Glenderg

Super shots, looks like a great day out. Enjoy the sups. 12mm hand built track in 00, fair dues lads.... Richie.

That's correct Ray. The ballast wagons come in 3 sets of 3, the bubble in 4 sets of 3. The logic, if anyone's interested, was that when you top and tail a rake of ballasts with plough vans, and add an 071, you'll probably be at the maximum acceptable rake length on the average layout. However, with the cement bubbles not suffering the same requirement (except those that want to run them unfitted with a brake van), a reasonable sized home layout can take a loco and 12 bubbles comfortably. Whatsmore, those than can go to a prototypical rake of double headed 121's and 24 wagons, can have enough variety in running numbers and logos, such that it doesn't look all "samey". Richie.

Going to have to disagree with my colleague about the ringfield motors. superb bit of engineering that transferred power equally to each axle, only to be let down by pickups and carbon brushes. And size. But the noise they made was the 80's equivalent of DCC Sound, and they even produced a smell of burning oil that current crop of loco's don't do (Elf n Safety might have something to say about that...!) Give me a Lima MK3 to butcher any day over a Hornby version... R. (This post may contain an unnatural amount of nostalgia and does not reflect IRM's tractive aspirations, despite my efforts )

JB should be along shortly with that info on colour. I might be able to assist on the roof vents....*roots furiously... As you can see from the photos, vents 1,2,5,6,7,8,9 & 10 are evenly spaced. Vents 3 & 4 are closer together. Why? CIE, lunar cycle, smellier folk used sit in that zone. Who knows... Richie.

https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/rfq/publicpurchase_frameset.asp?PID=114710&B=ETENDERS_SIMPLE&PS=1&PP=ctm/Supplier/publictenders

Colin, There's been much discussion on this forum about Silverfox products, which can end up getting quite heated. Simply put, if you want a model who's cabs look like they've been belted with a swallow tail shovel, and painted in a shade of orange that was specified by Willy Wonka' oompa loompas, rather than CIE, go for it. If you just want to play trains of an evening they'll suit fine. If you're of the purist persuasion, much work has to be done and I'd recommend the studio scale sulzer b101 kit over SF as it captures the shape. As far as MM is concerned and metrovicks, until you hear a firm statement from him, ruling in or out, I wouldn't assume anything. Richie

I find it odd that this loco was repainted in the more vibrant MK3 orange we all know and love. I've a sample of the earlier, slightly darker version, taken from the roof of a 121 who shall rename nameless (and it's not TAN!) and it's not RAL 2011. Forgive the colour blocks on the left, they aren't an accurate "catch all" but if I were making these things in small, I'd have gone for the right colour :p (cue JHB and a pint exploding somewhere) Richie. edit - I'm not knocking IE's valiant efforts, it's a stunning job well executed.

I've tried to find as many unique and odd things as possible to put on the wagons, but as always, there are some compromises. The electrical flash warnings didn't get applied to the pristine 1982 versions, but much later. We added them since they stand out like a sore thumb if being weathered. Those and the tail end rungs of the ladders were the only "clean" parts Trying to cater for all scenarios, I spose. Speaking of oddities, whilst doing the various codes for ultrasonic and D tests, I noticed a few wagons had a "Y-LK" exam - was that a pressure test or does anyone know, just for curiosity sake. Going to push the limits of the Tampo process for this too R

Sadly there was only a single wagon with the "Bulk Cement" branding - it even had the larger broken wheel roundel. Would have liked to have found a few more examples of it for a triple pack, but at least the single one should add some variety to a rake, particularly if folk chose to run them in pristine () finish R.

Nothing to do with roads. All to do with carbon footprint and big fines from the EU. It's in our interest to get more heavy freight onto rails, rather than roads.

@Nelson, park the uniform, this demands your scalpels!!! R.

How's all? As someone who's had a lifetime's worth of looking at ballast wagons, both real and small, I thought I'd try and get them to look closer to the real thing. Basic technique was a wash with goauche, deep brown and some Paynes Grey. As soon as is this is dry, most is taken off again just staying around joints and places where grime collects. Then some weathering using the AK Interactive range of weathering pigments. No airbrushing used, they never accumulated the level of track dirt that bubbles or any other stock received. Richie.

That's not the right box. Wrenn won't touch it.

Well you've seen my stuff, total rivet counter, but I'd be whipping off the cab and bonnet and rebuilding it right. To my eye the bonnet on the donor is too short and the cab too long, but Rule 1 always applies. It's your ****ing railway and you can run what you ****ing well like! As long as you don't get modellers remorse at some stage, wish you'd gone the extra mile for a prototypical model, or don't try and pass it off as a perfect representation, then it's all good. Rule 1 after all...  But you bring a valid donor to this thread, and lads searching Google for the same idea in time might be pop in here and be able to pick up those models for a few schillings. It's about 40ish years old, after all. R

To add some clarity to your post roxy, the wheelbase of that model is 28.8mm,which looks roughly right, but I've no definite data. It would make the g class about 7 ft and change. The length of the chassis, which is die cast, is 83mm. G class works out at 84ish. That's the good news. Bad news is that anything above the solebar is way off prototype and wouldn't look like a g class, no matter the amount of 2 foot rules you apply. Sadly, I'm not aware of any drawings of the G in circulation to aid scratchbuild in, but if I dig any out, I'll add them to the resources section here. Richie.

This is as drawingy as it gets.

No, we're not. Look at stereo lithography printing, which has been around for years. A machine can cost €100,000,and a print is a couple of grand. Large manufacturers use this process to produce pre production samples you see in magazines. "stereo print" It's almost as good as rtr but ribbing can be spotted on it. The issue with 3D printing is that it's an additive process, creating layers, and despite the thin layers, still looks like combed toothpaste. Look at the reductive processes of starting with a lump and removing the swarf with lasers etc. That's where the tech is going now, and should be able to produce perfect parts. From a casting and moulding viewpoint, this should make cottage industries more viable. R.

Daryl, Great stuff, love the very light weathering touch, the mad interior, and the level of finish, particularly steps and battery boxes. Richie.

Noel, Be questioning Eoin on this craic, he's probably got a sketchbook bursting to the seams with ideas of how and how not to do it Something tells me he's got a mad plan before he plugs in his flux capacitor, and all we get to see is the final result. I'm really enjoying these posts, and am looking forward to the end result, but that spring detail has me slightly childishly giddy, it is that good. Richie.

Is this 7mm or 4mm, Dave?

The grille opening is 16.5mm wide x 14.5mm high.

Easy enough solution. You'll need to remove the square panel behind, then cut a corresponding square out of evergreen sheet 4525, and fit flush to the opening. R.

I believe it's in the Manchester transport library also. But the search function here is mighty.. http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/5123-GSWR-Carriage-Diagram-Book-1924

Colin, as a conservation architect and having built a few buildings over the years, I'd have to say that GNR has the most modular of all styles. Station masters houses, signal cabins, platform shelters, all follow a defined pattern. They are also the most difficult to reproduce, such is the level of detail. MGWR might appear austere in its design, but it ranks second when it comes to buildings and patterns. Anything in the GSWR world is a mess. You can see stations on both sides of limerick, Croome and Pallasgrean come to mind, and they are wildly differing styles. If you like a building, build it, rename it, and cherry pick other buildings from other stations as needed. The right effect can be achieved. Richie. Edit - I have that shaffrey book, the rendering of Thurles is lovely.

Can I suggest a light wash on the load, it just makes the stone detail pop.