Noel

Thanks for posting guys. Two absolutely stunning sets of rail photography. Finbar I feel very nostalgic looking at the BR 125 sets - 40 years and still going strong. That's maximising asset earnings. I travelled frequently on them in the 80s and 90s. Never had a model 125 mind you.

Love the dynamic traffic scenes and stock on this great layout.

Super pic. I almost thought the pair of G 600 class'es was like a two engined cab version.

Thanks John. Its a very long slow process. Safety measures now in place with barriers as per your helpful advice. The track work is Peco code 100, but I hope to lay code 75 on the lower branch line level. Barriers in place Black'n'tan service has been resumed Side profile view rather than modeller overhead

Yes thats what the 'Auto-Sw' does automatically. http://www.ncedcc.com/online-store/!/Auto-Sw-automatic-program-track-for-Power-Cab/p/38322162 PS: Some folk want the functionality of a test track but not physically separate from the layout, so they optionally isolate a 1 ft track section of layout (i.e. using plastic fishplates) from the rest of the layout but can be toggle switched using a DPDT switch between the test output of the 'Auto-SW' or the 'main track' output of the Power Cab (i.e. connected to the layout). This allows that 1ft section of track to normally be part of the layout, but if the DPDT switch is thrown it is separated from the layout and only functions as a test track.

Hi Northman We have an NCE Pro Cab so don't need 'Auto-Sw' as our controller already has two separate track outputs, one for layout and one for programming track. The NCE Power Cab (almost identical system) only has one track output. However this one output can be switched from 'layout track' mode to 'program track' mode. The catch is you must remove all locos from the layout except the one you want to program (i.e. because the entire layout becomes the programming track). You could use the Auto-SW switch, or even wire up your own DPDT switch to toggle your single controller output from the layout to a short piece of test track, and then switch the NCE from 'main' mode to 'test/program mode'. Hope this makes sense. Personally I prefer having a short 1ft piece of test track thats on the workbench. Noel PS: Btw, NCE also allow you to 'program on the main' (i.e. change CVs of locos on the layout, but it is write only, you can only query CV settings on the test track). So much for 'railcom' bidirectional programming dream. See here https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/201656579-Auto-SW-Auto-Switch-for-Powercab PS2: The thing to remember is the that the 'program/test track' would program ALL locos on it, hence its usually a short piece of track and never has more than one loco on it.

Great find. Thanks for posting that fabulous video clip. Pure nostalgia. It is amazing the line was in such good condition and even passable six years after it closed. What is the status of the track bed now?

3 words: Prolific and Stunning

Thank you for all the superb photos last year

They look seriously good.

Few more pics of Christmas present rake of Bachmann oil wagons. Apologies for poor photo quality, very narrow focus DOF due low light, ISO 6400 hand held Shell, BP and Esso - The Esso's are lightly factory weathered. Late evening - Busy traffic pattern at the junction Old signal box is a Triang Rovex, H vans are 1970s Lima, B&T coach is a 70s hand painted old BR non corridor coach Close up of gentle factory weathering - apologies blurry photo.

Hi Fran. Yes thanks, Bachmann UK stock. I've always liked the look of them. Now if I got a few more of them repainted in 'Irish Shell' livery I'd have the big three all in one imaginary rake. Cheers. Noel

Be it Peco code 75, 100 or 83, the 'log in the eye' of 00 gauge track is that it is over 13 scale inches too narrow for Irish broad gauge track and 7 inches too narrow even for UK standard gauge track. The incorrect width between the rails seems much more visually obvious than the track height differences, but at least code 75 visually negates the gauge error. Few have the time, or skills experience to build expensive custom track for 21mm gauge layouts, but when you see a 21mm gauge Irish layout it looks so amazing. Images below from Templot - Adavoyle Junction 21mm scale guage Peco 00 Setrack and code 100 streamline are intermixable with Hornby. If you want to mix code 75 you will need short track adaptors to connect the two parts of a layout. http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=&CAT_ID=3327&P_ID=18129 PS: Happy Birthday Garfieldsghost

Great pics as ever. One of the advantages of BRs 125 Intercity fleet was a power unit at each end so at least they could limp home under their own power at reduced speed if one power unit failed. Does anybody know if a 201/Mk4 set fails but a second 'rescue' loco is coupled up to the failed loco, can it still be driven in the opposite direction from the DVT?

