David Holman

And here are some more pictures. The signal box uses the Skytrex lever frame castings and the windows do slide like the prototype.

Thank you! Only working part time and the generally lousy weather have both helped improve model making time! Am hoping to get started on Railbus 2A soon so that the layout might be ready to be exhibited [if not entirely finished] next year.

I am building SLNCR in 7mm scale, 36.75mm gauge. I've used Marcway points [copperclad] and made my own plain track in the same way. Slaters do broad gauge loco axles for an additional fee, while wagon wheels can be moved out on the existing axles with little trouble. The Alphagraphix catalogue [see Railway Modeller ad pages] contains a wealth of steam era card kits for wagons, coaches and buildings, including a fair bit of narrow gauge stuff too. I use them as drawings for scratchbuilding purposes. Their catalogue also contains the Tyrconnel range of etched brass locos and coaches. Fairly basic, but they go together well and look the part. The biggest problem I have found is getting hold of good quality drawings - of all locos and rolling stock - as there is nothing like the resources available to British railway modellers. Photo albums likewise end to focus just on locos, though recent works give some good info on infrastructure. Equally, there are lots of very helpful people out there & am sure the charm of all thing Irish will mean interest continues to grow

Thanks - have managed to get some done by a roundabout way & now on the 'Layout' section.

Hello all. Here is a selection of some of my model making over the winter. The layout is yet to have a name, but depicts a might have been SLNCR branch to the Arigna coal mines. It is 7mm scale, 36.75mm gauge and everything is scratchbuilt, apart from the superb Northstar kit of Hazlewood and a very nice Tyrconnel kit of a J26/E class 0-6-0T. Wagons and buildings are based on Alphagraphix kits, but are made from plastic sheet, card, etc, though the coal train is a set of resin castings I did from my own masters. Track is Marcway. Am keen to add to the wagon fleet, but though I have been collecting drawings, details of brake gear would be most welcome. Likewise would love to do 'Large Tank, Sir Henry'. Any idea where I could get hold of drawings?

Only 100k, so can't see why it is not interested. The browse tool is not letting me link to the 'my photos' file on the computer either & I had to get there via 'my recent places' route. When I try to add new pics the 'busy' icon comes up, but nothing happens. Obviously text is coming through, but not photos... Thanks anyway.

Hello folks - I've been trying to upload photos of my SLNCR project, but the site seems reluctant to accept anything. Not had problems in the past, but not added anything for a while. Pics are all low resolution & accepted formats. Any ideas?

Is that nameplate the original? If so, a thing to treasure...

Have had a look at the MMST site without success, but will have another try. The Tyrconnel kits seem well designed & are good value, though the castings needed a bit of work on my J26. Some lovely prototypes though & well worth a try, even if only for a display model. Could become a habit though!

Very well done, sir! Hopefully this will grow & grow & modellers of the Irish scene can eventually aspire to the depth of resources available for those interested in British prototypes. Wagons, as many as possible, would be very nice...

Finally got round to finishing the J26 0-6-0T and the Sligo 'Small Tank', so here are a few pictures. The J26 is a Tyrconnel kit [from Alphagraphix], built as per instructions. Etchbrass, with whitemetal fittings & seems to look the part The Small Tank [Hazlewood] is a North Star kit. Sadly no longer available, the draughtsmanship of the etches was superb & included the HUNDREDS of rivets which needed pressing out. Made a few departures from the excellent instructions in that fitted wooden buffer beams, instead of etched & fettled the smokebox door to make it more bulbous, as per the prototype. A representation of inside valve gear also added, as there is a noticeable gap between the frames without. A second kit for a small tank awaits my attention, will probably appear as Fermanagh, though would also like to build a Large Tank as well. If anyone has any drawings, I'd be very interested. Both locos have been spray painted, intially with Halfords matt black, then weathered with airbrush & powders, crayons etc to give a rather well worn appearance.

Also, forgot to say that 36.75mm axles are readily available from Slaters [check their website], while the Alphagraphix catalogue includes a wide range of other Irish models in 7mm scale. Most are cardboard kits - buildings, coaches and wagons. The rolling stock is backed up with a limited range of chassis components & includes 3' narrow gauge too. Well worth a look, especially as many of the card kits are just £3-£4. Real bargains as they are in effect colour plans too, if you want to make a model out of something more substantial.

The J26 is indeed a kit - from the Alphagraphix catalogue. There is a wealth of Irish related models in 7mm scale including Elf, the MGW 2-2-2T, Fairy [with pay carraige], the delightful Argadeen 2-6-0T & St Molaga 0-4-2T from the Timoleague & Courtmacsherry tramway, plus a Bandon 4-6-0T. The J26 was £90, likewise Argadeen, while the Bandon tank is currently £140. This is minus wheels, motor, gears of course. However, there was a full set of etched number plates with the J26. Having built a fair few 7mm kits in my time & even scratchbuilt a 'Claud Hamilton' 4-4-0, must say this J26 was a very straightforward model to make. Instructions are clear & include a few decent photos, while the etches were good & castings adequate if not entirely top quality. At the price, very good value though. The chassis is designed for 32mm gauge & is actually a one piece etched, designed to fold up & make a basic unit. Haven't come across this method before & was a bit dubious, but decided to go ahead as per instructions & once wheels & rods were fitted, it rolled beautifully, first time. For 36.75mm gauge, the top hat bearings are soldered in back to front. Was going to add some dummy frames to fill the space, but have found it looks ok, so haven't bothered to fit them. Still needs a bit of weathering & some coal in the bunker, but for a first essay in 36.75mm gauge, i'm more than pleased with it & see no reason why other models listed shouldn't be as good.. Alphagraphix advertise in Railway modeller, but can be found at 23 Darris Road, Selly Park, Birminigham B29 7QY. Email sirberkley@tiscali.co.uk

Drawings like this are extremely welcome. Mainland GB modellers don't know how lucky they are to have an authoritative book on almost every railways' wagons... Presumably, the Alphagraphix card kits are well known? In effect, they are 7mm scale colour drawings & include some of the SLNCR wagons, plus Coach No9, a GNR van and a CIE van. Am sure you can't publish them without permission though. However, they appear to be small. The 8 ton van is about 30cm lower than the GN one above, despite being similar in outline. Checking pics in Nigel Sprinks book on the Sligo, it appears that some vans may be taller than others [ie more planks], while the upper door hinges are likewise set lower on the taller ones. As I've already built 3x 8 ton vans and 5x cattle vans [similar outline], I'm hoping that the extra capacity of the GN van accounts for the larger size. That and the fact that the Sligo van's wheelbase is quoted as 8' 6"... Will be interested to hear what others think

Have taken a few more low resolution pics of progress thus far. 7mm scale, 36.75mm gauge. Started Jan 2012, though a few wagons & the J26 begun earlier.[attachment=:name]