Mike 84C

My swimbo says I over think most things, "of course not dear"the danger then is its easier to do nothing then you cannot fail! Maybe a bit of modelling blundering is just fine? Perfection? nah not me!!

Totally agree with NIRCLASS80, Charlie is a Yorkshireman you take him or leave him. I dealt with him by mail order recieved what I paid for and not too expensive. For dcc and sound I think he is first class and will stand by his product.

Is it a road/rail container? Doors in the sides must be quite rare? And bee hives on top!

From small beginnings larger kiwi fruit will grow. Good luck for your future plans, happy New year and let 2022 be a good one for you, Oh yea! a very Happy Christmas.

Dempsey is to be congratulated on the weathering. The rusting on the J 15 chimney and smoke boxes is fantastic!

Guy's I think it looks brilliant! and that comment comes from somebody who in his yoof chucked, with great skill!, a few tons of coal in quite a few of em! The copper chimney cap looks super fine on my pc! and I thought the copper only went over the lip for about 2/3" not right to the top. I also did professional engine polishing! The vaccum brake handle in the cab should be to the right for running and left to apply. Can we not have a very fine chain from the firedoor handle to the peg under the flap so minime can flick it up when firing? And the boiler water gauge really really needs a page three girl, Daily Mirror/Sun, behind the gauge glass. That would be perfection, we all did it. You know it makes sense. Maybe a little un pc for modern woke modellers?

How difficult/easy did you find both kits to do? I did a Bandon tank a few years back and I thought it was not at all difficult. Like the colour of the 800.

George, gota tell you,SWIMBO just looked at your new loco and I quote " god it's butt ugly, a face only a mother could love", now she is into most things steam but even explaining 10000's history failed to change her view. Sorry about that but it made me laugh! I thought it captures the shape of the original very well. Happy Christmas and a joyous New Year!

Morning Ernie, good to see you back in the saddle, but don't goo overdoing it! Doctors often know best! I look at the date's on these photos and I am just too young to have witnessed the happenings of the subjects. Not wishing to wish my life away but to have seen what was happening would have been rather cool. As would being able to be to witness finding life of some sort in deep space, hey ho! Sorry for the hijack Ernie!

Amazing! my first thought was " well what can we make from this pile of parts!"what a result. But it illustrates beautifully why I like Irish railways. But I really like your green sleepers KMCE,very moss like!

Hi Brack, thanks for putting us in the picture. Please tell your Dad that the guys on IRM are thinking about him and wish him a speedy recovery. Heck we need those photies he keeps posting!

Des can be a bit slow responding to emails, can you maybe phone him?. The SSM kits I have built, the CIE brake van and the Bandon Tank go together very well, just take your time and understand what you are going to do. I always try to solder metal kits, only resort to glue as a last resort!

I spy a Double Fairlie lurking! I'm sure its a very good model but I am resisting all temptations. My only need is to join the third side of my baseboards then I can have a roundy roundy! But I need to get rid of some Stuuuf!. Books on American narrow gauge anyone? Sorry I've hijacked your thread. Mic.

Airfixfan, I very much enjoyed your article on the Swilly Pacific tanks, in Backtrack, fresh photos,to me!, and info; I did'nt know. Sad its all history now even the lorrys and buses.

Would it not be possible to file the curve off? then put a piece of plastic card in the gap of the foot plating. I do like where you are going with this.

struck down by covidpox!! get yourself jabbed thrice I say, works for me. Well so far!!

224 will live on as parts transplanted into others of her class. Its the way with all machines and has been said on this thread a year ago.

Another possibility is that place near Macroom Prince something? that does castings of figures/figurenes. Really interesting, went there about four years ago.

For a really good black repaint I use Games Workshop, Citadel Chaos Black. Its in a spray can and is a really good semi gloss black. Games Workshop is on of those war gaming shops here on big island you must have something similar up in Cork?

Well done Sir, that is one conversion I had not thought of. If you can rise the boiler a few mm , I think that would give the loco more "presence"

The Ore wagon is brilliant and such an unusual prototype. 5 ft wheel base x 5 ft 3 inch gauge a train of them must have looked like a string of conga dancers when in motion!

My Heating Van arrived yesterday, Robert has said it all really!, I'm looking forward to building it. But as always other things are further up the queue. More signals for Bantry and CIE cattle wagons. All I will say is, Thank you John for taking the time and effort to produce such a first class kit. Mick

Nice bike Jim, looks a lot like mine but mine weighs a ton and has not got the pedigree of yours. Still running an 07 Skoda Octavia 163k miles and still does near 60 to the gallon. Had two major breakdowns though, flywheel came loose on the crankshaft and the ECU went t--s up. But its a euro3 engine so will probably get taxed off the road soon. Only bought another car 'cos the swimbo did'nt want to carry on towing with the Skoda! I thought I might use it for a Viking funeral!

Those are some eye opening interviews with train staff. I wonder if similar things happen here in UK that do not get reported on?

Worth replacing the steel weights in commercial wagons with lead or car wheel weights. Maybe even steel wagon axles, not that I have! Some of my model railway friends put a piece of foam under the wagon floor that gently rubs the axle. This I have done and it works.