murrayec

The first show of 2017 is on next week....

Excellent David Lets see the BigBoy running... Looking forward to seeing this develop Eoin

Broithe Stunning photo

Hi All We had great attendants at the Christmas Fair on Dec 11th, thanks to all who dropped in and made it a very enjoyable morning and Merry Christmas to all..... Two in-progress projects were brought in to show off on the day, a beautiful freelance Gauge O 0-4-2 tank Loco, and a fantastic Gauge 1 2-6-2 Tank Loco Chassis- a live steam model incredibly machined and in another league.... See you in the new year Eoin

Hi David Cow-****! Loads of Cow-**** and horse do-do, that's what covered the roads.... I can recommend reference to Mr. 'Robert L. Chapman's Ireland', a publication of part of his photograph collection between 1907-1957. He took scenic photos around the county all featuring roads up close- photos of trains, bikes, motor bikes and street scenes. His famous shots are of the ice-cream vendor selling ices to the spectators watching the army on the other side of the Liffey, duke it out with the Custom House Rebels and burn down the amazing building. His rural shots are classic, they'll take you by surprise as to how little street clutter there was back then and looking at some of the shots of the Dublin streets indicates limited street cleaning, one can barely see the cobbles with all the debris on top- I think the stuff as mentioned above, I'm told the place smelled a bit to! Regards Eoin

Excellent David I'd say a dream come true Did you take any photos? Eoin

Hi All The final 2016 Train & Model Fair is on next Sunday the 11th, come on in for that present you could not find, and and we'll have mince pies to celebrate Christmas....

Hi all The shrubbery works very well, we have completed most in the Timber Yard and The Breeches and have now moved on to the reed planting on the sand dunes of the beach.... Eoin & CM

Hi Thanks guys for the great comments David & JHB Me to! I have been looking at it sitting on the coffee table for the last few days!! I think we need one of these;- Eoin

..... WM Break blocks were soldered with 70deg solder to pre thinned chassis holes with 145deg solder and all the break rod assembly soldered up Test assembly of the front truck spring, one can just make out the loop on the truck that this wire will go through to spring the truck- this unit goes in after the truck is mounted to the chassis Rear truck .6mm NS wire centring spring going together, this spring will also put slight down pressure on the truck Just about complete and ready for the paint shop, footplate supports and front wheel guards yet to go on but holding off on that one until the wheels are off and the whole is about to be painted Eoin

Hi Thanks guys... So then next step is to stick on all the springs, break gear, electrical pick-up board, and bogie truck centring springs. The road springs are laminated with 180deg solder so they will be stuck to the chassis with 145deg, so hopefully nothing will fall asunder... ....and that happened! the chassis is a big heat sink and the soldering station was a bit slow on the regain- loads of heat into the spring components but the heat ran away through the chassis, time for the Big Boy! a 100 watt Weller, no problem now with heat running away, the join was instant. Though one has to be careful.... Road springs and horn block keepers on and a little clean-up required, I stuck small bits of tape on the bearings inside and out to protect from the flux, phosphorous is very corrosive and I'd like to keep it away from them All cleaned up, break gear being test fitted, and the pick-up board being worked out, wiper type pick-ups will be used and the front bogie truck centring spring will be mounted on the front of this board. The board will be M2 screw fixed to two threaded brass angle plates soldered to the frame spacers. There is also a central slot for the gearbox drive gear to stick through Front truck spring assembly soldered up, .6mm NS wire spring with two M2 screws to fix, M2 nuts captive soldered to board for this mounting. The break cross rods have been thinned with 145deg solder in prep for soldering into the WM break blocks with 70deg solder ......

Hi All Them wagons n bubble are lovely.... The show again was very well attended, what with the mess of dates at the beginning of the month! Great to see all and great to see chaps bringing in their current projects to show off- keep it up

Hi Picked up this nice set of tweezers from Baseboard Dave last week, a variety of handles n points- very fine points, and a nice price to..... Eoin

Thanks chaps This is what we were doing yesterday on the layout, sticking down these little bits 2 nights a harvesting. The Bulrush! 6mm static grass tuft with bristles from a cement brush stuck in, then painted green with a thick blob of brown at the top. The Wild Shrubs! the same bristles glued in clumps, bent over and painted, fine wool is draped over some, flock is added, and all glued down with Mod Podge glue spray. Eoin

Hi Here are a few shots taken by CM after some work done yesterday CM & Eoin

Hi All CM sent me a few photos this morning with captions... "Weeding" "I don't know what the guy is doing; should I ask?" CM & Eoin

Hi Friday again! Here are a few shots of the first fine detail layer going down- contrasting grass tufts and the start of the reeds in the Breeches. We are very happy with how the Breeches is panning out, some Bulrushes in next and its almost done. Also some masking of the transition line at the weed sprayed grass is needed, the contrast is to much with the green grass- brambles n flock should do the trick.... Eoin

Hi Kirley Oh that's nice, though we cant be leaving her in that orange miniskirt and nought covering up her legs!! better get back to those patterns I think.... Eoin

Hi All Thanks for the great comments and looking in, The last layer of grass went down today, field grass I call it- a mixture of size and colour. This was added to the field behind the beach and adjacent the bridges, and a bit mixed in here n there around the tracks for variation. The breeches got a smattering of long grass around the water edge which will intermingle with the reeds- eventually! Scattered flock and ground cover is next- gorse, brambles n ferns....... CM has been painting figures, this chap is looking very 60's in his wine strides n white cap A bit of timber loading going on Eoin & CM

Hi We now have a date of November 20 for the next Fair

Hi Junctionmad Have to go with Horse, Worsley Works is the one if you can do brass, aside from no castings (not many needed), they do give you options on the etch for the windows... Eoin

Yes they are pretty nice, I had about 4 looks at them but decided to spread the money over several items! maybe next time... Eoin