What I am doing it for

[gtmspyder]

Hello and a happy Christmas Ted to you and your wife.

As ever, your pictures are very evocative and lifelike, and your modeling and story telling remind me of my inspirational gurus, the Reverend Peter Denny, and P J Hancock, I can give no greater praise, both there books should be on every railway modellers shelf.

One general comment that applies to all forum poster's.

When the pictures are presented to us on our screens, they are viewed from the top of the picture to the bottom.

Some people put there captions above the pictures, and some below the pictures.

As you travel through the series of pictures, the top captions of one picture can appear to become the bottom caption of another, and a quick shuffle back and forth has to be made, to ascertain which picture the caption refers to when you get into the middle of a series of pictures.

We all appear guilty of this, so perhaps some thought could be given to establishing a forum convention of top or bottom captions, with a line or a large space separating each picture or series of pictures that the caption refers to???

Kind regards to everyone,

BrianT.

[tedp]

Thanks Brian, same to you.

Perhaps I should clarify my captions by adding colons.

A slight delay as I spent most of the day operating pre-war 0 gauge tinplate in the Valkenburg museum. I made more photos yesterday, so here goes.

Sir Theodore came in with the branch mixed service which, as you may have seen, reverses from the branch into the platform at Rae Bridge. The main line passenger needed a van attached, so the tram engine was uncoupled and drew forward to fetch it from the goods shed, where it was blocked by three cattle wagons:



Next, we see the passenger service in the Gorge, and later high above Rae Bridge passing the winding house ruin, before pausing at Glenclachan Road halt:







The final view of the passenger train is at the Inverlochan home signal:



Finally, here is the first mountain tram of the day departing from the Rae Bridge terminus:



More later!

[tedp]

I rather like this view of Sir Theodore sedately rolling round the curve on the Atlantic coast on the final leg to Dunalistair, around 10 in the morning:



Here is a highly improbable, but atmospheric view of Sir Theodore passing Lyn simmering in the siding. It's not often one can see a 2'4 1/2" gauge loco passing a 2ft gauge loco - one of the advantages of modelling 009!



A sudden ray of sun lights up Lyn during a shunting move in Dunalistair. I am very pleased with this loco:



An hour later, around 11am, the branch mixed has returned to Rae Bridge. Jamie the shunter opens the gate to allow the train to pass on to the tramway:





Some stock from the distillery has to be added to the rear of the branch mixed. Jamie confers with the driver of the distillery pug:



A van and a wagon are placed on the main line so the mixed can set back to pick them up:



Seen between the station building and the goods shed:



The gate is closed. Now the branch mixed has to wait for the main line service to arrive from Craigcorrie:



More later!

[cp.409067]

.....

One general comment that applies to all forum poster's.

When the pictures are presented to us on our screens, they are viewed from the top of the picture to the bottom.

Some people put there captions above the pictures, and some below the pictures.

As you travel through the series of pictures, the top captions of one picture can appear to become the bottom caption of another, and a quick shuffle back and forth has to be made, to ascertain which picture the caption refers to when you get into the middle of a series of pictures.

We all appear guilty of this, so perhaps some thought could be given to establishing a forum convention of top or bottom captions, with a line or a large space separating each picture or series of pictures that the caption refers to???

.....

*

Whilst I understand and sympathise with the point being made, I fear that the request for a convention that be observed by all will fail on two grounds and would be too simplistic a solution for what is a complex problem.


[1]   What constitutes a caption? Something like -

"Locomotive XYZ seen at PQR on ABC date"

- is fine and might by existing print media convention rightly be placed beneath the image. But not everything is so simple.


[2]   Sometimes pictures, diagrams, or other illustrations are introduced into a narrative in such a manner as for "captions" per se to be inappropriate. This is because they illustrate the text which is so as to speak "in motion". Indeed, such introductions are "intrusions" (in the positive sense of the word) that perhaps appear with a dash -

as the picture occurs

- and another where the narrative continues.




CP

[gtmspyder]

Errr, I don't understand what it is you are saying. ???

Kind regards,

BrianT.

[Graeme Dunbar]

Sorry this is hijacking Ted's (excellent as always) thread, but I think what CP is saying is 'horses for courses'.

Ted's intentions are clear though. He has put a colon at the end of the line of text:

   * to indicate that it applies to the photo that follows.

