Mayner

It looks like a friend in the States has agreed to adopt James, big challenge if he survived the flight and quarantine would have been James challenging our other four male cats for the Alpha position. CIE Cattle wagons all appear to have been on the traditional Irish timber underframe like Leslie's model, none that I know of on the Triangulated Underframe

The 'coach' in the 1st photo looks like the passenger portion of an ex-West Clare Walker Railcar the second coach some form of railcar conversion with open end balconies. One of the ex-West Clare conversions was used as the Coach on the Bellacorick bog train hauled by a Ruston diesel modified with a hydraulic transmission similar to the second generation Hunslet Wagonmaster. Does anyone know whether the two Clonmacnoise & West Offaly coaches or the ex-West Clare railcar conversions have survived? The biggest challenge of modelling the BNM Peat Energy Division was the sheer scale of the operation on most systems and lack of operating interest basically 15 wagon Merry Go Round trains between the loading points and power stations. The older sod peat systems like Allenwood and Portarlington were a bit more interesting on a smaller scaleand actual shunting taking place at the Power Stations and BNM locos doing the 'main line work" with ESB locos shunting the power stations where individual wagons were unloaded by lifting from their bodies to the top of the power station bunker using overhead gantries. Some of the Horticultural peat systems were more modellable in nature and smaller in scale with wagons (sometimes 4w) unloaded by an end tipper or rotary tipple.

Say no more: there is no one forcing anyone to pay an inflated price. Just wait for the wagons to show up on the second hand market, swapmeets or deceased estate sales. As an old work mate used to say there was no barbed wire on the door forcing a guy to spend all his wages in the pub.

My attempt to carve out ½/1 hr daily (modelling) time for myself is largely as a result of a family crisis that arose 18 months ago that left our family split between the States and New Zealand as a result of caring commitments, which left me and the wife on opposite sides of the Pacific with very little free time to pursue our own personal interests and the situation is likey to continue for some time. The only advice I can offer in my late 60s is to make the best of the present time because none of us have a guarantee that things will go as planned, best laid plans of mice and man etc.

The Worsley Works G builds into a nice model and is supplied with a 21mm gauge chassis. Des SSM produced a very nice waterslid transfer set for this loco including legible Duetz makers plates, unfortunately the origonal cabside transfers wore off with handling when I attempted to convert the loco to OO several years ago Although originally motorised with a "Black Beetle" motor bogie re-gauged to 21mm, G611 currently runs on a scratchbuilt chassis powered by a Coreless motor driving a pair of Hi-Level Roadrunner+ gearboxes using a layshaft with a Tender-Riser steo down gearbox. Like my other locos with can or coreless motors and Hi Level gearboxes could never get this loco to reliably operate on DCC, in this case driving each axle with a separate gearbox may have resulted in increased friction and current consumption. Long term plans are to power the 21mm gauge version of this loco with a customised "Quad-driver" arrangement similar to Pauls E401 Class

Started a routine of having a hour/half hour in the workshop after 10 most nights once days duties are done Catching up on large sacle repairs & locating parts to complete other projects. Repairing balcony rails and ladder RGS Caboose 401. Originally bought this 1:20.2 Scale Caboose when I started large scale modelling in 2007 then sold to a local Garden Railway modeller when I realised that Bachmann 1:22 is scale "Big Haulier" stock was more affordable, then bought back in 2017 after the narrow gauge lines in Colorado and realising the massive nature of the locos and stock. One end of 401 had been through the wars and this is the second attempt at repairing the balcony rails and ladder, hopefully she will be good for another few repairs. Last tie round I made a jig for repairing/replacing the ladder, this time I used the ladder and rails from the opposite end to mark out the position of the rungs on a piece of ply, soldered the top and bottpm rungs to one stile, before fixing to the opposite stile and doing a test fit before soldering in the intermediate rungs. Test fit. The roof walkway was also damaged at the same end about 2008 or 9 and repaired with plasticard which has held fairly well requiring some minor repairs. Intermediate rungs are the only new parts soldering took about 15 minutes, phosphoric acid flux and 120degree solder using a soldering station with temp set at max. Everything primed with a grey self etch primer followed by a coat of "Appliance White" aerosol form the local big box DIY store. I'll finish with an aerosol 'clear coat' laquer tommorow and allow the paint to cure for 3-4 days before fitting to 401. Been digging through my stock of J15 spares and found some of the missing parts for the Superheated J15 including the worm for the High Level Load Haulier gear box, but a pair of Sharman Type B profile wheels suitable for a J15, but no 3rd wheelset and an assembled set of J15 mainframes. I bought 2 J15 kits form Paul Greene in 2007-8 with the intention of using one of the locos to replace my original TMD J15 bought in 1986, one of my first attempts at assembling an etched kit, retaining 191 a J15 I assembled about 30 years ago together with the 2 new locomotives and a part built J15 I bought at Expo-EM about 20 years ago. The plan changed over time to build one of the 'new" J15s as a superheated loco with heavier GSR replacement frames, which freed up a set of replacement frames for the original 1986 loco which has Sharman wheels! An early effort it could do with some minor body repairs, but what to do with 5 J15s in the display case particular someone that set out to model the Midland 40 odd years ago? A bit more prosaic a pair of anchor mount tanks on IRCH "Standard" wagon underframe. The tanks are from the IRM "WeedkillerTrain" pack, the chassis my own from LMA wagon chassis. I originally bought the train pack intending to produce an etched Triangulated chassis, but decided to shift to 3D printing after success with the 20T Brake Van prototype. CIE used this form of tank and underframe for Bitumen wagons, but adding the insulated cladding not really worth the challenge.

