Airthrey Park Gallery http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/ 11 rows en-gb 60 05. Airthrey Park in 2009 http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1641321.html Airthrey Park features in the February 2009 edition of RAIL Express Modeller, with the issue previewing the forthcoming Model Rail Scotland event at the SEC in Glasgow between February 20 and 22nd. This collection brings together some of the many images taken by Dave Edmonston and Simon Barratt to illustrate the magazine article. Of course in such an article, space is limited and not all images taken on various photo-shoots could be used - hence the chance to see what else was taken. In readiness for the article, the Donnellys (father and son), Simon and 'Dangerous Dave' Edmondston were on hand during August for a serious attempt at a photo shoot. The layout was set up outside the clubrooms and luckily we got an hour of milky sunshine and then an hour of full sun to play in. Some of the results and the tricks needed to gets the images are included here along with some of the best which have been included in the magazine article. Tuesday 30 November 1999: Airthrey Park features in the February 2009 edition of RAIL Express Modeller, with the issue previewing the forthcoming Model Rail Scotland event at the SEC in Glasgow between February 20 and 22nd. This collection brings together some of the many images taken by Dave Edmonston and Simon Barratt to illustrate the magazine article. Of course in such an article, space is limited and not all images taken on various photo-shoots could be used - hence the chance to see what else was taken. In readiness for the article, the Donnellys (father and son), Simon and 'Dangerous Dave' Edmondston were on hand during August for a serious attempt at a photo shoot. The layout was set up outside the clubrooms and luckily we got an hour of milky sunshine and then an hour of full sun to play in. Some of the results and the tricks needed to gets the images are included here along with some of the best which have been included in the magazine article.

05. 27049 sits in front of the signalbox, whilst running round a rake of stock in the station platforms in this view taken from the departure line towards Stirling. 14. One of the resident pilots, 08717 is gainfully employed taking a rake of 3 TTA tanks out of the fuel unloading point. 01. A busy scene looking along Airthrey Park platforms with 26031 awaiting departure with a van train, alongside 37027 and 97251 ETHEL 2 on a sleeper portion. 06. A range of the usual motive power rests on shed in some bright afternoon sunshine. 27003 and 20114 are on the depot roads, 107444 inside the shed with 47460 and 47006 stabled alongside. 12. 47562 rolls into Airthrey Park with a special working formed of a single Inspection Saloon, a rather light load for 2580hp of Sulzer power! 02. Inverness based 26035 awaits departure time from Airthrey Park with an Edinburgh service, whilst 37403 shuffles around the depot with the resident ZZV independent snowploughs. 20. A pair of Eastfield class 37/0s sit side by side on the fuel point, standard blue liveried 37108 is nearest the camera, its companion being recently repainted Large Logo 37027. 25. 'Dangerous' fiddling with camera. It took Dave about an hour before he realised that you could move locos about to suit the camera. 03. 26031 rests in the platform awaiting the yard pilot to remove its train of parcels vans, whilst 27052 has just arrived alongside with a terminating service from Edinburgh. 08. A pair of class 08s seen in between turns shunting stock in the stabling sidings. Grimey 08620 seems to have been used more in the local colliery compared to clean but tatty 08717. 09. A colourful combination of Large Logo liveried 47460 and the depot's resident BTU coach move cautiously off the depot with 20114 looking on. 16. The uniquely liveried class 47/4, 47461 Charles Rennie Mackintosh, comes to a stand in front of the fuel point, watched by a member of the ground staff. 18. With the Airthrey Park yard stretching into the background, 37027 and 27052 are fuelled while 47461 looms in the background. 17. The shadows lengthen as 37027 Loch Eill and 27052 sit in the 2-road fuel shed after a busy day on the Airthrey Park passenger circuit. 15. Woah mate, thats fine! 08717 backs two loaded tanks into the fuel unloading road, helped by one of the depot staff on a sunny afternoon. 13. 26031 awaits it's turn on the fuelling point as 20127 arrives with the local trip working, which brings parts and spares for the depot. 19. With one road vacated, the interior of the fuelling shed is visible with 37027 undergoing attention and 47460 behind on the open fuel point. 04. With a quick run-round performed, Haymarket-based 27052 is ready to head back to the capital with an early evening service formed of the usual rake of 4 MK1s. 10. 47461 passes the Airthrey Park signalbox and stabled 26037 in this rare view taken from the operator's side in the late afternoon sunshine. 07. Strathclyde orange livery 107444 receives attention inside the depot alongside 27052, with a pair of Choppers resting on one of the stabling sidings alongside the main building. 11. 47461 captures the attention of the resident group of phottters and spotters as it rolls into Airthrey Park past a stabled class 26. 26. Aerial view? Simon balances precariously with new Nikon D300 high in the sky as another attempt is made for that master shot... 27. 'If we put the Duff there, move the McRat back to there and shift the Gronk up there it will look great eh?' 28. The results hopefully belie the look of the photoshoot in this view of Simon and Dangerous Dave working on separate bits of the layout. 21. Despite the lack of snow, 37027 and 37188 are seen coupled in between the depot's ZZV snowploughs on a test run, ready for winter. 24. 26035 is joined in the Airthrey Park platforms by 37027, as they both await to be released from their respective trains. 23. 20148 awaits permission to shunt into the depot with its trip working, whilst 26035 arrives alongside with a parcels train. 22. A grubby Eastfield class 20 in the shape of 20148 arrives with a short trip working from Mossend, formed of a variety of air braked vans.

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 23. Prototype Images; Cumbria & the North-West in the '80s and '90s http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1613356.html 23. Prototype Images; Cumbria & the North-West in the '80s and '90s Tuesday 30 November 1999: 23. Prototype Images; Cumbria & the North-West in the '80s and '90s

27029 heads north at Floriston crossing north of Kingmoor yard with the 8 vehicle Euston to Stranraer vans in August 1983. Parcels workings are also to be seen on Airthrey Park, these being dominated by a similar mix of BGs and GUVs, so common (and mucky) in the 1980s. (AD) 87017 Iron Duke hauls a rake of lime hoppers through Floriston on August 8th 1983, returning from Ravenscraig and Mossend to Hardendale, near Shap. (MD) 87031 passes Strickland, north of Penrith with a Glasgow Central to Euston working on August 9th 1983. Note the odd formation with 2 mk3 Buffets and a Mk2 FO. (MD) 81005 roars past Southwaite, near Penrith, with a southbound Speedlink working from Mossend on August 5th 1983. (MD) 85028 was captured at Southwaite on August 5th 1983, heading a rake of MCV vacuum braked coal hoppers - an unusual sight to have an electric loco on such wagons! (MD) 85032 wheels south near Southwaite on August 5th 1983 with a superb rake of vacuum braked pipe wagons. (MD) 86008 was another of a series of AC electrics captured at Southwaite on August 5th 1983. The class in original form heads a cross country service from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Plymouth in the early afternoon sunshine. (MD) 31427, in rather run-down state, passes Salford Crescent on the 1714 Manchester Victoria to Blackpool North club train on August 14th 1992. (AD) 47570 heads the morning Nottingham to Glasgow service during May 1982 past Garsdale station, with a rake of motely MK1s in tow. (MD) 86402 was one of the first class 86/4 conversions and become one of the last of the class retain BR Blue livery. On July 6th 1988, it was in charge of the 1032 Edinburgh/Glasgow Central to Brighton cross country working, leaving Oxenholme. (MD) 25303 splutters north near Culgaith during August 1983 with a ballast working from Ribblehead to Carlisle, during the period when great efforts were being made by BR to close the line - and thankfully even greater efforts by support groups to keep the line open. (MD) 25048 passes the signalbox at Garsdale with a ballast working from Ribblehead quarry during July 1976. Note the headcode blinds wound around to 0O00, dating the shot nicely. (MD) 20061 and 20093 lead 47444 on the 0825 Leeds to Carlisle service on November 25th 1989. This was one of a series of freight locos piloting the more usual 47 to mark the forthcoming end of loco-hauled services over the S&C. The misty scene was captured north of Culgaith. (AD) 20061 leads 20093 and 47444 on the return working, the 1202 from Carlisle. The cavalcade is captured in superb light approaching Kirkby Stephen. (AD) 26028 was the first 26/1 to be refurbished in 1983, when it lost it's boiler and gained dual brakes, amongst other cosmetic changes. In August 1983, it work the Kingmoor-Eastriggs trip, light engine up, returning with a single wagon... Seen at Floriston crossing. (AD) 27204 crosses Petteril bridge on the way out of Carlisle with the 1740 to Glasgow Central in July 1983. Note the weathering on 27204, hand-washed cab sides but filthy bodysides between the cab doors! Do that in model form and be laughed at as 'they never ran like that!'. Proof! (AD) 40174 is in charge of a Healey Mills to Carlisle vacuum braked freight during May 1982 as it passes Garsdale. At this time the box was locked out with a long section from Blea Moor in use. (MD) DMU2. A 3-car 111 set trundles along the Little North Western route with a Lancaster to Leeds working during the summer of 1976. (MD) DMU1. A 3-car class 110 set heads north out of Blea Moor tunnel with the 0947 Leeds to Carlisle on June 1st 1987, no doubt due to the failure of the booked loco-hauled formation. (MD) 47146 heads the daily 6C61 Crewe to Carlisle MOD working past Scout Green on the climb up to Shap summit on the morning of August 7th 1992. (AD) 31449 heads north from Kirkby Stephen on May 28th 1990 with the 1325 Leeds to Carlisle service, formed of a uniform rake of Mk2s. (AD) 31435 gets away from Grane-over-Sands with the 1335 Barrow to Preston on June 27th 1990. (MD) 31446 and 31405 have just come off their stock at Carlisle station on April 22nd 1989, the working possibly being a charter over the S&C. (AD) 31469, converted from 31277 as an ETH fitted replacement for 31436, rolls into Garsdale with the 0935 Carlisle to Leeds on May 28th 1990. (AD) 40124 was one of the more common class 40s captured on film, in this view it is heading south at Floriston with a rake of bituman tanks on March 18th 1983. (AD) 40030 pounds up towards Ais Gill summit during May 1981 with a southbound air-barked freight from Carlisle. (MD) 40036 in a delightful view at Garsdale during July 1976. The loco is shunting a defective pressflo tank out of a southbound fright, into the rarely used cattle dock sidings. (MD) 40057, one the last class 40s based at Gateshead, heads a rake of empty car transporters south from Bathgate at Floriston, on August 6th 1983. (MD) 40094 captured from the window of Dent Signalbox during July 1976 as it heads south with a rake of cement Pressflo wagons. Many hours were spent in and around Dent during holidays during this time, note the family Cortina in the station car park! (MD) 40124 trundles south down the WCML at Strickland, north of Penrith, with a Mossend to Hardendale working, conveying empty limestone PCAs on August 5th 1983. (MD) 40137 on a Leeds Hunslet to Carlisle Kingmoor mixed freight passes Dent during July 1976. (MD) 40139 at Dent, again on the same day as sister 40137, with a southbound working from Carlisle. Note the former Blue Spot fish vans immediately behind the loco. (MD)

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 22. Prototype Images; North-East England in the 1980s and early 1990s http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1483254.html A selection of views taken around North-East England, mainly during the heady days of the BR blue era. All photos by Malcolm and Andrew Donnelly, unless otherwise stated. Tuesday 30 November 1999: A selection of views taken around North-East England, mainly during the heady days of the BR blue era. All photos by Malcolm and Andrew Donnelly, unless otherwise stated.

