East Dock an Irish Timesave (ish)

[Patrick Davey]

Just fantastic John, love a good narrative!

[David Holman]

Nice one. There is much to be said for the American waybill system for creating operational interest.

[Mayner]

New arrival at North Wharf

I treated myself to a DCC fitted Hornby Peckett for use as 'Dock Shunter" at North Wharf.

In theory the yard at North Wharf is part of a dock railway complex owned by a Port and Docks Board which owns and operates its own locomotive(s) with the main line company delivering and collecting complete trains of wagons.

The Peckett also turned out to be a bargain marked down to roughly half price from $280 to $140 approx €85, apparently the DCC fitted loco turned out to be a slow seller as some of the more recent non-DCC Pecketts were selling at over $300.

She turned out to be a smooth runner and a strong puller, interestingly Westminister worked at Blue Circle Dunstable Cement Works a site I checked out while living in the UK during the late 80s after I developed an interest in Industrial Railways.

The Dunstable (Houghton Regis) plant closed in the early 70s but was converted to a distribution depot which continued to receive cement by rail into the early 1990s with a pair of yellow diesel locomotives used for shunting cement wagons. I disposed of my collection of Blue Circle presflow wagons about 10 years ago but still have a large number of 16T BR Mineral wagons and Iron Ore Tipplers (all kit built) if (when) the BR Industrial modelling bug again bites

[Galteemore]

Lovely. Those Hornby Pecketts are very tempting indeed, and have spawned many layouts. We currently live v close to Dunstable and the sites are familiar to me - I have even exhibited an Irish layout in a hall v close to the factory grounds.

[Mayner]

Northwharf/East Dock is a good example of how I loose interest and my layouts go into a kind of hiatus once I complete the trackwork and can actually run trains, same happened with my Irish 3' gauge Keadue layout and the Garden railway with little or no running during the past year.

Decided to finalise and complete the buildings and structures not quite a New Years resolution, one of the challenges was to finalise the mill/grain silo end of the layout originally planned as a siding serving a loading bank for general goods traffic and grain silo served by an extension of the running road/engine release.

I trialed a mock up of the mill/silo at Westport Quay as the main structure with a corrugated iron dry store in the background to balance the Tower Building and overbridge at the fiddle yard end of the layout.

The proportions of the mill are based on a storey height of 9' for the upperfloors, though I removed the top storey in order to model the elevator "head house' a distinctive feature of this type of structure.

The silo will have one spot for loading/unloading bulk grain wagons and two vans which should keep the Peckett busy shunting while the main-line loco basically works complete trains between Northwharf and the fiddle yard and performs the run round.

I looked at a number of options for constructing the silo including 3D printed wall panels but decided on a laser cut ply structure for strength and stability, next big job is to complete the brick and stone maltings building I origonally started in 2012/3 

[Patrick Davey]

Lovely layout John, the Peckett is very nice, a bit reminiscent of the RPSI's Harvey!  Glad to see your progress - looking forward to more.

[Mayner]

Like most of my layouts Northwharf has been going through something of a hiatus as I lost interest after getting trains up and running despite the arrival of the Peckett in late January.

The next challenge is to assemble the mill/grain elevator the laser cut parts arrived today!

I originally looked at building the mill using 3D printed panels similar to the Design Preservation Models modules for American Industrial buildings, the down side was cost and warping of the 3D printed parts.

The set of parts was prepared by Craftmaster a locally based model maker, complete with a very useful set of instructions.

I reduced the height of the mill by one story in order to model the head house a prominent feature of the Westport Mill.

I was particularly impressed by the laser cut windows with rather fine glazing bars.

All I need to do is assemble, paint and weather the model

 

[Patrick Davey]

Always good to see updates John.  A fine layout!

[Sean]

On 2/3/2023 at 9:34 PM, Mayner said:

Northwharf/East Dock is a good example of how I loose interest and my layouts go into a kind of hiatus once I complete the trackwork and can actually run trains, same happened with my Irish 3' gauge Keadue layout and the Garden railway with little or no running during the past year.

 

I am exactly like this.  its definitely what drives my desire to build micros instead of big massive layouts.

[Mayner]

I needed a break from computer work on the weekend and made a start on assembling the Mill

First stage was to glue the concrete frame overlays to the wall panels main/structure with white glue before gluing the assembled panels together.

The clamp used for joining the panels together are available from Micromark in the United States, not sure where I got the bar clamps possibly Eileens or at an exhibition.

Basic structure and inner roof glued together, I used the bar clamps to correct a slight bow in the ply panels

Main structure and headhouse Roman Island elevation. I omitted the uppermost section of the head house from the model.

