David Holman

The Hornby Desmond chassis has always been a good runner, as many 7mmNG users will confirm, though scaling it up certainly helps.

Very little to report of late - I'm in the process of converting all my stock to Alex Jackson couplings, in the hope of making operation on Northport Quay easier. To be honest have always thought AJs looked a bit of a nightmare in 4mm scale, but are potentially more straightforward in 7mm. However, first I needed to understand how they work and that means making some first, though Gordon Gravett helped at the recent Tonbridge show. Much easier when you can see actual wagons and in particular how the couplings are fixed to the wagon body. Very much work in progress though. Meanwhile, my GS&WR 2-4-2T, built from the Alphagraphix kit won the loco shield at the annual club competition last night, while the coaster, Acla, won the non-railway and overall shields, which was rather nice, especially as the overall standards were really high this year.

So much better than the Desmond/Pug and am sure the loco feels all the better for it. Sow's ear to silk purse.

Now there's a good thought!

Recent layout posts have shown that track and gauge aren't necessarily important when all the other modelling comes together. As the post above says, you don't notice the compromises when everything else looks right. This is me, by the way 7mm scale, 21mm and 36.75mm gauge on my 4 Irish layouts. Nothing quite sets the scene like correct broad gauge track, but get the viewing angles right and it becomes far less of an issue. Get the scenics, colours and stock looking right and it all blends together. I'll stick with my broad gauge, but a recent conversation with one of our eminent posters here set me thinking - had I done all my stuff in 32mm/0 gauge, I could occasionally run much longer trains round the club's 32x15 test track. Broad gauge prevents that and likewise makes the option of selling stuff much more limited. Not that I want to do that, but food for thought all the same.

They all look very much at home.

Nice one, Angus and welcome back.

Keep the pics coming and how about a track plan? Love the raison d'etre too and finally worked out the pronunciation! In the past have played with Ballyrina, Killyconcarnay and my favourite, Ballyshawbeagan. Think zebra crossings! Ever thought of doing a magazine article? Loughan Quay deserves a wider audience, methinks.

Superb. Well done Alan. Especially like the soft, muted colours you use - very realistic and atmospheric. Indeed a well balanced beautifully modelled scene!

Peco also do Code 100 FB, while Marcway will custom build points using this type rail on copperclad sleepers. Expect to pay about £80 per point with a four week completion.

Photos too - lots. And descriptions. Just more please!

Didn't realise India Pale Ale worked as paint stripper, though I've had a few beers that tasted like it! Dettol is new on me and sounds a neat idea. Anyway... That is a fine looking model and the lining looks very sharp too, though confess I know little about its accuracy. A freight engine wouldn't stay that way long though, so weathering could well be the way to go. That said, the boiler bands look over scale and there is a school of thought that says in 4mm scale just transfers are enough. If you don't fancy adding layers of paint, try weathering powders. There are some nice varieties out there, often sold for wargaming, but fine for railways too. Otherwise, Martyn Welch's The Art of Weathering (Wild Swan) is the seminal work and, for me, never been bettered, despite being out nearly 30 years. Should be available cheaply secondhand. Key colours are all Humbrol: gunmetal 57, bauxite 133 and metalcote gunmetal, plus matt black and leather along with talc for texture. The key to it all is to find colour pictures (not necessarily the exact loco) and copy what you see. All my Irish locos are weathered using Martyn's ideas and his book is invaluable. While an airbrush is recommended, dry brushing and stippling (short stabbing strokes) can also be used and are what I've done. You can see the effect on my thread in this section. Take your time and enjoy, but make sure you only drink the right sort of ipa and certainly not Dettol - though root beer smells like it to me, so you never know!

Yep, they are on the list too... Lovely stuff!

Plastruct do a similar range to Evergreen, including some chunky sections, alongside the finer ones. Good quality, though the strips are shorter, probably 25cm. Worth doing an internet search to see if there are suppliers in your area. There's always Slater's Plasticard of course. Haven't checked their website recently, but they used to do a range of sheet and strip.