20020 features in this rather outrageous view taken at Ouston Junction on August 20th 1985. Not the best slide, but it has been photoshopped as it was badly over-exposed. 20020 & 20103 sit on the slow line waiting for a clear road south with the weekly coke train to Orgreave, whilst sisters 20002 & 20144 head the return empty oil tanks from Jarrow to Immingham. This is the only time class 20s have been known on the Jarrow oil (unless anyone knows different!) but to get 4 20s in one shot on Tyneside?! My lords! 55004 once again heads the 0950 from Edinburgh as it approaches Heaton at Benton, again taken in September 1981. 55013 does the classic Deltic clagfest as it gets away from its stop at Newcastle with the 0950 Edinburgh to Plymouth, one saturday in September 1981. 55004 is ready for the off at Durham with the 0950 Edinburgh to Plymouth with the driver looking back for the tip from the guard. September 1981. 55021 runs light engine past Gateshead TMD during September 1981 with the usual class 47 stabled on the depot behind. 56119 recovers from a signal check at Blaydon whilst heading an MGR from Plenmellor disposal point near Haltwhistle to Blyth Power station on November 22nd 1991, the loco being one of the final large logo survivors at the time. 03069 provides some Shunter Super Power as it trundles down the slow lines parallel with the ECML between Low Fell and Tyne Yard with a considerable trip working from Blaydon during June 1982. Imagine a 204hp shunter let loose on the mainline today doing this! 03078 stands in front of 46037 as the Peak spectacularly blows off steam during a boiler test in March 1982. The 46 was the last to retain the glass headcode panels. 37003 provides some Tractor power for a load of Tractors! This rather rare view was taken at Bensham in June 1983, although details of the working are unknown. 37009 and 31208 are unusual partners on the 0840 Yarmouth to Newcastle on July 21st 1984, seen approaching King Edward Bridge junction at Bensham. 37104 and 37003 feature in a rather lucky shot as they run parallel down the ECML at Low Fell station on July 11th 1991. 37104 heads a ballast trip from Hexham whilst 37003 is on 6P61 from Railwat Street cement terminal in Newcastle to Tyne Yard. 47421 in sparkling condition and fresh from overhaul at BREL Crewe, gets away from Newcastle at King Edward Bridge jn with the 0950 Edinburgh to Plymouth in July 1982, a working dominated by Deltics the previous year. 47115 sits alongside 37098 at Tyne Yard, the 47 on the Norsk Hydro fertiliser working from Immingham to Leith, 37098 on an Aberdeen bound speedlink on September 14th 1990. 47340 heads past Gateshead TMD with a rake of PCA cement tanks forming the working from Newcastle Railway St to Clitheroe on February 18th 1986. 37045 heads the ECS from the Saturdays-only Blackpool to Newcastle service back to the LMR, seen passing the works to re-open Dunston station in August 1984. 37029 and 37101 head a rake of HEA hoppers out of Low Fell Yard during July 1981. The NE was unusual in that HEA wagons were used on the MGR circuits as opposed to the more common HAAs elsewhere. 47307 arrives at Tyne Yard with the 6P61 trip working from Newcastle Railway St forming of bitumen and cement tanks during August 1988. 03063 and 03094 top and tail a rather odd sight around the confines of Gateshead depot - a set of class 31 bogies in for refurbishment. GD was responsable for bogie overhauls on the class to prolong the time between major overhauls. 47527 sits in the background. 03078 passes Gateshead TMD with a trip working from Tyne Yard to Tyneside CFD, formed of 4 cartics locaded with Ford Sierras during 1982. What a period piece! 20020 is included again in another view paired with 20103 getting away from Ouston junction, south of Tyne Yard with the weekly coke train from Norwood to Orgreave. Note the large ScR numbers and ML leaping salmon. (MD) 20095 is seen waiting to take on fuel at Gateshead TMD in October 1982. Class 20s were occasional visitors to the NE during the 1980s, never regular but always enough to cause a stir. 20126 and 20124 sit cab to cab at the east end of Gateshead depot on April 22nd 1985, whilst on transfer between Motherwell and Tinsley. 20166 and 20193 head north at towards Durham with the weekly Orgreave to Tyne Yard coke working. This train ran on wednesdays (I think!) and took coke from the now closed plant at Norwood. 26003 and 26005 head The Cumbrian Tynesider railtour past Blaydon signalbox on March 13th 1993, on one of the classes' last appearances on Tyneside. 25113 and 25154 head west along the Tyne Valley line at Dunston with a freightliner diverted off the WCML in July 1982. This was a complete chance encounter, MD and AD being out to see what was on the Edinburgh to Carlisle loco hauled turn! 33113 provides a very rare sight on Tyneside, as it gets to grip with the ECML at Bensham during March 1984 with a set of Gatwick Express stock which was on a promotional tour. 26029 trundles into Tyne Yard with 8E01 from Carlisle, conveying a bizarre mixture of engineers wagons. This photo featured in an article in Traction magazine about Bo-Bos on Tyneside by Andrew & Malcolm Donnelly. (AD) 25301 drags a failed 47361 towards Gateshead depot as 47303 passes with an oil train destined for Jarrow during June 1982. 25037 and 25190 sandwich 47406 Rail Riders away from Gateshead TMD on March 1st 1986. The 47 had major brake problems and was being moved to Crewe works for repairs. 37083 heads a Carlisle to Tyne Yard freight past Norwood Junction with a class 40 dead in tow in April 1983. However, this is no ordinary class 40 - its 40122 or D200 on its way to Toton for repairs and a return to traffic! 56079 grinds north with a rake of HEAs forming a working from one of the Wearside collieries to Blyth Power station on August 23rd 1985. The image was captured at Little Benton, having crossed the Coast Road with the former Wills Fag Factory in the background. 20172 and 20173 get to grips with a rake of PGAs destined for Redmire as they leave Tees yard on August 26th 1988. 37063 heads a wonderfully mixed freight on the approach to the site of the former Low Fell station during March 1982. 37063 makes another appearance, again in March 1982, as it heads a rake of Mermaid side tipping ballast wagons over the High Level bridge into the former Gateshead West station platforms. 37146 was subject to a spell at Inverness which saw it undergo a variation on the theme of Large logo livery - namely without the large logo! It was allegedly required for service before the job could be completed. Note the blue bonnet! (MD) 37152 contrast with the view of 37029 as it leads a rake of tired looking HTV hoppers out of Low Fell yard in July 1981. The loco was based at Motherwell at the time, hence making a rare appearance on Tyneside. 37199 passes Gateshead depot with a rake of HTV hoppers during February 1984, in a typical condition for the period. 37199 was a long term Gateshead loco and in seen during August 1984 whilst heading a rake of ballast wagons during a possesion to upgrade the Norwood Junction to Blaydon line. 45009 is about to plunge the area around Sunderland Bridge into a cloud of dust as the loco heads north with a working of lime from Thrislington near Ferryhill, County Durham, eventually bound for Montrose on July 7th 1985. 46004 unusually heads a rake of HEA hoppers up the gradient towards Low Fell station in August 1983. The working is presumed to be from Norwood coke works as opposed to an MGR coal working. DMU 1. A real golden oldie taken in 1976 with a rake of DMU vehicles headed by a class 101 DMBS in the long-gone east end bay platforms at Newcastle Central. 56008 is unusual motive power for a cement working bound for Newcastle Railway St on July 7th 1985 at Sunderland Bridge. During the Miner's strike of 1984/85, the use of class 56s on a variety of non-coal workings was widespread. 56020 pounds south along the ECML at Ouston Junction with an MGR working from Tyne Yard to Yorkshire on April 20th 1985. 47407 rests in the former platform 8 at Newcastle Central, after arrival with the 0703 from Liverpool on July 30th 1987. 47409 in excellent external condition is stabled on the Gateshead ash pit sidings on August 27th 1985. 47411 works the 1103 Liverpool to Newcastle along the avoiding line around the west side of Tyne Yard on May 7th 1988, shortly before the Generators were replaced on such workings. 47418 thunders north on the down fast line past Tyne yard with the 1103 Liverpool LS to Newcastle on May 8th 1988, only days before the Generators were removed from Trans-Pennine services. (AD) 47421 makes another appearance, this time in less than sparkling condition and in its twilight of its career. June 15th 1990 finds the loco bringing the ECS for 5V01 destined for York, into Tyne Yard. DMU 11. A 2-car class 101 power trailer led by 51411 round the curve through the former Gateshead station during March 1981. DMU 3. Another class 101 power-trailer set trundles through Derwenthaugh with a Hexham to Newcastle working during 1984.

