Noel

How to fix Kadee no 18 couplings on an IRM Cement wagon. Same method applies to the Ballast, Gypsom, and magnesite wagons. Glue No 18 kadee to the underside of the NEM pockets. Gently sand or file the underside of the NEM pockets (ie to get good glue bond later). On one you will need to file away the IRM logo which is in relief to make the surface flat enough to get a super glue bond. Gently file the tongs of the Kadee coupling (ie to rough surface for better bond). Superglue the Tongs of the Kadee coupling to the underside of the NEM pockets and leave for 10-20mins before use to allow bond to cure hard. Ensure the flat inside of the knuckle coupling is level with the external edges of the buffers. Gluing the Kadee's to the underside of the NEM pocket ensures perfect and correct height of the coupling as per kadee height guage and all other IRM wagons. The wagons can then be automatically uncoupled using kadee uncoupling magnets and interoperate with other wagons and stock (eg IRM 40ft, MIR Cement Pallet wagons, MIR Cement Curtain wagons, Bachmann H-Vans, Dapol H-Vans, etc). Another benefit is the wagons are coupled closer together. Be careful handling these gorgeous wagons, they are very fragile as there are so many details parts fitted to the underside.

Goods yard. Supplies ready for loading onto wagons ready for the 18:35 passing pick up goods train to Ennis. There'll be one wagon of cattle loaded here also. Yard crane handy for loading the larger boxes into the corrugated open wagons.

Some CIE era trains on the move. How on earth will I get enough poetic license to run 22k along side these? May need a Tardis.

I must have been lucky with Hattons this past 18 months. No Delay's no glitches, no additional duty nor vat to be paid. Their DDP (ie Delivery Duty Paid) seemed to work like clock work. Because of DDP Hattons is the only UK retailer I still use. Everything else has been direct with German online retailers in the Eurozone so no hasssle.

That country side is so evocative and so like Co Galway the wonderful goods train above from Du”Gort” harbour could be on route to pass through Gort ending up in Claremorris.

Drool, I nearly fell off my perch looking at those wonderfully crafted scenes. Stunning in the extreme, atmosphere, reality and nostalgia for the pinnacle of a bygone era.

Got two items lightly weathered this evening for use on Gort SilverFox Tin Van - Not quite as grubby as JHB might like, but enough perhaps to get the idea. Irish Freight Models - CIE Laminate Coach. This is grubber than they would have ever looked. Back in the day CIE kept the black and tan coaches pretty clean, unlike IR in the 1990s who let the mk2 and mk3 stock go to pot as well as the few remaining B&T coaches. Ready for Wexford, well ready enough.

Just keep doing what you’ve been doing it’s superbly effective. Foam sheets, pva, plaster bandage, hot wire cutter, static grass and javis fine granite ballast (N gauge), sculptamold, and imagination inspired by reality.

I bought a Chinese static grass applicator a few years ago on eBay for €24. Worked as well as the Noch for 1/5th of the cost. Btw Dugort harbour scenery is stunningly Irish and realistic

Ah great you sourced the horse truck (ie Lorry)

Cheers watched it. Ultimately if Ireland upgraded Cork line to a high speed (eg TGV, ICE), by continental standards Cork should be 90mins away by rail. Great to hear diesel is going to be phased out in the not too distant future and replaced by electric trains. Enjoyed tonights programme, can be watched back on RTE Player for anybody who missed it live.

Thanks Niall. She sounded great. Hope its not too long before She is ready to haul RPSI Craven Set to Wexford. AAMOI, How will they move her into service when the time comes, as the track she is on is no longer connected to the main line? IMG_1702.MOV

Stunning. Reeks of atmosphere. Love it

Thanks. Curiously suppliers have run out of 6mm Birch Ply as it normally comes from Russia. No more baseboard modules for now due to sanctions. They've offered me 12mm but that's just too heavy and too thick for modular baseboard. Time Travel Gort 1969 to 1975 - some modern era fitted wagons visit Gort. Weatherd IRM Cement Bubble + Ballast Wagon, in the long siding awaiting kadee couplings being glued on.

