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Northroader

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Everything posted by Northroader

  1. There’s a similar line which must have drawn its inspiration from Thomas, and that’s “Ivor the engine”, just one engine set with in Wales with the folks round him. I would think that this could be adapted to an Irish setting quite easily. Theres a simple layout constructed on this theme described in this issue of the “Dispatch”, just page down until you reach “Ivor the Engine” https://micromodelrailwaydispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Issue-6_final1.pdf
  2. Here’s what it looks like at present, the whole lot has shrunk to fit a circuit on an 18” square board, based on the premise “what would the Highland Railway look like if it was narrow gauge?” But you could apply the same principle to most lines.
  3. Would you be tempted by a caricature job, narrower gauge and larger scale, mine’s 1:32 scale, 20” gauge with 16.5mm track, or 1:34 scale, 9mm/foot, 22” gauge, which has some commercial figures available?
  4. You strap them on your upper arm, so that everyone knows who’s doing a particular task, and remind you of your responsibilities. The pilot man comes into use for emergency single line working, any train passing through the affected stretch has to have him with the train, rather like a single line token with arms and legs. The lookout man goes with everyone working on the track where trains are operating, he has to be placed where he can see trains coming in time to give adequate warning for the guys to get clear. PICOP is where you have possession of a stretch of track for engineering work, but you can still get trains wanting to pass through, such as a ballast train, say, and he has to give permission for the train to pass through that stretch, and make sure everybody is clear, also sign for the start and finish of possession. Engineering Supervisor is similar without the possession, mainly worrying about stuff like lookouts. TSC is something stitched on since I retired.
  5. I think with a model the wheels are hardly ever individually sprung like a full size job. If any carrying wheels form a hard point, they’re going to rob the driving wheels of adhesion. Therefore the lead scattered round inside the loco should be arranged so that the centre of gravity is over the drivers, and the bogie, in this case, is allowed to flop about without getting in the way, with enough weight or central springing to ensure it stays on the track. The Swilly engines look in photos to be a bit careworn, so does it really need an out of shops appearance? Just touch up any bare metal that’s appeared.
  6. I was thinking just try increasing the width of your slot, so’s the bogie can traverse sideways a bit more?
  7. Over on RMweb they’ve been going on about the IKEA “Mosslanda” display shelf as suitable for a short narrow run which should fit this purpose.
  8. Highly unusual composition, and works very well. The low relief coach sides are a different way of doing things, certainly.
  9. Having it all formed up into a train, that’s a lovely piece of modelling.
  10. Really involved constructional work, I’d be scared how sturdy it would prove to be if I was doing it, but going through your materials it sounds strong enough. I found there’s a great temptation picking up those canopies for your fingers to curl over the edges, where the daggerboards are, so don't be like Bob. The appearance of the end result will set off the cameo very well.
  11. Ye’ve left no stone unturned with your modelling there.
  12. Marvellous piece of modelling.
  13. You’re right, it’s all the curves in the bodywork. Buried in all the boxes somewhere there’s a few pieces for the NCC one. Will I ever do it? will I ever find it? Yours is an inspirational job.
  14. Don’t forget this one is fairly close to you. https://swindon-cricklade-railway.org
  15. If you’re after the West Clare, or most of the other Irish narrow gauge lines, there’s a retired English priest called Roger Farnworth who has done a thoroughgoing research on the line. I marvel at his output and quality of what he does. Just to get you started: https://rogerfarnworth.com/2019/04/08/the-west-clare-railway-part-1-ennis-to-corofin/
  16. That’s real talent, putting together an etch for a job like that. Hopefully, it’s a real sweet runner, certainly I’ve found doing compensation on the drivers for this size of loco is a waste of time if it’s built true to start with. I’m guessing you’re allowing the lead axle some “float”, the etch shows a hole rather than a slot, and you’ll need some deflection or the lead axle will rob the drivers of adhesive weight. your comments on the size of 7mm are interesting, I’m sure once you’ve picked up the finished loco and felt the bulk of it in your hand a few times, you’ll be very disappointed with the 4mm jobs you have for the “feel” they give. Another one joins the club!
  17. I see it as pretty basic narrow gauge, sort of Bord na Mona without the peat wagons, just a wagonmaster diesel and a converted caravan on overgrown sectional track.
  18. That’s the feller who went on to be a bishop, wasn’t it?
  19. That’s a crafty move jointing the side rods, it will help no end with giving the back wheels some side play, as the front pair can’t go anywhere with the clearances they've got.
  20. Really good bit of craftsmanship there, they’re enough of a fiddle with the smallness of the parts without the need to get smooth movement on them as well.
  21. The cranks are set at 90 degrees so that as the side rods on the one side are at front or back dead centre, t’other side is exerting the full torque to turn the wheels, but I fancy you know this already. If the angle is less than 90 degrees, the effort will be diminished as the wheels rotate, but you should still be getting some torque all the time. If the angle gets too low, the rods will bind up. So, I would think try fitting the motor and see what happens. You might get a little hitch on each revolution rather than a smooth turning which will become annoying and you’ll want to rework the job, maybe they will turn well enough to leave it. Good luck with it. In the past using slaters axles I’ve put the largest diameter drivers I’ve got on the axle and scribed a mark on the tip of the tyre in line with the crank pin, then lined up by eye looking across the wheels, but I’m not sure if this would work how you’re doing it.
  22. I hope you’ll keep the small tower (belfry?) on the side. The mock-up loses a lot without it.
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