David Holman

A case of function over form... Call me a sad so and so, but the decline of freight severely reduces interest in watching trains go by. At my local level crossing, the only interest is the daily stone train, but even here, counting the wagons is pointless, because it is block train, with 15 stone bogies. Slightly better than the 3 car EMU, but not much. Even in my diesel spotting days on the East Coast mainline, there was endless variety. I for one would love to see fewer lorries and more containers on the rails!

Gosh, they are ugly things! However not without charm and super modelling

Only just noticed this - what diameter are they? In 7mm scale I normally use Evergreen 80 or 100 though rod/square section strip, according to need. however, this stuff can cost up to 50p a strip, so always looking for alternatives. A further tip for gutters - use plastic sheet or strip. Only need to file the outside edge round [or add quarter round section to the edge if really fussy]. Paint the top black and stick to your building's wall. Works a treat and nobody sees the dodge, especially if you file a couple of cm at the ends to a full gutter profile.

And, well done with the rugby as well. Any team who wins in Paris deserves to be champions. A decent cricket team too!

Was thinking about this the other day, when preparing some notes for a magazine article and the answer is not easy to fathom, other than the obvious delights and the fact that it makes a very satisfying alternative to the conventional 'terminus-fiddle yard' concept. I started off in 4mm scale, EM gauge, modelling Light Railway practice. The Colonel Stephen's railways have always fascinated me & we do share a name [my surname, being his Christian one]. After a couple of layouts, one of which was exhibited in the late 80s [Oare], I turned to 7mm NG, mainly because I liked the chunkiness of the larger scale. I also had lots of spares, particularly wheels, in 00 and found that I could build freelance locos on commercial chassis that were visually satisfying and also worked well. When the Hornby 08 shunter came out, the outside cranks made for an ideal base for a NG diesel and it was quickly chopped up and re-vamped the way some of you create Irish prototypes. Lima 08s and 2-6-2T chassis got similar treatment and the High Weald Light Railway appeared in RM in the early 90s. It was followed later by Cranbrook Town, which also got an article, along with several others on various locos and buildings. Loose End came next, also in RM, a layout I look back on fondly, because it ran well, looked good and introduced me to Gordon & Maggie Gravett, who remain good friends. Bizarrely, after I sold it to a chap near Nottingham, it then ended up in France, in the same barn where the Gravett's Ditchling Green resides. Strange or what? Loose End was a standard gauge, roadside tramway, based on the Wantage. Did my first proper scratch build for it, with the MRJournal's multi part article on how to do it from Laurie Griffin. Gave me the confidence to do a D16 Claud Hamilton after that, then a B17 footballer, so guess loco building fears were largely conquered by them - though I still get things wrong! the mainline locos were built to get a mainline layout out of my system and now my local club are doing a 7mm oval, I feel I have exorcised that particular ghost and find myself far happier with something more manageable in Arigna Town. As to why Irish - can only re-iterate the charm, and the fact that it something a bit different. That and [on the minor lines at least], the similarities to the col stephens lines. Which is where I came in...

John is right, 7mm scale is easier and having started in 4mm, EM gauge, I would not want to go back. Doing Railcar B's chassis reminded me how small and fiddly it is by comparison, while I have the greatest respect for the 2mm finescale folk too, whose models always seem to run so well. Suspect if I started again now in 4mm, my locos would all be 'off the shelf', because standards now are so much better than when I started 30 years ago. 7mm scale is potentially no more expensive than 4 or 2mm, mainly because, being bigger, you need less! RTR stuff is undoubtedly wallet emptying, compared to 4mm, but if you stick to smaller prototypes then kits are quite reasonable, while the new Dapol Terrier and 08 shunter are meant to be coming in under 200 euros. Their wagons start at about 40 euros - the same price as kits from Slaters and Parkside. Guess that 7mm is more of a builders [rather than operators] scale, because you need a lot of space for even a model station, while the 'basement empires' beloved of our cousins over the pond would need a lot of real estate in this scale. Am putting together some words for a possible IRRS article on 7mm scale and how 'doable' it is these days, especially 5'3, where it must be a lot easier than 4mm, with no need to go beyond finescale into S7. Would encourage anyone to have a go - a small diorama or shunting layout could be built quickly and reasonably cheaply. Alternatively, 7mm NG is a great way into the scale. That is how I started, with freelance locos built on commercial chassis and Ratio underframes for wagons and coaches - all in plasticard. A 7mm NG layout can be built in the same space as a 4mm line and you learn a lot in the process. However, it is VERY addictive!

