02. Airthrey Park; Adding the finishing touches 2006-07

As the date for Ayr show loomed in September 2007, efforts to get the layout ready were doubled by all the team (with one Lisbon-based exception) and we started to get a layout, that looks like a layout.

The buildings were all built off-site by Malcolm Donnelly following several measuring up sessions and debate about the architectural style required. The logic of the layout is that a late 1960s branch was built north of Stirling to serve the expanding university. Given this brief, Malcolm went away and fotopic'd all the depots and stabling points around Scotland and northern England with the intention of getting some inspiration.

The addition of the backscene structure allowed the retaining walls and end bridge to be added in, all providing a suitable back drop to the station and depot scenes.

Increasing amounts of the the smaller details were appearing at a goodly rate at this time, complimenting the major works noted above. This is a task which will be on-going as ever more clutter, tat and rubbish is accumulated!

The building and scenic work went on in parallel with a less noticeable but equally important task, that being all of the wiring. All points have been wired up and motored, the DCC refit completed, fiddle yard remodelled whilst signals and lighting have all gone live. The signalling layout was checked with a professional signalman (thanks Craig!) so there should be no excuse for oddball and unrealistic shunting moves.

The buildings and structures are almost entirely Malcolm Donnelly's superb handiwork. Having great and unique, structures should give the layout that intangible 'edge'. Large amounts of plastikard and mekpak consumed in the process, not to mention the countless hours put in by the master builder during 2007. Was it worth it? Has he delivered the goods despite saying it could not possibly be done? Yeah of course, now what was the stress?!

Fantastic products and service from Express Models in the lighting department give the layout a great look when the lights go off in the club rooms for night running. Some considerable time wiring the depot and a range of outside lighting, but again the effect is superb, bringing the already 'real' buildings to even more life-like levels.

The fuel points are loosely based on those at Ayr whilst the storage tanks are largely a freehand design, but including elements from installations at Eastfield, Haymarket and such like.

The main depot building is roughly based on the style of the Haymarket daily servicing shed, located alongside the main running lines and still in use today. The shed is sufficient for a 3-car DMU, trio of Type 1s or 2s or a pair of larger locos. With DCC, posing, shunting and stabling of locos is so easy and will be used to maximum effect once the layout is up and operating.

The bothy is a Tyne Yard structure (and hence correct for era and easy for Malcolm to study)

In the run-up to Ayr show, the completion of the gatehouse was finished along with the platform benches and station nameboards, amongst other smaller items.

