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MikeO

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Everything posted by MikeO

  1. MikeO
    Kieran Very impressive captures the look of the real thing. The extra detail should make it even better. The 2nd photo in the sequence reminds me of a Shapeways N Gauge Generator van I was given. There was a lot of stratification which I found very difficult to make smooth. Even though it seemed smooth enough to paint, once done the lines were still visible. on the track it looks fine but closer up not as good as would have liked it to have been. I hope you will be able to get a good fonish on the final print. MikeO
  2. MikeO
    The coach looks good. For cutting thin card ie upto about 300gsm I use Scalpel blades with an appropriate handle. The blades are very sharp and need care when handling but when new make cutting windows etc much easier. For cutting mounting board etc I use a new blade in a rigid utility type knife. Those with snap off blades are too thin to make good cuts in mounting board. As with all cutting patience and plenty of practice are essential. For attaching bogies I use two different methods Fleischmann track screws which are expensive and small brass screws about 8mm long a pack of about 10 cost around £2. I got mine in a local craft shop but it closed a few weeks ago. Attached are a few photos showing each method. Using the brass screws is easiest as the head fits neatly into the hole in the bogie and is my preferred method. The first photo shows the brass screw method. The second photo shows the screw which is a size 3 and sold as 3/8in long (8mm) The third photos shows the Fleischmann screw method. These are very thin and require support to keep the bogie in place. I use a small roundish piece of plastic or thick card (the white pieces below the screw head). To keep the bogie wheel from fouling the floor or chassis sides I use a small plastic washer. A piece of plastic card or paper card of the right thickness would also work. In photo 4 the plastic washer can be seen under the bogie. Photo 5 shows the washer and photo 6 shows the box in came in. I got mine from Woodies in Dundalk. I think they cost around €2 MikeO
  3. MikeO
    The magnetic clamps look useful. I see the yellow ones are contained in the N gauge Pack of tools. Would they fit inside N gauge coaches. I got some white magnetic clamps from York Models which are fine for larger N gauge buildings but are far too big for use in the coaches. MikeO
  4. MikeO
    Thanks jhb that is a good tip about the match sticks. I find that straightening the corners and making it all square can be fiddly. they should help and also make a better fit for the roof. MikeO
  5. MikeO
    The models look very impressive. 3D printing has a lot of advantages but for me the big draw back would be the initial drawings whether in CAD or Sketchup. MikeO
  6. MikeO
    An interesting construction method. I suspect it requires a lot of careful drawing and cutting. It might useful to apply strengtheners to your existing coach body at each end and/or along both sides or at specific intervals. I use mounting board but a couple of pieces of 200gsm card laminated together and then glued to the ends and aside would also help. If using thinner card more pieces would be needed. Even if you do not keep this coach body you will get good experience. You might have to strengthen the roof also usually a second piece about 1mm smaller all round is sufficient. MikeO
  7. MikeO
    Very good start. Nice clean and neat lines. is this the shell or have you added the skin? I found that using a piece of round dowel rod or round knife handle helps in curving the roof if it is made from card. Takes awhile though to get a good profile. MikeO
  8. MikeO
    NIRCLASS80 Thanks I missed that post. I just got the flyer yesterday should have checked. MikeO
  9. MikeO
    Hi Folks A new railway exhibition is being held this year. See Flyer below. I believe there may have been previous exhibitions the last of which took place around 2013. Any support will be welcome by the organisers MikeO
  10. MikeO
    HI LostCarPark The data sheet is very interesting. With regard to card rolling stock I have created a new thread so as not to take this one off topic https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/8308-n-gauge-card-rolling-stock/ MikeO
  11. MikeO
