RedRich

Hi Luc, if you are going to model 21mm you have 2 choices, do you want to work to S4 standards where the wheels and track are an exact scale, or a less severe standard of 21mm akin to Em gauge where you can use more tolerable wheels with a more generous flange thickness. I would recommend compensating all wagons, coaches, and steam locomotives. Diesel locos don't need to be compensated but that doesn't mean that some modellers have not done it. Carriage Compensation Units CCU's are available from Dart Castings under the MJT range and they can also be used for bogie wagon stock as well as coaches as they come in different wheelbases. 2 and 3 axle vehicles would require etched W irons or inside bearings. You will need 28mm pin point axles for the wider gauge, Keen Maygib and Alan Gibson produce wheels that would suit all vehicles. Branclines produce wheelsets with 28mm pin point axles. The Scalefour Stores seem to be out of stock on Alan Gibson 28mm pin point axles at the moment. Ultrascale will provide wheels and 28mm pin point axles on request but there would be a waiting period for these. Track and Back to back gauges can be purchased from the Scalefour stores and you have to be a member to use this service. I have measured sleepers on the area of the network that I am modelling and they tend to measure 8ft 6 inch's to 8ft 8 inch's on wooden sleepers. Concrete sleepers can be bought from C&L Finescale and Peco produce some concrete panels also. Peco produce packs of pandrol clips for flat bottom rail but they are a bit overscale. I am using P4 Track Co concrete sleeper panels stretched for the correct gauge as they are manufactured for 18.83mm modellers. The P4 Track Co and C&L Finescale produce all the materials you would need for building track except correct gauges for 21mm. If you want to avail of track and rail filing jigs as well as all the other gauges you would need to join the Scalefour Society. Please feel free Luc to ask any questions as there are a few of us that are modelling 21mm and we will always be glad to answer any questions. Rich,

Sex and drugs and rock and roll is also a great tune. Anyone see the movie of his life with Andy Serkis. Rich,

Stephen if they are giving problems on points then I would say that there is a problem with the back to back settings on the wheels. Rich,

Des a couple of my mates went to see Queen at Slane in 86 and were nearly squashed to death when the Bangles came on as everyone wanted to get up close to check out the totty. They said due to the conditions (a mud bath) and poor sound through the mixing desk it was s**t gig. Live Aid made U2's career and saved Queens. I remember some reports at the time saying that Springsteen wouldn't play the London show due to Queen being on the bill, as they had played a gig the previous year in South Africa. Springsteen was hugely involved with Amnesty International at the time, and he was in Europe at that time touring Born in the USA. I remember that Self Aid gig in the RDS in 86 and Chris Rea was fantastic on that day also. Rich,

Stephen check the flange thickness on the wheels. If you are using code 75 track it could well be that the wheels are fouling the chairs on the track. If that is the case you should invest in some RP25 wheelsets. Another way to guarantee better running over the lifetime of the wagons would be to use a sub frame and attach the sideframes to it cosmetically. There is obviously something awry with the build of the bogies if it is not the wheels themselves as the track looks to have been laid flawlessly. Rich,

152 187 134 086 220 I won't name any kettles as they are something that I would never have seen everyday, in everyday use. Rich,

The Boss is constantly striving to make the site as user friendly as it can be, and keeping it fresh for everyone of the members. Rich,

Stephen do you have a back to back gauge. It could also be that the wheels are out of gauge on the axle. I was always of the opinion that MIR used metal wheelsets, all of the kits I have ever built have had metal wheelsets provided, a lot of them are incorrectly provided with 3 hole disc wheelsets and I used to always swap them for Alan Gibson disc wheelsets. A back to back gauge is an essential part of any modellers tool box and it is well worth investing in one. The wagons look to be weathered check and see if there is any paint on the wheel threads. A bit of oil in the bearings always make for a smoother running bogie too. Failing all that Stephen go with the other advice and by some Bachmann disc wheelsets of the correct radius and you should be alright. Rich,

I was having a look at what we have had released so far in 2012 and looking at what is to come later in the year. So far we have had, MM201's SSM 30 Ton Brake Van Silver Fox PP car and coaches, and MK111 Gen Van Glendergs buildings Future releases include, SSM Sulzer Maybe more MM 201's and MK11's MM 071-111 Commissioned by the retailers Autoballasters Dave and Marks DD Vehicles Jim Poots Bus models If there is anything that I have forgotten or was not aware of, please feel free to add it in you're own post. I can't ever remember so many new models being released in one calender year before. It is good to see that the hobby is doing so well and 2012 is the definitely the definitive year for Irish Modelling. Rich,

I was having a look at Dave and Marks excellent pre production model of the DD DVT and I was thinking how refreshing it is to see the manufacturers and retailers posting and displaying pre production models for us prospective buyers. We have had early pre and production viewing of the SSM loco and brake van, the DD DVT and coaches from Dave and Mark, the fully painted samples of the autoballasters from the retailers, the pre production pics and displaying of the MM 071-111 locos, Mayners Luggage Vans, and Glendergs amazing buildings. I would like to say thanks and fair play to all the above mentioned for a great show of faith in their products and caring enough about their customers by keeping us informed and up to date with news regarding future releases . Rich,