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 04. Airthrey Park in 2008. New arrivals and Rutherglen Show http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1435867.html Starting off the new year with AP back at Stirling & Clacks home, the layout was set up again for the first time after Ayr for a post-Xmas running session and discussion about the very few snags and improvements that will need doing before the next outing. Some new motive power to be seen too - some of which can be seen getting attention on the workbench page of the site. The appearance at an excellent Rutherglen show over the weekend of May 31st/June 1st went down very well, this being a friendly and well-run event. We received a lot of positive comment and but for some operator fatigue on the Sunday and a Heljan 47 with one wheelset that was way out of gauge all went according to plan. Photos and some new video clips will follow shortly. Airthrey Park's next outing will be Model Rail Scotland at the Glasgow SECC centre on February 20th-22nd 2009, so see you there! There will be a preview feature in Rail Express Modeller in early 2009, when the layout will be the featured layout in a Scottish Special modelling issue. Check out the folder with some extra photos taken for the magazine article! Tuesday 30 November 1999: Starting off the new year with AP back at Stirling & Clacks home, the layout was set up again for the first time after Ayr for a post-Xmas running session and discussion about the very few snags and improvements that will need doing before the next outing. Some new motive power to be seen too - some of which can be seen getting attention on the workbench page of the site. The appearance at an excellent Rutherglen show over the weekend of May 31st/June 1st went down very well, this being a friendly and well-run event. We received a lot of positive comment and but for some operator fatigue on the Sunday and a Heljan 47 with one wheelset that was way out of gauge all went according to plan. Photos and some new video clips will follow shortly. Airthrey Park's next outing will be Model Rail Scotland at the Glasgow SECC centre on February 20th-22nd 2009, so see you there! There will be a preview feature in Rail Express Modeller in early 2009, when the layout will be the featured layout in a Scottish Special modelling issue. Check out the folder with some extra photos taken for the magazine article!

19. 27005. An army of photters and spotters in the bushes just behind the signal box. Is that a young JP with the grey hair? 04. 27005 ticks away happily, its SWD soundcard performing wonderfully. Some new clips of the loco in action have been added to the AP You Tube site - check the links on the main page! 07. An aerial view of 47550 awaiting departure reveals the fuel point shed is away in Newcastle with the Master Builder for some minor improvements. 05. 47550 rolls into Airthrey on it's first run on the layout, showing the access into the signalbox to advantage. 02. 47562 Sir William Burrell arrives with a set of Mk2s on its inaugural working. This loco was one of the last BR Blue 47/4 based in Scotland, hence it has replaced 47461 in the fleet. 01. 47562 arrives into Platform 1, watched by pilot 27005, some back packers and 47550 taking on fuel in the background. Do you think the recently arrived backpackers heading off to climb Dumyat appreciate the Sulzer din? 11. Another debutant on AP in 2008 is the first 3rd generation Bachmann class 37/4, namely 37403 Isle of Mull. It is seen here bringing 2 TTAs under the station footbridge. 12. The missing fuel point shed allows this view of 37403 taking on fuel, showing the interior lighting to advantage. 03. New MacDuffs on the block! 47562 Sir William Burrell waits to be released off it's stock whilst 47550 University of Dundee is refuelled. 06. 27005 deputising for a failed gronk as the station pilot sits alongside newly renumbered 26035 and 47562. 08. Viewed from the operator's side, 47550 awaits departure with 47562 alongside and 26035 and 27005 in the backround. Apologies for the usual clubroom tat behind! 10. Headlight fitted 26035 has recently been through the washer (the old weathering taken off with a soft toothbrush loaded with CIF cream!) to allow renumbering. 14. Scary moment! Roland in charge, guided by Stuart and Bill. The total IQ of 200 (between them all...) is certainly needed to keep AP rolling...! 13. Simon in a thoughtful pose thinking about how it is all meant to work again as 47550 waits patiently. 09. University of Dundee is flanked by Isle of Mull and Burrell as it waits for the off... 23. 20020 sits waiting its next turn as the dodgy old Fords glisten in the sunshine. 16. Whilst more conventional than the Ayr based original prototype we still have a bespoke and unique two road fueller and the public can see what is going on inside. It is lit from within too so it should look good on night running sessions. 15. The new fueller takes shape in Whickham. The original one (see photos elsewhere) was prone to distortion due to unorthodox shape and contruction. Also we and audience couldn't see what was going on inside. 24. 37/0 and Ethel in fueller off the morning sleeper portion. 21. Shunter waves frantically at driver reversing the TTAs into fuel unloading point. Use your walkie-talkie mate! 18. The Stirling pilot 08620 has made it to AP on a wagon trip and is resting before returning. 17. And so to Rutherglen Show! Lovely Heljan 26s with SWD sound cards in burble away from Airthrey Park with a snow plough test run. 22. 37027 Loch Eil sits in shed awaiting next duty 20. A busy scene on shed at AP. The scrap Rat never moved all weekend. 47550 by contrast had a busy time and was much in demand from drivers and public alike. 27. SB looks like he is about to give birth to a beer baby. That's what a night in the Scotia in central Glasgow does for you. 28. Mark and Malcolm look happy. AD looks hung over (was!) 26. What years of good living does for you. The boys look like it will be twins. 25. Lovely Britannia Pacific Plasser tamper sits loaded with bods ready for work. 32. 25109 sits on the depot stabling siding along with less fortunate sister 25028 and fellow sulzers 47460 and 47006 behind. 29. DMUs on shed. A highly modified Lima 117 based 'cut and shut' 116 High Density Greater Glasgow DMU and a 104 based on a Hornby 110 with altered kit part front ends. 31. The new fueller with suitably Scottish Duff 460 and Tractor 027 30. 20127 creeps a Speedlink into the platform before a shunt and run round manoeuvre

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 11. Airthrey Park workbenches http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1420809.html A ever expanding set of views of what is going on behind the scenes on Airthrey Park's various workbenches in Lisbon, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and Clackmannanshire Tuesday 30 November 1999: A ever expanding set of views of what is going on behind the scenes on Airthrey Park's various workbenches in Lisbon, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and Clackmannanshire

01. Workbench No.1 Lisbon 47562 Sir William Burrell is to the front of this general view of AD's workbench. 27003, 37147, 37403, 47550 are all virtually ready, whilst a pile of 26s waits attention in the background along with a 25/3 and a 122 bubblecar. Heljan 26s. 01. Dead McRats... The early stages of work on 4 Heljan 26s, with all glazing removed apart from the cab door windows which have been glued solidly in place. Updating the Heljan 26 to 1980s condition (just announced by them for 2008!) involves filling in the cab door windows, tablet catchers, door hand recesses and bodyside boiler filler ports, thats 12 per loco... multiply by 4 locos...! Thats alot of Milliput... Heljan 26s. 02. Milliput Madness. One all the relevant filler had been added, this was followed by LOTS of sanding.With some of the debris around it from all of the sanding, the shell of what will be SB's 26025 sits on the workbench, having taken an hour or so to get it to this point. Heljan discs and modified horn grill covers have been added. Heljan 26s. 03. Another 15 mins later and this ghostly sight is on the desk... 26025 having been subject to a coat of Halfords Matt Grey undercoat. Other bits added by this stage are new door handles and retaining brackets above each of the closed discs. Heljan 26s. 05. McRats are a bit like buses, wait for ages then two come along at once... What do you follow 26025 with? 26041 of course... The pair are seen having been primed and received a coat of Railmatch warning panel yellow around the cabs. Heljan 26s. 04. Turning the air blue... Half an hour of masking the trio up, another half hour splatting Railmatch rail blue in their direction and hey ho... And yes, the 25 is sitting on a glass of white port and tonic water - it helps with the masking... Heljan 26s. 06. A quick blast with the hair dryer (not used for anything else other than drying models a bit quicker...) and off comes the masking tape. I prefer to do this as it allows the chance to clean off any stray paint which has seeped under the masking, to be clean off with a knife before it hardens. Heljan 26s. 07. The final stages required on the bodyshells involved refitting the Heljan glazing and tail lights, once the varnish had set. The bodyshells are now ready to be re-united with the underframes, which will happen sometime after Dec 31st when the shells arrived in deepest, darkest Lanarkshire... To be continued.... 37027. 37188. The first projects of 2008 involve a pair of Large Logo Blue class 37s, based on the new Bachmann examples. Converted from Dutch-liveried 37035, Loch Eil has had nose end doors added, bodyside steps plated and a full repaint. 37188. 37027. Completed Pair of Monster West Highland 37s! 37027 Loch Eil and 37188 Jimmy Shand on the rather clean Lisbon workbench having been completed ready for Devilla Colliery's Glasgow date at Model Rail Scotland 37108. As part of the plan to expand and upgrade the AP Tractor fleet, a new, big blue ED stalwart has been completed. 37108 is based on a Bachmann 37035, with front end and roof panels modified along with the usual bits and bobs. 37108 was one of the last ED 37s in blue, very unusually however though, it retained both sets of bodyside steps as portrayed by Bachmann. 20127. The AP fleet of Choppers is destined to feature 2 pairs, one of each nose end style. The second disc fitted loco is 20127, which unlike its partner, 20114, is not a Bachmann factory fitted sound fexample. The loco started life as a 20028 and has had the cabside tablet catcher recesses filled in and a partial repaint. 47461. Can you tell what it is yet?! Charles Rennie Mackintosh sits on the Lisbon workbench during March 2008. With some of the masking removed, it almost looks like a new design... 52031. The Fab 444 makes its debut - well the DMSL does anyway...! This is 52031, repainted in Strathclyde 'Red' with minor bufferbeam detailing on otherwise standard Bachmann 108. 59804. Centre Car 59804 has also been completed, the only work being done was the full repaint. 06003 is seen here under construction by Colin Foster and shows the superb etched brass and white metal castings around the nose end. The modular design helped with painting as well as maintenance and trying to DCC the loco! SWD02. Full of nasty grease and with pick ups that don't always touch the wheel backs. Add to that the horrible 'chemically blackened' wheels. SWD01. Heljan McRat part one. They are lovely models but need a little work to make them run really well. First job strip chassis and open up the bottom of the bogies. Here lies the problem. SWD05. Another thing to do is to polish the wheeltreads and wheelbacks to optimise the electrical contacts. At the same time ease the pickups out from the bogie sideframes so they line in a line outside the inside line of the wheels. When you put the wheelsets back in squeeze the pickups closed so the spring back against the wheel backs. SWD04. Another view of the circuit board. I also add a piece of electrical tape on the back of the 8 pin plug where the solder spots are. SWD06. The wheels and pick ups back in place showing what a shiny clean world we inhabit compared to Heljan. Fully test the loco in DC mode and run in. Then install the decoder. SWD03. Design fault. The bottom of the circuit board is very close to metal chassis block. Too close, the 8 pin meets the chassis block and Kaboooom! We know to our cost. Lenz Silvers don't survive. The answer is a piece of plasticard cut to shape and glued to chassis top. SWD09. The battery boxes off the 26 unclipped and the centre wall cut out with a razor saw. This shows one side replaced and the removed section to the right of photo SWD10. The battery boxes reassembled and reglued showing the missing section to good effect. SWD12. Test the space in the battery boxes for the speaker sound box. If you have shaved the battery box down flat it should fit without cutting. Mark the position of the round box with a pencil and then drill out holes for sound inside the area of the circle (see later pictures) SWD11. The decoder in postion with the speaker wires (brown) dangling. By this stage you should have unsoldered the speaker and put it safely aside for later. SWD13. The speaker wires need threaded down to the battery boxes. No need for anything drastic. Drill 2 fine holes as near to the chassis block as you can and thread the wires down. Make sure you have them coming out adjacent to where you will be fitting the speaker. SWD14. Resolder the speaker and test the sound before final assembly. SWD15. Put the speaker into its backing box and postion it inside the battery box. Check again to ensure that it is low enough to allow refitting of the battery boxes without fouling the chassis. Then VERY carefully glue the battery box to the speaker box. I held them in my fingers and 'painted' plastic weld very sparingly around the outside of the round speaker box with a fine paint brush The beauty of this being it is very quick to set and you can be very accurate. Here I also added a bit of extra strength to the box with plastic strip. You can also see the speaker holes here. SWD16. Side view of completed installation. The sound is very good. Loud!! I will touch in the wire with matt black and also the plastic strips. I await the return of the body from Portugal with baited breath! 02. Workbench No.2 Wiston AD on the Lanarkshire work bench struggles to prise of a pair of highly 'prized' Heljan ploughs from a Rat which is leaving us? 27003. Bogies 1. The frames have all been doctored with the centre springs pushed back. Simply carefully cut off the springs level with the underside of the bogie frame, mount piece of thick plastikard behind the bogie frame with a thin strip hanging on the back of that and reatttach the spring to the front face of the second strip. Thus pushing the coils back behind the line of the bogie frame. 27003. Bogies 2. 27003 hopefully showing the improvement in appearance that setting back the bogie centre springs brings to the loco? I bl**dy well hope so after doing 8 of them 16 bogies 32 side frames etc etc Heljan 26s. 08. 'Its A (Mc)Rat Trap Honey And You've Been Caught!'....as someone might have said.... SWD08. Pick up shot showing how we splay the pickups wider so that you have to squeeze them inwards to get wheelset back in. Pick up then much more 'positive' SWD07. Another view showing 'splayed' pick ups

