Mayner

One of the most interesting aspects of the Cross-Border closures was that CIEs losses increased significantly after the UTA closed the Derry Road and the overnight Derry Vacuum routed to run via Antrim with a motive power change at Lisburn. Presumably UTA freight rates Dundalk-Strabane-Derry did not cover operating costs, UTA/CIE must have been able to negotiate more realistic rates when it took over Dundalk-Belfast freight operations and NIR haulage agreement for CIE freights between Lisburn & Derry Waterside. The other oddity was that the SLNCR was dependant on grants from Stormont rather than the Free State/Republic to remain in operation since the 1920s which fitted the agenda of certain 'hard line' Unionist politicians that the money being poured into railways in West Ulster were greater benefit to the 26 Counties than Northern Ireland

Is the Prairie Rocket O or G Gauge? Nice model by any standards either for kids or so called scale modellers. Remember the publicity around the Big-Big Train adds on prime time TV for a kids train set and the local (hire-purchase)furniture/bicycle store stocking it, years later bought and re-painted the Ruston Diesel and narrow gauge V tipper trucks which were quite good models. The BR mineral wagon chassis ended up under a MGWR Convertible, Ranks Grain and a Guinness 3 container wagon! We went non-main stream with Warldorf for our child's schooling rather than the local equivalent of the NC, bringing up resourceful individuals who work on their own initiative and are able to think for themselves.

Should be able to contact Alan by e-mail, we were recently in contact. alanorourke@hotmail.co.uk Alan is an advocate for Irish Modelling in IRRS and Irish (BG) Stewart Historic Model Railway Society and has been involved in publishing Irish Railway modelling circulars and magazines for many years. Certainly well work subscribing covers all levels of ability and includes models and layouts that have not been published on newsgroups like IRM or RM Web, some modellers prefer the printed media.

Interesting a British Toy company with a German Jewish refugee background around the time the founders of Bing Toys fled from Germany to escape persecution. The Prairie Rocket loco and cars are reasonable looking models and appears to pre-date the Bachmann Big Haulier which is popular as both a toy and scale model. I don't know if there is anything similar is available in Ireland or the UK our equivalent of Walmart used to sell a Chinese made G Gauge battery 'Wild West" Train set with additional track packs for under €60 which occasionally appears for a few Dollars in Charity shops or our equivalent of e-bay. The Train was a characture of an 'old time" American train but reliable and robust in nature and popular for modelling projects among the large scale modelling fraternity. If the train set runs on G gauge or 45mm track Bachmann 'Big Haulier" trucks or bogies may be an option to replace the missing/damaged bogie, should be available through a Garden Railway shop in the UK or E-Bay postage from Bachmann spare department in the States would be expensive.

As a professional who worked in the industry for close to 50 years building (and sometimes troubleshooting) residential and commercial buildings in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand, I struggle to bite my lip and stay stum on this thread. Using decent materials, correct detailing and decent maintenance a timber framed building can have an almost indifinite life span, like the timber frame buildings in parts of the UK and other parts of the world, incorrect detailing and inadequate maintenance basically rot away within years. Our own home in a conservation area 1920s California Bungalow timberframe weathboard construction corrugated iron roof just about 100 this year, older timber frame Villas from the Victorian era and timber frame houses built up to the 60s sought after in their own right or for relocation, more modern housing tends to be demolished and end up in landfill as developers go for intensification in established neighbourhoods. The main drawback with the railway wagon/carriage as a home/railway room is that the originals wern't intended/designed to deal with the Irish/UK/New Zealand weather in the same manner as a conventional building and require almost constant maintenance/upkeep to remain weathertight and with plantation timber not rot away in a few years. While a pastiche the 'railway carriage" with corrugated iron roof and veranda will last longer with lower maintenance levels than a traditional railway wagon/carriage roof constructed in roofing boards or ply covered in the traditional canvas or even a modern roofing membrane. Even modern roofing membranes (felt or plastic) are only guaranteed to 10-12 years, while you would want a decent shed to last at least 25 preferably a minimum of 50 years before replacement. We built a scaled down NZ Railway shelter (not unlike GNR(I) for an outdoor store in our garden about 15 years ago, still the original acrylic (not oil) paint work still looks well no maintenance to speak off since built. Roof Corrugated Iron Mono-pitch with decent overhangs (300+mm), timber flashings and weatherboard all treated pine timber, on building wrap (not a vapour barrier) on 100X50 treated pine framing. Large doors were laminated in "Shadowclad" a treated Ply pre-primed Wall Cladding with V grooved to resemble T&G planking (but without the shrinkage problem) to a sheet of 19mm treated plywood, no sign of movement or shinkage since installed despite exposure to the prevailing wind and sun. To sum up I'd build it differently using different materials, but would build a building that meets Building Code requirements in terms of durability and weathertightness than a replica railway wagon or carriage mainly in terms of building life and value for money, but that's my opinion. The SLNCR Van looks the part and I was impressed with the joinery work involved.

