Mol_PMB

Well done for getting it sorted and I admire your persistence in the face of adversity. I'm not sure I've got it in me to take the risk of exhibiting anything, so I really admire those who do. It certainly seems like you need multiple backups of everything to ensure the layout keeps working.

@Horsetan asked about suspension on the bogies for P4, a few weeks ago. So I just thought I’d show these photos now that I’ve completed the bogies assembly. The sideframes are free to pivot in pitch relative to the bolster, so they can accommodate track twist. To stop the whole assembly being too floppy, fine springy wire is soldered across each end. This principle is used in the Brassmasters bogie compensation units, though I have adapted the dimensions and details to suit these broad gauge GSWR bogies. I painted the bogies and wheelsets separately, then assembled them before soldering the springy wires in place. These photos show that last stage, just before I touched up the paintwork. underside: End view showing how the wire flexes when the bogie is twisted: Hopefully this will suit P4. The bogies can also be built for 16.5mm gauge (with 28mm axles) or you could fit RTR 8’ wheelbase bogies.

Very nice - that's a great looking rake! Which breed of cattle will you use - eBay, etsy, woodlands scenics, or win the lottery and get ModelU?

Still no link to book tickets. Cutting it fine, especially for those that have to travel to and stay in Dublin. I'm sure the RPSI team are even more frustrated than the potential passengers. I've made other plans now anyway.

I have been working on the interior this morning. Firstly some strips of thin black plastikard to form the floor: Then I glued the seats in place: And then I started experimenting with the curtains. After trying a few things, I chose crepe paper which has a nice texture, but was only available in white or very bold colours. So using a coloured biro I ruled some lines on it to represent the pattern seen in Ernie’s photo of the prototype, and then cut into smaller pieces: which look like this when installed: I’ve got a few more to do yet! These coaches didn’t have many opening windows and I suspect the curtains were an attempt to stop them overheating on summer excursions.

I’ve fitted the glazing and the smoking labels. In 4mm scale the latter are only impressions- the lettering isn’t quite readable. The transfers also look a bit faded in colour, but the real things faded too. They are applied to the inside of the window glass (and it is real glass). Anyway, the trouble with taking a closeup macro photo and then posting it in a large size is that it highlights all the imperfections I hadn’t spotted with the naked eye. But sometimes life is too short to worry about the roughness of the paint! This picture also shows the door bangers from Archer rivet transfers. I’m pretty pleased with how this is coming together, but there are a few tweaks I’ll make to the body etch artwork before making it available to others, to correct some minor issues I’ve had to deal with in the build.

Will you have to move the cylinders out too, with the re-gauge? I'd be interested to see some photos of how you go about the conversion of something like this.

Getting gradually closer to completion:

With the GSWR coach, I've got as far as a trial assembly of the painted parts, and now I can compare the livery to some of my other models too. Still to do are the interior and glazing, complete the buffers, couplers and gangways, and a bit more on the bogies. But it's looking the part now. All three vehicles are lightly weathered, though there's a bit more weathering to do on the bogies of the middle one. The full brake is Humbrol 3 Brunswick Green, which is almost identical to BS381C 226 Brunswick Green, which was the colour used by CIE for their dark green. The plain dark green livery with no lining or logos was introduced in 1950/51. The 30' composite is in Revell SM364 Leaf Green which forum members suggested as the best match for CIE light green. The bogie coach is BS381C 221 Brilliant Green, custom mixed for me by onlinepainship.co.uk. The Spring 1954 IRRS Journal notes that 'Coaches are now being painted in a much brighter shade (officially Brilliant Green) with a narrow light green band along the waist-line...' This is the livery I have chosen for the bogie coach 840, as illustrated in Ernie's super photo of the same coach dated April 1956: Interestingly, after a bit of weathering on both, the Brilliant Green has turned out very similar to the Revell SM36 green; the Revell colour being fractionally paler, and the brilliant colour being slightly browner. I do like all the 'gubbins' on the roofs of these old Irish coaches, so here's a roof shot: Finally a comparison with an IRM Park Royal. Although the roof and underframe have been repainted on this one, the green has not. I think it needs to be toned down a bit, and I'm planning to mask off the windows and try a coat of flat varnish to start with. This is the Park Royal that I modified with the correct roof layout, and represents the last version of the green livery introduced in the very late 1950s. I'd better stop writing and continue work on the model...

Accurascale really do know how to make me part with my money! A couple of years ago, the O gauge B tanks were too expensive for me, with an original list price of £124.00 each. I tried the Heljan one-armed bandit again this morning and scored a 30% discount code. Now with a combination of post-Accurascale discount to £59.99, bulk buy discount of 10% and bandit discount of 30%, I've just spent £75.60 for two, or £37.80 each. That's 70% off original list price, and very good value for O gauge wagons!

Another odd thing is that there is no main frame. The boiler is the main structural component. So when it’s in steam the wheelbase is longer than when it’s cold. I can only assume there was a lot of slack in the rod ends, or maybe they were adjusted daily.

Very nice! It certainly captures the style of the prototype and looks well. Do you plan any other Padarn rolling stock?

I did think about it, but decided that sewing and stuffing the fine silk wasn't in my skillset.

The body is progressing in the paintshop and now has the lining and number on one side. I forgot to put the door bangers on the etch but I have made a virtue out of a mistake. The waist lining goes on much better without them, and I have used Archer rivet transfers on top of the lining to represent the door bangers. I have also painted the ends black and picked out the communication cord butterflies in red. I have also been painting the seats; the saloon interior is painted already.

A couple of Genesis 6-wheelers in CIE dark green - third and compo. Prices reasonable at present, in GB: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/198509396745 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/198509429319