Mayner

I could never quite make out whether the garden railway is set in the US somewhere between Colorado and the Pacific North West, the wilds of Tasmania, the Coromandel or South Island, but it seems to struggle with a daily way freight serving the needs of Jackson County. Having crossed over the divide from the East Coast to Jackson County Train #1 lead by 600Hp GE export diesel No 12 waits for orders at Ti-Tree Flats. Westbound traffic is mainly empty ore and log cars and general freight. Like other narrow gauge lines that modernised its motive power in the 1950s, it stuck with 19th Century wooden freight and passenger equipment to the bitter end. Arriving at Jackson City #1 normally sets out a cut of cars on the siding ex DRGW #50 normally switches the yard and local industries. Today #50 refuse to start, batteries are flat someone left the lights on all night after yesterdays switching. #1 places the Caboose in the siding then sets out todays Jackson City cars on Track 2, then places empty log cars against the caboose to shorten the raft of cars before pulling out todays eastbound traffic from the freight house and stock yard on Track1. Having drawn out the Eastbound cars #1 places todays cars on Track 1 box cars for the Freight House, gondola for the loading bank and two tank cars for the oil depot. Recombining its train of empty ore and log cars from the Siding #1 attaches todays Eastbound cars behind its caboose and switches these cars to the siding for pick up by Eastbound #2. An hour late and nearly there! #1 waits for orders on the main before departing with empty cars for Pontificat8 and Kingswood. On the left work has started on a new siding to allow trains to pass on the main while trains switch the yard. Some day the Jackson County might even get some new-fangled steel hopper cars from the EBT to modernise the ore-drags.

Hi Alan I haven't got to the stage of powered running yet, the crossover from the main-line to loco shed and loop has given a lot of trouble and basically needs to be re-laid, the rail joints in the rest of the yard need adjustment before final gluing down to the foam underlay. I have had a lot of trouble in achieving a "level top" at the rail joints from what seems to be a combination of the template and kraft paper cockling, ply crossing timbers warping and twisting & difficulty in bonding the chairs to pre-stained ply sleepers with ABS solvent. The Iain Rice 'system" is based on ply and rivet construction with cosmetic than functional chairs, which probably overcomes the problems with the stability of the paper and the chairs In the long term the plan is to use stripwood rather than ply sleepers for 21mm gauge track, most likely on a template laid directly on foam or American style cork road bed and sand the top of the sleepers to get a level top before dropping in the rail.

And a pair of very large 4-8-4T locos the Swilly engines appear to have been a lot more useful than the 900s

Possibly a higher proportion of buyers are collectors who want one or two of each new release rather than modellers who want a complete rake of coaches.

Jeepers creepers you have managed to squeeze a quart into a pint pot and really captured the atmosphere of the station and neighbourhood. Reminds me of when I used to pass the station every day on my way to work from upstairs on the 54 bus.

My sincere condolences to you and your family JHB. Although the changes and uncertainties of the 50s and 60s must have been difficult to deal with while bringing up a young family your father had the opportunities and career most of todays railfans' could only dream of.

Nice work Alan. Building in styrene is mainly around having an adequate thickness of material and bracing to resist warping. These days I normally use a 3 layer construction for buildings and structures. I have a number of plasticard 4mm wagons that are still pretty good after 20 years and a large scale model of Schull & Skiibereen No4 Erin that's built like a tank.

Back in those days the lack of rtr CIE locos or kits encouraged modellers to scratchbuild rather than wait in anticipation of MM bringing out a rtr model. During the early 70s scratch built A Class hauled Supertrains or cement bubbles were not exactly un-common. Some of the scratchbuilt and bashed rtr locos were far superior to either the Lima 33 or Silverfox Metrovicks.

He was certainly innovative in his modelling breaking the boundaries with a diesel electric and diesel? hydraulic powered Brush Type 4 & Hymek in the early 1970s. The design and construction of the Class 47 was covered in a detailed series of articles in Model Railways magazine, used to look forward as a teenager to colleting the latest edition every month from Southern Model Railways Grafton Arcade.