Am inclined to agree with my namesake. Xuron cutter has its uses, but a slitting disc in a dremel or mini drill does the job. A triangular jeweller's file works in an emergency too - in my case about the first ten years of modelling. Slow, but I get there in the end.

Me too!

Mentioned last time that there were close to 100 items that still needing adding to Fermanagh, however, as most of them were only a couple of minutes each, it hasn't taken long to get them done. Had to remove the heavy strapping between the two tanks, as it gets in the way of removing the boiler unit. Hence will be glued back in place once the main painting has been done. However, buffer housings, handrails, piping etc have now been added and the backhead is ready for painting, though will not be able to fix this in place too permanently, as it covers one of the bolts that hold the boiler in place. Perhaps I could replace this bolt with a stud or brass rod, leaving just the bolt under the smokebox to hold the boiler unit in place. Any thoughts anyone? Spent a whole morning and afternoon [probably about 5 hours in all], doing a clean up on Fermanagh's bodywork. This is always a tedious job and would be easier if my soldering was neater. Use a cone shaped, grinder in the mini-drill, which gets rid of the worst of it, then it is out with the dreaded glass fibre pencil to tidy up the rest. This time, actually remembered to wear surgical gloves, so for once I will not spend the next few days picking pieces of fibre out of my fingers. Few things can be more painful for their size... Can't do a lot more now till after next weekend, as need some fine L shaped brass for the cab roof rainstrips, plus the all important motor gear box, both of which I'll hope to get from Allypally on Saturday. There's a certain S gauge Irish layout I want to see there too. See what differences you can spot between the two models.

As Fermanagh approaches completion, looking at my journal, it will be my 54th locomotive, only 8 of which were bought ready made and all but two of these were substantially altered as well. Of the other 46, 13 were scratch built, though in earlier days some of these were my own bodywork on commercial chassis. 12 were 4mm scale, one HO ( a Bachmann Shay - long story), and the rest 7mm scale, 13 of which were narrow gauge. There have ten layouts in all, with Arigna being the seventh one to be exhibited. Anyway, this leads me to wonder if other folk keep a modelling journal? I started mine about ten years ago and like any diary, can be interesting to look back on, as well as providing a useful source of notes if asked to write an article. Maybe some of my future blogs will cover a bit of my model making history...

All the main parts are in place now & I am at that start of 'adding the details'. even within a class of just 5 locos, there are many differences & the decision to make this loco Fermanagh was largely based on the plain smokebox door. Hazlewood was built because there seemed to be more photos of it than the others - though still missed the new cab, which I hope to remedy shortly. Anyway, the photo shows the two locos together. Adding up the details, I estimate there are still around 100 individual items to add [& no I'm not counting individual safety chain links]. What will probably take just as much time will be the cleaning up process. Maybe if I worked more slowly, there would be less solder to scrape off, but it is what I do and along with putting a lot of effort into getting a model ready for the paint shop, helps hide the building process in places.

Fascinating stuff, John. Looks like it will not make my wish list either, as appears to need at least 4' of depth in 7mm scale. As for Castlerackrent, that is probably what first got me interested in the Irish scene. That article in Model Railways was inspirational, not least in showing what could be achieved in a small space. Love the concept of the basement empire too. The idea of driving a train along a whole line is very appealing and those guys seem to create these layouts in a very short space of time too.when I win the lottery, that will be high on my list. Unlikely though, as I never buy a ticket...

Fabulous!

Agree with all that has been said, plus also worth keeping an eye on other hobbies too. The war game and military diorama folk have some great ideas, while for the US scene and ideas to inspire generally Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette is always worth a look.

Really interesting - presumably the new North Kerry book will help. Must get myself a copy! Newcastle West has always fascinated me. Always liked the idea of a 'terminus junction' because it expands operating potential. How easy is it to get hold of station track plans? Bet there are many tempting possibilities. Think 21 mm gauge would be wonderful, or 10.5 for that matter. Will look forward to hearing how things develop

