The Narrow Gauge One

[murphaph]

Ah I really love this layout and its stock and people. Everything about it, every time I see it.

[Tullygrainey]

It's been quiet of late at the Stone Yard but the Permanent Way gang have recently acquired a new wagon. Clearly no expense was spared in the fabrication.

 

It's believed to have been built using repurposed timber sourced from the Costa Coffee Company.

 

 

 

[Galteemore]

Well that’s certainly bean worth it, and stirred up the daily grind. Fabulous weathering. The iron work looks just spot on against the faded wood. How was the magic done, please? 

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks David. My technique is a bit make it up as you go along until it looks right. Doesn't always work. In this case, the woodwork was first given a coat of Ronseal woodstain to take the brightness off the wood, (English Light Oak as it happens but only because that's what was on the shelf) followed by thin washes of black and grey paint. Some dry-brushing and weathering powder finished the job. I often scrub away at the surface with whatever comes to hand to distress things a bit. Usually end up with as much paint on my hands as on the model. 

The rails holding the drums in place are soldered up from brass rods and scrap brass etch. The various bits of strapping are 10 thou plasticard with rivets embossed with a scriber. Both are painted with Humbrol Metalcote 27004 Gunmetal which dries matt but polishes up nicely using cotton buds. Then some dry-brushing with rust colours (mainly Humbrol Matt enamel 113).

[Galteemore]

Thanks Alan. I’ll let that percolate and see what results I can brew up. I’ve got some real wood sleepers to paint and your techniques look fab. Hopefully your wisdom will filter through to my brushes! I’m also a huge fan of 27004 for all kinds of uses. 

Edited March 7 by Galteemore

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

Smashing video, I love the new wagon and more so, I love the perfect layout, it's outstanding work.

[David Holman]

Fantastic bit of work. Love it when simple ingredients come together like this - and the paint job is superb. Not just the wood but that lovely dark rust on the ironwork

[derek]

7 hours ago, Tullygrainey said:

It's been quiet of late at the Stone Yard but the Permanent Way gang have recently acquired a new wagon. Clearly no expense was spared in the fabrication.

 

It's believed to have been built using repurposed timber sourced from the Costa Coffee Company.

 

 

IMG_9412.mov 37.67 MB · 1 download  

 

Absolutely amazing as always Alan. (I love a good alliteration). The way you got the worn/rotted/splintered effect on the end of the short posts just above the wheels is stupendous. That looks like more than paint and powder? Did you have to get rough with it?

[Tullygrainey]

1 hour ago, derek said:

Absolutely amazing as always Alan. (I love a good alliteration). The way you got the worn/rotted/splintered effect on the end of the short posts just above the wheels is stupendous. That looks like more than paint and powder? Did you have to get rough with it?

Thanks Derek. The old coffee stirrers are pretty rough to start with and they’re surprising hard to cut but they splinter nicely if you just grip them with pliers and snap them. 
They’re everywhere on the layout if you look. A very versatile resource and free with every regular Americano. 

[Patrick Davey]

It was something of a great pleasure to visit this stunning layout as Alan prepares it for its first exhibition outing.

 

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

Just wow, beautiful workmanship.

[David Holman]

Thanks Patrick - stunning to see the layout in its entirety.. As for those buildings, just exquisite.

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks for sharing these pics Patrick. I was too preoccupied to notice you taking them, largely because, true to form, the moment a visitor showed up, the whole layout stopped working! (Later traced to a broken wire in the DCC track feed due to some pretty shoddy soldering. The culprit has been identified and spoken to. He blames the solder)

[derek]

Unbelievable work Alan. The detail is amazing

[Metrovik]

How have I not seen this layout yet? Simply stunning from top to bottom. Fair play to you Alan.

[Tullygrainey]

The Stone Yard had its first public outing on 24 & 25 May at First Bangor Model Railway Club's exhibition. The layout has acquired trestles to sit on and a lighting rig to show off under. It survived being packed into the back of the car and performed impeccably throughout the 2 days. Phew!

Many thanks to 1st Bangor MRC for their hospitality and for the opportunity to be part of a great show.

Alan

[Galteemore]

Fabulous Alan. The public need to see layouts of this quality!! 

[Tullygrainey]

Thanks David. There were a number of fine layouts at the show. Also, there's a distinct family atmosphere at 1st Bangor's shows and it was great to see so many children exhibiting their work. Very good for the future of the hobby.

[Patrick Davey]

Delighted it went so well Alan, gutted wasn’t able to be there!!!

[Tullygrainey]

1 minute ago, Patrick Davey said:

Delighted it went so well Alan, gutted wasn’t able to be there!!!

Next time Patrick

[Tullygrainey]

Kadee couplings proved their worth over the weekend, allowing hands-free delayed uncoupling. 

 

 

[WaYSidE]

On 29/9/2022 at 4:58 PM, Tullygrainey said:

This forum is full of fine examples of modelling which is historically and/or prototypically realistic and I have enormous respect for all of you who do that. It requires extra effort on every front to pursue that sort of accuracy and the results, however good (and there are wonderfully good things here),  are forever vulnerable to being held to account against the real thing. Fictitious flights of fancy are easier because there’s no reality to compare them unfavourably against.

i love this layout, its got a great vibe, where do you get the time for all the quoted FILLosophy, as well as great modelling.

