David Holman

First outing planned to be Uckfield next year, Paul. Need to be careful after that as Arigna is currently averaging 9-10 shows a year so not much space for a second layout in the calendar...

Almost certainly, is the answer to that. Track was often recycled/downgraded from mainlines to sidings. Ballast was often different too, with ash more common on sidings and granite on mainlines, though minor lines often used ash ballast throughout. Re Peco track, it has always been 'universal', with sleeper spacings more suited to continental practice and HO scale, while with code 100 rail, it can look a bit clumpy if not carefully painted and ballasted. Modern RTR with finer wheels makes it unnecessary unless you have older stock with less fine wheels. Peco's move to producing code 75 track with correct 4mm scale sleeper spacings is certainly welcome, but remains of course narrow gauge - even for 4'8.5... For anyone contemplating doing 21mm track, C&L point kits are one way forward. The blades and crossings come ready made and the points are assembled with plastic solvent, once the chairs are slid on. Sleepers are the same length as in Britain. What will be needed is a 21mm roller gauge, but apart from that, it really isn't as difficult as might be thought. Cost is competitive too. The main problem for 21mm is axles, especially loco driving wheels, which need quartering. Until Romford can be persuaded to do an extended square ended axle, the problem will persist. Hence why I still think 7mm scale is the easiest way into 5'3. Slater's do a loco axle, C&L point kits are easily adapted, or Marcway will do custom made points at reasonable prices.

Splendid.

Have it recorded. Many times better than Trainspotting Live, it really does show the hobby in a positive way.

Has the makings of a very cosy man cave, Tony.

Not at all,, Eoin. As I said to Mick, it is a real bit of treasure.

John is right about the radii, Tony and a 10x6 shed is unlikely to work for a continuous run in 21mm gauge. However a 10x6 L would make a very nice terminus fiddle yard and leave you the other side for the work bench. In terms of operation, a terminus fiddle yard can be far more authentic than a tail chaser in some ways. It all depends on what you want. Remember, there is much to be said for starting with a fairly modest scheme which will see tangible results in a reasonable time. If you like making stuff, then I would say doing correct gauge makes it that more interesting, challenging and ultimately satisfying. Equally, just because that is what I like does not mean it is the same for everyone else. A hobby is meant to be enjoyed after all.

Very easy to spend a lot of money! Also, if shopping is your forte the 0 Gauge Trade Show at Reading is a great way to sort out your Christmas list. First Saturday December. By the by, Arigna Town is booked to attend at both Telford and Warley next year.

Couldn't agree more, Tony. However, for those more interested in operation than visual aesthetics, I also appreciate why many folk stick to 00. All depends on what the person wants from the hobby. I mainly like building stuff, so having the gauge right is important to me and is a key 'signature' element of modeling the Irish scene. Am sure others have different priorities and good luck to them, it is this diversity which mades our hobby so appealing to so many different people. What I will say is that it would be good to see more folk exploring 21mm gauge (and indeed broad gauge in other scales). Fine scale standards do not require P4/S7 wheels and track...

Not a million miles from my own thoughts JB and would love to build a 7mm scale C class one day. Trouble is, would also like to do the Swilly, Courtmacsherry, the Lartigue, etc, etc. Space, time... If only...

Was thinking along those lines, Eoin. The alternative would be to just use 3mm steel for new axles and keep the Ixion wheels, doing a bit of cosmetic work to make them more like 299s. What I need to do first is have a close look at an Ixion and decide what is best. If I do have a go, will certainly write it up.

A bit more research led me to the S7 website, where Dave Nicholson describes how to convert it using Slater's Manning Wardle wheels. Key bit of info though is the Ixion wheels have 3mm diameter axles, so presumably suitable steel rod could be used to get the model to broad gauge. Would be interested to know if anyone out there has had a good, though I'm not holding my breath...

Interesting, thanks Eoin.

Looking at my copy of Bylines this morning, noticed there are many similarities between this loco and the Ixion ready to run Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0T. Main differences would appear to be an internal bunker on 299, plus external sandboxes and Manning Wardke style wheels. For 36.75mm geeks like me am wondering what diameter the axles are, as this could make changing the wheels a challenge. Otherwise, for those less fussy, it could be an almost RTR Irish 7mm scale loco. Thoughts anyone?

Latest Railway Bylines has a photo feature of Cork Albert Quay. Nice pics, so Bantry boys should find them useful.

Coming on well. Am sure the interior detail is more than enough - once the roof is on, even with lighting, not much will be seen through the windows, so an impression is all that is required.

My Dremel packed up after two years, but I replaced it with a similar one from Wilkinsons for half the price. Have a Proxon mini-drill as well, which has limited torque but is good for light work. I also still have an even lighter, cheaper version [!], which I use for drilling fine holes [below 1mm], with a slitting disk usually in the Proxon and the 'Dremel' kept for heavy work. As use can see, I find changing chucks, colletts etc a pain...

Happy to oblige, JB. Will see what I can do over the next few days. However, the process does require a certain amount of investment, not least some form of static grass applicator and a wide range of fibres and scatter materials. Gordon Gravett's book: Modelling Grassland and Landscape Detailing (Wild Swan, ISBN 978 1 908763 06 8) is very much the 'bible' for such work, covering the key aspects of weeds, wild flowers, hedges, roads and pavements, mud, puddles and rivers. Very easy to follow too. It must be, because if I can...

Thanks Andy (and for the drawings). Had the same problem with Sir Henry on Arigna. I suppose S7 should be the way to go, but a small adjustment to the chassis makes more sense to me!

Thanks to someone on RMWeb, have found I already have a drawing of the Castlederg loco, 'twas in the first David Lloyd compilation for the 7mmNG association.