The small slot on the left hand side of the mill is for loading grain into wagons or road vehicles, the two openings at first floor level were used for loading bagged meal and possibly flour into covered wagons or road vehicles.

Westport Quay Mill was completed in 1904 and the loading chutes set up for loading the short soft topped convertible wagons of the time and unsuitable for the longer "hard topped" wagons introduced 10-12 years later.

South/East Elevation

Quayside Elevation, the plain panel and projecting section of the roof is part of an elevator used for unloading/loading? ships, the final stage of the main assembly.

Next job before fixing windows and doors is to select a colour that looks like weathered concrete!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Patrick Davey]

Looking good - following with interest John.

 

[Mayner]

Could not resist adding the elevator section and posing the model on the layout. The original plan was to have the familiar Roman Island elevation on the viewing side, but the boss (daughter) prefers the Quayside elevation.

The Head House just about clears the brackets for the upper shelf, though may be barely visible when I install the lighting pelmet.

I better get round to finishing the locomotive and wagons on the workbench! 

 

 

[David Holman]

Certainly looks the part and always nice when things come together like this.

[Mayner]

Mill basic assembly painted and windows/doors fitted.

Paint colour match-pots from a paint shop finding a near match for aged concrete from a "whites & neutrals" selection, pots worked out at roughly €1.80 each.

Main quibble is the visible grain in the ply but not really noticeable from normal viewing distance.

Quayside  I need to square up and fix the roof to the elevator section

Rail Side the two large openings at 1st floor level were covered loading chutes for loading mill-products directly into Soft Topped convertible wagons, I will need to build a loading platform for loading hard topped (H) Vans which had a higher flatter roof profile.

Closer view of the windows, I will need to sand down/touch up blemishes in the paintwork, but is a reasonable match for aged concrete 

 

[Patrick Davey]

That is one seriously impressive model John.  Very neat addition of the doors and windows too.

[Mayner]

Haven't had time to do anything on the model railway front since the beginning of June, though I recently managed to dust North Wharf off for a short operating session using A23r as motive power rather than the usual B121 which revealed a problem with buffer locking with the larger loco and wagons running through Peco Small Radius points.

The backstorey was that Northwharf remained open for goods traffic after regular services ceased in the early 70s, an Ar supplied to work a special of imported animal feedstuff" and shunt the yard after a ship was diverted to Northwharf as a result of a storm.

Looking the part train made up and ready to depart behind A23r.

A considerable amount of shunting was involved in making up the train as only 3 wagons at a time could be loaded at the "Mill"

Buffer locking developing as A23r begins to propel a cut of wagons over the crossover between the main running line and loop (Kadee 19 Coupler)

Buffers now locked with wagons propelled through crossover onto loop, de-railment likely if loco continues to propel wagons.

Loco and wagons buffers and couplings in normal position. Loco was uncoupled from the wagons during the shunt and the wagon moved with a pinch bar.

Lesson ban 6 axle diesels from North Wharf! The model Metrovicks tended to be a bit clumsy for shunting and more importantly took up more space on the traverser than the Bo Bos reducing the train length for 4-3 wagons.

The main reason for using the small radius points was to fit the "Timesaver" track layout into the available space!

Curiously Jack Kennedy spoke about the SLNCR 0-6-4Ts regularly bufferlocking when shunting the yards, giving the photographers plenty of time to compose/set up their photos!

[Galteemore]

Very nice John. The UTA did actually take steps to resolve the buffer issue by fitting large dimension buffers to the rear of the locos, which 27 still carries. 

[Flying Snail]

This is a good anecdote to show why we need to test layouts with all our stock. Thats also interesting re buffer lock on the SLNCR ... in my innocence I had assumed it was primarily an issue encountered on model railways.

[Mayner]

First time I had a chance to operate the layout (play with trains) since June as a result of family commitments, CIE got an order to move another shipload of animal feed that arrived at Northwharf with the line open to wagon load traffic as-required.

The yard is basically full of wagons! Local yard staff and train crews had hard words with Motive Power Control and sent a B121 after an A Class buffer locked running round wagons on the last grain special. The B121 is positioning bulk grain wagons for loading from the elevator, with hard topped wagons for bagged feed.

There is a lot of shunting involved as only 2 wagons of bagged and 1 bulk grain wagon can be loaded at a time!

The grey object behind the crane is a 3D print of an American elevator that took the best part of a day to print and punctured the printer p.f. film fortunately without destroying the printer LCD screen (the joys of home 3D printing)

I am planning to build a dry-goods store in this area corrugated cladding and curved roof similar to Ranks Clara to fill the area between the old brick Maltings building and the elevator.

