Mayner

Much the same as driving on the motorways in Ireland with hedgerows too high to see the scenery! I think the main draw of the Grand Hibernian like a cruise ship or resort holiday is having your own stateroom and not having to move into a different hotel every night!

Nothing that I know of in rtr form, most of earlier British hoppers were replaced by BR designs which were larger/quite different to the eariler wagons. Falcon Brass which had a reputation of being difficult to build produced an etched kit of an LNER hopper, Cambrian produced, produces? a GWR Herring http://cambrianmodels.co.uk/wagon_kits_4mm.html looks similar to the wagons used by the GSWR/MGWR wagons, there was an article and drawing of the GNR(I) ballsat and gypsum hoppers and plough van in New Irish Lines.

More a comfortable lounge with informal sealing similar to the observation cars on the Festiniog and Welsh Highland Railways but far less to observe in the way of scenery than on the Welsh Narrow gauge lines. I saw the Belmond train a couple of time while in Ireland, my impression was that the observation car was more to provide a common space for guest to socialise and break the cabin fever of their roumettes or state rooms rather than a true observation car, there is very little to "Observe" in the way of scenery on the Belmond train's regular routes The MK3 coach structure is not really suitable for a true observation car like FR 2100 or a Vista Dome. https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Carriage_2100#/media/File:2100.jpg

The GNR(I), GSWR, MGWR & DSER appear to have had broadly similar trains of ballast hopper and plough vans by the 1925 Amalgamation. Apparently the GNR, MGWR & GSWR started to modernise their p.w. departments in the early 1900s using cut stone ballast from a central quarry on each system and ballast trains with steel hopper wagons and plough vans. The MGWR p.w. dept went through a further re-organisation with the introduction of the Bretland Track Re-laying Machine in the 1920s and sold a surplus ballast train to the DSER. The ballast wagons and plough vans were bought from suppliers in the UK, the GNR & GSWR hoppers were similar in appearance, the MGWR were more low sided and fitted with hungry boards by CIE/GSR to increase capacity.

Looks like Letterkenny shed. There is a story of 4-8-0 No 12 being pulled out of the shed for a photographer (after Burtonportline working ended) with the aid of a wire rope. The story went that No14 was left outside as they did not want to risk two locos on the turntable. The LLSR Letterkenny good yard remained open for goods traffic served by the CDJR after LLSR goods operations ceased in the early 1950s.

A 3D printed E421 by Valve Design is available on Shapeways. An E401 is also available from the Valve Design Shapeways store. https://www.shapeways.com/product/ED2F7SGHT/cie-e-class-421-oo-scale?optionId=40683661 I motorised the loco using a custom built Bull-Ant mechanism from Holywood Foundry in Australia and detailed the loco with my own etched overlays and SSM custom decals. I used a highbuild auto aerosol primer-filler to compensate for the coarse texture of the Shapeways WSF material and used the etched overlays to improve the standard of detail. Georgeconna's superdetailed one gives an idea of what can be achieved with the Valve Design model. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/122675-shapeways-e-class/ http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/122675-shapeways-e-class/

There were a similar loading bunkers at Lecarrow on the Mayo Road and Goraghwood on the GNR (I) which were probably built in the early 1900s when the three companies introduced steel ballast hoppers and plough vans.. Timber would have been the most economic way of building a bunker, before the use of reinforced concrete and later structural steelwork became cost effective. I wonder what became of the massive timber posts and beams when the structure was demolished, it would have been a crying shame to burn all that good structural timber.

