Noel

Thanks. Vernier! Ah now Eoin, I've always done everything by eye, or at most a 30cm steel rule. I suppose should get one. Any recommendations? There are some nice plastic ones on eBay. I used to annoy builders with my former ocd laser eye sight (when I had 20/20 - no more though). Eoin does the plastic card just friction feed through the cameo or does it have to be placed on backing paper or a mat, etc? Does it need calibration marks drawn on it? Thanks so slaters 110 and perhaps even 115 should be ok to cut with something like the cameo. 110 would do for coach window frames and stuff like that. Richie (Sir Richard of Glenderg), what do you use to cut your superb flush glazed windows?

Thanks Eoin, that is really helpful. Is 0.3mm similar thickness to slaters size 120? I could easily work with that. Will it cut clear plastic/acetate as well for windows?

Has anybody here any feedback on using a cutting plotter such as the Silhouette Cameo 3 or similar for cutting plastic styrene sheet or clear glazing? It looks like it could be used to cut out small fiddly bits like window frames, window glazing, and even wagon and coach sides fabricated from multiple laminated layers, and a really useful tool for building construction. Do they work with plastic card? (evergreen, slaters, etc)? If yes what thickness of plastic card can it actually handle (e.g. 110, 120, etc)? Do the cut parts need much tidying up after cutting (e.g. ridges along cut line, etc)? How long does a blade last? Are there low cost alternatives using alternate technology (e.g. laser)? Thanks in advance guys

Before mixing paints using online tool like the one below can be useful to get an approx idea what colours to mix and in what quantity. Mixing any of the three primary colours Red, Yellow and Blue can make any other colour. When buying paints you only need to buy 5 colours, these plus white and black. http://trycolors.com White and black can be used to adjust the resultant mix if needed. Paints that come in bottles with a tip nozzle can easier to measure a mix because you can count the drops therefore using smaller quantities rather than a scaled hypodermic syringe, etc. When mixing actual paint always start with the lighter colour and add the darker. e.g. Various mixes of Yellow+Red (+ tiny Black) can give every shade of CIE/IR orange or tan used over the decades. Apps like the above just point you in the right direction. You will have to try with real paints and suggest testing the mix on a strip of plastic card that already has been primed with a grey primer of your choice. When it dries you will know if it works and you can retain the strip for comparison with future re-mixes. Some of the forums talented air brush maestros like Richie, Popeye, Eoin, etc, can no doubt add more useful details on paint mixing and alternate tips from their experience.

I've only been on one RPSI rail tour and enjoyed it. It is suitable for anyone. However most of the pax are 'enthusiasts' with many getting off at station stops to take photos and video and listen to the loco sounds, especially loco runarounds, etc, lots of heads stuck out windows with cameras, etc!!! It was like watching the paparazzi pack chasing a celebrity - 200 cameras running down the platform as loco ran around the train. The cravens are very comfortable and snack food was available from the catering coach. I have noticed the RPSI has returned to the stone age with a paper booking form, instead of online which they used for the last trip. I certainly won't be booking unless they make it an online process (e.g. eventbrite, etc). It is truly stone age to use paper these days and I'm sure minimises their sales.

Yes I do see the risk alright. I understand the prototype could be at least 3-4 years away. RPSI may refurb 3185 with an all over blue livery, or blue and cream. If I went with the all blue livery it would be easier to add the cream later if RPSI went that way. I'm tempted to just do something different or imaginary. I have two more GSV's in the pipeline, one will be maroon 3173, so the other could be B&T.

Can't help starring again and again at the photos of this stunning model. The quality of finish and immense minute detailing, never mind the superb paint job and weathering is totally amazerballs. Particularly impressed with the hydraulic lines, cab details, mechanical PW gear and finish rivalling injection moulded plastic. The exhaust in itself is an item of beauty. What material did you use for the hydraulic lines?

Absolutely Visual OCD is a terrible affliction. Mind you H&S in some other areas of life has swung far off the wall of practicalities. Ironically some cases have had the unintended effect of reducing safety due to blind obsession with rigid procedures especially when combined with IR.

Thanks Patrick, yes I understood why the practice changed. Good clip. Thanks John, that's interesting info. I remember Platform 2 & 3 in Kingsbridge were for mainly used for departures, with 4 & 5 used for arrivals with a disused loco release road in between (i.e. three tracks) from the steam days. Noel

What I like about that pic is the terminal station buffers actually get used and they parked trains right up against them wasting no space. None of the modern silly buffer placement yards before the end of the platform edge, nor trains always stopped 10 yards before the buffers often wasting a coach and a half length of platform. My 1960s memory is of passenger trains parked right up against station buffers to maximise space and give my visual OCD some mild respite (before accidents and H&S changes brought in safety distances).

Found some pics of clean looking Cement bubbles with light weathering (found on here). The last three on the right look like they've just been taken out of their IRM box. Gives an alternate weathering option for some.

Thanks Guys Des Will these be resin, brass or white metal? Noel

What bogies where used on CIE Laminate and Bredin coaches? Thanks in advance.

