David Holman

Thanks Brack & especially for taking time to do the drawing. Must admit I had to look up what a Geneva wheel was/did, but what a clever thing it is! The photo shows my Megapoints control panel. If I'm honest, the system requires more logical thinking than I possess, but is certainly very effective & clever in the right hands. Indeed, though I thought I'd worked out what I needed, I didn't get the specification quite right and now realise that the separate starter for the harbour branch was probably better as a ground signal on the single slip. Meanwhile, I don't have enough ports left in the control panel to add extra switches for the ground signals. I could fit 'Y' connectors so the push buttons for the slip points also operated new servos for the ground signals, but the panel processors control the amount of movement of each servo, so the extra required would only be possible via a lever/bell crank, so it is easier to try and do it straight off the point blades. Unfortunately, the ground signals need to rotate 90 degrees, so I'll need to do some experimenting to see if that is possible. For now, they will have to remain cosmetic.

After months of working on locos and rolling stock, attention now turns to the signalling department. Belmullet currently only has the Arigna Town, three arm signal which was modelled on that one on the Sligo Leitrim that controlled three level crossings. Here, it covers arrivals to each side of the loop and also acts as an advanced starter. However, both the main platform and bay need departure signals, while the single slip ought to have at least a couple of ground signals, so these are forming the next projects. An order to Wizard Models quickly secured enough etched and cast parts to supplant what I had left over from the SLNCR signal construction, in the form of a set of Saxby and Farmer arms, a couple of cast posts and a couple of ground signal kits. The latter are actually GNR/LNER versions, but look very similar to the County Donegal ground signal from Alphagraphix. They are actually MSE kits and can be made to work. Was hoping to connect them to the blades of the single slip, so as these moved, they would make the discs turn. Unfortunately, the blades only move a couple of mm, but the signals should turn 90 or even 180 degrees, so quite how this can be made to happen, I currently have no idea! Anyway, the kits themselves are simple enough once you've read the instructions a few times & have been placed in what I hope are appropriate positions. The discs can be turned by hand for photographic purposes. Elsewhere, while I had black and white acrylic paint out, the Irish Shell tank wagon has had the bare metal on the strapping touched in, while the undergrowth on the front edge of the baseboards has been significantly embellished with a mixture of postiche, coarse and fine crumb to represent weeds, dog roses and the like - though I'd still like to add some nettles eventually too. The photos show the existing signal, plus the new ground signals and a sketch of what the starters should eventually look like, plus the new ground cover and Irish Shell tank.

The more you think about it, the more complicated it becomes, as there are overlaps everywhere. My impression with the Hatton's system is that is is designed as a guide for folk interested in getting into the hobby, who don't have much knowledge of railway history. While it should be fairly obvious that steam precedes diesel, after that, the lines do begin to blur, so guiding folk to know what coaches or wagons run with what loco at what time seems sensible. After that, then (hopefully) people will be drawn into deeper historic research as they start to focus on a particular time period and/or location. Something like jhb 's system makes good sense to me.

Meanwhile, back in the mists of time, the Vikings are raiding the coast of England, but after many expeditions over the years, Olaf decides he's getting old for this, plus his sight is failing, so plans that the next raid will be his last, so he asks his wife if she would like his to bring something home for her. As it happens, I would, she says - can you get me a stainless steel sink, dearie? Olaf is dubious about this, but promises to do his best. When the raiding party lands on the coast, he tells his crew to look out for a stainless steel and not come back without one. After a weekend of pillaging, the crew return to the ship, but apart from a few woad pots and other trinkets there is no sign of a sink. Eventually, the last crewman comes stumbling across the beach and certainly seems to be carrying something large on his shoulders. However, when he gets close enough for Olaf to see what it is, the old man realises that it is not what he wanted, but instead is a bricklayer's hod. Olaf demands and explanation and reply comes: Well, everybody knows a hod is as good as a sink to a blind Norse...

