“BALLYCOMBE”

[Galteemore]

Yes, please. Bob’s models are an incredible resource for this forum, and anything that helps modellers raise their game is to be encouraged. By seeing how such locos are put together, it certainly helps those scratchbuilders who, like me, are still learning the trade ! 

[leslie10646]

On 18/8/2023 at 9:43 AM, Northroader said:

Perhaps, Leslie, if you can do a photo of beneath the loco looking up, folks can get a better idea of how the leading coupled drivers are mounted?

I'll oblige later this week.

[leslie10646]

As requested.

 

 

[jhb171achill]

Very nice work indeed!

[Northroader]

Thanks, Leslie, so what are we looking at here? I’ve done three 0-4-4T locos besides this one, and I’ve found that you need to allow the rear bogie to traverse sideways across the loco, besides just pivoting centrally, because the leading drivers are fixed to the superstructure. On a curve this displaces the rear end of the loco sideways by a fair amount, and so the pin the bogie turns on works in a slot across the bogie frame.

The first batch of the GSWR 0-4-4T were originally built as Fairlie engines, with the driving wheels mounted on a bogie, as well as the carrying wheels at the back end, so the whole lot worked very like a modern Bo-Bo diesel. Later versions were built without the driving wheel bogie, I suppose because of the trouble with having flexible steam pipe joints, The trouble is in a model, this particular class does have quite an appreciable distance between the front and back sets of wheels, and you do encounter sharper curves, so you do need a bit of flexibility.

To do this, the Driving wheel sets are mounted on a frame as well, with a central stretcher with a hole for a pivot screw which attaches the frame to the superstructure. The motor is mounted on the back axle, and points backwards so as to clear the central pivot. The motor fits inside the firebox, with a small amount of clearance on each side, so it can wag from side to side a bit. (If the engine had full side tanks it would be much better for the clearances) There’s a brass block at the leading end of the frame to help balance the motor overhang. Then the rear bogie has a full slot across the middle stretcher for the pivot pin to traverse across the full width. There’s pickups on all the wheels, though I see the wheels are starting to get a bit rusty. That’s the trouble with Slaters wheels, they do the tyres in mild steel to keep costs down, fair enough, but on a loco which has been around some time, you have to go round with some emery.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Northroader

[David Holman]

Clever!

The Sligo 0-6-4 tanks likewise require a bogie with side play/springs and need careful driving on Northport Quay - though they shouldn't be going fast in such a confined space anyway...

[Northroader]

well, here we are downsizing to the new place. A couple of weeks before the move, himself, galteemore, was in for a dish of tay, as he’d just moved as well, a real treat for me. I haven’t moved so often as him, and not so well organised in setting up the workplace, but it’s coming along. Now we’re here I can think about what can be done, but it’s going to be small, that’s for sure, a couple of those six wheelers and a tank engine to pull them off stage, with a siding for a wagon or two, nine bean rows, and a hive for the honeybee.

Edited October 9, 2023 by Northroader

[Galteemore]

Excellent Bob. Take it the layout is called ‘Innisfree’? 

[Northroader]

It’s nice thought, a station with one of those stone huts roofed in turf by the lake, but we’ll have to have one of the GNR brick jobs.

I’ll be sticking with the brand name “Ballycombe”, although it’s been pointed out to me that “Combe” doesn’t have Irish roots. It come about way back when I was in need of an Irish name for the line, and my wife was saying “Ballylongtime”, as it was slow coming together. We were out walking the South West Coast Path in Cornwall, approaching Watergate, just east of Newquay, with a load of activity on the beach, all folks in pastel shade Edwardian costume, with plenty of horses, and a banner up, “Ballycombe Beach Races”. “Bingo”, I says to myself, “never mind Laytown”. All round the Watergate Hotel there were these big trailers, cables off everywhere, a film crew hard at it. It turns out later they were filming something for American TV called the “Magical Legend of the Leprechauns”, but I’d made the station boards by then.

