Weshty

Nice, nice, nice!!

Hi Snapper, Class job, some nice pics there! Weshty.

Other than the one at Heuston, yup, Limerick!

Rich, thanks for that, very much appreciated, fair to say, you have a few that I don't even have! Would some of those be Clonmel and Waterford now perchance?

To add my tuppence worth, got my first proper set at 12 (had a hornby clockwork tin version when I was 3) moved onto Dungeons and Dragons at 15 followed shortly after by drugs, sex and rock and roll (otherwise known as schooldiscos, beer and bass playing with a Horslips Tribute band). Rediscovered the hobby 6 years ago and here we are now. The only thing I see stopping young fellahs from indulging in the hobby is that for most of us OFOFs (oul' f@rts over 40) building Airfix kits and the like was as commonplace as playing X-Box is now. Airfix in the 60's and 70's sold MILLIONS of kits. And us OFOFs got a gradual progression of skills from yer basic Spitfire, via a B17 up to a 450 piece HMS Victory or a 24th scale Stuka. Most kids now put that discipline and time consumption into 10 levels of Assassin's Guild but yet would probably baulk at working on a model for the same amount of time. Having said that, it is great to see more than a few younger members on the forum!

http://www.chronos.ltd.uk/acatalog/Engineering_Menu_Carrs_Solders___Fluxes___etc_346.html Carrs Green Label Flux (Ref: GR1) Carrs No 145 Solder (Ref: N0145) (sorry it's 145deg not 120!)

Snapper. A cheap 40w electric iron will do you grand as you can leave it turned on for 2-3 hours at a go. Do that with a gas one and you'll be refilling to beat the band. Essential tools: Wet and dry sandpaper or a fibre brush to clean the brass surface Carrs Green flux 120 degree solder (170 degree requires too much heating) That's it, and no need to buy extra brass, just get the kit you need and practice on the scrap material borders of the etches.

Boskonay, that was Steve Job's perspective too. When he designed the Apple Mac, he wanted the motherboards laid out with an elegant symetry even though nobody would see them.

Thanks Rich, Time to put a dedicated page up on SSM for modellers with a selection of photos as well, it's not like I don't have enough of them!

Bowlcut hairdo, flares, polo neck jumpers. And a Morris Marina that you hoped would start to get you to school. Unless you were fierce posh and your dad had a MK2 Granada. Were you up in time to watch Jabberjaws and Scooby Doo though.... I forgot about Aenghus' shoes. Remember him gushing about the custom mother-of-pearl inlay work on his guitar with Brush Shiels though (when he had hair).

Mary Fitz? Late of the 9:30-10:30 slot on Anything Goes? The original and best "Scrummy Mummy". Now we know your demographic slot Richie!

"hammer and nails required". Heh! The MTK could be a bit rough alright.

Decals will be included. Regarding the white bit, I'll probably just include a template or suchlike. Given it's a compound curve, no decal would really do the job.

BabyGM The instructions will include as much detail as possible in terms of the different liveries. Remember the SSM strapline, "everything included, apart from paint and labour"!!.

Once it goes to the moulder, there's a 12 week lead time, so I should have them for late September.

Here is the current state of the master model.

Rich, Thanks for the kind words, they are very much appreciated, and it makes the research all worth while. In terms of design, it's a case of keep it simple, no kit should at heart be tricker than a 72nd scale Airfix Spitfire kit, and given CAD easily enables tolerances of 0.1mm, they should fit together easily as well. Must be said, I would happily pay for a new edition of Modelling Irish Railways. Between his website and the book, Steve has been a huge influence from the get-go. Indeed, the signalling section was one of the inspirations to starting the range of signal kits. It's hard to believe the first edition is only eight years old, given the quantum change in what is available in the irish modelling sphere. And there is plenty left to come out yet! Must get me one of those 2600s ....... Regards Des

I've updated SSM as promised with some photos that were the basis for the oil tanks: http://www.studio-scale-models.com/Oil.shtml

Richie, have to completely agree with you on this. At the risk of sounding like John Waters, today is the future's past. We take so much for granted and then it changes and is gone. 60 years ago people bemoaned the homogeneity of the A and C classes and yet now will travel across the country now to hear one in Downpatrick! You have to almost step outside yourself to look at everyday scenes in a fresh light and see what needs to be recorded. Examples? Photograph passengers waiting in the concourse. Clothes colours, haircuts, styles, the types of cars parked outside or on the road, advertising hoardings. Upholstry on buses and coaches, the floor coverings. Give it 10 years and everything will have changed. Telephone boxes will soon be a think of the past. If I was to advise on one thing? Victorian and edwardian railway architecture. Cut stone bridges, cast iron furniture, downpipes, guttering, canopy supports. 150 years ago they were not only designed to last but had an asthetic to them, they were meant to look well and in harmony with the rest of the infrastructure. Particularly focus on the older or closed lines as they are being removed, rusting away or being swallowed up by overgrowth. Given taking a photograph has zero cost compared to the equivalent of €20-30 for 36 shots 30 years ago, get shooting, and now.

I got an oxford flatbed for about £6. Not ideal but better than spending £16 on one of the LLEDO. Might tackle this evening... Have to say Anto, that NR transit is spotless.

Ah yes, Steve Rabone's CIE lorry photo. I really need to kitbash one of my bedfords to make this one. Aren't there some 70's montage pictures on the old site that might be useful? They're not high resolution, but they would give an idea.

Hi Dave, Having been through this trawl myself, good shots of 70's P&T or even early Telecom Eireann vans on the web are almost non-existant. As for 70's ESB, not an idea. Reeling in the Years might be useful. Regards Weshty.

Oi, Dave, where's mine? For services rendered etc.....

Very much look forward to that. And of course a seat on the SSM wall of fame!

Hi Rich, probably a simplified 21mm bogie along the lines of what Comet do at the moment. Longtitudinal, but no transverse compensation.