Impressive engineering

Gort extension commences. One more 5ft x 2ft baseboard module assembled today. Hot glue gun makes the process very quick, no screws, nails nor stables, nor PVA. WMRC birch ply baseboard design constructed entirely using only hot glue gun, later joints reinforced with glass tape and PVA. Cross bracing gives the boards torsional stability so they will not warp or bend. I will paint them top and underneath with a grey undercoat to ensure they are moisture sealed forever. Also the grey paint is a good base to stick scenery and track bed to, and underneath a good surface to screw and glue DCC + point motor cabling. Ready for Painting This board will house part of the future fiddle yard hidden behind the back scene

No probs, we live in a free enterprise market. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1ZU6UMDfgY

No trolly nor food today on the Cork-Dublin train, nothing, not even in 5h1ty Gold. Not as much as a packet of crisps, never mind a cooked breakfast.

Yes it was great to meet JHB and west cork. We probably all look quite different to perceptions based on keyboard persona. 226 sounded great. Presume that was a GM/EMD power plant we were listening to rather than a crossly. What livery is she destained for CIE ST, or CIE B&T?

If this was 40 years ago it might probably have been a service offered by model shops (ie when we had about 25 retailers covering model railways), now we only have one left with 3 outlets. I cannot see how it could be economically viable for anybody to make a living out of it or even generate supplemental income that is proportionate to the hours of effort involved. Most that have done it seem to be motivated more by the love of doing it then the true economic cost. What might be fun is to organise some training workshops to help spread the knowledge to others. WMRC did this a few years ago, focused on weathering stock. But its not a massive effort to set up an airbrush in a club room with some samples and literally show folks how to do it from a practical point of view. There's no better way of learning than doing and having a go, but getting a starting steer is a great help. Richie O'Hanrahan ran a number of free training demos years ago, and that's where I got my kick start for which I was grateful. It helped me overcome the fear barrier, and convinced me to risk having a go. It would be interesting to know how others got started. Having said that Youtube has been the best modelling university for most folks, every thing from resprays, to weathering, track laying, scenics, etc.

Yes it would be great to see these reopened rather than more daft greenways: Foynes Waterford-Wexford Midleton (Cork) - Youghal Athenry-Claremorris . . . and perhaps even one day Sligo Claremorris?? Strange as it might sound, a little birdie suggested that Youghal chamber of commerce actually voted against the 9km rail line link to Cork being reopened as it would invite anti-social behaviour from Cork City out to Youghal at weekends. In Any event its not their call. The commuter traffic from Youghal to Cork city every morning is substantial. In the era of urgent climate action would it not make more sense to run cleaner trains rather than cars? Hopefully common sense will prevail. Its encouraging to see that Ballybrophy line linking Nenagh and Limerick had a major update this fast few years. It had been on the vulnerable list. Hopefully brexit might bring more traffic to the Waterford-Limerick cross country line (ie tomorrow's Tailte rail tour), especially when linked back to Rosslare port. The countries two principle greenways 'Westport' and 'Dungarvan' are truly excellent with absolutely stunning scenic views (ie: sea, cliffs, mountains, rivers, viaducts, tunnels). By Comparison others have hardly any visual scenery to see except mile after mile of midland boring hedgerows and bogs. I have enjoyed both the Westport and Dungarvan trails. Superb hospitality infrastructure along the routes. But peddling along the Dungarvan line all I can hear in my head is baby GM notching and scenes from Joe St Ledge films of the line (eg IRRS videos). Happy days its all looking promising.

No Idea, I bought that 3 or 4 years ago I think

https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/vehicles/products/bedford-tk-horsebox-green-brown

Even though the big Wexford show is two weekends away today stripped the layout and started packing for the show. These dual layer Warley stock boxes are very handy. Just two boxes will fit all the rolling stock needed for the show. Even got the wagons pre-loaded with show loads I might ship the layout to Wexford in the 20ft Bell container Now all I have left to do is make the modular base boards transport rugged to protect the scenery from damage during transport.

Almost ready for the big Wexford show weekend after next Busy Gort yard. Point Rodding installed A busy Gort station Circa 1968