LNERW1

Give us a minute, DJ… I’ve ballasted almost all of the layout at this point, and I’ve managed to glue it all down without sticking any point blades in place. Photos up presently.

I'm not an expert, but i don't think the diagonal thing on the extreme right is meant to be diagonal?

Ballast going down over most of the layout now. I’m also looking to buy some XPS insulation foam for scenery and I’ve marked a plank of wood, will cut it to make the road heading to the ferry terminal for Sheehaun.

Fair. Also fair.

The point with the curves is a good one. I think the best move would probably be to have the Pecketts be a relic of the line’s early years; there were much tighter curves within Galway city as the line originally was a tramway, but in the 1890s several tunnels were dug and the line became usable by larger engines. However, conflicts with the MGWR meant few other locos worked the line and as the Pecketts were fairly new and there were still tight curves in many yards along the line, they remained until 1965 when their pickup goods and shunting duties were taken over by No. 9, which had worked on the line since 1934, and a new diesel shunter. I may get a G class for the latter, but I’m not sure yet.

You have exposed my woeful ignorance, JHB- thanks again. I do intend to run the C class on goods work, so similar enough to Loughrea. Re the tank engines, I’ll probably get a Hornby Peckett W4 and B2, 0-4-0 and 0-6-0 saddle tanks respectively, as they are both available in MSC green, which is close enough to CIÉ green until I get around to repainting them. The idea is that they were ordered by the Galway and South Connemara Railway before it was absorbed into the GSR, as the railway stayed independent from the MGWR and so didn’t pick up as much design influence, although I do plan on basing some architectural elements on stations in Galway and the northwest.

That’s a brilliant channel- Melbournesparks. They have a brilliant garden railway based on, I believe, Melbourne-area trams and suburban trains. Their trams actually work off a functioning overhead wire, it’s brilliant.

I have a Monogram Snap-Tite Big Boy. Think it’s complete as it was still wrapped in cellophane when I got it. The sprues were a bit damaged though. Haven’t got much progress in at all, its on display in a cabinet in the railway room atm. Might just be that kit, I think mine at least has movable wheels, could be the case for other kits as well?

Ok, two questions on the locomotive roster- 1- does anyone have a resource that lists allocations of locos including C classes, and, crucially, when they were repainted? I’m trying to find a suitable number for a C class from Silver Fox, so having one that would have worked in the west, specifically ex-MGWR lines or the North Kerry/West Cork would be nice, as well as, more importantly, running a loco that would have been painted green between 1963-69. 2- if anyone has links to models of Irish-looking 1880s-1900s tank engines, preferably 3D-printed body shells made to fit on RTR chassis, please send me a link. Thanks, LNERW1

Not to be nitpicky but isn’t that a 181? As opposed to a 141. Sorry to be a bit pedantic.

http://rbmodels.ie

I am aware RB models have closed their physical premises, but as the web shop is still in existence, has a .ie domain name and retails Irish stock I was wondering if there is worth on adding them to the shops list.

You grew up in Cyprus? News to me.

Is that the same Barry that got into a spat with a filing cabinet or am I mixing up details?

I grew up with 8100s and 071s still give me goosebumps- but that’s probably because they sound brilliant . Gotta love a proper American engine. I haven’t heard any English Electric engines thrash in person yet though so maybe I could be swayed.

Ah, fair. I was looking at purely the number of posts in the topic. Either way, this is a brilliant project everyone deserves to see.

I’ll be home late tonight- can’t wait to get back to modelling, watch this space.

How does this not have more people interacting? This is shaping up to be a brilliant layout.

I wish I could get cracking DJ… As I’ve said, I’ve been away for three weeks. I’ll be heading home on Sunday and rest assured I will be straight at it.

Sorry for the lack of any updates- I’ve been away for a few weeks and so unable to work on much. I’ve had plenty of time for planning indoor railways, so a couple of projects on that front will have some work done on them soon. The SLR will go through further evolution, but progress will begin again very soon, as I will be back home in just a few days.

Thought I would indulge in one of my favourite habits- rewriting the history I wrote. The line now runs direct from Galway to Ardree, situated near modern day Connemara Airport, stopping at Salthill, Knocknacarra, Bearna, Na Forbacha, An Spideal, Ardree Town (Ardree McKenna after 1965, after Billy McKenna (1803-1874), a local poet and advocate of Irish independence) and Ardree Quay. Ardree Quay is some distance out from the town and serves the harbour from where ferry services leave to the Aran Islands and Sheehaun, the fictional island my garden railway is located on. Primary goods traffic consists of livestock from areas served by the line and produce from Sheehaun. There is also a sand merchant located about a mile east of Ardree. Passenger traffic is the usual local traffic, run by DMUs in later years, and boat trains, hauled by my 121 and a C class I’m planning on buying. The C class and DMUs will probably come from Silver Fox. Ardree had a loco depot until the end of passenger traffic, but this was for the branch freight loco(s). After this they were stabled in Galway or Ardree Quay’s loco siding. The line opened in 1879, closed to passengers in 1967, closed to freight in 1974 and was torn up in the early 80s. I am modelling it between 1963-69. In terms of stock; Currently owned: CIÉ 121, No. 135, original grey livery, Murphy Models GWR 101, CIÉ livery, Hornby Planned purchases: CIÉ 2600, Silver Fox CIÉ C class, Silver Fox 2 steam locos- none in particular as of now, but will probably be repainted Hornby Railroad or older models ie Hornby, Triang etc. as 00 Works releases are a little out of my pocket. Possible Purchases: CIÉ B class, Silver Fox OO works locos? No layout updates as I’ve been away for a few weeks, but I’m itching to get back at it.

I’d say the body would be a bit smaller, but I was thinking along the lines of just using the chassis as I think the wheel spacing is close enough. Re the C class, I was thinking of it as a very “on the cheap” bodge with a bodyshell for a tenner and a chassis already lying around, etc. or as an A class as there’s no way I could afford the IRM release.

Might be more trouble than its worth, but Bachmann's James model could probably be a chassis donor for a DSER Mogul? The body's also close enough but the face would need replacing with a smoke smokebox door and the firebox and cab would need work. Also, a C or A class bodge (or maybe a scratchbuild) could use the cab ends of a BR Class 26 or 27 to get the curvature more or less right. Finally, not British, but I am planning on converting an LGB starter set 0-4-0 into a BnM Andrew Barclay, specifically No. 2 at Stradbally. I think @Hawkerhellfire has already done so.

Have you propped up the roof supports with cork? IIRC there was an issue where you’d raised the track but not the roof therefore it was just too low to allow some of your stock under.

I’m confused, has my topic been merged with another?