New 4mm kit released. Great Southern Railways Class 800 "Maedhbh"

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

I'll try and get some more up in the near future.

 

 

Thanks Bro

[Weshty]

Folks, I am taking a well earned rest for a few weeks and will be back in action on the 26th of August.

[Broithe]

[RedRich]

That's a really wonderful model Des and you deserve all the plaudits and good wishes you have received. It's an absolutely amazing piece of engineering and the very hard work from design to finish must have been overwhelming.

 

Rich,

[Horsetan]

It's amazing how literally all of the valve gear works compared to RTR locos where they are modeled in 'neutral' so the radius rod and valve stem do not move.

 

The challenge would appear to be how to make it so that the reversing gear actually works, so you can have forward or reverse gear.

[decauville1126]

My kit arrived today and first impressions are very favourable.

 

The etchings look stunning and the chassis one is in nickel silver, the rest being brass. Rather than massive amounts of rivetting, overlays with the rivets etched on are provided but they are very thin so care will be needed when sweating on. Flexichas is designed-in although it can be built rigid, again showing a good degree of forethought. What will be interesting to see is what the clearances are in the 'traditional' back-of-the-crosshead-and-cylinder areas when erecting the chassis for P4 21mm gauge.

 

A lot of work has gone into this kit, and a lot will be required to build and get the best out of it. But it has that look and feel of being a queue-jumper which is positive. There are some etched kits that go straight back in the box, and then to the back of the queue. Not this one!

[Weshty]

My kit arrived today and first impressions are very favourable.

 

The etchings look stunning and the chassis one is in nickel silver, the rest being brass. Rather than massive amounts of rivetting, overlays with the rivets etched on are provided but they are very thin so care will be needed when sweating on. Flexichas is designed-in although it can be built rigid, again showing a good degree of forethought. What will be interesting to see is what the clearances are in the 'traditional' back-of-the-crosshead-and-cylinder areas when erecting the chassis for P4 21mm gauge.

 

A lot of work has gone into this kit, and a lot will be required to build and get the best out of it. But it has that look and feel of being a queue-jumper which is positive. There are some etched kits that go straight back in the box, and then to the back of the queue. Not this one!

 

Delighted to read the feedback. Do let us know how the build goes.

[Weshty]

I've been wanting to get this photo for years!

 

[Broithe]

Excellent!

[RedRich]

That looks sweet Des, great model and photo.

 

Rich,

[jhb171achill]

I think I prefer the one on the right. At least it's in the right GSR livery!

[Guest hidden-agenda]

A beautiful looking piece of kit.

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

Fantastic

[Weshty]

Here's a few more pictures from the Cultra exhibition. I know there is a proper thread here somewhere, but for thelife of me, I can't find it...

 

[Weshty]

Studio Scale Model's Maedhbh is in the April edition of Model Rail, under Model News page 11. Along with the Sulzer and the Brake Van. Many thanks to Ben Jones for his continuing support of the Irish scene.

[Warbonnet]

Studio Scale Model's Maedhbh is in the April edition of Model Rail, under Model News page 11. Along with the Sulzer and the Brake Van. Many thanks to Ben Jones for his continuing support of the Irish scene.

 

Well Done Westy, maybe get onto George Dent and see if he'll make up a Maedhbh or the brake van for Model Rail. You can contact him through his blog site.

[RedRich]

Studio Scale Model's Maedhbh is in the April edition of Model Rail, under Model News page 11. Along with the Sulzer and the Brake Van. Many thanks to Ben Jones for his continuing support of the Irish scene.

 

Well done Des, the very best of luck with it. Des just as an aside, with the flat bogie wagon in the pipeline would you consider producing the cages for those excellent kegs in the SSM range. With the demise of MIR it is a big hole in the market.

 

Rich,

[scahalane]

Nice one Des.

[heirflick]

well done des, ...... it was only a matter of time before your work got the recognition that it deserve!

[BosKonay]

[Riversuir226]

Congrats des, well deserved keep up the good work

[BabyGM]

That's great news, Keep up the good work:-bd

[Weshty]

Thanks lads.

 

"cages for those excellent kegs". They are in the "to do" list! Both 2 and 3 layer versions. I may also look at 5x5 layer of barrels to enable easy filling.

 

And George D. has been sent several packages of SSM goodies

[RedRich]

Thanks lads.

 

"cages for those excellent kegs". They are in the "to do" list! Both 2 and 3 layer versions. I may also look at 5x5 layer of barrels to enable easy filling.

 

And George D. has been sent several packages of SSM goodies

 

That sounds good Des. It's always a good test to send the items to a pro like George Dent, he's a fine modeller.

 

Rich,

[ttc0169]

Congratulations Des and well deserved for all your efforts.

[jhb171achill]

Des - the best of luck and congratulations. The pics of the loco look absolutely top class. I know that the person whose name was on the drawings would be thrilled to bits with it! (As is his 95 yr old son...)!!!!!

 

Can't wait to get mine in due course! The exposure you've got on this is WELL deserved.

[Weshty]

Again, thanks for all the support and comments lads, very much appreciated

[Southern Yard]

Lovely model, one of the finest locomotives to grace the rails in Ireland and the UK. Looking at he 800 class and the LMS Royal Scots class it's like they were seperated a birth, their proportions are near identical. Both are 3 cylinder loco's too. Though it seems the 800 class were more powerful initially while the royal scots had to be rebuilt. If you want to hear what an 800 potentially sounded like go to YouTube and check out the many videos if 46115 Royal Scots Guardsman in a livery not too dissimilar to the 800 class.

 

How much would it cost to get 800 back on the rails €1.5m -€2m?

[BosKonay]

iirc, the problem with the 800's is that the clearances and weight? might be issues for the modern per way?

[Southern Yard]

Yes that was an issue 60 years ago but is it still an issue in 2013?

 

It weighs over 80 ton and axle load of 21 tons you'd imagine route availability shouldn't be too restricted.

[Railer]

Yes that was an issue 60 years ago but is it still an issue in 2013?

 

It weighs over 80 ton and axle load of 21 tons you'd imagine route availability shouldn't be too restricted.

 

As far as I can recall the max permitted axle load anywhere on IE today is 20.6 tons. A fully fueled 201 is ~ 18 tons. Some investment in higher grade CWR track would be needed or the perway lads would be on constant over time.

[snapper]

As far as I can recall the max permitted axle load anywhere on IE today is 20.6 tons. A fully fueled 201 is ~ 18 tons. Some investment in higher grade CWR track would be needed or the perway lads would be on constant over time.

 

 

3.3.2.2 Weight Limits

The maximum axle load permissible on the IÉ network is 18.8 tonnes.

..

[Railer]

3.3.2.2 Weight Limits

The maximum axle load permissible on the IÉ network is 18.8 tonnes.

..

 

That doesn't leave much wiggle room for a 201 does it. It's like IE's policy on speed limits. The highest limit on the northern line is 90mph even on the long straights because that's all IE will rate the DD stock at even though they have been higher in testing. The Cork line's highest limit of 100mph because that's the top speed IE rated the 201s and Mk3s at even though they are well able to go faster. Don't know what the highest limit on the Cork main line was when the fastest trains were the 071s hauling Mk3s.

[Southern Yard]

I wonder are these axle loading restrictions due to just being IE policy or actually based on limitations of railway infrastructure. You'd hope after all the investment in recent years that things might have changed. How did the 800 class manage all these years ago on jointed track?

 

Any ideas as to the cost of rebuilding 800?

[BosKonay]

US museums quote between 1.5-3 million dollars to restore a large steam loco to an operational state with as much as 1 million to even just prepare one cosmetically for static display.