Tullygrainey

It felt a bit that way

Thanks everyone. That's helpful. I've had a look at Manchester Science Museum website but found I was going round in circles a bit. There may be something there - there's definitely an index of drawings for the right period. I'll give Cultra a try too. Regards, Alan

Like most of us I imagine, I have a head full of ideas and potential projects, most of which will never get beyond the daydream stage. Some will though and this thread will be the sounding board for those that do, all being well. So, first up... Now that BCDR Diesel No. 2 is more or less signed off (the fitters are still arguing about how best to rig the brakes), my attention has been drawn to another County Down engine. This one... No. 29, an 0-6-4 tank locomotive, was delivered from Beyer Peacock in 1923 and spent most of its career shunting the Belfast harbour lines on the BCDR's side of the river. It lasted long enough to be renumbered 229 by the UTA and was withdrawn around 1955. As far as I know, it was the only loco in the County Down fleet ever to have this fairly unusual wheel arrangement. As yet, this project has only just passed the daydream stage because all that exists are these.. .. a set of coupling rods made to the wheelbase dimensions recorded in Desmond Coakham's BCDR book (Colourpoint, 2010) using a universal rods etch (4M92) from Alan Gibson. I made a jig from single-sided printed circuit board with short lengths of 1mm brass rod soldered in. So far, so good but a very long way to go yet! If anyone knows of a source of drawings for this one, I'd be grateful. Cheers Alan

I knew AJ couplings were tricky things to make and set up David but that looks seriously challenging! However you seem to be well on the way and the end result will be worth the effort. Most coupling systems look cumbersome so the idea of (almost) invisible ones is very appealing not to mention the clever delayed uncoupling action. It will look like magic to the uninitiated

Many thanks JBG. I used stuff from the Polycraft range which I bought on-line from MBFibreglass (www.mbfg.co.uk). They sell starter kits in various sizes with everything you need. I've no connection with the firm except as a satisfied customer. I found it fairly straightforward to use and it did what I needed it to. The components are mixed by weight which is easier that working with volumes. I used a small set of digital kitchen scales which were perfectly adequate for the job. Good luck if you have another go. Regards, Alan

Thank you Derek. Most of the figures on the layout are from the Monty's Models range sold by Dart Castings. The bloke leaning on the doorframe with the tea mug is MSV27: Worker (maybe he does work, sometimes. I've never seen it), the fellow with his hands in his pocket is MSV10: Porter (another busy individual) and the lad in the uniform is from one of those 'station staff' packs from Bachmann (I think) The signage was all done on the computer using a word processor, in my case 'Pages' on an Apple iMac. Regards, Alan

Nice one Patrick. The soundtrack is spot-on and really adds atmosphere to all the images. You've woven a totally convincing story around Brookhall Mill. So much so, I'm resisting the temptation to start looking for it on the OS map! Cheers, Alan

Wonderful stuff! Your attention to detail is a joy - the window displays and interiors really convince. Some very skilled modelling here. The bridge isn’t bad either

BCDR No.2 doing some work at last - placing empties on the quay, later running round and drawing the now loaded coal wagons away. (Still no brakes or sand pipes ) No2 coal.mp4

Enough!! Will yez quit horsin' around.

Took a while for the penny to drop here

No, that's the failed projects cupboard.

There was relief on the footplate when Mr Weaver relented and allowed a non-steam interloper to call at the mill. What may have swayed him was the order from the Slieve Donard Hotel for a significant quantity of the finest Brookhall Mill damask which we'd come to collect. Many thanks Patrick for the invitation to visit this exceptional location on the GNR(I) network. We had a grand day out. Looking forward to welcoming your UG, or one of those fine diesels, to Loughan Quay soon. Alan

I would absolutely encourage you to give it a go FS. We probably all have drawers (or bins) full of failed projects but by trying, we learn and by learning, we get better at it. That's been my experience anyway. Cheers, Alan

Thanks Patrick. I'd need to up my game a bit before I'd consider offering castings to anyone else. I'm still at the hit and miss stage with the process and my efforts so far have needed a lot of fettling to fit together properly. Some were unusable, either too thick or two thin (or both sometimes!). And the W Irons are a real faff. I remember thinking "Enough!" after the third van. I haven't done any more since that first batch so I need to go back to it again and practise a bit more. Watch this space

Some more info Patrick. Starting with the outside W Irons. I used MJT etches from Dart castings to make these. The one to choose is 2299 Compensating Wagon W Irons (RCH/GWR type) which has the horseshoe shaped bits needed. The pack comes with 4 of these etches if memory serves. Only some of the parts are used. Some delicate 'editing' of the required bits and a touch with a soldering iron gives you this... The open wagons were the easiest to do - a kitbash of the Slaters 4mm Midland Railways 3 plank dropside (Part no: 4029). Just glue the new bits on... The covered vans are based around resin casts from a master made with scribed plastic card, 1.0 x 1.5mm plastic strip (I used Evergreen 143) and 0.45 brass rod. The various brackets and strips are made from bits of sticky address label with rivets embossed. Here's the master for a side and the silicone mould made from it... And here are the resin casts for one wagon... For springs on these, some MJT white metal castings (MJT 2249: Midland Axlebox with spring); Everything attached with epoxy. The underpinnings are a bit primitive. Because of the dimensions I used for the ends, the standard 26mm pinpoint axle isn't long enough to reach the axleboxes. This is the brake van. No brakes yet, bit of an oversight in a brake van . On reflection, it might be better to make up longer axles from 2mm rod and grind pinpoints onto the ends. If I'm honest these guys look better than they run. Cheers Alan

Thanks John, that’s worth considering. Their Drewry, in OO was my introduction to etched chassis building. Didn’t make a great job of it at the time but learned a lot from doing it and gained confidence to try again.

