David Holman

Only just found this thread and very good the Lego model is too. Really remarkable what can be done when you put your mind to it. Speaking of remarkable things, in the latest Railway Modeller is a review of KRModels 'GT3' - the English Electric gas turbine 4-6-0. Clearly they must believe there is a market for such a beast (and very nice it looks too), so maybe an rtr Turf Burner is not so far fetched after all, especially when KRModels are actually planning to do a Leader...

This book one I wasn't aware of, but found a cheap second hand copy on Amazon and took a punt. Very glad I did too. Ok, so the photo quality isn't that great (but it was published in 1974), but there are plenty of interesting maps and diagrams - including one of how Limerick Junction was worked. That dust jacket is just wonderful, not least because the painting also includes a WL&WR 4-4-0 in all its glory. Wasn't expecting the text to be quite so comprehensive either, which is another bonus. Well worth seeking out a copy I'd say.

A friend of mine drives the Javelin high speed commuter units and is not allowed to drink for 48 hours before going on duty and gets regularly tested. Just as well really, when they go up to 140mph. That said, once on the North Kent line, these racers actually become all station stoppers - bit of a waste somehow. However, also tells me that Channel Tunnel drivers could potentially get away with all sorts of things as the locos are pretty much fully automatic.

I believe there are regulations about sending paint in the post, so the moral of the story is to avoid buying it this way of you can - or at least order enough to offset the high delivery charges.

Managed to get a tinlet of Humbrol 27004, metalcote gunmetal, in a local independent DIY store today. Not even in the current catalogue, so quite a find. They had the full range, but both matt and gloss black out of stock, but at least there was black in the wargame acrylics set.

Not perfect, Robert, but passes the two foot rule! Fox stuff is good, but as you say, not entirely user friendly, though this lining pack seems better than ones I last used a couple of years ago. The range is astonishing and we are all grateful for that, but trying to find what you want is a challenge. Also, the complex shapes on the D16 mean some templates are not available, so care and Microsol required to tease around corners.

Thanks everyone. Credit must go to our resident livery guru, jhbachill, who has been really helpful in identifying likely shades. Thinking about it, the tops of both the piano front/valve chest and splashers should be in black, while the outer white line on most, if not all panels on the loco itself need going over in black too.

Serious stuff! Love to see proper engineering and workshop practice in action. So much to learn and really interesting, even if you're not about to copy it. Meanwhile, to paraphrase Crocodile Dundee - now that's a lathe!

Alchemy! As Galteemore says, the smokebox door makes all the difference and the dogs around the edges can easily be made from bits of plastic strip too. Nobody knows once the paint is applied. While is is only right to chase prototype fidelity, there is always the old adage about 'if it looks right, it is right' and we can all be encouraged by what Westcorkrailway is brewing here, not least because the skills involved are very much the same as in kit and scratchbuilding. A great way to learn, have fun and most of all produce something that is yours to be proud of.

As I'm still waiting for brass bar to arrive [hopefully next week], decided to make a start on the painting. The loco and tender chassis have been done in matt black, though the inside faces of the loco frames are red, as per practice in the early 1900s. Must admit that I'm more than a bit disappointed with Precision matt black paint, which shows brush marks, despite my best efforts and doesn't look as good as Humbrol. The loco and tender body is Halford's 'Garden Green' - the nearest I can get to what I'm told is MGWR green, apparently Great Central green is close, in the absence of colour photos, though a Google search does throw up a model loco in this shade. Initially, it looked very bright indeed, but as is often the case, once things like the tender top, footplate top, axles boxes and so on are picked out in black, it does change things. Likewise when paired with the chassis, where the wheel spokes are green, but the rims and centres black. The boiler/smokebox is a separate unit, so will not be painted until the chimney and dome are made and added. Have also ordered etched name and number plates from Diane Carney - not cheap at over £40, but as bespoke items, still a fair price I think. So to the lining! The main reason I haven't posted anything for a couple of weeks is that my attempts with a bow pen proved a miserable failure, even on just the relatively simple tender lining, so I really couldn't see me mastering the horrifically complicated loco lining, especially on the cab. Hence put in an order to Fox Transfers for some white/black/white transfer lining sheets, including various curves. Even so, it is proving very challenging, so the photos just show progress thus far, including the cab interior.

Apologies to New IrIsh Lines, which is edited by Alan, of course! I meant the IRRS journal

My New Irish Lines has just come through the letterbox and skimming through it found a lengthy and none too complimentary review of this book. No idea who GMB is, though could be the editor Gerald Beesley, who picks holes in it throughout. Personally, I've really enjoyed it and am always grateful for anything new about the Irish scene.