Pairs of old diecast Triang/Hornby 6 wheel diesel bogie was Mike Coles (Q Kits fame) mainstay for his Class 4 Diesels on his OO Gauge outdoor Sundown and Sprawling one of the 1st "Modern Image" layout during the late 60s/70s. Locos featured scratchbuilt metal bodies included the Prototype Type 4 diesels and a Hoover possibly used as masters for his one piece Q Kit resin bodies when the Triang Brush Tyoe 2, English Electric Type 3, Diesle Shunter were the main reasonably priced British outline diesel locos available. Went through a short phase of 'Modern Image BR modelling inspired by Monty Wells series of articles in the late 7o/80 but never built a layout, had a green Hornby 29 and a second hand 37 with the original power bogie 'superdetailed' with Craftsman split headcode boxes and nose doors possibly full yellow noses West Highland style not sure about the Scottie dog emblem, sold to concentrate on 21mm Irish steam era very slow progress over 40 years helped keep me out of the pub (every night)

I though for a moment that Noel had modelled one of the Block Scrap Trains that were such a feature of CIE (Cork) Main Line operations during the 70s. Although some are 'Stenciled" PWD and B and include a "Half Height" on a 20T Flat the train was used to transport scrap steel to Cobh or processing at then recently refurbished Irish Steel Plant on Haulboline Ireland. In the same era trains of 'scrap wagons" (often cars and appliances) were stored in the Yard at Kilbarry north of the Tunnel apparently waiting to be tripped to Cobh for unloading. Noel row of locos reminds me a bit of the Inchacore Sound Barrier or more closely the long row of out of service locos 'used in a similar manner at Toton in the Midlands possibly including some 33s. Looking back its difficult to imagine why the British Outline rtr modeller tolerated the single power bogie power drive for so long, Minitrix used properly engineered chassis with a centrally mounted motor driving both power bogies from at least the late 60s, Roco and Atlas followed suit in N scale during the 70-80 and Kato pioneered the twin flywheel drive with low friction bogies in N Gauge during the late 80s. Paddy Murphy apparently considered the option of twin bogie drive in commissioning his first 201 from Lima, but opted for the then standard single pancake drive based on the belief that Irish modellers were not prepared to pay the additional cost. I never got round to a Murphy Models Class 33 repaint, though I sampled the Lima HO version which with the body raised with plasticard skirts was about the right length and shape for a C Class, the C Class did not last to long I used the HO Class 33 chassis to power a plasticard B121 and a Deltic (HO or possibly hybrid scale) to power a plasticard A Class. Bogies were about right length but less said about either body. Returned to 4mm Irish Diesel modelling in the 90s using MIR Cast Metal Bodies on Athearn rtr Chassis or Atherarn drive on my own chassis to get something running quickly on the MRSI Loughrea layout, I have a collection of modern IRM/MM sound equipped diesels (OO & 21mm) but seldom if ever run them. Lot to be said for the old Lima and Athearn powered locos plenty of enjoyment in both modifying and running them that I don't get from something out of the box. Noel the old Triang Caley coach is worth keeping and collecting (if you find some more )reasonably close in outline to some GSWR Rosslare stock than ran in the Black and Tan scheme, the Lima MK 1 is probably worth re-skinning or re-building into a BR Van until someone releases a decent rtr model, at least the underframe, bogie and roof are usable.

No worries Patrick, it looks like I will be going ahead with this model and I am considering options for distribution in Ireland and UK. At this stage I expect to have decorated samples ready mid-year and delivery late Autumn 2024 (Northern Hemisphere), days are already getting cooler and shorter in this part of the World as autumn approaches.

Might be cheaper than buying a new printer to ask Steve Bell (Railtec) eghamrails@hotmail.com or PM on RM Web if he can help. There is a set up cost if he has nothing suitable available, but service is 1st Class.