After the delights of a week in the sunshine [Tenerife, very nice - especially away from the resorts], got back to model making. The kit is so well thought out that assembly is a breeze for all the main structural bits. Tabs and slots make positioning of each piece easy, particularly once all the rivets have been pressed out. The boiler requires a bit more effort as it needs rolling. On Hazlewood, I used some large diameter copper pipe that our plumber gave me. Absolutely the right size, but such a heat sink that it was impossible to solder anything to it. This time, borrowed a blow torch and annealed the boiler etch, which made rolling a tube much easier. A picture shows the 'tools' used - essentially some plastic water pipe and a bit of curtain pole, though anything of the suitable diameter will work. Used florists wire [soft iron], twisted round the boiler to hold in shape while the end pieces were soldered in place. After, a chunk needed taking out [with a slitting disc] for the motor gearbox at the firebox end. Setting up the boiler on the footplate has been well thought out. One solders a nut in the centre of the firebox end and then this can be bolted in place via a hole in the cab. A self tapping screw is used to hold the smokebox front in place & once satisfied all is square, the smokebox front is tack soldered to the boiler. One addition I've made is to solder a nut to the inside of the smokebox, so the whole boiler-smokebox unit can be bolted in place, which will hopefully make painting a bit easier. So suddenly the main structure of the loco is complete. However, time-wise, I suspect we are less than halfway still. This is because adding the details takes a lot of effort, while cleaning up, painting & weathering is also something not to be hurried. Getting there though.

Looking at photos of your layout is a good way to 'proof read' it an tidy up mistakes or areas that still need improving. Was looking at the hedgerows and noticed that the bases of the trees were bare and the wire frames were clearly visible. Easy to remedy with some postiche and scatter material. Have also started adding some reeds to the drainage ditch, which is going to be tedious. Only done a small area so far & not sure if I like it yet. A case of C-, could do better, as my school reports used to say!

Murrayec is correct, Warbonnet. Currently the press retails for £85... Did I really pay that much?!? Works with material up to 20thou thick. Has 3 anvils and two punches. Plus if you are suitably minded, there is a table gizmo with adjustment wheels [like on a lathe?] which, if you follow the instructions & understand the maths, enables evenly spaced rivets to be produced - even in a circle. I use mine intermittently, but is one of those tools that, once you've invested, you wonder how you got on without it. Bit like a static grass machine. GW Models are very 'old school' - which is why the press is so beautifully made. So, no email, but he is based at 11 Croshaw Close, Lancing, West Sussex BN15 9 LE. Often attends shows in the south east [uckfield especially] & usually has an advert in Model Railway journal

Currently the layout is not seeing much work as I concentrate on the railbus and Small Tank. However, cleaned the track and did a bit of test running recently, so here are a couple of new pictures.

Don't know about anyone else, but the successful completion of a working chassis is always a cause for celebration for me. I've built over 50 locos [kits and scratch] in the last 20 years, so I ought to know what I'm doing by now, but it is always so nice to get a chassis to the point where wheels and coupling rods turn freely. After all, we want our trains to run well. The Northstar [now Studio Scale Models] kit is fairly simple in that it is a basic six coupled unit, with no outside rods or valve gear to worry about. There are nice slots and tabs to help align things, so with my aluminium rods, it wasn't too hard to get everything nice and square, so the chassis will roll under its own weight. The interesting bit is the trailing bogie, which has a clever vertical and horizontal alignment capability using small and large springs and a sliding machined brass block. Works well. Springs and brake gear are a bit fiddly, but again, careful design and clear instructions ensured things went together easily. The final bit of the chassis was to add some dummy inside motion. This is a crude copy of a very nice set of castings produced by Laurie Griffin. In my case cobbled together from plastic rod, strip and tube. Once painted, it fills the large gap between the frames - often an issue with Irish locos. When I do Large Tank Sir Henry, I've promise myself that I will have a go a working inside motion - the wider frames ought to make it a bit easier, but like outside motion, is one of challenges I think one has to have a go at eventually. You can hold me to that too. Have included a picture of the GW models Rivet Press - super bit of kit, essential for this model, as you will see later.

Railbus B certainly felt like a major project, not least because it was a scratchbuild, but there is something rather splendid about starting a model locomotive kit. As with Hazlewood, this is a Northstar Kit, which our own Weshty is now custodian. Being 7mm scale, you get a nice big box, with brass etchings for the body, nickel silver for the chassis, plus lots of whitemetal and lost wax brass castings for all the details. The small package at bottom right of the main photo hides the prime delight - additional etchings for the tank and bunker sides. Those of you familiar with these Beyer Peacock locos will know they are covered in rivets and these 9 etches contain over 1000 of them [yes really] which all need pressing out. Thank goodness for the GW rivet press... Have spent several sessions reminding myself of the kit and getting serious arm ache with the rivet press. However, now ready to get started, so should be able to report on the chassis by the weekend.

