David Holman

Simple, but very effective. A fine lesson in how not to overdo things. A layout that always seems to photograph well because it has real atmosphere - and that is not a 'gimme' either.

If you are testing actual running of stock, then the main issue will be how tight your curves are and whether there are any sharp changes of gradient. Really tight curves will limit the wheelbase of any locos you use and make longer vehicles look unsightly. Uneven track could cause pick up problems, particularly with short locos and/or ones that don not have pick ups on all wheels. The other issue with sharp curves might be buffer locking, but not if you are using tension lock [or similar] couplings. As others have mentioned, the other point of track testing is for electrical continuity. Using live frog points should help reduce problems, while DCC with 'stay alive' capacity seems to overcome dead frog points these days. Bottom lines are probably down to using the largest radius curves and points you have room for. Visual effect will be better as will running. However, if you have to use sharp curves, then keep loco/wagon/coach lengths short and you should still be alright.

A few changes have been made to the layout recently, essentially to make exhibiting a bit easier, as per entry 295. Crating the boards together has not only cut two journeys to/from the car, it also means the layout is protected if loading takes place when it is raining. This worked well for Tonbridge & since then, have gone on to replace the beams and trestles with integral, folding legs. Have used these in the past, but Ulysses worked well. So, another couple of journeys avoided. At the moment, have just put Dinghams on the two passenger trains and fitted a single electro-magnet. This seems to work well, so will test under exhibition conditions at the end of April at the Hitchin 0 Gauge show. Fingers crossed, should be able to fit Dinghams to the ends of freight stock rakes too, though likely this will not be as reliable as everything gets turned in the fiddle yard.

It's been a while, but have recently moved back to building rolling stock for my Clogher project. One of the joys of railway modelling being that, if you've had your fill of scenics or model buildings, there is always something else to have a go at. I've had a set of Worsley Works etchings for the CVR 'Unit' for around six months, unusual for me as I tend to get on and build what I buy straightaway. Worsley etches are meant as an aid to scratch building, so there are many bits to make and/or source yourself, but it is a start and I doubt whether Heljan are planning to do a RTR version [in 7mm scale/21mm gauge] anytime soon. However... There are issues, even with such basic etches. For one, the coupling rods are not the right profile, and they should be fluted, not plain. Indeed, looking at photos in the Patterson book, a piece of bullhead rail would probably suffice! That said, the rods line up nicely with the axle holes. Frame spacers provided are for 16.5mm gauge, but I was fortunate to find something suitable in my scrap box, so a basic chassis wasn't long in completion - or so I thought. I'd gone on to add hand made brake hangers, got the motor/gearbox installed and added an extra layer to the coupling rods to make them look more appropriate and was starting to think how the bodywork would be added. At this point, I discovered that the chassis did not match the 7mm Narrow Gauge Society drawing, nor the Alphagraphix card kit I'd bought. Indeed, the latter is printed in red-brown, when Patterson says the livery was grey. Cue the mutterings. In the end, by careful study of photographs, I took a scale 2 feet of the front of the frames, so am now hoping that the other bits will fit! At least it seems to run well, though hiding the pick ups will not be easy with wheels this small.

Great stuff. Well done Mick - told you everyone would like it! The signature loco for Bantry. Indeed am thinking you probably ought to have more than one... Will now be wondering if I can justify one on Arigna. Alphagraphix have one in their 7mm catalogue, but then they can also equip a Timoleague and Courtmacsherry layout. All very tempting!

Well done folks. Heard about this from Mike at Doncaster show and had a feeling it would be good. Having visited Bantry last summer (rather too much liquid sunshine that day) can see the setting is splendid. Can also see already that you have the skills to do it justice! As we all know, sourcing appropriate stock for Irish projects can be a problem, but stuff is out there and as long as you can make stuff run nicely then all the other skills (bodywork, detailing) are eminently transferable. A fantastic project that deserves to do well and will be looking forward to seeing it progress

Just keeps getting better and better.

Lovely job and a cunning bit of work with the under frames. Fine paintwork too.