Good man Mark. Rich,

That looks good Dave, It certainly captures the look of the prototype as Tony has mentioned. I can't wait to see more pics. Rich,

Good luck to George. People are spoiled for choice with the excellent services provided by the members of the group that take commissions to carry out this work. Rich,

Hi John space is definitely a major issue when considering a model railway in 00 21mm. When you consider the size of a C or D switch and compare it to the largest of Peco switches it does seem huge. There are some nice small stations on the network that would make a nice model in their current state. Thomastown, Bagnalstown, Carrick On Suir to name but a few. My own layout of Clonmel will more than likely be compressed to allow me to model the goods shed main station building and the crossing at the Tipp side of the road bridge. However if I can twist the arm of SWMBO to allow a bigger man shed then I might be able to squeeze in a bit more rail. The introduction of the range of products that are available from the P4 Track Co now makes it a lot less of a challenge to build correct gauge track. C&L also provide machined switches and fully assembled crossing vee's. Both companies also provide point kits with all the work done for you. You would have to use you're own sleepers though with a P4 Track Co kit as the sleepers have locating pips for the chairs set at 18.83. There are a lot more gauges and fine tuning gauges available to the modeller now since the Modelling Irish Railways book was published, so it is even less of a daunting task now. Rich,

Fran you are spot on regarding the air dryers. The company that manufacture them are Graham White of Salem Virginia. I have to admit that I am beginning to acquire an interest in Railway prototypes from across the Atlantic. I did have a passing interest many years ago in the B&O Railroad Company. Rich,

Richie, modelling 21mm is a bit of a specialist subject and the thing that turns most people off is the filing of the vees and and switch blades. Compensation is another thing that puts people off also. The Scalefour Society provides through it's stores the relevant switch and vee filing jigs as well as gauges for building the track. I use Templot for drawing the track as you can really get the track to flow in a way that you just can't with standard proprietary track. You can adjust the adjacent track centers on double line track move the sleepers around and it even sets the placement for the fishplates every 17th sleeper. I am only scratching at the surface of what Templot can do and after 5 years I am still learning. There is a Templot user group as well so if you get to a point where you need help you will be sorted out in a jiffy. Martin Wynne who designed Templot is on the group every day and there is nothing that he couldn't help you with. Having seen you're exceptional skill as a modeller Richie I am certain that you would have no problems adapting. If there is anything you would like to know don't hesitate to ask. Rich,

That looks a beast of a machine Fran, nice livery too. The model manufacturers must be delighted at the prospect of having so many liveries to reproduce. I noticed that they use the same air dryer filters as those on the 201's. Rich,

I love sport myself Eamonn I'm looking forward to the Olympic games when they start. As a Waterford man I have great memories of John Treacy taking silver in the Marathon in 84. I'll be glued to the telly when the boxing starts as I did a bit of boxing in my younger years. St Paul's boxing club in Waterford has produced some good fighters down through the years. Rich,

At the end of the day that's the most enjoyable part Vincent. Rich,

You lucky boy. Rich,

Great work Stephen, once I get to the stage where the electrical work is done, I tend to come to a stand still as the fun of operating the layout takes over. This is great for anyone thinking about building a layout as it is a work in progress. I think you could be in the running for the best layout on the group so far, well done. Rich,

Doesn't it just, are you going to be the lucky recipient of that masterpiece Stephen. Rich,

Richie, Ayrton Senna payed the ultimate price for his sport and lost his life. There are cyclists that have died also when competing, does the fact that Senna was driving a car make him any less of a man. Rich,

That kind of behavior has no place in football and FIFA should do everything they can to stamp it out. I don't want to get into the who's tougher footballers or cyclists, both sports can be tough at the highest level as with any sport. My brother in law plays junior league football and 3 years ago he had a horrific injury where he had an open fracture of the fibula and tibula. The bones were sticking out through his sock. The game was played in West Waterford and it took half an hour for the ambulance to arrive and Mark was in that agonizing pain without any pain relief. The medics couldn't give him anything only gas in the ambulance and it took another half an hour to get to Waterford Regional Hospital. As a consequence of that injury he now has steel bars in his leg. After nine months rehab and physio he went back training and played again. He fractured his other leg in January and was back playing again last month. He doesn't get a penny for playing and received little in insurance after the injury and he still has the guts to go out and train and play every week. There was a famous Kilkenny hurler that was without a doubt the greatest hurler of his generation (and he deserves to be spoken about in the same reverence as Christy Ring) who also played soccer and I have spoken to the man on a few occasions. One time we were discussing the merits of both games and he said that you are more highly at risk of having a career ending injury playing soccer than playing football or hurling. Cycling is a sport of endurance, willpower, and stamina and trying to compare it to soccer is a waste of time as both of them demand different things of the participant. Rich,

The Y25 no matter how much it was adapted or butchered would still (at best) only give you a tiny passing resemblance of the prototype. Railway modelling is all about fun at the end of the day and I don't think the issue with the bogies should be sufficient to stop people from purchasing them. I will buy a couple of sets myself to support this venture from the retailers and make the changes where I deem it necessary. Good luck with whatever course of action you take regarding the bogies. Rich,