The Dornoch Branch train last ran 60 years
ago, on the 11th June 1960.
The branch loco 1649, inherited from Kyle of
Sutherland, has been undergoing a detailing upgrade and will eventually be re-numbered
1643 for St Donats 1963. Here it is with a Dornoch train modelled on a Douglas
Twibell photograph taken in September 1959.
The diorama, now with track, scenic jigsaw
foamboard bases, a trial horizon and the trial bridge shaped to accentuate the
perspective, is at an experimental stage. The temporary, wallpaper backscene is
pegged to a semi-elliptical shape with cocktail sticks in the foamboard bases
of the scenic jigsaw.
The proscenium arch is clearly too high and
reveals the top of the backscene, but if the viewpoint were raised to hide this,
the horizon would cease to be horizontal. Already it is very slightly curved up
in the middle. The scene is lit by LEDs, the position of which need adjusting
to flatten the sky.
The objective is to be able to photograph (or
view) the scene at horizon level with the backscene appearing flat to the rear
wall of the diorama for almost its whole width, the view being limited only by
the proscenium arch and wings.