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]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 03. Airthrey Park in 2007. Ayr Exhibition, September 22 & 23, 2007 http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1373539.html Airthrey Park's first public outing was to Ayr Model Railway Show on Saturday 22/ Sunday 23 September. Did we see you there?! Everything ran pretty well, in general, despite a few frayed nerves at times, but importantly we all had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, especially a certain person who made s light diversion whilst en-route from Lisbon to Bucharest to travel via Ayr... Thanks for all of the kind comments received during the show and the invitations to forthcoming shows. This kind of feedback makes it all worthwhile! Final score: Sound on Board Class 20s 4 . Noise Pollution Nazis 0. Tuesday 30 November 1999: Airthrey Park's first public outing was to Ayr Model Railway Show on Saturday 22/ Sunday 23 September. Did we see you there?! Everything ran pretty well, in general, despite a few frayed nerves at times, but importantly we all had a thoroughly enjoyable weekend, especially a certain person who made s light diversion whilst en-route from Lisbon to Bucharest to travel via Ayr... Thanks for all of the kind comments received during the show and the invitations to forthcoming shows. This kind of feedback makes it all worthwhile! Final score: Sound on Board Class 20s 4 . Noise Pollution Nazis 0.

09. Now then now then, whats this?! 140001 on a proving run! Probably broken down and heading off to the depot for some spanner work. A signature Andrew Elliott model, the unit will be DCC'd soon we hope! (Alex!) 13. A close up of 27005 on the diesel tanks by the fuelling point 10. This image is what Airthrey Park is all about, namely creating 'scenes' such as this! It doesn't get more Scottish and mid 1980s than this! 104 set 457 has just arrived from Glasgow, whilst rare 'NB' 27025 gets a run out on passenger work with an Edinburgh bound turn. 11. 27025 viewed again in the BRCW cameo scene which was too good to leave out, hence another image of these trains at the Airthrey platform. Superb! The biggest headache we have at the moment is getting the Heljan locos chipped. Bachmann locos a doddle. The Heljan chassis design and heavy motor conspire to blow up chips for fun. We will keep you posted! 17. Helen 'gets busy' At her very best when in Domestic Goddess mode' we need to take HD to every show to keep things tidy! 24. Mr Turner with toys and plastic sheet. 08. 27005 t'cups away on shed. Very popular loco all weekend. The Sulzers large and small sounded brilliant! 21. Much concentration! 19. JP seems to be enjoying DCC-land...or is that a terrified grin? 15. ETHEL 2 on shed - having been pushed, shoved and shunted around the depot all weekend by various 37s. Just as you expect really. 07. Sound on board 37191 ticks over at depot throat. This loco saw much action with ETHEL 2 over the weekend. 18. Helen Donnelly drives....slowly 20. Helen Donnelly trying to work out whether the loco is actually moving on 'step 1' Better get a guy running in front with a red flag? 22. Whose b;**dy bright idea was it to rule that all the stock MUST run 3 links then? 02. Nice overview of the layout in fully operational mode. 03. Oh YES! McRat sits on Platform 2 Duff drumming away in the background. Loving this! 01. View at left hand end of signal box, shed, footbridge etc. 05. Fueller in operation 04. The shed with a rake of scrap wagons and a Hornby Gronk. This 'as required' service is loaded off the pad and runs when scrap values are on the high side. 23. Pensive? Contented? Thoughtful? Or just bl**dy confused by the wonders of DCC operation. 12. The scrap Rat comes home. Finally towed to it's resting place. The fine job that AD did on the weather beaten BR blue can be seen in stark contrast to the workstained darker BR blue on the in service loco. 14. Duff 6 in the stabling point, waiting to drop onto the next terminating service from Edinburgh. 16. The fuel unloading point in use. 06. 27025 sits on depot after the plough test run

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]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 21. Prototype Images; Scotland through the 1980s and early 1990s http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1340267.html A range of images to illustrate some of the scenes which have been the inspiration behind the layout and the motive power which might appear on Airthrey Park. These will be added to over time, but for now the contributions come as scanned slides from Andrew & Malcolm Donnelly and a selection of scanned prints from Jeff Paterson. Tuesday 30 November 1999: A range of images to illustrate some of the scenes which have been the inspiration behind the layout and the motive power which might appear on Airthrey Park. These will be added to over time, but for now the contributions come as scanned slides from Andrew & Malcolm Donnelly and a selection of scanned prints from Jeff Paterson.

