Noel

Back to start detailing the buildings a bit and a break from the layout. Pending are gutters, door handles, window boxes with bedding plants and a bit of extremely gentle weathering. Not sure how to model bedding plants, might end up using plasticine for colours, or untwisted electrical cable core dipped in sawdust. Or just multicore data cables which are perhaps colourful enough themselves. In case of any interest here's a photo of the internal structure of the building. Outer walls laminated plain plastic sheet covered in embossed dressed stone, some vertical members to aid but joints, and roof trusses to support the hipped roof sections.

Yes cheers guys. They only thing that jumped out at me is folk seem to want more coaching stock to run behind all the new and existing locos they have.

As promised Survey Results here - click PDF link:Survey2021.pdf(110 respondents) Thanks to those who participated and completed the survey on here and on the FaceBook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/318749555716842 Q1 - If you could choose one new Irish RTR model would it be a? Q2 - If you could choose a single goods/fright wagon? Q3 - If you could choose a single locomotive? Q4 - If you could choose a single passenger stock item? Q5 - If you could choose a single RTR line to be re-run?

And the LLPs?

Excellent. Where do you source 1:76 kits? Your LLPs are fantastic and a Wonderful feature of your layout scenes. They look so natural.

The prices we pay nowadays for dinky's

You've an excellent CIE bus collection. Personally I preferred the cream and red livery I remember travelling on in the early 1970s due nostalgia memory (not the school bus variant shown below). Travelling up to Dublin to watch SCT rugby matches with a fleet of 10 in convoy was fun.

Ah now that's a proper bus for my preferred era

Eoin, Stunning brass engineering. You are an absolute genius when it comes to model engineering and brass. Inspirational

Received my order yesterday

Some interesting and unexpected patterns emerging already. Will post results at the weekend. Thanks to anybody who completed the brief survey.

A few daylight photos of prorgess on Gort. I'm really looking forward to shunting stock on this layout when its finished and operational. Only two kadee uncoupling magnets should be needed to shunt the entire yard. B165 about to pick up wagons and join them onto the holding goods train for onward trip to Galway via Athenry. Two wagons will be dropped off at Athenry for later collection by the Claremorris bound afternoon working. The layout only needs 7 points. Gort circa 1970'ish a golden era for CIE and Irish railways. A hint of the transition era to containerisation with 20ft Bells. Goods train arrived from Limerick via Ennis collecting some wagons from the loading dock before proceeding to Athenry and then on to Galway Overview shot of the overall station. Two loops made for interesting goods traffic operations. Gort was primarily a station that handled goods traffic rather than passengers being connected to agri heartlands out west.

Just for fun a hypothetical short survey. Its open until Saturday. Will post results then. Feel free to not respond. Apologies as its a bit CIE era and ROI centric and apologies if obvious items have been omitted. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5VMJWSX

Thanks for kind comments guys. This project has been a dream of mine for a number of years. Relieved to have got this far.

A few more pics from this evening of the buildings dry fitted just to see how the whole thing is coming together before any glue, nails or scenics used. Working from photos was really fun and challenging too, but I've really enjoyed the process so far. Thanks to buying JHB's fab book 'Rails Through the west' a few years ago this has been on my heart since then.

It was this photo by Barry Carse in 'Rails Through the West' book by himself and Jonathan Beaumont ( @jhb171achill) that put the idea and inspiration to do a layout of Gort into my head 3 years ago. Slowly getting near modelling that scene. Once the scenics are done will retake the layout photo in good daylight and see how they match up. The layout design was pretty much done using this photo.

Very nice

Hi Dave I don't know the answers to many of those questions but it looks like all you might need to do is replace the 'Southern' logo and no on the tender with a flying snail transfer and replace the red number panel on the cab side with a running number. See pic below of one of mine. The shade of green on the loco looks good enough to me. @jhb171achill the oracle on such matters might have good answers to those questions Noel

Eureka - Bloody marvellous GWR, was my favourite of the big four and I still have a load of GWR coaching stock

Started painting the new buildings. Detailing next and then finish off with a little weathering. But at least Gort now has its four principe buildings made. Only the eastern platform shelter is needed next. Took me a while to mix up a shade I was happy with for the slates When I removed the masking tape covering the capping stones along the roof edges I pulled a strip of the plastic card off!!!

That article was 2016, so perhaps four years out of date? PS: The need for urgent climate action and a green at the cabinet may help rail funding in the short term

Buildings of Gort montage. Its the first time I've scratch built model buildings for a very long time (ie Kingsbridge loco shed), but its been fun having a go. Now I can go back and focus on electrics for a while.

Main structures complete, just detailing, painting and glazing left Photo (C) Leslie McAlister (Thank you) The prototype was a curios little building for a station. Mind you Gort was mainly a goods station rather than for passengers Rear of station from car park Nearly lost my eyesight trying to do the door and window carved stone surrounds. Fiddle faddle !

Finally got the main structure of the station house buildings done Will test fit on the layout tomorrow Photo below of the station courtesy of Leslie (thanks). Dam - I just noticed the roof has lead flashing instead of ridge tiles! Grrr will have to change that.

Hi David. Thank you. Indeed it has been very enjoyable chugging away on these four buildings for Gort. Every time I finish one section I realise there's more detail in those photographs. Getting the hipped roof right was a bit of a challenge, I've had to learn patience and that the tortoise sometimes beats the hare to the end of some projects. Glad I got the little end building done. Ridge tiles done Rear of building from road side It just about fits on the platform that I cut to shape over a year ago approximating the space for this building. Phew its fits, just. Will enjoy finishing it over the next few days. I know understand why folks like Gareth use glass cutting surface when building plastic models, the poly cement doesn't stick to glass. I've used grease proof paper for the same purpose (ie to avoid sticking to cutting mat).