Gort Station

[Noel]

Really enjoying these early IRM CIE era A class locos.

CIE A46 arrives from Tuam circa 1960 hauling pickup goods working

 

Mixed traffic departs on return to Athenry. 6 wheel HLV being repositioned for the evening return to Limerick.

 

A46 heads out into the country side

[Noel]

Finally getting closer to matching the photo that triggered this layout, from Jonathan & Barrys book

[Patrick Davey]

Superb Noel 

[Noel]

By dawns early light shortly after an early morning shower as the sun rises in the east and Athenry direction.

Still a little damp after the early morning shower. Trees next methinks

 

[the Bandon tank]

That last shot is fantastic.

[David Holman]

Straight out of the Beaumont/Carse album!

[Noel]

First tree has constructed and arrived. Disguise joint in back scenes. Needs tweaking. Used a variety of materials. Lots more trees to do. Will experiment with materials.  The structure here is seafoam covered with scatter for leaves.

Edited May 5, 2022 by Noel

[2996 Victor]

Not sure whether this will bo of interest, plus it's to O Scale although the technique should be readily adaptable to other scales, but Chaz H's "Athena" layout on NGRM-Online has some wonderful scenic work including trees, which starts here.

Chaz's other layout, the Furness Valley Railroad, also has fantastic scenic work and is well worth a look.

Cheers,

Mark

[Noel]

Tree reduced in size and shape a little. This seafoam stuff is so workable. 

Looks less like they belong in the Rockies. Placed to disguise the bach scene joint

A couple down the Ennis end. So much more to learn so much more to do.

[2996 Victor]

Love the little grey Fergie in the field! Great modelling, Noel, the trees are certainly looking good. Apologies if you're already planning on this, but have you considered another wall or hedge where the rear of the scenery meets the backscene?

Cheers,
Mark

[Noel]

1 hour ago, 2996 Victor said:

Love the little grey Fergie in the field! Great modelling, Noel, the trees are certainly looking good. Apologies if you're already planning on this, but have you considered another wall or hedge where the rear of the scenery meets the backscene?

Cheers,
Mark

Cheers. Trying for infinity effect on the lower fields blending into the back scene (Athenry end). There will be a chain link fence to timber yard on the Ennis end of the baseboard and a hedgerow

[Noel]

Making trees is kind of addictive. Mix of plastic armatures augmented by seafoam fine branches and leaf material scattered on top after hair spray type glue. A light spray of brown before applying leaves gets right of any bright spots on the branches. Lots more to try more to learn, but its enjoyable. The risk is of overdoing it with too many trees

After scattering leaf material onto armature branches augmented by seafoam extensions

Sprayed with hairspray type of glue prior to sprinkling leaf material on

Seafoam branch extensions added to Woodland scenics plastic tree armatures. This could almost pass for a winter tree.

[2996 Victor]

1 minute ago, Noel said:

Making trees is kind of addictive. Mix of plastic armatures augmented by seafoam fine branches and leaf material scattered on top after hair spray type glue. A light spray of brown before applying leaves gets right of any bright spots on the branches. Lots more to try more to learn, but its enjoyable. The risk is of overdoing it with too many trees

After scattering leaf material onto armature branches augmented by seafoam extensions

Sprayed with hairspray type of glue prior to sprinkling leaf material on

Seafoam branch extensions added to Woodland scenics plastic tree armatures. This could almost pass for a winter tree.

Very effective! More, please!

Cheers,
Mark

[Noel]

2 hours ago, 2996 Victor said:

More, please!

Right so Ted! Pleased with the latest tree (centre of photo). Mix of Seafoam structure augmenting plastic tree armature, sprinkled with scatter to look like leaves. A little finer and less clumpy than clump foliage. This is addictive.

[Noel]

Looking back.

Before putting cake in the oven

After a few hours on gas mark 6

[ttc0169]

Superb and a credit to you @Noel

[meathdane]

Absolutely fabulous! Love every update, it's an inspiration to follow and watch grow. Thanks Noel!

[Noel]

Its been a while. 16:40 has just departed for Athenry.

Bedford livestock truck in yard awaits unloading of cattle pens

A green livery A class is a rare sight on this line between Limerick and Sligo especially as late as 1968.

B188 ready to shunt the goods loop out onto the main line loop to join the formation shortly to arrive from Athenry bound for Ennis. JM Design CIE brake van in foreground.

As we approach winter its time to get back into the model trains

 

[Noel]

Afternoon 16:20 Goods departs for Athenry 

A short formation today, two wagons will end up in Galway, cattle wagon bound up to Tuam. Gort yard in the background.

