Ballinacraig

August 25, 2023

1 hour ago, Fiacra said:

Outstanding layout! The bridge in particular is stunning - how was the stonework created?

Thanks, Fiacra. The main stonework was created using Slaters 7mm dressed stone sheets of plastikard. The coping stones were created by applying Polyfilla over balsa wood strips. Polyfilla is very easy to shape and score once set.

August 25, 2023

13 hours ago, Irishrailwayman said:

Great modelling. Are you planning to exhibit this layout?

Thanks. No, it is a permanent fixture in my garage, unfortunately

August 24, 2023

37 minutes ago, Bob229 said:

Hi Paddy, lots of progress great work and detail fantastic layout, just wondering where did you get the platforms lamps? thanks

Thanks, Bob. They are all scratch built from bits of plastic sprues and wiring. I spent ages looking for similar donor lamps online, but there just wasn't anything close available, so I made my own.

August 24, 2023

Latest update, and a special word of thanks to my brother, John for the photography. There has been quite a bit of progress from my last update in March.

I managed to finish the embankment scenery. This took quite a bit of time, as it was my first time using static grass, and I ended up removing a couple of early attempts, before I got a finish I was happy with. I used four different static grass lengths and colours, which were added in layers using the layering spray technique.

A new row of buildings have been completed for Main Street. Three of these are based on real-life counterparts - Wades Pharmacy and ML Leacy & Sons in Gorey, and Cavanaghs bar in Sligo Bar in Sligo. Although, I have used artistic license to change ML Leacy & Sons from a Tailors to a Jewellers. The Chinese Takeaway front is a Scale Model Scenery kit, and the Boyle Sports Bookmakers is based on many such premises that can be found around Ireland.

I have added extensive detailing to the station area, including lamp posts, signage, seating and some flowers.

The walls on this station side of the track have now been glued into place, and gates have been added at various points.

This leaves only a few bits and pieces left to finish for the station, such as footbridge repair and painting, fixing in place the far platform walls and station building, and some painting and weathering to various parts of the station area

I have set the plan out for the goods yard. This involved laying track for two sidings and building the shells for all the buildings/structures. I am basing the goods yard on the one at Arklow. My goods yard in Ballinacraig would once have extended further, but Irish Rail sold off a sizable chunk of it in the late 90s to a local haulage and distribution company, who have since built a large warehouse.

I have built the shells for the rear of the houses that run up to the goods yard from Main Street. These are Metcalfe card kits, but I will be painting and adding all new detailing elements to these over time. There will be gardens added to the rear of these houses, which will stretch down to the railway embankment.

I have also started to build the frame of the buildings at the far right end of Ballinacraig. These will be the back of shops that the line will pass under via a tunnel. It will eventually loosely resemble the tunnel mouth at the southern end of Enniscorthy station, which passes under the town.

Paddy

April 3, 2023

Some videos I took on Saturday

March 30, 2023

Thanks for the clarification

March 23, 2023

The RPSI have given the following timetable for Saturday 1st April. Apologies for my ignornace, but based on these times, how could it be coming through Newry at 14:39?

March 23, 2023

Quote

She is planned to, passing Newry at 14:39.

Is that on Saturday 1st April?

March 23, 2023

Does anyone know if No. 131 will be leaving Whitehead to go to Dublin on the same day (Sat 1st April) as scheduled Pheonix run? I live in Newry and would love to film it at Jerrettspass.

March 10, 2023

On 8/3/2023 at 5:15 PM, Sean said:

Have you also used the arklow road bridge for inspiration? the one you go over before esmonde street if on a train going into gorey.

as someone who passes under these bridges every day i really do think you have captured the essence of both of them excellently depending on what photo I am looking at.

No, I exclusively used the Esmonde Street bridge as my main reference, Sean. Although, I was aware of the Arklow Road bridge from previous visits to Gorey.

March 8, 2023

A long overdue update. There have been two major developments since I last posted. I have finally finished the overbridge, modelled on the one at Esmonde Street in Gorey. I'm more than happy with how this bridge has turned out. I have plans to give it some ivy coverage at some stage, but for now I'll leave it and move on to the next project.

I have completed a row of shops/commercial buildings for Main Street. When I started these I didn't anticipate them to take as long to complete as they did, but I wanted this street scene to be as realistic as possible, and I've found that recreating all the aspects of a building really does bring them to life. I have added interior detail and lighting, which I think really adds to the realism.

