Hello James, nice little shelf layout. I'm too building an Lochdubh based layout in N scale in my basement. My Lochdubh version is based on the trackplan of Mallaig. But I changed the MPD with that of Kyle of Lochalsh and added a Whisky distillery, to generate some traffic on the layout.
I think the trick with these things is to get just the right level of plausible reality. I hope my own Lochdubh feels like you could have been there, that’s certainly the intention and something I feel each time I enjoy a visit! Good luck with your own project.
This is such an enchanting little diorama and captures perfectly how I remember the Highlands of the mid - late 1980s! Absolutely fantastic level of modelling and would love to see it as an operational layout one day, you could certainly have some fun here! Excellent work 👍🏻
Thank you Phil, I’m glad it evoked some memories for you. I really enjoy the scene still, and have got some new photos to share at some point on the blog.
Lost in a scene...I get it...this layout is epic. Keep up the amzing work. Would love to see a video about your back scene construction - they all look soo realistic :)
I like your ideas and skill in small shelf layouts. Thank you for sharing. I’m looking forward to more videos from you and of course the reprint of your book. Missed it first time round. Well done and lovely presentation of your video.
what a smashing bit of modelling, that screams the west coast, years ago, i posted a photo of 37416 in Kyle on Rmweb, and that photo lead to Pete Machem building his Kyle in a box file, or two, i eventually supplied him with the backscene phot, along with lots of detail shots
I just stumbled on the video and was enjoying your walk through Lochdubh, then I heard you mention me whilst talking about the croft on the hill. Lovely, lovely work and I'm happy to have made a tiny - literally - contribution.
Great video, I watched it sitting at my desk and looking at the wall space behind it. Always been fascinated by the potential of Kyle of L, since watching Michael Palin go there in 1980. I have managed a few trips there myself, and have another visit planned soon but not sure when.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. Kyle is one of those ‘end of the line’ destinations that feels very special. Perhaps it’s encouraged you to consider your own project?
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways Mossdale and Mossdale Road are both finished and I have been thinking about what's next. I intended to do a small shunting yard based on a London Transport track depot and bought two Farish Panniers in LT maroon, neither run well enough to do any shunting, one is in pieces while I get some enthusiasm and time to sort out the pickups. Just rewatched the end of Palin on iPlayer again, some lovely shots of a 25 and two mk1's running through the Scottish Highlands. Mossdale Road used to live on an Ikea Lack shelf but is now on a window sill, and the shelf is unused waiting for the next project. A 1980's BR blue era Scottish scene could be possible. Dave
@@MossdaleNGaugeRailwayperhaps work looking out for a second hand Farish 25, and picking up a few of the MK1s in blue and grey whilst they’re available? The Dapol 26 can be lovely runners too, but blue ones are like hens teeth at the moment.
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways I have been looking for a blue 27 from Dapol. I have a kit for a station building but I don't want to rush building it. Track design is blank at the moment except I want a gentle curve so that the inter vehicle gaps are reduced, a platform that takes two coaches and a siding for some sort of goods traffic. Dave
Hello Joachim, thank you for the kind words. I hope you enjoy digging through the archive. Worth checking out my blog too, updated daily: paxton-road.blogspot.co.uk
Just wanted to say, I absolutely love everything you do and it's what I aspire to be able to create one day. As someone who has not been involved in railway modelling for a lonnnng time (essentially since I was a kid), I recently had the 'epiphany' that, space doesn't have to be an issue, a layout doesn't have to be circular and British Finescale is the way to go as far as realism on a small scale goes. But being the absolute perfectionist that I am, I feel I need to learn everything there is to learn before getting started and your videos are incredibly helpful but possibly a few steps above beginner level. Would you be able to point me in the direction of a source of information out there that methodically explained everything an absolute beginner would need to know about working with this track at this scale? I haven't even been able to find a definitive answer yet about how to join sections of track or how the track is powered.. Thanks and keep up the good work!
A good friend is you’re best bet, either through a club or the social media channels, they can advise and encourage. I join the rails with soldered butt joints, because I’ve not found rail joiners small enough, it’s fiddly and you need to be quick with an iron not to melt the sleepers and chairs. A touch of a tinned iron onto the joint, with some Powerflux applied beforehand will be sufficient. I add the droppers required before sticking it all down and adding the joints, using a thin DCC decoder wire as it’s flexible. Good luck, and the most important thing to remember is we all started somewhere… you can’t short cut to success but the journey is good fun.