Every morning, a man takes the bus to his local golf course, where he has found that he can find lots of lost balls from those playing in the gloom the night before. On this particular morning, he fills his pockets to bursting point. Going back home on the bus, a young lady sits opposite him and he notices her staring at his trousers. Golf balls, he explains. Ooh, is that like housemaid's knee? She replies...

For me, that is a fabulous piece of weathering. So much subtlety - the overhead view along the boiler looks so right. As for all the oily bits, just superb and against the background of Rosses Point station the colours compliment each other beatifully. First glance, I thought you'd unearthed some new, digitally enhanced prototype photos. It really does look that good!

Not a lot to report on my usual Sunday evening slot, though the Irish Shell tank is now built - if far from finished. Largely enjoyable, though far from simple! I'd forgotten how much of a pain the strapping is to put together. It is one of those kits that a beginner could have a go at, but you certainly need a lot of tools to make it happen - if I could be bothered, I'd make a list. However, next step will be to get out my copy of The Art of Weathering, by Martin Welch. As hinted earlier, still a fair bit to do...

Trawling the web, noticed that Worsley Works are planning to do a range of GSWR six wheel coach body etchings. How soon, it doesn't say, but could be very useful when they are. Just sides, ends and fold down battery boxes, if appropriate, but will take much of the hard work out of building a panelled coach body for sure. There is also a selection of GNRI and NCC bogie coach bodies, which makes me wonder who has bought/made any and if so, why we haven't seen them here...

Roughly G scale, If think. 0 is 1/43 and Gauge 1 is approx 1/32

Very much good enough for the model press! Would make an interesting article, especially as something that isn't the usual branch line terminus. With all the adverts for models of Irish diesels, it would be great to see them in a proper setting. Plus, as we all know here of course, it is a layout that operates really well too. RM pay about £35 a page, including pictures, so not to be sniffed at either. They like as high a resolution as possible for photos, but are happy to turn sketch plans for track layouts into quality art work. Then there is the best thrill of seeing your own work in print. Go for it!

George is right - would definitely grace the pages of the model press extremely well and certainly deserves a wider audience.

After an abortive attempt to hand letter the tank wagon as 'Irish Shell' [best not to ask], did an internet trawl and came up with a nice set of self adhesive 12.7mm vinyl letters. Admittedly not exactly the right font, but they look the part and were simple to apply, so can now get on and add the strapping and other detail.

Only just noticed this thread, so must pay more attention, as would have been useful with my mail train 4-4-0! Having seen numerous mentions of balancing such locos via weight on the tender draw bar, it was really interesting to see it properly explained, so many thanks John. Was starting to think I may have to go down this route with Wolf Dog, but the small size of the ABC motor/gearbox has enabled a fair bit of lead to be packed around it in the ash pan. Add in a couple of inches of 18mm solid brass road in the boiler and some more lead in the firebox and it was at last able to move the three coaches. Whitemetal crew help too! Have included my lineup often of the century locos on the fiddle yard table.

Thanks Mic, that's very kind of you, but have solved the problem by adding a piece of solid brass rod to the boiler. Mayner's post in the Tutorials section on balancing 4-4-0s came in useful too.

Oh my... Certainly won't be doing that on my tiny lathe, but inspirational all the same.

Ok, here's another. An egg and a chicken are sitting in bed, sharing a post coital cigarette. The chicken says, 'Well that solves the riddle then!'

Sounds splendid. For me, there's a lot to be said for smaller projects - they are easier to complete, there is still plenty of interesting operation/play value and you can indulge in more than one fantasy. If you do get bored with one, build another!

Best read with a French accent. Pierre is a fighter pilot and one day he takes his girlfriend Mimi for a picnic. After a while, things get amorous and they start kissing, though Mimi is a little perturbed when Pierre pours red wine on her face. Pierre! What are you doing? I am Pierre the fighter pilot and when I kiss your rich red lips, I must have the red wine to accompany them. Things develop and Mimi's top comes off, though she is surprised when Pierre pours white wine over her bosom. Pierre, what are you doing? I am Pierre the fighter pilot and when I kiss your milky white bosom, I need the white wine to accompany it. Now things get really amorous and Mimi's drawers come down. However, she is horrified when Pierre pours brandy over her and sets fire to it. Pierre! What are you doing??? I am Pierre the fighter pilot and when I go down, I go down in flames!

