Bantry (on the correct side of the Irish Sea)

[meathdane]

So I am the man who bought the wonderful Bantry layout from @Mike 84C. This will replace my existing large layout which stalled from the usual doubt and constant redesigns. 

It will be built around, having a permanent scenic section and fiddle yard, but allowing Bantry to be removable, but the Bantry boards will remain removable along with its Fiddle Yard. Hopefully after a fettling in period, learning the operations and a good play, I want to take it to the 2026 exhibition circuit, hence the removable element of the plan. 

 

Photographed here fresh off the couriers van waiting to be unpacked and assembled 

[Broithe]

Excellent!

Raising Lazarus from the baseboard.

[Patrick Davey]

Wow must have been some operation shipping that fine layout!!!  Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!!

[meathdane]

11 minutes ago, Patrick Davey said:

Wow must have been some operation shipping that fine layout!!!  Looking forward to seeing what you do with it!!

Not on my end Patrick, have to say Mick (and his wife) and the courier did 99% of the work, all credit to them, I just handed over the money and helped unload the van! 

Edited March 4 by meathdane

[Westcorkrailway]

25 minutes ago, meathdane said:

So I am the man who bought the wonderful Bantry layout from @Mike 84C. This will replace my existing large layout which stalled from the usual doubt and constant redesigns. 

It will be built around, having a permanent scenic section and fiddle yard, but allowing Bantry to be removable, but the Bantry boards will remain removable along with its Fiddle Yard. Hopefully after a fettling in period, learning the operations and a good play, I want to take it to the 2026 exhibition circuit, hence the removable element of the plan. 

 

Photographed here fresh off the couriers van waiting to be unpacked and assembled 

Thank you meathdane. I had been trying for many months to get somone to buy it. And many times I thought I had a buyer only for that not to happen. Nothing makes me happier, my favourite layout ever produced on this website lives on!

[meathdane]

15 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Thank you meathdane. I had been trying for many months to get somone to buy it. And many times I thought I had a buyer only for that not to happen. Nothing makes me happier, my favourite layout ever produced on this website lives on!

My pleasure. Couldn't see it go to waste! When it's up and running, if you ever find yourself near meath with a few spare hours, let me know and we can get some of your lovely and appropriate stock running on Bantry

[Mike 84C]

I'm very happy to see the enthusiasm about Bantry now its on the Emerald Isle.  As for its demise over here, well things move on and a lack of storage. I expect it will get broken up one day but I don't expect it will bother me by then! I may be available  to throw bolts of lightning, fire and brimstone.!   

[Broithe]

54 minutes ago, meathdane said:

Not on my end Patrick, have to say Mick (and his wife) and the courier did 99% of the work, all credit to them, I just handed over the money and helped unload the van! 

I have met Mrs 84C and would be fully confident in her abilities to supervise the necessary labour involved.

[David Holman]

Great to know this fine layout has been rehoused on the right side of the water.

[leslie10646]

Great news, Dane. Glad to know that a really nice layout has been saved.

Good luck with the Resurrection. At the risk of a bolt of lightning, or a kick under the table from @Galteemore 20 April would be a good day for its unveiling in its new home!

[meathdane]

2 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Great news, Dane. Glad to know that a really nice layout has been saved.

Good luck with the Resurrection. At the risk of a bolt of lightning, or a kick under the table from @Galteemore 20 April would be a good day for its unveiling in its new home!

Thanks a mil Leslie, 

Unfortunately with work and life commitments this year, I won't get a chance to get to a show for a look, let alone exhibit a layout. 2026 season is the earliest I'll be able to show it (all going to plan anyway) 

[bantree]

As one of the Bantry building team its great to see it safely in County Meath. If you need any help with building details feel free to ask.

[meathdane]

The Bantry revival is coming along, slowly as I am doing it solo, but it's getting done! 

Small bits of damage here and there, but thankfully less than I had expected. One of the edges seemed to have taken a minor knock and cause the rail to sit proud of its mirror, managed to get the alignment plate shimmed with a small piece of plasticard and that seems to have solved it. If not, I will have to lift that piece and relay it. But so far so good. 

Last bit of clear out to be done tomorrow, then the final Bantry board to go up, the I'm onto building the permanent extension that will remain in situ whenever bantry goes for a jaunt. 

[Broithe]

Remember the old proverb.

Bantry wasn't (re)built in a day.

[Bob229]

Good progress already, well done Dane great to see

[meathdane]

Final Bantry scenic board went up on Saturday, all lined up, no derailments, signals added back and attached to servo motors, Wiring all connected up, NCE powercab should be waiting for me when I get home, started to add in vehicles and small scenery items and posed a few bits of rolling stock. 

Productive weekend, and it gets busier from here. Contractor coming in hopefully next week to level off the stepdown and build a partition wall, roof cleaners on standby for the shed, meeting an artistic friend of mine next weekend who'll hopefully agree to paint a back scene on the walls surrounding Bantry, and in talks with a crowd to get a roller door put on the shed. 

Few small cracks in brick and wood work to fill in, need to relocate a socket to a more advantageous spot, and finally, get building the permanent extension. 

Lots of work on the horizon but seeing Bantry built and ready for action will be worth it

[Broithe]

Leave space for a turnstile, you'll need to control visitor access efficiently.

[Signal Post]

Saw your plan for a roller door on shed. We had some problems with rodent infestation of our garage (shed) some time ago and got a rodent control company out to look at it, one of their comments was that rats can get in anywhere there's a gap and one such place would have been the top of the roller door (there always needs to be a sizeable gap when the door is closed to allow for the door rolling up onto the roller when opened, also the same gap will allow a lot of air in during winter etc. There is apparently a type of brush type sealing that can be fitted but how good this is I don't know. Also the fact that I'm sure that you'll want some heat in the shed in winter to control temperature and humidity of layout might suggest an alternative type of door which would be easier to seal.