37192 thunders out of Taynault with the 1300 from Oban to Arrochar during August 1982. The service was curtailed at Arrochar due to a landslip further south with AD & MD being treated to a week of nothing but 37192 shuttling back and forth during a holiday near Oban. It is because of memories like this that certain locos will appear on Airthrey. (MD) 26039, fresh out of refurbishment, gets ready for the off from Muir of Ord with a trip working from Invergordon in August 1984. Note the period pieces such as the Austin 1300 and caravan! This was one of Malcolm's lucky moments - one exposure left on the film, used very wisely... Almost. 37260 went north on an observation coach seconds after the shutter went down on this view! (MD) 37410 returns from Mallaig with the 1550 to Fort William, again at Loch Eilt on July 23rd 1987. Temperatures in the area on this day touched 30c allowing a bit of sunbathing whilst waiting for 37410 to appear! (MD) 37410 features in the first of two shots which illustrate the pure majesty of the Mallaig extension and the Large Logo class 37 era. 37410 heads the 1415 Fort William to Mallaig past Loch Eilt on July 23rd 1987. Note the Mk2E behind the loco and 2 air braked mk1s from the sleeper set. (AD) 37260 leads the luxury Queen of Scots tour train into Edinburgh Waverley on August 13th 1986. Sadly, 37260 was one of the first class 37 withdrawls, suffering fire damage in 1989 resulting in its demise. (AD) 37261 was for many years an Inverness loco. In July 1990, it was one of the last Large Logo survivors, having carried the livery since 1984. It is seen here heading south at Dalwhinnie with an Inverness to Mossend working (AD) 37418 at Perth on the evening of September 25th 1989 with the 1803 from Glasgow QS to Inverness, a regular turn for the IS 37s marooned south of the Ness bridge during the period. (AD) 47630 opens up with a difference - the loco actuallt reversing down the platform at Kingussie as an old dear had dropped her bag off the platform! 4763o performs the impromptu runpast on a wintery February 9th 1990. (AD) 47635 Jimmy Milne heads the 1430 Inverness to Edinburgh away from Gleneagles station on September 28th 1989 with rake of the usual PV Mk2s in tow. (MD) 47674 following cessation of the Euston to Inverness Clansman earlier in the year, an Intercity-sponsored Inverness to Edinbrugh turn was provided, connecting with an XC service down the WCML. On September 23rd 1992, 47674 leads the 1015 southbound turn past Cornton, north of Stirling and within 100m of AD's Scottish residence. (AD) 25207 leads a rake of mixed VEAs and ferrywagons south over Metal Bridge, just south of the border on the WCML with a trip from Eastriggs military depot. Despite Scotland loosing its class 25 allocation in 1982, the class continued to make appearances right until their demise 5 years later. (AD) 27050 and 27066 provide very unusual traction for an MGR working as it arrives at Millerhill on the evning of October 20th 1986. Given their lack of SSF, 27s were rare beasts on MGR workings, hence a failure must be the reason for thsi rare view. (MD) 27045 & 27004 at Leuchars on a delightful August day in 1985. Class 26s and 27s are envisaged as staple motive power for Edinburgh to Airthrey Park services with load 4 Mk1s or Mk2s, as per the Dundee circuit. In this view, Dundee station pilot 27045 had been required to work an Edinburgh departure following the failure of 27004. Magic stuff! (AD) 27007 was one of a pair of Inverness 27s which had one small cab front window and the driver's cabside door windows plated over, due to a shortage of glass. In August 1984, the loco was far away from Inverness as is almost possible in Scotland, seen leaving Annan with the 1240 Carlisle to Glasgow. (AD) 26035 at the Kyle in August 1984 with a Wednesdays-only extra from Inverness. What price for a time machine! (AD) 47468 is the stereotypical blue-Crewe spoon! These locos were regular visitors to the GSW lines and '468 is seen rolling into Annan with the boat train from Stranraer during August 1984 (AD) 26002 in full cry as it gets away from Cockenzie power station past Prestonpans station with a set of empties returning to Millerhill on August 22nd 1986. Note the unique position of the cab fron lamp irons. (MD) 47595 was a long-term ScR 47, being one of the few to have been allocated new to Haymarket. In August 1985, it was heading south near Auchterarder with an afternoon Inverness to Glasgow turn (MD) 20121 gets away from Carstairs with a northbound ballast working in August 1982. A long-term Scottish loco, it was a common sight on Ayrshire coal workings, Ravenscraig steel turns and much more until transferred south to Toton in the mid-1980s. (MD) 20171 was the Fort William pilot on July 15th 1987, captured shunting in the yard at Mallaig junction. The loco seems to be one of the few headcode box examples which received Motherwell's leaping salmon logo on the bonnet doors. (AD) 20212 was a rare visitor to Inverness in July 1990, where it was sent to be a yard super shunter. Such a scene with a whilstling wardrobe sat outside Airthrey Park shed will be essential! Indeed, 20212 has just been transferred to the AP outbased fleet, courtesy of Simon. (AD) 37027 makes another appearance, this time with the 1550 Fort William to Mallaig service, seen crossing Inverlochy viaduct in August 1984. The unusual feature here is the stock, with an aircon Mk2 in the rake, having been pinched off the sleeper set. 37/0 and ETH stock?! Not prototypically correct! (AD) 37175 heads at engineers working east through Insch station on July 23rd 1990. The loco had been a West Highland regular, but by virtue of its experimental steering bogies, was loaded to St Blazey for Cornish clay work in the late 1980s. By this date it was back for more time at Eastfield and later Inverness. (AD) 26007 leads its green partner 26001 at Kyle of Lochalsh as they wait for 1705 and departure to Inverness on June 30th 1993. (AD) 26042 provides a useful roof line view of the class as it rolls into Millerhill on October 20th 1986. The radio roof pod, fitted by Inverness for working the Far North line can clearly be seen - the circular pod being very different to the cab to shore radio fitted in the early 1990s. (MD) 20228 was an odd ball loco, but oddball workings don't get any odder than this! In October 1986, the loco rolls into Millerhill with no less than 8 brakevans of mixed parentage in tow, tailed by 20205! Note the snowploughs and flushed off front end. (AD) 20063 & 20048 head out of Millerhill yard with a delightful mixed Speedlink working to Thornton in October 1986. Over 20 years later, both locos survive, 20063 having spent several years working in France whilst 20048 is entered preservation, latterly on the Great Central. (MD) 20185 & 20057 roll into Millherill yard one afternoon in October 1986 with a rake of TTAs returning from Linkswood. Neither loco spent much time based in Scotland, being mostly associated with the East Midlands coal circuit. (AD) 20193 and 20213 head the lightweight 6N12 Thornton to Millerhill trip on October 20th 1986 into its destination. Despite the snopwploughs, 20193 was a recent arrival in Scotland, having spent most of its career based at TO. (MD) 26003 could very well be on an Airthrey trip working in this view! Late summer 1986 at Millerhill finds 26003 rolling in with a ferrywagon and single VGA from Leith docks. (MD) 26010 arrives at Edinburgh Waverley with a DMU replacement working from Kirkcaldy on September 6th 1986. A major fault with the class 107 fleet resulted in these workings being handled by class 26s during most of summer 1986, much to the delight of McRat followers - complementing the 27s on the Dundee circuit. Magic! (AD) 26011 was one of the first of the class to be refurbished during 1984 and could be a future modelling target for addition to the AP fleet. In August 1986 it was seen shunting on to the rear of a DMU substitute service from Kirkcaldy, ready for the return, whilst 27053 waits on the right with a Dundee service. McRat heaven! (AD) 26024 trials the then new washer at Motherwell depot in September 1989. One thing AP does not have is a washing facility, thus explaining the state of some of the locos to be seen. (AD) 26032 comes off Rose Street curve at Inverness, coming off the depot to work the 1755 to Kyle one evening in August 1984. Class 26 passenger workings were becoming rare by this date as refurbishment deprieved them of train heat boilers and the influx of class 37s to the Far North. Note the twin headlights and missing outer discs. (AD) 26032 features again as a 26 on load 4 Mk1s is an Airthrey formation! In this view however, 26032 returns to Inverness with the afternoon service from Kyle, seen tea-cupping past Muir of Ord. (AD) 26035 later received Railfreight Grey livery as seen here at Perth during September 1989. Note the lovely lightweight ballast train formed of a single Dogfish and Sealion. (AD) 26043 catches the early morning sun at Dundee with the Millerhill to Montrose trip working comprising of MOD traffic and lime from County Durham in September 1989. (AD) 27025 features in one of the most unusual workings for the class - on October 18th 1986, ScotRail ran a go anywhere for fiver day, resulting in severe overcrowding. With the 0700 Edinburgh to Inverness wedged behind 47562, a Perth to Inverness relief ran with 27025 hauling 3-car 101346! My lords! See here upon arrival at Inverness, which was made into the Kyle line platforms to boot... (AD) 27049 rolls into Millerhill with ballast working during October 1986. Note that the loco has tow bodyside windows plated over - a legacy from its time at Inverness, which also seemed to be short of windows! (AD) 27052 spent almost the whole week of one of AD's SCottish Rover trips as Dundee station pilot during August 1986. It is seen here playing to the camera whilst releasing 27063 from an Edinburgh working. (AD) 27055 has failed 47705 DIT as it leaves Perth with 6N12 to Millerhill on August 14th 1986. Ironically both of these locos were converted for push-pull services on the E&G - 27055 being the former 27111, replaced by 47705 and its kin in 1980. (AD) 27204 makes a second appearance in the gallery, this time during August 1985 heading a lightweight engineers trip south through Dunkeld and Birnam on a superb summer day... Things to note are the former E&G push-pull loco with snowploughs and the exhaust port surround having worked loose! Workings such as this will feature on AP. (AD) 37017, in need of a good wash, rolls into Dingwall with the mid-morning Inverness to Wick and Thurso working during August 1984. 37017 was the last vacuum only passenger loco on BR at the time, having moved up from Eastfield it retained its white stripe until called for refurbishment in 1985. If there was ever justification for the 'dirty and blue' epitaph, then this is it! (AD) 37027 and 47272 move off the stabling sidings at Carstairs durung August 1982. 37027 had been named Loch Eil the previous year and was a West Highland stalwart, whilst 47272 entered Crewe works for ETH fitting soon afterwards, re-emerging as 47593. (AD) 37039 was one of the last class 37s to have retained its skirts. In August 1984 it was in charge of the 1415 Fort William to Glasgow QS, seen arriving at Bridge of Orchy, formed of 4 Mk1s TSOs, a BSO and a BSK. (AD) 37076 So, you're on holiday from North-East England, based near Garve, on the Kyle line. You go to the station to see the 1015 Inverness to Kyle with 37260 and the station staff tell you that there is a ballast working coming in afterwards. Great. Not really when its a Thornaby 37! 37076 seen arriving with three dogfish in tow... 37146 heads a rake of TTA tanks south from Lairg on August 16th 1984 at Dingwall. The loco was a long term Motherwell loco so was an odd example to see this far north. (MD) 37403 became one of the first pair of class 37/4s to arrive in Scotland in July 1985. Two years later on July 18th 1987 it was in charge of the 1005 Fort William to Mallaig, seen passing Inverlochy yard. (AD) 47701 is captured by a superb evening glint of sunshine as it rools round the curves at Blackford with the 1725 Glasgow QS to Aberdeen on September 25th 1989. (MD) 47710 arrives at Dalwhinnie with the 1638 Inverness to Glasgow on July 18th 1990. The use of 47/7s on these turns was quite common in 1990, the class having been displaced from E&G push-pull turns. (AD)

