GNRi1959

The same drawing copied so that two wagons can be cut from a single sheet of acrylic. I've watched this machine operate and its amazing! Also a cheap way of producing dis-used parked vans along the trackside.

AutoCad drawings I done last night for GNRi 9 ton van based on the dimensions taken in 2011 and posted on this website by Noel Dempster. The white are cut lines and green are score lines to show timber panelling. Small 0.3diameter holes and in red but may not be visable. I'm going to ask our design lecturer to run this drawing through the new laser cutter on acrylic sheet and I'll report back next week on the results. As you can see it is built up in two layers. The timber framing layered over the sheeting behind. The W-irons and springs will have to come from MJT or similar since the laser doesn't perform in 3d. I could use their 3d printer but metal parts are readily available. The slight lack of 'curve' on the van ends is a display problem with autoCad, but it prints fine. By the way, is Noel still around?

Some of the drivers I knew of became UTA bus drivers, furniture removal men or school lollypop men!

This is a fascinating layout. It oozes detail, realism and life. It is one to draw much inspiration from, well done and thank you for sharing.

Bought some nice photos of Omagh from a private collector £2 each - this shows how important the station was and should still be today, beautiful isn't it?

Glover, that is certainly one of my questions because I have photographs of Brewster/Stevensons and Inglis containers all in Omagh and not forgetting the Provincial Wagons fleet!

Thanks everyone. Tonight I'm calling on the home of Joe McGrew who was a boy porter with the GNRi at Omagh and progressed to shunter. We'll be talking about everything that was happening in Omagh and his daily duties as a shunter. I'll report back during the week.

Truly amazing. I wish I was there.

Omagh North Progress - Some life is coming into the layout though not until my 1950s Bachmann staff arrive! I've finished the platforms, added a little detail (wall and fencing) and the name board awaits the Slaters Alphabet - bought today on eBay for £2.99 - bargain. I have yet to do a final paint of the stonework on the goods yard shed, lighten the colours and bring out the detail. At the other end, the card mock up of the bridge looks good and this will be fashioned out of Wills rough stone, I have the plate girder bridge panels, ready to go. The rolling stock is all rubbish that I have lying around and a new Christmas pressies loco that I use to test the track. I have yet not got round to automating my point work or even thinking of ballast.

I think if I were to continue investing money and time in scratch building - I could have bought as many RTR kits and supported the sterling effort of the companies here.

It actually arrived yesterday but hasn't been set up yet!

By the way, the new laser arriving next week is the Epilogue M32 Dual Laser. I think its big money!

John, its nice to know all safety aspects of the task however I will be emailing the dxf to an operator and she does all the work. Now since the laser is in a College I don't imagine they would be using anything that would promote hazardous or toxic substances. I've no knowledge of the equipment but I do know that they cut me a piece of 4mm perspex and did a fantastic neat finish, hopefully this will manage to do similar with something much lighter. I plan on buying acrylic sheet anyway.

With facilities in my workplace to cut plasticard/Perspex by laser it dawned on me just yesterday that I should be able to produce wagon sides and ends using autoCad drawings. As an autoCad trained user I can work both in 2d and 3d to produce very accurate Cad drawings that could be used to drive the laser cutters on plasticard. I could produce a vast array of rolling stock using this technique. I have absolutely no desire to compete with our existing manufacturers, this would be simply 21st century scratch-building for my own pleasure alone. Has anyone tried it - I'm meeting the design people later to hear more about setting up the drawing templates to drive the laser cutting machine. They have a new machine being installed next week that can enable various layers/depths of cut.

Lovely scenics and no doubt lovely people!

Weshy, I noticed that. Very detailed too. Thanks

Who makes the most authentic looking platform 'people'? I'm looking for pre-painted only.

Also, today in conversation with ex-GNRi carpenter I was told that my grandfather has a Permanent Way hut next to the 'convent siding' on Omagh North. The carpenter called Billy Caldwell said he had a Carpenters store next to it, both huts he said were build from upright sleepers. Later, he set up a small workshop under the water tower. Incidentally, the water tower remained right up to the mid 1980s.

John, this was lowered after much storm damage. The same storm took the roof off the Engine Shed at the turntable.

Today I called with Billy Caldwell, a retired Carpenter from the GNR(i). When the railway closed he was 'clerk of works' on the lifting train and was contracted to lift the line between Portadown and Derry. I called briefly and will call again. Today he explained how the contours of the area around the location of the station had changed over the years and what was once the road that took grain away from the railway is almost unrecognisable. I have enhanced the Des Coakham picture below. The wagons were emptied into Scotts lorries and were driven by two other men, of whom are alive today. He said lorries were loading all day, every day.He said that the drop from the shuts of the wagons to the lorries below was more than enough for them to reverse in with ease.

I find it quite difficult to work at very small components and now that I think I can scratch build a few wagons I'm wondering how on earth I'll be able to see anything, let alone handle it. What type of light/magnifier do scratch builders use thats a necessity.

Thank you Nelson. I studied pictures of the shed and was round looking at what's left of it today. I'm quite pleased even though I've taken a few liberties to suit my board size and track.

I concealed the joints in the model when I made major changes to suit the track and increased the openings slightly. I added the Wills corner quoins which help lift the stone.

More progress today at Omagh North as the build and detailing continues at the rear of the Goods Yard shed.

Do you mean the tapered ends? I think it is essential with some rolling stock that simple need a little extra clearance when entering the station or bays. With Omagh, their were no tapers, the platforms just got narrower in general.