Patrick Davey

1970s NI in glorious miniature!

Looks great - excellent space too

Some small painting details this evening - trying for a more matt effect on the smokebox and running plate, plus the dome has been brassed.

A better representation of Magheramorne than Magheramorne itself! Superb

Current status of the Countess - NEM pockets added, main painting complete, with just small details left. I was scraping the paint off the handrails prior to painting them, but I actually like them in brass so I might leave them? She hasn't been seen in over 100 years so who's to say they weren't brass Main black is Halford's Satin Black from a rattle can.

I got a bit impatient today and couldn’t resist giving her ladyship some colours…. I have now put away the rattle can until the NEM pockets have been sorted. I have to admit though, the black looks pretty tasty!!!

The ‘Countess of Antrim’ now has all her separately fitted handrails. I knocked up a simple plasticard jig to try and make sure the handrail spacing was consistent….. this was reasonably successful! I have given the buffer beams an initial coat of red: this will be added to tomorrow, then masked, before I start spraying all over black. The handrails and other fittings will be picked out in gun metal, and the dome and window frames will eventually be brass.

Take a bow sir!

Just superb!

GNR(I) brake van for me!

Nice to be thought of as being capable of this sort of precision Nelson, thank you, but I wasn't on this team

Layout and all rolling stock looking superb gentlemen - congrats!

Loving the small details such as the building & road vehicle beside the bridge and the steps descending to the railway. Brilliant.

A scenic masterclass!

Incredible Alan - stuck for words!

I C what you did there

I was totally out of my comfort zone today as I had a go at adding handrails to The Countess - it was definitely worth the effort to remove the moulded ones and add these, which were once again generously provided by Alan @Tullygrainey so thanks again to Alan for this and for his ongoing guidance!

Thanks David - and the fall back position for explaining damage could always be a ‘shunting accident’

Oops - I have just noticed a few places where I was a bit heavy with the sanding…… more patience (and maybe a bit of filler) required!!!

Ballycastle Railway 0-6-0st No. 2 ‘Countess of Antrim’ looking very neat after a few light coats of primer. With light sanding in between coats, I’m taking this slowly, so I don’t remove any of the important detail from the superb 3D print which was generously provided by Jamie @J-Mo Arts. I am however gradually removing the name plates and builder’s plates to make way for etched replacements, which I have ordered. The handrails are also being replaced with separately fitted ones. She looks great, sitting on the chassis, which was also generously provided by Alan @Tullygrainey. I’m researching all available information about the locomotive and constantly studying all available photographs, so with a bit of luck, the final product will do justice to the prototype. With many thanks once again to Jamie and Alan for making this easy for me!

Superb

Or 666

How's this for a 'meant to be' situation..... I have just ordered custom etched nameplates and builder plates for my 5.5mm model of 'The Countess of Antrim' and I had to look up the build year and the works number - the year was 1879 and guess what the works number was..... 555!!! Just missing a decimal point!!!

Hi Nelson - yes, good spot! @J-Mo Arts also did a superb CAD of one of those vehicles but am not sure if they were original BR stock or later NCC additions. I suspect the latter which would put them out of my era

Thanks Alan - about time I contributed something to the build