I sometimes think that the GSR was a much more astute and better run company than it was ever given credit for. GSR management were faced with a similar challenge to the LMS and Penn-Central in amalgamating two major companies with quite differing operating and engineering traditions, against a background of declining revenue and road competition, together with catching up on maintenance following WW1 and repairing Civil War damage. The GSR seems to have been much more successful in lobbying Government in relation to road competition than the railways in Northern Ireland, the ability to operate road and rail services in the 26 counties placed the GSR was in a much stronger position than the GNR, NCC having bought out or eliminated most of the competition. Once it had established a virtual monopoly of road and rail transport the GSR seems to have been equally ruthless as the Stormont Government of the 50s & 60s in closing uneconomic railway lines. There was little point in the GSR committing capital to building modern new locos and rolling stock, while at the same time lobbying Government to close nearly 900 miles of branch and secondary lines. It looks like the 1950s time warp of ancient and modern locos and stock on scenic lines in West Cork or Kerry may only have arose as a result of war breaking out in Europe in 1939 stalling the implementation of GSRs closure plans. JHB I am not sure if buying a diesel from NBL would have been such a good idea. The reputation was so poor that New Zealand Railways rejected the offer of a free demonstrator and instead went to GM and eventually ordered over 100 locos of the same class

Interesting photo it looks like steam locos were regularly used as station pilot at Sligo into late 50s. 610 (Midland standard goods) is possibly preparing to pull out the stock of a recently arrived diesel hauled passenger in order to release the loco (A Class?) from the buffers. Possibly post 57 very clean light green coaches no SLNCR vehicles visible. The Mldland van looks like either 25 or 27 built in 1908-9 for the Sligo & Mayo roads, another of these vans also appears to be parked on one of the two centre roads. Broadstone built a further two batches of 6w brake and luggage van the last were completed by the GSR as 51M & 54M in 1925.

No access in those days to an on-line "service desk" in Kiel. The MAK was originally supplied as a demonstrator with an English speaking German crew in the hope of getting an order for main line diesels from the GNR or the UTA, then bought quite cheaply by the GNR. 800 was more a heavy shunter than a main line loco excellent for trip working between Boyne Road and Drogheda, being non-standard she seems to have spent a lot of time out of service waiting for parts. .

1. How did you get interested in Railway Modelling? A bit too far back to remember a present of a Traing No23 locomotive as a toddler & stories of my late grandfather an engine driver. Introduction to the hobby through Model Railway News magazine some time in 1967 nice picture of Mallard in garter blue on the cover, articles on garden railways, Isle of Man Railway re-opening and reviews inside. 1969 1st proper trainset Traing-Hornby "South African Goods", joined Model Railway Society of Ireland as a junior member 1973. 2.What do you enjoy most about your hobby? I am a modeller rather than a collector, my greatest interest is in designing and building models. My greatest enjoyment is planning & starting new projects I am very slow to finish anything. 3. Do you go to events and if so how often and where? Local exhibition annually, specialist conventions every 2-4 years 4.How much do you spend per annum on railway modelling? Difficult to establish, current expenditure mainly on workshop, equipment and maintenance as opposed to locos, rolling stock and track.

The ducket in the photo of 1906 may have been plated over at some stage before withdrawl, the coaches in the photos with B616 & B220 appear to have duckets on both sides. I have not seen a photo of the coaches running as driving trailers (mules) they only appear to have been used for one season before the Cu-na-Mara went over to a 6 car working with a 4 car AEC set for Galway (incl buffet+ open trailers) +2 AEC railcars for Westport. The lack of a drivers side window would not have been a major handicap with an AEC driving trailer. To allow single manning the guard was responsible for single line staff exchange, communication between guard and driver as by bell signal, rather than showing the driver a green or red flag.

