Andy Cundick

Tony Let me have your address and i'll send you a demonstration piece Andy.

Tony,As requested the point control i use as standard is pretty simple and fairly foolproof (with me it has to be.Basically underneath the point i have a slot under the tiebar with a bit of timber 1"x 1/2" approx mounted on the side of this is a bit of Copperclad sleeper strip about 1 1/4" long this is secured by 4 Peco track spikes so it can slide side to side in line with the tie bar.A bit of 1mm N/S rod is fed down through the hole in the tie bar and soldered to the copperclad.The control end is just a 30p slide switch with a hole drilled through the Nylon slider this needs to be rattling good fit for an 8BA bolt,the idea being that the bolt is nutted both sides of the switch to allow for adjustment.To connect the point to the switch i use Silicon/Nickel silver wire in tube from Wizard/MSE Models.This soldered to the bolt (the slot in the head helps here)and the copperclad strip.The silicon tube is then secured with hot glue.Any adjusting can then be done using the bolt on the switch.All you then need is to wire up the point ,the middletag on the switch goes to the frog and the other two are for feed from the toe of the point.Hope this makes sense,Andy

Simple answer is no,i've got two and both run nicely.Andy.

As far as photos go the best place at the moment is Micks Roving Reporter which you can find via the 009 Societies website links check the 2015 Shepton show and Narrow Gauge South 2016 you should find some pictures there,a bit more delving will find all four Donegal layouts Castlederg and even a couple of shots of Bridge End,Andy.

Bit far for most,but the Southampton show on the 28/29th of January,features two Arigna layouts,David Holsmans 7mm "might have been" and my 4mm "was".I know you wait years for a model of Arigna and two turn up at once! Andy.

Its not completely suitable for either of the Ballymena/Castlederg engines,and the amount of work to motorise its probably just as easy to use the GEM/Brachlines kit.Andy.

I've travelled the length of the Castlrederg line albeit by Land Rover,whats more with Letterkenny station in the back ! Andy.

The published facts on the original stock as such doesn't stack up.Both Ernie Shepherd and Des Coakham state that the two original 23ft coaches were a 3rd and a composite,and 1892 pair were a brake compo and a brake third,which would that for three years they didn't have a brake at all.What is shown in the photo on page47 of Ernie Shepherds Bandon book shows two of the coaches judging from their size and construction i would imagine the first one to be one of the newer vehicles however it appears to be a 5 compt 3rd as al the compts are equally spaced the second one i would judge to be one of the original coaches judging from the vents it woul appear to be a 3rd saloon similar to the Tralee thirds and whats more of similar construction Bristol built perhaps.The clincher is the last vehicle at the end of the goods siding which is obviously a 4whl brake judging from the central twin doors and the single open door at the end.The photo being taken in 1905 the twin is on the front of Lost Railways of Cork .The train makeup would appear to be usual as the same vehicles appear in a article in the Railway Magazine for July 1902 which shows the same vehicles but annoyingly cuts the end of the train off.The useful thing about these photos being pre Cork city line precludes most lines stock from appearing so reducing the options.Andy

The brake van No5 appears to have been built in 1918,theres a Tim Cramer drawing in New Irish Lines of it.Though judging from photos some of the details on the ends are wrong.I'm assuming the original van expired and this was the replacement,I've built 5 but fancy doing the original for sake of completeness.Andy.

Thanks for the info,now the coaches are great fun trying to decipher what is what.Colm Creedon states in his Bandon books (No 3 i think)that they had 3 6 wheelers so that is easily discounted, Both Ernie Shepherd and Des Coakham come up with four bogie coaches No1 being a 23 foot bogie third and No 2 a first /third compo,both built in 1889.Then you have No3 a 30foot Compo Brake and No4 a third brake both built in 1892.Now the best two pictures of these are a pair of LGRP photos taken in 1905 one of which is on the front of Lost Railways of County Cork.The 2 coaches are totally different in construction the second coach which i would guess is No2 as it has 2 compartments with a central saloon.The coach behind Argadeen has five equal compartments which suggests an all third no trace of a brake compartment.The same two coaches appear in an article in the Railway Magazine July 1902,,so i guess they must be both T&C stock.The other shot shows a four wheel passenger brake at the end of the goods shed siding.So i would seem they had a passenger brake as well which was probably replaced by the new brake van in 1918.Any thoughts ? Andy.

The layyout will be 1925-1935,the C is there for light relief one of the few bits of stock from Valencia which is appropriate.As for the original coaches i'm working from the photos and stated dimensions.The real challenge is the original brake which shows up in the background of one picture,the wagons appear to be the same as the Bandon ones of which i have two already 92 louvres between the two of them! Andy.

Even better in 4mm,so far theres 552,St Molaga,a "C"Class and the frames of "Argadeen".The original coaches are great fun at 29 feet long,Baseboards and track over Christmas hopefully,Andy.

I've been doing research into Courtmacsherry and in the process noted that the area on the outskirts of Courtmacsherry was known as Siberia now as the line passes through it would that make the trains the trans siberian express(Yes i know express is definitely pushing, but the princple remais)Need get a move on with this layout as its already invited to Warley 2018,what larks! Andy.

The Blessington Book quotes the seating as 40 so no change my guess would be that the seat frames weren't changed just reupholstered.i can't imagine Henry Forbes spending money on replacing seating.Andy.

Just checked the diagram book but no dice,CDR Companion has a good shot of the interior Page 34.She seated 40 which assumes 10 seats aside,i assume it was the same when she was demotored.It causes a few raised eyebrows when the motor version is seen towing the trailer version.Must get on and do the 5'3"version to complete the setcan't quite justify it on either Valencia or Courtmacsherry,but what the hell Andy.

Castlederg is all packed up and ready to go.Still trying to work out the logic of Castlederg being listed as overseas and Bleach Green under British!If you're passing stop by for a chat Andy.

From what i remember the Worley one comes with castings for the axleboxes/springs.The rounded nose is no problem i just used about four thicknesses of plasticard laminated together,the trick is to use alternate black and whits plastic which makes it easier to see how the compound curve is shapeing up(works well on railcar roofs as well).Its a good kit and pretty easy to do.Andy.

All my coach roofs are rolled from 5 thou brass shim its easy to form and strong when curved its been used for everything from Castlederg and Donegal coaches to GN railcars,Andy

Looks good enough to build put me down for couple Andy

Slight point of order they're 00n3 not 009,though that is an option and look distinctly unhappy like it.Andy

MSE do the bits for somersaults as used them to build Letterkennys starter which at one time boasted a lower quadrant and somersault on the same post.Andy.

I use the All Components Handheld on Valencia,they are to all intents a KPC Controller.We tried it on a layout which used a Gaugemaster and the difference was notable.It was nice to finally meet up at Ally Pally looking forward to the Arigna Rally at Southampton in January.Andy.

It might be worth bearing in mind that High Level do replacement motor bogies for Lima both 8 and 10 foot,they only take an evening to knock up and the running is infinitely better and just as easy to build to 21mm gauge.Andy.

i did get some ages ago i think from the S4 people,but these days make my own,using 2mm steel rod and "turning the pin points in an old drill with a file.They work quite happily.Andy.

I'm still using ones Studio Scale Models used to do,might be worth trying them,Andy