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ĺoose coupled goods and Bell liner cross at Glen More.

My concern is about mixing body mounted couplers with bogie mounted couplers which cause problems on curves epically when pushing rolling stock through points during shunting movements. A bracket on the end of the bogie frame with provision for mounting a cupler pocket would be perfect.

Any plans for a coupler mount on the bogies?

Dolomite trains on the South Waterford Line.

Thanks Garfield. The Rathkeale one was installed in the late 60's. Presumably they all date from this period. I'm surprised to hear there is one still in use at North Wall.

Train length was a major consideration when designing the layout. A secondary main line theme was chosen because 4 coach passenger trains would not be out of place and that became the maximum train length. Remember trains have to fit into two staging yards and two passing loops so for every additional unit a train is increased by four units are lost from the main line. A long run between stations was desireable as I like to see trains run through open country as much as shunting. When the layout was extended on the West (Cork) end, the Cork staging yard ended up much longer. This was not intentional but as a result of having to fit the yard throat around a curve and this was the only way I could get it to work without building custom pointwork. At present train length is limited by Waterfor staging yard and Grange passing loop which have a capacity of a locomotive and 11 20 foot wagons or 4 coaches. Longer trains are run but this involves some fiddLing at Waterford staging yard or in the case of loose coupled goods trains, ensuring that they arrive at Waterford with less than 12 wagons and a brake van. On the list of things to do is to install curved points in Waterford staging yard to gain a few inches in train length. Regarding the dolomite train, 12 wagons are visually too few for a pair of GM's. The photos were staged to suggest how the prototype was run. An A class will be employed during regular operating sessions.

The Irish Railway Models ballast wagons finally arrived to this part of the world this week and we're put into service masquadering as dolomite wagons. The models are just fantastic, I cant add anything to the justified praise which they have received. Dolomite deposits exist near Rathmore on the Tralee line and in my alternative history it was shipped to Ballinacoutry over the South Waterford line. Future plans are to build a couple of older style plough vans appropriate for my 1973-74 era. Ballast was loaded at Carroll Cross at various times which would justify frequent ballast trains on the layout.

[attach Photos taken during tonight's operating session.

045 shunts beet wagons at Keilys Cross.

There has not been much progress on the layout in the last few months due to home renovations and a vacation in Florida. The layout has been operated very frequently though. We now have enough opens to run a decent size beet special over the line. This train is a lot of fun to operate running from Cork fiddle yard to Glen More and back swapping loads for emptys along the way.

A few more photos taken today just for fun.

Meanwhile the withdrawn wagons are stored at Waterford fiddle yard.

Some more weathering on a Bulleid open.

Nice but you can't just post a picture showing such nice grain wagons without telling us more about them!

Waterford Cork goods train.

I'm having issues with my laptop at the moment so I'm using a tablet to take photos and post. Hope it is photo is better.

First experiments weathering the Bulleid opens. These two received a wash of very diluted black poster paint with a drop of dish detergent addedd and we're then dry brushed with white.

The first two of twelve Provincial wagons Bulleid opens spotted for beet loading at Keilys Cross. The buffers on the second wagon were replaced by Dart castings heavy cast buffers which were fitted to many by the seventies. They still need to be weathered.

I weathered the track on my layout with Woodland Scenics weathering markers after it was tested. The markers come in a 3 pack but as Noel mentioned the rust colour appeared to strong so I used only the rail grime and sleeper grime. I have an airbrush but will do almost anything to avoid using it since I hate cleaning it! Woodland Scenics grey blend ballast was then applied after the ground cover was in place.

Cork Waterford train at Grange.

I have been enjoying the ongoing tour of Pettigo over the last few weeks and look forward to more, epically more photos of rolling stock. I am also glad that you raised the topic of layout height. Each consecutive layout I have built has become higher. It sometimes seems modeller are septical about layouts with narrow benchwork which are built closer to eye level and need to see one to be convinced of how effective they are. If in doubt set up a scene on a high shelf with a section of track, a building or two, a improvised backdrop, a few details and some rolling stock to see the effect. Does your layout have a continuous run or a fiddle yard at both ends?

The ramp is bassed on one in a photo of Spa station from Rails Through North Kerry. It is made from coffee stirrers which I found in the break room at work. It still needs more painting and weathering to hide the fresh lumber look.

Here you go.