Robert Shrives

Hi 

For underframe bits it might be worth checking with Precsion paints as the good gents took on kits and castings that originated from MTK  parts via NNK (IIRC) . DC kits thummpers used an etched sheet for much of the underdetails - suitable for "beefing up " with plasticard blocks to give depth and "mass. "

The 70 certainly looks battered - I had wondered on how to do edge of the  etch and did think about making use of a lima or Hornby Mk2 to get the radius on the corner and the tumblehome - but certainly some filler will be required !  One option is to solder some 5 mm or 6mm brass tube curved for the  tumblehomeand its natural diameter to give the front to side curve, but never tried this - but used copper wire in N to do the same effect, flooded  with solder and sanded back it was ok and very strong.

Robert   

Hi 

IRM towers in its UK market guise have announced a range of PFA wagons and coal containers. This might just be a clever bit of thinking as the containers do look very much like the Limerick - Ballina coal containers of old..  Happy to be proved right or wrong but this might just add value to the 4 wheel flats  available to us. 

Robert  

Er - the yellow one - I get my coat !!! 

The non broken wheel logo  I think is longest served but the yellow very faded and work stained not the lovely pristine  offerings - I guess the weathering gurus will be hot on the case. 

Really looking forward to the arrival of my pair.

Thanks gents!

Robert    

Agreed on PW work and workers unsung heros in many ways - but they are plagued with a nasty caste of "orangnitus" and some soul signing a 100 year contract for Gloss yellow !!  

I enjoy the UK machine scene as the diet of plastic trains grows  by the day and until recent offerings in the north of the UK and creation of pocket rocket HSTs it was getting a bit samey - pretty certain the passengers enjoy more comforts in places and much safer and quicker journeys - what it is all about  really not that exciting otherwise. 

I am  looking forward to the forthcoming yellowness on offer and hope of course for the GSV conversion ...

Just off to get my coat .. 

NIR,

Undoubtedly with a through station the ground frames could be token released. With an intermediate token instrument in the station office  a train could be locked in the siding. However you would not be able to leave the adjoining token change point until locked so traffic density could be low. You could be 10 - 60 minutes away from the next action! Great for crew going down the local bar but not much good if waiting for a train or just watching , keeping the terminal theme would give more. 

Robert        

Noel, you may well be right but some folk will want RTR. It s more than likely as it gives a complete yellow train - careful design of sides to allow either a vent or window for GSV to spray. Same for roof. It it was GSV then my brass sides would go yellow as roof mods not needed and easy to fill grill with solder and cut windows. The Fox model I have would still be used I am sure . But a GSV, Cravens and a 141 makes for the typical branch train and all would be available RTR standards of current times and hard to resist. A veritable pile of Manulla Junction micros would result  (add own station of choice!)

Robert     

Signalling looking good but as you have noted trap points  required to stop wagons entering line from front siding and also to my mind both ends of the top loop siding. - these can be modeled in several ways - expensive is peco ones, medium is to cut up broken points using just the bladed section discarding the crossing  bit. Cheap is to file up some plain rail and glue in place but these are static items , all depends on your thoughts - Ratio produce some plastic rodding items so you can suggest connections to small ground frames  .

Yes 3 - likely to be token operated ground frames thus locking main signals to danger.   A generation of signals later and it would be a stop board on platform with some controlling script under it and an end of token working board as you enter from from fiddle yard. Plus miniature stop boards instead of ground signals. 

Robert 

The power of CAD and computer visualisations- love the mirror view of the underframe.  Looking forward to these as well but no idea on how to pay for them !

Robert 

For "fiddling" also check out peco loco lift system  and cassettes  . A half way house is to have one permanent track into a fiddle yard , one point/ turnout and a stub line leading to a cassette link. So you can  always just play with one item and not bother with the faff of fiddling but allows the flexibility to swap stock if and when required - and best part of cassettes without handling stock so damage reduced - Mind you having seen an O gauge cassette of wagons get tipped on to the floor at a show  it is not perfect! - the noise and following silence  at the show was deafening and the shock and sympathy from all was amazing, I guess meany felt a wallet squeeze at the thoughts of cost of repair...!

Hope all goes well

Robert        

That looks good , less is more and the kick back will block use of siding. It might prove more useful for displaying stock to imagineer a groundframe and points offscene to the left and the siding coming in parallel to the main line with buffer stop at 45dgrees to baseboard edge - it reality a disconnected line from fiddle yard to display wagons / odd loco. 

