David Holman

Just arrived! A hefty tome and first impressions say to me that this is a genuinely academic piece of work, work by of a doctorate of PhD. Arise therefore professors Clements, McMahon and O'Rourke!

There are a few things to consider with track beyond getting the gauge right. As Galteemore shows, ballasting and weathering make a huge difference, but choose you rail carefully too. Am fairly sure Rosses Point uses Code 100 flat bottomed rail, same as Belmullet, whereas the norm in 7mms scale is Code 124. Years ago, did an 0 gauge light railway with Code 100 track and got asked several times at shows if it was broad gauge, so just goes to show the effect of finer rail. Indeed, Peco 75 makes a big difference compared to 100. - though the improved sleeper spacing help too. Overall, for standard gauge, never mind broad gauge, Peco 100 is probably the least good option, followed by their 75, then the likes of EM and P4. For those who are too committed to 00, or just happy with the compromise, reducing the viewing angle helps a lot, as does careful ballasting and painting the rails and track the right colours. Things anyone should be able to do and probably a key step in turning a train set into a model railway. It remains however down to the individual and as long as you enjoy it, that is all that matters. No prizes for guessing where my own preferences lie of course!

All looks good fun.

Indeed, though love frog points and impeccable cleaning will be important. Might be a challenge to make 21mm gauge!

Plus the nearest track seems at a slightly higher level, which also makes a difference.

Mine too - expected tomorrow!

You could always cut the roofs off, add some internal and external bracing (plus a repaint and considerable weathering) - then Robert is your father's brother and a turf train emerges!

Wow, thanks Leslie. That picture is in Rails to Achill and I've been trying to look at it with a magnifier, but this is much better.

We had the first bit of sunshine this year today, after three solid days of it raining cats and dogs and donkeys. Don't you folk over the water tell me it was just a soft day - it's been 'orrible. The upshot of the grim weather is plenty of modelling time - plus the fact that, in lockdown again, we can't go anywhere either. Oh well. So, did some more to the tender. Had thought I'd got through most of the challenging bits, but had forgotten about the outside frames - five lozenge shaped holes and one rounded triangular one each side. Did the usual two bits of 10 thou NS soldered together and then proceeded to drill a few holes so I could fret out these awkward shapes. Five minutes and five broken saw blades later, finally realised that the two pieces of metal were not completely joined in the middle, which caused the saw blades to catch and break. Plan B turned out to be a bit drastic, as I used a slitting disc in the Dremel to cut slots in each lozenge shape, so I could then nibble out enough space with the Xuron cutters to get a file in to finish off. Some unwanted excitement with the Dremel as I didn't properly tighten the collet, which caused the mandrill to vibrate and it actually then bent at right angles and flew off across the workshop. Fortunately no damage done, apart from needing a new mandrill. A friend who volunteers at the Kent & East Sussex wasn't as lucky before Christmas when a piece of clothing got caught in one of the big lathes, so he is now nursing a broken arm, cracked kneecap and multiple abrasions. Safety first, methinks... It took two goes to add the outside frames to the tender footplate, because I initially made the latter a scale foot too wide. Second lesson of course - measure twice, cut once. Have since completed the the two upper sides and rear, while also adding captive nuts, front and rear, to act as fixing points for the body and chassis. Now, for those of you who have read this far, a question, please. Does anybody know what the front [cab end] of the tender looks like? The GSR Green Bible tells us that D16s had the Type R tender, which is not entirely unlike the ones used with the J18/19 and G2 classes, but it seems to lack the vertical plate at the front, which presumably stopped the coal sliding into the cab. There don't appear to be any tool boxes sitting on top of the tender either, though, so far, I can't find and pictures showing whether there was a coal chute on the tender front, or if the fireman simply shovelled the coal from the top. Any thoughts and info welcome, please and apologies for the poor photos, one of which shows the Z type from my G2.

Am sure there are many of us who would be interested in that.

That or witchcraft.

Tendering The loco is currently about as far as I can take it at the moment. No sign of the motor/gearbox I've ordered, while am still investigating things like chimney, dome, buffers etc. A bit more detailing has gone in - the sanding operating rods and filler caps, plus the reversing wheel and seats in the cab. So, made a start on the tender - first remembering to read what Geoff Kent says in his books and making a couple more drawings. Thus far have made the chassis/inside frames. Used 28thou nickel silver strip, with two pieces soldered together, then drilled/sawn for the axles. The outer ones use top hat bearings, with the middle one running in a set of Slater's sprung brass hornblocks.

A loco emerges! Sounds like it has been a battle at times, but got to be worth it. As for that long boiler, with the firebox perched behind the rear drivers, these locos must have been the last 'long boiler' engines ever constructed - and around 100 years after they went out of fashion everywhere else! Well done -really starting to take shape now.

Very much my favourite part of the layout. The shiny concrete, tyre tracks and general atmosphere all work well together. Pretty it ain't, but bucket loads of character for sure.

So well presented - must be a joy to operate. As Robert says, proper time travel.

