Galteemore

Yes my mum and dad are on it!

That’s terrific and very atmospheric. The composition also has echoes of Arigna Town’s FY exit…

I wish ! My employer will find a house for us to rent but sadly that’s not a criterion! I wish ! My employer will find a house for us to rent but sadly that’s not a criterion!

Lovely Ernie. Can’t be Lough Gill though as it was at Dundalk from May 57 on (it also had onion shaped smokebox lubricators which are not on this engine). It’s either Enniskillen or Sir Henry

Excellent work. Although I have a fair idea what my mood would be after a few hours cooped up in there chipping concrete !

Inspired by @Tullygraineys PP build I dragged mine out of the box to give her a blast up and down. Reassuringly she ran - also gave me a chance to pose a CIE grey loco with a proper black engine - the colour difference is striking. We are moving house in a month or two so this will be my last loco build for a bit - I have a blue 4-4-0 to do but that’s not a job to rush. I may try another small project though…..watch this space !!

Sounds like good mentoring advice. Or is that coaching ?

I suspect they are a bit closer to an MGW P class

Don’t start him off!

Take up the dulcimer and you’re laughing !

Excellent. My PP responded to threats of being used as a hammer. It’s been fairly good ever since.

Silly question Alan but are all the wheels back in the same locations as before painting? That may lie at the root of this

Had similar with a coupling rod screw fouling a bearing. Has something worked slightly loose?

Lovely work Alan. And I know about display case models sometimes it’s just good to get it finished and off the bench. It’s a handsome model

Direct to Belfast via Preston

Lovely work Alan. Something mesmerising about those huge wheels.

After the relative disappointment of Black Lion, I wanted to finish a simple engine to get some inspiration back. It took longer than I thought, thanks to @Mol_PMB who has inspired more exacting standards by the details he identified in J26 variations. 558 seems to have had more variation than any other non-Tramore loco, including bunker steps, a tank brace, door clips, and an extra handrail, plus huge buffers. Sourcing some parts took time, and the buffers I found in the end are from a Heljan diesel so I suppose technically this has an IRM link. And thankfully @Tullygrainey she runs beautifully - due in large part to a special helical gearbox. Just the cab roof to glue when the crew have set and she’s done. Numbers are slightly too big but just about ok….

An unalloyed success

I know - bold as brass

Only right and proper. Now when are you writing that MRJ article ?

Fab thanks Ernie. Take it there’s no ‘conscientious objector’ clause you can invoke ?

That looks really good indeed - well done!

Think it’s more likely to be the Nestle siding, John. Markets branch was in the Omagh-Beragh section

Looks like a key for opening a set of points - I have a vague memory of a siding at Mountjoy?