LNERW1

I see. I apologise, then, for my anger above. I believed Robert was using playground insults and was quite shocked as I know him to be a kind man of good judgement. Apologies, Robert, I hope you understand. Edit: and, DJ, although I get your point, I believe “****tard” is derived from “retard”, if it implies stupidity, as the English language, and those who shape it, can often be cruel.

Respectfully, Robert, I would watch the language you use there. Perhaps soften the apparent abuse of people who you consider unintelligent. Railway safety is an important issue but verbal abuse does nothing. I do not want to start an argument but that language, although I cannot tell quite what childish insult you may have used, is uncalled for and especially unpleasant as I believe the term used was a slur “applicable” generally to those who may have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Watch what you say about people, especially around those who may have been bullied for disabilities or neurological conditions.

Thanks. What I was planning on doing was entirely removing the cab, and sanding down the frame to the correct length. If I need to remove a central section of the body I can do that too. I plan on building the cab out of plasticard, not decided on bufferbeam details but I'm sure I can find suitable detailing somewhere. I will probably use an 80s or 90s tooling, and with a 60ft long diesel you can probably count on the length being underscale to work on trainset curves.

@gibbo675 giving us some brilliant examples of British to Irish conversions, has inspired me to try follow up on the 071 from a 58. Read somewhere else that Hornby considered this, but I’m not quite sure on that. I’ll look for a cheap 58 first, then a 3D-printed end. Edit: will be starting a workbench topic for this and other things, also side-profile photos of 071s would be nice, thanks.

Michael Palin really is a brilliant man. He’s very kind, very smart and very funny. Definitely my favourite Python.

Not a fan of Portillo either, but my main gripe with him is his politics. I can imagine he's not an overtly pleasant fellow though.

Sorry, I think I got a J26 mixed up with a J27, that does indeed look similar, but Accurascale/IRM are unlikely to indulge in re-use of a tooling. They would end up producing models that are as expensive as the original, but inaccurate to Irish or British prototypes. They could reuse some aspects of the tooling, but they would have to simplify and modify the tooling to the point where they could just have made a new tooling in less time. coming from someone with zero experience of modelmaking, just to clarify.

I’m not seeing it. Maybe I’m missing a hint?

Looks brilliant, I also have a dock layout with no actual water yet, as I can’t find a way to incorporate it, but at the same time stopping the scenic break, a road bridge, from just running straight into the water. You seem to enjoy slicing up RTR British models and turning them into Irish ones, good luck with all your projects!

20240706_010353.heic A sneak peek of a little module to be added on. More later.

Thanks. I sometimes find it difficult to distinguish Mk2s and Mk3s, especially when you can’t see either carriages in full, or see the doors. I think I may have posted in your V class thread. Thanks again, LNERW1

I don’t envy you but I am interested to see how they turn out! Also, I like the James and Daisy visible in the first picture. I have a thread on Thomas somewhere. Is the HST a Thomas model, too? I know there’s a HST in later Railway Series books.

Two things- this is one of three projects I have on the go at the moment. The other two are Ardree Quay and my garden railway. Royal Park, another layout I had a thread on, has been more or less indefinitely postponed and the baseboard used for this project. Secondly, the vehicles are intended to have a very small wheelbase, and any bogie vehicles will have bogies that can swivel a full 360 degrees, that are also very close together. It’s not a micro layout by any standard, but it’s designed for very small stock.

This project was inspired by an ad for Peco Code 75 track. The different sleeper types were advertised as a selling point and I remember thinking that the metal-sleeper track looked very much like that used on Bord na Mona. The thought resurfaced periodically, but I only decided to do something with it once I stumbled across @Aussie Phil’s topic on his O16.5/NG7 Bord na Mona layout. This inspired me to make a start on a similar project myself. The primary difference, however, is that I plan on modelling a small independent turf company. I have made a small start on the layout, using the board from a postponed project (Royal Park) and several odds and ends and track bits I found around the “railway room”. The primary purpose of this layout is to create something I can exhibit, but also to get my modelling skills to the point where I can build something worth exhibiting. I chose NG7 as 16.5mm gauge track is the most readily available basically anywhere. I plan on using Code 100 track, but I may try to use some of that rail with the metal sleepers from the aforementioned Code 75 track. The layout will be a simple loop of first-radius curves, separated in the middle by a road, under which the track passes. One side will be the loco shed and wagon sidings, while the other will be a passing loop. Control hasn’t yet been fully decided, but I plan on using 12V DC as I want to use RTR OO chassis. Edit- the name Killamuck comes from the Killamuck Bog Trail on Abbeyleix Bog, as I walk there often and it seems a suitably “bog” and “midlands” name.