Last weekend I finally bit the bullet and lifted the track on the old Binghampton modules and started work on the new L shaped layout. The Old. Yard throat and downtown modules. The fact that I never detailed the twin bridges in the middle is a good sign that something was not quite right! The blue spigot and socket arrangements are DCC concepts baseboard alignment dowels. Baseboard framing was 16mm ply all joints were initially pinned and glued. Stripwood reinfocement added after 15 years!. Baseboard top 3/8" ply salvaged from a 21mm gauge layout started around 1984-5 but abandoned when I moved to the UK in 86! Layout was originally wired for cab control converted to DCC c 2001, point motors are Seep with microswitches to actuate Peco-electrofrog points, control was by Triang/Hornby levers. System basically operated reliably with problems. Mock up of eastern side of town. Staging tracks in background behind buildings industry tracks interchange with another railroad in foreground. Foam ground sheet material as track underlay. Baseboards are from a 21mm dock layout I started building about 6 years ago, space was too tight for 4mm and made mistake of spacing parallel tracks too close with side swiping problem on 3' radius curves. Mock up of CBD area! Baseboard edge is in front of foreground buildings. I did not have space for most of the foreground buildings and the loco shed on the last layout. Most of the buildings were bought/assembled a long long time ago. Loco shed mid 1980s and has not been used on a layout. The design evolves! T/ The interchange has morphed into a variant on the Timesaver switching puzzle that can be operated independently or as part of a larger layout. The yard has a short run round long enough for 4 cars and 4 industries to switch including including a coal depot (elevator), warehouse, grain elevator and interchange track. The coal depot is reached by a back shunt to make itvthat little bit awkward to switch. There is enough room behind the buildings/scenic break for a 3 road staging yard each road long enough for 10 cars and a pair of locos. Downtown area. This section is more tricky on an L shaped board. The track layout is basically a main and run round track, 2 road loco depot with turntable and 2 industry and a mileage track. The basic Idea was that a train arriving from the staging would propel back to the yard on the east side of town to pick up or set out cars, return to the loco depot for servicing before departing for the staging as the return service, with a separate switching job to switch local industries and work between the two yards. There has been some shuffling about of buildings, but I feel the original arrangement with the CBD buildings in the foreground and industry/loco depot in the background works better visually, though I will probably place the foreground buildings on a removable sub-base to avoid damage during normal operation/switching. The railroad is set in upstate New York/New England paper milling and timber processing, metallic and non-metallic mining were important rail served industries, while potatoes (Sate of Maine reefers) and bulk and bottled milk for New York and Boston were significant traffic up to the 1960s Although the layout has to fit in to a restricted space in a bookcase, I am thinking of making a pair of removable sections to turn the layout into a dogbone continuous run to take to exhibitions.

There is no legal requirement to fence a railway in New Zealand. In recent years (since the railways were re-nationalised!) Kiwirail have fenced areas where trespassing has been a problem. The branch to the Waitoa Dairy factory(once part of the main line to the East Coast & Thames is rural with trains running as traffic requires. The crossing of SH 26 near Morrinsville (7:47) and a similar crossing of SH 1B are unusual as open crossings of Trunk Roads and a very busy freight line with approx 30 trains daily running a line speed (100Km/h). Basically crossing signals in New Zealand are automatically operated by an approaching train, the railways in New Zealand would probably have to close down if the Government introduced a requirement to fence lines and install monitored crossings similar to the UK or Ireland.

I just blow up EM gauge Society point templates to 21mm gauge to maintain the prototypical crossing angles and switch lengths . The other alternative is to have a play with Templot software http://www.templot.com/ which includes 21mm P4 p.w. design. Templot includes an "irish EM" with a reduced gauge to compensate for the slightly wider EMF wheelsets, though I personally have not had to reduce the gauge below 21mm though clearances between splashers in some steam locos can be tight. Forget Hornby/Peco Streamline point geometry for handlaid track, The Peco Code 82 and Atlas range are a more accurate starting point with prototypical crossing angle than a radius. From experience a point with a 1:6 crossing angle and an A switch is about the minimum full size or model for a typical Irish 4-4-0 or 0-6-0 locomotive, a full size 2' gauge 2-6-2T loco and 1:20.3 scale DRGW 2-8-2 tender locos. One of the main reasons OO persists is that the narrower than prototype gauge allows enough running clearance or slop in the chassis to allow a large steam loco like a Duchess, Black 5 or Merchant Navy to go round a 1st or 2nd radius curve. If you want a continuous run layout EM and P4 demand larger space than an equivalent layout in 00. Unless you restrict yourself to short wheel base 4w or short bogie locos and stock 1st & 2nd radius curves are unlikely to be a runner in 21mm gauge. In 21mm for normal main line stock 900mm is generally accepted as a min-radius where the EM gauge standard is used 1200mm with the S4 standard. Its probably better to stick with OO if you want to build a large layout in a restricted space or where your focus is on operation rather than building and modifying stock. Mounting the layout near eye level and using finer scale track OO gauge bullhead track like SMP or C&L reduces the visual effect of using OO gauge track for an Irish Broad gauge model and save a lot of time and potential frustration trying to adapt rtr locos and stocks. If the compromise of OO is unacceptable and 21mm to EM or P4 Standards un-achievable an alternative would be to develop an "Irish Coarse Scale Standard" based on OO Gauge proprietary wheel and track standards and either narrow the gauge or widen the bodies and running gear to provide enough clearance for the wheel sets.

I haven't tried running EM profile wheels on P4 track, so I can only take the author of the articles advice at face value. I think the issue started with intermittent derailments when the authors grand children were visiting, similar problems occur on a high proportion of model railways regardless of gauge or standards when there are visitors about. Visually there is little difference between 21mm point and crossing work laid to EM or P4 standards, the plain track will look exactly the same. The only real difference is that flangeways are 0.32-0.35mm narrower in P4 than EM not exactly noticeable at normal viewing distance. Building large complex 21mm gauge layout in a short space of time is basically out of the question unless you are a Tony Miles that has the ability to recruit and manage a team of to build and operate a large layout. I am not sure if the S4 Society currently supply track gauges and axles suitable for 21mm gauge.

Its just about possible that B165 worked over the Derry Road, B141-B177 were all entered service in 1961 and were initially concentrated on long distance and express passenger work. They were more reliable than the Metrovicks and an obvious choice for the Lough Derg pilgrimage trains where a breakdown on the single line west of Portadown would have been highly disruptive. You could always run with the scenario of the Derry Road remaining open with Strabane continuing as a rail head for Donegal with B141s working the heavy cross border goods traffic from Dundalk.

I though it would be useful to apply the EMGS standard to Irish 5'3" gauge to help people weight up the pros and cons of modelling in 21mm gauge and to make an objective comparison between working to P4 or to EM/OO fine wheel and track standards. In particular to dispel the misconception that 21mm EM profile wheel sets are substantially wider than P4 wheel sets and it is necessary to reduce the gauge to 20.2 (Irish EM)or increase clearances between splashers/side frames & w irons to accomodate the greater width. EM & P4 standards were developed by groups of modelers in the UK who aspired to a higher standard of modelling than was achievable with models and components available in 4mm scale during the 1940s and the 1960s. P4 adapted a wider gauge of 18.83 compared with the 18.2 adapted by the EM Gauge Society combined more significantly with more prototypical running tolerances and wheel profiles. Closer running tolerances in combination with finer flanges and wheel tyres demand a more precise standard of baseboard, track and wheel assembly than required in EM or OO. Some form of springing or active suspension is usually required in P4 though not absolutely necessary if working to OO/EM standards. One P4 modeler raised controversy in a recent-ish Model Railway Journal by running stock with EM profile wheels on P4 track in order to achieve reliable trouble free running. 21mm modelers appear to mainly work independently or in small groups and have tended to develop standards on their own initiative rather than through groups. Tony Miles pioneered fine scale 21mm developing a similar set of wheel and track standards more or less concurrently with the P4 Society. Tim Cramer published an article on modelling in 21mm in the Railway Modeller in 1972, using proprietary OO/EM wheels set at a back to back of 19.5mm. I started working in 21mm in the mid 1980s building locos and stock though did not have time or space for a layout. I got involved with the MRSI Loughrea group when I returned to Ireland in the mid 1990s and had a pleasant surprise when my locos and stock some with quite fine wheel ran on Loughrea. Interestingly I had no problems running locos and stock with EM/OO finescale wheels set at 19.5mm back to back through the pointwork on the Loughrea layout, though it was necessary to reduce the back to backs on wagons fitted with older wheels with a coarser profile to 19.3mm which correlates with the EM standard. Note on tyre width and back to back One of the major differences between the P4 and EM gauge standards is that the P4 standard specifies min-max tolerances for back to back gauge and tyre width while the EM standard specifies specific values. Provided the back to back gauge and tyre width does not exceed the standard the overall width of a 21mm OO/EM wheel set is marginally narrower than a 21mm P4 set at maximum tolerance. for back to back and tyre width. In practice Ultrascale , Gibson OO/EM wheel sets do not exceed the 2.27mm tyre width specified in the standard and excessive wheelset width width is unlikely to be a problem. Interestingly the majority of my steam locos are fitted with Sharman B profile wheels (alas no longer available!) these wheels have a tyre width of 2.07mm very close to the 2mm max specified in the P4 standard! I have included WCG or Wheel Check Gauge (Back to back +1 Effective flange) although not identified in the EM Gauge Trackwork Standard In some of his works on trackwork and rolling stock, Iain Rice identified that the "Wheel Check Gauge" (distance measured between the rear of one flange to the face of the opposing flange) rather than the back to back gauge as the vital constant in assuring the correct relationship between wheels and track. The WCG becomes particularly important when wheels with different flange thicknesses are used on a layout (e.g. mixing scale wheels like Ultrascale & Gibson with universal wheels from rtr manufacturers). Scalefour Digest 1 Track and Wheel Standards.pdf EMF Standard for Irish Broad Gauge Track.pdf