The minimalist station building in keeping with the hard up era and perhaps a brick built one with a small lock up booking office in ugly grey cement bricks and a concrete flat roof, would look the part.

2car 70 or 80 action always possible. 

The platform is fine for train in front to avoid the issue of open doors but to avoid the "linear" look the low relief RUC might move right and be angled from the backscene. I think you are stuck with a row of trees on left to disguise arrivals or the common concrete bridge  ruse.- which works better for the siding idea as the shadows cast confuse the connection. 

Modern micro layout thoughts suggest to have a bulge or curvaceous front edge also to break up the linear effect of parallel tracks - also allows some more scenic development on the front- it could be a plug on bit just for play time if space tight.

Have fun regardless

Robert     

Well good to see progress and what a tidy works the staff can be proud of that. Is true cannot see space for chip or speaker as it stands but sure it can be squeezed in somehow. 

hopefully the MM 121 bonnet will lift off easily to allow recreation - there are some 3D print engine blocks about as seen on here recently.

Robert   

lovely looking CADS, and proved right again - last week added buffers to my resin kit ! 

Thanks to the kind "gent of Wexford St." 

Robert 

Patrick, Glad all is well in the end and hopefully the girls left a good impression and times - if not all the time !!

Photo is lovely , I looked and eventually found the hand throw for the point into the siding.  I guess makes operating sessions a bit more lifelike.  The A looks lovely  and in good running order with no oilstreaks from an ailing engine- must be fresh from works!

Keep smiling 

Robert 

That looks much better and the little slice of country suggests more beyond the bridge.  Good to read you are still at developing the model. I had wondered with you being off  air  so long.  Now that enjoyable ballasting job to do...

Robert  

Ernie,

Thanks for finding time to do this huge task - hopefully a break from modelling !  Just enjoyed a couple of vids from Limerick junction.  I guess you have just finished looking at Tara wagons!

Robert

Best bet is a result of derailment damage to original  but sure experts on here will find out the real story.

Thanks , have to start saving ! .... Chinese new year always gets a bad press but really no different to the slow down in December and slow start in January  here in the UK.  Hope all the good staff return to your chosen plants.  Please keep up the good work and enjoy the froth paddling.   

Lovely paperwork, makes you think though, some poor soul banging away on a typewriter and then pen and ruler to box and then stand over a steaming zerox copier - height of tech in 1980 perhaps.  Makes it all the more historically valuable I guess.  

Now it would be lots of copy and paste or spread sheet excell sort of electron bruising and a print now button.  

My Triang TT collection is also a bit box driven but many duplicates to play with on the layout.   My N collection was based on having one of each of Dapols modern image stuff - non steam anyway but even that has fallen by the wayside as prices crank upwards and now its an example or two of new production.  Mainly because some guys have been busy bringing out super Irish 4mm models and I still hanker after a 4mm Highland shed layout based on Kyle shed, oh  and some G1 dabbling - like building parcel vans... size matters and a bit easier on aging eyes !    But I still enjoy running/ playing trains at least mine run on time unlike the day job! 

38 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

Not at the moment, no

No ! Stop it now the UK froth machines could not cope with between the lines messages  but I would expect some fun if it was planned

Well with all the UK 92/ MK5 frothing I guess the offices at IRM Towers are pretty flooded but just wondered if the good gang had any updates to share  from the lifeboats... 

Cheers

Robert    

Hi At Totton a 66 engine comp hood doubled up as a bike shed for a while - saved leaving a wagon under load I guess. 

thanks for photo story very well composed and like the depot mangement in the resulting oily void discussing the next move. 

Lovely work, Blue I guess on first days in traffic before sun fade and grime took over .It looks like Regional Railways blue ?

Robert    

Good work on the livery  images- a many hours work  I would think. Hope they transfer to models as well. 

I would think the Class 80 railcar gets nearer as I have just taken delivery of some more etches !

Robert   

Hi Thanks for publishing a working link - not sure what I got wrong , but looks like  Mr Dempsey will be happy soon !

Robert 

Slightly OT but having 3 part built 80 s , 2 XCastle/450 / A and C class in various states  plus a resin 121 and  a donor 141 then I would think these will a be RTR  within a decade or so given my finishing rate....

Agreed it will be fun with the 121 when it comes - I might just have to have two and use my resin one on a push pull set with the loco as a dummy !

Robert