Overhead view of the goods yard. Cattle in the dock ready for loading into the single wagon bound eventually for Waterford quay via Limerick after overnight watering and feed.

Passenger platform, only used twice a day as Gort is primarily a goods station.

[Rob]

Looks very well- very impressive detail all round

[Patrick Davey]

Just fantastic Noel, love this layout!

Will you be planning on exhibiting Gort Noel?

[Noel]

9 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

Just fantastic Noel, love this layout!

Will you be planning on exhibiting Gort Noel?

Thank you Patrick. No I hadn't considered exhibiting, I don't go to exhibitions myself.  Health makes attending a show for two days difficult, but I might manage an outing next year to the big Wexford exhibition, as a few WMRC pals there have kindly offered to man and operate the layout.

[LARNE CABIN]

It would be great to see Gort at an exhibition, Noel. I hope you and your WMRC pals manage to get to the Wexford exhibition. Gort has long been an inspiration to me and I'm sure to many others. I just love to see a real location being modelled. Keep safe and well.

[Noel]

Thank you for encouraging comments. A few more photos of play time on Gort today.

Looking towards the yard end from Athenry direction towards ennis. Passenger coaches left in the passing loop while loco out of sight in the head shunt is manoeuvring goods wagons for the yard.

14:10 Limerick to Claremorris pick up goods passing Gort after picking up a sole grey H-Van at the rear. She'll pick up a few more wagons at Athenry before heading north through Tuam and onto Claremorris.

Cattle wagons each side of the cattle dock ready for loading or unloading

Provincial Wagons - CIE Cattle wagon about to be loaded with two bullocks bound for Moate mart later in the day.

Gort shed with the Morning H-Van that arrived from Galway. Will be processed throughout the morning and contents distributed to the towns merchants and retail stores including Coen's hardware and builders merchants.

A passenger on the platform awaits the return of the loco to couple up to the two coaches before taking the train to Athlone to collect a new bicycle which will return in the HLV of a later train. Its early spring so the bedding plants on the station platform beds have not yet come into flower.

[Noel]

Christmas came early today as Silverfox coaches arrived on Gort. A silver tin van and some laminate CIE coaches.

Athenry to Limerick passes the Limerick to Westport train in the loop.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Noel

[Noel]

Busy morning between Athenry and Ennis as two trains pass at Gort. Rare for two passenger trains to pass, this line was mainly goods traffic.

Plenty of wagons in the yard this morning.

[Noel]

Some behind the scenes earlier todays play time. Rare sight two passenger trains passing on what then was essentially a goods traffic line.

Busy yard and cattle dock

Another view of Cattle dock

View through the goods shed, one wagon in there.

Loving this project.

[Rob]

It really looks great- very professional indeed!!!

[David Holman]

Nice new viewing angles - very much like from the footbridge

[Noel]

Model Craven standing at Gort Platform 2 after passengers added to reupholstered coach with lighting added.

Later that evening 

Lady in Red seems in a hurry to find the right seat

[Noel]

Inexpensive passengers in packs of 100 from china cost about €4. Snip the legs off with a wire cutters and glue to the seats. Led coach Lights are triggered by motion and stay on for 5mins after no motion.

[Noel]

It was not uncommon on Irish Branch lines to see mixed passenger and goods formations, often unfitted  loose couple 2 axles wagons tagged onto the end of one or two passenger coaches with a brake van for safety.

New Silverfox tin van with its Kadee couplings, as of yet unweathered. 15:42 about to depart for Athenry.

09:45 arrived from Ennis standing at platform 2 waiting to be passed by the 09:48 due inbound from Athenry.

[Patrick Davey]

Fabulous atmospheric scenes - the passengers in the Cravens look very realistic!!  Lovely work Noel.

[John-r]

Fantastic layout Noel, the lighting and passengers really make the coach stand out, lovely work.

[Noel]

Enjoyed an operating session yesterday with my good friend Junction Mad (Dave). As I'm about to start making the signals and cosmetic point rodding Dave gave me some great advice on the correct signals needed and how to electrify them using micro servos less that 1/2 inch in size. More work to be done (eg fascia boards for the signal box).

Test ran B165 over electro frog points at speed step 1 & 2.  Had to snip and extra 1mm off some of the point motor actuator shafts to stop them fouling under the baby GM bogie bodies. Pleased with how smooth the MM runs over the point work at crawl speeds without stalling.