Mike 84C

Is the Friends of the East Broad Top still extant as a group? they seemed to stop posting on the Early Rail Group when Yahoo Groups wound up. But they did lots of work at Orbisonia. I went there about 35yrs ago, Orbisonia was a real time warp sort of place as it was/is in a "dry" part of Pennsylvania the liveliest place in town was the Kmart store. The local youth just drove up the main street "draggin main" in loud blingedup cars, always the same direction and tootled back down a side street to start again. The railway was really interesting just like it was the 1950's and the track felt as if nothing had been maintained since the 1950's ! Was very lucky I got to ride the footplate of one the 2-8-2's, it was summer and in high 90's F b--hot! There was talk then of the state taking the railway over, the area has such potential for tourism and it is a very scenic area. Lets hope it takes off and flys. Lots of the pw with hopper wagons stood on it was/is visible on Google Earth. When I find the photos I took I'll post them. Thats really good news John.

Thanks for posting that little gem Tim0, real lateral thinking!

Also thanks from me Ken, those pictures of the Hornby Chassis are very useful and I think using either chassis is making a lot of work which may easily need a lot of cutting . Your scratch built or a Comet chassis sounds like the way to go.

Ken, interestingly on RM WEB there's a thread by BARRY TEN putting a Comet chassis under a Hornby Fowler 2-6-4 body. Although the chassis is designed to fit there seem to be more than enough problems! I thought it may be of interest? And thanks for the very prompt reply to my question. Mick

Are you going to use an etched chassis kit or scratch build one? I bid on a hornby Fowler chassis ( didnt get it!) as I run on 16.5 gauge with the intention of buying that body kit. It seemed like a quick fix to me, am I right? would the Hornby chassis work? Thanks for posting and I look forward to the finished loco.

Brilliant Ken! its almost a shame to paint all that lovely brasswork. For me that 3rd photo in your post really captures the essence of the whole train.

Those farmers remind me of a farmer who We came across when going over Healy Pass. I'm sure he drove his cattle along the road just to stop the traffic so he could interrogate you when you wound down the window to speak with him. He could get your life story in 2 mins flat! I mentioned it to our holiday cottage owner and he knew him and explained the tactic and how he had done it for years! Put a few tourists off though! Not Me!

Was always 3 in 1 on my bike. Thank heavens for save the whale.

Thats a very interesting picture F.L. It looks like the grain wagon ruptured or deliberately emptied by the look of all the grain on the floor. But if you look further into the picture could those be Guinness kegs in the wagon that has reared up? And there is a road tanker down by the L.C. that is I would think pumping fuel out of one of the tank wagons there looks to be a large braided fuel hose snaking towards that tank wagon on the left. That would have been a disaster if one of those rail tanks leaked. Thanks for posting and finding the picture.

Looking good John; lets hope Bantry runs as well as it looks!!!!! I wonder if model railway exhibitions will happen next year? And will we still be social distancing? there's lots to think about. I have spent time using that vac formed glazing on a C class what a pain to get it to sit right, then drill .35 mm holes in tiny bits of brass to fit windscreen wipers. Hey ho only eight more to do.

The bar has been raised! Looks like the new gold standard, where others only follow. I await the next loco announcement with baited breath! Keep up the good work lads!

It was fatal on BR if the painters turned up, closure was usually imminent.

Colour photo from about 1974 RHM Agriculture hgv. The red did vary a bit often it was nearer fire engine red. But its interesting that the rail wagons in Ireland were painted in such a similar style. And before anyone asks I'm not in that shape now !

Hi John, agree about the fascination for grain wagons, maybe because I worked for Ranks agriculture division before it was sold to Dalgety. The red and black is the same livery as our trucks were painted. I cannot remember RHM owning grain wagons this side of the pond. They were a good firm to work for a " dead men's shoes job". In Ernie's Monaghan photo there's at least five grain wagons 2/3 CIE H van conversions behind the first two hoppers. You can see the ladder that reached the roof hatches on two of them.

Hi John-r how about WH Smiths over here in UK/NI? I still get my paper copy of BRM and Back Track ok.

Welcome back Nelson, hope to see more of your posts in the future. Congratulations on completing your uni; course, where did that lump of time go? it only seems like five minutes ago you announced you were off to uni! Good luck with the job interview when it happens. Stay safe Mick

Some really good utube videos of them at work on coal trains in Oz

That looks really good Noel, I also replaced with wire the brake hangers and step supports it makes such a difference. And I put a brake cross beams between the brake blocks plus a longtitudal fake pull rod. A really nice kit thats a pleasure to build, it looks so good behind a J15

I like the lateral thinking with the hopper wagon. Please keep posting your progress That's a conversion I would have missed!

Any ideas as to the purpose of the small casting each side of the doors on the MGW convertibles? I wondered if they were for grain in bulk but I would have thought that grain was in 2, 1/4 cwt sacks at that time period. In one of the photos, lets call it a vent, appears at a different angle so maybe open?

Thanks Noel and jhb cream or beige is what I wanted to hear. It should make the in cab detail stand out, not that I'm putting much in there, seats, control desk and a driver.

What colour would the cab interior have been on A, B, C class diesels when they were painted in the light green livery? Difficult to tell from the photos I have browsed. I am not sure I want it to be green but knowing Inchicore .............! that's my luck!

There's a guy on RM web rue-d-etropal who also has a Shapeways shop Recreation 21 and he does MGW 6whl Lav 1st and 6whl all 3rd both @ $69.60 coaches seem to be his forte as he also does several Ashbury designs for other railways. Who is gong too be first to do a Clayton railcar!? thats there as well. 14 pages of stuff! All his models are in White Natural versatile plastic. Anyone got experience of this medium? Just asking before I flash the cash!

I bought some parts from Des this past month. Leslie is right, patience will be an asset but you will be rewarded! What is his day job? maybe I should not ask!

Thanks for posting John, I rather like early American locos. And a brilliant restoration of the whole train.