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways thanks for the advice! In the absence of any really good tutorial videos on this subject (hint hint!), would you recommend any online forums? I had a brief look into RMWeb but found it incredibly convoluted..
RMweb is too big to be of help. Smaller Facebook groups might be useful, or find a local club? I have used them to find local modellers to meet up with rather than only do my hobby online.
Hi James, Great layout as always -I have a new N gauge layout which was inspired by seeing what you have achieved with the scale. its a china clay dries and I of cause had to buy a Farish class 37. however I hate the way it looks too high on its bogies. I was just about to sell it on, then I saw this video. Was your 37/4 easy to lower as it looks much better?
Yes, it’s easy. 3 things. 1 - Remove the cab interiors. 2 - Cut off the lugs on the inside sides of the bodyshell 3 - File the bottom corners of the lighting boards at each end. Probably between 1-2mm. Refit the shell and marvel at how low it looks! The fuel tank needs blu-tak to stay on… You can sand and file the bottom of the cab interiors to allow them to be refitted but I didn’t bother as you can’t see them anyway!
@@BrockwellLanemodelrailway great, I’m glad you found it as easy as I did! Others do something different with the truck frames instead which doesn’t lower the body and hence they still look too tall to me, but I’m sure others have different opinions.
There isn’t a fiddle yard, but there could be… all three tracks exit the layout stage left. The back track is a subterfuge slightly, and it curves over before it ducks under the cottage.
Hello James, nice little shelf layout. I'm too building an Lochdubh based layout in N scale in my basement. My Lochdubh version is based on the trackplan of Mallaig. But I changed the MPD with that of Kyle of Lochalsh and added a Whisky distillery, to generate some traffic on the layout.
I think the trick with these things is to get just the right level of plausible reality. I hope my own Lochdubh feels like you could have been there, that’s certainly the intention and something I feel each time I enjoy a visit! Good luck with your own project.
This is such an enchanting little diorama and captures perfectly how I remember the Highlands of the mid - late 1980s! Absolutely fantastic level of modelling and would love to see it as an operational layout one day, you could certainly have some fun here! Excellent work 👍🏻
Thank you Phil, I’m glad it evoked some memories for you. I really enjoy the scene still, and have got some new photos to share at some point on the blog.
Lost in a scene...I get it...this layout is epic. Keep up the amzing work. Would love to see a video about your back scene construction - they all look soo realistic :)
There isn't much to it - and it would be hard to do a video about really. Thank you though, that's very kind.
I like your ideas and skill in small shelf layouts. Thank you for sharing. I’m looking forward to more videos from you and of course the reprint of your book. Missed it first time round. Well done and lovely presentation of your video.
Thank you, very kind words. The reprint (and new book) are at the printers as we speak so should be available early October.
what a smashing bit of modelling, that screams the west coast, years ago, i posted a photo of 37416 in Kyle on Rmweb, and that photo lead to Pete Machem building his Kyle in a box file, or two, i eventually supplied him with the backscene phot, along with lots of detail shots
Thank you Gary, very kind!
Really captured the flavour of the Kyle line, very nice.
Thank you, it is a special place and I’m really pleased with what I’ve created.
I just stumbled on the video and was enjoying your walk through Lochdubh, then I heard you mention me whilst talking about the croft on the hill. Lovely, lovely work and I'm happy to have made a tiny - literally - contribution.
Brian, a pleasure, your work is an inspiration and a nod to that on this is like doing a cover of your favourite band!
Cheers James@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways .. which band .. "Small Faces" maybe?
What a very clever idea beautifully designed and built. Thanks for sharing. Subscribed now !
Thank you Alex
Great video, I watched it sitting at my desk and looking at the wall space behind it. Always been fascinated by the potential of Kyle of L, since watching Michael Palin go there in 1980. I have managed a few trips there myself, and have another visit planned soon but not sure when.
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it. Kyle is one of those ‘end of the line’ destinations that feels very special. Perhaps it’s encouraged you to consider your own project?