The GNR (I) cement vans and CIE pallet wagons had RCH style brakes similar to unfitted BR Mineral Wagons and older tank wagons, i.e. the lever operated the brake shoes on one side only. The most noticeable spotting feature are the double V irons on each side and the absence of a cross shaft and Morton clutch.

Collision avoided !. Porter had cleared up starting signal to call 3T forward to take water, before setting back into the loop to cross the Mixed. The C&L used staff and ticket working with station master or porter operating the ground frame. The likliehood of a head on collision was low with this type of working provided everyone followed the rules. Station Master was responsible for handing the driver the staff or or showing the driver the staff before leaving the station, but the Clogher Valley came close to a "corn-field" meet with two cattle specials near Caldon. Tynan sent one loco off a double headed fair special back to Aughnacloy on a Ticket to pick up a laden cattle train, while the second loco made up a train for Aughnacloy. Some how or other the laden train left Aughnacloy on the same Ticket while the empty train was already in section from Tynan with the staff. Luckily enough the train crews saw each others smoke and managed to stop in time. 3T waits in the loop as 6T arrives with the mixed. Busy time of day at Keadue with 2L on shed & 8L running off the turntable. Even in CIE days the Arigna-Sligo section operated more or less as two separate railways with mixed trains from Sligo & Ballinamore terminating and returning to their respective terminals with only coal specials running through from Arigna to Sligo

Looks like Binghampton & Binghampton will part company. Wife had a look at the new set up decided the N gauge was too high to be seen and suggested moving to a new larger L shaped site on the opposite side of the room, and the display shelves above Keadue becomes a bookshelves. So I thought I would stage some photos of the old order rather than run a last train! Downtown Binghampton mid 1970s. RS11 5005 leads a pair of RS3 diesels on a freight from Bufalo, while PA1 diesels 16&17 await entry to the yard, meanwhile a pair of Baldwin Shark Nose diesels switch some local industries. In the 60s & 70s the real Delaware and Hudson was famous for its colourful mainly Alco diesel fleet, downtown Binghampton was famous for the parallel Erie & Delaware Lakawanna & Western main lines surrounded by buildings seemingly straight out of a Walthers catalog. Very early 1980s a pair of Alco C424m Century diesels and an RS11 drag a freight out of the D&H Bevior St Yard while a U23B diesel waits at the loco servicing facility. The C424m were the last Alcos added to the D&H fleet, the real Bevior St yard closed around the same time and traffic transferred to the ex DLWR Yard. There was a real feed mill in much the same location the small silos were used for storing coal not ideal next to a feed/grain store!. While the two modules could be operated as a self contained switching layout, this module acted as the yard throat for a 5 track marshaling yard. A pair of SD45 and General Electric U23 & U 30 diesels wait in the loco servicing tracks. The Kato U30 were the first N gauge diesels to have low friction drives, the U30 & SD 40-45 argubly the best N gauge chassis of the early-mid 1990s. The U23B is one of a pair with shortened Kato U30c body shells on Atlas U28B chassis. At the time Kato manufactured Atlas HO & N Gauger locos. Rare colour photo of 3T arriving at Keadue on a laden coal train. Something radically wrong with the signalling system at Keadue ! Both home and starting signals off while 6T & 3T approaching on main line with opposing trains! C&L No 4 & No 8 on shed Shaky photo from van at rear of train, railfan photographers cars pulled over to side of road as 6t leaves roadside section with mixed New home for the N gauge just need to re-locate everything else!

