Galteemore

The late Ken McElhinney (with whom you would have had much in common and who sadly died just around the time you got involved here) did just that in 21mm - search for Port Breige on here. For some reason my phone won’t let me post hyperlinks.

Fab stuff. You can easily get away with 4w wagons on such a layout, whereas, as you’ve realised, long bogie coaches will overhang and look odd. On such a layout, less is more when it comes to scenery, but the tiny details such as lever frames or point rodding will make it come alive. Careful placement of the few buildings is also key to avoiding the overcrowding effect. I think this will be a brilliant layout - I’m also a micro fan for various reasons. Too many large layouts end up on the boulevard of broken dreams and I suspect I’d be on it before long! As Louis MacNeice remarked ‘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.’ He was talking about politics but it applies to micros!

I think it was a bit of a generic style among early diesel shunters. Maunsell’s 0-6-0 diesels for the Southern look very similar

Excellent work. Always good to see someone having a go at making something !

Not a great deal. Large scale military mechanisation in WW1 coupled to the Ford system of mass production suggested to most governments that the future lay in roads. The US interstate system, for instance, was planned by, among others, a young Dwight D Eisenhower post WW1. My own research in the public works files of the NI Govt suggests a similar road focus into the 30s and beyond. Some projects were rail focused, esp the improvements to the NCC main line, and doubling of the Whitehead line. One NCC scheme which sadly didn’t make it to reality was the proposed diversion of the Portrush branch to take in Portstewart after the tramway closed in ‘26.

Saturday was arguably the most exciting day in Irish preservation since 131 first steamed after her years of plinthing and purgatory. Talk about a resurrection…raging I had to work!!!

Fab work Patrick. Great tribute. And a great backdrop/soundtrack!

It also explains how you can visit Portadown and Derry in the same day without recoiling in horror Looks fabulous David. Might grab some ideas for the GN/SLNC joint line layout that seems to be inexorably marching my direction

There are very few genuine pleasures left in the world. Eating on a train is one of them.

That’s a sentence you’ll never read on TripAdvisor

Diane Carney worth a try ?

FDR - hope the DCDR and ITG team will take his advice tonight - earned it!

Kudos to Downpatrick and ITG. As Theodore Roosevelt said….

Great work John. Those live steam models are worth looking after as they do age well. This is my brother’s 0-6-0T out for a run last month,35 years old now.

For a few euro you can download the report from CORE/Companies House….

What also helps, as with Peter Denny, John Ahern and indeed your own stuff David, is that everything on the layout from locos to buildings is painted by the same eye, so to speak. This gives a natural blending from the get go.

Fab Alan. I think Iain Rice used to employ such a wash over everything to blend it all together

Front cover of MRJ beckons!

RPSI 1142, which is a corridor 1st, is close to this style. Downpatrick have a GSWR 3rd but don’t think it’s gangwayed

Already got one!

Thanks @Mol_PMB - quite agree. I’m just coming at it from the perspective of a scratchbuilder and someone conscious of his own mortality An IRM C class could be 5 years off….

Ideal opportunity for a skilled 3d print tech to come up with a C class body for a proprietary chassis @Past-Avenue?? @Killian Keane??

Nice view of SLNC bay. Unusual to capture a GN shunt over there. Notice it’s a mixed rake with SLNC stock. The pic will have been taken early afternoon as the 1115 goods from Sligo has arrived - this is probably the 1:45 railbus. The combat indicator for this timing is the coach sitting in the bay. This means that the 7:20 to Sligo will be steam tonight

Just winging it Patrick, but knew you’d cotton on to it.