North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Tell us about your layout, where you put it, how you built it, how you operate it.
allanferguson
Posts: 389
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:27 pm

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby allanferguson » Mon Jan 27, 2014 1:23 pm

I would suggest that the headshunt is a bit short; but it should be easy to move the crossover into the yard downwards (South?). This would give you a tandem in the yard; the Caley would, I think, have been quite happy with this, though it might have been less keen on a tandem on the main running line.
There are others more competent than I to comment on the signalling!


Andy C wrote:Ive been having a rethink about the trackplan on the layout - the single slip seemed a little bit overkill for what is essentially a small country junction station, and I suspect I only put it in because I happened to have the Exactoscale kit in stock. So after revisisting all my books on Scotish railways Ive come up with a slightly revised trackplan sans slip.

north_ballachulish_very_final_screenshot.png


One of the things I want to get right is how the layout would be signalled - essentially its a passing loop with a junction at the very South end - the point at the bottom leading onto the Kinlochleven goods only branch. Whilst I understand the basic principles of signalling, like I say, I want to get it right, so I'm asking for any advice on how the signalling would be done on the Cally - its 1970/ 71 so it will still be semaphore!

Andy C

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Andy C » Tue Jan 28, 2014 6:18 pm

Thanks Alan - I'm a bit stuck with the P4 track company kits - the other problem with the yard crossover is there is a baseboard joint on the 60" latitude line - Ive introduced a short section of plain track between the two crossovers rather than have them literally back to back - it will give me a bit of wriggleroom in the long run. I may be able to increase the length of the headshunt by about 6" in any event - I need to get the footprint of the station building mapped out and on the baseboard.

User avatar
Jim Summers
Posts: 168
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:23 am

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Jim Summers » Tue Jan 28, 2014 11:13 pm

Happy to give you ideas on the Caley signalling, Andy, as I have in hand a book on that very topic, but it might be better handled on a Personal Message.

But can I be sure that is not an catch point on the single line which I am seeing at the bottom of the diagram? Intriguing signalling, if it is, and you could be in for a gauntleted loop. Two I know of on the Caley, one of them in that part of the West Highlands. Great fun, and I have never seen a model of one, but I suspect not a feature which you would welcome at this stage.

Jim

Terry Bendall
Forum Team
Posts: 2420
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:46 am

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Terry Bendall » Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:33 am

Jim Summers wrote:you could be in for a gauntleted loop.


Please Sir, what's that? ;)

Terry Bendall

Mark Tatlow
Posts: 898
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:24 pm

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Mark Tatlow » Wed Jan 29, 2014 12:43 pm

Terry Bendall wrote:
Jim Summers wrote:you could be in for a gauntleted loop.


Please Sir, what's that? ;)

Terry Bendall


It is when two lines of track overlap each other. Wiki has a good couple of diagrams. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gauntlet_track

You can also have a gauntleted turnout, where the switch occurs and then there is a length of plain gauntleted track before the two lines diverge and the crossing occurs. There was one at Clachnaharry (see Highland Railway Album no 1).

I am not too sure which Jim is referring to?
Mark Tatlow

Andy C

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Andy C » Wed Jan 29, 2014 5:43 pm

The point at the bottom is the entry to the Kinlochleven branch as would be - now ive got the templates marked out on the actual base boards Ive found Ive been able to move it up "North" about 6". So no, not gauntleted track!

Hers a revised and clearer screenshot.

nb_very_very_final_screenshot.png


Speaking of catch points - should there be one at the North (Fort William bound) exit off the loop onto the main line?

User avatar
Jim Summers
Posts: 168
Joined: Tue Jul 01, 2008 8:23 am

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Jim Summers » Wed Jan 29, 2014 10:48 pm

What have I started!

The loop with runback catch points which I had in mind was on the Killin Branch, which was a single line which fell away rapidly from Killin Jn. station. But there was the same idea at Auchlochan. Basically, you needed the catch points in one direction (going uphill) but wanted to avoid them going downhill obviously. Picture of the latter attached and a diagram of the former.
But as to Andy's question about a trap point off the loop - yes: you trapped freight against passenger, so if the loop is a goods line, it needs a trap point to protect passenger trains.

Jim
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

Andy C

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Andy C » Wed Jan 29, 2014 11:27 pm

An interesting layout Jim but I think I will be going fr the simple trap point !

By way of a change I acquired the station building plans for the Ballachulish branch from the Scottish National Archive - and very beautiful they are too, a shame the postie screwewed them up otherwise I might have framed them.

Kentallen.jpg

Terry Bendall
Forum Team
Posts: 2420
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:46 am

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby Terry Bendall » Thu Jan 30, 2014 7:03 am

Thanks to Mark and Jim for their responses to my query. Learn something new everyday. The picture that Jim posted would be a nice challenge for those who like building track work, just for fun if not to be used.

Terry Bendall

nigelcliffe
Posts: 747
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:31 am

Re: North Ballachulish - Blue diesels in the West Highlands

Postby nigelcliffe » Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:58 am

Try gentle ironing of the pictures mangled by the postie.


Return to “Layouts and Operations”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests