Irishrailwayman

Is this similar to the currently listed Alphagraphix MGWR G2 Class 2-4-0 or MGWR J81/!9 Class 0-6-0 kits?

Wow, these look great! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks David, I very much admire your O gauge Irish models and have seen some of your layouts at exhibitions. Have you posted photos of the J26 build or finish by any chance or of the other Alphagraphix MGWR coaches?

Thanks JHB and glad you like the concept. The challenge working in Irish outline O gauge is of course absence of RTR or kits. The layout can encompass many "might have beens" to accomodate whatever stock comes to hand.

Thanks Galteemore that's very helpful. I presume that the Alphagraphix 6 wheel coaches would be a bit simpler?

Hi David, good question - but for my own sanity I will stick with the (incorrect) Peco track for now! I am looking at the Alphagraphix brass kits for MGWR locos (G2 and J18/19) and 6-wheel carriages. I hope to begin kit building/soldering soon with help from a more experienced friend - are these kits suitable for a beginner?

Some of you may know of my GWR UK outline O gauge layout "Buffers Lock". I have detailed the story of it's build and exhibition life elsewhere on irm.com (see: Buffers Lock). Basically, this is a 16.5 feet long exhibition layout with a scenic area of 8.5 feet by 26.5 inches. Two four foot long fiddle-yards (three lines each) feed trains from either end allowing through trains to be run. One fiddle-yard is a traverser and the other is a train turntable. Originally the electrical set up was DCC to run trains and the point motors/semaphore signals. The "brick" outline station building, signal box, goods shed and other fittings are all typical of GWR practice. The backscene is of a UK village in the middle distance (Ross-on-Wye I believe). I have now started a project to develop the layout to allow for alternating use as an Irish outline layout. To accomodate a variety of rolling stock that might become available, I have rewired the layout to be easily changed from DCC to DC use with Double-Pole Double-Throw switches. DCC control will continue to use the Roco/Fleischmann's Z21 system while DC power is now supplied by a Morley Controller Vanguard Zero One unit delivering 2.5 Amps per track. In either mode the signals and point motors will be controlled by DCC. In time, I am working to have suitable alternate buildings developed with a "stone" outline matching actual Irish prototypes. These will fit directly in place of the GWR outline buildings when running in irish outline mode. CK Prints (Enda Byrne) has developed Irish outline brake vans in flying snail grey and roundal brown versions. Enda plans to produce other Irish outline wagons in time including beet and other wagons. Alphagraphix have a range of MGWR outline locomotives and passenger carriages available in metal kits which are worth considering. Once the layout is further developed, I plan to invite other modellers to run their Irish O gauge rolling stock on this layout perhaps attending exhibitions together as a joint venture. The alternate layout has been named "Maam Road" translated in Irish to "Bóthar an Mháma" (which means the road to the mountain pass). Many rural irish railways had stations some distance from the towns they served and so had the "road" designation. My idea is to situate the layout somewhere in the West of Ireland within a wild mountain landscape similar to those the Clifden or Achill lines ran through. There was a station at Maam Cross/An Teach Dóite but my layout is not intended as a copy of that station. I have mounted a suitable backscene on new boards (to alternate with the existing "Buffers Lock" backscene). I attach a few photos to show what the scene looks like without buildings.

Excellent talk. Well done Jonathan.

Q: should the roofs of the brown vans not also be brown?

A visit to Bala, Wales exhibition last weekend showed many nice layouts and good trade support:

"Llanuwchllyn" at its fifth exhibition at Bala, North Wales 20/21st September 2025:

Lots of lovely O gauge layouts at Guildex 2025. Ireland's contribution represented by "Prospect Road TMD":

"Prospect Road TMD" looked and ran well at Gauge O Guild's Guildex 2025 Exhibition at Stafford last weekend.

Donegal Dad-Rail has kindly posted a short video on YouTube of "Shunters Yard" at the Belfast Exhibition 2025 (his camera was running low on power!):

Ulster MRC's Belfast Exhibition hosted "Shunters Yard" for its seventh public outing. Thanks to all the organisers and attendees who stopped for a chat.