More a larger box than needed for the other much smaller species of grasshopper, apart from the minor technicality of exporting a legally protected species, ensuring it survived the trip and made it through bio-security on arrival. Or maybe I am just talking through my hat as I get older My 15 year old is currently agonising about bringing one of our cats "James" home from the States (16 hrs flights-6 months quarantine) when the other half returns later this year, chances of someone adapting James are slim, not sure he would remember us after the flights and quarantine, or integrate him with our other cats, but difficult to leave a good mouser behind. Going more and more off topic by the moment, though should have some IRM/Accuracraft Grain Wagons on the way in the not too distant future.

call that a Grasshopper! this is a real grasshopper! A Giant Weta little problem with needing a bigger box. Smaller variety sometimes hibernate in my workshop

There were two siding on opposite sides of the running lines at the Dublin end of Clonsilla. The short siding on the Down side opposite the signal cabin served a short loading bank and may have been used for general goods traffic and later used by the p.w. Dept for parking track machines, https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000307491 There was a Cattle Bank on the Dublin side of the signal cabin served by a siding that trailed into the Up Main Line. The arrangement of the cattle bank was unusual in that it was in the form of an island between the main line and siding which ran alongside the canal, this siding was removed at some stage before the station was re-opened in 1981. A section of the Down Main line was retained as a siding/layby for goods trains after the Main Line was singled in the late 1920s, 191 derailed on the end of this siding as a result of a deliberate run-away incident from the North Wall. At one stage there was a loco shed connected to the Meath Line at the Navan end of the station.

Apparently some (Green?) H vans were labeled to work between Amiens Street and Donabate on the GNR main line in CIE days for urgent traffic in fruit between Lamb Brothers orchards and their Dublin Jam factory. Seasonal work in the orchards and the factory was a major source of 'summer jobs' for Dublin families until the business failed in the early 80s, rail traffic would have ceased earlier.

I produced a test etch for these wagons about 10 years ago, which for a variety of reasons (mainly the absence of suitable detail parts) did not progress to production. I am considering producing a production version of the kit and accepting feedback/expressions of interest to accept potential demand. If there is sufficent interest its estimated that an etch containing parts for two wagons would retail at approx. £30 Stg + Vat & Postage shipped directv from our UK supplier. The production version will include a number of corrections identified from the original test build and may potentially include a version compitable with sprung suspension. The kit is basically self jigging using fold together slot and tab construction and although I prefer solder this kit is suitable for glued assembly (using superglue). If there is sufficient interest I will consider producing a set of 3D printed detail parts

When I was involved in both housing and commercial construction clients sometimes became convinced rooms were painted in different colours, despite the paint being from a batch of the same colour. In one case a client became convinced that the hall and living room of a new home were painted in different colours because of natural lighting and the relative size of the rooms, built on an East-West aspect the much larger living room was exposed to direct sunlight in the mornings while the hall was in shade the opposite in afternoons.

