Mike 84C

I have used the cork floor tiles from Wickes and they have worked very well. My baseboard is a bit of overkill, most of it is shuttering ply but its what was on hand for free! and yes you can stand on it. But the cork floor tiles do take out any uneven areas. And stuck down with nonails or some such glue. You can only hear the wheels running on the rails. Mike

Scots Mac, forgot to add that if you check out my blog you wiil see where I spliced bits of Dapol 2-6-2t to get the front footplate proportions a little better and the Belpaire firebox top. If you need any help please pm me. Like your 402, thats given me a bit of inspiration! Happy Hogmany lets make 2014 a productive year!! Mike

Hi Scots Mac, another 850! already more than the GSR had. I will be interested to see how you tackle the recessed smokebox door as it fits flush with the smokebox front in 850"s later guise. I must admit that, that area of the loco was my reason for picking the earlier version. As I rather fancied the green livery with black and white lining. Mine is now back from being dcc chipped and runs well although I have given sound a miss this time. My friend who runs Digitrains suggests that if I do any more conversions to give the Bachmann split frame chassis a wide berth as they are very variable in performance and a pig if you do your own dcc conversion.

Hi Davy, how about the Bachmann GC/LNE tender? I did wonder if the new bachmann J11 might make a GSR J15a? but to chop a brand new model? thats a bit to brave for me! Which style chimney do you use? I found nothing that I found to be a good match to the Inchicore style thats on large engines and its very distinctive. Keep them coming I"m enjoying your progress. Mike.

I would say its a rocking shaft driven by the ecentric arm or extension of the ecentric arm. The valve will be pulled or pushed the opposite direction to the ecentric movement. Driven from below.

Horse, you are doing a brilliant model.You are really pushing the envelope. I aspire to such things but I really have not got enough lifetime!! Keep the pictures coming

Hi Scots Mac, congratulations we now have an Englishman,Scotsman and probably many Irishmen hacking Enlish locos into very passable Irish locos. Your thoughts as to what will make what are very similar to mine, have a look at my blog which shows how I mutilated a Bachmann V1/3 to make 850. I used Tamya German grey thinned with tamya thinners and water then airbrushed. Welcome to the group,its a great group of guys, please keep posting and lets see some pictures! Mike

Thank you guys for the positive comments it makes the effort worth it. I will post better photos next week when she is back from being Dcc fitted. Its a secondhand Bachmann V3.

A couple of pictures of my progress, I think I am reasonably happy with my progress but how far to take it! when does one say enough! The chimney does not really please me and the camera has shown a few flaws, the gap above the cylinders is the main offender. First time I have used my Iwatta airbrush,far to expensive but what a lovely tool to use. Credit has to go to Weshty for the buffer beam decals they really are very good.And Narrow Planet for the etched No; plates which are also very good. He has the information on file so if anyone else wishes Great Southern No;plates I am sure he will help and the price is very reasonable. I have no connection with Narrow Planet other than a customer.[attachment=:name]

I saw it at Newark this year and loved it. A 3mm 0-6-0 with working inside valve gear and crank axle, pure craftsmanship. And it ran faultlesly while I was there. Mike

Excelent filming Southern Yard, was Bittern on the Santa Special to Lincoln Christmas market and where on the ECM did you film? It went by our village and I missed it! AAAAgggghhh!!!! Thanks for shareing.

HI murrayec , thats just what happened with my purchase! but he price was good just under£4! but I am finding it a very interesting read.

There are still several on ebay and Rails of Sheffield had one this a.m. for £99.

That looks very good lots of operating potential, if you are using Peco points they will stand a bit of cutting of the web between the sleepers so you can ease them into places. Watched a guy do that at the Nottngham show and was surprised how well it worked. Mick

Excellent work Nelson this is a good group to be a member of,I know little of Irish railways but have found and recieved lots of good advice. And may I say with young people like you the hobby has little to fear, keep up your good work. Regards Mike

Thanks, thats what I hoped.

Guys, is there any difference in the content of the first and second editions of "Irish Broad Gauge Carriages" by Desmond Coakham? I ask because the covers are different and I can buy either edition so want to get the one with the better content if there is a difference. Please advise!

Heirflick, hope you had success removing the decals & Johnsons Kleer? I have just removed Kleer from a Bachmann US loco tender. I used a solution of caustic soda in water applied with a cotton bud, then scrubbed the area gently with a small sponge and neautralized the caustic solution with water and a wipe off with kitchen towel. After its dry, 24hrs, any white marks need removing with water & the kitchen roll and leave to dry again. So Far,36hrs, no ill effects to model or to the paint and no paint was evident on the cotton bud during the process. On the bottle of Kleer it suggests using ammonia to remove Kleer from floors but I had no ammonia! Shall not be using Johnsons Kleer on any models again.

Brilliant picture! They look like horseboxes with the small compartment for the groom. Am I correct in sumising that the top half of the door to the horse compartment rises to form a small roof and the lower part drops to form a ramp?

Spot on Weshty, I bought BRM just for the piece on Paul Greens Kilbrandon layout. Last year it was at the Spalding exhibition and I spent a good hour watching it run. She who must be obeyed sent out a search party!!. A very good article.

Hi Railer, try the online rr magazine model-railroad-hobbyist.com , its free and has lots of adverts, reviews etc; I"ve subscribed about 12mts now and it is a pretty good read.

Thanks for all the helpfull and prompt information guys Mike

A while back someone posted that a certain shade of paint from Howes Model Shop was just right for GSR grey. Anybody know what it was? Have you guys seen the new GPO rules for not posting paint and glues,loopy or what? Still I suppose it means we will have to support our local hobby shop.

Is this called freezing your assets?

heirflick you have excellent taste in steam locos! May the return to steam be soon. When I was but a lad I used to fire those engines and they were as good as they look, very strong and capable. One night we were ambling along towards Oxford with a freight and my driver climed out of his side of the cab walked around the footplate framing and stuck his face around my side of the cab.Brown trousers or what!! But did he get a lot of p--- take mileage out of that one=D