David Holman

A case of cleanliness before godliness where model railways are concerned! Know what you mean as have been slowly going through all my stock too and not just the locos. Wagon and coach wheels were all dirty enough to blacken a cotton bud soaked in meths - one per wagon required. They run much better now too and are not spreading fresh dirt around. Then I looked at my GS&WR brake van from Castle Rackrent. At first, I thought the wheels had been blackened, but it was a coat of grime getting on for half a millimetre thick - no doubt the result of many years hard work!

Indeed - I sometimes wonder if it would be easier to model in black and white! The diesel is coming on rather well though.

Quite a combination, must be two of our finest. Mike is of course the craftsman behind Judith Edge Kits, while Ian Rathbone is a master painter. His book on loco painting and lining sits alongside Martyn Welch's Art of Weathering as two of my most referred to books, not least because both are easy to read and apply. Wonder if Martyn will eventually get to do a bit of weathering on Maedh?

Fabulous. Many thanks John.

Looking at the early picture of the E class, am amazed how much difference the original chimney makes to the overall appearance of the loco. Were there any major rebuilds to the class, apart from the Waterford cab/bunker changes? Reason I ask is that my own J26 is eventually due to be backdated and while I'm happy to replace the chimney and do a repaint, there is little point if it needs a larger boiler etc. If it reappears in the Tyrconnel range, would certainly recommend it. A simple, easy build, mine took just 40 hours including painting and weathering. Runs well too.

Ace kits are the work of Bill Ascough. Advertises in the modelling magazines and has quite a large range of loco kits that are good for the experienced modeller, but not a beginner, I'd say. Nothing Irish, as far as I know, but does do kits for the Woolwich 2-6-0s. Indeed, in the past has hinted at doing the GSR versions.

I now use a small jeweller's screwdriver instead of a nail. To help the grass stand up, I go over the area treated with the vacuum cleaner nozzle, covered with a handkerchief. Find 12mm fibres too long, 6mm is about the limit, but you can make longer grass by going over the same area twice.

Apply the three foot rule and a bit of weathering and you have the makings of a nice new project. Certainly look good to me.

Here's the post I did in 2016, after the Manchester show.

Only just caught up with this thread again. Interesting to get livery details, not least because my own Small Tanks, Fermanagh and Hazelwood are in need of some TLC, mostly just paintwork, but a good excuse to correct a couple of errors... My name plates are black, rubbed with wet and dry to reveal the brass letters - a whole lot easier than painting the raised letters red! Tempting to do red background and raised brass letters therefore and Sir Henry can be the same. Also useful to see the SLNCR lettering on the tank sides as Fermanagh will be back dated to early 1900s eventually. That said, when I had the pleasure of meeting Richard Chown at the Manchester show a few years ago, and we ran his version of Lissadell on Arigna Town. This was in lined green, with a polished brass dome. Anyone got any ideas when this livery gave way to black? Will post a pic of Lissadell later.

Not sure the Swilly would work in 7mms scale on 00 track. It only equates to 2'4 and the Swilly locos were big. That said, the garden could be a good way to try and represent the wide open spaces. Given unlimited time and wealth, doing it to 10mm scale on 0 gauge track would be my own preference, though it ain't gonna happen....

Does things properly, does Eoin. An example, nay inspiration to us all.

Indeed, many of us would be happy with that as the finished article. Laser cutter at work, Warb?

A layout that proves the adage of 'less is more'. Fine modelling and excellent staging have more than a bit to do with it as well, mind.

