Horsetan

1 hour ago, Mol_PMB said:

I expressed a strong interest in a Bredin 3rd from SSM a couple of months back, along with a couple of other items. Still waiting to hear back when they are available.

But I'm in no rush....

That makes three kits, then!

I see Worsley Works has listed a forthcoming scratch-aid kit for a GSR 1937 Corridor First - I wonder if that's a typo, since the one and only First coach was supposedly built as part of the 1935 batch ...which potentially means that the WW sides from this one could be adapted for use on the SSM Bredin kit.....

On 14/3/2025 at 8:56 AM, Mol_PMB said:

I now have my references in front of me so I'll just summarise what the kits represent.

In 1935 the GSR built a series of gangwayed main-line coaches, with a 60'0" length over the body, and 9'0" width over the body. The upper body sides were vertical with a gentle curve below the waist to a width of 8'10" at the bottom edge of the body. This group included the following coaches which I think are those represented by the SSM kits Edit: the SSM kits represent the luggage van from this series, but the third and composite from the 1937 batch (see below):

• 8 corridor thirds 1323-1330
• 2 corridor composites 2114-2115
• 1 brake/luggage 2548
• 1 corridor first 1144 

In 1949-1951, composite 2115 was reclassified as a first.

1327 was preserved but I don't think it now exists.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511260053

Here's composite 2114 in CIE livery in the 1950s:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508888343

They lasted in passenger service until the early 1970s. For example, 2115 was converted to brake/luggage van 2559 in 1971 and survived another decade or so, while 1335 was withdrawn in 1973.

 

The GSR built a second series of gangwayed main-line coaches in 1937. These were also 60'0" length over the body, but the body profile was different. They retained the 9'0" width at cantrail height and 8'10" at the bottom edge of the body, but the width at the waist was increased to 9'6". This meant that the upper sides were noticeably inclined with a more significant curve on the lower sides. 

• 4 corridor thirds 1335-1338
• 4 corridor composites 2120-2123

Apart from the body profile, these carriages were virtually identical to the 1935 batch. 

Edit: It should therefore be possible to modify the SSM kit to represent the earlier ones by reshaping the end profiles.

Here's third 1338:

And one of the composites here (in the background):

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508777481

2120/1 were converted to brake/luggage vans 2560/1 in 1971 and survived another decade or so; the others were withdrawn in the early 1970s.

1335 was preserved and still exists:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508127442/

 

The first carriages built by CIE in 1951 were a batch of 6 composites numbered 2124-2129. These were closely based on their GSR predecessors, but had a welded truss underframe. The body profile reverted to having vertical upper sides, but now at 9'6" width. The window styling was also different, with raised aluminium frames. A possible kitbash from the SSM model, but these would be more work. There's a nice photo of one of these on page 43 of the book 'Irish Broad Gauge Carriages'.

After that, CIE adopted a 61'6" length and this also influenced the layout of the coaches, for example the composites had 4 first and 3 third compartments, rather than the 3 first and 4 third on the shorter 60'0" underframe.

Just as a late follow-on, the Bredin 3rd which survives (with drawgear, but without corridor connections or bogies) at Moyasta is said to be no.1325 (which can be built straight from the SSM kit), and First 1144 sits at the back of Dromod. 

I've ordered two Bredin 3rd kits from SSM, so if anyone else is thinking about having a go at a Bredin, now might be the time....

2 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

The location is Ballybrophy, and gives an interesting indication of the state of the Dublin-Cork main line in the mid-1980s. Even the section that has been relayed has a woeful lack of ballast shoulder.

If I zoom into the older wooden sleeper length to the left, I can just about see that some of the chairs - which appear to be 4-bolt ones - are actually missing some of their bolts!

On 20/5/2025 at 7:15 PM, Mol_PMB said:

...:

...

Interesting mix of what appears to be older bullhead rail on cast chairs and newer flat-bottom rail on concrete sleepers....

Here's the table of basic dimensions.

The 2mmFS stuff is insanity modelling. I've relied on varifocals for years, but they no longer allow me to see anything that small.

On 25/5/2025 at 7:11 AM, David Holman said:

......Will have to see what the 1950s stock brings to the party today.

Did it run?

On 24/5/2025 at 6:30 AM, west_clare_wanderer said:

 .... Trump on the other hand... well he's a scattergun who changes his mind on a daily basis. I fundamentally oppose his politics,  but its not that I'm particularly worried about. It's the random, incoherent approach which worries me more. One morning he might get up and, over his bowl of Coco Pops, may just feel like setting fire to the world. 

Do you remember Miranda Richardson playing the part of Queen Elizabeth in Blackadder II, and hilariously portraying her as someone given absolute power much too soon?