Good to get some background info on this lovely layout. Oozes atmosphere.

Fine work and full of character.

May not be scratchbuilding in the traditional sense, but still requires a lot of skill and practice. Great to see steam outline models being made too. Looking forward to seeing progress.

Now THAT'S a train!

Many thanks to Precision for their prompt delivery of two tinlets today, but am thinking they may have broken the world record for unnecessary amounts of packaging. The box was full of polystyrene balls, with the two tinlets encased in bubble wrap. Overkill or what?

As soon as I started reading this, the first thing that came to mind was the almost impossible conversion from 16.5 to 21mm gauge. Diesels are fairly easy, but as others have said, with steam outline there is too much stuff to change. However, given the rapid growth of 7mm scale ready to run, is there a market for an Irish prototype in 36.75mm gauge? Probably only a handful of us working in this scale at the moment, but when you look at how well things like Terriers, 08s, 14XX, Jinties and several industrial locos have been selling, it seems clear there is a market based on those who have always fancied moving to a larger scale. Note too, these are all small locos, so you can build an interesting layout in not much more space than needed for an 00 one. Costs are very reasonable too - less than £200 in some cases, which is significantly less than a 00 J15. While I wouldn't necessarily advocate using British outline wagons, they are certainly easy to regauge - simply requiring wheels to be moved out to 34mm back to back. Track? Nothing too challenging, especially when Marcway will do custom made points for not much more than Peco. Yes, that is still expensive, but at least you can get away with needing only a few on a small layout. My votes would be for a J26, a G class Deutz and a C class diesel. You could build a very nice layout around any of all of these and have a lot of fun operating them too. Warning - 7mm scale can be very addictive, but is it any wonder?

Wagon load The MGWR mail train, while not exactly stuck, is awaiting the arrival of brass bar, for chimney and dome, plus the motor gearbox, so while waiting for paint to dry on the chassis, turned my attention to a Christmas present from Mrs H - namely an S&D kits model delivery van. Needless to say, I actually ordered it, then gave it to her to wrap for Christmas Day, but, hey it's what I wanted. Articles by Richard Chown on his Castle Rackrent system show a carriage truck complete with what looks like a pantechnicon as part of his 'mail goods' train - hence wanted to portray something similar on Belmullet. The S&D kit is a nice set of white metal castings, which go together really well and the only things you need to be careful with are the spring assemblies are a bit fragile, plus actual painting needs a bit of forward planning. As can be seen, the kit comes with a nice set of transfers for the 'Desborough Co-operative Society'. These are too good to ignore, so am assuming the delivery van is a secondhand model which has been picked up cheaply and destined for the local sign writer's workshop before becoming part of the local Co-op's fleet. The other pictures show my latest acquisition, for which thanks are due to Eoin-Murrayec of this parish, who pointed me in the direction of Arceurotrade, who sell an amazing array of engineering products - a fair few of which I have no idea what they do! I can guess what a ' two flute ball nose end mill' might be, likewise a 'wiggler and centre finder set', but as for for a 'blank end arbor, with morse taper' - not a clue. They do a range of books too, from basic to advanced lathe work, through to one just on 'Spindles' to another intriguingly titled 'The Backyard Foundry'. I never knew there was so much stuff I wanted... What I did actually buy was a set of 4mm lathe cutting tools. They arrived very promptly and come in a nice little wooden box too, all of which suggests quality.

Doesn't hang about, does he? Splendid, as ever.

Seem to remember reading somewhere that as steam haulage faded around the world, it was not unknown for professional photographers to ask crews to chuck car tyres in the firebox to improve smoke effects.

Not of me you won't!

Might just be me, but with some of my Humbrol and Precision enamels running low, or in a couple of tinlets gone solid, suddenly realised I can't just pop down to the local model shop. On top of that, an internet search reveals many colours are in short supply, while the fact that they cannot be sent through the post makes buying just a couple of tinlets very expensive - like £5.99 instead of £1.80 Hattons out of matt black, Precision out of metallic brass, while Humbrol don't seem to have certain colours like 'dirty black' or metalcote gunmetal any more. Anyone else having problems?

Solder balls - who'd have thought it? Certainly some clever folk out there. Thanks Angus.

The rate was over 1300 in my part of Kent recently, though in East Sheppey, they topped 2500. There are three prisons there though! By the by, the local accent there is known as 'Swampy', while a full 'sleeve' type tattoo is known as a 'Sheppey Arm Warmer' in these parts, so it's not just Kerrymen who come in for some stick!