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways Mossdale and Mossdale Road are both finished and I have been thinking about what's next. I intended to do a small shunting yard based on a London Transport track depot and bought two Farish Panniers in LT maroon, neither run well enough to do any shunting, one is in pieces while I get some enthusiasm and time to sort out the pickups. Just rewatched the end of Palin on iPlayer again, some lovely shots of a 25 and two mk1's running through the Scottish Highlands. Mossdale Road used to live on an Ikea Lack shelf but is now on a window sill, and the shelf is unused waiting for the next project. A 1980's BR blue era Scottish scene could be possible. Dave
@@MossdaleNGaugeRailwayperhaps work looking out for a second hand Farish 25, and picking up a few of the MK1s in blue and grey whilst they’re available? The Dapol 26 can be lovely runners too, but blue ones are like hens teeth at the moment.
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways I have been looking for a blue 27 from Dapol. I have a kit for a station building but I don't want to rush building it. Track design is blank at the moment except I want a gentle curve so that the inter vehicle gaps are reduced, a platform that takes two coaches and a siding for some sort of goods traffic. Dave
I’ve only just come across your channel. Your workmanship is wonderful! Will subscribe. Nice modelling space too👍🏻 Rgds from Holland, Joachim
Hello Joachim, thank you for the kind words. I hope you enjoy digging through the archive. Worth checking out my blog too, updated daily: paxton-road.blogspot.co.uk
Just wanted to say, I absolutely love everything you do and it's what I aspire to be able to create one day. As someone who has not been involved in railway modelling for a lonnnng time (essentially since I was a kid), I recently had the 'epiphany' that, space doesn't have to be an issue, a layout doesn't have to be circular and British Finescale is the way to go as far as realism on a small scale goes. But being the absolute perfectionist that I am, I feel I need to learn everything there is to learn before getting started and your videos are incredibly helpful but possibly a few steps above beginner level. Would you be able to point me in the direction of a source of information out there that methodically explained everything an absolute beginner would need to know about working with this track at this scale? I haven't even been able to find a definitive answer yet about how to join sections of track or how the track is powered.. Thanks and keep up the good work!
A good friend is you’re best bet, either through a club or the social media channels, they can advise and encourage.
I join the rails with soldered butt joints, because I’ve not found rail joiners small enough, it’s fiddly and you need to be quick with an iron not to melt the sleepers and chairs. A touch of a tinned iron onto the joint, with some Powerflux applied beforehand will be sufficient. I add the droppers required before sticking it all down and adding the joints, using a thin DCC decoder wire as it’s flexible. Good luck, and the most important thing to remember is we all started somewhere… you can’t short cut to success but the journey is good fun.
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways thanks for the advice! In the absence of any really good tutorial videos on this subject (hint hint!), would you recommend any online forums? I had a brief look into RMWeb but found it incredibly convoluted..
RMweb is too big to be of help. Smaller Facebook groups might be useful, or find a local club?
I have used them to find local modellers to meet up with rather than only do my hobby online.
Hi James, Great layout as always -I have a new N gauge layout which was inspired by seeing what you have achieved with the scale. its a china clay dries and I of cause had to buy a Farish class 37. however I hate the way it looks too high on its bogies. I was just about to sell it on, then I saw this video. Was your 37/4 easy to lower as it looks much better?
Yes, it’s easy.
3 things.
1 - Remove the cab interiors.
2 - Cut off the lugs on the inside sides of the bodyshell
3 - File the bottom corners of the lighting boards at each end. Probably between 1-2mm.
Refit the shell and marvel at how low it looks!
The fuel tank needs blu-tak to stay on… You can sand and file the bottom of the cab interiors to allow them to be refitted but I didn’t bother as you can’t see them anyway!
Thanks That's great. I'll give it a go
Done it!...That was easy and looks great now.
Very much appreciated
@@BrockwellLanemodelrailway great, I’m glad you found it as easy as I did! Others do something different with the truck frames instead which doesn’t lower the body and hence they still look too tall to me, but I’m sure others have different opinions.
Is the siding with the tank wagon static or is it connected to the fiddle yard?
There isn’t a fiddle yard, but there could be… all three tracks exit the layout stage left. The back track is a subterfuge slightly, and it curves over before it ducks under the cottage.
@@JamesHiltonCustomModelRailways thanks for that