This project was inspired by an ad for Peco Code 75 track. The different sleeper types were advertised as a selling point and I remember thinking that the metal-sleeper track looked very much like that used on Bord na Mona. The thought resurfaced periodically, but I only decided to do something with it once I stumbled across @Aussie Phil’s topic on his O16.5/NG7 Bord na Mona layout. This inspired me to make a start on a similar project myself. The primary difference, however, is that I plan on modelling a small independent turf company. I have made a small start on the layout, using the board from a postponed project (Royal Park) and several odds and ends and track bits I found around the “railway room”. The primary purpose of this layout is to create something I can exhibit, but also to get my modelling skills to the point where I can build something worth exhibiting. I chose NG7 as 16.5mm gauge track is the most readily available basically anywhere. I plan on using Code 100 track, but I may try to use some of that rail with the metal sleepers from the aforementioned Code 75 track. The layout will be a simple loop of first-radius curves, separated in the middle by a road, under which the track passes. One side will be the loco shed and wagon sidings, while the other will be a passing loop. Control hasn’t yet been fully decided, but I plan on using 12V DC as I want to use RTR OO chassis.

How different are the Hornby chassis for the Royal Scot and Patriot? I ask as I have a Patriot and would happily buy a print of this if I were able to fit it to said chassis with minimal modifications.

This looks incredible. I was about to take out a baseboard and start planning for a BnM layout in the exact same scale when I happened across this. Unfortunately I don't think I can ask @Aussie Phil about this as he hasn't visited the site in nearly a decade and I must say I fear the worst. It's a real pity that we haven't seen more of this layout.

Plan has changed slightly- the baseboard I planned to use is now being used for an O16.5 layout based on Bord na Móna. Royal Park is being moved even further back, and will not see much progress for a good few years. As it is, all I’ve actually done is half-built an apartment block. The BnM layout is intended to be a way to work on scratchbuilding, while also being something I’m genuinely interested in.

Wow, really? What vehicles have you used, and on what lines?

There are a few solutions to ableism point tbh. Example of “buggies” is a nice idea, and circling back to the point on weather, having both electric buggies and pedal-powered vehicles with some “convertible” roof system would be great. Something simple that can easily be slid open, very akin to a convertible car. Maybe not super relevant but the Cavan and Leitrim have a couple of manually-powered vehicles, ie a handcart and a vehicle basically made up of two bikes. I’ve had the pleasure of riding on both and I have to say they’d be good fun along a BnM line. I still would love for the same thing to happen on Coolnamona though.

Apparently BnM has purchased Velorail vehicles- looks like they're planning something with their lines, so maybe not all hope is lost. (source: IRRS journal Feb. 2024, News section) Also, I think I saw @jhb171achill mentioned as the author of a text relating to a late stationmaster at Limerick junction in that same journal. Wouldn't surprise me, I think JHB might literally be the IRRS archive personified (in a good way).

That would probably be easier but that isn't exactly what I'm going for- the idea of realistically-operated semaphores is why I actually want a signalling system. I think I'll use Tenmille signal heads, attached to scratchbuilt posts, with the signal light hopefully being an LED (with wiring inside the post and the bulb being encased in resin or glue to prevent any water from short circuiting). As I said, the signal and point rodding will be using a wire-in-tube system, which will run trackside while wiring for LEDs is planned to be from wiring running along trackside power lines. This is so nothing is buried or hidden in such a way it would be inaccessible should something go wrong, it is also easy to identify, and I can say "Even the signal rodding and power lines actually function". The power lines can also power lighting in buildings, and any moving functions like a windmill or point motors on the tramway (I unfortunately can't use wire-in-tube for the tramway, so I will use point motors. I may also use electrical signalling of the type used on LUAS lines to control exit from the tramway onto the main line). Also, tracklaying is going to have to commence YET AGAIN as my butterfly mind has decided the system I was planning to use for building the roadbed was inadequate and will now be replaced by bricks with soil piled behind them- the bricks are going from being the embankment itself to a retaining wall. Don't worry, I haven't seen any flaws with this system so tracklaying should be final this time. At least for a few years. Finally, no progress on the railmotor. Signalling/wiring diagram planned, will hopefully be posted within a week.

Stuff like this fascinates me. I have a whole book on early UK railways that goes into plenty of lines that ran up mountains just like this, but the Ireland section (covering north and south as there wasn't a distinction when the lines were built) is negligible. I can't say I know much about the Mournes bar a song by the famous music hall performer Percy French, but the incline reminds me of the slate quarries at Blaenau, Llanberis, Penrhyn, Abergynolwyn, etc. Any clue of the gauge of the incline? Given the apparent scale of it compared to its surroundings, it seems to be 3ft, which is a reasonable assumption- but given I'm sure it was an entirely isolated system with no outside connections, it was probably some esoteric gauge like 2ft 7-1/6in. It's fascinating to see such a complete example of this technology- everything seems to be as good as though the incline closed 20 years ago, although I'm sure it's closer to a century. I suppose there's little pollution, and there's hardly enough up there to bother taking it down, or anything being built over it, or anyone wanting to vandalise it or steal parts. It's fascinating and I'd love to visit, do you have directions to it or coordinates on Google Maps? Thanks.

You’re a much braver man than myself. Best of luck with the three links, it’s honestly probably the only solution to my problem of something like five different types of couplings in my 00 collection, so I might try it as well.

I see, I’ll be sure to support the railway by going there often. Thanks anyway.