Rob R

I have no axe to grind on this as you are all modelling the wrong scale anyway No point messing with 20.2mm gauge or whatever, if 21mm doesn't suit then save yourself a load of time and effort and stick with 16.5mm. There is no snobbery amongst the modellers of the Irish scene and nobody will look down their noses at you for using the "wrong" gauge track. Generally, if you are going to model any minority scale/gauge combination then you are going to have to get your hands dirty and do some scratchbuilding along the way, for the 4mm/21mm gauge that means track and especially pointwork. For the few parts of the system that used Bullhead then the existing C&L (or similar) injection moulded chairs and sleepers can be used, fairly straight forward with a bit of practice, pre machined crossings and blades are readily available for those that need them and Templot can generate the templates (with a bit of practice or a helpful friend). The pain of doing yards of plain track can be eased with the latest developments in Templot plug/COT track and a home 3d printer (or another friend who has one?). Flatbottom plain track is feasable with a home FDM 3d printer as my experiments with the S Scale code 75 are showing and no doubt Paul will document his progress on Broombridge in the fullness of time. Even the cheapest of the FDM printers will do it and the material cost (sleepers, not rail!) is just pennies. Of course back in the "old days" the likes of Mike Sharman, Colin Binnie and Roy Link would have just milled up a simple brass die and squirted hot plastic around the kitchen with their homemade injection moulding machines - in fact Roy did with his 7mm/14mm gauge NG track although that needs the rails spiking down through the pre-moulded holes. If someone was going to put their hands in their pockets for a few sleepers worth of injection moulded plain track base is there a consesus on what rail size to use? Code 75, 83 or 100? Enough of my rambling.. Rob

If any of you are going to Doncaster next weekend (yes, I know most of you are the wrong side of the Irish Sea) you are welcome to call in for a chat with Paul and myself on the late Trevor Nunn's S scale layout "Trowland". Rob

Question for the 7mm/21mm gauge modellers. What size rail do you use and what size/spacing sleepers? Cheers

David, 15 thou short of an inch. 63/64". I will be playing with some 7mm track eventually for peco code 100 and 21mm gauge for 4mm and 7mm 3ft. R

Colin, Don't know if there is anything in here that may help. Colm Creedon Rob

Colin, I wonder if the ng coaches were numbered in the same series as the ng coaches when delivered and then re-numbered later when the bg had gone? Rob

Thank you. I will study them later this evening. R

Yes, but at what temperature? The prints are actually coming out at 25.1mm at the moment but that should allow for the natural tendency for flexitrack to reduce in gauge a little when bent. If it proves to be an issue in testing it is easy enough to tweak. When I get the odd 25 hour day/ 8 day week I'll take a look at 4mm and 7 mm and if possible post the .stl files on here for all. Rob

Fortunately Paul has most of the pointwork for Broombridge already, recycled from Kilbrandon I believe. For new work, copperclad or spiked to ply sleepers would be easiest until the guys at Templot come up with something. R

A little taster:- Early days yet, 25mm gauge for S Scale (1:64). Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro, Elegoo PLA filament, 0.4mm nozzle Peco code 75 rail Wagon by Paul Greene Rob

Colin, A quick trawl through the NLI (and the interweb generally): Carrigaline A trainful Crosshaven and a few in here (re-opening day at Passage West?) Album Rob

Just spotted this. Thank you.

Obviously if it sticks at something like it's current price (£19.99) I'll have a punt, but realistically that isn't going to happen. It is also the wrong scale for me but that just a minor detail Rob

Guys, As much as I want one, the timing is wrong and I am skint so fill your boots Sligo tank.. Rob

Thanks for the update.

May I add a 4th question? How is the WLWR goods coming along? (Asking for a friend)

From the photos I have gleaned from interweb it was indeed No 20 Galtee More. There was also one of the earlier Vulcan 240's, No 29 the 040st and at least one 044t, Castle Hacket? I think. and an unknown 060 Samples cropped frrom photos from the internet. Copyright with respective owners. Also We must not forget Killaney by David Walker. November 1985 Railway Modeller. Four locos, 242t No14 Lough Derg, Fairburn 240 No11 and 440 No54 Jubilee and 040st No29 again. The same article also mentions a "superb tender drawing for Jubilee in the "Railway Engineer". I have not yet found that online but I will keep looking. Edit. That 060 may be an Avonside 042? Rob

Killaloe is well covered by the NLI indirectly. The goods wharf beyond the new station features in the backgound of several views of the river and steamers. There are a couple that show the old station, again in the far background but probably as good as we are going to get and then there is this view with No 3 Zetland and train in the new station, cropped from a more general shot. Killaloe - Zetland and train If you are searching the NLI photos just type "Killaloe" and browse through. Keep an eye on the backgrounds though.

Last one for now. Buildings on the far right.

Spot on Leslie

There is another view, I think with the station in use but there is a tree in the way - fortunately the leaves are not fully out. The joys of researching and modelling the obscure.. BNCR Guess where but a bit earlier.

If you want a nice little BNCR terminus that will confuse the "know it alls" try this one. I'll put the link in but try not to cheat and have a guess where it is. BNCR guess where.

The BNCR is well served by the National Library of Ireland's photo collection. You sometimes have to be a bit creative with the search terms-try Larne, Coleraine, Portrush, Whitehead- and more than enough wagonry and coaching stock is revealed in detail. When I get a chance (in work for the night) I'll post some links etc unless someone beats me to it. Rob

It is a while since I have been in the shed and I genuinely thought it was 8mm. Just goes to show that if the rest of the layout is up to scratch then the actual gauge is irrelevant - hence so many people using 16.5mm gauge here. Rob

Pete Wilson followed up the 8mm gauge slate quarry with a large of WW1 Belgium/France complete with the requisite 8mm gauge WD Light Railway. This has been out on the exhibition circuit (here and France) but not for a few years.