 

The G Class dropped her guts (as been known to happen) and the B121 took over the shunting of laden H Vans between the mill and yard tracks.

"Edward" and his handler moved the empties one at a time from the headshunt to the Mill. Its probable that wagons may have been used by capstan (rope) power on the Wharf siding though a modified tractor is likely to have been used by the late 60s, though a shunting horse would make a nice scenic feature.

The wagon by the mill is a cripple (no couplers) and Edward go the gig because I seem to have mislaid my Hornby Peckett which is concerning.

B125 with her train made up and ready to depart leaving Northwharf to slumber until the boat comes in.

For me the real draw back with the layout, is that I can only run very short trains because of the restricted space (7'6")

[Mayner]

Its close to 2 years since I had time to post/do anything with Northwharf, hopefully I should have more time for myself going forward with our family re-reunited following the wifes return from the States where she had been caring for her late father for the past two years.

Managed to dust-off and carry out some maintenance/repairs to Northwharf including re-commissiong wireless (Radio & Infrared) DCC control including DCC control of points.

I bought two Digitrax Empire Builder starter sets over 20 years ago the DB150 Command Station (the brain) one of the originals, the UR92 Radio/IR receiver from an upgrade (for use with the Garden Railway) about 15 years ago, the Amp meter (DCC compatible) from a kit bought from Tonys Trains (a DCC specialist)in Vermont purchased about 20 years ago, there is a digital circuit breaker (to protect the Command Station) again from Tonys on the shelf behind the Amp meter. The Command Station and UR92 interface with phone cable using RJ12 connectors. the 75Va transformer possibly Petes' of Parnell St housed in an Alti case still with its original quick blow fuse holder. The UR92 is powered by a separate Digitrax American plug top transformer that plugs into a 240-110v a/c convertor!

 

Digitrax had an excellent repair service even if it involved returning components to Florida, but the DT400 Throttles of the 2000s are no longer supported. The #3 on this particular keypad no longer functions, although although all the other buttons on the pad still function. While loco speed can be selected by throttle knob or keypad, points and functions can only be selected by keypad. The DT402D is on Radio & IR powered by a PP3 battery unplugged from the UR92 and Command Station.

Peco pointmotors on the layout are powered by Lenz LT110 Stationary Decoders also bought during the early 2000s. The LT110s receive their DCC signal via the Black and Red leads that power the track with the Brown & Orange leads powering the LC110s, I found that a separate power feed was necessary to power the LT110s as track power had insufficient power to reliably operate Peco twin coil point motors.

Points are operated individually using the SW function on the Throttle rather than by a Lever Frame or Panel, in reality points in a goods/freight only terminal like Northwharf were likely to be hand operated rather than from a Cabin or Frame particularly in a post 1970s era layout.

I this case the LT110 with its 4 outputs originally controlled points 1-3 with 4 spare, in the end I fed point 3 from output 4 being unable to select 3! on the throttle pad! The LT110 outputs are only  selectable 1-4, 5-8, etc

One of the main limitations of Northwharf is the Traverser effectively limits train length to a small loco and 4 wagons, though the Tower Building and Overbridge increases train length to 5 wagons which is not visually or operationally effective for me in 4mm/OO, one idea is to cut a slot in the shelving support on the right to provide a loco length fixed release road at the end of the traverser table.

Another idea is to alter the tracklayout from a "Timesaver' format by replacing the loco release turnout with a crossover and extending the existing run-round loop into a siding serving a dry goods store creating separate destinations for Bulk Grain and Bagged traffic.

Theoretically the head shunt serves an Oil/Tar Depot and warehousing (van traffic)

Will probabably use a Maybach or a Small GM for workings to and from Northwharf with the G as yard shunter, although I fitted the G with a 'stay-alive" I had in stock it still stalls on the Peco Insulfrog points used in the yard, so have ordered a higher powered 'stay-alive'

Hopefully I will get around failry soon to completeing the buildings and structures, the brick buildings were inspired by the distillery buildings at Grand Canal Dock, railway between a dock and retaining wall by the approach lines to North Wall Midland.

[Mayner]

Finally found the motivation to replace the loco release turnout with a crossover and extend the run round loop into a siding to serve a dry goods store, also used the opportunity to tidy up the 'long siding" which had been on a temporary alignment since I added the mill in 2023!

Beforehand!

New turnout/crossover positioned for marking cuts in existing run-round loop, 'long siding" lifted.  Total stock of straight/flexible OO track 1 section of Peco Streamline, 1 section of Hornby.

