Mayner

Your warped like poor old 356

Steve layouts are mentioned on the Leamington & Warwick club website http://www.lwmrs.co.uk/CMS/index.php/members-layouts. His stock used to show up regulary at the Banbury & Warwick exhibitions quite a contrast to the usual BR and the Big Four. I have a sneaking suspicion he built a modern image 21mm layout which appeared in one of the English magazines in the 1980s, which used widened SMP track and a mixture of MIR& Q Kits and converted rtr. Dave Malone has published a number of articles on 21mm gauge modelling. 1. Modelling Irish Railways to P4 Standards Practical Model Railways Dec 1984 which provides a usefull over view. 2. A series of articles in "Model Railway Digest" in the 1990s including track, signalling, rolling stock. The digest is available from Mainly Trains http://www.mainlytrains.co.uk/acatalog/4mm.html. John

Its a great reference I came across it by accident while looking for a photo of the 500s. Those small wheeled Coey D4 4-4-0s had such a massive powerfull modern look compared to the large wheeled version the D10-12. If you want ugly look at the inside cylinder Coey Moguls http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829413&k=wN8vPQG&lb=1&s=L. John

Joe My ego bubble has swollen a Guru indeed I have visions of the followers of true gauge making their way to Hamilton seeking Enlightment only to find like Dorothy that its only smoke and mirrors . The decision to work in 21mm rather than stick with OO is really a matter of how you want to spend your time and the amount of space you have available. It will take considerably longer to build a simple layout in 21mm than EM or S4 and even longer still than in OO where a surprising amount can be achieved in a very short space of time. Track can be built with C&L or Protofour Track Co components, or more traditional ply or copper clad sleeper methods, with pracctice a point can be built in about 2 Hours. While some companies produce ready made crossing Vs and switch blades, they are easy enough to file from rail, the EM Gauge Society produces a really usefull filing jig, but its only really suitable for bullhead rail. Iain Rices books on Finescale Track and building track with copper clad sleepers are essential refrence guides. The S4 & EM Gauge Society members receive manuals that basically covers everything from Baseboard construction to operation which is worth the cost of membership alone. Exactoscale probably produce the best wheel sets in the World well worth the expense and wait, Gibson wheels are less expenssive and readily available and Jackson do very good EM/OO profile wagoncoach wheelsets. Exactoscale will supply 21mm wheel sets to order with 28mm pin point axles or plain axles for locos. My local supplier Northyard produce a 28mm S Scale axle, metric bolts, gearboxes and other usefull components postage from NZ is relatively inexpensive compared with the UK and US. http://northyard.co.nz/. I am currently designing a small range of kits suitabe for 21mm or OO Gauge based around the Northyard axle. John

I have a sneaking suspicion that the idea of the upturned headlight was also intended to assist in locating the Asahi Liner in case of emergency. Not sure what the crew were supposed to do if anything went wrong without telephone or eadio communication on a remote section of the Ballina Branch. John

While the diesels are basically mass produced US or Britsh designs most of the steam locos were designed and built for Irish conditions and some classes were quite advanced and ahead of their time. 1. GSWR 500 Class 4-6-0 first modern mixed traffic 4-6-0 distinctive "modern" GSWR/GSR styling probably 10 years ahead of the LMS Black 5 & GWR Grange. Probably GSWR/GSR/CIE most useful 4-6-0 design. http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829609&k=fn3pWmG 2.GSWR 333 (D4) 4-4-0 large boilered 4-4-0 designed for the Rosslare Route powerfull simple lightish axleload go nearly anywhere design standard motive power on the DSER Line so good the GSR built another 5 in 1935. http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1406411983&k=bjfdVK4&lb=1&s=M http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1508581668&k=nSzSZXq&lb=1&s=M 3.GSWR 60 (D14) 4-4-0 simple very fast 19th Century design some modernised by the GSR in the 1920s http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1784579086&k=7g6fFsH&lb=1&s=M 4. MGWR K Class (GSR 650 G2) 2-4-0 one of the best Midland passenger/mixed traffic designs eqqually at home on DSER suburban services, Midland Mail Trains and Branch Line Services the last 2-4-0s in Europe http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/18279129_TbnP49#!i=1744829685&k=KWqjJn2&lb=1&s=M 5. GSR/CIE KN2 2-6-0T The Tralee and Dingle Hunslets. Typical Hunslet design tough and extremly good steamers. The only engines that survived the Tralee and Dingle, West Clare and Cavan & Leitrim. http://www.tdlr.org.uk/stock.htm John John

