GNRi1959

I have zoomed into an aerial shot of Omagh Station and although slightly fuzzy you can clearly see two points of possibility where the wagons could have been loaded. In the central part and upper right of shot. Both show wagons parked there.

Yes, Mike you are correct. The exact location is indeed down the entrance at the Fold Housing complex. There was a siding there which was used as a 'cattle siding' at one time and indeed there were cattle pens.

Hope this one helps with any detail you may find..... Omagh, again

Very interest picture indeed. Scotts Mill had a large 'Excelsior Feeds' sign on top of your gain silo's at their site on Mountjoy Road, Omagh. Were these wagons parked permanently in-situ to take advantage of their 'shutes' because it looks like the wagons are sited high above the Goods Yards in the old grain store.

I always quite liked the idea of point control by the wire and crank method. I was hoping to avoid point motors in favour of the manual method. I was wondering if I should take the extra time and effort to run it under the baseboard? I know it can be disguised above or made to look more prototypical.

I was told the shuts were hung down the outside of the high retaining wall and placed into wagons, maybe I'm wrong. However, the last shunter who worked Omagh, Joe McGrew is a good friend of mine and I see him quite a lot. I was thinking of interviewing him on camera on his memories of the shunting operations at Omagh and for some knowledge on the make up of the wagons he worked.

Here is a picture I found in my library, cannot remember the source. This shows the Goods Yard, post UTA with the grain store on a higher level now being used for their buses. The siding to the left was used originally for grain and the shutes are no longer visible.

Built my baseboards today using 50 x 40mm redwood and 9mm birch plywood (top of the range). This ply is high quality and poses no risk of warping or twisting. Glued and screw to the strong frame it doesn't require and intermediate runners. I'm not sure on whether to cover it with cork even though I have already bought it but I'm looking forward to starting to lay some track this weekend.

Although I have photographs of the Goods Yard I have nothing to show the shutes in operation from the yard above. The retaining wall, as you describe it, still exists today and shutes were used from the grain store above to fill the wagons below. This all changed when the UTA took over and the grain store became a yard for the UTA and was full of parked buses.

Yes, I accept your advice Old Barney. I have cork Roll on order! One thing I liked about the cork is it actually 'cushions' the track making it 'less noisy' than the bare plywood.

I did this with a previous layout, using 12" cork tiles

I think I have the problem solved! I've just spent a couple of hundred quid on points and track so I want to wire it correctly the first time.

Is it possible to bring the cables from various positions on the track (mainline, paintwork and sidings) to ONE terminal on my control. Would I use a junction box, or series of switches?

Broithe, thanks for that - simple explanation. Now this may sound stupid but I have a Gaugemaster Twin controller. Is this sufficient to run this layout considering I will be operating two engines max at a time - one on a continuous timed shuttle and another for manual shunting?

Do I simply isolate the points at every cross-over and wire all points independently? What do you mean by 'droppers'?

Thanks, makes sense

Making up baseboards for new layout today. Will be using 9mm ply on 44 x 32mm redwood framework. Is painting a baseboard a waste of time or are there any benefits? If so, grey or brown?

Glover, the pictures of Pettigo look beautiful. I really like the look of your signal cabin. I don't have any of the station at all, sorry.

Happy New Year! Not the sharpest of photos but two nice views of Omagh North Cabin and line side and wagon detail

Dave, since I have used electro-frog points throughout I just have no experience of wiring. I want to get it right before I fix track to my baseboard.

Very Kind of you BosKonay!

Just found some old negatives, none of them labelled but I scanned so anyone with knowledge can label them

In the mid 1980s when I built a model of Omagh General Station, with the good advice of both Tony Miles and David Goodwin I began buying parts to build Irish 5'3" track and points. After weeks of trial and error I gave up. It was expensive, difficult and in the end although it may have been visually superior it was just preventing me from progressing. I gave up and resorted to Peco 00 code 100 streamline and burned off all my modelling energy scratch building everything else to detail. I'm now building 'Omagh North' and many years later and wiser, I still am happy to use Peco. I have 10 points in a small 2metre shunting area and wouldn't dream of building them manually.

I am considering sending a layout drawing to Peco Technical Advice for wiring advice but wondered if there was anyone on the forum who is equally familiar with the wiring expertise, who would be willing to help. I have a drawing with all Peco points shown. Any takers?

Good Morning, I have now purchased all points and flexi track for this Omagh North shunting layout, a few points arriving arriving the holiday break. I think I will send a drawing to Peco and let them assist with the wiring of the electrophori points. The plan is to use a Gaugemaster Super-Shuttle on one of the lines to maintain some interest and on a separate line carry out all shunting operations. When I'm back at work on Wednesday I can make up my baseboard frames and assemble all. I'm doing this is two sections with spring-loaded suitcase type catches to hold them firmly together. I find this better than the hinge and pin method. Exciting times ahead. I can start work scratch building my rolling stock.When I have the tracks laid and wired i'll post pictures.