I have always had an interest in the West Highland line, and a good number of photographs taken of Crianlarich and Rannoch Stations, had convinced me that it would make a fantastic basis for a layout. As I did not wish to make the layout a copy of a particular station, but to meld of several different locations. Therefore a new station has had to be "invented".
I propose that a different station had been built slightly south of Rannoch which had a branch of towards Kinloch Rannoch and Pithochry. This line was built to connect with the Highland main line. This station would be called Rannoch Junction. A simple track plan is shown below, showing the typical island platform with West Highland chalet style building, with log loading siding, engine shed, now used for refuelling and stabling or the odd locomotive.
We are building a 12' straight scenic section, with 5' fiddle yards either end. To start with the layout would be set in early to mid 1980s before the Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) system had been installed and the signals removed in late 1985-1988. However many of the stations on this route have seen little change since the late sixties, so there would be the opportunity to run some earlier stock.
Loco hauled passenger trains made up of blue/grey mk1 and or mk2s hauled by classes' 37/27 will mix with Railfreight, oil and timber trains, and even the occasional Steam Specials probably hauled by a Black 5. All items of stock with be detailed and weathered.
Baseboards are made up using 9mm ply sides with 6mm tops with the ends built from 3" by 1" pine. These are joined together with pattern makers dowels and clips.
The fiddle yards will utilise the cassette system, thus minimising the handling of the stock. There will be different lengths depending if a loco or a train.
Peco Code 75 track will be used, and when carefully ballasted and weathered will give a realistic and finescale appearance.
All the buildings based on prototypes will be scratch built from plasticard, these will include, station, signal box and engine shed, the latter now been used for engineers storage.
Scenery, hills are to be built up on foam or polystyrene blocks carved to shape and then covered in filler or plaster. Trees will be mainly made from sea moss covered in appropriate scatter material.
The layout will be wired for conventional cab control, so that either of the 2 controllers can operate any part of the layout. But there will be an option to run the layout in DCC. All the points will be controlled from the main control panel with the simple but effective probe and stud method.