Thanks both. Still pondering the turntable, though at the moment am hoping the extension rails won't be too noticeable once I've worked on the ground cover. However, the rails actually stick out a good 2cm (three scale feet), which must be dubious in real life. A Kitwood Models 11.25 inch turntable would fit, though the motor would project below the bottom of the baseboard frame, not ideal for transportation. Also, at the moment, the kit is unavailable. Moving the backscene a bit might be necessary if I go along the Kitwood route, but it all adds up to quite a bit of surgery. Still, no shows for a while yet, so plenty of time to ponder.

Lovely stuff.

All sorts of factors can affect running Tony, but temperature and humidity can cause problems. Living in a centrally heated workshop, Arigna Town never liked cold exhibition halls, while the unsealed concrete floors of the No 5 Covered Slip in Chatham Dockyard were a nightmare at shows there - folk were cleaning rails and wheels several times a day. In my experience the other key factor is how many pickups the loco has, with the basic rule being 'as many as possible'. Bo-Bo and Co-Co diesels can be great if picking up on all wheels, whereas short, four wheel locos will always be less well off. Those Kato and Atlas American diesels were light years ahead of British outline stuff for years with pick ups on all wheels and no doubt flywheels too. At shows, always enjoy watching American N and HO layouts - not only do the locos run well but the stock does too. Anyway, building a layout for the grandson sounds like a fine way to occupy Lockdown!

At long last, the Mail Train is almost finished! The marathon began back in November, with the loco largely complete by mid March - around 100 days and probably 180-200 hours construction time. Somewhat surprisingly, the coaches have only taken three weeks or so. Ok, one only needed a repaint, another was a kit, with just the PLM van being scratch built. There are still a few things to do, not least that Wolf Dog awaits its name and numberplate. It also needs some more lead in the firebox/boiler, as it currently can't pull its train! However, fingers crossed, am fairly confident all will be well - the loco itself runs just fine, but sheet lead is not something you order through the post! This week has been spent doing the lining and lettering on the coaches & I'm very grateful for the support folk here have offered. As Ken says, above, information is scarce and much is down to guess work, though JHBAchill of this parish has been a huge source of help. So, the [posed] pictures show Wolf Dog arriving with its train and is later seen in the platform alongside my 101 class 0-6-0. The latter is not exactly a big loco, but the 4-4-0 looks very dainty alongside. There are individual pictures of the coaches too. However, all is not entirely well in the loco depot. I'd checked that Wolf Dog would fit on the turntable and though it was always going to be a tight fit, I didn't see any problems. Unfortunately though, the loco's buffers are very long and foul the back scene. So, after a pause for a few rude words, it was a case of how do I get out of this then? Ideally, the turntable needs to move about half an inch in from the back scene. Well, that ain't going to happen and nor is the back scene going to be moved half an inch back either. Kitwood Models do a very nice laser cut turntable kit of a slightly larger diameter, but I really don't want to do major surgery on the baseboard. The answer [for the moment anyway] has been to add about half an inch to the turntable rails, by using fishplates and soldering small pieces at each end. This has meant clearing away the undergrowth around the turntable, which isn't pretty, but hopefully can be tidied up later. The main compromise is that the rails project about a scale two feet beyond the end of the deck. Clearly not right, but hopefully not too noticeable. Whether I can live with this remains to be seen. Either way, I'm pretty much 'Mail Trained out' for now, so am looking forward to doing something different. There is the oil tank to finish, the scenery certainly needs tidying up around the turntable and the baseboard fascias are long overdue a fresh coat of paint. That's model railways for you - always something new took keep you busy. And of course, many, many thanks for all the positive comments - they really do inspire you to keep going.

Really looking the part now. Comparison with photo of the prototype shows how well it is working out.

Could easily start salivating over the Swilly, though in a perfect world would want to do it in 10mm scale, so little short of a big lottery win needed to make that happen and I don't buy tickets...