Been asked by the Club to take on publicity for our show, due to illness of the chap who usually does it and this site seemed like a good place to start! The show is on 14th & 15th June, at the Mid-Kent Leisure Centre in Gillingham, Kent. Adverts will be in the main magazines with full details in their June editions, which come out in mid May. For a while, the Chatham Show was one of THE prime events in the south east, but changes of personnel and [especially], venue within the Historic Dockyard, Chatham meant for a few difficult years after we lost our venue in the old fitted rigging house. A large marquee was used one year, pitched on shingle - not great for baseboard levelling - an it leaked! Then we had the Number 5 Covered Slip for several years. In some ways a wonderful venue with superb industrial atmosphere. However, it was also only half enclosed, the roof leaked and the River Medway could come up through the floor at high tide! The floor was also less than level. Never mind beer mats to pack baseboard feet, bricks were needed in some cases! The unsealed concrete floor was a nightmare for dust too and being unheated, early June could [as often was] less than warm. The main advantage was exhibitors and traders could drive their vehicles into the 'hall'. The final straw was supporting a Dockyard event at Easter last year, when the outside temperature was zero with around a 10 degree windchill. Using 3 link couplings not an option! Hence we are now in a smart, newly re-furbished Sports Centre, with lovely level floors, no gales blowing through and masses of space. Seemed to go well last year, with lessons learned re public catering, so if you are in the area, it is well worth a visit. Arigna Town's big debut, but as soon as I can will get hold of the list of traders and other layouts. We try to have a good blend of scale and RTR, so should be something for everyone. A long way for all you folk from over the water though...

With the signals now complete, work on Arigna Town again enters a new phase. An audit of rolling stock shows I already have more than enough to be going on with for the layout's exhibition debut in June, so now have the opportunity of some bonus time to try and built my second Sligo 'Small Tank'. As mentioned earlier, can't think why I would want to only have the one, as really want to avoid handling stock in the fiddle yard if I can help it. Hence the building of this will feature in my Workbench thread & after months of working mainly with plastic sheet and scenic materials, am looking forward to doing some metalwork again. Fingers crossed, having already built Hazlewood, the new one will benefit from that experience, though it was a while ago and I don't always remember the details!. That said, a look at the instructions shows I made a lot of notes as I went along, so maybe a bit of common sense did prevail at the time. Due to one of our other clubmembers falling ill, have found myself in charge of publicity for this year's Chatham Show. 14th and 15th June, folks! Not having done this before, it has been interesting to see discover how quickly advertising deadlines come round in the magazines, with mid to late March the cut off for the June editions [which come out in early May - never could understand that one]. Will add something to this site's what's one. Magazines are often very good in featuring layouts to help promote exhibitions, but RM now need a 9 month lead in, though they will try to do a news item, so you may see a picture of Arigna Town published, but any article not likely before the end of the year. At least have plenty of time to write it!

A few more stress filled hours have got the signal finished, though not yet mounted. As the pictures show, have added the finials, decking and the lamps. The latter and interesting exercise as I wanted to replicate the working lenses. The Sligo tended to go for a red light for danger and a clear white light when the signal was pulled off. They also had the lamps remote from the signal arm in many cases, so have done that with the two slotted ones. There are some lenses on the Tyrconnel fret, so used these, pivoted with small pins on the main post. Soldered a small extension to the pivot arm, with another pin fitted into a hole drilled into this. This pin is soldered to the operating wire to the signal arm, enabling the lens to swing down from the lamp. Sadly the lamps do not work. My knowledge of electrics would fit on the back of a postage stamp with room to spare and the though of wiring up an already busy signal post fills me with horror! Also included a photo of the below baseboard bits, though not sure if it is of much use. Just hope the things work when I fit them. No reason why not, but space is a bit tight to say the least.

Find the comments interesting as I have used T&E as busbars on three exhibition layouts without ill effect. One was a 20' long terminus - fiddle yard, the other two large 0 gauge ovals. Despite being loaded in & out of vans/cars and put up/knocked down at a dozen or more shows, never had problems with loose connections, nor any noticeable power drop. Started off with a Lenz 90 system, but have since moved on to the Prodigy Advance which is SO much more intuitive & easy to use. Arigna Town on the other hand is a total back to basics - simple Gaugemaster hand-held controller and wire in tube point operation [instead of Tortoises, to cut down depth of baseboards].