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The Excuse
These pages will be devoted to my minimum space fine scale 00 gauge model. No doubt the discovery that I have also started electric rodent modelling again will so upset my garden railway live steam chums that they will never speak to me again. However, when the weather is bad, the nights long and time short, outdoor live steam has its drawbacks, and with a line as small as the Lower Bryandale Railway, there is only so much rolling stock you can make on the dark evenings! So this undertaking is designed as a little diversion from my main modelling in 16mm scale, and is an indulgence in another long-term interest of mine, Scottish railways. Or put it another way, blame it on Ian Futers’ new book, and that lovely pair of Heljan MacRats!
The Location
Kenmore is a real place on the eastern end of Loch Tay (see header photo). I have never been there, though it looks beautiful, and I shall soon have to correct this grave error. There was a Highland Railway branch line from Ballinluig on the Perth-Inverness main line, to Aberfeldy, about six miles down the Tay valley to the east of Kenmore, which closed in 1965. Its main traffic appears to have been whisky. There was a plan to extend the line to Kenmore, to connect with steamers on Loch Tay, though it was never built. My scenario supposes that it was; this is not a new modelling premise, there having been at least one other model built some time ago on the same theme. However, the real Aberfeldy line featured class 26’s and one or two coach trains - ideal for minimum space - while another distillery at Kenmore can easily be imagined to provide freight interest.
The Intention
...is to build a layout that will sit on my desk when in use, and will store away under the sofa in about five minutes flat when not. That sets a pretty stiff set of design criteria and a maximum space of 10ft by 18 inches (including fiddle yard), of which more later. Current progress is limited to an idea in my head, a few lengths of SMP track and one Marcway turnout. More will hopefully develop over the coming winter, so watch this space!
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