leslie10646

Hi Kevin - DAPOL do 00 signals, motorised and lit. I have half a dozen of their GWR lower quadrant ones sitting un-installed in a box. They now do brackets as well (NOT CHEAP). I bought a Ratio signal kit to butcher and use as a non-working platform starter for Richhill - nothing will happen for months, of course, as my left arm is in plaster after a fall. Des's signals looked decent to me when he was demo-ing them at a Cultra event - wrong railway for me, of course! I think this is my one thousandth post - does my rating go up - or DOWN? WATCH OUT FOR POTHOLES WHEN WALKING IN ENGLAND - IRISH ROADS ARE MUCH BETTER MAINTAINED! Keep well everyone. Leslie

John You'll never get this one right, as the variants seemed endless - one reason why michael and I opted for the older GSWR van! I've e-mailed you my files and phots. Looks great, by the way - obviously I'll take one for sure!

Mr B This one might have been cleaned up especially, but it looks pretty clean in 1964? Copyright IRRS, Lance King Collection

I completely agree. A fine piece of work.

Great result, whichever was the grass length / applicator. I assume you use the applicator which looks like a tea strainer? It has done pretty well for me. Keep it up. I'm "resting" and video-ing diesels on freights - DON'T TELL THE STEAM MEN!

I give up! That is simply terrific "171". Very well done. Out of interest, have you used 12mm grass for the longer grass? Excellent backscene as well.

I thought that this had been announced? But it appears a well-kept secret. I was toying with the idea of a second A Class and happened to look at "Accessories" on the IRM site - so, like Robert, I ordered a couple of container packs to go on my keg wagons!

Thanks, Flange, what about the other forty or so on the train? Quite a variety of "flats" as well it seemed. The real modelling issue is a train nearly a quarter of a mile long - twenty feet or so in 4mm scale! I don't think any of us could accommodate it in a loop on our lines!

My first freight since March! A very noisy GBFr 66.741 roaring through a damp Pangbourne yesterday afternoon with thirty plus mainly full bogie flats of various types. The drizzle would not have been out of place at home. The catenary of the electrics put up a fine spray / STEAM in contact with the wires! Don't miss the PINK container on the rear - something for the Boys to AccuraScale-ly model? MAQ03529.m4v

Great stuff, 171. It speaks volumes for "keep it small and simple" and, obviously, being able to concentrate on the job! No trying to ballast at arms length across an existing layout - or lying underneath to do the electrics - just tip the board up! You obviously were well prepared for the lockdown - between, track, electric bits, scenic materials you were obviously ready on the start line! I had most of what I needed - but it was the result of buying bits over a decade AND NOT USING THEM! Good luck!

Don't denounce me to the Steam Stasi, or The Ethics Committee, but I have to agree with Noel - they were a game-changing loco. When I was laying Portadown Junction, I used the 141 to test every inch of new track, then to be sure, I ran a steam loco over it!

Talking of the GNR stock in strange places - one of RTR Dapol commissions I did was of a GNR open wagon - based on a John Langford photo taken at Courtmacsherry when it had a CIE stencil as well as the "GN". Maybe I should do a few more ......

David Really lovely to see the two GSWR brakes together and what super models. When I sought out a CIE brake to do which no-one else had done, I saw Andy's Valentia Harbour and just loved the antiquity of his 10ton brake on the layout, hence the kit Provincial Wagons did for the "little boys" (ie 4mm to foot)! As Richie had kindly helped with drawings of both the 12ton and 10ton jobs, Michael and I had a dilemma as to which one to do - the channelling on the 12ton version made it look a bit harder, so we opted for the 10 ton version. But hasn't the revered Richard done a lovely job on his van? Yours compliments it in every way. Congratulations! A super pair to have - can't wait to see them in operation! (Oh, by the way, the PROVINCIAL WAGONS kit just happens to be still available from me!). Leslie

An amazing sight to see. I hope I survive to get over to ride on it! Congratulations all round.

As others have said, David, just wonderful. You need an extra crewman, by the way, if your trains run in late 1950s / early 1960s. The late and revered Robin (Bob) Clements spent many days each week out on the Midland with various crews he knew. We can produce photos of the great man and you can get 3D figures guys to produce you a 7mm version! His diaries in the IRRS Archives tell endless tales of firemen struggling with an engine reluctant to make steam.

Andy, that explains a lot - I wondered at the lack of text - for your skills and methods deserve a book-ful of comment. The sooner we get out of this virus-filled - ZOOM-World the better! I hope that Court gets over to Ireland for others to see just what a super piece of modelling it is.

Thanks for showing us those, Ernie. I had completely forgotten that she was moved by road to Witham Street (the then museum) - of course, there was no other way! Well done to Mike for, obviously (looking at the general lack of traffic), getting up early to get the photo. I was at Adelaide along with many of my generation of enthusiasts to welcome her. On the Saturday, Sam Mehaffey, the shed foreman, entered into the spirit of the occasion by having a gleaming No.207 "Boyne" in steam. The big VS Class worked the worked the 1235 all-stations local to Lisburn and its return - all three coaches of it - much nicer than a CAFs unit! That Saturday was unique in another way - it was the 29th of February (1964). Not the engines only meeting, for they met at Thurles on the IRRS St Pat's Day tour in 1962.

Thanks for bringing this story to us, John. I agree with George that the buildings have survived very well, albeit it is not a VERY built up area. Good luck to them.

SLIGHTLY better getting Aurora in - "just" £105 paid towards saving the NHS, aka Tory Party funds.

Hi Jon Good to see Aurora's big sister (five years older) when she grew up! The loco looks very well in grey and with the newer boiler - still a Racer!!!! I've put her away until I can get her chipped and she can then run GAA specials from Cavan when the County is playing Down or Antrim? We must arrange a meeting of them in Dublin at the next exhibition if we're spared? Well done New Zealand John - another lovely loco.

Wow, Rails in the Wild West. Good luck with the relaying - I was amazed at how much of this line (which must have been SERIOUSLY scenic) you could still see, as I led tours for GRJ here. Good luck James and the lads (and lasses!).

Thanks, Mr Larne, but it's still a long way from finished - the Gents has to be added, the Up side waiting room (perhaps I didn't give Glenderg the photos!) and a lot of landscaping. I took delivery (yesterday) of some materials to try a bit of embankment - good exercise for my Static Grass toy, which I just love! Back to the Guinness for a moment and a scene which never was, or would be - delivery of Guinness for the Richhill pubs - at the "Beach" - the first bit of platform I tried modelling - the goods shed is a masterpiece from Glenderg - sort of Richie's contribution to Richhill? Sadly, apart from seasonal traffic it saw little business in reality. Time I got a backscene!

You can tell how pleased I am with my new toys and while The Boys have shown us some photos of "what you get", it's not until you actually take it to bits that you realise - You get 450 barrels of Guinness and if each holds 88 pints (someone can correct me), that's just short of 40,000 pints - that's a pint and a half for every day of my 74 years!), five nice cages and a very fine wagon, which barely weighs 50grams - no wonder No.53 ran away with eight on (see Layouts, Portadown Jct). It's all a bit of a change from the old order - here seen with it's little sisters at Portadown Goods - I said it before - VERY well done!

Brilliant progress, 171, you obviously can concentrate on the job a lot better than I can!