Applying a little bit of lateral thinking, it would be simpler to fit a replacement chassis(& preserve the re-sale value as a OO model) rather than attempt to widen the existing chassis or thin the backs of the w irons to fit 21mm wheelsets. I used the 20' flat wagon fret to illustrate the concept, the flat wagons had lighter underframes, brake shoes on one side and tie-downs for securing loads. The width over solebars of the IRM & JMD underframes are very close, the use of metal allows a closer to scale thickness solebars and W irons leaving adequate for 21mm gauge wheelsets on 28mm axles. The hopper body would fit to the underframe in a similar manner to the IRM model, the kit would include end braces and other details so that there would be no need to butcher the IRM chassis to complete the conversion. The conversion kit would have the heavier solid w irons and brake shoes on both sides used in the hopper and cement bubble underframes. Please reply on this thread or send a PM if you are interested, the conversion kits would be supplied in sets of 3 complete with 28mm non-magnetic axles and castings , buyer to supply wheels. I will re-master the springs and dampers as I am not 100% happy with these castings, which is the main reason I have not introduced the flat wagon kit.

Not sure I will have to put 463 on a rolling road and hook her up to a set of amps . It can get a bit much when I am using 463 quite late in the evening to set up the trains for the next operating session, Phoenix have a volume switch but like kids no mute button! The Jackson County has to compete with Kiwirail main line freight and shunting services along the nearby East Coast Main Trunk Line 9.29-10.31,events at the Claudelands arena & across the river at Waikato Stadium and next door neighbours who love have a regular afternoon music session.

Spring has finally arrived. Newly acquired K27 463 had her damaged pilot repaired and has been fitted up for battery remote control with a Deltang receiver/electronic power controller and sound system re-wired with the chuff timer set up on a driving rather than a tender axle as on my other locos. Although the loco was in very good condition, her pilot was damaged and may had a nose dive at some stage similar to my C19 #348 The idea was to capture the sound of the driving wheels slipping, though in practice 463 stalls when overloaded rather than kicking up a racket slipping. Today I managed an operating session of sorts while catching up on the gardening. In spring the old RGS used to run stock specials to return sheep to high pasture for summer grazing K27s 463 & 464 teamed up to work the empties back to the DRGW interchange along with some general freight. 463 is fitted with a Phoenix sound system similar to 464 but is a noiser and has an interesting echo whistle, the matt black/grey stock cars are part of a recent purchase, I am planning to tone down my existing stock cars with a flat finish to achieve a similar effect. The train has crested a grade and is starting to pick up speed on a long down grade. 463 has just arrived at Utah Junction, helper engine C19 348 & caboose have just turned on the wye and is waiting in the clear. The train will reverse its direction here before climbing the High Line to the DRGW interchange 463 and the rest of her train the High Line branches off behind the train in the distance and climbs on a 4% grade to the staging yard in the garden shed. The timber track base has started to dry out following the long wet winter, interestingly the timber is in good condition with little weathering after over 10 years use possibly because it was covered by a layer of ballast. #348 & her caboose have set back along the main line past the wye allowing #463 to draw forward. #464 waits at the clearance point while 463 & the front portion of her train draw forward past the West Switch of the wye. #463 has cut off her portion of the train and draws forward past the east switch of the wye. #463 turns on the wye before picking up her cars and drawing forward onto the High Line. Currently the tail track of the wye is only long enough for a loco and one car, once its extended it will be possible the turn a complete train without the need to divide and re-marshall. #463 has picked up her cars and has drawn forward on to the siding to take water. Once she's clear #464 will draw forward and repeat the exercise with her portion of the train. #464 and the 1st portion of her cars couple on. Once #463 & #464 and their cars have drawn clear #348 will grab the box cars then hook on to the rear of the train. The whole ensemble complete with helper locomotive and caboose will draw forward along the main line, before setting back to pick up the caboose, the whole train will then set back eastwards along the main in order to get a good run at the high line. All went well until the radio transmitter for 348 failed as I was putting away the last portion of the train, fortunately it was still light and 348 was in a reachable place! The general idea is to set up regular operating sessions, once some of the operating bugs with trackwork and stock is sorted