First heard of the potential for 3D modelling and printing in a lecture from Neil Ward (a leader in the field) at a NZ Model Railway conference about 18 years ago https://nwmodelworks.com/449737396 I have been commercially producing 4mm Scale of Irish Wagons since 2021. While I am an experienced designer it was necessary to outsource the 3D modelling (3D CAD work) on our first models to a Freelance Designer at similar cost to designing a model for plastic injection moulding, like other smaller manufacturers I have outsourced 3D Printing to a Far Eastern print shop for similar reason to conventional manufacturers outsource their manufacture to China, they are the only ones who can compete on price, quality, delivery and customer service. While there is a lot of talk about printing on a Home Printer the commonly available 'reasonably" priced desktop printers are not really up to it for consistent repetitive printing of 3D models and I don't have €80-100K available to invest in installing a full-size printer capable of printing in the resilient resins necessary for use in railway rolling stock manufacture. At this stage I am not convinced that its feasible or desirable to produce a 4mm model of a large slender vehicle like a coach or railcar in resin, but the prospects for 7mm and larger scale modellers are more promising. The FDM (fusion deposition modelling) is a better option than Resin Printing for 7mm and larger scale models provides more consistent results and less shrinkage. Woko's RM Web workbench is a good example of what can be achieved in 7mm https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/172854-wokos-bench/page/6/#comment-5213980 Neil Ward has produced 9mm Scale (New Zealand 3'6" gauge on O Gauge Track) diesel locomotives mechanisms which include printed metal parts including bogie frames, and transmission parts. The Waikato Bridge and the large English Electric loco on the Hamilton to Claudelands Layout were build using 3D printer parts designed and manufactured by NW Model Works. I may produce 7mm or larger scale models at some stage in the future, but currently do not have the time as a result of family committments. I would not be too worried about a 3D Print Bureau producing unauthorised copies of someones work, like print and photo bureau the better ones have a reputation to protect and because of the difficulty printing small scale models and high reject rate its simply not worth the hassle of trying to print multiple copies. My original NZ based supplier has refused to print further models because of this very problem, small scale models are simply not worth the hassle for a supplier who is involved in more lucrative work.

Our minimal postage work out at $30NZ or €17.50 Tracked and Traced to Ireland. Model cost likely to be €45.00 at current exchange rates. There is nothing to stop a group of members clubbing together to buy several (or my minimum batch of 50) and share reduced postal cost and take care of import Vat on arrival. I am also looking at UK manufacture & assembly as an option, but may not work our any cheaper than the present arrangement.

The Asahi probably ran via Mullingar as a result of difficulty finding a path between Portarlington and Island Bridge Junction when the line was busy with up passenger trains arriving from the provinces. IE routed the Foynes-Ballina Oil/Coal Trains via Nenagh rather tan via Limerick Junction for similar reasons when the Limerick-Claremorris line was out of use during the mid 1990s. IE replaced the 4w flat wagons used for carrying Hazardous Freight on the Asahi line with Bogie Wagons at some stage before the factory closed in 1997. The ending of Mail Trains and Sundries Traffic would have released bogie wagons for use on the Asah

I would be tempted to try 5½mm-Ft Scale used by Sam Carse on his County Donegal system which gives a more accurate representation of the Irish 3' gauge than On16.5 and less of an underscale appearance with loco chassis. The main objection to a non-standard scale is that commercial figures and road vehicles are not available, but locos, stock and buidings/structures have to be scratchbuilt anyway.

Quite the reverse to intense activity, with very little time available for modelling, I had done hardly anything in the workshop since before Christmas The black spoon is a Casting Ladle. I had recently cast woods metal weights for the 650. I need to clear the clutter from the workbench before I complete the loco.

All sold now except one Orphan Brake Van that's gone to the Island of Misfit Toys (my personal collection) One 4w Hooded Van Kit remaining for those who enjoy the challenge of model making. https://jmdesignmodelrailways.com/collections/irish-rolling-stock-kits

Mixture of the Good, the Not so Good and plain Ugly wagons. Achieving consistent result with 3D resin printing can be challenging some prints that did not meet the expected standard but not bad enough to discard. Seconds are marketed as seconds and nature of defect summarised. https://jmdesignmodelrailways.com/collections/rtr-models

Great to see Ahern's Miniature Locomotive Construction used as a reference over 70 years after it was first published. I use Athern's bogie design in my 4mm GSWR 52 Class kit which is capable of running through Peco small radius points! Although I was once almost religious about tidiness these days my workbench is a bit of a mess, snatching time for modelling whenever I can between other tasks. There is a part assembled MGWR 2-4-0 in there somewhere last worked on a worked on a week or so ago but have not had the time to tidy uo.

