Tullygrainey

My Belfast and County Down stable has been quietly growing to the extent that it’s getting a bit crowded at Loughan Quay. I’ve been toying with the idea for a while now of building a small layout for this stuff to run on, something fairly simple that could conceivably be taken out to exhibitions. What I have in mind is a typical BCDR country through station with a goods siding. I don’t plan to model an actual location - that’s too constraining (actually too difficult if I’m honest) but places like Tullymurry, Ballygowan and Ballygrainey are the sources of inspiration. The intention would be to select features from various places and bring them together in one layout. Here’s a rough sketch of the likely track plan. Templot it ain’t but it’s fairly simple. I wanted the scenic area to be a single board but the minimum length needed for the track plan ended up 15 cm too long to fit in the car so it’s now two boards and that being the case, I’ve taken the opportunity to stretch it out to 2 metres. I’ve made a start on the boards, aiming to make them as light as possible, using plywood in various thicknesses (3.6mm, 5.5mm & 12mm) and MDF for the track bed, all largely assembled with wood glue. The strength of the design lies in the twin longitudinal L-beams on which everything is mounted. As far as I can gather, this approach to construction is fairly common but it’s the first time I’ve tried it. The end product is probably lighter than a traditional flat top with whitewood framing and it’s also considerably more rigid. We’ll see how well it stands up to handling. Landscape profiling from cardboard and cereal packet. I've parked work on the boards now to concentrate on some of the building and structures. I'm still trying to get an overview of how this thing will look and whether it will work. More soon Alan

Fine job David. You’re right about the weathering and No92 looks convincingly work-worn.

Sticking with 4mm but focusing on the BCDR works too!

Nice one Patrick. You did well to get onto the first train. Thanks for the pics of the occasion. Some of us trailed in a bit later

Welcome back J-Mo

Hi Gerry and Jenna, Many thanks for this link to Bala Lake and Alice's history. I knew a little bit about her story but this was a fascinating read. What a survivor! And what a tale of determination and dedication! Alice is the only loco with sound at the Stone Yard. So far It was a pleasure to talk to you both at Enniskillen. Regards, Alan

The Stone Yard had an outing to Fermanagh for the Erne Model Railway Club's annual exhibition in Enniskillen on 21st September. Many thanks to the Erne club for a very enjoyable day and to everyone for their help and hospitality over the weekend. There's been a recent addition to the loco roster at the Stone Yard. It's a little documented fact (ok, a history re-write) that Quarry Hunslett 'Alice" was hired from Dinorwic Quarry in Wales to lend a hand here for a while. Pete the Peckett Pilot's twin brother Harry handles the Hunslett and heartily enjoys it. IMG_0907.MOV The model is one of Bachmann's recently launched 'NG7' range of narrow gauge locomotives, modelled at 7mm/ft and designed to run on 16.5mm gauge track.

At last, reward for all your effort David. That is a brilliant model. Totally convincing rendition of a hard working engine. The weathering is perfectly judged and thank you for the details of how you did it.

Plenty of sound advice here and I would agree with all of it. It's very easy to get disheartened when you can't see an obvious way forward and I would say we've all had that feeling at some stage, probably more than once. It's an inescapable part of practising a creative hobby. Don't despair. Something will break the log jam and the feeling will pass. You've probably acquired more skills than you realise along the way so it will come good. Also, as others have said, don't let the lack of an overall plan for every detail of the finished product deter you. For my own part, some of my efforts have ended up very far from the original concept (which was probably flawed and over-ambitious anyway) and are all the better for it. I would say that many, if not most, layouts evolve as the work progresses. One step at a time, one element at a time. Best of luck with whatever you decide to do but don't give up.

From time to time, visitors from other parts pass through Loughan Quay. Most recent arrival was this SLNCR Lough Class 0-6-4T 'Lough Erne', here for some attention to her drivetrain from the fitters hereabouts. IMG_0815.MOV Model built by Kieran Lagan from an etch designed and made by Tony Ragg. Some retro-fitted hornblocks and a compensation beam have improved her tracking a bit.

Had the great pleasure this week of letting some of my County Down locos loose at Kirley Junction, Kieran Lagan's wonderful and extensive layout. They're normally constrained within Loughan Quay's 6ft by 2ft universe so it was great to see them stretch out a bit. There were a few glitches with renegade couplings and buffer lock, which is why none are pulling more than one item, but all in all they behaved themselves. If you watch closely, you'll also catch a glimpse of Kieran's Baltic tank steaming through. A very enjoyable afternoon. Thank you Kieran. BCDR at Kirley Junction.mp4

Ingenious solution David. And proof that round pins in square holes can be made to work! Excellent stuff!

No space for nuns?

Very fine work Darius. Love the scenic pics too

Clogherhead- modelled at a scale of 4 nunpuns to the paragraph.

Thank you. And thanks for posting these photos. Alan

Points control on The Stone Yard is purely mechanical and each can be operated from front or back of the layout. This is useful because at home the layout sits with its back against a wall. Long rods run from front to back under the board, with a knob at each end for moving them back and forward. Each has attached to it the brass insert from an electrical screw (choc-bloc) connector with a 1mm diameter brass pin soldered to it. The pin passes up through a slot in the board into the hole in the points tie bar, as in the pic below. The plastic body of the choc bloc is just there to help guide the long rod and prevent the pin dropping out of the tie bar. I can't claim ownership of this method. I think I saw it, or something like it, on RM Web. The system works fine but the soldered joint is the weak point and the failure at the UMRC show wasn't the first time one of them has come apart. I've now redone the joins on all four points, wrapping the brass round the carrier and soldering on three sides. Should be a bit stronger. We'll see.

He’s a hardcore punster

Many thanks for taking and sharing these images Patrick. You've done the Stone Yard proud! PS You did ok as a trainee narrow gauge driver

The Stone Yard had its second public outing at the Ulster MRC's exhibition in Belfast this weekend. It behaved itself well again, apart from one failed set of points - that fitter in charge the soldering iron has been doing sub-standard work again. He'll be docked a day's pay for that. Thanks to UMRC for a well organised and very enjoyable show. Special thanks too to Kieran Lagan and Patrick Davey for vital help and support with running the layout over the two days. Also thanks to Patrick for some fine photos of the occasion.

Fingers crossed for you here too for the next stage

These look very at home Patrick

That's coming together very nicely David. I've been poring over this since you posted it. Love to see the stages as structure emerges from plain sheets of metal and there's always something to learn from others' techniques. Your chassis looks suitably robust. A great start. Good luck with the rest of the build.

Finally settled on a number for the BCDR 2-4-2T. No.7 was delivered from Beyer Peacock in 1896 and lasted until 1949. Number plates made from brass with Railtec transfers. Some weathering of the chassis before it got a DCC Concepts chip and stay-alive. This all fits in the boiler, leaving plenty of room for lead in the tanks and cab. Crew getting to know their new charge. And we have movement, though what a passenger working is doing at a commercial harbour, I've no idea. IMG_0607.MOV