Noel

Forgive my ignorance but how did the galway livery come about and what was it for? Was it supposed to match the first 201s which had that colour scheme? Never understood why the original 201s weird livery didn't match the livery of the mk2 or mk3 coaches.

Yes a pair of 121s would look more familiar to the AAA target market of American tourists, but I think 071s would look good, have the hauling power, reliability but might weight limits on the network that could prohibit the 201s from some out of the way places. I heard from a little birdie that the 201s weight pounding the track work is a maintenance issue.

Hi Dave. The Roco Z21 is a touch screen interface. I use similar WiThrottle cab app on old iPhones for wireless control on our layout (via JMRI hooked into the NCE box). WiThrottle is a great little cab app, but personally I prefer the tactile feel of a button, key or knob rather than touch screen for operating throttles. One good advantage of WiThrottle is the function buttons can be labelled to match each locos functions/sound channels. But the PITA is a PC is needed between the iPhones/iPads and the DCC controller. A pal of mine (a forumite here) is right now building a small black box that will emulate JMRI interface and allow WiThrottle control a DCC controller directly without the need for a PC. Hopefully I will get to see his prototype unit if its ready for trial over the weekend. Anyway back on topic. The layout really is a top drawer commission and was amazed you managed it in just 5 weeks. Well done. I love the signalling and lighting. Noel

What an impressive and professional job. You can tell there has also been serious attention paid to the electronics, lighting and signalling. The buildings and scenery are equally impressive. I especially like the embankment. Top class. PS: The ESU 50200 DCC controller as expected looks the biz. I nearly went for it last year, however our layout needed cabs at different locations but the ESU Mobile Control II cabs were outrageously expensive and poor value so we went with NCE instead as a compromise.

They look fantastic. I had been wondering about using that sort of rigid foam board to paste my rolls of back scene onto (e.g. the sort of board used at exhibitions or for election posters).

Hi Westport There are two popular 00 gauge track systems: set track commonly found in train sets and purchasable as add-ons (e.g. Hornby/Peco) and track systems such as Peco streamline code 100 and code 75 (fine scale). Peco streamline code 100 is probably the most commonly used system for model layouts. Setrack systems have a wider non-scale double track spacing to facilitate short radius curves on trains sets so that rolling stock ends do not catch or foul. Peco code 100 has a closer more scale like double track spacing and code 100 points match this. The small, medium and large radius points are to do with the radius on the curve on points. Hence the short radius points are short, and long radius are long. The choice of radius depends on many factors such as the space available, preference for more scale like large radius gentle curves (space permitting), and type of railway scene you are modelling. Mainline double track points ideally should be long large radius points but few have the space for this so often medium radius are used as a good compromise, whereas short small radius curves can look ok in sidings, marshalling yards where space on a model railway is tight, or medium radius if you have the space. Watch a real passenger train crossing from one double line to another and you will see the train of coaches gentle snake at shallow angles from one side to the other, where as on a set track model layout with short radius curves the coaches appear to almost separate so acute is the crossing angles. Long large radius points can accommodate higher scale speeds, whereas in real life a train would have to crawl over short radius length points (e.g. in a marshalling yard, freight/power depot). Curved points are also available in both set track geometry format and code 100. Curved points can be a great space saver and facilitate fast train operations due to almost constant curve around a bend changing from one track to another. Peco streamline points come in two variants: Insulfrog and Electrofrog. The former is the simpler to install, the latter needs additional wiring and a polarity switch, but offers smoother running at crawl speeds over the point (i.e. less plastic for the loco wheels to run over). Google has loads of excellent explanations of the pros and cons of each system. Noel

Good news for ST livery fans. The EGVs and diner may also be welcome as possible easy resprays into tippex livery (i.e. IR/IE livery).

Thanks Broithe. PS: Kirley, the layout looks great

Interesting photos. Any idea what the mk3 egv and coach are doing in Waterford? I thought they had all been cut up except for the 11 sold to the charter company.

They look really well. Forgive my ignorance of modern freight stock, but what are barrier wagons used for? Are they like the last wagons on chemical trains such as ammonia, etc, for safety in the event of an accident or derailment?

Watching my fathers Hornby-Dublo GWR trains running under and around my cot as an infant, subsequently reinforced by travelling frequently on trains as a child on MGWR and GSWR lines. Mid 50s to 70s favourite era. Nostalgia operating model trains in an imaginary world built by hand + modelling track work, structures and buildings. For rolling stock I prefer RTR. No as a general pattern, but have been this year as a one off. Prob once a year to MRSI show for a few years. Approx *#@!* per annum

Yes the blue fluorescent light bulb effect in 071 cabs is pretty awful. At least I found a way to reduce the brightness on LokPilot and LokSound decoders and it doesn't look bad, but a warmer LED colour would have been better.

Interesting, I was thinking the same when I counted 90 odd wagons. There must have been safety limits on the length of un-braked loose coupled trains. What sort of hauling load could a single loose coupling tolerate, and what brake van tonnage would be required in the event of a coupling failure. I presume the very long freight trains had multiple brake vans or more powerful brake vans. No problem with vacuum or air braked stock which presumably had stronger couplings.

Pure class. I lack the skills and patience to tackle such modelling projects. I know only plastic, paper, ply, spruce and balsa. Metal and I'm totally out of my depth. Hats off, a classy job.

No I don't, who is Jerry? I was thinking just the same. Well perhaps a very light green stripe.

Looks great. Nice proportions and the stone edging gives it a really nice feel. PS: I love the old suitcase and especially the 'BOAC' sticker.

I got between 86 and 90, but one fast blurry pan on the video had me stumped.

That's a pity, the old livery seemed more sophisticated and looked better. Suppose it will grow on me.

Nice pics. Is that a new livery for all 29k's? Its back to the past. All they need now is a flying snail on it.

Me neither. But having re-read my original thoughts below on Lima CL33, I guess there would be less work assembling an SF model then butchering one of my Lima CIE 33s which have hideous running chassis. Your Lima 33s look about 20 years younger than mine so I guess they may have better motor/drives than mine. Mine run so badly below 40% throttle they are unusable over points at low speeds. "If I can re-chassis mine to co-co and run well, I may keep them and convert the front of the cab to look more like a 001 class. Convert to two windows, remove overhead cab box, put lights on facia above centre panel between windows, remove drip rail and put a buffer beam on each end. The doors will still be in the wrong position, but for nostalgia reasons it might be nice to retain locos from my childhood if I can get it to look half like a 001 class and run well enough for DCC." In the final analysis I am very content for the time being with the MM locos I have, and happy to wait a number of years to see if precision motor/drive versions of 001 or 121 class emerge with MM quality plastic injection moulded body detail.

Hi Rich. I am with you on virtually all of the above. I wouldn't put the SF on the same page as MM. Despite its weaknesses it does make a reasonable stab at resembling an A class unlike the Lima class 33 which looks nothing like an A class and should not be on the same planet as MM. Most resin and white metal kits can look pretty poor when finished compared to the accuracy and detail of high quality injection moulded plastic. However if the SF ran on a Bachmann center drive chassis one might forgive the lack of detail commonly found on injection moulded plastic models. Cheers. Noel

If my old Lima 33s ran as well as the video below, I might consider hacking them to look more like A class (i.e. change windows and buffer beam), but they run like 1970s toy rubbish so I just would not be bothered. These babes below purr like GM cats and crawl like cats about to pounce! Running is important.

Hi Rich, I think we may have crossed wires due to my poor use of english. I do place scale running authenticity ahead of 'looks' but only very marginally. I agree scale appearance is very important, but I suppose my point is having a great looker that doesn't run like a real train seems pointless unless some folks preference is for display case models, which I accept and respect some do. To pass the "duck test" it needs both. The A classes I've seen running so far did not have impressive running chassis and did not run well at crawl speeds over point work. "If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duck." Same applies to operating model trains, especially now that DCC sound is available "If it looks like a 141, moves like a 141 and sounds like a 141, then it probably is an 141" In fairness too each of us are drawn by different aspects of the hobby and will have different emphasis in each area. The SF A class model looks enough like a real A class to pass the first part of the duck test, but for me personally, fails on the second due to the limited old style hornby or lima chassis used by most to run them. My old Lima A class fails the entire duck test! It quacks like a BR class 33, and looks like a Class 33 with orange paint. Cheers Noel

Comprende. Many thanks for explaining that.

You've lost me Ted - (A confused Fr Doughal)