Mike 84C

Funny thing Westcork, mine also stripped the pinion gear within a few hours running. Rodrick did supply a new gear FOC for me to fit. I have washerd the lateral play to the absolute minimum keeping the worm in the centre of the pinion. Although with straight cut gears that should not be so much of a problem. The worm teeth on my loco are so sharp you could shave with it!

That is a very nice thing to do, Hattons goes out with a bang not a whimper.

British engineering ; run by ??? oh yes accountants.  

Rob R, no problem. Be nice to have a 3D printed model out there, I tried  pedalling that idea to several producers but no takers yet!!

Thanks for sharing with us Horsetan  3d printing seems to be moving so very fast. It will be interesting if vendors on Shapeways or even Shapeways improve their offerings.

I posted that Baldwin drawing quite a few years ago. I rather suspect that all of the American imports were not successful/ liked in  the UK is the totally different engineering philosiphy of the American builders and the "not invented here" attitude of GB engineers. That ones still about!

 Interesting article about the Port Talbot 0-8-2t's in Railway Archive No 4 July 2003 it also has a very good drawing. They were built by Cooke of Paterson NJ.

Here's mine, I believe I've posted it before. Those vac; formed windows are awful but at distance are just tolerable.

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Why not just buy a Silver fox "C" instead?  saves all that sawing and mess on the workbench.

All I can say is wow! pity NZ is so far away!

Carpentry on the dining room table, that's brave! more than my life is worth ! I also have the house to myself, plus the guinea pigs! Swimbo has gone to Wales to see her Mother.

   Now what can I be doing between now and Monday? 

Mike Beckett; I do not understand the politics of Irish preservation. If its not too contentious, please explain the joy over the collapse of Moyasta and from where?

I dont do FB but my wife does so where can she find the comments please.

To me the tourist versus heritage line is rubbish. No tourists then there is no point for a heritage line, in fact no case for any line. 

I worked for the Festiniog as an employee and volunteer for best part of 35 years and I never saw a single load of commercial slate come down the line to be put in the hold of a ship; ever. Only tourists going up and down spending their money. We used to watch the trains going around Boston Lodge curve and estimate wether the number of passengers had paid the fuel bill.

Maybe get no5 over from Blennervile and start restoration? I'm sure Patrick Keefe would love to restore it.

I wonder if all the non ferrous parts were put under lock and key? If bearings and injectors have been stolen then restoration just gets harder and vastly more expensive. Trajic No 5 is in that condition.

Are you a cyclist? 'cos I love the gravity defying bicycle. Seriously, that is a brilliant cameo. makes me want to sit on a platform seat and enjoy the trains. I look forward to more from yourself.

I did not realise Union Mills had stopped trading, the models will now become much sought after.

That is very good news, rather a nice little engine. I'm sure it will be in good hands. Another excuse to visit the Emerald Isle.

Would the reduction in loading gauge be due to modern tamping machines require deep ballast under/around the sleepers to do their job properly?  Better ask my track expert she works for  Network Rail.

My wife and I were there about 2010, Jackie opened up the shed but I could not get a decent photo of the loco. I thought the railway had potential to be successful and what a character Jackie is!

What has happened o the ex CIE that were stored there? They were rusty enough  back then and I can imagine that if they are still stored outside under sheeting they must be in a pretty dire state.

Alan Keefe engineering from Ross on Wye restored the steam  loco, be a shame if it went the same way.

Hits on the head selling stuff in another country!

Could model smuggling become a  new cross border business? 

Agree with all of the above advise. I have built several of the SSM kits, the Bandon tank is not so difficult if you  insist on starting with a loco! and the 30t brake van makes a rather nice model.  Take your time and ask on this forum if you have a problem. We have all done it!!  

I used the Blue Point point control, on our club layout Bantry, to avoid having a central control panel with lots of wiring and to keep things simple. They are hand worked with bicycle spokes and we are very happy with them. So far no failures, that is a rather fatal statement to make!  

Dangerous, you should be so lucky, like the inside of a coalsack here well before 5 pm.

Well said JHB, you know your enthusiast market very well! You are quite right about the restoration cost and I have no knowledge of the condition of 800 but rest assured there will be detractors who will not encourage a return to steam, as there are those who would be very keen to see 800's return. Maybe bring it to Britain , re- gauge it then give it a trial against the rebuilt Scot? 10/11 coaches over the S&C !!!   

Now that is real pie in the sky!!

Deep ballasting and modern tamping machines are the real killer for big engines that fill the loading gauge, remember the King had to have its boiler fittings and chimney reduced in height to be able to run on the mainline.

But remember, US loco's plinthed in the 1950's are now running again, so all is possible if there's the money and the will.  

I think that converting a  BR jinty into an NCC one is more like removing detail than adding it.     

I shall look forward to seeing your finished loco.

I regauged a Peco N gauge turn table for our club Bantry layout it takes our tank engines ok and will just take a J15.

As i was being a bit of a skinflint with funds ( did'nt have any!) I used bike spokes to operate the points with a US made " Blue Point" switch to change polarity.

I think there are details/photos on the Bantry lead on this forum.

Non of it is rocket science but it makes you think! I also wanted to make it easy to operate and trouble shoot.