Galteemore

Thanks - that’s endorsement! I’ll post a better pic later. But it’s Rover Brooklands green over Ford Meadow Green over Grey Primer... all from Messrs Halfords

Thanks JHB - I then tried this...the wearing of the green part 2.... Which to my eye looks closer out of the two to this...

The wearing of the green - part 1 CIE mid 50s green - now there’s an issue! Being a former modeller of 1930s Southern Railway, I had a tempting can of olive green. But no - not quite the thing. My cunning plan that followed was Ford Meadow Green - but that’s not quite right either..I took a long hard look and tried again but I’ll post that one later tonight when it’s dried a bit

Looking good. And that covered van is just so Irish - love it!

Tonight’s little experiment. Wagon body is made from 60 thou plasticard which makes a strong carcass but doesn’t really offer much scope for detailing beyond grooving planks. So tonight’s effort has been a sheet of 10 thou with rivets pressed in by hand to make the corner strips..it’ll look ok from a distance !

No progress on the hearse as I’m away with work. First green coat will go on when I get back. But what to do on my week away? I packed a basic modelling box to use in the downtime and set about my first ever scratch build. This is the result of the first burst of activity. It’s a 3 plank MGWR open from a plan in Ernie Shepherd’s MGWR book. Loads of mistakes already but as ever learning as I go...wheels,body and underframe are currently at 3 different locations around the UK so it won’t be finished as soon as I’d like. If it goes well I may get more adventurous.

Indeed I do remember JHB senior - proper railway gentleman of the old school. If it’s any consolation I’m sorely tempted by what OO works have been churning out but after experimenting in a variety of scales this is where I’ll stay for now. O gauge needn’t take up too much space though - Some pics of my now sold English light railway - all in 5’ by 1’....

Just found this pic in an old Michael Baker book. Titania and her sisters were camera shy so it’s a nice find...,

Sorry JHB - all his etched kits are 7mm. Come on in, the water’s lovely!

Primer’s on and she’s off to bake in the hot press for 2 days....

Thanks David - she’s prepped for priming tonight so I’ll post some brake gear pics when there’s some paint on and all the masking’s off. The brake rodding etc didn’t take too long but bending the brake shoes out to clear the 36.75mm became rather vexing. Envisioning the afternoon perishables ambling off to Sligo helped me persevere. And I’m very keen to see how this Ford aerosol works out in yielding the right shade of green....

Thanks JB. Black roof and ends I take it?

Thanks JHB - it’s my first Irish coach so I’m fairly content. Learned loads. She’ll be finished in 1950s green as per Des Coakham’s pic below. My rolling stock roster is based on Irish NG practice whereby stock cascaded through the 3’ gauge systems as they closed. For 5’3”, I’m imagining that stock from Tramore (like this van), Courtmacsherry et al, drifted north west in the mid 50s to the lightly laid Sligo / Rosses Point line. It’s essentially Timoleague in Connaught if you can imagine such a thing. So stand by for all kinds of Irish bits and pieces making an appearance...

After many delays I have finally got this ready for the primer stage. The early mistake in construction has worked its way through the build - the lovely etched roof provided has had to be inverted to fit the door runners and therefore I’ve had to fit my own rain strips. Hey ho - not the end of the world. On the night construction started I was actually fearful I’d completely trashed it so again it proves how forgiving brass can be....

You can never have too many bolections! Here’s a drawing of an MGWR horse box which may help re lettering. Excellent work on the vehicles btw!

JHB - can you please clarify CIE livery on this railcar? I’m picturing plain green ends with EDN stripes along sides. Black running gear. Does this sound right? Thanks, D

Hello everyone - although I am waiting on some Flying Snails in 7mm from Railtec, I could use some eau de nil ones pretty soon. If anyone here has any they’d part with for a small fee perhaps we can arrange something! Thanks

Does this one count?

Took the plunge last night and built the baseboards. The camera is sited where the traverser or similar will be. Only track I have right now is the crossover - which is placed roughly where it will eventually go. The coach is standing on the loco release headshunt whilst the van is resting at the prospective goods store. There will hopefully be a stock stabling siding in between - for all the excursion traffic which never appeared... In 7mm terms this is not a big layout. But look at http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=9636&forum_id=21&highlight=luxted to see what’s possible in such a space. Won’t be much progress for a while I suspect due to a variety of other things going on but I want to get this moving now..

David - just a question as I read through this thread. How do you form the bolection mouldings on your carriage windows please? Is it a length of microstrip bent round the window frame? I’ve studied Jenkinson but can’t quite work out his method...thanks

Thanks David / I have a tin of Brooklands Green which is also a bit dark. I’m going to try Ford meadow green I think...

Thanks David - that’s helpful. I keep finding even more errors! I tried the old Tyrconnell loco bearing trick but the axle step on carriage axles rules that out. It’ll be green I hope with Flying Snail when Railtec get them in. Found a shade of Ford green which I’m keen to try on this before the passenger stock proper gets under way...

A bit more progress tonight. Body soldered up. Solebar overlays sweated on and early stages of cosmetic running gear ...

MGWR parcels van under way ....partly putting this up to show what can happen. Bending the u channels for sole bars did not go well and one snapped. Soldered it together (liberally using 145 degree stuff into some tight angles hence the very obvious solder bleed in places). Was all pleased until I realised that I’d solidly soldered it all to the wrong side of the chassis. Choice was to live with it (only real consequence being that the doors will run left-right rather than right-left) or risk twisting the chassis by wrenching the solebars off. I went for option a! Building to 5’3 brings its own problems. The brake gear has had to be moved outward , and the bright idea I had of inverting the axle bearings backfired as the axle then sat unevenly. But brass is very forgiving ...

Just starting my layout thread! Baseboards are inbound and my hand built pointwork has arrived. So time to post something I thought.... Like all right minded people I have long loved the SLNCR and its environs. My mother went to school on it, my grandfather sent his freshly caught fish to Dublin on it, and my cousins to this day farm beside the trackbed. So my layout is a might have been SLNC/MGWR joint branch from Sligo to Rosses Point. The line was built just as Atock’s rebuilt 2-2-2 tanks were falling into redundancy and one found a home - where it still is. The terminus ante quem for the layout is of course 30 Sep 1957....and the history of various Irish lines has been blended together to produce the end result. So expect bits and pieces from Timoleague, Tramore et al. CIE provide the stock but the odd SLNC train may appear..., Some philosophy and poetry before the first photos though ...some lines from Louis MacNeice..... Why do we like being Irish? Partly because It gives us a hold on the sentimental English As members of a world that never was, Baptised with fairy water; And partly because Ireland is small enough To be still thought of with a family feeling, And because the waves are rough That split her from a more commercial culture; And because one feels that here at least one can Do local work which is not at the world's mercy And that on this tiny stage with luck a man Might see the end of one particular action. This extract sums up two things about the layout. First of all it’s nostalgic. This is Dev and Costello’s Ireland with all the bad bits taken out. The sun is shining and steam reigns supreme. Baptised with fairy water indeed. Secondly, the layout will be tiny - 6’ by 2’. Hence the reference to a ‘tiny stage’ that ‘might see the end of one particular action’. In other words I might finish it! Trial run tonight of the new crossover which will be at the heart of the station -built to 36.75mm gauge. You may also glimpse an MGWR carriage chassis.. Early days yet but putting a marker down so I will be posting from time to time!