Thanks for the pictures, Paul - it was great meeting everyone at Doncaster. A very good show & we were extremely well looked after. Most welcome too, given the weather on the way up and the traffic on the way back. About to do it all again at Tonbridge this weekend, then a few weeks off until Luton/Hitchin at the end of April. Between now & then, am hoping to make some changes to the way the layout is exhibited - again! First up, the Iain Rice 'Ulysses' type supports of separate trestles & beams will be replaced with integral folding legs - two on the fiddle yard and one pair each on the scenic boards. Having paired the four boards for transport, this has worked well this year, so though adding the legs will increase overall weight, I move the boards by sack barrow now. Hence can cut down the number of trip required to/from the car from 9 to 5 - significant when I paced it at 130 metres each way at Doncaster! Am also going to fit auto-couplings to at least some of the trains. Having previously thought Dinghams would not work [because they are 'handed' and all trains on Arigna are reversed], realised that I can easily use Dinghams on both passenger trains, while even the goods trains will only need both hook and loop on the brake vans. More of this in a few weeks. Reason behind all this is Iain Rice's new book 'Cameo Layouts'. Am absolute must read if you build exhibition layouts and just as inspiring if you don't. Iain has an entertaining style of writing and has pretty much been there & done it where exhibiting is concerned over the last 40 years. Well worth a look.

Beg, borrow or steal because static grass is a huge improvement over scatter in 4mm scale or larger. The Flock it is the top of the range machine and superb. However, smaller, cheaper versions are not to be sniffed at while the Noch puffer bottles are extremely good for tight corners.

Arigna Town uses code 100fb rail in 7mm scale. The usual bullhead stuff is code 124 I think. It was solder construction on PCB sleepers. Guess I could have tried to replicate chairs or spikes, but even in the larger scale, on a 12 foot scenic section the lack of them is not really noticeable, so unless a very small, highly detailed diorama, would think the same applies in 4mm and following Mayner's suggestion seems the best idea.

I am sure you will be fine, Keith. I just used the card kit as a drawing for all the dimensions, then photos to get the details, plus a bit of guesswork on the interior. What scale are you planning? Even in 7mm scale it is still a very small model, so am sure anything bigger will not only make like a bit easier, but allow a fine model too. Keeps us posted!

Super work, as ever Nelson. The late, great David Jenkinson used all sorts of dodges where stuff wasn't easily seen. Eg his coaches rarely had brakes, underframes were only what you could see and many had little in the way of interior detail - but the looked fabulous and ran well. You are in good company methinks.

When I did my 7mm scale version, I used the Alphagraphix card kit as the starting point, Keith. Cost the princely sum of three quid, so just used it as a drawing to build mine from nickel silver and plastic sheet. Made the Howden Meredith patent wheels by adding a slice from a Corgi Classic road bus wheel. Alphagraphix advertise in Railway Modeller, but do not have a website. You have to send postage stamps in return for a catalogue.

If you go to RM Web's exhibition pages, on the Canterbury show pages there is some video footage of Arigna, after some views of Sanford & Bamwell. The sounds are not mine, they were dubbed on after. By the by, well worth getting hold of the latest Model Railway Journal. Martyn Welch has at last been persuaded to share his latest developments in the art of weathering. Lovely stuff!

Somehow managed to book myself into four shows in five weeks, with Canterbury last week and Southampton this weekend. The former is a nicely run local show, where there was a good selection of layouts, the latter very much more ambitious. Twenty odd layouts in a collection where you wouldn't mind getting 'worst layout' award, such was the standard. As it was Pempoul got the nod from the judges, just ahead of St Merryn [P4 gem, based on Padstow] with Arigna not far behind I was told - which will certainly do me! However, one of the best bits was being next door to Andy Cundick's proper Arigna - and very good it is too. Even had the 4 wheel bicycle based track inspection trolley, as seen in Portillo's Railway Journeys a couple of week's back - though he did get a bit of gentle teasing for it not being motorised. Quite how you'd do that in 4mm scale is anyone's guess... The Southampton Club also lay on a fine array of demonstrators, including Tony Wright [locos] and Jeremy Clifford [2mm timescale]. Took very little persuading to join them, their wives & the Gravetts for a curry on Saturday night & very fine company they were too, with conversation ranging far & wide. As usual, met several people who knew Leitrim well so it was lovely talking to them. However, am thinking that there is a bit of an omission on my figures, with no priest or nuns, so must look out for at least one of each. Re the latter, remember on one of the early appraisal courses run for school staff, found myself with two secondary school headteachers, one of whom was indeed a nun. We had to go off and practice what we had been taught. The room we were sent to was a bedroom, complete with a video camera on a tripod. We had to record our discussions and review after. As we were packing up, we heard a noise outside and on opening the curtains found the window cleaner outside. He however, was looking in a a room with a kingsized bed, two men, a nun and a video camera. How he didn't fall off the ladder I'll never know, but his face was a picture. Our nun thought it was hilarious too. Packing up after the show was a nightmare as it was chucking it down with rain - probably the worst conditions I've ever done this in. However, back home, everything seems ok, but some checking needed before Doncaster in two weeks time

