Portadown Junction

[Mayner]

1 hour ago, leslie10646 said:

Never mind, David - personally, I thought England played better than all season.

Putting these trains together took me back to the excitement of a "VS" hauled special to Dublin in the very early 1960s, or, indeed with one of the NCC Moguls. Usually ten coaches on each train and only the "All-in" with dining facilities. It always had a kitchen car (rebuild from a M2 full brake, I believe - I could have sneaked one into the train. On one Rugby Saturday, even a very run-down S Class, which had a tough day.

Needless to say, we didn't go to the match - there were J15s on specials to Lansdowne Road, or once TWO S Class working Howth locals and finally, Q Class No.132 on a local to Greystones - they were more important - Ireland would be winning Rugby matches for decades afterwards!

The railway is in "relay" mode, so you'll have to wait for Down going to Croke Park for the GAA Final to get a ten coach load behind these locos.

One of my earliest railway memories is of a large blue steam locomotive with smoke defectors hauling a long passenger train crossing the Viaduct during one of our summertime trips (by car) to the seaside at Gormanstown as a small child during the 1960s.

Imagine my surprise when I years later I discovered that there were large blue steam locos in Ireland and I might have actually seen 207 on the Tourist Train or a special!

[leslie10646]

Hi John

Yes, probably No.207 on the Thursday tourist train if you saw it in summertime.

Happy days.

 

[Galteemore]

And for those of you who, like me, never saw it, this is what we missed. To Dublin ears which had become accustomed to the 2 cylinder exhaust of the WTs by the mid 60s, the occasional appearance of that 3 cylinder beat of Boyne would sound subtly different….images thanks to Ernie. Note in the top photo how Adelaide shed staff, disgusted by the removal of her nameplates, provided a wooden substitute. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Galteemore

[leslie10646]

Don't forget to visit the NDMRC exhibition and see William Redpath's proper model of Portadown.

As usual, I'm in the wrong place!

[Colin_McLeod]

On 3/4/2020 at 6:15 PM, Midland Man said:

Lesslie 

lovely layout 

you say it is exactly like Drew Donaldson whitch is true.The only thing is that all of drew engines were in Cie green as he liked them liked them in that color.In my own mind you should do some scenery as drew engines were class but look better in a scene than on lots of track. To prove it would you want to sea some of his engines in a formation on his layout or on a scene like the Inchicore model up at Cultra but it's you layout not mine and the hobby is meant to be enjoyed.

MM 

I have seen Drew's models, both at Cultra and in the top floor of his house on the Lisburn Road.

Nice and all as the Cultra display is, Drew's models were best seen in operation at his Tuesday night operating sessions.  Sadly those days are now just a memory.

RIP Drew.

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by Colin_McLeod

[Colin_McLeod]

On 16/6/2020 at 5:35 PM, Old Blarney said:

Don't be mentioning Green to him, he's from the North. You know the type, they want orange grass as supplied by a well know seed-merchants in Armagh - William Hannover Boyne, Battlefield Road, Armagh BT16 9O

 

UTA painted all their vehicles green.

CIE opted to go for black and tan.

Just saying lol

 

[leslie10646]

New stock arrives at Portadown (displaced from Greenore via Liverpool). The local traffic superintendent couldn't resist it.

Side view:

 

Quite a weighty coach, with a nice sliding centre axle -we'll see how it likes my rotten trackwork (not just arrears of maintainence, but Jerry built in first place!).

Its sister Full Brake will be given a run on the Christmas Mails on Monday.

Edited December 17, 2022 by leslie10646

[Patrick Davey]

Very nice Leslie!  Looking forward to your videos of them running!

[David Holman]

That looks rather splendid.

[leslie10646]

Christmas Mail Train time again. Sorry to bore you with the same S Class as last year!

No.172 races through Richhill with an extra mail train for Armagh, 19 December 1956.

Had to get this up today in honour of my elder son's 48th birthday today. On this date in 1956, his Dad was eleven!

And a still of the return working crossing the points at The Junction with a very busy yard behind.

My "new" train tomorrow!

[jhb171achill]

Superb, Leslie!

[Galteemore]

Lovely Leslie. Slieve Donard looks fabulous, although is the lamp code correct for a parcels train?  

Edited December 20, 2022 by Galteemore

[leslie10646]

Thanks, Jon and David.

David, although I have a GN Working Appendix and WTT somewhere, I doubt if I ever looked the lamp codes up!

So, having fallen for the wind-up, I wonder what gauge you'd be modelling in to CHANGE the lamps each time depending on the type of train. To say nothing of moving the tail lamp to the front of the loco is you were reversing to the shed!.

One plus of all these DCC-fitted disease-als where it's all done for you!

[Galteemore]

There are 4mm modellers who do change the lamps believe it or not ! Whole thread on RM web about it…https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/174579-acceptable-standards-at-exhibitions/

Edited December 20, 2022 by Galteemore

[Broithe]

18 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

There are 4mm modellers who do change the lamps believe it or not ! Whole thread on RM web about it…https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/174579-acceptable-standards-at-exhibitions/

Someone once told me that, if a layout has more than one public clock on it, a church and a town hall, maybe, then he has to check that they show the same time.