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]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 12. Airthrey Park Motive Power & Rolling Stock http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1339935.html The scene is set during the mid-1980s in Scotland, centred on 1985, so here's what can be seen at Airthrey Park. There will be a lot of sound too but it is a shame that no-one has manged a DCC clag generator as yet as a smokey start-up routine to go with the sound would be just fantastic! Then, again with the number of 1st generation DMUs we have to hand, the layout would be invisible in the diesel clouds... There is a minimum detailing level required on all stock to be seen on Airthrey, keeping it in-line with the standard of the layout backdrop. All stock has full bufferbeam detailing with working 3-link/Screw link couplings, wire handrails, roof fans, flushgrazing, wipers and such like are compulsary where applicable with full repaints and very, very essential weathering without exception! As the track is Code 75, all older units or stock has been rewheeled with Romford axles, the newer items being left as original. The current home fleet is listed below. UPDATED TO November 2008 with new additions and some withdrawls. The fleet was thinned out in late 2007, with the disposal of the class 40 fleet, a couple of 20s and 25s. This was done in order to allow the timeline to be pushed on a little to 1985/86 with the first Large Logo class 37/0s, 47s and refurbished 37/4s. The 08s are all Hornby, the 20s are the most recent Bachmann version, 24/25 all later Bachmann versions (except scrapper 25028 which is a heavily rebuilt bag of bits on a Hornby base), 26/27 Heljan, 37s all later Bachmann 37/0s or 37/4s, 47s all Heljan and the units are all kits based mainly on DC Kits/Lima bits except the marvellous Bachmann 108. All the above are suitably repainted, renumbered and detailed as you can see in the gallery. The fleet is under constant expansion and change with older models being replaced as standards improve. 06003 08441 08449 08620 08717 20020 20114 20127 20148 20212 25028 25035 25059 25109 25276 26025 26031 26035 26037 26041 27001 27003 27049 27052 37027 37108 37147 37188 37402 37403 37406 37420 47006 47118 47460 47461 47469 47550 47562 DMUs 3-car MetCam 101327, BRCW 104(457), Derby 116, Swindon 120(300) 2-car Cravens 105, Derby 108 (2 sets) 2-car BREL 140001 Single Car Pressed Steel 122, Pessed Steel 131 Sandite Most of the rolling stock comes from Andrew, Simon and Andy Elliott's collection whilst we continue efforts to harness Roland's talents as regards kit building and bashing to do something non-RTC related. Good use is made of RTR stock, suitably detailed and weathered, as it would be churlish not too, given the expanding number of excellent wagons and coaches coming from manufacturers of late. The RTR stock is supplemented with some ace kit built and scratch built wagons, all of which have been suitably dirtied and loaded where required. Most of the stock is used on our other 4mm modern image 'club' layouts (Devilla Colliery and Forthside), so there is much more variety in our fleet than would be expected. Almost all stock is fitted with Smiths 3-link, screw link or instanter couplings and is used for the purpose of hauling trains! Several rakes of coaching stock have intermediate close couplers, such as the 4 coach sets of Mk1s and Mk2s which use the system as supplied by Bachmann with 3 links on the rake ends. This is not prototypically correct, but have you tried lousing on a Heljan 27 using the screw link from the loco on to the coach hook underneath the corridor connection?! The mixed Mk3/Mk2 sleeper set uses kadees between vehicles as this also runs as a fixed set with ETHEL tagged on the front using 3 links. Tuesday 30 November 1999: The scene is set during the mid-1980s in Scotland, centred on 1985, so here's what can be seen at Airthrey Park. There will be a lot of sound too but it is a shame that no-one has manged a DCC clag generator as yet as a smokey start-up routine to go with the sound would be just fantastic! Then, again with the number of 1st generation DMUs we have to hand, the layout would be invisible in the diesel clouds... There is a minimum detailing level required on all stock to be seen on Airthrey, keeping it in-line with the standard of the layout backdrop. All stock has full bufferbeam detailing with working 3-link/Screw link couplings, wire handrails, roof fans, flushgrazing, wipers and such like are compulsary where applicable with full repaints and very, very essential weathering without exception! As the track is Code 75, all older units or stock has been rewheeled with Romford axles, the newer items being left as original. The current home fleet is listed below. UPDATED TO November 2008 with new additions and some withdrawls. The fleet was thinned out in late 2007, with the disposal of the class 40 fleet, a couple of 20s and 25s. This was done in order to allow the timeline to be pushed on a little to 1985/86 with the first Large Logo class 37/0s, 47s and refurbished 37/4s. The 08s are all Hornby, the 20s are the most recent Bachmann version, 24/25 all later Bachmann versions (except scrapper 25028 which is a heavily rebuilt bag of bits on a Hornby base), 26/27 Heljan, 37s all later Bachmann 37/0s or 37/4s, 47s all Heljan and the units are all kits based mainly on DC Kits/Lima bits except the marvellous Bachmann 108. All the above are suitably repainted, renumbered and detailed as you can see in the gallery. The fleet is under constant expansion and change with older models being replaced as standards improve. 06003 08441 08449 08620 08717 20020 20114 20127 20148 20212 25028 25035 25059 25109 25276 26025 26031 26035 26037 26041 27001 27003 27049 27052 37027 37108 37147 37188 37402 37403 37406 37420 47006 47118 47460 47461 47469 47550 47562 DMUs 3-car MetCam 101327, BRCW 104(457), Derby 116, Swindon 120(300) 2-car Cravens 105, Derby 108 (2 sets) 2-car BREL 140001 Single Car Pressed Steel 122, Pessed Steel 131 Sandite Most of the rolling stock comes from Andrew, Simon and Andy Elliott's collection whilst we continue efforts to harness Roland's talents as regards kit building and bashing to do something non-RTC related. Good use is made of RTR stock, suitably detailed and weathered, as it would be churlish not too, given the expanding number of excellent wagons and coaches coming from manufacturers of late. The RTR stock is supplemented with some ace kit built and scratch built wagons, all of which have been suitably dirtied and loaded where required. Most of the stock is used on our other 4mm modern image 'club' layouts (Devilla Colliery and Forthside), so there is much more variety in our fleet than would be expected. Almost all stock is fitted with Smiths 3-link, screw link or instanter couplings and is used for the purpose of hauling trains! Several rakes of coaching stock have intermediate close couplers, such as the 4 coach sets of Mk1s and Mk2s which use the system as supplied by Bachmann with 3 links on the rake ends. This is not prototypically correct, but have you tried lousing on a Heljan 27 using the screw link from the loco on to the coach hook underneath the corridor connection?! The mixed Mk3/Mk2 sleeper set uses kadees between vehicles as this also runs as a fixed set with ETHEL tagged on the front using 3 links.

DMU class 108. An escapee from Kingmoor. Made it's way up the GSW and then somehow across to Stirling area? This shows just how far RTR DMUs have come. An excellent model with superb lighting. So what are Bachmann going to spin off the chassis next? 37191 refurbed Bachmann 37/0, and Heljan redone 27025. The very essence of Airthrey Park motive power. Totally Scottish and taking the best available locos as a base and remodelling them into something that is both unique to us and better then when it left the factory! 08717 backing TTAs onto fuel unloading point. We are an all Hornby 08 fleet now. Weighed up the pros and cons (the only con is they cost a bit more than Bachmann) Biggest challenge is getting sound to fit and work at an acceptable volume. 26026. Andrew disappears with a nice Heljan D numbered 26 and comes back with what we all wanted from the start, a mid-1980s condition 26 in BR Blue. 26026. Andrew's heavily reworked Heljan McRat, 26026, poses outside of the shed. Wagon. ZFV Dogfish from Cambrian kit, loaded and weathered by Donnelly Senior with typical ballast wagon weathering, being 'dusty and rusty'... Wagon. YCV Turbot, newly painted in Dutch livery. Built from the nice Cambrian kit, one of their straighter and easier ones. On the whole we find Parkside kits of a far higher basic quality but Cambrian have virtual monopoly on engineers stock. Wagon. VDA Heavily remodelled Hornby wagon, the new Bachmann one cannot come soon enough. This looks great but entails a lot of work, full repaint, new transfers...expensive. DMU Class 120. Frontal shot showing the distictive 'face' of a X-country 120 set. The vehicle shown is the unusual Inverness Driving Brake variation with extra large guard's compartment and tablet catcher recesses in the guard's doors! Classified as a DMBC we think! 06003 Airthrey depot's pet, is a Superb Judith Edge kit built by Colin Foster and later painted by AD. This really is a nice kit, expertly put together, with a paint job which hopefully meets that same standard. Well done Colin! Can we chip it though?! Wait and see... Wagon. ZUV Sharks from Cambrian kits with Romford wheels. One long overdue for a paint, one recently refurbed in Dutch livery. It was still a fair while before Dutch livery spread to loco fleet. Wagon. ZJV Mermaid. The weirdest wagon ever award? Tippling ballast wagons that always looked top heavy. This is an AD-built Cambrian kit. Wagon. ZBV Grampus Expertly built and weathered by Gordon Kennoway of Glenrothes club. There are a fleet of these with no two the same. This one in in old weathered olive green. Wagon. ZBO Grampus. A different base livery under the rust, this is an unbraked example, just managing to cling onto life in the 1980s... Wagon. YLO Prawn based on a Bogie Bolster in old S and T red from Bachmann. The load makes it with old signals, poles, general wiring and signalling detritus. Wagon. TTA Bog standard fuel oil tank from Bachmann with a part repaint. The most commonly spotted wagon Airthrey Park? 97251 ETHEL 2 had an interesting life as it started in Harburn Hobbies window as Tamworth Castle. Went round and round for over a year and blew up! Andy Elliott liberated it and Andrew Donnelly repainted it together with a full sleeper set to go with it. Interestingly the old Lima locos in the window used to wear out their wheels in less than 12 months (no flanges left) before the motors died. Bachmann wheels perfect but can motor 'gubbed' as they say up here. The loco is unpowered as per the prototype. DMU class 104. This BRCW 3-car 104 set is magnificent conversion of a Hornby class 110 with Craftsman cabs. Andy Elliott built, AD painted, it forms a 3-car set of 2 DMS vehicles with a rare TBS, Trailer Brake Second which houses the motor - hence we have a motored trailer vehicle! The motor is a Black Beetle and although we had distinct problems running this unit on Dc we have since cleaned and tweaked the chassis and chipped it with a Lenz silver in the roof above the motor. It has been a revelation since. Good job too! The next scheme was hacking apart a Bachmann 108 to provide power chassis, which would have been a shame. Wagon. YGH Seacow is an off the peg Bachmann model, with a little fettling and weathered (lightly, this was newly built wagon in 1984) Apologies for yellow overhead warning flash! Rectified since it was photographed. 08717 is a Hornby Gronk which had a nasty meeting with a bottle of Jif/Cif when Andrew's varnishing went wrong. Looked so good afterwards he left it. The faded and worn appearance will be difficult to replicate. 20114 recently outshopped from AD's Lisbon Expo works... noisy too! Bought as a green one, but swapped a body with D&F...hey presto. The loco we want with the body shell we want too. In this case the cabside tablet catcher recesses have been filled in with Milliput, not the easiest of jobs. 37191 is Andrew's 2nd 'refurbed' unrefurbished Bachmann 37/0, following on from DRS 37229. The layout is in the intermediate period so we can run skirts and no skirts. Pick late skirted ones such as 37039 and early unskirted ones... no one can pick you up then! Stock. LMS Managers saloon built by Andy Elliott and based on the MTK kit, completed many years ago. Andrew Donnelly has given it a fettle and touched up tired paint whilst there is an interior waiting with Roland and some 'nobs' in suits to go inside too... DMU class 131. A superb converted bubble car of Simon's with work done by Roland. The 131s were an anomaly which didn't last very long having been converted to parcels work, although this one later became SANDRA the Sandite unit. Wagon. YMA Salmon kit, Cambrian's biggy and impossibly long! This rail carrier sits on Airthrey platform during a runround move. Wagons. VAA Here is our first Bachmann VAA out of the box. Not for long however...! Clean stock is a bit of a rarity! In the paintshop now. BE VERY CAREFUL with this model as there were only ever 20 vented vans....don't buy too many. 37147. A Motherwell NB monster, sits ticking over in the 'cripple' road next to the shed. High intensity lights overhead and a conventional bulb lights the doorway illuminate the loco. This loco is now in body shop for nose plating etc. 1985 still running skirts but no dominoes! 27005. All working, ticking over and making a lovely 'tiddly..tiddly...tiddly... teacup... teacup... teacup...' noise to boot. 25028. AP's pet dead Rat. 'It is an ex Rat it has ceased to be...' The late Andy Elliott detailed a Hornby 25 bodyshell, Jim Reid donated the remains back to us after Simon suggested we produce a scrapper to lie around the shed area. Andrew painted the body in watered down Rail Blue with added white. Malcolm Donnelly did the weathering work on the body while Simon finished off the chassis. 25028. Close up of the No.1 end cabside. The bogie weathering is a lighter brown than normal, as checking prototype photos of 25028 and other stored locos seems to show this as common feature. The lack of oil being sprayed up the bogies and old deposits drying out, presumably. 25028. Seen from the No.2 cabside, has been robbed of all sorts of bits with detailing as close as possible to the prototype circa 1985. Windows and frames are missing, the radiator grill on the opposite side too. The model has been re-wheeled and runs on Bachmann coach axles. 25028. View inside the No.1 end cab, which is full of junk with cables hanging out of the hole where the grille has been 'borrowed' from, the windscreens have star shaped smashes where local vandals have bricked them. A one way ticket to MC metals in Glasgow beckons. An excellent feature on 25028 (and sisters) can be found at; www.derbysulzers.com/25026.html

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 02. Airthrey Park; Adding the finishing touches 2006-07 http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1339843.html 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. Tuesday 30 November 1999: 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.