Looks pretty damn good to me - the flow of the track work is splendid and am sure must contribute to good running. Re platform surfaces, in 4mm scale or smaller, a painted surface may well be all the texture required. If a little more is wanted, try talc sifted on to GLOSS paint - either grey or black, depending on the colour you want to represent. Chinchilla dust [fine sand, not freeze dried rodents] on gloss paint works well in 7mm scale - did Fintonagh's platforms that way.

Hey, not bad at all! Only the track gauge stops it being utterly Irish and that is more than forgiveable because it reeks the right atmosphere. Nice one.

It is also possible to buy 'transfer rivet strips' , Tony. Not sure who makes them, but guess someone else will be able to post that soon and I'd quite like some too! From what I have seen, the kits are very good, but well done you for wanting to scratch build too.

A good dozen or so anyway! To which can be added a bit of sea foam, some postiche, a static grass machine, a Noch puffer bottle and some PVA glue. Been busy today with the above, starting with the sea foam to try and bridge the gap between a 2D back scene and the 3D background. Sea foam tends to be a bit fragile, but it does produce low relief [indeed full relief] small trees in quick order. Working forwards, had a go at a patch of nettles, a few much scraps of sea foam for low growing shrubs & then moved forwards to start adding grass & weeds to the two sidings at the front of the layout. Various types of scatter were added to give some extra texture & depth to the grasses, though this left the platform looking rather clean and stark. Have so far added a flower bed and some weeds, though it still lacks details like figures. Coming on nicely though.

Have said before that in a small layout in a larger scale, a back scene is pretty much essential, both to frame the scene and to make up for the lack of actual depth. Given Fintonagh is only 50cm deep, I'm sure you can see what I mean... Started with a coat of emulsion for the sky, then sketched in the buildings. For me, the difficulty has always been getting colours muted enough, particularly for anything in the distance. However, in this case I want the buildings to crowd in on the scene & make it appear that the tram station is right in the town centre. Used acrylics for the larger areas and artists spirit 'brush pens' for the details, along with pencil crayons & pencil. Once done, then painted the foreground tress on top, using acrylics and my 'stippling' method to build up an impression of foliage. Then couldn't resist adding a little 3D foliage in front, though more needed here. Am thinking that some 'sea foam' pieces, suitably foliated and fixed behind the fence will help link the 3D ground cover with the 2D back scene. Need to buy some first though!

Couple of pictures for you DB, showing how I incorporated an addition of Glenfarne goods shed on my Arigna Town layout. Did the stonework using Wills 'Random' embossed sheets. Intended for 4mm scale, they work just as well in 7mm. The rails also began life via the Alphagraphix kit, though only as a 'drawing'. It is scratch built - plasticard body on a simple nickel silver chassis. The Howden-Meredith wheels are just slices of Corgi Classic lorry tyre stuck on to Slater's disk wagon wheels

If you are continuing the Sligo theme, what about Glenfarne goods shed? Ralph a graph x do a kit and even if you don't use it as intended, it certainly provides a starting point.

I always keep my eyes shut at the dentist - even though my current one is a rather pretty young lady! Given many of the tools they use are the same ones as in my own tool box, I'd rather not know what they are doing...

This 'new' adhesive was mentioned in the December Railway Modeller, but it took me a while to track it down. The glue is a gel, which only sets under ultra violet light. Hence we have a tube of gel with a 1mm via dispenser at one end and an ultra violet LED at the other. Use the applicator to put the gel where you want it, bring together whatever it is you are joining and then shine the UV light on the join for 3-5 seconds. While the join isn't as strong as say 5 min epoxy, it is certainly good enough for all sorts of things and I am finding it very useful. Sold by 'JML' in Britain, the likes of Wilkinsons & The Range are stocking it. About ten quid, but a worth addition to the modellers toolbox I would say Apparently, it is used by dentists too...