Totally off topic I think Ulick O'Connor once compared rugby and soccer to Gaelic Football saying that the latter was a Hooligans Game played by Hooligans. John

I think 21mm is more a choice of whether you get more enjoyment out of the building or operating/looking at a finished model. Whatever the technical difficulties time and space are the biggest issues. After 20 odd years working in 21mm I am still struggling to find space for even a simple 21mm gauge layout, layouts like Anthony's or Amiens St would be difficult if not impossible to build in any realistic space or timeframe in 21mm. Most of the more successsfull ones like Adavadoyle, Loughrea or Belturbet have largely been group efforts and taken a long time. Tony Mills had already developed his own track and wheel standards before commencing the second Adavoyle layout in the 1980s, the MRSI Loughrea layout has taken roughly 20 years and a number of re-builds to reach its present state. I would say if you are prepared to spend the time its well worth the effort, however its best to stick to OO if you want to build a large or complex operating layout. John

That pubs something else! darker inside than a pint of Guinness:tumbsup: can almost smell the smoke and hear the caint ceol & craic! It hard to know whats best to do with OO the gauge pack out the bogie or wagon sideframes the guage is already undersized for Standard Gauge and the move to finer wheel sets makes it look worse. The older O gauge modellers stuck to coarse scale wheel sets, but do you really notice the difference frrom 2 foot when a train is running? John

201bhoy Although your basic trackplan is excellent, I think its going to be difficult to fit it into an 8X4. It might be better to try one of the worked plans from http://www.freetrackplans.com/802-Trafford-Park.php or the Peco Setrack Manual. Another point to consider is forming an operating well in the middle, otherwise you will have to place the baseboard in the middle of the room. You are likely to be restricted to 1st radius curves and you would be better with locos like 141s and 4w wagons rather than 201s MK3 Coaches and bogie wagons. Its probably best to treat your 8X4 as a stepping stone to a larger layout. John

Are the Irish graffeti crews associated with street gangs or is it a separate thing? In this part of the world taggers tend to be gang wanabees and tagging is a way of marking out the gangs territory in much the same way as other animules. John

While the 121s probably saved the railway, it was only because the Metrovicks were so unreliable. They were a light weight GM Export loco rather than a switcher underpowered for fast passenger operation and under braked for working freights. I wonder why CIE went direct to the States when GM locos were being built on the Continent, was it anything to d with the Kennedys? Nohab http://www.jernbanesider.dk/page170.html who had been building double cabbed GM locos under license in Sweden and Belguim since the early 1950s. An MY would have looked impressive than a 121 on the Enterprise. John

Not a cattle wagon or great quality but they say a picture is worth a 1000 words. Tralee 1978 unfitted on the left red oxide fitted on the right grey oxide! CIE seems to have started painting its wagons red oxide at some stage in the 60s, but a lot remained grey to the end some even had the snail logo. Traditionally like the UK both braked and loose coupled goods trains had to have a guards van, from the late 60s modern wagons like bulk cement and flat wagons carring ISO Containers, kegs and fertiliser often ran in the consist of loose coupled trains. For a long time the "Derry Vaccum" was Ireland's only fast freight carrying traffic for County Donegal under customs seal through Northern Ireland. This was started by the GNR and continued in one form or other until the withdrawl of general freight traffic from Derry in the 1980s John

Frank I would'nt get too bogged down in picking an actual place or wondering if anyone has modelled it. Basically anything is plausibe the way that the railways turned out and some towns have prospered and others declined is a matter of history, at one stage or other there were rival plans to link basically every town and city in the country Rather than a branch or secondary line it might be worth looking at a traffic base similar to main lines like Tralee, Westport or Sligo, typically 2-3 Intercity passenger trains each way, Overnight Mail or Newspaper train, Overnight Liner to from the North Wall and cement, fertiliser, oil etc as required. The 1950-early 70s era is probably better if you are planning to use a way bill system as CIE basically eliminated shunting and went over to fixed formation freight train operation in the late 70s. Although a lot of specialised wagons were introduced these either ran in dedicated Company Trains or blocks of wagons attached to the scheduled overnight Liner (container) Trains. CIE basically operated a traditional steam era railway with diesel locos up to the early 1970s complete with mechanical signalling, turntables and loose formation passsenger trains. While turntables and locos sheds were retained at many depots, during the late 70s CIE tended to take out surplus trackage in goods yards most yards were reduced to one or two sidings or loops in some cases loading was carried out on the running line. John