The British Standard for Eau de Nil is BS3181C-216 https://www.britishstandardcolour.com/ Its likely that the Eau de Nil used by CIE during the 40s and 50s may have been derived from a British Colour Council reference code in use at the time. I think its unlikely that CIE would have been able to select a RAL colour during the late 40s, a German system wound up by the Nazis in 1942, incorporated in the German Standards Committee in 1952.

Really sorry to hear about Mark's passing, I enjoyed his sense of humour and we had several long telephone conversations often late at night (living in different time zones) when placing/following up on orders and ending up talking about life in general. Marks willingness to incorporate a run of wheelsets with 28mm pin point axles into his production allowed me to produce a range of "21mm friendly" wagons of which I sold over 300 in RTR and Kit form over a 3 year period and built up a nice collection for my own use. Oddly enough one of my customers used EM for modelling the Irish Broad gauge for many years, but last year commissioned me to assemble a D17 in OO feeling that he just has not got the time to work in EM as he get older. In "Railway Modelling" published about 65 years ago Cyril Freezer (Author & long time Editor Railway Modeller) commented that it took 'approximately twice as long" to get something up and running in EM as OO, which I believe still applies today.

Use of a marginally narrower gauge than 21mm. One of the arguments against using 21mm gauge with EM or RP25 profile wheels for modelling Irish steam outline locos is whether to compromise by widening/distorting the body to allow the wheels and running gear to fit or whether to reduce the gauge. The issue with wheel clearences with sheet metal bodies in P4 as the wheels are basically scaled down from the prototype as opposed to a compromise designed to allow reliable running in a limited space. The use of 20.2mm as opposed to the prototypical 21mm is not significantly different from the EM Gauge Society use of 18.2mm for Standard gauge compared to P4 18.83. The EM (Eighteen Millimeter) Gauge was initially developed to provide a more protypical gauge and wheel standards than OO and subsequently widened to 18.2mm. 18mm appears to have been selected as a results of the limitations of the techniques and components availabe at the time. While not my personal taste reducing the gauge below 21mm would potentially allow modellers to use steam outline locos with plastic injection moulded, die-cast or 3D printed bodies without major modification. Stephen once said that it was not practicable to produce an EM gauge rtr version of the Accurascale Manor s it was not practicable to achieve sufficient running clearance as a result of the characteristics of the meaterials used, similarly its necessary to modify the running board and splashers of Bachmann LMS 3F & 4F 0-6-0s and 0-4-4T for EM or S4 gauge. I have built several 21mm gauge steam outline locos from etched kits using Gibson OO/EM profile wheels, acheiving sufficient running clearance on locos such as an SSM J15 or GNR S was challenging, basically paper thin clearances between wheels splasher sides. There are similar issues converting the 1st generation of MM B141/181 Class to 21mm gauge the original RP25 profile wheels foul on the bogie sideframe. Two of my B141s are fitted with Ultrascale wheelsets, the third retains it original Bachmann wheelsets on new axles with ther rear of the bogie sideframes ground away to provide clearance. Components: One of the advantages of forming a society, group or becoming a trader is the ability to source componets in bulk potentially at a trade rate or discount. Wheels axles. For example Markits fitted an order (1000+) wagon & coach wheel sets on 28mm axles (suitable for 21mm gauge) into their production schedule when I placed an order several years ago. Similarly Markits were willing to produce a 21mm gauge axle suitable for their steam loco driving wheels based on a minimum production quantity of 1000. Markit wheels are extremely robust, relaatively simple to use and ideal for intensively used locos. I am not sure if the business is currently in operation as I understand that the owner was ill. Utrascale may be willing to reduce their 12 month lead time if a group or society were to place a bulk order for 'drop in wheelsets" for Irish GM diesels, or a bulk order for replacement diesel locos placed with an Irish or UK machnie shop. Track points. While Templot plug track may be suitable for finescale use, a simpler system based on a one piece 3D printed sleeper strip with integral rail fixing is likely to be more attractive for general use particularly those using re-gauged RTR quipment with their existing RP25 wheels pushed out to Irish "Broad Gauge" Injection moulded plastic flexible track bases may be worth considering a number of UK cottage industry suppliers including SMP(Marcway) C&L produced EM flexible track using plastic bases many years before Peco produced their EM gauge track system in colloboration with the EM Gauge Society. Similarly a society could comission Marcway to produce a bulk order of 21mm gauge points as opposed to producing 21mm gauge points to order.