[tedp]

I'm not sure about the need for a forum convention, although I understand it may be puzzling if the text in a post refers to the photo below. Basically in my posts I write a short narrative, then use the photo to explain. I hope the clarification by using colons in the text helps. Therefore let's continue the tale of the operations on the C&DR, which in the end is what I'm modelling for!  ;)

The 10am mixed service from Craigcorrie arrives at Inverlochan station, headed by 'Atlantic', with four cattle wagons and the American style clerestory 'combine':



Since all that is in the siding is an empty explosives van that always travels on the coal trains, the train continues to Glenclachan Road, then continues to descend through the gorge to Rae Bridge. First here is a side view of the loco crossing the bridge of Loch na Cailliche:



Next, the train is seen standing on the cast iron bridge at Glenclachan Road as one or two passengers board the coach at the rear end. After descending the spiral, the train reappears at the lower level just before entering Creag Dhubh tunnel:





At Rae Bridge, the empty coal train just comes in behind 'Lyn' - another case of prototype engines of two gauges (2ft and 2ft 3ins) happily mixing on the C&DR:



Soon, 'Lyn' and its empty stock disappears up the line, and now is when the real shunting puzzle starts, as dictated by the waybills on or in the cattle trucks. For those interested, goods traffic operation on the C&DR is explained HERE.

Three of the four cattle wagons hauled by 'Atlantic' need to be dropped at Rae Bridge. Only one is loaded and livestock always gets priority, so this is dropped at the goods shed to be collected by a local farmer that same morning. Note the shed doors are closed against the smell. One of two empties is attached to two other empty cattle trucks that will go on the afternoon branch service. Another empty goes in the siding, and the last one will continue to Dunalistair. Here is 'Atlantic' at work with a long string of cattle trucks:





The siding is too short, so the empty stock is moved to the carriage shed, already blocked with more stock, where Jamie inspects the congestion with some misgivings:



Meanwhile, 'Atlantic' has picked up two closed vans to be taken to Dunalistair, and now waits for the clear in the platform road. Jamie and the driver exchange a few pleasantries before departure:



After the train has left, Jamie and the stationmaster meet at the signal box to discuss the rolling stock situation. Since most of the stock is due to be shipped out later that day, it is decided not to book an extra train:



More later!

[tedp]

Shortly before mid-day, the mixed arrives at Dunalistair. The shunting at Rae Bridge has resulted in a delay, and the return working at mid-day will surely be delayed as well. Here 'Atlantic' rolls towards the level crossing:



Meanwhile 'Lyn' arrives at the colliery, where the tiny Bagnall is hard at work supplying the screen with coal from the pit. The other train is being loaded:



'Atlantic' rolls to a stop. The van at the buffers is a regular occurrence - it carries parcels to the ferry which are unloaded at the platform and put on a trolley to the ferry gangway. Most locos can just squeeze between the point blades and such a van. Next, the loco runs on to the turntable and reverses over the centre road:





The harbour shunter has been simmering on the quay, but now action is called for as the new arrival has to be split up and the wagons taken to their respective destinations. Any outward bound traffic is collected from the sidings first:







First, the coach is coupled up and the train put into the centre road. Then the newly arrived goods stock is collected and the single van removed from the buffer stop:







After the van has been coupled to the front of the train in the centre road, one van is detached from the goods stock that just came in. Again, this is placed at the end of the track. Finally, the remaining van and cattle truck are taken to the quay siding:







More later!

[tedp]

The mixed is seriously delayed, but apart from the connecting mountain tram at Rae Bridge this won't be a great problem. Knowing the tramway people, they will hold the tram until the mixed arrives. Shunting completed, Atlantic sets back the train into the platform road, and shortly afterwards the mixed sets off:





Meanwhile a loaded coal train departs from the colliery, hauled by the 0-6-2ST 'Craigcorrie'. Having pinned brakes at the summit, it continues down the line and crosses the viaduct, flanges and brakes squealing:







Here are two low level photos taken from the sheep dock at Glenclachan siding, as the coal train passes. They may be a little out of focus, but I love the atmosphere:





And finally here is the train deep in the gorge, with the water roaring under the bridge and the loco whistling for Creag Dhubh tunnel:



More later!

[Krizzy]

Ted
Thanks for the latest chapter in the story of the C&D. Keep up the good work to inspire everyone to match your superb modelling.

Roger

[tedp]

Thanks, Roger. It's fun to do this and share with you the operating sessions I had over Christmas. Each time I find new angles to photograph even if the layout is over 30 years old by now. And sometimes I tie myself in knots over a shunting problem which is fun in itself. Then the next challenge is how to photograph it so the problem and the solution become clear to someone else!

Regrettably yesterday was very busy - no time to write anything more until now.