98. Airthrey Park Working Timetable based on 1984/85 period 99. Airthrey Park track plan 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... 01. Can you tell what it is yet? 04. Taking shape rapidly... The walls and roof were built up using a combination of 2mm and 1mm closed cell rigid foam from the 05. ... And then the roof beams go in. 06. With the main structure complete, Airthrey shed poses in the evening sunshine down in Whickham 14. And so to the bridge... Early days... 16. Coming together along with the platform lift and small booking office, built into the structure. 15. Back on Crikey Crescent workbench, the stress is showing... Hence well drained pint glass... 17. Next stage with steps added 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. 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. 21. The fueller is grimy and oily and has most of the pipework and valves you would expect. Again, its a a Malcolm special... 27. The fuelling point and associated tanks were added in place by Malcolm during the early summer. 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. 12. Viewed from above, the signalbox comes from the same architectural stable as the depot office block. 34. Vegetation started to sprout up on a more regular basis! 30. Front view of the signalbox under construction. 33. Aerial view from the fueling point end during June 2007, with the layout starting to come alive. 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... 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. 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. 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. 37. Cravens 2-car class 105 sits on the servicing roads. Built by Andrew Elliott, it is mounted on a Lima chassis, with painting and finishing by Andrew Donnelly. An excellent kit from the DC stable. In general we are finding that Lima chassis with Lenz silver decoders seem to be working well. No great weight and a lot more controllable than on DC. 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. 32. Another of the latest Malcolm additions before show are these pair of low relief walls. 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? 24. Another view of the unloading area. 31. The signal box, installed and lit, signal man in situ and awaiting arrival of first working..... 29. Bothy installed. 10. The crash barriers around the 'pad' are welded lengths of rail. 'Just like the real thing' 22. The fuel unloading point. With fantastic Express models pole light in situ. 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 23. The area at left hand end showing the new Bothy (based on Tyne yard prototype) fuel unloading point and Ayr based fueller. 38. We have a cluster of spotters at the far end of the layout. Can we recognise anyone here? 2 of them suspiciously like a younger JP and AD I reckon?! 41. The spotters are looking towards the station. They must already have their photos of 27005. 42. A bit of creative photography from Simon's happy snappy camera... 20148 in the headshunt sits whistling away to itself. 39. Helen and Malcolm Donnelly make a guest appearance in 'OO' scale as the station porter helps the old folk to the lift at the end of the footbridge. 40. Archetypal Stirling chap. We want to populate the layout but not overly so. As few people in 'moving' poses as possible, too. Standing is fine. Likewise vehicles. Parked is OK, cars placed mid motion in the middle of the road look odd. Trains come and go and on many layouts vehicles are left in a sort of suspended animation. So it is a no go here. 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. 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.

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 20. Airthrey Park; The Rogues Gallery http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1339839.html Meet the Team; The motley ensemble that has been responsible for the mass of wood, plastic, paint and metal that is Airthrey Park and its associated motive power and rolling stock. We have a great team spirit going, everyone has their strengths and we (ab)use them all. The best thing of all is that our 'leader' is not even present and has contributed in an almost entirely financial way for the last year or two! Simon Barratt Andrew Donnelly Malcolm Donnelly (The Fossil) David Paterson Jeff Paterson Mark Pearson Bill Smith Roland Turner and other willing and not so willing DCC drivers from Stirling club who occasionally chip in! The passing of Andrew Elliott in 2006 cannot go without mention, the gap he left in all our lives is immense, his wit and humour is sorely missed. Airthrey Park is dedicated to his memory and his modelling ideals. We hope it comes somewhere near his expectations. It is not just the model stuff we're into so expect some slightly 'diversionary route' sights... Tuesday 30 November 1999: Meet the Team; The motley ensemble that has been responsible for the mass of wood, plastic, paint and metal that is Airthrey Park and its associated motive power and rolling stock. We have a great team spirit going, everyone has their strengths and we (ab)use them all. The best thing of all is that our 'leader' is not even present and has contributed in an almost entirely financial way for the last year or two! Simon Barratt Andrew Donnelly Malcolm Donnelly (The Fossil) David Paterson Jeff Paterson Mark Pearson Bill Smith Roland Turner and other willing and not so willing DCC drivers from Stirling club who occasionally chip in! The passing of Andrew Elliott in 2006 cannot go without mention, the gap he left in all our lives is immense, his wit and humour is sorely missed. Airthrey Park is dedicated to his memory and his modelling ideals. We hope it comes somewhere near his expectations. It is not just the model stuff we're into so expect some slightly 'diversionary route' sights...

AD and SB pondering the meaning of life while sitting in the sun waiting for a SPT 170 from Alloa near Blackgrange. This is about as near as dammit where Airthrey Park the ficticious branch would have come off the SAK. DP. HST and David Paterson. Jeffs 'wee' lad. Start 'em young we say and they never lose it. This is proved by the fact that David will be an Airthrey Park driver in 2007 JP AP Crew; AD, SB, AE, Stuart and JP in the executive clubrooms... AE & SB. Now then young(ish) Barratt, you can tell a fabricated bogie from a cast one because... Andy outlines the finer points of 37421 at FW to a lesser mortal. AE & SB. Dodgy pairing. Dodgy comment removed by moderator... AE. Reservoir Codgers - Malcolm, Andy and Andrew captured in Tarantino-style pose by Simon, whilst down on the Newcastle quayside SB. 40th birthday. Spent chasing Hoovers up WCML. Standing waiting north of Kingmoor when the FLHH cement trundles past....just happened to have THIS in the car boot at the time! AD. Now here's proof. A few years later and our young gricer is already growing up and into all things diesel such as 03069 (and growing out of his trousers too?) Dig the groovy 70s style Rubettes cap! SB JP & AE. Darwin would be so proud. Evolution in progress... Cheshire boy, Chipper Paterson, Andy E and err, a garden gnome... SB. Hardcore bashing part 3. Suitably attired. 37406 on the front. It's minus 5 dark and we are 30 miles from the nearest town... fun though! AD. The Hardcore Basher part 2. Benfica hat proving useful. I thought REAL Geordies didn't feel the cold! RT. Never happier than when chopping plastic. Roland and tool box. Strong smell of solvents..... SB. Simon trying out rail blue in 12 MD. Malcolm (a few years ago) poses with a Gloster Meteor NF11 RT. Roland busy with glasspaper, razorsaw, miliput, and plenty of solvent abuse RT. Roland holds another master class in plastic cutting and solvent abuse at Model Rail Scotland 2007. MD & JP. Woodworking. So Jeff P on the left is in control while Malcolm acts as 'clamp' AD; with disinterested, cool-look? Or has AD not noticed the Moose sneaking up behind the appliance? Yeah, well, when you have done 70,000kms behind Mooses, one gets to be a little less excitable than certain Mancunian Moose bashers SB. This train thing can get a bit dangerous. Douro valley, open coach doors, English Electric 1411 on the point, sunshine, wind in your hair and 'a brown trouser moment'..... SB. Moooooose-tastic! 1411 and a Manc hanger-on at Regua on the Douro valley. AD; in natural and most very REAL driver pose at the control desk of CP Bombardier Dumper Truck 1965 at Barcelos station in northern Portugal. Soundtrack available on 'Now Thats what I call Thrash XI'... AD. And here's proof AD was a gricer at a very young age. Dent station circa 1977. When SB was into the Clash and the Pistols, and others were married with kids! MD. Malcolm pictured bravely making sure AP's shed will surevive almost anything... No comment as to whether it is Helen-proof.... HD. Helen drafted in to do some painting of creosoted boards for station area. Well at least it kept her from the kitchen and meant that Malcolm could go to the chippy! MD. This photo needs no further caption. RT. Roland with glue and plastic in full flow. Can you spot the micrometer. It WILL be there somewhere. SB. Posing (badly) in the very latest and trendiest 'Designer Wear' The AP T Shirt.....cool or what? (or not?) JP get a lesson on digital. That you hooked now Jeff. SB Whats in the box, Simon? BA. Ben and Simon pose in front of Scottish Tractor 37175 at Boness Gala Sept 30th 07 before climbing aboard for a cab ride to Birkhill RT. Like a scene from'The Shining'....All together....'Little pigs!!!...' Roland's maniac side comes out when Razor saw and kettle collide. We managed to calm him down before he destroyed Stewart's strange green toy. JP and SS. 'What on earth is this then? First they want DIGITAL Command and Control, now DIGITAL cameras, where will it end Jeff?' 'SS Do we need to buy a decoder for every camera now too?' HD. The glamorous Helen in her BMC modelling days(?) This well posed shot in the late 60s in front of another rail icon. This era to be referred to as 'BA' or before Andrew....... AD. Trespass case 1.....very bad behaviour from Andrew and he doesn't improve with age. ETH fitted Duff speeds southbound one early 80s afternoon at Floriston crossing north of Carlisle with a motley assortment of coaches. AD. Trespass case 2...! Gateshead depot and our young and hirsute fotter has spotted one of Jeff Paterson's tractors lurking. This clean diesel is a very rare site in the North East MD. Our senior member climbs way up high to survey the REAL Airthrey Park area. The lens is pointing at Royal Scots Grey in blue. The day? The reopening of Alloa Stirling line May 2008 AD. In his more hirsute Morrissey phase? Standing on a cold bleak Cumbrian moor with no less than arch photter Neville Stead some time in the late 1980s or early 1990s. Check out the footwear!

