Colin R

Cheers Tony, I had wondered that to be honest, I have found a drawing of the standard GNRi 16ft 11inch wagon chassis, I am in two mines at the moment about what to do with it. Do I ask Worsley Works if they can do an etch of the chassis or do I try and make some out of resin myself? I could if I have a better computer try doing them in 3D Print and making a master of it to then do more in resin. Either way the drawing I have is OK but is not to a scale I reckonise, all the dimensions are there but it is not in a position to just cut and paste on a computer. Back to the drawing board I guess. Colin

Hi all, I have just come across one of a number of drawings which I had though I had lost, I am sure I have others but can't find them at the moment. The question I have is:- has anyone produced a RTR model of the Guinness vans? I think someone once produced a freelance version based on a UK OO scale van body, but I can't recall the details Help please? Colin

Hi Guys I know it has been sometime since anyone wrote on this thread, but I was wondering does anyone have a copy of the standard 20ft chassis as used by the CIE? I am sure that there must be someone who has a copy and also some one who is up to date with 3D Cad drawing. If it could be done in 3D then all it would require is the person who buys a print is to clean it up, paint it, fit wheels, top hat bearings and coupling and you have a RTR chassis. Colin

It is not often that railways feature on the BBC news unless it is involved in an accident. But tonight it appeared in a section about the up coming UK General Election and boarder controls, not really interested in the politics, but just watching the railways has made my day, I think it was the enterprise (no not the one with Capt James T Kirk) which looked fantasic.

I can understand the direction that the owners of MIR may be going in, but unless you can offer something new, the market for a second or third manufactures of what I would call modern day rail operations 1970 to date rolling stock must be limited. If it was down to me I would look at the period from 1940 to 1970 as that to me has more change than at any other period, lines being closed, a transformation for steam to diesel, the realisation of block container trains, mechanical to electrical powered signalling, all these things where going on and it would be great to see a model of the Irish railway system during that period. While the Irish Railway modelling scene may be small compared to some others, it has the potential to grow. If there was, say two or three van types from the 1940 to 1960's period, a cattle wagon or van, a combination good/cattle van, a mineral/open wagon and a brake van where to become the core models for a new range of models then you might be on to a winner. In an ideal World, they would be plastic injection moulded kits, like those from Parkside Dundas, or Ratio as examples. It certainly won't make you a fortune over night, but knowing that the range was there will lead to an up take of Irish modelling. The 009 world has for many years relied on kits alone, a few years ago it started to get popular to look across the waters at the Irish narrow gauge World and for me I was and still am hooked on those railways, I decided that I would get out of my model narrow gauge coach in Victoria Road, Derry and explore those other railways stations with Blue and black steam locos, only to find that this was an area that was just as fascinating as the narrow gauge scene was. Colin

Hi Tony that Paddy Mallons archive looks interesting, can you recall what else was in there? it state it has some drawings of Locomotives and Carriage's, do you think they would photocopy them for research and modelling use? Colin

Yes some one else told me to be wary about the group, which from what I can find out is nothing but a one man band. I have as yet to buy any of the publications, but there are a few which I would have though deserved to remain in print but are not at present. As for the groups heritage aspirations, I don't think that is going to happen, he is still advertising that they are after two UK standard gauge steam locos, which having spoken to one of the former owners, I understand that they have both been sold to another railway in the UK. Sadly the heritage railway World has more than a few people who want to preserve every nut and bolt, but are not willing to co-operate with an established group to achieve their aims. They prefer to go off and do their own thing. That said he appears to be have a lot of knowledge about the B&CDR for which I am very thankful. Colin

Hi Tony If you need rolling stock plans you can also contact this guy at http://www.countydownrailwaymuseum.org.uk/trust-publications. It may not be fast, but you do get an answer from him and he has helped me out no end with a load of extra details about the old Downpatrick railway station that was. I should add that I have been told that a lot of GNRi and other northern Ireland railway paperwork was put in a skip when it was moved from the old Belfast archive rooms to the public records office, as there was just to much of it to move, some of it ended up with IRRS and some ended up in private collections but the rest has gone sadly. If it is building details you require try the local council to where the station was located as sometimes they had on to the old plans for a building due to planning approval for years and they might not even know what they have got, either. Colin

I heard about this a couple of years ago and I recall at the time replying asking for what people though. I got a reply on the lines that part of the old County Donegal and Londonderry and Lough Swilly trackbeds where to be used with part of the disused GNR(i) from Strabane to Derry was the preferred route. Never did hear anymore after that. But it would make a great back story for an imaginary 3ft gauge railway.

