Malahide engines

[Midland Man]

First of all this is not about FRYS engines. This is about the engines on the OO gauge track and the over head gauge track. 

The problim is how long will they last after all no engine can last forever so I have looked at other models and how they make work and last so well.

My example is Pendale model railway whitch is one of the best models in the world. On there layout all there engines are hand built with a sur gearbox whitch means it does not need the same amounts of electricity as a Hornby tender. Each is run constantly for several months before being given a service. Meanwhile at malahide it seems that there is two engines being rain 7 days a week 52 weeks a year without any service of such. Over time the engine will begin to become faulty and soon becoming useless. I have seen it a steadfast steam museum where with no service all the engines except one have became faulty with a pocket rocket being the soal survivor. Another problem will be the track cleaning. If the track is not cleaned it will be impossible to work engines and will become useless. I do not know duly on this but if they have some track cleaning they will fine. On this form someone said that this form that the O gauge engines on the engines are not in good nic and are in very poor condition. This was probally the reason they did not build a o gauge American style layout but to build a overhea track soulds stupid the is probaly no track cleaner am the maintenance new for the engines daily will be not given so there was an is no point on doing it. In my mind I really do believe the the engines of the castle layout deserve a place where they can be loved an admired like the Fry colection. Hope you all like 

MM

[murrayec]

@Midland Man

Yes there are plenty of issues regarding good running on the museum OO layout, as you say Pendon Model Railway is probably the best example as how to do things, they have over 30 years experience running the system and should have been an example for Malahide museum design team. They had difficulties in the early days and by experience over many years of trial n error they developed a system that's now pretty successful.

Some of the guys that set up the models for Pendon spent a lot of time testing, designing specific low ratio gearboxes- as you mentioned, types of couplers, wheels, motors and the rest to achieve long running of the models with the minimum servicing- although the museum is only open to the public for 4 days of the week the remainder is for maintenance and modelling courses. Guy Williams was one of the model builders and his book 'Model Locomotive Construction In 4mm Scale' should be on everyone reference shelf!

Yes the overhead track is silly......

I do agree with you and also believe that the engines, stock and Items from the Castle layout should be displayed and run, they are part of our railway model history, they are items that people long remember and still talk about. I know many of the chaps that built these and in my discussions with them I see their disappointment and bewilderment that their model may never been seen again.

Its really unfortunate that a Gauge O layout was not seriously considered for the Malahide museum , it's bad form on the part of the Council, the design team and the consultants, I wonder what Mr Gaffney would think now after leaving his money to restore the Castle Layout......

Eoin

 

[Midland Man]

It looks like they spent a prity penny on getting people to work there. It would be a lot better if it was voluntary like clonicility.

[Mayner]

Jeremy Clements wrote about his experiences in maintaining the locos and stock on the O Gauge Malahide Castle layout in the May 2011 edition of New Irish Lines  https://www.dropbox.com/s/4xsw7iaya1qchkr/New Irish Lines - Vol. 6 No. 1 - 2011 May.pdf.

It will be interesting to see how contemporary rtr locos and stock perform in similar conditions. The major risk is that replacements for parts that wear out like pick ups, transmission parts, motors and wheel sets are unlikely to be available once the manufacturers stock of spares from the initial production run sells out.