Following the last instalment, the delayed mixed and the empty coal train meet at Rae Bridge. The passengers off the mixed service transfer to the mountain tram that has been held to take them to the summit:



The empty coal train has gone and 'Atlantic' has to solve another shunting puzzle. The look of the train changes completely - one of the vans is detached and a cattle wagon takes its place, together with a peat wagon and an ash wagon, and a wagon loaded with casks. Just now I realise all these loads are going the wrong way! Here are some views of the apparent chaos in the station:





Finally the train moves off and climbs through the gorge:





The previous picture and the next were taken from the upper end of the viaduct which is impossible except by using a camera. Here 'Atlantic', having dropped a peat wagon (that should have been empty) at the siding, is coming to a stop at the edge of the viaduct to let off a passenger at the lonely platform:





Shortly after 1pm the branch goods descends from the tramway, trailing the usual 4-wheel coach for occasional passengers. This will be the subject of a further instalment:



I have to make haste as I planned to conclude this series before the end of the year. More to follow!

[tedp]

As the branch goods came in, it was found the load down the hill was enough to warrant an extra brake van. So the clerestory brake, no. 8, was hauled from the carriage shed and marshalled behind the engine, with Jamie the shunter acting as an extra brakeman:





Around 2:30, the goods arrived at Dunalistair, where an empty coal train behind no. 2 was waiting in the harbour road:



The empty coal train duly departed for Rae Bridge and Inverlochan. Here it is first seen climbing out of Dunalistair, then running slowly through Rae Bridge:





Meanwhile, another shunting puzzle has to be solved at Dunalistair. The harbour shunter fetches the van blocking the headshunt before releasing the loco and making up the return train. The extra brake van is wrongly marshalled at the head of the train, which will complicate the shunting at Rae Bridge later on:





And here, finally, the branch goods is on its way to Rae Bridge at its advertised time of 3.20pm:



I will endeavour to complete the tale before the end of the year!  ::)

[tedp]

Well - New Years Eve has arrived and I'm afraid I won't be able to complete the series in 2015. For one, celebrations are imminent and I just spent half an hour fighting the wireless network on the d**n laptop that chooses this moment to conk out.

Anyway, the branch goods was on its way to Rae Bridge, I seem to remember. It arrives here, with the extra brake van leading:



It would have been easier to marshal it to the rear of the train, as now we have to move all the train clear of the yard point to detach it:



Brake van gone, now the string of cattle trucks is attached, with Jamie looking on as it is drawn away. A flat wagon has to be left in the siding till tomorrow, as the train would be too heavy even for the Darjeeling 'B' which has phenomenal hauling powers over the branch:



The loco visits the ash pit and the water crane before taking its place at the head of the train. Meanwhile, the mountain tram comes in:





The goods has to wait for the passenger service, which is taken care of by the steam railmotor with its new trailer. This reverses into the platform before setting off down the line to Dunalistair:





Note that the trailer was ordered from the Chivers Carriage & Wagon Company, across the border in England!





We will now have to leave the railmotor on its way until the new year has arrived! I'm off to celebrate Hogmanay.

Happy New Year to you all, and have fun!

[Jeff Schumaker]

This has been a great series, Ted. Looking forward to next year's installment.

Jeff S.

[tedp]

Thanks Jeff, glad you like the series.

24 hours on, and a new year has begun - let us hope it will be a better one than 2015.
I hope you all had a good time yesterday night as we had!

We left the railmotor on its way down the line. Here it is descending the curve into Dunalistair with the driver in the leading compartment, controlling the regulator over a linkage, and the handbrake on the bogie below him. The fireman can just be seen on the footplate:



Next, the trailer is detached and the railmotor, which just fits the headshunt, runs round to end up with the loco end leading:





Meanwhile at Rae Bridge, 'Shiva' backs its train past the junction points before blasting up the connecting line. The distillery pug, which is the only other engine in steam at Rae Bridge, attaches to the rear end to give the heavy train a much needed shove up the tramway. Its tiny powers just tip the balance between stalling and success:









The distillery loco turns back and the gate over the tramway is closed behind it:



Meanwhile the railmotor has departed from Dunalistair and an hour later ends up in the road behind Rae Bridge station:





At 4pm, the main line goods has just left Inverlochan, trailing the customary coach for those not minding the delays during the endless shunting in intermediate stations. This is the pre-WW1 period, and little distinction is yet made between goods and mixed workings although they are mentioned separately in the timetable. You will note a famous wagon in the train. This came down from the Craig & Mertonford, and is at least 15 years older than the oldest stock I made myself - the open wagon and the carriage have their roots in the late 1960s:



Tender first, 'Ariadne' rolls down the gorge, only a minute or so from Rae Bridge, where the branch service has been waiting behind the station. As the few passengers have changed for the branch, the railmotor departs:







Now there is a lot of shunting to be done. More later!