[leslie10646]

As promised my new train, here hauled by the nearest thing I have to a DNGR tank - a GNR Tank. Three Hattons six wheelers. I really wanted the full brake, but thought I might as well have a short train!

[leslie10646]

Now, in motion - arriving at Richhill

They run very well indeed around my 2ft radius curves and even survive being reversed over my pointwork. Looking good for the CIE ones to come!

 

[jhb171achill]

3 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

As promised my new train, here hauled by the nearest thing I have to a DNGR tank - a GNR Tank. Three Hattons six wheelers. I really wanted the full brake, but thought I might as well have a short train!

Superb! They look excellent. And - those GNR tanks did operate on the DNGR once the GNR took on day to day running of it!

[Mayner]

4 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

As promised my new train, here hauled by the nearest thing I have to a DNGR tank - a GNR Tank. Three Hattons six wheelers. I really wanted the full brake, but thought I might as well have a short train!

The Hattons LNWR coaches should stimulate demand for LNWR,DNGR and GNR locos!

Possibly a OO Works Crew Special Tank/DNGR 0-6-0ST though similar in general outline the DNGR loco would require a separate running board/footplate tooling to the Crew Special. The DNGR locos had larger driving wheels and a different running plate profile to the "Crew Special"

There are several photos of GNR JT 2-4-2T on the DNGR.

Richard Hobbs designed 3D printed JT complete with OO chassis has been available for several years www.glr3dmodeldesign.co.uk recommended using plasticard overlays to complete the loco.

Harry Connaughton a professional model maker produced a batch of rtr OO & 21mm GNR JT 2-4-2T (used on the DNGR) during the early 70s which may show up on the second hand market or deceased estate.

 

[Patrick Davey]

Mmmm…… an OO Works DNGR saddle tank sounds very appealing, maybe a little ‘Omeath’ micro layout could follow that……..

[leslie10646]

Camberley on a hot day! The loft needs air-conditioning, but after a bit of tidying wires, I thought I'd try a twenty wagon "Enniskillen Shipper". You see I've been automating distant points on the railway on cool days, and on the hot ones I've been putting weight in my cattle wagons DOWNSTAIRS.

Hence, by the way, the empty turntable roads, drill and other WofMD. This snip is No..149 (00 Works) bringing 20 PW cattle wagons plus my GNR Brake (a masterpiece by young Nelson) over the recently motorised crossover and into the Goods Loop at The Junction. She'd just done a full circuit with this load - just over a scale mile and I was offering Burnt Offerings in True Old Testament style. Getting there at last!

The clever ones among you will realise that The Shipper never entered this loop but ran straight through on its way to Maysfield.

 

 

 

 

 

[leslie10646]

Christmas time, so time to run the Christmas Postal extras. My bogie vans are packed away (somewhere), so this year's train is a very made-up job.

WT No.10 on a train of four and six wheelers - Brown Van (would never have seen Portadown), DNGR (really LNWR) full brake, Great Northern six wheel full brake (wrong GN, of course), a CIE Green full brake (just about legitimate) and a PW GNR(I) Y5 van (TOTALLY legitimate!).

I LOVE tail vans.

[leslie10646]

And now with motion (and a sort of music!)! A rather electric start, but a WT with 100 tons would have FLOWN!

I'd forgotten that the GN(E) van had lights!

If I'm honest, I was afraid that the loco would stall on my track which hasn't been cleaned. Let's hope that the CMX rail cleaner really works!

 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2024 by leslie10646

[Galteemore]

Fab Leslie - was hoping for a parcels train from you! Love that little W1 van. Your efforts last year inspired me to run my own GN parcels this year  

[David Holman]

What is it about parcels trains? Probably the variety of stock - length, 4/6/8 wheels, varying heights and profiles too. Either way, love 'em all.

[Galteemore]

15 minutes ago, David Holman said:

What is it about parcels trains? Probably the variety of stock - length, 4/6/8 wheels, varying heights and profiles too. Either way, love 'em all.

Know what you mean David! For me it’s also the mystery of what’s inside….shades of Auden…

 

.Letters of thanks, letters from banks,
Letters of joy from girl and boy,
Receipted bills and invitations
To inspect new stock or to visit relations,
And applications for situations,
And timid lovers' declarations,
And gossip, gossip from all the nations,
News circumstantial, news financial,
Letters with holiday snaps to enlarge in,
Letters with faces scrawled on the margin,
Letters from uncles, cousins, and aunts,
Letters to Scotland from the South of France,
Letters of condolence to Highlands and Lowlands
Written on paper of every hue,
The pink, the violet, the white and the blue,
The chatty, the catty, the boring, the adoring,
The cold and official and the heart's outpouring,
Clever, stupid, short and long,
The typed and the printed and the spelt all wrong.

and that’s only the letters - haven’t got to the parcels yet! 

[leslie10646]

Yes, mail / parcels trains are great - you can stick almost anything into the consist. The "Big Four" rand twelve bogies with a crack express engine.