Maybe its that I am getting older but I have gone from a strongly pro-rail to a sceptic stance during the past 20 odd years. Back in the day the AEC railcars were introduced both CIE and the GNR were expected to at least make an operating profit and fund their capital investment. In the heyday of 4-4-0s and 6 wheel coaches the GSWR and GSR shareholders expected to receive a dividend on their share holdings. In 2002 IE received a €166.3m Operating Subsidy and €241m in Capital Grants, while the Government literally pay Season Ticket holders to travel by rail in the form of tax breaks, while the ordinary tax payer pays who largely self fund their own travel through the nose in the form of Excise Duty on Fuel, VRT on new vehicles, Road Tax and fees on Toll Roads. In these changing times its difficult to see justification for further investment in improving rail or road links to city centres which may empty out as a result of de-centralisation and remote working. Over twenty years ago in the days before fibre myself and others successfully worked remotely (from our homes) for an Irish Government agency using dial up internet visiting Head Office in Dublin for weekly/fortnightly meetings, our Regional Offices communicating with Head Office by teleconference. Other agencies were successfully de-centralised to the Regions even to Cahirciveen, until the policy was reversed and re-centralised contributing to increasing congestion and overcrowding in our cities which fueled the Irish Property Bubble and financial collapse through inflated property prices as a result of developers competing for land. Ironically I found myself mired in bureaucracy unbelievable by Irish standards when I joined the NZ public sector in 2008 despite several re-organisations the level of bureaucracy continued to increase until I jumped ship 10 years later.

Blog featuring graphics and photos of our latest version of the 20T Good Brake. Due to very low levels of demand for our existing models we are accepting "Expressions of Interest" to assess whether its worth while to proceed to production with this particular model. At this stage we are looking at Expressions of Interest in a minimum of 50 wagons (Brake Vans, Opens, Vans) to proceed to production. I have not set up an Expression of Interest/Prepayment function on the Shopify site because of very low sales turnover and relatively high running costs of pre-payment apps. We expect to sell the updated version of the Brake Van at a similar price point to the existing versions. Please e-mail me on info@jmdesignmr.co.nz or PM on this group if you would like to place an expression of interest or have any questions. Blog featuring graphics and photos of our latest 'modernised" version of the 20T Good Brake with all metal duckets/lookouts https://jmdesignmodelrailways.com/blogs/news/february-2024-update-expressions-of-interest-cie-20t-brake-van-rebuilt-version JHB the Graphic Samples are for illustrative purposes only (so prospective customers can see the detail), the Brown will be brown, the Yellow yellow and Black black and roof a secret blend perfected by my paint supplier All planked version based on 23642 "the Cultra Van" with 'in service" graphics/decals. Sheeted ply cabin version with vertical planked verandas 23508 Test print of the ply cabin version by our former Singapore supplier graphics are a mock up to be finalised if we proceed to production

The 15:40 SO Ballina-Connolly would have been intended to return people who spent the weekend in the West (workers and 3rd level students) to Dublin this was the return working of a FO Heuston-Ballina working. The train was likely to be worked by coaches normally used on a Dublin outer suburban service, probably simpler for the train to return to Connolly via Mullingar for cleaning and servicing, than a Heuston busy with evening arrivals and a need to back out to Island Bridge Junction to run to Connolly via the Phoenix Park Tunnel. The Asahi Liner was diverted to run via Tullamore and the 4w flats used to transport Acrylonitrile and other hazardous chemicals replaced by bogie wagons to increase the permitted speed of the train from 35 to 50mph. The max line speed of 4w container flats was reduced from 50 to 35mph following a series of derailments of Liner Trains with 4w wagons on the Midland during the late 70s-early 80s. The Up Ashai then using 4w chemical flats de-railed approaching Tullamore in Jan 96 https://www.irishtimes.com/news/reason-why-chemical-train-derailed-still-not-known-1.19863 The Mullingar-Athlone line was out of use and weed grown in place while I was working-living in Athlone during the Summer-Autumn of 96, although the ballast and sleepers appeared in good condition the rails 90lb/Yd from the 1920s were worn "burred over" requiring replacement if the line was to continue in operation..

Probably best to e-mail Des at dezsullivan@gmail.com if you are unable to connect to the SSM site. A HTTP 404 error code has come up for several weeks. My anti-virus would not let me connect 'expired certificate" when I tried Galteemore's link and the error code appeared when I overrode the antivirus. But managed to connect when I ran a separate search! Like the old Provincial Wagons Web Site its probably not worthwhile for SSM to renew their cert/update the site because of high hosting costs and low level of demand for kits.

