Mike 84C

I saw your comments David about using cassettes. Which is what I made for Bantry but the operating gang do not like them. I get a bit nervous when they are waved about 12" above the baseboard with stock on them!

Dr Pan, looks like Nicky Cox used the Hornby James ? Its very good and a much better starting point than the Bachmann one. 461,one of my favourite engines, I'm hoping Accurascale release a model of it for their Irish steam loco. Lots of selling points going for it but I wont hold my breath! DJ Dangerous thank you for your comments very kind of you. So many people on this site and on other site's have freely helped me over the years, so the right thing is to help others if you can. As an aside, I worked with a guy whose nickname was Dangerous Dave, Health & Safety what's that ? But he kept our mill running well past its sell by date! Your avtar? reminds me of him and I like that.

Just dug up the Bachmann James chassis, I threw the body away a long time ago! Bachmann chassis Dim.as follows 100 mm = 25ft No 461 aprox; chassis lenght 33ft axle spacing 21 mm =5-3" 5ft+7-3"+8-10" The second figures are taken from Locos of the GSR Clements and McMahon. driving wheel dia. 18 mm =4-6" 5-1" ft pony wheel dia 11 mm =2-9" 3-0" Hope this info; is helpful it would be a shame to spend cash on something that will not do what you hope it will.

I was given a broken Bachmann James quite a while ago and thought along your ideas LNERW1 but its a very small model probably made to 3.5 mm per ft or HO in real terms. If you want a C class buy a Silver Fox kit it does work out quite well.

To get a nice edge to your ballast, run masking tape where you want the ballast to finish. When the ballast/glue is dry remove the tape and hey a nice edge any PW man would be proud of! And it will not be arrow straight!

Shapeways down the tubes? How did I miss that?

That's pretty creative thinking mate . Nothing like a roundy roundy ! says he after building and running a fiddle yd to terminus. Real timetable = not many trains per day!

I'm looking at an Airfix Scot with the detail removed and a Southeastern Finecast etched chassis+ wheels and motor. Killian you beat me to it!! What do I do now? decision's ,decisions!

I would agree with your premise, minister but the railways of Ireland are the home of one offs small classes and non standard locos. Its part of the fascination of Irish railways. Posted 13 hours ago Singletons and batches of non standard locos generally tend to be short lived. By the time they need heavy repairs it's not cost effective to be tinkering with them any further.

Well it must have been a heck of a party 'cos we watched the display till after midnight over here in Lincolnshire. Amazing! never seen the Northern Lights before and I did'nt need to book a cruise!!

I admire your dedication Leslie and in the pouring rain, top man!! Beats the s--t out of any pointy nose emu!

Leslie, a real blast from the past! That's how I remember steam hauled trains. 20 sec's worth watching ? OH yes! and thanks for posting

Andy , for shunting engines I'd agree, WR Panniers etc; but look at the position of the reach rod from the cab to the motion behind the splasher. At that angle I think screw reverse is very probable because the pin joints to make the mechanism work would mean a reversing lever handle and catch taller than a man. I think something like a spoked wheel as on an L&Y A class 0-6-0. Mike

Wonder if they ever get the wrong sort of leaves on the track? My brain so quickly acclimatised to 4mm scale it took a couple of seconds to realise the big looming things were people! duhhh! Good cab ride though.

Made mine several years ago quite an easy hack, good chance IRM's will be better detailed though! So is the next one a pallet van ? Here's mine!

Funny thing Westcork, mine also stripped the pinion gear within a few hours running. Rodrick did supply a new gear FOC for me to fit. I have washerd the lateral play to the absolute minimum keeping the worm in the centre of the pinion. Although with straight cut gears that should not be so much of a problem. The worm teeth on my loco are so sharp you could shave with it!

That is a very nice thing to do, Hattons goes out with a bang not a whimper.

British engineering ; run by ??? oh yes accountants.

Rob R, no problem. Be nice to have a 3D printed model out there, I tried pedalling that idea to several producers but no takers yet!!

Thanks for sharing with us Horsetan 3d printing seems to be moving so very fast. It will be interesting if vendors on Shapeways or even Shapeways improve their offerings.

I posted that Baldwin drawing quite a few years ago. I rather suspect that all of the American imports were not successful/ liked in the UK is the totally different engineering philosiphy of the American builders and the "not invented here" attitude of GB engineers. That ones still about! Interesting article about the Port Talbot 0-8-2t's in Railway Archive No 4 July 2003 it also has a very good drawing. They were built by Cooke of Paterson NJ.

Here's mine, I believe I've posted it before. Those vac; formed windows are awful but at distance are just tolerable. .

Why not just buy a Silver fox "C" instead? saves all that sawing and mess on the workbench.

All I can say is wow! pity NZ is so far away!

Carpentry on the dining room table, that's brave! more than my life is worth ! I also have the house to myself, plus the guinea pigs! Swimbo has gone to Wales to see her Mother. Now what can I be doing between now and Monday?