<-- Index | Showing 1-36 of 44 pictures | Next -->
01. Can you tell what it is yet?
01. Can you tell what it is yet?
 02. The largest building on the depot is the main diesel servicing shed. The next series of images shows progress during construction at Crikey Crescent.
02. The largest building on the depot is the main diesel servicing shed. The next series of images shows progress during construction at Crikey Crescent.
 03. First test fitting with a Metro-Cammell DMU. Shame about the colour...
03. First test fitting with a Metro-Cammell DMU. Shame about the colour...
 04. Taking shape rapidly... The walls and roof were built up using a combination of 2mm and 1mm closed cell rigid foam from the
04. Taking shape rapidly... The walls and roof were built up using a combination of 2mm and 1mm closed cell rigid foam from the "Forex" range of products. The walls are laminated with Slaters plasticard, 7mm scale corrugation sheets and 4mm brick sheets. The glazing material and various styrene strips used in the model are from the "Evergreen" range of products. After they had been painted and were thoroughly dry the walls and roof were weathered with powders selected from the "Green Scene" range of weathering powders.
05. ... And then the roof beams go in.
05. ... And then the roof beams go in.
 06. With the main structure complete, Airthrey shed poses in the evening sunshine down in Whickham
06. With the main structure complete, Airthrey shed poses in the evening sunshine down in Whickham
07. The depot has a simple office block, positioned between the main access line and the main depot, forming a nice foreground to the difficult exit scene to the layout. Check out the finished layout and this building has done a 180 degree rotation and has the high end into the layout with a flood light mounted on the end.
07. The depot has a simple office block, positioned between the main access line and the main depot, forming a nice foreground to the difficult exit scene to the layout. Check out the finished layout and this building has done a 180 degree rotation and has the high end into the layout with a flood light mounted on the end.
 08. The end of layouts always poses problems. We wanted a modern concrete skew bridge as a scenic break with no traffic and not square to baseboards. The shady areas under the bridge highlight signals and buffer lamp below.
08. The end of layouts always poses problems. We wanted a modern concrete skew bridge as a scenic break with no traffic and not square to baseboards. The shady areas under the bridge highlight signals and buffer lamp below.
09. The office at the loco depot end of the layout is now definitely THIS way round (see earlier efforts) That way the loading door for the enginnering folk faces the pad and the loading bay end of the siding. The high intensity spot light also can be high mounted to light the working area too.
09. The office at the loco depot end of the layout is now definitely THIS way round (see earlier efforts) That way the loading door for the enginnering folk faces the pad and the loading bay end of the siding. The high intensity spot light also can be high mounted to light the working area too.
 10. The crash barriers around the 'pad' are welded lengths of rail. 'Just like the real thing'
10. The crash barriers around the 'pad' are welded lengths of rail. 'Just like the real thing'
 11. Another posing place will be in front of the shed, with locos perfectly lined up for the local photters! 37191 and 27025 prove the point...
11. Another posing place will be in front of the shed, with locos perfectly lined up for the local photters! 37191 and 27025 prove the point...
 12. Viewed from above, the signalbox comes from the same architectural stable as the depot office block.
12. Viewed from above, the signalbox comes from the same architectural stable as the depot office block.
13. The shed in place. It is surely one of Malcolm's master works. Simply breathtaking, all scratch built, like all the structures and externally and internally lit up. Will take 2 3 car DMUs if necessary and DCC allows 6 locos to go in too.
13. The shed in place. It is surely one of Malcolm's master works. Simply breathtaking, all scratch built, like all the structures and externally and internally lit up. Will take 2 3 car DMUs if necessary and DCC allows 6 locos to go in too.
 14. And so to the bridge... Early days...
14. And so to the bridge... Early days...
 15. Back on Crikey Crescent workbench, the stress is showing... Hence well drained pint glass...
15. Back on Crikey Crescent workbench, the stress is showing... Hence well drained pint glass...
16. Coming together along with the platform lift and small booking office, built into the structure.
16. Coming together along with the platform lift and small booking office, built into the structure.
17. Next stage with steps added
17. Next stage with steps added
 18. Almost done with most of the structure complete, just waiting painting and finishing.
18. Almost done with most of the structure complete, just waiting painting and finishing.
 19. So many footbridges look wrong or don't work. We figure that a 1960s built station would have had a lift built in from the start. All passengers alight on an island platform so that way mail, papers and disabled passengers have full access.