There are variations in wheel profile between different manufacturers of so called EMF profile wheels, which may affect flange depth. There was variance in thread width between earlier and later batches of Sharman B profile wheels. The EMF Standard specifies: P4 Standard secified F T (effective thickness) 25-thou/0.65mm FT (Effective) 0.35-0.40mm Flange depth varies. TW (tyre width) 90-thou-2.28 TW 1.85-2.00mm Standard info from Tables 1 and 2 "An Approach to Building FINESCALE TRACK in 4mm Iain Rice 1991 Specifying a max-min makes more sense from a manufacturing perspective than specifying an absolute. Sharman Actual TW TMD Midland Tank Sharman B Profile 1984-5 2.25-2.29 mm SSM SG2 Sharman B Profile 2002-3 2.14- 2.17mm TMD J15 Sharman B Profile 1994-5 2.16-2.19mm SSM S Gibson EMF Profile 2002-3 2.27mm Coach wheel Ultrascale EMF 2.23-2.27 I measured TWs using a calipers with a digital read out: The Sharman B profile wheels were set with a B-B of 19.5 using a TMD B-B gauge same B-B ran without problems on the MRSI Loughrea laid to EMF Standards on which group members used a combination of Ultrascale and Jackson (wagon and coach) wheels set with a B-B of 19.3. A 19.5mm B-B was used on locos and stock built by Tim Cramer featured in a Railway Modeller article in the early 70s, locos built by Tim included a Bandon Tank, GSWR 90, a Midland Tank and a J15 Chassis. I now set the B-B on locos fitted with Gibson or Ultrascale wheels to 19.3 which is consistent when using EMF profile wheels and running clearances. Dave: Is Brian who built the majority of the locos and stock that ran on the Loughrea Layout still with us or able to advise? Frank who was the guiding light in terms of trackwork passed away several years ago. I got involved when I returned for the UK in the mid 90s after most of the hard work was done Restoring the layout would be a great way of acknowledging the effort of the team that came up with the idea, built and worked on the layout all those years ago.

Not quite a silk purse out of a sows ear 211s assemble using a Q Kits B201 and Athearn F7 Chassis. Still one of my most prized possessions bought second hand from the Belfast Caboose 20 over 20 odd years ago. It ended up a choice between a MIR 071 assembled to a similar level of detail and weathering. Ended up buying 211s which was more suitable for use on the MRSI Loughrea layout and I didn't have the money to buy the two locos at the time. Although the B201 Class ended up mainly on Dublin Suburban services the Maybach and GM re-built locos were also held down mainline passenger and freight duties into the early 70s. B233 & 234 the Maybach rebuilds carried out in the mid-60 were regular performers on Dublin-Limerick via Nenagh passenger services and Bulk Cement trains from Castlemunget to the silos at Cabra and the Athy Asbestos factor. The Maybachs were fitted and did work in multiple with the B141s The Maybach' rebuilds were a distinct variation of the C Class with one porthole window blanked out apparently introduced in the black with white eyebrow and small yellow warning panel livery both were re-painted in the Supertrain scheme but without the GM headlights before re-building with GM engines during 79/80. The GM rebuilds appear to have been initially rostered on fast main line Passenger Links including Heuston-Tralee and return, Dublin-Cork Newspaper trains and slower heavier duties such as Galway Day Mail and Connoly-Sligo passenger trains. B201s were used for a short while on Heuston-Cork trains during the 1973 timetable hauling 6-7 coach Supertrain Sets. The B201 class would have had an advantage over the B141/181 Class on fast passenger trains in terms of higher power and steadier running with their Commonwealth Bogies. CIE reduced frequency and slowed down trains in response to the 73 oil crisis, running slower and heavier trains hauled by 001 Class or pairs of Bo Bos. The B201s continued to work goods/freight trains following their transfer to the Dublin area, I once watched a procession of B201 hauled southbound Bulk and Bagged (H Vans) Cement Trains from the lineside near Howth Junction in 1976-77. I was doing a Saturday afternoon surveying job in Baldoyle Industrial Estate and found it difficult to concentrate, happy days!

I have been thinking about building a model of one of the Ballymena Black Hawthorne 0-4-2ST since I read PJ Flannigans C&L Pan paperback in my early teens (late 60s/early 70s) and several years ago did some work on a 3D model. Possibly some scope for collaboration possibly combining etched scratchbuilders parts and 3D printing. I would go for a bespoke chassis, besides the very short wheelbase the Hornby 0-6-0St tend to stall on dead frog points and it may be challenging to fit a 'keep alive" decoder to the loco. I will see if I can did out my 3D model of the Ballymena tank

The Midland & GSWR Convertibles are Studio Scale Models and may still be available. The MGWR Coal Wagons are "Jeremy Suter Irish Kits" One batch produced 20 years ago, the Rolls Royce of whitemetal kits rare by any standards.