Omagh GNRi station

[leslie10646]

Kirley, amazing looking layout and models. The thing is, the more wagons you have, the better they look. Thanks for letting me view. Will this layout be at Bangor? Which paints did you use to finish?

 

I must set up a photo of twenty behind a 0-6-0 (and van).

 

My Man (aka Michael) used Halfords grey primer, if my memory serves.

 

Kieran's cattle dock scene makes the whole aggro of producing kits worthwhile - note the open door!

 

Leslie

[Kirley]

Will this layout be at Bangor? Which paints did you use to finish?

 

Kirley Junction will be in Bangor but not at the Exhibition, it's permanently fixed in my layout shed.

 

As Leslie has commented it's Halford's grey primer and a bit of weathering. I see Leslie has promised (yet again)to show some pictures of his layout stock, fingers crossed this time!

[GNRi1959]

Yesterday Omagh North took a backward step, though for the better! I have repositioned my DPDT switches from the baseboard top to the edge of the framing out of sight. I filled the opening with a very neatly fitted piece of ply. This also means that I can erect a proper background, if I ever go public.

 

During the process I decided that the wiring, which looked a terrible, should be stripped and a fresh start made. This time I want to route the cases along the inside edges of the baseboard frame before exiting at the front panel. The rewiring will be thoughtful and involve labelling everything for future movement. A box of cable clips will contribute to the tidy up. All areas under paintwork and track work will be left cable free for possible electronic point controls in future.

 

Question:

 

If I have fixed track work to a 3mm cork roll underlay, can my Peco platform edging strips be fixed to the cork also or do I need to fix to plywood baseboard level to maintain true scale heights?

[GNRi1959]

Leslie, heres one of your Inglis bread container in the siding at Omagh General Station.

 

Edited February 11, 2017 by TonyMcGartland

[Dhu Varren]

Leslie, heres one of your Inglis bread container in the siding at Omagh General Station.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]26811[/ATTACH]

 

Nice picture of the south end of the station, with the engine shed in the background.

 

Also nice to see a couple of ex NCC vans in the line up. Third and fifth vans from the left.

[Dhu Varren]

Question:

 

If I have fixed track work to a 3mm cork roll underlay, can my Peco platform edging strips be fixed to the cork also or do I need to fix to plywood baseboard level to maintain true scale heights?

 

The Peco platform edges need to be mounted at the same level that the track is. So whatever surface the track is on, the bottom of the edges need to be at the same height.

[Mayner]

Leslie, heres one of your Inglis bread container in the siding at Omagh General Station.

 

 

Nice photo the loco shed looks like its lost half its roof at this stage. Do you recall if there a storm or tornado struck Omagh at some stage in the 1950s. Its odd the goods shed and the engine shed loosing their roof between 1954 and the early 1960s.

 

Tony have you a better shot of the railcar set, it almost looks like a BUT 701 class car sandwitched between an L12 brake end coach (possibly as driving trailer) and a 6 wheel van

[Dhu Varren]

Tony have you a better shot of the railcar set, it almost looks like a BUT 701 class car sandwitched between an L12 brake end coach (possibly as driving trailer) and a 6 wheel van

 

Definitely not a BUT 701 class car. The doors are in the wrong place for a 700, and it looks like there is a guards compartment at the rear. This would make it an AEC 600 class.

[GNRi1959]

Tony have you a better shot of the railcar set, it almost looks like a BUT 701 class car sandwitched between an L12 brake end coach (possibly as driving trailer) and a 6 wheel van

 

Sorry, I don't

[GNRi1959]

Omagh North had a total re-wiring over the past few days. All cables were re-routed around the baseboard edges under bell-wire clips and away from paintwork. I am seriously considering the Megatracks point system that controls up to 12 points from one board. Tomorrow I have to make one final linking of cables to new front panel mounted board and I can start of the platforms.

Edited February 15, 2017 by TonyMcGartland

[jhb171achill]

Omaha North had a total re-wiring ........................

 

 

.....on the Union Pacific?

 

Sorry!!! Couldn't resist it...........!

[Dave]

Omaha North had a total re-wiring over the past few days. All cables were re-routed around the baseboard edges under bell-wire clips and away from paintwork. I am seriously considering the Megatracks point system that controls up to 12 points from one board. Tomorrow I have to make one final linking of cables to new front panel mounted board and I can start of the platforms.

 

Hi Tony,

 

Have a look at my YouTube channel, I have some videos on the MegaPoints system. I'm the agent for Ireland and have them in stock as well as custom made cables and mounting brackets.

[GNRi1959]

.....on the Union Pacific?

 

Sorry!!! Couldn't resist it...........!

 

You're too sharp boy!

[GNRi1959]

Today the rewiring came to an end with all cables, terminating in small 'spade connectors' (that I soldered myself!) were labelled and connected up through the new switch panel on the front of the baseboard edge. I'm still trying to find six small screws to fix the DPDT slide switches to the perspex panel, probably need to use self tappers of tiny countersunk screws and bolts.