In 1965, the NCC had a daily extra mail train to Derry which typically consisted of a passenger coach, a bogie van and two brown vans. One of them reputedly did 86 mph down the hill into Antrim, so I went out to see:

My Journey precis for the day said:

"1145 Postal Special. These trains had been rumoured to be real flyers, Train of one bogie, a bogie van and two brown vans. 25 min on Bank, then tsr and wrong line working, so nothing to write home  about".

PS David, love those vans at Enniskillen.

Happy Christmas, all.

[David Holman]

My favourites were the 'Stock' trains of the former Great Eastern section, where even in BR days, there would be a mixture of bogie and four wheel parcels stock, fitted vans, fish vans and milk tankers, often with a B17 at the front. Lovely!

[leslie10646]

Back in the 1960s, one of the most-photographed trains was the "Red Bank Parcels" - I'm amazed to find that my memory was right as it's described here - worth a read!

http://www.hall-royd-junction.co.uk/Hall_Royd_Trains/Red_Bank_parcels.html

[leslie10646]

Boxing Day, I ran the weedkilling train - aka my new CMX rail cleaner (which was recommended by @WRENNEIRE).

Endless circuits - I have double track, loops galore. They all had three passes at least. Great fun changing pads, pouring IPA into the tank thing.

Paint drying wasn't in it for entertainment!

They  recommend a hefty loco, preferably two, to haul / push this one wagon train (the CMX weighs the same as a diesel loco). I used a Crossley-engined A Class which ground its way round without a hitch.

I took a video, but the movie shot on my iPhone wouldn't load on my Mac Air - explain that!

Today, I decided that before testing the track I'd have a session of wheel cleaning of my steam locos  - you know the drill?

Cotton bud soaked in Iso Propyl, gentle rubbbing of the tyres on the wheels. onto the track to turn the wheels a little. New cotton bud, repeat process a few times until you think the wheels MIGHT be clean.

THEN ..... see if the recalcitrant loco will take off on your newly cleaned track and do a circuit.

Three did, but the brass S Class shorted out the system - needless to say at the other end of the 21ft long layout, so I had to make my way along to rescue it, ducking under the roof supports. Look at the first page of this thread to see my loft!!!

I've changed my mind - IRM MAY do a S Class - I'll stick the brass ones in a siding!

Beats watching the awful Christmas TV.

Edited December 27, 2024 by leslie10646

[David Holman]

Amen to all that, Leslie - especially the last sentence! 

Re wheel cleaning, I use either a couple of crocodile leads from my old H&M Clipper, or an old wall plug transformer (checking it is no more than 12v DC, of course).

 Have the loco suitably cradled, upside down and apply the wires to the wheels with one hand and the cotton buds with IPA to the other. The Peco wheel cleaner does the same, but find that separate wires enable checking for poor pick up contact on individual wheels - important on kit built locos.

 Been away this Christmas, so limited to drawing out coach and wagon sides on plastic sheet for future assembly. It will be good to get back in the workshop!

[Galteemore]

Sounds like fun Leslie! Be interested to know what’s causing the S to short. One of the joys of building brass kits…..

[Tullygrainey]

To turn the wheels a little at a time for cleaning or painting behind the rods, the terminals of a PP3 battery applied across the wheels on one axle works a treat. For 4mm that is. Not much use for you 7mm lads!

[Galteemore]

5 minutes ago, Tullygrainey said:

To turn the wheels a little at a time for cleaning or painting behind the rods, the terminals of a PP3 battery applied across the wheels on one axle works a treat. For 4mm that is. Not much use for you 7mm lads!

[Tullygrainey]

11 hours ago, leslie10646 said:

Boxing Day, I ran the weedkilling train - aka my new CMX rail cleaner (which was recommended by @WRENNEIRE).

Endless circuits - I have double track, loops galore. They all had three passes at least. Great fun changing pads, pouring IPA into the tank thing.

Paint drying wasn't in it for entertainment!

They  recommend a hefty loco, preferably two, to haul / push this one wagon train (the CMX weighs the same as a diesel loco). I used a Crossley-engined A Class which ground its way round without a hitch.

I took a video, but the movie shot on my iPhone wouldn't load on my Mac Air - explain that!

Today, I decided that before testing the track I'd have a session of wheel cleaning of my steam locos  - you know the drill?

Cotton bud soaked in Iso Propyl, gentle rubbbing of the tyres on the wheels. onto the track to turn the wheels a little. New cotton bud, repeat process a few times until you think the wheels MIGHT be clean.

THEN ..... see if the recalcitrant loco will take off on your newly cleaned track and do a circuit.

Three did, but the brass S Class shorted out the system - needless to say at the other end of the 21ft long layout, so I had to make my way along to rescue it, ducking under the roof supports. Look at the first page of this thread to see my loft!!!

I've changed my mind - IRM MAY do a S Class - I'll stick the brass ones in a siding!

Beats watching the awful Christmas TV.

Leslie, if it’s the kit-built loco in your photo that’s causing the short, I would check if a brake shoe is touching a wheel somewhere. Easy to disturb these while cleaning wheels.