Soroba and Dunbeg Railway
G SCALE NARROW GAUGE
A SCALE MILE OF TRACK AROUND OUR GARDEN
A model railway in the garden.
The Soroba and Dunbeg Railway begun life at our last home in Soroba near Oban. Following a move to our present location 10 miles north of Oban, the line has been reincarnated.
Having moved north of the hypothetical terminal at Dunbeg, the new line has become the Ballachulish branch of the original.
Anyone who knows the West coast might remember the standard gauge line that ran from Oban to Ballachulish built in 1905 that ran until the mid 60s. The one outstanding feature that remains and forms part of the Oban - Fort William trunk road is the single track steel cantilever bridge over the Falls of Lora at Connel.
The premise of the model is that the promoters could not afford the costs of constructing a standard gauge line and so looked to narrow gauge as a cheaper option.
The main traffic at the time being timber from forestry plantations and sheep and cattle from Glen Coe and beyond. In the latter end of the 19th century road transport was difficult on this heavily indented coastline and the only alternative for bulk freight movement was by sea. Kinlochleven was also later to become the site of an aluminium smelter so creating traffic in bauxite ore and related chemicals.Progress has been very slow due to a lack of time but now the line has a continuous run of about a hundred yards using balloon loops and slip points at each end. The track is laid to 32 mm gauge with a small amount of 45 mm being laid as third rail when time permits.
The rail is mainly brass bullhead in Tenmille chairs with Brandbright wooded sleepers.
There is about 25 yards of flat bottom spiked rail at the upper end where maintenance is more difficult as the line is in a shallow cutting. The main line is laid to a minimum radius of 10 feet and although for the most part level has short gradients of approximately 1:75 in two places.
Points are hand made with soldered frogs with a couple having to be built in situ due to non standard geometry, are to 10 feet nominal radius and 8 feet in the depot.
Switching is by compressed air at 40 psi using Del-aire equipment.
This year I hope to start adding scenic details and to support the lines “raison d’être” in the way of buildings and tracked improvements.A project for the warmer weather is to construct a 6-road train shed so that trains can be kept on track rather than being handled from storage. This will take the form initially of a 5 metre long ‘rabbit hutch’ with a lockable door and roof panels
Resident motive power is provided by three locomotives, two steam and one battery powered.
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No. 1 “Rose of Tralee”, is an early Merlin 2-6-2 Hunslett. Now about 20 years old she still has the original pistons and cylinders. Some of the motion has been re-bushed and she was re-gauged to 32 mil in ‘86. A new boiler was fitted in ‘89. She is still the most docile and free running engine I know.
The second is a home build. Using a 7 amp decaperm motor and two motor cycle batteries “Dunstaffnage” is a Bo-Bo bonneted diesel outline in brass. Designed to recover “Rose” and train on the original line of 1:40 it currently has no trouble with 60 axles up on the easier grades of the Ballachulish Branch.
Onich is a standard 0-6-2 Fowler by Roundhouse. As engine no 3 she is used on lighter duties. She is happy with 4-5 Bachmann coaches but with heavier trains needs to be driven prudently if you are not to run out of steam on the steeper parts. I have added an extension to the frames forward of the smoke box and a leading truck to give a more balanced look.
Under construction is a new locomotive : Glen Ure: A 2-8-2 mikado using Roundhouse cylinders and motion. The tender is nearing completion with manual water pump and a large gas tank under the water deck. A small compartment at the fore end will house RCS control equipment and batteries. With dual water gauges and remote lubricator the engine will be able to remain in steam all day.Rolling stock in general use is mainly Bachmann at present and mostly kit built. Stock cars and flats predominate along with a number of box cars and wooden gondolas, about 25 in all. Two three-bay coal hoppers and a diesel tank are on 45 mil gauge trucks and being larger in overall proportion are considered as standard gauge vehicles.
There are a number of passenger, combine and baggage cars which can be made up into various consists. Train length is restricted in the Kintaline loop to 8 cars.
Any thing longer has to be stabled at the other end of the line. All vehicles are fitted with Brandbright steel wheel sets for 32 mil as standard. This makes for more reliable operation as only one wheel profile need be accommodated by check rails. The knuckle couplers are removed from the bogies and secured directly to the chassis or under body. This allows the bogies to track freely without having to transmit draw bar forces as well. With reasonably laid curves, throw-over of long overhangs is not a problem even with a knuckle swivel 100 mil from the bogie centre. The coaches are American style but with their end balconies and clerestory roof line look like a slightly shorter version of the rather grand vehicles of the Campbeltown and Machrahanish light railway of the Kintyre Peninsula.The line is open most of the year, weather permitting, and trains are run for the entertainment of visitors to the poultry & waterfowl park and garden centre when I am free. Garden railway enthusiasts are welcome at any time, with or with out models, but please phone or email beforehand. There are very few people in this area operating in the garden and you would be more than welcome.
Now I am working from home I have put aside SUNDAY - from 1 pm to 3 pm to work on the line - and any one is welcome to join me
Tim and Jill Bowis
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Kintaline Mill Farm,
Benderloch, OBAN Argyll PA37 1QS Scotland
01631 720223
