Mike 84C

I have looked in vain for pictures of coaling facilities at medium sized CIE loco sheds.Was coal shovelled straight out of wagons into tenders at Depots like Wexford, Limerick, Tralee? If so it may explain why CIE tenders were rarely coaled to excess. Having worked on BR they never seem to carry enough coal but BR locos were often coaled to excess. Does anyone make an etching for the tablet catcher carried on the K class? Thanks Mike

I will try again!

I blew a couple or three light coats of Tamiya clear with a couple of drops of white then a couple of drops of black over loco& tender last night. Checked it this am and am much happier, grubby with a bit of sheen. So I tortured a couple of Bachmann loco crew and am quite pleased with the result. Hope you guys agree. I think my camera has a fault with focus on close up stuff as the point of focus seems to be on the right of any picture. Will get it checked tomorrow.

Hi Rialto, Weshty is the man for the decals. As Georgeconna says "its knowing when to stop" with weathering and everyone sees colour differently but the loco and tender do look very decrepit in the flesh! I need to source some snifting valves to go on the smokebox & running plate and I would like to fit a GSR/CIE smokebox door but I know of no source, maybe one day! Parkside; BR 12t van Plywood sides stock code PC 08A £9 BR 12t Palvan stock code PC 65 £9 BRM has one of there annual compendium mags out at the moment and I picked up the George Dent techniqe from there. The mag is a good buy as there are a number of articles about airbrushing, which one is for you, maintenance etc .

Excellent modeling Kieran. Thanks for posting.

Brilliant I love looking at others work so please keep them coming!

Danny, I use eze mates with Kaydees with no problems, some people say they do not mate well but that is not my experience. I use a pointed stick, like a long toothpick to uncouple. Just push up the loco against the train to get some slack, put the stick between the coupler faces to open the jaw and drive away. Coupling is just a gentle buffering up. The only long term problem may be that the eze-mate is a delrin type plastic that may fatigue over time. I shall just substitute a Kaydee. Mike

Wow! and I thought I was long on models! Next time Mrs 84c tells me I have too much stuff I"ll show your collection:tumbsup: but please keep building your railway thats what its all about!

Thanks for your comments guys feedback is always good. Mayner, it was a bit of a lightbulb moment, the realization with the crosskiting! Popeye, I usually realize I have overdone the weathering far to late! Jim, where do you find these priceless gems!!! Its a very damp day so no airbrushing but that gives one time to ponder the finish even more. I did base the loco on a couple of pictues in Irish Railways in colour 1947-1970 No 378 features twice but I think the dirty patches look black &light grey on the boiler&cab with brown below the running plate. A pal thinks its brown! colour is in the eye of the beholder!!!

Thoughts and comments on my weathered Bachmann Woolies. This is the one that started as a Southern liveried loco and got heat distortion under my magnifying glass/lamp in the conservatory. The vans were built from Parkside kits but built as a pair so I could cross parts from one to the other! All are painted with acrylics the vans need a coat of flat varnish, the loco I am not sure wether to blow a couple of light coats of light grey or brown over it before the flat finish. It was painted with the George Dent method of put the paint on then remove with a cotton bud soaked in acrylic thinners. Please feel free to comment

So cool under pressure and so many just in their early twenties. Thanks for posting. My respect for a certain 90yr old in our family only grows when I hear this sort of thing.

Brilliant work Nelson, congratulations to you and your Dad.

John, I remember those wagons being regauged, didnt some of the axles get altered at Boston Lodge? During my employment at BL there was considerable inter departmental politics which caused the track greasers to fall out of use. This caused massive increase in flange wear and a major part of my job became welding up and reprofileing carriage wheels. FR also aquired some bogie exMinistry but they were 2ft gauge and the back to back was narrowed by welding steel rings on the flange back. The sliding roof"s on the vans got them the nickname giraffe vans, at Boston Lodge, after the old Tri-ang action van!

Dargan, I did one each of the Pallet van, H van & GNR bagged cement van. When I get home next week I"ll post some photos. GNR one is easy. H van & pallet van require a lot more work. I did mine together and combined parts from one into the other. Mike

Belated happy birthday Jim, all the best people have a birthday in May:tumbsup: Mrs 84c and Mike; from a caravan in deepest Scotland!

A brilliant piece of modeling! How did you keep the glazing so clear and what did you use?

I have found Abe books to be a good source of books on Irish railways. Just bought; Rails around Belfast, The Midland Great Western and The Belfast and County Down. All published by Midland Publishing. They are s/h but in very good condition, indeed Rails around Belfast is a brand new book cost £3+postage. Worth checking out.

Good photographs Sulzer 201,thanks for posting. Downpatrick is on my to do list, just a pity theres that stretch of water between Ireland & England . They sure have a lot of stuff! But the photos remind me why I am interested in Irish railways; its all in the difference.

You sitting on a stash of Floquil Mayner? My stash is getting smaller, which is sad. I really like the finish you can get with it, the C21 looks great. Which just about sums it up.

Patrick, I love your layout; the arch the drapes they just take the eye into the scene and the less is more ethos of the track plan, walk around control with your train. Brilliant=D

Mine arrived today and it was worth the wait.

Weshty, you took the words out of my mouth. The progress on this layout is inspirational, makes my efforts look a bit feeble, please keep posting.

Minister, the might have beens is a brilliant idea:tumbsup:

Very nice video Kieran, I think you should give us the lowdown on where the 4P ends and the W begins because it looks seamless to me. A really well executed conversion. The standards on this group just get higher=D

Rapid progress, I like the Woodland scenics foam underlay, wish I had used it! Keep the pictures coming.