I haven't touched mine the ballast requires significant alteration to convert to 21mm gauge, while 21mm wheel sets will fit between the w irons of the cement wagons. Sourcing 21mm wheel sets and suitable axles is an issue at the moment as Ultrascale have ceased to accept new orders apparently due to a significant backlog of work, business previously worked on a 9-12 month lead time. The Scale Four Society used to supply suitable axles, wagon w irons and track gauges, but I am unable to comment on the current circumstances. North Yard in New Zealand may supply a 28mm 2.03mm brass pinpoint axle. northyard.co.nz item no 471 catalog. I have used a combination of Ultrascale 21mm gauge wheelsets expensive but very high quality and Gibson wagon and coach wheels on 28 mm axles from various sources and 26mm pin point axles extended to 28mm by cutting and sleeving with 2mm bore brass tube sourced from Eileen's Emporium https://eileensemporium.com/ Personally I find it a lot simpler to assemble a kit to run on one of the wider gauges (I went through a BR EM gauge fad) than to modify a rtr wagon to a wider gauge. The issue with wagons with skeletal framing like the ballast and cement bubbles is a bit more complex as there is no floor to hide the w irons and compensation units which provide the free running. Some conversions I did earlier. CIE Pallet Van from a Parkside BR kit solebars moved out 1mm each side brake gear lined up with tyres. H Van improvised from Parkside BR ply van kit SSM 26mm w irons one axle compensated. Gibson wheels axles extended to 21mm by cutting in two and sleeving with 2mm brass tube. SSM Irish Railway Clearing House standard open wagon. Gibson wheels axles possibly sourced through S4 Society sales officer.

I am planning to release the kit in January 2019. I am looking at the option of supplying the kit with wheels gears and motor, but the position with the supply of motors and suitable wheels is uncertain at the moment and I am waiting clarification on availability from the suppliers. The loco and tender kit includes parts to assemble the loco in either later MGWR or CIE condition with alternative cabs, springs and tender coal rails/plates. The GSR cut crescent shaped holes in the valences of MGWR locos from the 1930s onwards. Although I have formed a half etched rebate on the inside of the valence to assist in cutting out the crescents (drilling & filing), I am looking at the option of supplying locos with this detail etched through for late GSR/CIE locos. Pricing information: MGWR Ks CIE/GSR 650 Class . 0.40mm etched brass loco and tender body with nickle silver chassis, whitemetal detail fittings including boiler fittings, buffers, tool boxes, springs and axleguards. Brass top-hat wheel bearings, turned brass handrail knobs and straight brass wire for handrails and ejector pipework. $240.00 NZ approx €135.00 ₤121.00 shipping approx $20NZ 10% deposit on placing order. Balance prior to dispatch. payment by Paypal to majral@xtra.co.nz Please state whether you prefer the valences pierced or solid. Motorising Kits. My preference are Markits wheels for OO gauge locos, with a High Level Road Runner + gearbox , Mashima or Canon motor. Markits wheels are ideal for layout locos with cast metal centers and are self quartering on stainless steel axles with squared ends and generous tyre width suitable for Peco and other "Universal" track systems. The Markits wheels have the added advantage that they can be set up "live axle" eliminating the need to fit power pick up, the loco and tender picking up power "American Style" through the frames. Unfortunately suitable driving wheels for the 650 Class are currently out of stock and unlikely to be available for another 3 months. Alan Gibson Workshops supply a large range of plastic centered "push-on" wheels which require greater care in set up than Markits wheels, require separate power pick ups and their OO/EM wheel has a narrower wheel thread closer to EM & OO Gauge Societies Standards than the Markits wheel. I would recommend a 54:1 gear box for a realistic top speed for a mixed traffic loco. Estimated pricing information motorising kits: These rates for the supply of motorising kits are provisional and are based on a minimum order to the suppliers for 10 sets of parts. Motor and gears $74 approx €42.00 ₤38.00 Markits wheels, axles, crankpins & axlenut covers $94 approx €53 ₤48.00 Prices quoted do not include local sales and purchase tax and may be subject to these taxes on importation