Don't forget that 3D printing is getting better every year (I know some don't believe me, but it is true) and it won't be long before some of the kits from this source will be very good or better. While it may be good for the reintroduction of white metal wagon kits we all know that most OO locos will have a problem if you want to run long trains of these wagons.

I don't want to buy them but can someone point me in the right direction for the kits on eBay thanks Colin

Thanks for the contact and please kept me posted when the new list is out. Regards Colin

Hi Noel the ones I have had in the past are printed in such a way, that once they are glued in place they give the feel and effect of a grill/ rivet detail. If you scroll down the same page, you should come to some S scale, HO and N gauge grills of different sizes. Like I say they are not cheap, but they do add that little bit extra detail to a model if you want it. I have used the rivet detail in the past, they tend to be used more by war gamer's rather than model railway enthusiasts to super detail such thinks as 2WW tanks and other such models. Here are a couple of links to some people who have used the rivets, this first one you need to scroll half way down the page http://www.009.cd2.com/members/how_to/rivets.htm http://sidneyroundwood.blogspot.co.uk/2010/12/rolling-into-action-completed-project.html as much as I tried I could not find a link to someone who has used the grills, but you get the idea from what to do with the Rivets. Hope this helps.

Just come across this bit of the site. To save looking over the whole forum to find one post about a certain supplier I have started a new thread which I hope we can all add out favorite suppliers web address. To start with I have re posted a link to archers transfers http://www.archertransfers.com/

Hi guys Have you heard of these people? they are not cheap but once fitted look the part http://www.archertransfers.com/AR88036.html they come in different sizes and scales as well

Thanks Nelson, you beat me to my next question, I looked up the brass master tender kit and they do look the part, I just need to make sure they are the right width as I read somewhere that those sent over to Ireland from the UK where made wider to make use of the larger Irish loading gauge, but sadly at the moment I don't have any drawings to confirm or denia that statement. I will check out the model from golden arrow as I know Chris from our narrow gauge world. Colin

Hi Mike great models, Yes I have got those in mind as well, there is a station on the Irish network which could use one or two old Airfix station buildings I think it is Bray which comes to mind, but I could be wrong.

Hi Jhb, what I was looking for was the tender with the springs on the outside, I am not sure why some of the U2's where given the older style of tender, but it makes for an interesting model.

you need to get this into the British model and heritage railway press and may be some one like Pete Waterman with all his contacts might be able to help. To be honest going to see this collection would have been one of the main reasons for coming to Ireland for a holiday.

Hi ya, yes I have a feeling that is what I will end up doing.

Great stuff, I look forward to seeing some of it, I do know the feeling of taking on to much, I am looking for any drawings for the BNCR 6 wheel tender that went with the NCC U2 locos, I might have a need to build a couple of them if things go to plan as I am not sure if there is anything out there in 4mm scale which I could use.

Please forgive the question, but what is the IRRS Wagon Book? Would I be right in thinking it has a lot of drawings of Irish Railway Wagons from years past? and is a copy available to buy anywhere? Colin

Thanks guys for the input, looks like there is still more to do at this stage.

All this research has just brought me back in to contact with an Irish based book I had almost forgotten about, its called Buildings of Irish Towns, by Patrick and Maura Shaffrey, I can't recall where I got it, but it has a lot of useful stuff in it. It has a number of coloured prints of buildings around Ireland, some but not all, are very close to OO/4mm scale so could be used as a backdrop for an Irish High street. Architecturally speaking there are only so many design styles, but what makes the Irish buildings unique to Ireland are the details and the application of them to such great effect. Stone has been used in more Irish buildings than anywhere else, but it is the addition of details such as quoins on the corners of building that give it that style the other thing which I have also noticed and that is the use of render to give a smooth finish to station buildings as well. I am going to go out on a limb and say that until the 1960's many buildings where painted white, grey or cream. after that period and the introduction by the Irish tourist Board to encourage owners in the picture postcard locations to paint there buildings up in various colour's from yellow to red with green and blue as well, it did not take much to brighten the place up, I am tempted to use some modeller's license when it come to modelling the township and incorporating some of the later colour schemes to the buildings, otherwise the whole model is going to be very dull colour wise. One other Irish must have is the town triangle, I don't know how this came about, but it not something I have heard about in UK village or towns planning, village green's and town squares yes, but never a village triangle. Great like I said wonderful stuff research.

Snap, you and me are on the same page Broithe with this one. I was looking at that and thinking what could I use that for, I didn't at the time know what the old Downpatrick Station looked like from the road side of the building, I have since then received a photo of what it looked like, it would be possible to use the above as a basis for a freelanced Irish county town terminal station.