Here is the link: http://www.electrarailwaygraphics.co.uk Look under their "international->Republic of Ireland/Northern Ireland" link. They seem to have some good info on RTR locos that can be paired up with Shapeways 3D body shells which exist for every class of Irish loco.

No they were both bought from W J Owens shop in Bray some time between 1975 and 1978 Its your layout and all that matters is that you enjoy the stock you run. It's an imaginary model world linked to our nostalgia memory from childhood experiences. Below was the stock I happily owned decades ago. Hornby BR Hymek with BR Mk2 in foreground, and Lima BR Mk1s in the back ground that passed as CIE Laminate coaches. Lima CIE Mk1 A pair of CIE Supertrain locos (Lima BR 33s) Triang LMS coach to look like CIE hand painted when I was 14 Hornby LMS stanier coach was LMS maroon resprayed earlier this year So anything goes Have fun with your Irish N-Guage journey

Hi Gavin 25 years ago in the 00 gauge world a Lima BR class 33 repainted in CIE orange super train livery passed as the closest thing to an Irish CIE A class, and I was very happy with mine back then, but not now as things have moved on. However in N-Guage it might do for you. Some pics below to show comparisons. This was despite the incorrect 3 cab windows instead of 2, the cab side windows, port holes, wrong buffer beam, bo-bo bogie instead of co-co, head code box, etc. The most noticeable different using the 2ft viewing rule is the 2 cab windows and protruding buffer beam. These are 00 gauge RTR samples, but give you an idea of the differences. Lima class 33 model from 1978 which was sold as a CIE A class in super train livery (orange). 25 years ago I was delighted and very content with the pair of CIE 215s seen below, so if you can respray an N-Guage BR class 33 and you'd be happy with its general appearance then you could also respray BR Mk1 or BR Mk2 coaches to go with it. There are Irish liveried pre-coloured vinyl transfers available for some N gauge BR coaching stock available from a company in the UK. The name escapes me. Lima class 33 on right posing as an A class. Silverfox A class model on left. Note significant differences in cab windows and buffer beam. The Silverfox lacks precision but at least looks more like an A class than a class 33 respray. So yes if repainted like CIE 215 above it may suffice given the restraints of N gauge. Luckily over the past 10 years all of the major 00 gauge Irish locos and many coaches are available in RTR as fine scale precision models thanks mainly to Murphy Models, and others as kits. Hope this helps. Noel

The 'clue' is encoded in the poem.

IRM - How does one open the bubble of a cement wagon without causing damage? I'd like to fit a tail light module in one bubble at the end of a rake.

Leonardo da Popeye, that is modelling from another dimension. Words are not adequate. The work of one of the great masters Whatever is in your spinach it is working. Utterly sublime scratch building beyond professional results.

Hi Ian If you placed a DC loco (without a decoder) on a DC layout as you say above, the fact that there is another loco on the same powered track would NOT cause damage to either. If there was power to the track both locos should have moved. On the other hand If you placed a DC loco (i.e. without a decoder) on a DCC layout that was powered up, the motor would have hummed and buzzed and there is a slight risk of damage if left there for more than a few seconds. Putting a loco with a DCC decoder on a DC layout should be perfectly safe for the loco, it just won't drive unless the decoder's CV 29 settings have enabled DC mode. Hope this helps Noel

Of course. It would only be logical to have a decent stable of Metrovicks to go with the GMs, and as Richie will be the chief design engineer we can expect details from another stratosphere including not only DCC operated windscreen wipers, but opening doors and windows, electric uncouplers (like the German stuff), waving driver with emoji facial expressions, and operating windscreen washers. . . . and doppler effect DCC sound functions for horn, motor and rail noise pumping out of built-in twin bass reflex speakers.

I didn't realise they'd be that keenly priced A new breed of power, Certain to haul, Largest order of power, A new era calls, Silver horse power, Stronger than steam. By G.S.Velliot

That's an excellent customer service. Looking forward to availing of the free postage when I order some of IRM's first loco models.

Lima GSV conversion update. A few more cycles of fill, sand, prime, etc. Roof more or less finished except for exhaust. I tried as much was possible with my limited skillset to mimic the roof of the GSV in SSM's photo (inset below). Added vent brackets, lifting rings, air intake, boiler overflow, etc. Louver vents and water intakes framed Primed once more after sand'n'rub down, almost ready for buffers and gangways, etc. I've decided not to attempt flush windows as this old style Lima body is quite thick. May attempt flush glazing with the Bachmann donor for the BCK GSV which will start as soon as this is ready for spraying. B5 bogie couplings will be changed to Kadee's in the future. Pondering some sort of internal lighting and tail lamps, but might leave that for 3173 which will be on RPSI duty with the MM Blue Cravens.

Hi @aclass007, I agree, I will gladly rethink that one. If RPSI do produce three more coaches next autumn, they will be worth waiting for with a much better paint job than a respray. Happy to sit this one out Now the question is, eventually when finished do I paint the GSV on the bench CIE single stripe B&T, or all over RPSI blue as 3185 is detained for?