Edo

New arrival on the Blackstairs.. 20200910_160402.mp4

Lordy - that was fast I have 3 (Grey,B&T and Supertrain) on order with Marks - I wonder will they split or send them altogether?...........................not that I mind too much either way!............still have to build all the wagon kits to go with them!

Over Liverpool and beginning descent into Dublin..... As you can see...Im.having a real busy morning here in Shannon Airport.....watchin Tumbleweed race down the runway.....

You're the luckiest man in Ireland Noel!

The latest After a very efficient visit to IKEA ( in and out in an 1 hour!- Jason - be there at 9.30am on a thursday! - no sleeping bag required!!!) and the acquisition of some more bookcases - I put in place the baseboards for the main scenic area. I still have to work out the precise details for the fiddle yard by the window and the continuous run past the door. The baseboards already "down" need to be removed for sanding, varnishing and painting and a little levelling up for the run through the bookcase. Apart from above - the next thing is to print off some track templates and start planning the layout......Im thinking code 75 with bullhead points in the station area...... Anyway - a few pics of todays work with a first "works" run over the new boards! 20200904_202328.mp4

They look lovely alright - I remember them well . tho i used to get the 78a from Aston quay to heuston in my college days ....a dirty green single decker with students hangin out of the roof and a plume of diesel and cigarette smoke coming out of the back..... Back in the pre covid days when i had this stuff called disposable income...id have picked up a few....now - after all the 42 stuff and the impending 121s and As......id probably be force fed them by herself if I did......we'll see.....they look great tho.

Thats a more than fair compromise all around - I can't think many will have a problem with any of that. So....................whats the crack with the A's ?.................joking..............

Yayahhhhh............they're on the way!

I wish........................ but herself is practically an IKEA Agent..............you should see the rest of the house!....................... I, on other hand .............have anxiety attacks when we pass the Asbourne exit on M50.......................She's talking about going up again ( we're in Limerick) in 2 weeks time for her bi-annual fix - Why I have to go too - its for the whole day - I don't know..... I think she secretly likes the look of absolute horror and fear on my face as I get run over down in the Marketplace! Wimmin................

The main tunnelling work is done.......i'll leave this area for the moment now and crack on with getting the rest of baseboard circuit into place before i go anywhere near track and start tidying up......should get it into place this time next week hopefully.

Well done - looks great!

I'd like to add my best wishes too - i find your layout an inspiration for my own forthcoming production - particularly the "less is more" philosophy in regard to track.... Stay Safe Ed

I dont think it came down to purely up front costs. I dont claim to have any special knowledge here about CIE - JHB and some of the other serious Ferroequinologist fraternity here will be able to give you the definite answer to your question - but I have been involved in the manufacture of capital equipment - which rolling stock and locos are. You don't buy capital equipment off the shelf - you get into a relationship that can span decades as locomotives are meant to have a lifespan of 20 years plus with all the supports, upgrades and spares that is required to keep the locos doing what they are meant to be doing. I think the relationship between CIE and the British consortium that built the A and C Classes must have soured early on.........especially over engine reliability................maybe CIE , with all the problems with the A Class reliability....looked around at an alternative - took a punt on the 121 and it worked out............thus the 141 ,181s, the re-engining of the A Class and the 071's etc etc..............obviously there was a very good relationship between CIE and EMD from the start..............just one of those things ...............relationships are very important in what are multi-generational purchases................something went south in the relationship between CIE and the British from quite early on......... Just my two cents.

Do we need to go into training (excuse the pun) for this?

How do ye get burnt wading into water? Ok ....the Pedant is now leaving the building....

runway for pigeons...............

Fran Don't take it personally ( I know easier said than done).............there always be one of us whinging and carping about something ...........its what we do................it could be worse I know the economics of what ye guys are trying to do and the basic truth that Accurascale makes IRM possible and the best that IRM can do is sell out to make the next gig possible. Anyway - I'll be having one - probably tomorrow - the dog goes on Ebay when I get home - I hear Labradors with a peperami addiction are going for great money thesedays!

ah Lads!................after me forking out this morning for the 121's........................looks great tho and the price is alright and ye wont be doing another run of these anytime soon............... there'll be much hummin and hawing in the Edo household tonight........... ''

They're very very very very very very very very nearly here......................................patience people! - They will be here any week now! Im assuming thats its the greys and B&Ts first and then we'll see a rough schedule for the rest........... Must break the 121 class piggie bank and fix up with Marks Models............

Apparently the ex minister was a decent golfer - he swings like Maria Bailey and drives like Barry Cowen................ I'll get me coat..........................

You're too Kind GM..................eclectic might cover it more generously - a load of boring s...e is how that philistine of a wife of mine puts it............

Also got all the baseboards for the continuous run around thru the bookcase prepped today too - they seem to fit fine ....in fact i might get 3 lines instead of the proposed two lines on the plan - given this is not intended to be scenic....maybe 2 lines given the curve - but definitely a couple of good long sidings anyway. Next thing is to get the wall supports and back scene timbers - next months paycheck!....but things are finally moving!

More Work done today: all the baseboards are done for the Bagnalstown Site

God Yeh this is now the "plan" for the forseeable. I've decided to do the stations one at a time. So the Den will be set up with a continuous loop all around - but the 4x2 ft sections can be taken in and out as required with the remaining section- the double tracked loop which goes thru the bookcase on the other side of the room - staying in place on a permanent basis. The Master of Interior Design has signed off on the proposal as its only my books and stuff that are being evicted and it doesn't disturb the overall feng shui of the room..................its an IKEA Billy book case so Its not an 18th Century French Original I'll be sawing holes in! A bit done - loads and loads to do The below is a very rough outline - nothing is to scale and will probably be a lot bigger in reality - unfortunately my any rail software was on my last PC which got downed with the blue screen of death last month and I havent got around to installing it on the new computer yet! Ed

Update For one reason or another , the Summer has just flown - I did a lot over May, June, July and August - basically repainted the entire House,laid a new patio, landscaped the garden - dug out and put in a gigantic 1.5 metre deep pool/pond with accompanying 15 metre stream (Now called Lake Covid !) .......but the railway , just got put on the long finger with all the good weather and then I went back to work in July. but no longer!....................I spent the afternoon making some baseboards until it started to rain - and I must confess , Im rather pleased with what I achieved - it was all very mindful! I built a 170 x 120cm for the Thomas trains for when the nephews call around - it will also serve as a test rig for me when running in rolling stock and equipment. After that Im building 4ftx2ft modules which I'll be using to construct the Blackstairs Railway. I got 2 done today - its a start. Ed