Section of loop removed slot formed in baseboard for peco point motor. I cut the rails with a fine tooted Razor saw. Formed the slot by first removing the foam underlay and chain drilling theough the ply baseboard top (10mm) and tidying up with a chisel. Trackwork is laid on pva (office or school glue) lightly pinned in place and Woodland Scenic ballast scattered on top.

Trial fitting turnout before finally fitting rail joiners.

Rails slid back and molded chairs/railfixings removed on two sleepers. Track was originally laid in pva bed across baseboard joint before cutting rails when I originally laid the track in 2021-2?. Hardwood strip used to protect underlay and track along baseboard edge.

Pre-wired point motor (not reachable after installation!) I had removed most of the excess ballast in this area.

PVA bed. I first came across this method being used on a large EM gauge UK club layout using a combination of flexible and hand laid track and pointwork during the 1990s

Point installed fishplated in place, loose ballast tamped in beds (areas beteeen sleepers) with an artish mop brush. (excess glue on top of sleepers removed when dry.)

Drystore Road following removal of excess ballast

24hrs later section re-connected to layout and cut of vans on Dry Store Road.  At this stage I am considering a post 1900 corrugated and concrete drygood store similar to thosee at Ranks Clara as backround buildings, and moving the brick maltings building towards the centre of the layout and the Tower Building (both inspired by Grand Canal Dock)

 

The other major change planned is to add a loco release/storage module to the staging, so that a 5 wagon train can arrive in the staging.

 

 

 

[Mol_PMB]

Very nice. Just this morning I went shopping for some corrugated sheet materials to build a 1930s ish corrugated asbestos clad grain store for Quartertown. 
The photos I have of my prototype are all from the same angle so I’ll need to guess some of the architecture. 
I must look for some photos of Clara to see what that looked like for more inspiration. 

[Mayner]

Finally got round to starting work on the loco release for the traverser staging in order to allow a 5 wagon train to enter the staging. For some odd reason I made the bookcase/shelving 7'6" rather than 8' long, possibly to fit the available space before a house move almost 20 years ago.

First task was to cut and fit a L shaped piece of ply to fit between the existing baseboard and end of the baseboard.

and then form the framing for the loco release all cut with a handsaw from some 6mm ply I had in stock for several years after lining the interior of a garden shed, all glued and pinned together with panel pins!

Mock up with a loco on the loco release board . It will be necessary to pack the trackbase level with the traverser deck and provide some fall prevention to avoid driving/dropping locos onto the floor!

I moved the layout outwards from its original position in the bookcase, to avoid cutting a slot in the gable end of the bookcase.

There should be room for 3 spurs in this area capable of aligning with the traverser, which hopefully should help boost my motivation to use this layout.

 

[Mayner]

Connected the 'loco release module" to the staging using a pair of DCC Concepts "Baseboard alignment dowels' and a nut bolt and washers I had in stock and demolished most the wall at the end of the traverser! The loco release will be long enough for a Bo Bo or a shunter, the A/001 class are already banned from Northwharf as a result of bufferlocking on small radius points used in the year.

The oval object in the background is a freestanding mirror thats been waiting repair for about 18 months!, our family is getting to that stage in life with clutter and things I haven't found time to fix/repair 

I packed the trackbase for the 'loco release module" level with the traverser using off cuts of 13mm & 7mm ply, with strips of 7mm to prevent locos being driven/falling off the module.

3 of the traverser roads act as staging/running roads with a loco release, the 4th a spur serving an off scene industry a ware house or oil/tar depot a destination  for vans and tank wagons.

Unfortunately I managed to 'disappear' my stock of rail joiners and a bottle of woodworkers glue so a trip to the local modelshop and DIY store to pick up supplies tomorrow Saturday to complete the module.

Although the layout is wired on a single circuit for DCC operation, I'll probabably feed the 3 loco spurs through on-off switches so individual locos can be isolated between turns, I may have some suitable switches in stock, but possibly another item to add to the shopping list.

 

Edited February 20 by Mayner

[Mayner]

Still at the 'mock up" stage, though found enough offcuts of Peco track to complete tracklaying on the module and installed 3 on-off switches so lcos can be parked with power isolated from the DCC system.

I need to level up and wire the module and extend the fascia to the end of the module!

Although topped and framed in 7mm ply, the release module baseboard is a bit more complicated than usual because the traverser deck overhangs this area. Actual track base is laminated from pieces of 7 and 13mm ply, with a slot cut in the 13mm (before gluing to the 7mm) to accomodate the isolating switches for this area. I'll probabably end up cutting a hole/slot in the baseboard top to accomodate the wiring, just need to decided whether to use a hobby schroll saw I bought about 15 years ago or a jig saw.