19. So many footbridges look wrong or don't work. We figure that a 1960s built station would have had a lift built in from the start. All passengers alight on an island platform so that way mail, papers and disabled passengers have full access.
 20. A wonderful evocative shot from Mr B! REAL DMUs will be everywhere on AP! The Cravens 105 and 101327 pose either side of the island platform, blending in with the classic 1960s footbridge.
20. A wonderful evocative shot from Mr B! REAL DMUs will be everywhere on AP! The Cravens 105 and 101327 pose either side of the island platform, blending in with the classic 1960s footbridge.
21. The fueller is grimy and oily and has most of the pipework and valves you would expect. Again, its a a Malcolm special...
21. The fueller is grimy and oily and has most of the pipework and valves you would expect. Again, its a a Malcolm special...
 22. The fuel unloading point. With fantastic Express models pole light in situ.
22. The fuel unloading point. With fantastic Express models pole light in situ.
 23. The area at left hand end showing the new Bothy (based on Tyne yard prototype) fuel unloading point and Ayr based fueller.
23. The area at left hand end showing the new Bothy (based on Tyne yard prototype) fuel unloading point and Ayr based fueller.
 24. Another view of the unloading area.
24. Another view of the unloading area.
25. Fantastic pole mounted light. About £6 from Express models and if you look at old photos it is absolutely spot on for a 1970s/80s loco depot in these parts
25. Fantastic pole mounted light. About £6 from Express models and if you look at old photos it is absolutely spot on for a 1970s/80s loco depot in these parts
 26. The fuelling point is based on that at Ayr, an ususal design but superbly captured in miniature by MD. Duff 47006 and Rat 25083 pose under the structure whilst testing clearances. At this point the roof and centre structure (which stays on the baseboard when top comes off) were not well aligned. The top has now been rebuilt and you can see from photos of 20 in the dark etc later on that it all fits a lot better now.
26. The fuelling point is based on that at Ayr, an ususal design but superbly captured in miniature by MD. Duff 47006 and Rat 25083 pose under the structure whilst testing clearances. At this point the roof and centre structure (which stays on the baseboard when top comes off) were not well aligned. The top has now been rebuilt and you can see from photos of 20 in the dark etc later on that it all fits a lot better now.
 27. The fuelling point and associated tanks were added in place by Malcolm during the early summer.
27. The fuelling point and associated tanks were added in place by Malcolm during the early summer.
 28. This rendition of a 1960s brick built bothy is loosely based on the prototype at Tyne Yard, having been handcrafted by Master Donnelly in the run-up to Ayr show. Now, where is it going to get put?
28. This rendition of a 1960s brick built bothy is loosely based on the prototype at Tyne Yard, having been handcrafted by Master Donnelly in the run-up to Ayr show. Now, where is it going to get put?
29. Bothy installed.
29. Bothy installed.
 30. Front view of the signalbox under construction.
30. Front view of the signalbox under construction.
 31. The signal box, installed and lit, signal man in situ and awaiting arrival of first working.....
31. The signal box, installed and lit, signal man in situ and awaiting arrival of first working.....
 32. Another of the latest Malcolm additions before show are these pair of low relief walls.
32. Another of the latest Malcolm additions before show are these pair of low relief walls.
33. Aerial view from the fueling point end during June 2007, with the layout starting to come alive.
33. Aerial view from the fueling point end during June 2007, with the layout starting to come alive.
 34. Vegetation started to sprout up on a more regular basis!
34. Vegetation started to sprout up on a more regular basis!
 35. A good view along the layout showing what a nice light the halogen system gives us. The main room lights are off when this is taken. Pleasing and relatively cheap too.
35. A good view along the layout showing what a nice light the halogen system gives us. The main room lights are off when this is taken. Pleasing and relatively cheap too.
 36. One of the aims of the layouts is to create mini-scenes and what better than this? A Cravens DMU sits waiting its next turn of duty while 27005 manoeuvres fuel TTAs. The more observant among you will notice that we are evolving even before we get out on the circuit and the adequate but commonplace Portakabins have been replaced by a far nicer 'bespoke' crew bothy built by Malcolm. The original fueller based on Ayr depot has also gone. The structure (which may work in stell) was far too prone to warping in plastikard and the newer one can be seen in 2008 images.
36. One of the aims of the layouts is to create mini-scenes and what better than this? A Cravens DMU sits waiting its next turn of duty while 27005 manoeuvres fuel TTAs. The more observant among you will notice that we are evolving even before we get out on the circuit and the adequate but commonplace Portakabins have been replaced by a far nicer 'bespoke' crew bothy built by Malcolm. The original fueller based on Ayr depot has also gone. The structure (which may work in stell) was far too prone to warping in plastikard and the newer one can be seen in 2008 images.
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