You get some interesting ones where either the dealer has no idea of the market for model trains or are simply trying it one. This tender was originally listed around $1700 close to the going rate for a complete loco and tender about 12 months ago, an antique dealer had a brass railcar listed for about twice the market proce for about two years before withdrawing the item https://www.ebay.com/itm/Accucraft-Large-Scale-D-RGW-Bumble-Bee-Tender-Only-1-20-3-Model-Train-Electric/112148162447?hash=item1a1c8d278f:g:0E8AAOSw4shX54a3

Don't remember that far back was only a toddler then . I have a Busch UFO to add to the layout, one of the Aliens has taken up residence in the Diner as the energy beam is gone missing. http://www.busch-model.com/moba/info1010.htm.

I built a modular N gauge American layout before we left Ireland for New Zealand, the layout has basically been in storage for several years as I concentrated on Large Scale American narrow gauge and Irish broad and narrow gauge modelling. The N gauge was almost forgotten until I announced that I was going to run a last train before storing/getting rid of the layout to make some space for a long planned Irish 21mm gauge layout. In brief wife and daughter put the pressure on and the N gauge got a reprieve and after a bit of horse trading is now set up in the office with Keadue my Irish 3' narrow gauge layout. Anna taking in the view at Keadue, Binghampton set up temproarily overhead. The basic idea is to replace the N gauge baseboards with something shallower(possibly foam board with softwood trim) so we don't need scaffold to operate the layout and act as a lighting pelmet for Keadue and form a proscenium arch to to complete the staging of Keadue. I will probably scrap the N gauge baseboards and revise the track layout, the module was designed as a junction between two main lines a loco depot an approach trackage to a yard and is a bit spread out for a self contained unit, (the yard modules were dismantled a couple of years ago. Dinosaur switching cars unfinished bridge on left. 2 L approaching Keadue with an empty coal special from Sligo/Boyle? The layout has had a clean up, signals & trees replanted after the cats departure. 2L was built from a Backwoods Miniatures kit around 1994-5 and is due a rebuild with a new gearbox to improve slow running. Coal wagons have one piece cast resin bodies on Backwoods Miniatures chassis. I experimented with different camera settings to maximise depth of field. Coal stage is scratch built from individual wooden sleepers signals are SSM. One of the major jobs left on the layout is to fence the lineside! General view of station buildings and village. The building are scratchbuilt using a combination of Wills Scenic sheets and plasticard. Wagons are fitted with Kadee HOn3 couplers which are more reliable that the N gauge couplers originally used, but I am looking at moving to B&B hook and loop couplers as they appear to be more reliable with 4w stock. These have a delayed magnetic uncoupling similar to Kadee, are unobtrusive and in-expensive (I have used them with 4mm British outline stock and found them to be very reliable)

Almost anything is feasible but re-gauging an assembled chassis from OO to 21mm would involve a certain amount of wasted time and effort. Dismantling and re-assembling the chassis would basically involve replacing the OO frame spacers and motion bracket with 21mm gauge parts supplied with the kit, replacing brake riggings (0.7mm wire), replacing loco and tender axles this would only work with Alan Gibson or Ultrascale wheels. Ultrascale probably supply the best quality wheels in 4mm and will supply 21mm gauge wheel sets, but have ceased to take new work on account of an order backlog. Alan Gibson supply suitable wheels, but axles have to be cut to length for 21mm gauge. If you are thinking of changing gauge at some stage in the future a better option might be to build a second chassis so that you have the option of running the loco on either OO or 21mm gauge. I can supply an additional chassis fret with the kit or at a later stage if you decide to re-gauge or build a second chassis.