Irishrailwayman

I'm delighted that you like my work as you know the locality so well. In addition referencing my own photographs, I have a very good illustrated book on the Railways of North Wales: The Llangollen Line: Ruabon-Barmouth by WG Rear and N Jones (2012 edition). The cover colour photograph shows a quintessential view of the station from the bridge. I used the book to design the section "east" of the bridge as if this had been preserved. I have used modeller's licence to add a curved cross-over at the west side also and rearranged the waiting room (in "stone"rather than brick as on the prototype as is the secondary road bridge) locations to suit the layout. I selected the Metcalfe card kits and plastic Kestral kits which most closely resembled the prototypes and kit-bashed these to resemble the prototypes. I have now added Peco clouded skies paper to the backscene and will consider using a generic woodland overlay perhaps with a few cut-out photos of actual buildings in the background (including perhaps Dinas Bran). Gerry

Some of the OO Alphagraphix kits in card may be suitable as a crossing keepers cottage. I have used these buildings extensively on my layout Ballybeg (see layout section for videos/photos etc). Regards, Gerry

A few photos to update you on progress with "Llangollen in N". Next tasks include completing hard scenic base and adding cloudy sky... (Note: new photos uploaded by edit due to loss on Photobucket/may differ from original posting).

Thanks for the positive comments guys. I plan to keep the controls simple i.e. DC using a Morley N gauge twin controller and push rods for the turnouts. I have collected some rolling stock mainly new Graham Farish or Dapol which are of very high quality including Foxcote manor steam outline locomotive, Class 20 BR, Class 108 DMUs in green and blue liveries, goods wagons, and rakes of BR MK 1 coaches in choclate/cream, maroon, carmine/cream and BR blue/grey liveries. I plan to get a few 0-6-0 tank engines for the autocoachs in various liveries also. Early days yet, I looking forward to seeing how the layout shapes up as I add additional layers of detail including modelling a fast running river, trees etc. I have mirrors for each end to develop the illusion that the river/trees extend into the distance...

Heirflick, I have posted up a new thread under British Railway Modelling on the early work on Llangollen in N with pictures!

I am working on an N Gauge model based on a reopened section of the former Ruabon to Barmouth line at Llangollen in NE Wales. I have based the track plan on the BR pre-closure layout and as if the section east of the bridge had been refurbished. I am using modified Metcalfe card kits as well as some Kestral plastic kits. The track is Peco finescale and power is straightforward DC (Morley Vesta Zero2N). I will use a rtr stock in GWR/early BR with steam/DMU/early diesel outline as in "preserved stock" or heritage line. I have a model of Foxcote Manor which is actually preserved at Llangollen. The pictures below show the early/intermediate stages of construction and I will post updates from time to time. I hope to show the model at exhibitions in time. (Note: Edited to reload photos lost to Photobucket/may differ to original posting).

I visited Leinster Models as a youngster in the '70s every saturday walking from Cremore Park, Glasnevin. Collected mainly Tri-angHornby UK outline in so far as pocket money/presents would allow. When I started secondary school, the whole lot (£50 worth) was sold off for £5 through the Evening Press ads. I last visited the shop in about 1990 having been living away from Dublin for a number of years. I purchased a Lima catalogue then but only recommenced modelling when I joined Wexford MRC in 2002. Since then I developed "Ballybeg" a OO Irish layout and am currently working on Llangollen a UK outline N gauge layout. Realising some boyhood dreams along the way...

Patrick Scott, one of Ireland's greatest artists, has died (1921-2014). He is perhaps best known to the Irish railway community as the originator of the classic CIE black/golden brown/white liveries. He did this creative work for CIE in the 1960s when he worked with the Signa design consultancy (a firm founded by Louis le Brocquy and Michael Scott in 1953). The story goes that Patrick was inspired by a cat he owned which had a coat with mixture of the livery colours! May he Rest in Peace.

The layout is a Wexford MR club "OO" layout "Joseph's Bridge" constructed by John Walker. The rolling stock on view here is a "Supertrain" liveried collection from my own layout "Ballybeg" which was not shown at this show. This DCC stock ran well on this DC layout (with a simple adjustment of CV 29). Thanks to all who supported the show which received much positive feedback. Gerry

Another approach is to get a brass overlay with the correct window/vent/door arrangement from Bill Bedford and work from there. The donor coach then just needs cutting back where openings don't coincide. The sides are glued in place and filed/filled to smooth any gaps. A good paint and decal job then finishes t off well.

Glad you all like the scene - EM is a dab hand with the camera! The 20ft Bell containers are from C Rail Intermodal and cost only £7 each (£8 for the 40 ft Bell which is also very nicely done). The two 20fts plus one 40 ft came to less than €30 including postage. On Ballybeg I have placed them on two IRM flats made for me by Model Shop Belfast.

