Galteemore

What I did in my Christmas holidays…..taking the proceeds of Rosses Point, I visited a local timber merchant and purchased a large quantity of ply, timber and Kingspan. Throw it all together and we get this….lightweight baseboards on folding trestles. Basic idea is a 50mm slab of Kingspan which sits on 2 girders of 4mm ply/12 by 33 timber. The girders were made by clamping/gluing a strip of 4mm ply to a length of 12 by 33 overnight. 4mm ply ends, braced with more 12 by 33 mounting blocks for the split hinges. Trestles are 21 by 44 with butt hinges. The centre board will have the cameo style proscenium arch eventually. A few more tweaks yet, such as adjustable feet and chains on the trestles. But so far it all seems to work…not the most exciting stuff to be doing but get this wrong and you’re just storing up trouble…...

Back in the day when PW crews had allocated lengths of track to maintain, originally a mile or two, but probably higher in sparsely trafficked areas, an annual prize was awarded for the best maintained length of track in the area.

Prototype for almost anything. S class locos weren’t meant to run to Enniskillen but photographs clearly indicate that they occasionally did so….

Bone question but are the wheels clean? Quick rub with cotton bud and IPA can reveal a lot….

If you mean electrical testing, Tony, a simple track tester like this is ideal….https://www.rkeducation.co.uk/rktt1-oo-gauge-track-testing-module-for-model-railway---constructed-2610-p.asp if it’s running testing you want, then arguably the U and UG are your best critics! One of the modern diesels like a 121 or an A class might be a good option for the days you want to just run trains.

Nice portrait of a Large Tank. The cleanliness of the WC loco, the lighting, and sparse surroundings have a real retro feel of a turn of the century Lawrence or Welch photo!

There’s definitely a family likeness to the big HC tank and tender locos. Almost as if HC took one of their Manchester Ship Canal loco designs and boil washed it to 3’ gauge size https://www.flickriver.com/photos/14581588@N05/48641741222/

https://www.world-railways.co.uk/general-photo-063 Could well be! I’m not an SME…

Nice to see a Ludmilla appearing here !

That looks wonderful. Real Swilly feel about it.

That’s lovely but don’t forget Marklin trains run on a different electric system to all other HO/OO trains so you can’t easily incorporate other makes. For reliability and quality it would be brilliant.

And never ever stick lead with pva in a sealed space…https://www.modelrailforum.com/threads/dangers-of-pva.23653/

Tyre balance weights can be good. This thread may help with advice too….https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/116587-what-is-the-ideal-weight-for-oo-gauge-wagons-and-coaches/

It looks as if some significant track work is indeed going on - the signal cabin is also being reconstructed (or built) and another small structure in process of building on the platform.

Had Triang not won the war with Dublo in the 60s, we might all have been using the less obtrusive Dublo hook….

Cheers Ernie. Lived near it for three years so should have got that. Although in fairness it was demolished by then!

We had all kinds of ancient model railway stuff pass through our house to be tested and sorted for RPSI sales. I still recall as a very small child the ancient Hornby O gauge we had for a few days. That was great fun - even with broken springs in the locos. A little older and Hornby Dublo taught me lots about track geometry and wiring - and the noise on a hard floor was brilliant. The key thing was that all of it fired my imagination about trains going places and carrying things - sprawling track layouts took over the house whenever possible.

Loads of options then. What I wouldn’t do is give him a Hornby 12v standard train set - you know the sort of thing with a tank engine and a few wagons. It’s just too awkward for that age to work with. Something like Brio or LGB would be my best bet. Brio has loads of play value and LGB is big and chunky.

Age is critical here - how old is he? LGB is a good option with loads of play value and can go outside. Pricey perhaps but can be found secondhand. Brio wooden trains or their clones are good. What you want is something that won’t frustrate the life out of them - and you- with track breaking apart, wires coming off etc….Hornby also do - or did - a starter set for kids. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/9538339?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=30f62ea9-9626-4cac-97c8-9ff3921f8558&istItemId=pimiwrwwm&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&_$ja=tsid:59157|acid:629-618-1342|cid:9563523558|agid:102231007190|tid:pla-1434681511410|crid:423314718365|nw:g|rnd:8711109848080919416|dvc:m|adp:|mt:|loc:9046059&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=9563523558&utm_term=9538339&utm_content=shopping&utm_custom1=102231007190&utm_custom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gclid=Cj0KCQiAq7COBhC2ARIsANsPATHl1CtTfTdAL2fC0ENbhVmEPPyJH_QeYbdg_dWaGNmzG1UTJ1Fq0z0aAvz9EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

A similar situation obtained in the North. When the 70 class began to expire, the 450 class emerged, using the 70 class power units (and one from a written off 80 class) matched to old BR under frames and a pastiche of a Mk3 body shell. It was the sort of product that would have delighted a manager like Henry Forbes. Passengers were less enthralled

Hope all goes well Ernie

Irish modellers demand really high standards to maintain prototypical accuracy. I mean, it’s not like anyone would run them on track that scales out about 4’ gauge… I think we can forgive the manufacturers the odd stray marker lamp….

Lovely - and the track looks great

080 looks fab. Just as I remember them

My guess is Stillorgan