Thanks Leslie - a Robinson 4-4-0 in full WL&W regalia is something I'd like to build one day, but probably too big for Belmullet, let alone NPQ. One day, perhaps!

Very atmospheric - makes me want to turn the heating up!

I don't find it too bad to be honest, Alan - though the stuff that makes the moulds is as hard to get rid of as silicon sealant. Maybe there is a clue there? Have always been impressed by how well the castings pick up fine detail, right down to scuffing plastic sheet with a fibreglass pencil to simulate wood grain. I also like the fact that a resin casting will set in under an hour, so the process can be quicker than 3D printing. However, have only done flat sides and ends, rather than complete wagon bodies. Glad you like the G, I only have photos to go on, but am sure it was a lot simpler than your recent diesel!

This hodge lodge of stock covers the rest of the stuff I've built for my 1950s period in Arigna Town/Belmullet/Northport Quay. First up is a couple of exMGWR six wheel coaches. One is an Alphagraphix etch brass kit, the other is a scratch built plastic body on an AlphaG chassis. They run with the G2 2-4-0 an a couple of fitted vans. I'll leave you to guess which is which. I built several Great Northern vans, using the AlphaG card kits as templates to make a side and an end that I then made moulds to resin cast multiple copies, which were assembled with cyano. Whitemetal castings were used for the chassis & two were finished as vacuum fitted [in bauxite], with the rest as weathered grey. The next two are ex MGWR - one of the 'glasshouse' brake vans [scratchbuilt in plastic sheet and strip], plus the Alphagraphix etched kit of a 'hearse' van, later converted for fish traffic. I batch built five open wagons [two different types] as freelance private owner types for the Arigna mines. Fairly conventional, but heavily weathered following techniques by Martin Welch in his book on the subject. Rather more conventional are two more recent additions. The RCH tank wagon is one of the very few British outline wagons that made it across the water. The model is the Slater's kit and certainly not the easiest model to build, being a mixture of plastic, etched brass and lost wax castings. It follows the prototype pretty closely and includes a lot of detail. The other wagon is a standard H van, made from plastic strip and sheet on an AlphaG etched chassis. Now a couple of real oddities - repurposed WL&WR six wheel coaches running as turf wagons. When I first read about these, I was convinced it must be a wind up, but no, they brought turf from the west to Dublin during various shortages & I soon decided I had to make some. The sides are resin castings I made from my own masters & mouldings. They ride on the AlphaG six wheel coach chassis, while the loads of turf are made from chopped up matchsticks. The last of my 1950s wagons are three CIE opens with tarpaulin covers. The advantage here is that the interior details don't need modelling, while the tarpaulins are made from masking tape as outlined by Martin Welch again. Conventional plastic bodies with white metal fittings for the chassis. Finally, we have my most modern [!] loco, a G class Deutz four wheel diesel shunter. The model was built using Worsley Works etches. These are very basic and actually cover the later versions, so a few adaptations were needed, particularly around the cab, while you need to source castings for things like axle boxes, springs, buffers etc. No instructions either, but a great aid to scratch building. The model is four wheel drive via Delrin chain. If you are still with me, this covers all my 1950s stock, so future posts will aim to look at the 1900s period I also now model.

Haven't used DCC for several years, Alan but when I did, the fact that most of my models were made of brass created issues, especially regarding insulating the chips. With the space you have available, could be challenging! As for DCC overall, I'm with you. It has its uses, but is certainly not the answer to everything and personally, I am much happier with analogue.

Not a Scooby...

A couple more WLW pictures: Shannon, with the boiler pipework back in place, plus Richard's Dublin & Meath brake vans.

Lovely stuff, as ever, Ernie

Buffer are holding a closing down sale, with everything at £1, plus p&p. Sadly, the Irish section is already empty, but there are plenty of other transport and railway sections

An absolute delight and bet the real thing had all sorts of mechanical grumblings too. Runs a treat.

Alphagraphix do a kit, though it is 7mm scale...