murrayec

Hi BosKonay Her is the new jacket for Amiens! Test prints back from the printer yesterday, it looks pretty good. The chaps machine is running really well at the moment. I was not to sure of the new IR logo, but it looks great on the green background. Pity about the front logo, they should have kept the colour in it. Sadly destined to be cut out at a later date! murrayec

Hi This is for you BosKanoy, I remembered today that I took this video at a Liffey Valley Show last year. [video=youtube_share;DY7uCMEx600] A bit of Irish 'n' American! murrayec

Richie Checkout this link, there is a drawing here, its low rez but it could help after you get it into photoshop!;- http://www.bulleidlocos.org.uk/%28S%28cbrttsxmp3ux3fopgk21yrq1%29%29/_oth/cc1_itb.aspx murrayec

Hi Thanks for all the great comments, I'm chuffed myself as to how they are turning out. Boskonay I'm sorry I do not have more images of the current build, 2 of the sets are now gone into service. I'm so much behind on completing them, the minute they are ready they are out to the owners. I wanted to do a video of the whole batch complete, which would have been great to see- an 8 coach windowed DART train! it would have been a first. But, sadly its not to be this time. I am finishing each order separately- I find its far easier on my head, and I devote end time on each order to get it right, running well and no mistakes. I will post images of the next 2 sets when the bodies are on- should be next week! I have discussed with the owners that we have to get them all back together at a show or the like, to get photos and video- all agree. In the next build I should have more time murrayec

Hi All Just to let you know, I now have the new DART Logo Livery as an option;- also -you got to check out this web page, some classic DART shoe box modelling going on here;- http://homepage.tinet.ie/~cronews/bushmills/dart/braystation.htm murrayec

Hi Phil Here's something for your BnM info file and some may not know;- This is a BSA C15T trials bike that the BnM foremen rode around the bog on in the 60's, I know its not a train but I always wanted to make a model of one but never had a reason. I'm not sure if its applicable to your model location but they did have a fleet of them! When I saw the tractor tipping wagon- oh and the vice, I could see one of these bikes, weathered and leaning up against the side rail murrayec

Hi heirflick Yes, the liveries are all the same price. you can have 1. CIE livery when first introduced in the 80's 2. DART logo livery 3. Guinness Add livery 4. DART 25 livery 5. Mock Dart - as model displayed in the RDS in the 80's 6. The S bahn livery Special body prints can be done also for additional cost of setting up the artwork. murrayec

Hi BosKonay Yes sound is in the works, but not worked on at the moment. I have designed around a Digitrax sound chip and all the current model being built have a modified under-frame boxing to take a 28mm dia speaker. I have set-up some sounds- horn, compressor, wheel sequel and electric motor speed up and down. Running sound I leaving to the model its self - it sounds great on its own! Will get back to it soon murrayec

Hi Thanks for comments and her is my current price list; murrayec

Hi Absolutely deadly murrayec

Hi All Haven't done a post in a while, been busy! I am currently a month and a bit behind schedule so any of you with orders please hang in there. Orders 1, 5 and 7 are coming to completion and some parts for the next batch of orders- 8, 12, 13 & 14 are made. Here are a few photos of the current build; This is a photo of the basic build steps in constructing the model. This photo shows the new interior side print. The production line! The passengers have to leave their feet behind! murrayec

Hi Guys The gears can be usually removed by- pulling off one wheel and then the gear and then replace the wheel ensuring the correct back-to-back wheel dimension is achieved. The gears are generally tolerance fit on the axle. Don't remove the gears from the wheel sets without disconnecting the motor power- if you run the model with electrical pickups working- for lights and chip control the motor will be screaming along not under load- I reckon a motor like that cannot last to long and will most likely let you know by melting down! Disconnect the power to the motor. murrayec

Hi Have you got a bogie that I could take a look at to get an idea of what you are looking for? murrayec

Hi Walter It all looks excellent You were singing with Santa! Sorry I missed that murrayec