[Tullygrainey]

13 hours ago, WaYSidE said:

i love this layout, its got a great vibe, where do you get the time for all the quoted FILLosophy, as well as great modelling.

A quiet social life as well as nothing much on TV of an evening

[Rush and Lusk]

This is truly breathtaking modelling Alan - the remarkable attention to endless details is remarkable. Whilst most of us may never achieve these standards, it is nonetheless inspiring, encouraging and of course entertaining. Fabulous.

George 

[Tullygrainey]

2 hours ago, Rush and Lusk said:

This is truly breathtaking modelling Alan - the remarkable attention to endless details is remarkable. Whilst most of us may never achieve these standards, it is nonetheless inspiring, encouraging and of course entertaining. Fabulous.

George 

Thank you George. Because it's a small layout - the scenic area is only 4 ft x 2 ft - it's possible to add a fair bit of detail without it requiring half a lifetime.

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

On 20/9/2022 at 2:12 PM, Tullygrainey said:

Sorry JB, I think I misunderstood your question. The rusty mobile compressor is a white metal kit from S&D Models' Phoenix 43 range.

Alan

It's a stunning little model.

On 29/9/2022 at 7:08 PM, Tullygrainey said:

Thanks JB, that's helpful. I like the idea of the Peckett and there's one in Cultra to be pored over, just down the road from me. I have to say I've never seen such a patched smokebox!

 

Wow it looks like an apprentice practice piece

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

On 7/9/2023 at 3:36 PM, Tullygrainey said:

Some activity at the narrow gauge stone yard, somewhere in County Down/Antrim. Locomotives at work, including a recently arrived Peckett, already earning its keep bringing stone from the quarries and shuttling empties back.

 

 

Bloody brilliant 

[Tullygrainey]

The Stone Yard had its second public outing at the Ulster MRC's exhibition in Belfast this weekend. It behaved itself well again, apart from one failed set of points - that fitter in charge the soldering iron has been doing sub-standard work again. He'll be docked a day's pay for that.

Thanks to UMRC for a well organised and very enjoyable show. Special thanks too to Kieran Lagan and Patrick Davey for vital help and support with running the layout over the two days. Also thanks to Patrick for some fine photos of the occasion.

[Tullygrainey]

Points control on The Stone Yard is purely mechanical and each can be operated from front or back of the layout. This is useful because at home the layout sits with its back against a wall.

Long rods run from front to back under the board, with a knob at each end for moving them back and forward. Each has attached to it the brass insert from an electrical screw (choc-bloc) connector with a 1mm diameter brass pin soldered to it. The pin passes up through a slot in the board into the hole in the points tie bar, as in the pic below. The plastic body of the choc bloc is just there to help guide the long rod and prevent the pin dropping out of the tie bar. I can't claim ownership of this method. I think I saw it, or something like it, on RM Web.

 

The system works fine but the soldered joint is the weak point and the failure at the UMRC show wasn't the first time one of them has come apart. I've now redone the joins on all four points, wrapping the brass round the carrier and soldering on three sides. Should be a bit stronger. We'll see.

Edited August 27 by Tullygrainey
typo

[Irishrailwayman]

Fantastic layout very well done - I saw it at the Belfast Exhibition. Good candidate for showing at Gauge O Guild Exhibitions.

[Tullygrainey]

29 minutes ago, Irishrailwayman said:

Fantastic layout very well done - I saw it at the Belfast Exhibition. Good candidate for showing at Gauge O Guild Exhibitions.

Thank you. And thanks for posting these photos.

Alan

[Kevin Sweeney]

Amazing work. i love the way it all looks so battered and worn out. It sets a very high bar for the rest of us. Inspirational stuff.

[Metrovik]

Just as stunning as the last time my jaw dropped looking at your work Alan!

[Tullygrainey]

The Stone Yard had an outing to Fermanagh for the Erne Model Railway Club's annual exhibition in Enniskillen on 21st September. Many thanks to the Erne club for a very enjoyable day and to everyone for their help and hospitality over the weekend.

 

There's been a recent addition to the loco roster at the Stone Yard. It's a little documented fact (ok, a history re-write) that Quarry Hunslett 'Alice" was hired from Dinorwic Quarry in Wales to lend a hand here for a while. Pete the Peckett Pilot's twin brother Harry handles the Hunslett and heartily enjoys it.

The model is one of Bachmann's recently launched 'NG7' range of narrow gauge locomotives, modelled at 7mm/ft and designed to run on 16.5mm gauge track.

 

Edited September 23 by Tullygrainey

[Irishrailwayman]

Hi Alan, the Bala Lake Railway is the home of "Alice" (https://bala-lake-railway.co.uk/steam-locos/alice/). They hold a model railway exhibition each year which unfortunately coincides with the Enniskillen Show. We alternate each year and plan to show my "Buffers Lock" at Bala next year.

"The Stone Yard" looked great at Enniskillen - have you got DCC sound on board each loco?

Best, Gerry & Jenna