Phil3150

Pretty much finished now. I still have the cab interior to build - any clues as to what was in there anyone? We got a few little things wrong but I'm very pleased with the result. Many thanks to my good friend Brian Page for all his help. Now to get on with the rest of the layout! Phil

12L is now looking a little more work worn. Still some finishing touches to come and a little more grime but we're getting there! Phil

It’s clear from this newly posted picture that the panelling is indeed 3-D Phil

That's the one Colin

Well if the colour is wrong the person to blame is none other than JHB! I recall him posting that the 00 Works J15 was spot in. It so happened that my great grandson and I were painting one of his model tanks using Tamiya German tank grey when I noticed that this matched the J15 almost perfectly. That is the colour used on no. 12. Obviously there is some serious weathering to come.

Its about time I proved that there has been some (slow) progress on 12L. The photos show it fresh out of the paint shop but before getting covered in c**p! Phil

I just did that JHB

I've been tinkering with my station name board as discussed on Dr Gerbil-Fritters Castle Kerry thread. For the most part I used the Bunchló font but for the "B"s I used Gael. I need to add a few dots and tidy it up a bit but here is my effort so far: Any comments welcome Phil

It was good to meet you on Sunday David. A face put to another name. It was the first time I had seen Fintonagh in the flesh and it’s very impressive. Having seen the clip of an engine using the turntable at Arigna I don’t think you should be too concerned about the odd bump coming off yours!

It’s very difficult to guess the colour from that photo but what it does show is how the number on the front beam was applied at that time rather than the heavily shaded version seen in many earlier photos. I have assumed 6T was painted black in 1957 and that will be my token clean engine!

A good source of drawings of buildings that still exist without a site visit can be from planning applications. Check the local council planning site and if any alterations have been made over the years there may well be dimensioned “as existing” drawings. One warning though, as an engineer I learned many years ago to treat architect’s drawings with a pinch of salt!

Thank you all for your kind comments. My next big problem will be building the rest of the layout to the same standard! I already have one ex-worksish engine in the form of 6T which arrived from Inchicore in the summer of 1957 and I think two would rather give the wrong impression of the state the railway was in! Mind you I’d have been a bit miffed if I’d spent time painting up 12L only for it to be in the state it was a year later. It does however beg the question “would 12L have been painted black in 1956?” JHB?

Afraid not, it will be heavily weathered grey and rust! I’m also afraid that I can’t claim that all the neat soldering is my own work. I have my good friend Brian Page to thank for much of the recent detailing.

Steady progress but 12L is nearly there now

As some relief from the micro-soldering on my 2-4-2 tank I decided to make a start on something simpler and build a passenger brake van or two. Simpler? Like everything connected with the C&L, once you start looking into things they get more and more complicated. Never mind all the other differences, let's start with the livery. Pictures of 14L in Smoke Amidst the Drumlins (p38) and The Last Decade (p54) show it to be in "pristine" condition (That's what they call it now, is it not?). The first of those is dated September 1957 - spot-on for my model - and I suggest that it must have been very recently repainted to remain in that condition. In 1955 CIE introduced a new lighter shade of green than that used previously so, unless supplies of the new paint had not yet reached Ballinamore, I would have expected 14L to be in the lighter shade. The photos suggest that to be the case but does anyone have any knowledge or views? Thanks Phil

I found another, presumably taken just before the others at Galway and the last frame on my colour film at the time. B129 must be placing the stock for the train in the station? And where is this? Dad's Hillman Super Minx on the left! As I recall the photos were taken on a Kodak Brownie camera, hence the lack of quality. Phil

I took these photographs as a teenager on a family holiday to Ireland in the mid-sixties but I have no idea where I took them as we B&B hopped our way around. Can anyone identify the location and maybe fill in any other details? Thanks Phil

Sounds like mother was briefed by a solicitor before making that statement!

Never mind it’s Mothering Sunday, today is the sixtieth anniversary of the closure of the Cavan and Leitrim Railway. Far more significant in my eyes! And, yes, I’m wearing a tin hat. Phil

It was good to meet up with you again today, Andy. Thanks for your hospitality!

Hi Leslie 6T made a couple of trips up to the Arigna mines at Ally Pally today and a couple of photos are attached - old mobile phone I'm afraid so not great quality. The thicker wire running centrally between the frames controls the horizonal movement of the truck, the cranked wire against the frame is the suspension wire. It all seems to work ok so far! Phil

The radial trucks are based on the London Road Models ones for their LNWR radial tanks and the gearbox started out as a High Level Slimliner but now has been on a serious diet and got new sideframes. The springing does bear on the trucks as you can see in this photo. And this is where we stand now Phil

For those who have asked there has been some progress with the 2-4-2 chassis which has reached the stage of a 2-0-2 (!) with the radial trucks in place. The springing for the driving wheel hornblocks is visible. The gearbox has to be very slim to fit between the suspension springs with the motor mounted at an angle to allow access to the fixing screws. Driving wheels next! Phil

Hi Andy, what comes round comes round!! Ballyconnell's good. I'm hoping to be at the Ally Pally on the Sunday. If its progressed far enough I'll bring the 2-4-2 along for a run out!! Phil

Thanks Jonathan. The loco is built from nickel silver etches we designed and the chassis will be likewise. As soon as there is more to show I will post more photographs. Phil