Great work Wiggy there i a hell of a lot to be said for OO in getting things up and running quickly! A bit like the saying about the American President who could walk and chew gum, its difficult to concentrate on more than one thing at a time:rolleyes:. Using a twin throttle I find that its easy enough to keep two trains moving, but adding a 3rd things start to get a bit hairy the 4th uually ends in disaster. An alternative might be to consist the train locos together like when you are double heading, so they all receive the same signal and should stop and start at the same time I usually set a trap for myself and end up with a de-railment or crash by forgetting to re-set the points and a junction or loop. I gues ts either a case of going for some form of automatic control or employing more drivers and signal men.

I am not sure if you are operating from the passenger station side or the freight yard, but it might be worth while keeping the actual port area off stage and just model the sidings, Port Offices and parking areaa for reach stackers/straddle lifts. Container stacking areas take up a considerable amount of space, with the railway lines set well back from the quays and trains unloaded by forklift. Some photos from Lyttleton in April 2010. Marshalling yard now used for unloading timber trains, the main line to the coal terminal and container area is on the far right. General view of the log storage area and old port. General view of the container port this area is served by a pair of sidings squeezed in between the container stacking area and the running line to the coal terminal. John

Hi Michel Good luck with the trams, will you be working to Proto 1:87 or HO standards? John

It was a bit of a corker I think it was filmed at Blakestown crossing on the Midland 184 trundles along with an RPSI set and magically transformed itself into the tail end of the Asahi Liner. Does anyone remember the cigarette add from the 1960s that featured an O Gauge model railway with a B141 hauled freight train? John John

Don't forget the odd ball ones like "The Most Fertile Man in Ireland" filmed around the oll Sherriff St Flats and North Wall Midland when it was a freight yard, lots of shunting and reach stackers lumbering around with containers. Classic Hammer Horror with Christopher Lee as Fu Manchu filmed around Dublin in the 1950s with a car chase along John's Road complete with Guiness Broad gauge Tramway. John

The Tin Vans are a lot shorter in overall length and wheelbase than the Lima CCT so they should be ok, end overhang is relatively short so tension lock or Kadees should not be problem. John

I wonder have Horby done anything with the wheels? The biggest problem with Lima was that after a few weeks running the wheel plating got badly pitted, pick up and runnng suffered and it was a constant battle to keep the wheels clean. The HO/OO stuff was not to bad their N Gauge locos lasted an average of about two weeks. John

It simple enough to use top hat bearings with a fold up subframe, on most systems the bearing also acts as a locating pin for the side frame. Most etched W iron units use this system and the result is a very free running chassis, its basically a matter of opening up the bearing hole in the subframe with a tapered broach until the top hat is a tight fit. Hurst Models do rigid fold up subframes sutable for the Ridemaster and French bogie sideframes in OO, http://www.hurstmodels.com/4/4mm_misc.htm. Personally I dont think its worth modifying the bogies if you work in OO the gauge as its impossible to disguise the fact that the track gauge is undersized 20%. I am trying to get round the issue by designing chassis suitable for 21mm & OO guuge supplied with extended axle wheelsets. John

Glenderg Ah there is nothing like the All Irelands, still All-Blacks Ireland Waikato Stadium 23 June. They have gotten over Munster at Thromond Park in 63 John

Irishthump. The layout looks quite restrictive in that trains can only arrive on one road or platform, all movements from the Down main to the Up Platform/yard would involve a shunt with trains having to set back along the Up line, a facing crossover between the main lines or a scissor crossing would make life a lot easier. One important point to remember if this is a terminal station the signal controlling arriving trains should only have red and yellow aspects. Depending on the main line signalling system the departure signals may have 2,3 or 4 aspects. As it stands you would get away with a two aspect signal on the country side of the crossover on the arrival road and two or 3 aspect signaals for departing trains, shunt signals would be needed to control movements to the yards and backing movements along the up and down main lines. If you go for a facing crossover some form of splitting signal would be needed on the station approach. The layout on the Northern approach to Dun Laoire was a good example of 4 aspect signalling of a double track station with a terminal bay and reversible working. John

If there is sufficient interest I will look at doing an assembled batch of each type similar to what David's done with the 2600s and DeDettrich stock. The Luggage Van is nearest to production as there is still some detail to be nailed down with the Heating Van, a real Heinz 57 variety job . John