    HI LostCarPark In N gauge card rolling stock is feasible but I am not aware of any where you can get an N Gauge kit which can be cut out and glueed together in the same way you do with Metacalf and other building kits. You can get OO gauge and larger card kits and scale them down. Also you can get diagram books such as those sold by the IRRS and scale them down. Wagons are usually fairly straight forward but coaches where windows need to be cut out to install glazing etc can be difficult, the small windows more so. Plenty of sharp blades, a good metal ruler and a fairly steady hand are required. Card can be a little flat and can benefit from such of plastic strips or wire as appropriate. Attached are a number of photos which hopefully illustrate the above comments First is a Wagon purely made from card and is a scaled down Alphagraphix OO gauge kit The second is a 6 wheel coach from Alphagraphix and scaled down The third is a wagon which started life a photograph and has been scaled and enhanced by vertical plastic strips The fourth shows how I made the body of the container from card although again plastic strips were used this time on the roof. That to me was easier then trying to cut card to a consistent width and length The last shows how such models can look well at normal viewing distance despite their appearance close up. The first container is that in photo 4 while the second container has been enhanced with plastic strips around the edge. With more care than in the first 3 photos card models can look very professional. But it does require a lot of patience and attention to detail. Another way to use card is to glue the required parts on to an existing donor model. The C Class loco in photo 5 shows what can be achieved. MikeO
  12. MikeO
    Hi Gerry Sent you a pm MikeO
  13. MikeO
    Thanks debrawenlock It was a great day with plenty of interaction with the public. Unfortunately I missed a lot of good layouts including yours. MikeO
  14. MikeO
    Over the last 4 weeks the T Trak layout has made 3 appearances, Blackrock, Whitehead and La Mon Hotel. The following photos are a selection from each. Included in the Blackrock Section are some more photos of Ballyconnel Road. Unfortunately the T Trak photos do not have any trains apart from 1 Swedish railcar. T Trak Ballyconnel Road Whitehead At this show we were fortunate to be located inside the Directors Saloon (No 50). Include are some photos of other layouts located in the main train gallery. I did not get to see any others in the rest of the museum. The first two photos show the inside of the saloon. Next is a display of mostly Irish O gauge models The Portadown Layout which I think is under new owners is billed as a work in progress Two photos of this The Saltdean layout was also here I only got 2 photos La Mon Hotel I got a better selection of photos here MikeO
  15. MikeO
    This question comes up now and again and the answer as BosKonay says there are not enough people interested in Irish N gauge to make RTR a profitable concern, hence the concentration on conversions and scratch building. Taking the membership of this form as an example, there are probably only about 5 people with a declared interest in Irish N gauge a very tiny percentage, under half of 1%, of the total membership of 1289.
  16. MikeO
    Eoin That is disappointing but I suppose that is the vagaries of printing even on a professional level. Some time ago I got electragraphix sides for MK2 coaches where the "orange" had the same hue as the OO gauge coach in your photo but a got the same sides earlier this year and the "orange" was not too far off the shade on your Friday prints. MikeO
  17. MikeO
    Have not used velcro as I thought it would make the backscene sit too far out from the baseboard creating an unseemly gap. Magnets would be a better choice as they can be recessed into the baseboard and just require 2 thin pieces of metal (washers) glued to the backscene to make a good join. I have attached 3 photos to illustrate the concept. The first shows the 2 magnets in place, the second one of the washers, it can be partly covered, and the third shows how little gap there is. This is not my idea but a friend used on his T Trak module. Hope this is helpful MikeO
  18. MikeO
    Mayner The One Track Minds layout looks very realistic a credit to the modellers skills. Your N gauge layout looks very well even though not fully complete. A lot can be put into a small width space where the length compensates for the lack of depth. I have a German layout in the loft which is being revamped but comprises, for much of its length, a width of around 34cm. While part of the track does run along the edge I have various amounts of track and scenery leading back from the edge towards the wall giving depth and hopefully a good degree of realism when finished. Attached are a couple of photos to show what I mean. Other parts of the layout are around 53cm in order to fit in the curves and the town area. MikeO
  19. MikeO