All four buildings are modelled on real-life counterparts, which can be seen in the pics below. The Centra and Malones Bookshop are models of adjacent shops on Main Street in Wicklow town. The Post Office is a model of the one on Main Street, Bray. The Bank of Ireland is a model of the one on Main Street, Gorey. Some of the bank is not modelled, but this will be rendered on the back scene as a forced perspective continuation, when I finally get round to that area. I have used some artistic license when building these, because I use Google Street View as my primary reference tool, and the earliest images I can obtain are from 2009, therefore I have to assume and hope that the building looked the same 4/5 years earlier.

I have already planned what the opposite row of shops will be, but up next is the embankment scenery, which I'm looking forward to, as I get to try out my new static grass applicator!

Paddy

January 13, 2023

Jaw-dropping stuff!

August 26, 2022

3 hours ago, murphaph said:

Is there a fiddle yard behind the layout Paddy? I am a huge fan of the shelf layout "lightbox" concept. Your trains are the actors in a play. Brilliant stuff.

Unfortunately, I don't have a fiddle yard as of yet, Phil. The line does run behind the layout, but space is tight, so there's only room for a single track.

August 25, 2022

An update on the progress of Ballinacraig. I have spent the last few weeks - with the help of my father - building a viewing box around the scenic part of the layout. On the ceiling of the box, I ran LED strip lights. Overall, this has greatly enhanced the viewing experience, however, I need to finish painting the backscene, which will be sky blue.

I have uploaded some of the latest photos of the layout, including the new surround box.

I am currently working on a row of shops for the main street. These can be seen in some of the photos. When they are finished I will post closeup shots of them.

I have uploaded some videos that my brother took of the layout. I have added audio of their real-life counterparts to some of these videos, which I think adds a touch more realism.

Paddy

June 28, 2022

Thanks for all the lovely comments. I will of course endeavour to update the forum with my progress as I go. In relation to IrishRailwayMan's request - it is unfortunately a permanent structure in my garage.

Paddy

June 27, 2022

I've been meaning to create a thread for my layout for some time, so now's the time I've actually got around to do it!

Ballinacraig is a fictional town set somewhere in County Wicklow or Wexford, along the Dublin to Rosslare line.I have always been particularly fond of this part of Irish Rail's network, especially as I used to holiday in Wexford as a child.

The layout is set in the Summer of 2004, on the eve of modernisation of the line, which would see the total replacement of trackwork and signalling, along with the end of locomotive hauled passenger trains. I'm endeavouring to strictly adhere to this period, which means spending a bit of time doing research before building or adding anything.

The layout is still in the early stages of construction, with many fixtures such as walls and buildings not glued down yet. The trackwork is Peco - Bullhead Code 75.

All the buildings and structures are scratchbuilt. They are based on actual buildings from various locations along the Dublin to Rosslare line. For example, the station is a slightly scaled down model of Wexford (O'Hanrahan) station. The railway road bridge (still unfinished) is a scale model of the bridge over Esmonde Street in Gorey. The signal cabin is modelled on the one at Enniscorthy station.

A special word of thanks to IRM member Warb, who very kindly drove up to Newry a couple of years ago and donated the station footbridge. It was from a previous layout of his that I had enquired about.

Paddy

April 21, 2022

Would anyone on here know the dimensions or approximate dimensions of the metal goods shed (see in attached image) at the end of Arklow station? I am keen to model it as part of my layout, but don't fancy the 2 hour drive to measure it!

February 7, 2022

Thanks guys! Some good ideas there.

December 13, 2021

I am looking for examples of billboard advertisements in Ireland from 2004. Because 2004 predates Google Street View, I am finding it difficult to get any examples from this period, so images would be greatly appreciated

July 17, 2020

Are there any suppliers making Irish station signage? In particular, modern signage. I have made my own in the past for an old layout, but was looking at different options for my latest project.

June 8, 2020

Will there be a weathered version in any of the liveries?

March 31, 2020

Hi, just putting the finishing touches to my latest model - Enniscorthy station's waiting room, circa 2004. Thanks to Glendearg for providing me with the dimensions. It is completely scratch built, with mounting board being used for the main stucture. It is for a layout I'm building, which is based on the Dublin & South Eastern Railway around 2004, on the eve of modernisation. I will post a new thread on the layout in the coming months.