Angus's thread has certainly got me thinking about traffic and traction in the west of County Mayo for my own project. My imagineering is that as per some of the projects mentioned in Rails to Achill, a line to Belmullet was eventually built, running west from Ballina. Stretching things a bit further [ok, a lot], I see the line as a joint venture between the SLNCR and the WL&W. A line from Swinford, on the Burma Road, to Foxford on the Ballina branch would have given the SLNCR a route of around 100 miles, though in best Irish practice, this would have been broken into separate sections no doubt. Also, by adding a MGW branch from Mallarany to Belmullet [all lines in pursuit of Canadian Pacific mails of course], then I have much the same traffic and traction as at Sligo, albeit on a smaller scale. The reasons for this flight of fantasy are the collections of locos and stock I built up for Arigna Town, plus the subsequent acquisition of models from Richard Chown's estate - notably WL&W 0-6-0 Shannon and the 101 kit. As mentioned before, the idea is to be able to operate both in the 1950s and early 1900s. 1950s I can do already, this being when Arigna Town was set. It will be somewhat SLNCR and MGW heavy, because that is what I have. Hence the roster is planned to include: SLNCR railcar and railbus SLNCR mixed train - coach No 9, of course! Both on local trains to Ballina, with connections onwards to Sligo and Enniskillen. SLNCR goods traffic to/from the harbour. This will be a mix of cattle and supplies for the distillery. I fancy having at least one converted WLW six wheel carriage carrying turf and Bord na Mona has [had?] workings near Belmullet An SLNCR passenger excursion, but using a D17 for power from Ballina. CIE goods, with a new engine, as I've just ordered a Tyrconnel J18/19 kit from Alphagraphix CIE passenger excursion, using the G2 2-4-0 and Atcock six wheelers. Both these coming from Westport. For the early 1900s, I need to tinker with history a bit, as my 101/J15 was built after the WLW was absorbed by the GSW, while I want to keep Shannon as Richard built it, in WLW livery. So, the take over has been put back a couple of years. This gives me the following options to explore: A WLW 'mail goods', using Shannon with a full brake, carriage truck and Richard's two Dublin & Meath brake vans. Very Castle Rackrent. A GSWR excursion headed by the 101. This will have a GSW 6w 1st, a WLW brake 3rd and two horse boxes A MGW mail train with D15 'Wolf Dog' hauling 6w TPO, 3rd and birdcage brake A MGW goods using my J26, though this will need a new chimney and repaint An SLNCR goods with one of the Small Tanks bringing in coal from Arigna and general goods out. Especially in the 1900s period, the SLNCR would take traffic eastwards to Sligo, Enniskillen, Derry and Belfast. WL&W traffic would head south for Limerick and Cork, while the MGW would handle stuff for Westport and Dublin. Good, if slightly implausible excuses! Equally, if the Canadian Pacific mail traffic had materialised, then, for a while at least, Belmullet would have become quite thriving railway hub, one that might just have lasted into the 1950s unlike the Achill and Clifden lines. As for work on the layout itself, many hours have been spent test running. Turns out most of the points needed adjusting, along with back to backs on many of the wheels. As a result, derailments are [mostly] eliminated, though work is still needed to make the Dingham couplings work more efficiently. Half a millimetre makes all the difference! One of these days, I will get back to model making again - lets face it, the 'to do' list is considerable.

Clever!

Fine water tank in the background too.

Do indeed have a copy of the Garrett drawing, so by all means pm me and I will scan it for you. Forget who gave it to me, but do remember it was sourced from the late Desmond Coakham's stuff. Get the impression it was almost a promotional affair which could have been built using standard parts. Briefly considered building one till I realised that, not only would it not fit in the headshunt, but it would have only left room for a train of three wagons in the fiddle yard...

Had an email from Railway Modeller today. My article on Fintonagh, with excellent photos by CM Editor Andrew Burnham, will be in the June edition of RM, due out next Thursday.

Here lies the dilemma between actual and fictitious modelling. Build a model of an actual location and you have the issues of finding a suitable view breaker for the fiddle yard(s), together with whether or not to compress/leave out certain aspects to fit the space available. Build a might have been or fictitious location and you can tailor everything to fit your site, but will it end up looking contrived? No easy answer of course!

Lessons for all of us here, not least that it doesn't have to take years to build a model railway - you can have something up and running in a fairly short space of time. Nothing wrong with taking longer of course, but for anyone thinking of having a go, starting small and doing something achievable is the way to go methinks

The Mail Goods is an interesting train. Richard Chown had at least one on the Castle Rackrent system and photos indicate it was often Shannon, with a parcels van and various wagons, including open carriage trucks and his Dublin and Meath brake vans. This is something I hope to replicate on Belmullet, especially as I have Shannon now, plus his two Dublin and Meath brake vans. Presumably the key to a Mail Goods, is that no passengers were carried, unlike the many night mail trains to Dublin from places like Sligo.

Splendid. Peco now do a bespoke motor unit, though the factory is currently closed so you are relying on trader stocks. Kernow Models certainly operating though.

Now there's a thought. A lot of things stayed the same for long periods, but people's clothes changed, as did road vehicles. The trouble with changing buildings to enable different paint jobs is finding space to store them. Easy enough in 2mm, less so in 7mm. Definitely worth thinking about though.

Very convincing!