A bit like waiting on a bus Flangelubricators photo of 1906 and some evocative photos of Loughrea train with Bredin MK2 & Laminate main line brakes. http://paddyscrossbetimes.blogspot.co.nz/2013/01/by-rail-and-by-tram.html on Paddy Crosse's blog. The arrangement of the guards compartment with the ducket (look out) close to the end and doors flush with the sides has more in common with Bredin suburban stock of the 1930s than the Laminate main line and suburban brake standards. JHB. Downpatrick already has the guts of a passable Loughrea branch train, (apart from the lack of a toilet compartment and bus seating) a green or black & tan Laminate Brake Standard 1918 would be very close to 1910 the regular Loughrea coach.

1910 the "Loughrea coach" may have been withdrawn before the line closed. A 1904-8 brake standard was used in the last train and they appear in several photos of the Loughrea branch in its final years including one behind a B141 by Jonathan Allen. http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/Railway%20Stations%20L/Loughrea/IrishRailwayStations.html#Loughrea_20100118_002_CC_JA.jpg There is a reasonable CIE photo of 1906 in Locomotives and Rolling Stock of CIE & NIR, but its difficult to make out the detail around the guards door & look out.

Sad news, John had great drive and determination did a lot to raise the profile of Irish modelling. Besides Rahfarnham

I am looking at introducing as set of side overlays for these coaches. Introduced in 1953 different in outline to the Laminate Brake standards 1909-1913 o 1958 at least two were converted to driving trailers for use on the Dublin-Galway/Westport Cu-na-Mara service later used as Loughrea & Ballina Branch coaches. Has anyone a photograph or drawing which show the guards/luggage compartment of these coaches?

In my experience with Kato & Atlas diesels a 4 axle loco has better traction than a 6 axle loco Unless there is some form of springing or damping a 6 wheel bogies or steam loco chassis will tend to pivot around the centre axle and loose traction/power pick up. On the other hand the MM141s may simply run smoother because they are older and more-run in than the 201s & 071s

Blaine is correct the last batch of 22'6" flats 27768-91 were fitted with spark proof brake blocks and wheel guards for the Acroylonitrile traffic and could only carry a 20' container unlike the rest of the 22'6" wagons that could carry 2-10' Unload or 1-20' ISO container. The wagon in the photo does not appear to have centre cuplocks for 10' containers. The silver tank barrel and red end framing appears to cover off the Class A coding requirement for rail traffic.

I saw the train passing Hazelhatch at speed quite a sight.

One of the tank wagons in the background looks like a CIE built bitumen tank wagon with an anchor mounted tank possibly dating from the early 1960s In loose coupled days bitumen traffic appears to have been shipped as individual wagon loads to railway goods yards and private sidings.

The ex GSWR12ton brakes may have been retained for use with G Class locos on the Loughrea and possibly the Castleisland/Fenit branches. I am not sure if the Loughea branch brake survives, the van was partially restored by Westrail the bodywork later burnt by vandals. One of the interesting features of these vans was that like the GWR Toad vans in the UK the guard had to go out on to one of the verandas to apply the brake.

I decided to try out I P Engineering Tralee & Dingle inspection railcar while looking at a possible change in modelling direction. http://www.ipengineering.co.uk/page4.html the kit is in laser cut ply construction and includes wheels, motor and detail parts to complete a working model. Body assembly is relatively straightforward with accurately cut ply parts and some nice whitemetal castings. Although the instructions recommend superglue, I used PVA for assembling the ply parts. The corner clamps (Micromark) are essential for supporting the joints while the joints are curing. Roof construction is similar in principal to full size traditional carriage construction with the roof boards supported by ribs. The roof is typical of the semi-elliptical roof profiles introduced by companies such as the LNWR, LSWR & MGWR of the early 1900s The planking on the coved section immediately above the gutter is fixed first and allowed to cure before filling in the arc section in the centre. I P recommend Kleenex tissue fixed with PVA to represent the canvas roof covering, model aeroplane glider tissue fixed with dope is probably a better alternative. Its nearly a shame to hide the interior planking. Assembled body posed on layout. I am planning to build my own chassis sub frame rather than rely on the whitemetal axleguards supplied. I am planning to build a separate chassis/subframe to support the running gear rather than rely on the cast whitemetal axle guards supplied but that's another days/years work

Happy Birthday Patrick. Good time of the year for parties, on reflection any time of year is a good time to party