Patrick Davey

We're all with you!

Much appreciated thanks GM! I missed a trick though with the name - it only struck me recently that due to the homage being paid to GNR architecture, I should have called it 'Hemingway Mills' although that does sound a bit 'across the water'!! While the speculation reaches frantic levels about the forthcoming IRM releases, life goes on at Brookhall Mill..... When Mr. Weaver isn't running his mill or thinking up new ways to wind up the desk dudes in Amiens Street, you might well find him in his back garden, watching the birdies. Is it a bit obsessive to add tiny birds to a tiny birdtable in a tiny garden? I got them on higher perches.......

I think there was a horse at the mill siding at Upperlands in Co. Derry so an NCC-liveried horse would sell millions. And it could go for a run up the MANE line.....

Just to compound things I guess

No need - am sure Leslie of this parish will be along soon to tell you about his superb Provincial Wagons! Welcome to the forum btw!

"...powered model..." So that to me suggests a railcar.... ...the question therefore is, will it be vintage or contemporary....?

I think you can Maeve goodbye to that even though I would give it a big 'Céad Míle Táilte'. Sorry - didn't mean to Macha mess of that....

I've been Craven a thread like this

Aiming to be there on the Monday (no fancy dress though) with the added bonus of escaping the 'trick or treat'ers. Hoping to be joined by an esteemed colleague from this parish as well..... definitely not 'eSTEAM-ed' though.........

NIR 80 class pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee in various liveries including original maroon & blue.......

A few more characters have arrived at the mill this week...... Meet the Brookhall Mill medical team: Dr. O'Condriac (he's always in a rush) and Sister Burns-Ward. Frank the Postman arrives with Mr. Weaver's latest copy of 'Steam Railway' magazine. The postman is called 'Frank' because he always says it as it is and he always leaves his mark. Although Mr. Weaver is wondering why Frank and Dr. O'Condriac are standing on large panes of glass....

Really nice little boat David!

That's the fence bedded in, and a very rapid-growing tree has appeared above it!

Mr. Weaver had been asking his groundsmen to build a fence around his garden and eventually it was done. The garden is on a curve and a slope so they decided to build a series of individual panels which could easily follow the contour of the location. Starting point - coffee stirrers. Appropriate material for building something that will be in the ground...... Lots of planks Creating the panels by aligning the planks onto double sided tape before adding a spot of glue. Each panel had a post attached. Some completed panels before the posts were sharpened at the base. 19 panels were needed - here they have been braced and are ready for staining. The bracing would also be trimmed when everything was fully dry. Stained and installed - only a few to go. Fence installed. They needed a particular type of wood stain and the groundsmen asked Mr. Weaver if there was a B&Q in Lisburn - he told them that there was a B but definitely no Q. All's left will be to try and straighten up some of the uncooperative panels then blend the fence in with foliage etc.

Maybe slightly lesser quality but still invaluable! More gems, thanks Ernie for your continued uploads.

And a good number of smaller 'micro'-type layouts too. All amazing, whatever their size!

Great stuff Alan!

My good friend the late Bill Gillespie knew the loco well as his father Joseph was one of the Ballynahinch branch drivers before he sadly lost his life in WW2. Here are Bill's own words from the 'Remnants of the BCDR' page, hopefully John the owner of the page won't mind me copying them here: "I knew this loco well and was allowed to drive it occasionally on the Branch. About 1965 I saw it at H & W who were using it around the shipyard and I offered to buy it but it was later scrapped without reference to me. Sad - otherwise, it would now be on DCDR!"

Very excited for this one, watching with interest! As well as the one made by Denis Bates, I know of two other models of this loco: This was seen on the iconic 21mm 'Adavoyle Junction' layout made by the late Tony Miles, am not aware if Mr. Miles himself built it though. This one was built by professional model maker Johnny Prescott (not THAT one) in England, for Len Ball of Bangor, and Len kindly allowed me to run it on my Ballynahinch Junction layout (along with the 4-4-2t loco which Mr. Prescott also built) before it went on permanent display in Downpatrick: It's fairly accurate although the BCDR lettering is a bit basic.

Heartbreaking

A few more views from around the mill.

I was going to expand it and say that Dennis was in foul form himself after an incident at home when his wife ended up with a ladder in her tights.......

Ha very cultured!!!!

Thanks! A few bubbles in the resin but sure that can be frog spawn