[Mayner]

re-positioned the plug block to disguise the joint line between the traverser and loco release module & fitted end walls, still have to wire the module, but now can actually make up a 6 wagon train. Interestingly traditionally Tri-ang Hornby/Hornby 'Freightmaster' set used to be made up of a main line diesel and 7 traditional wagons. The visual effect of 6 wagon train is not bad to my mind anyway, though a train made up of 6 different types of wagon would be more appropriate from a Freightmaster Set perspective, possibly 1. Open with Container, 2 CIE 1946 Van, 3 Tank Wagon, 4 Ranks or CIE Grain, 5 LMA or ex-GSW Van, 6 CIE 20T Brake.

Track alignment between traverser and loco release using a single locking pin at the layout end is not the most reliable so planning to fit a locking pin arrangement at both ends.

Possibly move Digitrax Radio/IR receiver onto staging fascia alongside DCC throttle pouch, requires slot in fascia and ply enclosure to protect receiver

Edited February 27 by Mayner

[west_clare_wanderer]

On 22/2/2026 at 9:27 AM, Mayner said:

 

 

You're making great progress! 

If you don't mind me asking, what is the origin of those two wooden open wagons on the front road? 

Keep the updates coming

[Mayner]

On 28/2/2026 at 2:38 AM, west_clare_wanderer said:

You're making great progress! 

If you don't mind me asking, what is the origin of those two wooden open wagons on the front road? 

Keep the updates coming

The wooden opens are my own 3D prints of the steel underframed version of the 'Standard Irish" open wagon.

Studio Scale Models produced a nice cast whitemetalkit of the wooden underframed version not sure if its still available.

[west_clare_wanderer]

On 1/3/2026 at 10:01 AM, Mayner said:

The wooden opens are my own 3D prints of the steel underframed version of the 'Standard Irish" open wagon.

Studio Scale Models produced a nice cast whitemetalkit of the wooden underframed version not sure if its still available.

 

Thanks very much for your reply. It's much appreciated. 

They look absolutely fantastic! 

Far better than my bodged old Mainline 5-plank opens, repainted with a flying snail! They are as crude as it comes

[Mayner]

On 4/3/2026 at 2:24 AM, west_clare_wanderer said:

 

Thanks very much for your reply. It's much appreciated. 

They look absolutely fantastic! 

Far better than my bodged old Mainline 5-plank opens, repainted with a flying snail! They are as crude as it comes

2-3 years ago one of my customers converted Mainline & Bachmann opens to Irish wagons using my open wagon chassis supplied as a separate part.  I may be able to sort something out later this year.

Almost finished the loco release module and experimenting with running longer trains 5 wagons+Brake.

The layout had ceased to be a "Timesaver" when I added a siding (to serve a drystore) to the basic layout in November making the layout more interesting to operate (from my perspective) and increasing the layouts capacity for wagons, last year I had to remove 3-4 wagons to provide some elbow room.

B125 is waiting to depart having picked up 2 Vans from the dry store (animal feed). 1 Tar Tanker from off-scene tar depot in the staging!, 1 Van possibly flour from the Mill. 1 Empty Ranks Grain.  Earlier B125 had arrived with 1 van (for mill) 1 Tar (empty), 1 Open with BR container & 2 Opens empty just about visible behind Atkinson truck (teenage favourite)

Train after arrival in staging, B121 just about fits. "Tar wagons" started life with IRM PW Wagon Set and re-purposed as tank wagons, I initially planned an etched Triangulated chassis but ended up using a standard GS/CIE chassis based on my photo of Tar Wagon of 23826 at Galway during late early 80s.

[west_clare_wanderer]

12 hours ago, Mayner said:

2-3 years ago one of my customers converted Mainline & Bachmann opens to Irish wagons using my open wagon chassis supplied as a separate part.  I may be able to sort something out later this year.

Thanks very much, I'm sure many could find that useful.

 

12 hours ago, Mayner said:

The layout had ceased to be a "Timesaver" when I added a siding (to serve a drystore) to the basic layout in November making the layout more interesting to operate (from my perspective) and increasing the layouts capacity for wagons, last year I had to remove 3-4 wagons to provide some elbow room.

I like the fact you've developed and added to the basic plan. Whilst I do like the Timesaver it can be a little contrived. Whereas what you've produced looks so natural. Interesting operation is what it should be about.... After all this is supposed to be fun! It looks like there is many hours of play value in your little layout