New addition Esso/BP oil wagons - Christmas present from my soul mate. The Esso ones are gently factory weathered

As a child I regularly travelled on the Dublin-Galway train from Amiens Street which used the Mullingar route to Athlone and the old station on the west of the Shannon. Its now a cycleway. Also used to get the train to and from Moate.

There was a famous case over 25 years ago when a very large crane in transit just grazed the underside of a large pedestrian over-bridge on a dual carriageway. Result road closed for weeks while bridge removed, eventually rebuilt. It went legal, but in the end after a few years the crane operators insurers were just about to cough up, when a junior researcher discovered the local authority was in fact at fault for the reduced bridge clearance due to a number of road resurfacing projects over the years when they had not removed some of the previous surfaces, therefore raising the level of the dual carriageway. The crane operator had originally correctly researched the clearance and would not have hit the bridge had the road been where it was supposed to be! If the junior researcher working for the cranes insurers had not discovered the mistake they would have paid millions. Instead the local authority rightly had to pay for the damage to the crane and the loss of hire revenue.

Just noticed most of the sleepers in that lovely photo are standing exposed on top of the track bed rather than embedded in ballast.

Hi Tony. I think it certainly would in N gauge. Noel

Finally reverse engineered the track plan (see below). Using RailModeller Pro on MacBook. Quite impressed with the software once I figured out a few tricks and techniques. All the track has been laid except for the lower of the 3 levels (i.e. green). It will be Peco code 75 with electrofrog because of the 0-6-0 steam locos that are likely to run on it as well as 60s MM.

lol

They look like superb static display models in a scale not far from N gauge. They will look great mounted on a wall on on a shelf. Enjoy Dave. Where did you get these commissioned?

You are welcome. This software is so easy to use it took only a short time to draw. Ok, version 2 below now in N gauge, but compressed a little. I've very roughly and quickly redrawn it for Peco N gauge fine scale track. The track work shown is 1.25m long and 0.45m wide, but I have bent the track plan compared than the previous version I posted so that it takes less linear space. It could be compressed quite a bit more, or reduce the curves to make it fit within your 0.325m space. In N gauge that will should do nicely but you will need to compress the track layout little more and use shorted radius points. As Dave says Electrofrog will give smoother running with less stalls especially with short wheel base locos or only two axles with pickups. You will have a little more wiring work to do with electrofrog. On our layout I have used all Insulfrog because most of our locos are long wheelbase with at least 3 to 4 axles for power pickup. The few short wheel base locos have 'keepalive' installed to avoid stalling over points. Having said that I started laying our track over 20 years ago and went for 'Insulfrog' then, but if I was starting out again with a blank sheet of paper I would definitely use 'Electrofrog' and put up with the extra wiring hassle. Hope this helps.

Wishing all on here a very special and peaceful Christmas Noel

Hi Tony Attached below a quick doodle of Omagh north in RailModeller Pro. The photo you posted is embedded in the track project but I can't see a way to calibrate the scale, so I had no option but to visually hand draw the track by looking at the photo. Also with a track system such as Peco code 75 or 100 one is limited to standard turnouts, so to do a true scale job one would need to build custom track points. The Peco curved turnouts are a sort of medium radius whereas the curved points on the signal diagram are quite long and large radius. But at least the attached is an approximation from a modelling point of view. The signal box diagram you posted only shows some of the track work to the north, so no idea what the rest of the track layout is. Hope this helps. Could PM you the '.layout' file if you have RailModeller on your Mac. Noel