    Divecontroller, wacky but I thought they were very well done with a good number of modules providing ideas that could be tweaked for European layouts. Mayner, realism is a challenge in N Gauge. Many small items are nearly impossible to make or buy and in the end may not even look right. ONe being a bigger scale makes it a little easier to get things to look right. the modules in the video are impressive and provide ideas that could be used in N gauge. I think also the longer sized modules helps to create a sense of space which adds considerably to the realism of the scenes being depicted. There appears to be no convention requiring the track to be a specific distance in from the front of the module as in T Trak. A number of the ONe modules have a good deal of space at the front which allows for making more realistic scenes. Each module therefore needs to be free standing which is more feasible with the longer lengths of the modules. MikeO
  20. MikeO
    In order to answer David Holman's comment in my T Trak thread I thought I would start a new topic. While the issue is T Trak modules none are Irish themed so I did not want to mix it up with Irish themes. The Peco module is very good and shows how a module can be developed in ways different to the more traditional style in my layout. The Kato contest was held in July and attracted a wide variety of styles of module themes; most were naturally Japanese orientated. As it was a contest the result was that each was a mini stand alone style diorama where the contestants gave free rein to their creative side. That said the detail was superb with lots of inspiration . For those interested this is the link to I think the results page. Lots of pictures and minimum text. https://www.t-trak.jp/blank?lightbox=dataItem-k0ywxduh7me MikeO
  21. MikeO
    Tony Thanks for the comments. I do remember that incident. Did not know that was you. N gauge has a lot of possibilities and lots of RTR but not for Irish but I think the effort is rewarding MikeO
  22. MikeO
    Eoin Good news. Would there be any chance of seeing a sample at Blackrock next month. MikeO
  23. MikeO
    Galteemore/Irishrailwayman It is Glenfarne as is the goods shed. The signal cabin is a generic GNR type. All 3 are scaled down Alphagraphix kits. They are used together in this way to give the feel of a rural type station. Modelling specific locations does not fit in with my overall theme of an impression of Ireland and many would be difficult to replicate on T trak modules. MikeO
  24. MikeO
    A short selection of T trak photos at the Erne show on 21 September. Fist up a general overview. This was a smaller size layout, around 3.6m (12ft) The DART passes a rural station A 121 in charge of a goods train comprised mostly of GNR stock The 121 and DART passing in the fiddleyard A 181 with an intercity rake with the Class 2600 series rail car in the background Lastly the class 400 with a mixed livery set of 6 wheelers and a J15 at the head of the goods train I did get to see Gerry's diesel depot which is superb but little else. MikeO
  25. MikeO
    Hi David Your question would require a very long answer to be comprehensive. In brief about 98% of the stock is RTR either repainted or adapted in some way. A few wagons and coaches have scratch built bodies and occasional chassis. The majority of the steam locos are from Union Mills for example T9s(S class and PPs class), 3f(J15), 2p( U2 class) etc anything that looked like it could be easily converted to a reasonable likeness of the prototype. There are also some Farish, 4mt(WT class jeeps), Royal Scot rebuilt ( 800 class) and Southern N class(K1a) and a couple of Dapols. The diesels are mainly Farish with some from Dapol and Hobbytrain. The Farish ones include class 158s as Comuter and Arrows liveried DMUs, class 350 as a DART. The Dapol class 22 became the C class and a class 31 the A class while the various class 201s were originally class 66s. the class 181 is a Hobbytrain Vissloth BB 2000(1;160 scale) because it was about the right length, had 2 cabs, walkway rails and the correct wheel arrangement. In terms of coaching stock they are mainly Farish although the new MK3s are Dapol HST coaches. A small number of coaches are either scratch built or scaled down OO gauge alphagraphix card kits. If a coach could not be repainted then the sides were computer generated and scaled from IRSS drawings for GSR and GNR coaches. I bought a series of books from Richard at one of the Dublin shows a few years back.. The wagons are nearly all Farish with a sprinkling of Lima although I did have to resort to scratch building the cement wagons and bubbles as well as the bogie parcels van. The container wagons are all scratch built bodies and chassis; the bogies are RTR. The mechanisms and cuplings are those that came with the donor stock. My approach to this has been that the look is more important than 100% accuracy but I endeavour to include as much detail as possible to give the right look. MikeO
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