The Irish railway liveries from the late 1960's to early 2000s were based on a design by the artist Patrick Scott consisting of variations of "matt brown/orange and black" (seemingly he had a cat of similar hue). In this era also most trains were loco hauled (running around trains was common) and semaphore (lower quadrant) signals ruled. Beyond this date modernisation has introduced new corporate liveries, colour light signals, DMUs, push-pull operations etc ie a lot less romantic. Breaking down the eras these range from CIE roundal logo with more black in the liveries, to Supertrain liveries through to the more recent IR and IE logo/livery variations. These have all been well represented in Murphy Models 141/181, 071 and upcoming 121 series. Silver Fox also have complementary liveries in their A and C Class locomotive series. So it is a question of choosing an era/sub-era and get modelling! I developed Ballybeg as a layout to display all of these eras including late steam/early diesels (Flaying Snail logo) - see IRM.com Layouts section under Ballybeg plus assorted posted videos on UTube.

Welcome back Eamonn!

I reviewed the ESU website 071/201 sounds and they appear to be different to those recorded previously for MSBelfast/Mr Soundguy. I personally prefer the original versions which sound best from a Bass Reflex speaker (not overly difficult to fit to MM 071 if allowed to intrude into the cab space -I did a lot of filing on the speaker without breaching its integrity). Capturing the full roar of an 071 at notch 8 is a challenge for the soundchip technology but the GM revs ticking over or rising/falling capture the prototype pretty well I think. The horn, brake and flange squeal add to the authenticity.

Unfortunately my B101 was the only loco to let me down on the day! I had its sound running with lights but the loco would not budge (back to the workshop as a motor wire must have dislodged...). Everything else worked well on Ballybeg.

Just fitted a Zimo soundchip and Bass Reflex speaker to my 073 and 086 - magic combination! The weathering on 073 is very realistic - probably the best model in my collection.

Strawberry Hill is billed to appear at the St Joseph's Community Easter Show in 2013.

Kadee also sell a special pliers to adjust the bend on the coupler pins to ensure they are correct. Additionally, they sell height gauge to ensure the coupler itself is ok. Lubricate the units with graphite. Some rolling stock may need a damper to give it heft when reversing (and also to prevent it rolling away if there is any slope while shunting). You can do this by putting a piece of sponge between the wheel centre spindle. Getting stock to separate consistently takes time and patience but the effect is well worth it especially at exhibitions!

Deluxe Glue and Glaze is a PVA style material which I coated behind each window opening. The, using a cocktail stick, I coaxed a thin film to form across the window opening. This may pop and need to be repeated or additional G&G added. It dries clear enough. I stuck the windscreen wiper in place later with a dab of G&G.

Alphagraphix do card models of these wagons in 7mm and 4mm scales in red or grey liveries. I have made up a few for my 4mm Ballybeg layout which will be exhibited at Easter 2013 in Wexford. Michael Morris sells Alphagraphix at the Exhibition and may have a few of these kits available there. Meantime, see Ballybeg under the Layouts section of IRM.com as there are photos and a video posted there showing these Ranks wagons.

The building was fine really, similar to the old IRM 071 kit. I didn't use the new grilles as they came too late but these look good. The front windows were done with Deluxe "Glue and Glaze" as the resin is too thick to fit cut out windows (the 071/IRMs kit used vacuum formed clear plastic protrusions). Might be an idea to provide brass window surrounds to assure that the correct profile is achieved as the resin is a bit vague here. I used Smiths replica hooks and fittings. The green is an LNER locomotive shade from Phoenix Paints. I used a cut-down Hornby Railroad DCC-ready chassis which fits really snug. There is plenty of room in the loco body to house the soundchip and the Bass Reflex speaker. The soundchip is a Loksound V3.5 and I had Southwest Digital reblow it with BR Class 24 which had the same engine as B101 Class. B101 will appear at the Easter Model Railway and Transport Show at St Joseph's in Wexford on my layout Ballybeg.

Enniscorthyman has posted pictures of my green SSM B101 model on the Ballybeg at the Layout section...

Express Models also do "oil" lamps in yellow and red which can be hooked up to either DC or DCC locos. They do red "oil" lamps with small batteries for guards vans. First Class Trains do carriage lighting kits (the Bright version is best) but no longer do these in a rechargeable battery version.

I have had an ESU Loksound chip reprogrammed with BR Class 24 sound by Southwest Digital in readiness for a B101 kit. Sounds good on the bench test circuit. I plan to try the early "apple green" livery perhaps trying the LNER shade paint.

I agree that this is the best Irish soundproject so far. The flange squeal is particularly effective on the Zimo chip. The fact that it is plug and play avoids the frustration caused by the MM chips. I also like the station announcements both ROI and NI versions. Similar to the 141/181s the 071 GM motor sound is most distinctive even compared to the 201. I also plan to try fitting larger Bass Enhanced and Bass Reflex speakers to see if even better sound reproduction can be achieved.