That's pretty much what Trump is. Whims and fancies.

1 hour ago, Broithe said:

.... you will be driving a Nigerian* car in a few year's time...

* Other countries are available.

If it's Nigerian, either you've been scammed, or it'll be a cut-and-shut one which had been stolen in Europe and then quickly shipped out....

I stopped by....

Seemed to be working alright, with an occasional sticky uncoupler. The rear wheels on no.2's tender occasionally lost contact with the rail, which suggests the frames or axleboxes may not be quite straight. 

I even overheard some conversation about a modeller of a real location who, on being told by someone that his father worked at that place and grew runner beans in his garden, actually went so far as to model said plot of runner beans, ready for the next show....

7 hours ago, commerlad said:

And the rules have changed.........AGAIN.

Trump threatens EU with 50% tariff from June

 

This is what happens when you put a vindictive child in charge. It's all driven by whim.

13 hours ago, amdaley said:

That's a fine show. I was there some years ago.

If I remember correctly David Lane was running the show at the time ?

I think he still is.

5 hours ago, Flying Snail said:

Nice repair -  blends right in!!!

Not just that, but it also replicates - accidentally or otherwise - the wonkiness of the original casting. I reckon Colin Massingham himself would have approved.

9 hours ago, David Holman said:

 Northport Quay will be there this weekend (actually at the Stoke Mandeville stadium). Very much a finescale show,....

Sure I might see you there.

C&L are attending, so the only flat bottom rail available at the show is likely to be Code 82....again. I don't think anyone will be stocking Peco Code 75 FB.

On 19/5/2025 at 6:11 PM, Darius43 said:

“Superdeltic” eh?  Looks like a cross between a Class 55 and a Western.

In any event it’s a Q Kit so I wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole.

This from the man who builds Colin Massingham's finest (sic) in record time.

4 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

I appreciate the issues with rail profile and hand-building pointwork - the parts available are mostly BH and it's easier to align and build in BH rail because the gauge point on the head is the widest point of the rail, and it's easier to profile switch blades, stock rails and crossing noses. Building 21mm gauge pointwork in FB rail is something I've been putting off but I need to do it sometime! ...

For general retail: Code 75 FB rail is marketed by Peco, whilst C&L offer Code 83 only. 

It might be worth seeing whether there's any other FB rail available from HO track suppliers.

The finescale societies are not much different in what they offer in the Members' Stores. The EM Gauge Society only has Code 83, which strikes me as a bit "tall", so I held off buying any at the recent annual EMGS show in Bracknell.

The Scalefour Society currently stocks both Code 55 and 82 FB. Code 55 would probably be ideal for portraying very lightly-laid lines but may not work very well if you don't use finescale flanges.

This weekend is the annual RailEx finescale show in Stoke Mandeville, which is a chance to see if any of the trade stands have suitable stocks of FB.

10 hours ago, Broithe said:

Perfect!

Waterford Doonican?

Dublin Logan.

Edit to add: there'd be at least three stations named Logan to represent three EuroSong wins.

Maybe name 'em after Irish EuroSong winners. Plenty to choose from. 

41 minutes ago, MOGUL said:

... unless railway modelling overtakes the GAA as the most popular past time in Ireland..... 

 

Hell will freeze over first

43 minutes ago, Mayner said:

The challenge in converting a BR MK1 Full Brake into a CIE BR Genny Van is that the BR MK1 full brakes were shorter (57') than the Genny Vans (64'6") and the arrangement of doors-windows at the generator end of the CIE vans was quite different to the BR Full Brake.

I seem to recall that Lima's early attempts at a Mk1 BG full brake incorrectly came out at a scale 64' instead of 57'.

You could do worse than acquiring an old Kitmaster Mk1 BSK or CK kit and using that to break down as per @Mayner 's suggestion 

1 minute ago, Mol_PMB said:

...I did note that the HMRS have a good number of Irish drawings in their collection. 

HMRS are not very good at responding to enquiries about drawings they've listed, but not provided a price for.

2 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

...This thing is the wrong grey,...

There's at least fifty shades...

22 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Unfortunately, during a huge clear-out of Inchicore Works in the early 1960s, thousands of diagrams of coaches, wagons and steam locomotives, many going back to earliest times, were all destroyed. We are actually lucky to have what we have!

Railway history was always a very poor and distant second

2 hours ago, Broithe said:

The arse of the deal....

FTFY

4 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Easy there, @James Regan, nobody is attacking you personally, and there's no need to start insulting people who think differently to you.....

Unfortunately antisocial media means that almost everyone does.

*shrugs*