Patrick Davey

Here’s my contribution to this very useful thread! Due to impatience, my current project progressed beyond the stage where it was still straightforward to add lighting to the buildings, so I started thinking of alternatives. I was looking for miniature lights which could be placed individually in rooms and I found a set of 10 tiny key rings on Amazon, for only £7.00: So I took off the metal key ring parts and using double sided tape, I fixed the torch parts to the underside of the roofs of my buildings: Yes, it’s not as straightforward (or as professional) as flicking a switch to turn all the lights on and off, but it’s considerably cheaper and does not involve complex wiring! In fact, it doesn’t involve any wiring

Is a few kind members have been asking me about this new method of lighting so I’m going to post it under the ‘Cheap Modelling Materials’ thread! It’s actually a bit embarrassing how much of a cheat this is……..

I have found a totally 'cop out' way to add lighting, I'll explain it in due course but here's how it looks at the first attempt, still a few light bleed issues to sort though.

Magnificent!!!!

Magnificent Alan, yet again!

Some more scenic work today - the bank between the bay platform line and the church has been looking quite bare so out came the scatter material and foliage and now it looks a bit different. The secret is to use a subtle variety of shades to make it look as realistic as possible. Now I have to go to work........

As a layout develops, it’s interesting to note the new viewing angles which open up. Here are a few new vistas from in and around Clogherhead.

Waiting to bring the holidaymakers to the beach!

This is turning into quite a barrel of laughs

Yes, it’s definitely bringing me out of my shell.

There is a different type of tank engine heading for Brookhall Mill Am preparing for a little World War II era cameo scene.

Working on bedding the Clogherhead station building into its immediate surroundings - the ground was built up using DAS clay, and now vegetation is being added. A bit more work needed but I’m getting there!

That’s a beautiful model, Leslie!

Stunning new videos, this has to be the most realistic Irish railway layout ever

Shaping up well!

Not remotely my area of interest but......wow!

Gulp

Great job on the actual platform as well

Now that is a work of art GM, it truly is! Looking forward to seeing more progress!

Working on two small but important areas this evening. The exit from the platform directly to the forecourt, to facilitate better passenger flow on busy days: And the wall at the far end of the station:

Brilliant!!!!!

Enjoying the progress

AN ALTERNATIVE EXPLANATION FOR THE CROSSLEY DEBACLE? In the late 1950s, the Great Northern Railway staff at Clogherhead terminus became aware of strange happenings taking place in and around the station. Things started to get particularly weird once CIE took over in 1958, and it was quite noticeable that the new diesel locomotives which were beginning to appear would regularly break down at Clogherhead terminus, noticeably more frequently than they would elsewhere on the system. One dark winter’s evening in 1959, the Clogherhead stationmaster, Mr. Sandy Castles, was locking up the station after completing his paperwork for the day, following the departure of the last evening service to Drogheda. As he turned the key in the station front door, he became aware of the soft tones of Gregorian chant drifting on the wind from the direction of the church which overlooked the station. Not wishing to investigate on his own, Mr. Castles quickly mounted his bicycle and rode off into the night. Similar happenings had been reported by other railway staff working late in the evening, so the head porter and renowned outdoor pursuits enthusiast Cliff Walker decided to do some research to see if he could find an explanation. After studying historic maps and other sources, Cliff discovered that the church and graveyard were built on the site of an ancient abbey founded in the year 876 by a holy man of the sea, named Gannet the Great. Gannet had been appointed as the abbot of the community, despite having no prior experience. The community had a particular interest in the conservation of seabirds, and other prominent members included Friar Fulmar and Brother William, who was also the barber for the community, rejoicing in the name of Razor Bill. The abbey was ravaged by the Vikings around the year 1000, with the most feared Norseman of them all being the later inventor of snooker, the flame-haired Inoff the Red. Many years later, a community of lay sisters set up home in the abbey grounds, always keeping a respectful distance from the holy men. Two ladies of that time have been named in historic sources: Sisters Kitty Wake and Gilly Mott. Gannet the Great was himself renowned for his prowess in the cultivation and cooking of potatoes, whereas Fulmar was more of a seafood connoisseur: Gannet was therefore known as The Chip Monk, whilst Fulmar became The Fish Fryer. The abbey, and the members of the community, have long since passed into history, although reports of strange apparitions are not uncommon. Local tradition has it that the spirits of Gannet and his community were very happy when steam locomotives appeared on their old lands, because of the puffin. It is also believed that they strongly disapproved of the new forms of motive power which began to appear in the late 1950s, so there may well be an alternative explanation for the unreliability of the Crossley-engined locomotives. And, unsurprisingly, this was their favourite seabird.

Interesting ideas @mphoey

Thanks everyone for the continued encouragement, and positive comments! Things have got a bit dark on the layout over the past day or two, in fact, you might possibly say I have lost the plot…..