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999 01. Airthrey Park Origins; From Porto to Newcastle & Stirling 2002-2006 http://airthrey-park.fotopic.net/c1339363.html Airthrey Park began life in a garage in Porto, Portugal during 2001. Not exactly what would be expected! The initial concept was simply to provide space to display the fleet of locos and DMUs as well some minimal running. The prototypical justifcation is that during planning and construction of the University of Stirling in the late 1960s, it was decided to build a short branch up to the university estate - Airthrey Park - which nestles between the Wallace Monument and the Ochils, just north of Stirling itself. Services are to comprise hourly links with Glasgow Queen St (DMUs) and Edinburgh (loco-hauled), extended from Stirling as opposed to serving Dunblane. Also, terminating TPO and sleeper portions detached at Stirling from Inverness-bound services and sent for servicing can be expected, whilst the depot receives regular trip workings of fuel and supplies bringing a small amount of freight into the station. A small servicing depot was built to house local freight engines and those from terminating passenger services, along with a DMU and coaching stock servicing platform. Two fuelling points are available to allow locomotive and DMU refuelling along with an associated fuel oil supply depot. Incoming locomotive-hauled services have the stock removed by the resident class 08s pilots, whilst the locomotive retires to the fuelling point or servicing depot, whilst departures require fresh engines and stock to be shunted into the platforms. The platforms are long enough to house 4-coach hauled sets and 5-car units, whilst the servicing platforms are sufficient for up to 7 DMU vehicles or 6 coaches, with stabling for around 16 locos provided. The fiddle yard is required to house 5-car units or locomotive plus load 4 via a shunt release. Construction was based on 3 1.2m x 0.6m scenic boards, cut to avoid a structural pillar and a 2.4m fiddle yard, all of which was built integrally and fixed what was possibly to be the layout's permanent, only and final resting place. Life gets in the way however... As can be seen progress was limited and the layout was eventually removed from its original home in late 2002 and eventually shipped to the UK the following year. Airthrey Park was shipped from Portugal to Newcastle in October 2003, taking up residence (and space) at No.29 Crikey Crescent (!), Whickham. Whilst there, one of the original baseboards was replaced in order to to remove the cut out which had been required due to the building pillar in Porto. Track into the depot was therefore all replaced and a new platform built with through roads on both sides. Most of the track was also ballasted for the first time, along with a new platform and some low relief scenary being added by Malcolm. During 2004, the layout was 'adopted' by Stirling & Clackmannanshire club and duly moved north so since late 2004, the layout has resided in Stirling with the local MRC and another rebuild has been instigated - the target being a metamorphosis from a home plaything to exhibition standard DCC layout. One slight spanner in the works was Andrew deciding that life might be slightly more interesting in Lisbon as opposed to Glenrothes, so moving 1000 miles away seemed the right thing to do. Hence, from late 2005 Donnelly Senior takes over the reins, having been provided with a suitable holiday home in the Stirling area and at last we have progress! The first task was literally to get the layout up - the running came later - with new fiddle yard boards and the dreaded task of wiring. This was started as a DC project but the DCC nettle was soon grasped and resident sparky Alex Napier got stuck back in and the layout became DCC live in 2007. In parallel with the un-seen wiring heroics, some slooooooooooow Donnelly Senior-style scenic work started during 2006, although the catalyst for change came at ModelRail 2007 when the gauntlet was well and truly thrown down. An idle conversation whilst on doorman duty with Steve from Ayr club resulted in the unfinished layout being invited for its debut at Ayr show on September 22 and 23, 2007. At this point, poor old Malcolm went into over-drive mode with a very fine Victor Meldrew-esque rendition of I don't believe it, it can't be done... The rest of 2007 has been a blur of flying plasticard, over dosing on Metpak, several tantrums (these being left to the national champion - hello Helen!) and a lot of very, very good progress from all of the team involved. The aim with Airthrey Park is to add another high standard D&E layout to the Scottish circuit, one created in Scotland, of Scotland and by a Scottish team, hopefully combining a good mix of an attractively modelled scene, running suitably improved rolling stock in a prototypical manner which will be of interest to modellers of all levels. The standard of D&E models coming from manufacturers and layouts themselves have evolved markedly over recent years along with technical innovations such as the widespread use of DCC. Our wish is simply to bring a bit of all these factors to Airthrey Park, providing an interesting flashback to a scene from the 1980s. Tuesday 30 November 1999: Airthrey Park began life in a garage in Porto, Portugal during 2001. Not exactly what would be expected! The initial concept was simply to provide space to display the fleet of locos and DMUs as well some minimal running. The prototypical justifcation is that during planning and construction of the University of Stirling in the late 1960s, it was decided to build a short branch up to the university estate - Airthrey Park - which nestles between the Wallace Monument and the Ochils, just north of Stirling itself. Services are to comprise hourly links with Glasgow Queen St (DMUs) and Edinburgh (loco-hauled), extended from Stirling as opposed to serving Dunblane. Also, terminating TPO and sleeper portions detached at Stirling from Inverness-bound services and sent for servicing can be expected, whilst the depot receives regular trip workings of fuel and supplies bringing a small amount of freight into the station. A small servicing depot was built to house local freight engines and those from terminating passenger services, along with a DMU and coaching stock servicing platform. Two fuelling points are available to allow locomotive and DMU refuelling along with an associated fuel oil supply depot. Incoming locomotive-hauled services have the stock removed by the resident class 08s pilots, whilst the locomotive retires to the fuelling point or servicing depot, whilst departures require fresh engines and stock to be shunted into the platforms. The platforms are long enough to house 4-coach hauled sets and 5-car units, whilst the servicing platforms are sufficient for up to 7 DMU vehicles or 6 coaches, with stabling for around 16 locos provided. The fiddle yard is required to house 5-car units or locomotive plus load 4 via a shunt release. Construction was based on 3 1.2m x 0.6m scenic boards, cut to avoid a structural pillar and a 2.4m fiddle yard, all of which was built integrally and fixed what was possibly to be the layout's permanent, only and final resting place. Life gets in the way however... As can be seen progress was limited and the layout was eventually removed from its original home in late 2002 and eventually shipped to the UK the following year. Airthrey Park was shipped from Portugal to Newcastle in October 2003, taking up residence (and space) at No.29 Crikey Crescent (!), Whickham. Whilst there, one of the original baseboards was replaced in order to to remove the cut out which had been required due to the building pillar in Porto. Track into the depot was therefore all replaced and a new platform built with through roads on both sides. Most of the track was also ballasted for the first time, along with a new platform and some low relief scenary being added by Malcolm. During 2004, the layout was 'adopted' by Stirling & Clackmannanshire club and duly moved north so since late 2004, the layout has resided in Stirling with the local MRC and another rebuild has been instigated - the target being a metamorphosis from a home plaything to exhibition standard DCC layout. One slight spanner in the works was Andrew deciding that life might be slightly more interesting in Lisbon as opposed to Glenrothes, so moving 1000 miles away seemed the right thing to do. Hence, from late 2005 Donnelly Senior takes over the reins, having been provided with a suitable holiday home in the Stirling area and at last we have progress! The first task was literally to get the layout up - the running came later - with new fiddle yard boards and the dreaded task of wiring. This was started as a DC project but the DCC nettle was soon grasped and resident sparky Alex Napier got stuck back in and the layout became DCC live in 2007. In parallel with the un-seen wiring heroics, some slooooooooooow Donnelly Senior-style scenic work started during 2006, although the catalyst for change came at ModelRail 2007 when the gauntlet was well and truly thrown down. An idle conversation whilst on doorman duty with Steve from Ayr club resulted in the unfinished layout being invited for its debut at Ayr show on September 22 and 23, 2007. At this point, poor old Malcolm went into over-drive mode with a very fine Victor Meldrew-esque rendition of I don't believe it, it can't be done... The rest of 2007 has been a blur of flying plasticard, over dosing on Metpak, several tantrums (these being left to the national champion - hello Helen!) and a lot of very, very good progress from all of the team involved. The aim with Airthrey Park is to add another high standard D&E layout to the Scottish circuit, one created in Scotland, of Scotland and by a Scottish team, hopefully combining a good mix of an attractively modelled scene, running suitably improved rolling stock in a prototypical manner which will be of interest to modellers of all levels. The standard of D&E models coming from manufacturers and layouts themselves have evolved markedly over recent years along with technical innovations such as the widespread use of DCC. Our wish is simply to bring a bit of all these factors to Airthrey Park, providing an interesting flashback to a scene from the 1980s.

09. Mr Patterson also kindly knocked up two new fiddle yard boards to replace those which had not sailed the bay of Biscay. 01. Underneath the layout was the my workbench; this saw much more activity than the layout! 04. On shed. During 2002, Lima dominated the motive power scene on AP, with a substantial collection of 20s, 26s, 27s being prominent in this view. All of the McRats were featured in Rail Express and Model Rail articles, despite which they have all been sold on as new models were announced; A pair of Bachmann 08s stabled on the headshunt is a portent of things to come. Ironically all these have been sold a Hornby one proves better still as base. 02. The original island platform had one through road and a bay. Only 1 point was ever wired in and no ballast permanently laid. 03. The station and fuelling area with the usual motley collection of stock. Bachmann convertee 24132 sits in the platform road with a ballast (the loco now being in the hands of the original Sid the Sexist, the Honourable Keith Buckley) whilst the clean Hoover is Paul Spracklen's 50026 Indomitable. 05. The new board at the depot end, being painted and readied for the depot hardstanding. 06. The original boards were altered with 2x1 framing being added, something which had not been needed in Porto. 07. A pair of Bachmann Choppers, 20179 and 20127, posed on the new through road Platform 2. At least 3 generations of class 20 have appeared on AP to date! 20127 having been done on a Lima, Bachmann Mk1 and now the upgraded version! 10. AP's home since late 2004 has been Stirling & Clacks 1st floor clubroom, as seen in its usual state of tidyness (Where is Helen when you need her?!) 08. AP was moved up from Newcastle with some scenic work done; namely a new platform, ballasted track, depot hard standing and some green bits... 11. Looking away from the depot area, the new island platform looks the part already, despite being a bit bare.

Published in Airthrey Park Gallery

]]> Tue Nov 30 1999