Anyhow delighted to see Bantry getting a new lease of life, the more layouts we can have in Co. Meath the better.

[skinner75]

You need a bit of headroom above the door opening for the roll-up door - something I didn't have when I went to replace the up & over door on my garage. 

I ended up welding up some box steel, then riveting galvanised sheets onto the framework instead. On the inside, I glued foil-backed insulation sheets

[meathdane]

23 minutes ago, Signal Post said:

Saw your plan for a roller door on shed. We had some problems with rodent infestation of our garage (shed) some time ago and got a rodent control company out to look at it, one of their comments was that rats can get in anywhere there's a gap and one such place would have been the top of the roller door (there always needs to be a sizeable gap when the door is closed to allow for the door rolling up onto the roller when opened, also the same gap will allow a lot of air in during winter etc. There is apparently a type of brush type sealing that can be fitted but how good this is I don't know. Also the fact that I'm sure that you'll want some heat in the shed in winter to control temperature and humidity of layout might suggest an alternative type of door which would be easier to seal.

Anyhow delighted to see Bantry getting a new lease of life, the more layouts we can have in Co. Meath the better.

 

Appreciate the comment, I am fortunate enough that the shed is well insulated though unheated. We've never had an issue with rats, due to our very diligent head of security, Mr. Teak, my cat, and his second in command, next doors Fluffy. 

This was a working garage used for body repairs, so there are a pair of steel doors on the shed, the only issue is theyve degraded in the 30 odd years since construction and need renewal. The cracks are miniscule cracks in the mortar courses that allows bugs and plant life in, I'm looking to seal it with spray foam and Tec7 over the top just to keep them out 

 

The Idea of the partition wall is to allow the layout area to have a dehumidifier running. I want it built with proper damp proofing and insulation to help and a properly fitted door to separate the layout completely from the main garage area

[Westcorkrailway]

2 hours ago, meathdane said:

Final Bantry scenic board went up on Saturday, all lined up, no derailments, signals added back and attached to servo motors, Wiring all connected up, NCE powercab should be waiting for me when I get home, started to add in vehicles and small scenery items and posed a few bits of rolling stock. 

Productive weekend, and it gets busier from here. Contractor coming in hopefully next week to level off the stepdown and build a partition wall, roof cleaners on standby for the shed, meeting an artistic friend of mine next weekend who'll hopefully agree to paint a back scene on the walls surrounding Bantry, and in talks with a crowd to get a roller door put on the shed. 

Few small cracks in brick and wood work to fill in, need to relocate a socket to a more advantageous spot, and finally, get building the permanent extension. 

Lots of work on the horizon but seeing Bantry built and ready for action will be worth it

 

Seeing things like supertrain mark 2s on the layout is quite something, considering I’m used to seeing 6 wheelers and laminates 

[meathdane]

3 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Seeing things like supertrain mark 2s on the layout is quite something, considering I’m used to seeing 6 wheelers and laminates 

That'll make up part of the "what if" rail tour set. It's there because it's my most derail happy piece of stock, and if it runs happily over the joints all else will! 

 

On the flip side, can't wait to see what type of aneurism is caused when I run a grey 071 with a rake of 40s into Bantry

[Westcorkrailway]

12 minutes ago, meathdane said:

That'll make up part of the "what if" rail tour set. It's there because it's my most derail happy piece of stock, and if it runs happily over the joints all else will! 

 

On the flip side, can't wait to see what type of aneurism is caused when I run a grey 071 with a rake of 40s into Bantry

You could work Bantry like youghal (which in theory it could and in my opinion should have been) where Mixed goods work up to the 1973 and excursion and beet working until the mid 80s perhaps 

[meathdane]

20 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

You could work Bantry like youghal (which in theory it could and in my opinion should have been) where Mixed goods work up to the 1973 and excursion and beet working until the mid 80s perhaps 

I may just, the majority of my stock is too late for Bantry, with the exception of Hs, Grains, cattle,Tankers and Corrugated opens. 

I've a full rake of Ferts, Guinness, Gypsum, and 40s. 

Could very conceivably see in an alternate timeline a fert and Guinness unloading at the goods shed or Gypsum for export at the pier. My collection is eclectic at best, I've a little of a lot, never had a clear direction until now, which will influence my buying decisions. But as for what I have, 

Rule 1

[jhb171achill]

In diesel days Bantry had two passenger trains a day each way - the same set, which was based there and did two return trips to Cork each day. In addition, two goods trains, earlier in the morning. Other West Cork lines were mostly serviced by mixed trains. An easy one operationally for a shunting layout.

1.   Goods arrives, shunts.

2.  Passenger departs to Cork

3.  Second goods arrives, shunts.

4.  First goods departs.

5.  2nd goods departs.

6.  Passenger arrives

7.  Passenger departs again

8.  Passenger arrives, day finished!

[StevieB]

Are you sure about the second freight terminating at Bantry, wasn’t it Drimoleague?

Stephen

 

Edited Monday at 19:39 by StevieB
Spelling mistake

[jhb171achill]

42 minutes ago, StevieB said:

Are you sure about the second freight terminating at Bantry, wasn’t it Drimolague?

Stephen

 

Yes, but I believe a connection came into Bantry on at least some occasions. I’ll actually look up a WTT!

[meathdane]

And we are live, A15 on test duties, so far so good after a good track cleaning session! Great to have bantry up and operational. Now on to remedial work in the garage and then it's extension time! 

Edited 18 minutes ago by meathdane