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First effort to make a load for the back to backs. The IRM loads are too large for my wagons and in any case it would be expensive to load even a few of them. The load is made from modeling clay around a foam core. Now that I have figured out how to make them this one will be replaced with a neater one. The camera is cruel magnifing every flaw.

The first run for the new back to backs. They were picked up at Glen More by a 16 wagon Cork goods. The 20 wagons plus brake van train fouled the points of the Cork fiddle yard, the limit being 16 wagons and a van. I'm pleased with the new wagons. A unit train of them is a tempting idea. 20201112_102450.mp4 20201112_102450.mp4 20201112_102301.mp4

For four wheel container flats Provincial Wagons have a nice looking kit. Before they were available I used the Dapol Prestwin underframe with some modofications adding styrene rectangular "plates" to the side frames, substituting Dart Castings 8 inch heavy duty buffers (#2350), and omitting the brake shoes to the end side of the wheels. The are really just approximations of the prototype but to my eyes the pass the two foot test. The floor of the kit has a raised moulding which is a pain to remove but the floor of the C line containers is easily removed allowing it to be mounted with a spot of glue. The photo shows one with a scratch built back to back flat.

There appear to have been two variations of the back to back and pictures of them seem to be rare. The photo from Brian Flannigan's excellent Flicker album shows one type. My models represents a more primitive version seen here on this video from which all details and dimensions were estimated from so they are really just representations of the prototype since I have been unable to find a photo of this type. If they pass the two foot rule I'm happy.

The three new back to backs have been painted. On one the flat wagon was painted grey since many of the prototypes were still in this colour into the seventies. While working on this project I watched videos of trains on the Cork city railway and couldn't resist posing them with a bitumen tank to represent a typical transfer run between Kent station and Albert Quay in the late sixties and early seventies.

It's Plastruct #91532 wood planking "painted" with a rail tie brown track weathering marker. The Waterford fiddle yard and Grange loop have a capacity of twelve loose coupled wagons and a van. The Cork Fiddle yard and Glen More loop are considerably longer. Careful traffic management and some "fiddling" in the Waterford fiddle yard allow for running longer trains because its fun to do so!

The three back to backs are finally assembled and will be allowed time for the polystyrene cement to cure before washing and painting. I would love to see more photos of the prototypes but unfortunately they seem extremely camera shy. Does anybody know when they were introduced and finally withdrawn?

The three back to back fertilizer wagons are well along. I seem to remember the prototypes running in blocks and a block of four will look good in a train.

Cork goods crosses the Waterford passenger in Glen More. 20201024_151733.mp4

Waterford Cork Bell liner passes Glen More Ovtober 1974.

Having completed the major scenic work and cleaned up the layout area it's a good time for a video showing how the layout fits into the available space. Our condo is split level, the stairs in the video comes down from the upper floor which is at ground level. This area has no windows, being a partial basement and the temperature remains constant throughout the year making it a perfect environment for a model railway. The area was originally intended as a storage room but the original owner had the builder omit the door and wall, finish the space, installed numerous electrical outlets and cable TV and called it a media room. Maureen agreed to me using the space for the layout "as long as it is tidy and looks good" 20201018_122448.mp4

Work progressed on three new new back to back ferts on the kitchen counter under carefully controlled conditions. Maureen was not home.......

The ground cover is Woodland Scenics light green coarse turf scattered over wet tan paint. Further applications roof turf is added as needed to cover bare spots or build up texture. The bushes are Woodland scenics light green Clump Foliage. While it is often recommended to mix different color scatter materials I found it did not work for me at least on this layout. While running a few trains this morning I caught the Cork passenger behind 141 at Grange.

Once the Waterford passenger train left Glen More the beet train completed its shunting and began its return journey shunting Kielys cross on the way. There is no work at Grange so the train rolls straight into the Cork fiddle yard ending the operating session.

As the beet special shunts Glen More the passenger train from Cork to Waterford runs through.

The goods proceeds through Kielys Cross and Grange where there is no work today and on to the fiddle yard.

The beet special drops off an empty and picks up a load at Grange. It then proceeds to Glen More where it meets the Cork goods which waits in the loop after finishing its work there.

Having finally got most of the messy scenery work on the layout out of the way it was finally time to clean up. Tools and materials which were left on the layout were put away, the floor swept and washed and the layout set up for an October 1974 operating session, the first in a while. The photos show the first train run, the Waterford Cork goods. The train dropped off three wagons and picked up two. The train then continued to Grange where it met the Cork Glen More beet special which will be the covered in the next post.

A50 shunts beet wagons as the Cork Waterford passenger leaves Glen More.

134 on a Cork Waterford passenger crosses A50 on a beet special in Glen More.

Here you go John. Prestwin underframe, styrene body Dart Castings buffers. Dimensions guesstimated from the few photos and videos I could find online. Three more are in the works which will make a nice block of wagons for the pick up goods to drop off for Glen More co op.

Waterford to Cork goods train passing Glen More and Kielys Cross October 1974. 20200929_030044.mp4

That has worked well for me also.

Sixties action recently posted on You Tube

134 hasn't turned a wheel on the layout yet, I'm still waiting for the decoder to arrive from IRM. Meanwhile I'm having fun posing her for photos.