The passenger train is now is a bit more substantial now with the addition of a first class coach. Shorter than the 3rd/composites, I'd originally hoped that one would either make a short mixed train of at least two wagons & a van, or indeed the combo in the photo below. However, seems I did not get my measurements right & though the above will fit in the loop, they will foul the road to the turntable. So, either some additional shunting will be needed, or I have an excuse for an extra loco, so one will always be on shed and engines are swapped each time a train arrives. Anybody know where I can find drawings of the ex Castlederg loco which was bought by the CVR? The coach is of course the Branchlines kit, still going strong at around 30 years of age now.

Thanks for the comments everyone. The paint job on the train shed is not difficult and could be replicated on any building, though smaller scales would require finer abrasives of course. For peeling paint on wood, first out on a coat of worn wood colour. I use a blend of humbrol 110 (natural wood), 64 (grey), plus a touch of Matt black. Allow to dry then add a couple of topcoats. Once this has dried, brush on humbrol liquid poly or similar, which will make the paint craze. Let this dry, then attack with abrasives, scrapers etc and the topcoats will come away leaving the worn wood colour underneath. Finally, dry brush the flaking paint with top coat to highlight. Slow, but simple.

While there is still some final detailing required [in particular figures, clutter, etc], Baseboard 1 of my Clogher Valley project, ‘Fintonagh’ is now complete. Recent work has centred around the train shed, ladies’ waiting room/toilet block and platform details, in particular trying to present them in a well weathered appearance with peeling paint, rust & so on. When the figures eventually appear, it is planned to include a couple of workmen engaged in repainting – the locoshed is fairly pristine, but the other buildings are awaiting their attention. With my surname, it seemed appropriate to add a touch of ‘Colonel Stephens’ [Holman Fred] to the scene, so this is the inspiration behind the ladies waiting room/gents toilet. Corrugated iron was a favourite with the Colonel and popular in Ireland too, of course. My fiction for the station is that, apart from the overall roof, no facilities were available when it first opened, but the locals soon petitioned for something better. The ladies’ waiting room has a toilet reached by an inside door, while the gents’ is accessed from outside, hence the full length awning. Under the train shed itself is a bench seat and also a chocolate machine, otherwise, passengers are perhaps better off waiting in Forbes Bar across the road! Construction was fairly conventional, using a mixture of Slaters [walls] and Wills [roof] corrugated sheet on a thick card frame. Like the train shed, painting and weathering was ‘inside out’, in this case starting with a coat of gunmetal, then two coats of white, let down with a hint of brown. Once this had dried hard, Liquid Poly was brushed on, causing the paint to blister. After letting this harden, the surface was attacked with various abrasives [wire brush, scrapers etc] to expose the gun metal beneath. Dry brushing with gunmetal, white and rust then help to highlight the raised & peeling paint surface. Before I go on to Baseboard 2, I’m thinking it will be good to ring the changes and do some rolling stock. At the moment, I have one loco, plus the ‘Unit’, as motive power, but only one coach, two wagons and a guard’s van. I really ought to do some test running before any more scenic work, so a bit more stock will not go amiss. In preparation for this, I’ve starting installing uncoupling magnets. I’m using Kadees, but don’t much like their ‘plank’ magnets which unless posing as a barrow crossing are a bit obtrusive. On RMWeb there are several entries on using ‘rare earth/neodynimium’ magnets, which are both smaller and stronger. Despite the exotic name, they are available quite cheaply and in a wide variety of sizes. I ordered some 3mm diameter, 3mm thick, rod type, on line & was pleasantly surprised to have them arrive in the post the next day. To uncouple Kaydees, their magnet polarity is perpendicular to the track. Using rare earth magnets, all I had to do was place one each side of the track centre in 3mm holes drilled in the ballast. I fixed them in place with Lazer glue, though on reflection, I would have been better off buying longer magnets [say up to 15mm], so they could have been let into the baseboard surface, but so far, my 3mm ones work fine and are almost invisible from normal viewing distances you should just be able to see them in the last photo. As far as I can tell, I will need six pairs of magnets to cover all the shunting moves, so I may well use some of the other magnets to do things like hold loco cab roofs in place. Having half the scenic boards completed is certainly nowhere near half the project as a whole, for as well as needing to build the Railcar, another steam loco & the Atkinson Walker tractor, I also need two more coaches and a dozen or more wagons. Then there is the fiddle yard to build, plus fascia, pelmets, lighting & so on – so plenty to keep me occupied…

What will be the right hand end of the layout [baseboard 1 to me] is nearing some sort of completion. Shop, pub, [see workshop pages] and now the station & trainshed are almost finished, so here are three pictures which hopefully illustrate the composition of this end of the layout. Nothing is fixed down yet, because I have a fear of finding I've missed something obvious that I won't be able to get to later. Inside the trainshed is pretty gloomy, so have fitted a small LED strip, while there is also a light in the station office - the latter adorned with some 'Wargame' furniture [resin castings], which includes a gun rack[!]. More details in a few days, once I've finished the ladies waiting room & toilets, though passengers will be absent for a while until I'm at a show where they are on sale. What I am quite pleased with is the weathered wood. Straight out of Martin Welch's 'Art of Weathering', it is a simple, if somewhat extended task of painting from the inside out. You start with weathered wood [grey, natural wood & a touch of black], put on the top coat [white, let down with some brown] and then once hardened, paint on some liquid poly. This causes the paint to craze and once this has hardened, you can attack the surface with a wire brush, scraper, sandpaper etc to heighten the flaking and expose the weathered wood underneath. Note: the colours are not quite as they appear, as I used flash to fill in some of the shadows. A longer exposure will give a more realistic impression of the colours used.

Another gem in the making, Eoin