Noel

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

Hi Tony. There is an option to import an JPG and overlay out with high opacity, but I have not had time to try it properly. I managed to import a photo but couldn't find a way to resize it. I presume this is so you could trace the layout. Bare in mind track diagrams from signal boxes are usually not to scale and instead are schematic diagrams. Noel

Absolutely stunning

Fran, the very same thought had occurred to me - not sure I left enough space for such a beautiful building as I had compressed the station track layout for model and poetic license purposes. Anyway last nights 'doodling' with RailModeller Pro was fun but not to scale. However I found it so easy to use I have now redrawn the terminus station track plan to scale (i.e. see below matches the actual laid track). Revised track plan reversed engineered from layout.

Hi Peter. Your post inspired me to play with the RailModeller pro on my MacBook this evening. I had played with AnyRail on Windows last year which was easy to use, but I found it easier to figure out tricky stuff using RailModeller. It was a bit confusing initially because Peco code 100 streamline track was listed under HO, not OO and they are missing many of the insulfrog points, but have all the electro frog versions so it does for track planning. After I figured it out I really like the way they handled flexitrack and auto joining track gaps. Noel http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3488-Kingsbridge-Old-New-Layout?p=95627&viewfull=1#post95627

Extract of the main terminus station layout using Railmodeller Pro track planning software. The thread on track planning software inspired me to try and reverse engineer the track already laid into this Mac based track planning software. Spent 2 hours this evening learning how to use it and after figuring out a few quirks I quite like it. The flexitrack manipulation took a while to figure out Layout photos from a few years ago pre arrival of Irish rolling stock

Hi Karl. Great idea. Decal fix for the transfers over clear gloss varnish finish, then a coat of clear matt varnish on top to finish it all off. It will look a great Irish rail ICR for your son. Noel

Fabulous. I just love your layout Patrick and its era.

Some lovely pics. The 3rd last and last of the mkIV set are stunning.

You know Kieran, believe it or not, as I watched that segment I thought you might have done that for me. It looked great. I love the way you have weathered your track work and especially love the stone walls. Reminds me of the scenery I saw on the train yesterday in Galway. Your layout always entertains and looks superb.

Great scenes one again Kieran. Excellent

Same here. My Zero one is in its box.

Seamus, wishing all the very best for the future. Your excellent model shop will be sorely missed alongside your top class prompt and friendly service, not to mention your respray service, and advice among many other services you provided. It was a pleasure dealing with a man of honesty and integrity, and a passion for the hobby. Thank you again and good wishes for the future. Noel

Looks terrific

As Fr Jack Hackett once said 'Foto, Foto . . . Foto'

Hi Dave. They seemed pretty uniform rakes in the 70s, 80s and early 90s. When did they start painting roofs black? The orange roofed model EGVs seem as rare as hens teeth. I've never seen one for sale. Noel