[Galteemore]

Innisfree is of course, in Lough Gill. Firmly in SLNC territory…..even named an engine after it……

I knew you’d come over to the dark side in the end …..;) 

 

Edited October 10, 2023 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, Northroader said:I’ll be sticking with the brand name “Ballycombe”, although it’s been pointed out to me that “Combe” doesn’t have Irish roots. It come about way back when I was in need of an Irish name for the line, and my wife was saying “Ballylongtime”, as it was slow coming together. We were out walking the South West Coast Path in Cornwall, approaching Watergate, just east of Newquay, with a load of activity on the beach, all folks in pastel shade Edwardian costume, with plenty of horses, and a banner up, “Ballycombe Beach Races”. “Bingo”, I says to myself, “never mind Laytown”. All round the Watergate Hotel there were these big trailers, cables off everywhere, a film crew hard at it. It turns out later they were filming something for American TV called the “Magical Legend of the Leprechauns”, but I’d made the station boards by then.

Worry not!

Many place names have obscure or modified roots through oddball anglicisation.

Who’s to say that Ballycombe didn’t have some old legend about some ancient figure combing their hair…..

Anglicised “Ballycombe”

= Baile na cíor

= The “townland of the comb”….

[Broithe]

21 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Worry not!

Many place names have obscure or modified roots through oddball anglicisation.

Who’s to say that Ballycombe didn’t have some old legend about some ancient figure combing their hair…..

Anglicised “Ballycombe”

= Baile na cíor

= The “townland of the comb”….

In any respect, I'm sure it will maintain the 5-star rating.

https://ratings.food.gov.uk/business/1557487/ballycombe-lodges

 

And, of course, there is Ballycumber in Offaly - Béal Átha Chomair - the ford where the rivers meet.

[Northroader]

So today was a trip out, to Uckfield in East Sussex. The model railway club there have a reputation for organising outstanding thought out range of layouts, and so it is this weekend. A star attraction for me was Northport Quay, David Holmans line, and seeing it in the solid was most enjoyable.

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Northroader

[leslie10646]

Handover Day. A little photo for Bob, so that he can see KMCE and Yours Truly transacting the Deed.

I displayed Bob's J15 (157) and train on my stand at Blackrock until Ken turned up today - so this is the Handover.

Bob, your GSWR  2-4-2T and Cattle Train took No.157's place. We'll get a photo of that train on "Ardmore" tomorrow.

Needless to say, the passing folk greatly admired the train and one little man explained the relevant parts of the steam loco to his Dad. An enthusiast in the making.

It was a privilege to display them.

 

[KMCE]

Thanks Leslie for "transacting the deed" and once again, many thanks Bob for the opportunity to bring the train to its new home where it will be treasured. 

A quick photo in front of the current P4 Layouts:

It may have some stable-mates soon.........

Watch this space!

Ken

[Northroader]

Glad to hear:

a) it was displayed at the Dublin show, and folks enjoyed it.

b) Ken’s got it, but did you tell him it’s 32mm gauge? Following on from reading the two Dave’s exploits on here, Arigna Town, Belmullet, Northport Quay, Rosses Point, Abohill halt, and seeing some of them in action, I convinced Ballycombe will have be sort of 36 and a bit mm gauge as it reappears.

Good luck, Ken, that 3D print looks very tasty.

[Galteemore]

Great news Bob - you know it makes sense!  Happy to pop over some day and compare notes again…..

Edited October 30, 2023 by Galteemore

[Northroader]

Thanks, David. Mind, the line will be “dual purpose”

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/151308-“beyond-dover”/page/31/#comment-5323321

[islandbridgejct]

Hello Bob. Just logged on after a prolonged absence and was delighted to see your thread on Ballycombe, having followed it before on that other forum, and then I was dismayed to learn of your health problems and recovery. So much in the space of a few pages.

So I just wanted to wish you good health in your new home, and I look forward to following your modelling progress on these pages. I should be down at the show in Blackrock, but instead I'm stuck here down the road from it, working, for my sins.

Alan

(PS, And reading about model railways to avoid working.)

[Northroader]

Good to hear from you, Alan, thanks for your best wishes, and hope you’re not too bogged down with your job to get some modelling time in.

[leslie10646]

Handover N0.2.

