Mike 84C

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.

Superb work Nelson, you really are raising the bar! Now for the flu stuff, echinacea tablets, cod liver oil capsules and lots of the vitamin C as advised by burnthebox, all from tesco and worked for me. And we really do want you painting very soon! :-tb

Hope you guys have all posted your votes for Lucy from Dublin on BBC The Voice. She is Amazinn!! 5 mins left She deserves ves to win.

Chevron, over here in the UK there are regular swop meets where you will pick up 4mm road vehicles very cheaply. I bought two brand new Base Toy trucks for about £4 If you made a day trip of it from Dublin to Holyhead then train to Liverpool/ Manchester you will find lots of regular meets. Maybe you have friends relatives over here who could shop for you or you could visit. I do not know how much foot passengers cost on Irish Ferries but take a car over costs about £300. Just make sure you have a big carry bag and lots of cash!! Meets are posted in the model railway press. Hope this does not sound like too dafft an idea! Regards Mike

Hi Nelson, my experience of Railtec is very good, the transfers are first class, see my coach!, the service is also good and Steve follows up if there are problems. They also do comissions but I did not use that service so I have no idea of price. And I have no connection with Railtec ecept as a customer. On the Irish group on RM web there was a guy who posted about his Valentia branch & I am sure GN transfers came up and I am also sure he said he had used Somerset and Dorset crests which at normal viewing distance the deception had not been noticed. Mike

Very fine work Nelson and congratulations. I look forward to seeing the loco painted and the next project, wonder what that will be?? Mike

Chevron, you keep going at it because thats a damn good start, should see some of my stuff from the early days!!!! or maybe not! And they guys on here will give all the advice you need, Just listen to Dunluce, he is a top man.

Its a very clean straight break, I wonder if the trailer has been streched at some point in its life and that has created a stress area. Be interesting to see if it is in both chassis rails.