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Dr Gerbil-Fritters

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Everything posted by Dr Gerbil-Fritters

  1. I've got the platform in, and been fiddling about with signals. I've discovered for myself what generations of modellers already knew... it's impossible to get Ratio signals to actually work. I got everything together fine, including the cranks etc but as soon as I tried to connect the cranks the brittle plastic broke. Bah.
  2. I'd be interested in seeing these, if you can post scans/photos
  3. Not so sure that my test train - trialling DPU principles with DCC - was a success... But all the track is in, and everything wired up and working perfectly. Terminus to fiddle yard, and a sneaky track to allow roundy roundy when things need 'testing' or there are visitors! Later this month I should take delivery of my Mk3 Suburban Push Pull set (waiting for the 121 to arrive). And also the SGV to finish the Cravens rake. Then I'd like to get a set of Mk2s to go with the lonely old EGV, and then the Project 42 freight cars will start arriving... Happy Days!
  4. First away was the bubbles, the 20' flat with the Bell container having been set out with a faulty wheel set. 20190805_160742.mp4 Then the Cravens were away to Dublin. I don't have a steam generator van yet, so excuse the mk2 EGV which itself is waiting for a set of mk2s... 20190805_161138.mp4
  5. All the wiring is complete, so some test running was needed. Fitting the kadees to the bubbles was a faff. Perhaps a case of 'too detailed'... certainly fragile and all the undergubbins made it difficult to extract the hook and loop couplings. Anyway, after some swearing and tea breaks the job was done and away went the test trains.
  6. They did, once I'd spotted this little bu99eration...
  7. I've completed the track, but ran out of trackbed. So not quite complete. I did do some test running though, to make sure the staging yard works properly. Enough room in there for six 5 coach trains plus locomotives, and a raft of freight too. Now all I have to do is make a start on the scenery. Oh, and collect more trains and run them!
  8. Pay day has been, so an order placed for the remaining track and trackbed... I hope it arrives soon, while I am in the mood for some track laying!
  9. Castle Kerry has had a bit of a rejig. I wasn't happy that I had installed the track direct to the baseboard - it began to look increasingly wrong that there was no ballast profile. Without a ballast shoulder, there could be no cess, and it forms part of the scenery so I had to rip it up anyway to install a trackbed, so why not take the opportunity to address a couple of other concerns. I wasn't happy with the fictitious track plan, as I wanted to be able to incorporate correct signalling. So I've rebuilt it to use the trackplan from New Brighton on the Wirral - I know, it's still not an Irish prototype! At least this way I can install the correct signalling and know that I am not making up the track layout. It's also suggested a change from branch terminus to more of a suburban feel, so perhaps it's moving closer to Dublin and the coast... that will explain the arrival of the Mk3 push pull set that's on its way any day now. Anyway, a couple of views of progress so far. Lots still to do... and I've made a start on the staging yard, although some track and trackbed is needed to finish it off. I have some leave coming up, so should get the track finished and operational in the next month or so. Then some basic scenery and the signals in. It's always good to have a project on the go.
  10. Would the name be printed in Gaelic font? Is there such thing? The web seems to think so, but which one - if the CIE even used such a thing. It's a refreshing adventure, modelling something unfamiliar and yet not completely 'foreign'...
  11. I've started work on the main station buildings, the signal box and extending the station canopies. I'm not a fan of scenic stuff, so it's slow and painful going. I'm also not a big fan of card models as they lack physical relief, so this bashed Metcalfe kit so will be going over it again with some additional layers to bring out the Quoins and lintels. There don't seem to be any plastic kits for decent sized stations, nothing between the hokey pokey single storey GWR branchline buildings and the not very nice resin things. So for now, it's a Metcalfe kit. I'm wondering, should the station really be called Caisleán Chiarraí on the running in boards? I'm not even sure that's a true translation of Castle Kerry...
  12. Joe, do you have a link for SSM? My search was unsuccessful. Another early quit yesterday meant that I got all the wiring finished and had a quick test run - 077 did the honours while 088 lounged in the newly extended headshunt. The Peco code 75 buffers look ok, and they do the job, as I misjudged the braking distance on 077 and crashed into the buffers. I have the RealDrive system and it really does require you to 'drive' and not just turn the power on and off. I need to complete the track around the bend and into the fiddle yard to allow full operations, but that will be a project for another day. I probably should make a start on some scenery... ID Backscenes mountain for a start... I did a terrible photoshop mock up to gauge the effect. This was on an earlier iteration of the trackplan.
  13. That sounds like a good plan, I would definitely like an authentic schematic to enable me to run trains that feel like they have a destination and a purpose. I am eagerly awaiting the 42' flats from IRM, as they will form the majority of the freight stock in Castle Kerry Quay. In the meantime, an early quit at work yesterday saw me getting on with bodging some wiring looms to gather the droppers to meet the power bus. I'm trying to make a neater job of the wiring this time round, my previous efforts have looked like a tangled ball of knitting which made fault finding a chore. I also had a couple of purchases from the Shapeway shop and off the Bay of E turn up... I just popped the 3D printed ballast on top of one of the 22' skeletons. I have an old Airfix 'Prestwin' chassis ready to go under the ballast, but I may instead get a 20' skeleton - the open frame is certainly pleasing whereas the 'Prestwin' has a solid deck. Later this week some more station canopies should arrive, plus the station building and a signal box. At some point I intend to install semaphore signals - now, if I were to use Ratio kits as a base - which ones would be most appropriate for a CIE layout? GWR Tubular? Square post? LMS?
  14. I've completed most of the track laying for the station and goods yard. All the droppers are in for the power, just need a spare day to wire it all up to the power bus. I'm using an NCE powercab. Quite pleased with it so far.
  15. Thanks JHB - it looks as though the Tralee - Castleisland - Kilarney section might fit my current layout plan. Would you be able to scan those sections such that I could see all the services on that line?
  16. Yes, the freight flows you've mentioned will feature - I have tried to incorporate some of the atmosphere of Ballina, Sligo Quay, Kilkenny and others. I like the idea of the shuttle heading for Galway or Westport - I should look at doing a route map and working out where trains go and come from. I've got some bubbles and 42' flats on order, a pair of 22' container flats coming soon and a small ore hopper wagon arrived today from Shapeways for dolomiyte traffic. I've been selling off all my USA and UK stuff to restart with CIE, and DCC Sound.
  17. late 80s - 90s, somewhere out West. A branch terminus with a freight hub, and a smaller branch line splitting off from the principle line that will host a 121 and MK3 push pull set. All complete cliched nonsense of course.
  18. Thanks for all the information, chaps. I am slowly acquiring more CIE stock, and at some point the layout may actually break cover and appear on here...
  19. Thanks Ernie BTW, coincidentally I am just enjoying browsing your class A gallery! top stuff.
  20. How do you buy from IFM? I do not use Facebook (and never will) Would like to get some 22' skeleton flats.
  21. Greetings fellows. I have an Irish layout underway, so expect more posts from me. Now then, I have a smashing rake of MM Cravens. However, particulalry on the Snack Car the wheels can best be described as 'not round' and the coach does a merry jiggle as it lollops along the line. Not a good look! Can anyone suggest decent replacement wheels that will actually fit? I used up my month's quota of swearing on modding the coupler pockets* to take the KD #20s... * not on the Snack Car, thanks heavens... MM fixed that little issue
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