With the MRSI guys on "ARDMORE" admiring Bob's 2-4-2T and a cattle train.

Later, after exhibiting it on my sales stand, I brought them the McDonnell 0-4-4T with its mixed goods set. Bob, I can tell you that they were delighted.

Edited October 31, 2023 by leslie10646

[leslie10646]

And, last but not least, handing the NCC Sentinel and its train to a delighted team from the North Down Society. I look forward to seeing it running on "Antrim".

 

[Northroader]

That’s great to see, Leslie, nice to know they’re finding good homes. I expect there’ll be some tweaking needed, wheels to polish, couplings to fiddle with, paint jobs to finish, and hope the models all behave, but we couldn’t have a better outcome. Breaking News: “Provincial Models goes into 7mm”!! 

[Northroader]

This small layout that’s been threatened is starting to take shape, beginning with a new baseboard, as all the old stuff went to the council tip before the move. Rather than doing it in 2x1 and chipboard, I thought I’d try foamboard this time, so I ordered a pack of 10mm thick foamboard, A1 paper size.(That’s 33.1” x 23.4”, or 840mm x 594mm) I only used two sheets for this job, so it’s quite competitive with using timber, though not so durable of course.

I cut a strip 12” wide lengthwise off a sheet to give me the top for the main board, then the rest of the board went in six 48mm wide strips. These were glued together in pairs, using PVA Bond, and used for the reinforcing runners under the top.

 

The other board gave me a 9” wide top for a three road fiddle yard, and the rest of the reinforcing strips. Here’s the two together, with a 7mm 0-6-0T and a small station building roughed out to give an idea of how it will look.

Theres a 5mm thick foamboard to act as a backscene support. Obviously you can’t screw, nail, or use track pins, everything needs gluing, but the back sheet is bolted on, using 2mm thick ply pads glued on the outer faces.

The two boards are just resting loose on a “tabletop”, an old door made narrow. The rail tracks will register across the join between the two boards, but the boards will stay loose, as I am treating the fiddle board as a single large cassette.

[Galteemore]

Quick work Bob. Looking forward to seeing this develop. Nice little GER loco too…..

[Northroader]

I fancy the rails will be a bit too wide for the wheels on that one.

[Galteemore]

Talking of rails, what’s the track plan Bob? Really looking forward to this - another 36.75mm layout and not a million miles away from me either…

[Northroader]

What I’m looking at is “Lyddlow Goods”, described in this “Despatch”. Very simple, but Jordan can spend a pleasant half hour shuffling a few wagons.

https://micromodelrailwaydispatch.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Issue204_finished-compressed.pdf

I see you used to go to exhibitions with a version of “Halstead” (that’s what I take it to be?) much the same but with a kickback siding added.

https://www.westernthunder.co.uk/threads/halstead.12154/

 

[Galteemore]

Now that’s most interesting. Yes I did build ‘Halstead’ and showed it in part finished form. Then I started building an Irish loco for it and that was that! Layout sold and 5’3” I went. Oddly enough I had been thinking this week of a Lyddlow too as a test bed (my engines can spend long months with no use, which I need to rectify by having a simple layout close to hand). So it’s quite striking to see yours in progress. Can’t wait to see what you produce! 

Edited November 5, 2023 by Galteemore

[Northroader]

[Northroader]

No post on here for too long, I’m afraid. There has been a bit of progress, for the track is now laid and ballasted, what bit of it there is. I’m using copper clad fibreglass strip and nickel silver rails from Marcway of Sheffield, laid to 37mm gauge.

The main board is to the right, running line in front of the platform and a bit of a siding behind, then a fiddle yard to the left, one siding laid and at least one more needing track materials. There’s some Slaters wagon wheel sets waiting for bodies, The wheels pushed out over the axle a bit to the wider gauge and a drop of Superglue ploshed on in the hope they’ll stay there.

The other item of interest is the loco, which is a runner. It’s intended to be a Fairbairn single driver tank, and as it’s a wider gauge I did it all in .060”Plastikard, chassis and body, rather than the more usual strip brass and machined brass spacers I use for 32mm. gauge.