Galteemore

Not sure about that Noel Often pondered that a DCC module inside a spring drive loco could operate a variable governor, in addition to on/off and reverse switches. Would be one of the best ways to simulate driving a miniature steam loco, with that limited reserve of onboard power to be managed.

Very similar in outline to the KESR Marcia - a standard gauge likeness

Have a look on this forum for @Tullygrainey s excellent work building one

Pain to sort but worth doing. Looks great !

Dremel and grinding head is a key weapon in the 5’3” modeller’s arsenal. How many mm of footplate have I ground away.,..

That’s great. Many thanks Alan. Always trying to up my game !

Looking fab Alan. Sorry to go back again, but how did you cut out the footplate aperture so neatly? David

Yes, if you are using something like AJ couplings. When you propel a train with AJs, the buffers have to work hard.

Sprung buffers are of little use with tension locks, Patrick, but with more ‘sophisticated’ coupling systems they can be quite important, as they actually absorb the shocks of train movements rather than letting the delicate couplings take the brunt. Can also be of use on curves etc.

So sorry to hear this John. Thoughts and prayers for you and family going forwards. That was a very courageous act by your 15 year old.

You’re not wrong Alan. I have two loco projects in boxes ready to build with all the ‘rare’ bits already purchased and laid by. When I am planning a loco I buy wheels first, then distinctive, characterful things like chimneys and domes. That way I know it’s all laid by ready. Given how long it takes to build a loco, by the time you’ve gone from chassis to superstructure your favoured supplier may have stopped trading.

I’m a long way from Tipperary Greater Belfast by birth but 50% of me is Co Leitrim. Took my user name from this….

New steam loco produced by IRM/Accurascale, announced last week. Pulled trains on Cork main line 1939-c1960-ish.

Very short vid of PP chassis crawling with wander leads. Next job - try and fit inside the body. Clearances are tight to put it mildly….

There’s also lots of excellent YouTube tutorials on kit building, soldering etc.

You might also look at his Wickham Railcar. Great way to learn the basics of bending brass (golden rule is to bend, never crease). Will give you a result fairly quickly, which you can detail as much as you want. Only 27 euro too.

Nice load on that PP - would have been some rather noisy chimney action when lifting 5 bogies!

At seventy years plus distance, you’re unlikely to get challenged on this one David! Seems like an ideal chance to let people see that deep rich lined Swilly green. Gets my vote anyway. And that delightfully elegant loco deserves it!

That’s looking very tasty indeed!

Wow just wow. Amazing how quickly you have managed to do this. Jaw droppingly good work.

Gives a new meaning to ‘H-block’…..

Jim McGeown, cited by Mayner, sold me my first kit. He’s a genius at writing friendly instructions which will teach you the basics, and has a how to manual on his website. Here’s the instructions for his O gauge starter loco. It will give you an idea of what’s involved. Brass is a great part of the hobby to get involved in, so do go for it. 0 Gauge Starter Loco pdf print off.pdf

Can’t speak for LRM, but try looking on RM Web or similar sites for reviews. What I would not do is start with a B4 though. The way you learn in brass model making is by making mistakes and finding out how to fix them. The B4 will cost a lot if it is a learning project. Added to that, it’s a 4-4-0; one of the most difficult types of loco to balance and get to run. Start off with a brass kit of a wagon - or even a plate layers hut. That will give you a feel for how a kit works and teach you not to panic when things go wrong. Then go up to a coach or a small tank engine, then your B4. I’m no brass master but have built a few metal engines (finishing off one right now) so have learnt a little bit….this one has caused me significant problems. Had it been my first engine, it would probably have gone in the bin before we got to this stage…..

Ideal way of producing that classic variety of profiles that characterised many GSR/CIE trains, by adding one or two of those to a rake

It’s a real shame. I used to travel regularly from Edinburgh to Belfast in the early 90s. Direct train from Edinburgh to Stranraer-with catering- and step straight off train on to ferry. That journey would be much less pleasant now.