Mike 84C

Deffo; worth a look I bought the the locoshed + extension so it holds 4 loco's. it came with & unasked for the water tower building and a crofters cottage. Very well packed and a pleasure to deal with . You really have to look at them as the start of a journey and put some work into them. Ben Alder on RM Web has a Far North line thread plus a blog which shows what can be done with them and they are all based on real buildings. I'll post mine when I've started them BUT don't hold your breath! Mick

To both humble scribes! many thanks. The Festival train and coaches I knew little about but we all must know about the Jeeps last years. It was the detail that interested me, like how few Jeeps there were to work that volume of traffic and fill in for failed railcars and specials. With very little maintenance or backup, for me that speaks volumes about the men that crewed them and the basic design of the locomotive.

I wonder what the weight and range of battery powered 40/44tonne trucks will be by 2050? Also how much field work an electric tractor will do? All things I'm sure our politicos will have considered and planned for when declaring a carbon free future by 2050. Me? long gone.

Thanks for taking the time to shoot those historic photographs, the end of an era and lets hope the 1400 redundant employees all find jobs soon. No time is good to be put out of work but at Christmas, as often happens, just seems worse.

brassnut, I pick up the springs with a scaple blade then slip one end on the peg on the coupler and compress the spring to fit on the knuckle. I have used kaydee springs on the bachmann couplers. Easier to doo than write about.

Hey! Robert, that's enough of the mucky stuff, maybe a few runs/dribbles from the tops of the tanks on the principle of gravity works! You are really churning them out now helping keep the hobby afloat! My production has been stymied by a bout of decorating which has made me remember dark days in BF and other places painting by the light of halogens. And how you have to be good at things you detest! Need a WP!

Just look at the paintwork, maybe freshly applied? Even gives a look of pride in the place.

That looks very good John. Makes me wish I was 15yrs younger so I could get some worth out of all these lovely kits that are becoming available to modellers of Irish railways.

Andy, if we all pester Mike Edge perhaps he would do a Bandon Baldwin kit. Hopefully whilst I still have steady hands to solder it!

What a lovely sequence of photo's The red and white lining on the J15 looks rather fine and very different. I wonder when we shall see Belmullet in the flesh? Begone!! dull covid!

Application of Rule 1 for running No 22 on any layout. So far I have resisted the temptation. I did give Mike Edge a copy of the only drawing for a Bandon Baldwin 0-6-2, "a new one on me" or words to that effect were said. I thought it fitted in rather well with his range of obscure and rather different loco kits. And I should love one or maybe two!

That looks rather tasty! The Blue Pullman livery always looked very attractive.

Westcorkrailway, thank you for posting the photos of No 90 that looks as if it could have potential. Robert, you have confirmed what I thought I had remembered viz; the Kaydees. 22 road? sounds like you were working at Waterloo or simla!

Ballybeg viaduct is rather good! I did notice the different scenes under each arch. Really sets the whole thing up, excellent.

Hi Westcorkrailway, understand your idea both being 4-6-0's but the B12 is by comparison with a Bandon tank quite a large loco. Full marks for lateral thinking! The large wheels and longer wheelbase will be the problem. The chassis is the hardest part but the SSM kit goes together very well; hand on heart I struggled to work out how to make the brake hangers removeable, when I sussed it I kicked myself! What you need is a Poppys Loco Builder Box to help put the chassis together. Its an adjustable jig that comes flat pack in the post, dead easy to assemble, will help you with any future chassis you buy and is not expensive! Just as usefull as a soldering iron. I bought the one for 3 axles and wish I had bought the 4 axle one. I have no connection with Poppys woodcraft just a happy customer. But which ever route you take, happy modelling. Mick

Somebody said there is a 3d printed model of No 90, I trawled 48 pages of Shapeways but maybe missed it? Or is on another printers site? Also somebody posted which Kaydee's they used on the MM 121, which are they please? Thanks for any pointers.

Well, this old git fired Brittania's and Black 5's along there in the last gasps of GC steam. I seem to remember Catesby as being a very wet/ muddy tunnel.

Driven over that bridge many, many times! Is that the York-Bournemouth or a Nottingham-Marylebone? The memories Charwelton brings to mind for me. Wonderful layout.

I have just read Glovers thread from start to finish. The modelling is so good as all the likes and praise show but what shines through for me is his sense of humour, a willingness to take a joke at himself, a warm and friendly man. I never met him, I wish I had. Always Glover, Rest in Peace.

Thanks thats brilliant.

What are the dimensions of the fertilizer pallets in mm please? The yd reminds me of one or two fert; depots I have been in. Really most of them!

Robert, you have about summed the DCC quagmire up, two wires plug and play . Hmm green boxes have moved on Sulzer needs a wash of 60's dare I say filth? and am waiting for some Shell BP transfers for a 11t Planet. ??? sounded it up for me, bit of a how much moment!!, but it is good when it changes gear up and down with a clunk! Mic

Looks like a nice installation there Whizz, I filed the holes out in the bogie side frames. Not sure it was worth the effort when all is painted black and then weathered to 60's filth style. I must become competent at fitting decoders, maybe its my next lockdown challenge! But I have a man near me who is so good at it! Fitting Kaydee no5's on locos and rolling stock I find a bit of a problem 'cos the standard no5 mounting arm is not long enough to put the coupler head in line with the buffer faces. I have quite a few packs of std no5's. hey ho!

Thank you for putting all the time and effort into this project John. As an older person! the price point you talk of is at my upper limit, its the fixed income thing and my body is getting toooo old to generate much outside interest! To take numbers of sales and I have no real idea what 00works predict to sell but the way all their Irish locos have flown off the shelves must indicate a strong , for its small size, market. Good luck with the project I hope it succeeds and as we spoke of before, the Cattle Engine does it for me.

Hi Westcorkrailway, all the posts above will be helpful to you in one way or another and you have a good handle on what is available. Books, models or online information. We got into the CB&SCR almost by accident! A group of us in our local club were asked for suggestions for a new layout, I opened Ernie Shepherds book and bingo!! Bantry was born. John (Bantree) has done all the buildings and most of the scenic work, plus he owns the Silver Fox AEC unit , I have done the the other goods and passenger stock and the locos. The SSM Bandon tank is not a difficult kit to make up, it just needs time and some beforehand idea of how a loco works and fits together and of course being able to solder!! But most of all a belief in yourself that you can do it. The first step is the hardest the second is so much easier! And the guys on this group are so helpful, they will even let you be a bit of an idjut for a while but always point you in the right direction. To go back to soldering, its not a black art, there is no mystery to it, it is a skill that once you learn the basics will so enhance your modelling. Just to tell you when I built the Bandon tank I had not built a kit for 40years and I am so pleased with it. Look at the Lock down locos thread my C class is there.. Please keep posting ,ask questions you will get the right path. I look forward to seeing your progress and pm me if you feel the need. Mick