 

The first of the platform ends were laid using Peco platform edging, faced with Wills course stone and paved on top with Wills paving. It looks really good and starting to look like a station. The track runs well and I'll have to start replacing any missing sleepers that were cut during the track laying process.

 

It is coming together slowly and I am really enjoying the time I work on it.

[The Derry Road]

Tony no problem, I do have some if your require at a later date, TDR

 

[GNRi1959]

You are too kind, thank you for your generosity.

[GNRi1959]

I'm working on the rear end of the Goods Yard shed at the moment. I am only modelling this to give me a scenic break and give engines a purpose to stop. Its quite nice looking because I am cutting large door openings in the Wills Course stone and laying brick arches above the curves openings. Its quite effective. The goods yard building is built against a huge retaining course stone wall and I have taken the liberty to add a two extra openings to the wall to 'lift' its appearance, as it is bland. It seems to have worked. These small openings above roof level were built up with red brick so they are purely cosmetic.

 

Everything is just sitting loose at moment held together with masking tape until I am certain that it works. I've still got two openings to cut for wagons etc and then I'm ready to assemble.

 

[GNRi1959]

More progress today at Omagh North as the build and detailing continues at the rear of the Goods Yard shed.

 

[Kirley]

Excellent work Tony, Wills sheets are not the easiest to work with but I found any gaps can be filled with DAS clay and when dry can be scribed to match the adjoining stone work before painting.

[GNRi1959]

 

I concealed the joints in the model when I made major changes to suit the track and increased the openings slightly. I added the Wills corner quoins which help lift the stone.

Edited February 24, 2017 by TonyMcGartland

[Dunluce Castle]

Very impressive structure with lots of interesting geometries

[GNRi1959]

Thank you Nelson. I studied pictures of the shed and was round looking at what's left of it today. I'm quite pleased even though I've taken a few liberties to suit my board size and track.

[Mayner]

Omagh goods shed is what the Americans call a signature structure that immediately identifies the model as Omagh

 

One thing that intrigues me is the disappearance of the high cathedral like gable end of the shed between Niel Spinks photo from 1954 & later photos.

 

Omagh North 1954 LQG shunting morning goods from Enniskillen photo © Niel Spinks

[GNRi1959]

John, this was lowered after much storm damage. The same storm took the roof off the Engine Shed at the turntable.

[GNRi1959]

Also, today in conversation with ex-GNRi carpenter I was told that my grandfather has a Permanent Way hut next to the 'convent siding' on Omagh North. The carpenter called Billy Caldwell said he had a Carpenters store next to it, both huts he said were build from upright sleepers. Later, he set up a small workshop under the water tower. Incidentally, the water tower remained right up to the mid 1980s.

[jhb171achill]

Tony, this is fascinating information. People who knew this working environment intimately, and still have the recall to describe it accurately and in detail like that are getting fewer and further between.

 

Did you tip Selwyn off about this man?

 

I'm sure you've done this, but I would say generally, that if any of us know people who remember the old days on the railway, when they carried all sorts of goods (and "passengers" instead of "customers"!), we should get out there and record them.

 

Such work practices ceased entirely on all lines in the mid 1970s; that's forty years ago. In Omagh, they were by then gone by a further ten years.

[GNRi1959]

Omagh North Progress - Some life is coming into the layout though not until my 1950s Bachmann staff arrive! I've finished the platforms, added a little detail (wall and fencing) and the name board awaits the Slaters Alphabet - bought today on eBay for £2.99 - bargain. I have yet to do a final paint of the stonework on the goods yard shed, lighten the colours and bring out the detail.

 

 

 

At the other end, the card mock up of the bridge looks good and this will be fashioned out of Wills rough stone, I have the plate girder bridge panels, ready to go. The rolling stock is all rubbish that I have lying around and a new Christmas pressies loco that I use to test the track. I have yet not got round to automating my point work or even thinking of ballast.

 

[Kirley]

Good progress Tony

[Noel]

That's coming together really nicely Tony. Your rate of progress is impressive. It seems only a few weeks ago you first posted about track plans. Noel

[Mayner]

Very nice Tony the goods shed and over-bridge nicely frame the layout like something out of one of an Iain Rice railway planning book.

[GNRi1959]

Thanks everyone. Tonight I'm calling on the home of Joe McGrew who was a boy porter with the GNRi at Omagh and progressed to shunter. We'll be talking about everything that was happening in Omagh and his daily duties as a shunter. I'll report back during the week.

[Glover]

One subject you might raise with Mr McGrew Tony, is the bread container traffic.

This was an interesting part of GNR operations ( and on the NCC section too, I believe).

Does he have any particular memories of this traffic, including the bakeries which served Omagh?

 

Very many thanks,

 

Glover

[GNRi1959]

Glover, that is certainly one of my questions because I have photographs of Brewster/Stevensons and Inglis containers all in Omagh and not forgetting the Provincial Wagons fleet!

[GNRi1959]

Scratchbuild lineside huts in Omagh. The Permanent Way store, the Carpenters store and a Nissan hut that stored all sorts. Worked from photographs in collection.

 

[enniscorthyman]

Very nice.