Hi Sven Great to hear from you We have based the drawings for the boards off the NMRA standard (as far as I know Fremo boards are based on this). There has been some mods due to availability of items here- mainly the connectors. Otherwise the boards should connect with international standards! Please PM me if we have made major blunders and this can be corrected. As you say Fremo was set up for running trains and I posted a pdf above for all to view and discuss. Our design idea was concentrated on having a modular two line main track that runs throughout the system and side tracks which would be controlled by owners of individual modules. The drawings indicate that the system can be run as a loop, or divided up into separate end to end layouts, or as one large end to end layout. As Dave suggests we should meet with interested modellers to discuss, hatch plans and solidify- In the new year we will have a 4 to 6 board sample layout to show all and this is will be the time to do this. murrayec

Hi Walter Looking fantastic in the photos, looking forward to seeing it in the flesh murrayec

Hi Myself and Baseboard Dave were discussing the drawings over the last few days- We have decided to revert back to 600mm for the depth of the boards in the drawing, this is because not all raw material boards are supplied with clean-n-straight edges so to allow for economics in getting 4 tops from the one sheet- its best to allow for a bit of trimming. I will update the drawing over the next few days Any comments murrayec

Hi One will be hard pressed to find a white ink cartridge for the standard home printer, there are white cartridges for high end printers and ribbon printers- 'Alps' and the like! but who has a $7,000.00 printer in their bedroom? To do the white text in Broithe's image I would match the wagon red colour and print it in the background of the decal on white paper. This may take a few goes to match the colour- buy more sheets of paper than you need! murrayec

oops! 'chipping off the ink' murrayec

Hi timmycork Yes I print my own decals, here are some tips;- Broithe is right, white is a major problem! I get over it by printing on white decal paper with a border of the models colour your going to stick it on. When printed cut it out with a brand new scalpel within the border, after you have sealed it of course. Sometimes you get a faint white line on the edge of the decal, its the knife chipping off the paint as it cuts, that's why I recommend a new blade Clear decal paper is no use with my inkjet printer- if the decal is going onto a dark colour background it wont work, the background comes through. Light colours work but it is like the forum link above, you can see the timber colour come through the decal. Inkjet inks are only a dye and not opaque. Paper is also a problem- the best I have found so far in the model shops is 'Testors' , I have found other papers do not take the ink well, the ink bleeds before it dries. Also the clear coating can be a problem, I use 'Super Cal' 'Last Step' for this. I tried their paper and the ink bled all over the place. Make sure when the decal is on you seal the model in the area of the decal with varnish Hope this helps murrayec

Hi On the John Ahern's books- Diarmuid Byrne (Weir Books) has a paperback copy of 'Miniature Locomotive Construction' . I saw it on his stand at the Clarion Hotel show last Sunday. murrayec

Hi I'm up to my eyes working on DART orders- I have had to take a rest from everything else. Hopefully soon I will be back to the modular idea, also I believe Dave is up to his eyes in Christmas baseboard orders! murrayec

Hi All Don't want to step on toes! but we can talk about greens that were on this and that and how it looks at a distance on a grey day or in full sun light.... References is the man! preferably in BS, RAL or other standard systems. References give a standard starting point and then the modeller can adjust to his/her preferences. Here are some I worked out; Poot's light green = (BS4800) - 12-D-53 (Known as 'Linden' in the Dulux range) - Green undercoat IR light green = (BS4800) - 12-D-43 - Green undercoat Poot's dark green = (BS4800) - 12-D-45 (Known as 'Sherwood' in the Dulux range) Green undercoat If anyone can add to this list of references we would then have a starting point for painting models and a standard could be kept. murrayec

Hi I'd take a tin or two, from Hawkins st murrayec

Hi I've been playing with tinted varnish to scale the colours A very small drop of matt black or a matt dark brown into the final varnish coat, after everything is complete- decals, rails, wipers..etc; One can progressively tint the whole model in several goes until the desired finish is achieved and it cuts out messing around with getting correct scale colours. murrayec