That's heartbreaking. Best of luck with the rebuild.

No 16 earning its keep No16.mov

Now NCC No 16... More plastic card and brass wire. Even more butchery... The starting point, an unsuspecting Hornby 0-4-0 Pug... I used 10 thou plastic card to wrap and extend the tank - easy to bend and glue down. L&Y Pug chimney (LYR0001) from Wizard Models. Dome carved from dowel. Archer rivets. Can't remember where the buffers came from. Now the chassis. Plastic cylinders cut off. Connecting rods trimmed and drilled for 12BA bolts. New piston rods, crossheads and slide bars are Hornby spares (Ref: X8834W)from Peter's Spares. New cylinders cut from the plastic barrel of a disposable propelling pencil. And some weathering to finish. A scratch build might have been easier! Certainly more accurate. Next time

All mostly done with plastic card, brass wire and stuff from the bits box Leslie. And a certain amount of ruthless butchery. The photo sequence is fairly self-explanatory I hope. First BCDR No 30... The starting point, an Oxford Rail Adams Radial. Very little was done to the chassis bar removing the outside cylinders/slidebars and the connecting rods. It all unbolts easily. The plastic cab and boiler all come off easily too. Unwanted features filed off the metal bit.... Butchery over, the rebuild starts... Halfords primer... Humbrol aerosol paint and Fox transfers. Crew from Dart Castings. Only realised later that it should have 2 water fillers in the bunker. And hey presto. Not entirely accurate but close enough for jazz? It came DCC ready so it's now chipped.

Thanks Patrick. I used photos in Desmond Coakham's BCDR books as guides. The opens are made from Slater's 4mm kits for a Midland Railways 3 plank dropside. The covered vans are resin casts made from masters I made out of plastic card, plastic section and sticky labels (David Holman is the guru for this). The brake van is a one-off, made the same way as the masters. The hardest bit was the outside W irons for which I used etches from MJT. I'll pull together some photos and do a better description in due course. Just now I'm off to PRONI for the talk and book launch on the Belfast Central Railway. More soon. Alan

Track plan David. Loughan Quay has always lacked a decent fiddle yard, which restricts operation a bit. There's not much room left along the wall where the layout sits. Sloping ceilings don't help either. I have considered adding another board at right angles at the fiddle yard end to make an L-shaped layout but that would require curving the current exits to ease the turn. It's all a bit provisional at the moment. I actually conceived the 3 sidings at the back right as an Inglenook shunting puzzle but, tucked behind the goods store, it's too awkward to be used in that way.

I wrote in an earlier post that the loco roster at Loughan Quay didn't make a lot of sense. Well, here's the proof... UTA No. 22, ex LMS and LMS NCC, a Harland and Wolff built diesel which ended its days back with Harlands as a works shunter. Judith Edge etched kit with High Level gearbox, Mashima motor (remember those) & Alan Gibson wheels. BCDR 4-4-2 tank engine No. 30, escaped from Cultra for the day, looking in vain for some passenger coaches to haul. Made from an Oxford Rail Adams Radial bought second-hand but mint on eBay. My attempt at the BCDR's long-lived workhorse, 0-6-0 tender engine No.26. A kit bash from a London Road Models etched kit of a L&Y Barton Wright Ironclad. Mashima motor, Branchlines gearbox and Alan Gibson wheels. Proportions are a bit off I think - too long in the boiler among other things. But it runs quite well and I have a soft spot for it because it nearly broke my heart building it. (No reflection on the quality of the kit - it was all the modifications) Class G Deutz diesel 601, well off its normal territory. Black Beetle bogie under a Silver Fox resin body. Like the Jinty in the last post, another escapee from the Belfast Dock lines. NCC 0-4-0ST No. 16, built at York Road in 1914, survived into UTA days. Created from a Hornby Caledonian Pug. Not long ago, Hattons were selling these new for £19. I bought three at the time and used the chassis in all sorts of things. Looking at the prices asked now, I wish I'd bought more. I bought a few very cheaply on eBay but it was a false economy. Most of them were knackered. New ones run much better. No.16 is probably a bit over scale but that's what you get for starting with a Smokey Joe. Onwards in a parallel universe Alan

Don't do that Patrick. You'll short circuit the track! Brilliant! I like those. Needed the clue for Ballyshawbeagan though! I'll draw a proper track plan soon but in the meantime, here's a photo of an early stage which gives some idea. Some of those buildings got the chop later. As did the Mourne Mountains on the backdrop. Bulldozed into the sea Two exits to FY, one front, one back, on the left hand side.