set of graining combs but can't claim any expertise in their use :-( Incidentally the station building was still standing and I was amazed that there was no apparent vandalism evident.

Tony Comber

 

[aardvark]

Thanks Tony, that was quite interesting.

My father-in-law, who emigrated from Banff in the 1950's, had a predilection for fake timber grain in his home in Far North Queensland, so perhaps this was a Banff thing. I hadn't noticed anything during our visit of 2015.

As for the station building, I have a set of undated photos from the GNoSRA which show it in sad state post-closure. When I say "sad", I expect I mean I mean inactive and unmaintained. For me, it's a disappointment that it was bulldozed and not re-purposed, but then, I'm sure that they weren't thinking about an Australia railway modeller when they did so.