Both sound mouth watering Paul. Still love the overall concept of S, with that strangely attractive track gauge of 63/64ths of an inch - presumably you still have all the stock too? If I was starting again, especially with what I know now, feel sure it would be my choice. However, much to like in 7mm. Yes, you still have to make a lot yourself, but there is plenty to help, both from generic bits and pieces, plus Alphagraphix and Studio Scale too. Goes without saying that, when exhibitions can start again, Belmullet will be offering running rights to any visiting locos, though the headshunt is only big enough for small tender locos and tank engines! Reminds me of when you and Richard Chown were watching his Lissadell perform on Arigna Town at the Manchester show a few years back. At that point, we representing 60% of Irish broad gauge exhibitors! A few more have joined the fold since then and who knows, one day it might be possible to do a broad gauge show?

On Fintonagh the back to back is set at 19mm. Am guessing much will depend on the wheels in use, so it could need to vary according to type. A gauge is easy enough to make from thick brass or aluminium, alternatively use a vernier gauge. Didn't say earlier, but think it is great you are going for 21mm ish, because it will make all the difference visually, but likewise applaud your desire to extend modelling skills. Nothing wrong with 'out of the box', but there is much satisfaction to be had for taking things to a different level. Enjoy!

For my Fintonagh project, have used standard wagon and coach wheels, but replaced the steel axles with 2mm brass wire. Easy to put pointed ends on to go in bearing cups, in W irons. Though 7mm scale, the layout is 21mm gauge using finescale 4mm clearances.

I think the issue between P4 and EM wheels is that P4, being 18.83 (for the standard gauge) has thinner, pretty much scale, wheels, but these are nearly a millimetre wider, because EM is 18.2mm. When doing 5'3, 21mm track the choices seem as follows: Use P4 standards, which require very fine, accurate track building and some form of springing and/or compensation in ALL stock because flanges are very small Use 21mm gauge track with 4mm finescale standards. In other words flangeways through point crossings/ frogs of 1mm, the same as 00 finescale. Works perfectly well without going to sprung or compensated chassis, BUT the slightly thicker wheels will mean some fettling may be required in chassis designed for the narrower gauge. This might just mean thinning W irons, but could mean a new chassis. The latter not as dramatic as you'd think, especially for a 4 wheel wagon. Diesel locos should be OK, but steam outline locos could be an issue, especially ready to run ones if they have splashers which could be too narrow and therefore need a substantial rebuild. Use 'Irish EM ', yes, it does exist, a track gauge of 20.2mm. Templot has drawings for points and crossings. Some of the issues above may still apply, but the 0.8mm narrower gauge will still look way better than 16.5 but give that little bit extra space for existing wheels. Hope this helps!

That's quite a project!

More details Not much in the way of distractions over Christmas round here. Tier 4 severely limits who you can meet, and as for the TV, unless you like soaps, reality nonsense or cookery, there's not much to tempt me away from the workshop before food and wine take over! So a tour round the loco reveals the following: Cab beading was made using 10thou nickel silver strip - am learning from Geoff Holt's books and made a basic former from thin timber. After tinning with solder it was fairly simple to sweat into place Cab hand rails next, from 0.8mm brass wire, plus what I guess are holders for single line tokens - 1.2mm wire this time Boiler hand rails will go on later, but fitted a run of short knobs down each side. Struggled to solder these neatly, so rather more cleaning up needed than I would have liked. In the early 1900s, D16s had a single handrail running round both sides and then over the top of the smokebox. Two more knobs here, but can't fit them yet, as the handrail won't go on until after painting. Smokebox front - this is the loco's 'face' and therefore very important to get right. I made the door from three separate circles of nickel silver. The outer one was made slightly larger, so I could create a dished shape, by using the rounded end of a file handle on the metal while held against a computer mouse mat. Once the three layers were soldered together, they were drilled through the centre for the 'dart', in this case an adapted lost wax casting with one handle clipped and filed off, then a hand wheel soldered on to the centre. Strapping is more NS strip, with a short length of wire for the hinge. Couldn't decide whether to just use transfers for the boiler bands, or metal strip. In the end, have gone for the latter, in the hope of making lining simpler - though this really will be a major challenge. The bands are strips of 5 thou phosphor bronze.

Some very nice 'gingerbread' there. Excellent detailing - should there be a coin or some such to give scale to the pictures?

Really interesting to read about the trials of kit design, but (assuming you are using it as an aid to scratch or batch building) certainly shows the value of this approach and definitely something to think about. Ideal models for a small space layout too - am guessing three of these would barely take up the space of two 'standard' wagons. The fine work, as ever!

A Christmas tease from JHB? Clearly a 4-10-2 from the Ulster and Connaught Railway, on display at Shanes Castle!

Saved mine for Christmas and just spent a pleasant hour reading through it, with many hours of pleasure to come. Some familiar photos, but many new ones, to me anyway, and very inspiring. Add another dozen or so locos and layouts to the wish list!