Tag Archives: railway modelling

September 28, 2009 · 4:18 AM

Editorial: May 2009

Alan O’Rourke

It is now ten years since I took over the post of editor of New Irish Lines, and I am rather aware that my little musings are usually of a retrospective nature, so it may be rather refreshing to have a future orientated editorial for a change. In short, the newsletter is joining the twenty-first century, maybe just a few years late, by going on-line. For some years, we have had a web-presence courtesy of Allen Worsley and Stephen Johnson, and these have brought many enquiries and quite a few confirmed subscriptions over the years. However, we now have our very own website, the url for which will appear on the cover from now on: https://newirishlines.org/

Most of the November 2008 issue is now up. I am very grateful to our member Patrick Conboy, who is the author of our web-pages and has spent a great deal of his time over the last few months developing the site. Please pay it a visit, look around and leave comments. As you will see, we have several add-on features, such as the chance to leave comments on specific articles and to start discussion threads.

However, to allay any fears, this does not mean that we are abandoning the printed version of the newsletter. While not wishing to create a two tier system of membership, there simply are some things that can be done on-line and which are impossible to achieve in a paper-based journal which only comes out every six-months, such as up to date press releases and notices of exhibitions. You may also note the option for paying by PayPal, which I hope to have running soon, which may solve the problem of paying in currencies other than Sterling or Euros. For this year, we will run the website along side the paper version. I will send on Patrick the text from this issue: please let me know if any of you who have kindly contributed material for this issue object to your work going on the website, and from now on, unless other wise informed, I will assume that all contributions can duly go on our website.  Just to be sure, I did check with all our authors for November 2008 before forwarding the material to Patrick! Also, in case anyone worries that we have broken the bank going on-line, the cost of registering the domain is less than £20 per annum, and not much more that the telephone expense of running the newsletter, in answering enquiries and chasing up articles.

However, as any of you who look at our annual balance sheet which appears in the November issue will know, some 90% of all the newsletter’s expenses go on just two items: postage and printing. The University Print Unit here in Sheffield has proved very competitive over the years and the cost of each issue has proved very stable. But, post is quite another matter: despite all the claims that the British economy is now entering a period of deflation, the Post Office has just increased most of its charges by about 8%. The revised subscription rates do allow us some leeway, but another substantial increase will probably require another rise in subscriptions to balance the books. But, since the main costs of the newsletter are on printing and stamps, if we move to a state where some members choose to download the newsletter from the website, we could offer a much lower subscription rate to such folk. This is not favouritism: it just recognises that we have by-passed the post-man and shifted the cost of printing to the subscriber. The other overheads for the newsletter are very modest. You will note that the website is not pass-word protected. Patrick and I discussed this, and we felt that using passwords might be un-necessarily complex; they can get shared and abused anyway. Moreover, I would like the website to be open to all, including the casual browser who may or may not want to become a regular subscriber. Again, since if at all possible I send enquirers a complementary specimen back number, access to an on-line copy will actually save me work and the newsletter postage. We do hope that most subscribers will be willing to make a small payment, either by the current means or via PayPal, to offset the annual fee for the web site and the other modest overhead for the newsletter.

So, for 2009 we will run paper and website along side. Please visit the website, explore and send comments to me or to Patrick at newirishlines@gmail.com. From 2010 onwards,we may be in a positon to offer alternative paper and web-based subscriptions, but rest assured that there are no plans to discontiue the “hard copy” for all members who prefer to continue to receive New Irish Lines in that format.

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September 28, 2009 · 4:00 AM

A Pair of CDR ‘Twins’

Paul Titmuss

 

The twins: the van on the left is from Ninelines, that on the right (and next to the loco in the next photograph) is the Alphagraphix/Inscalemodels combination

The "twins:" the van on the left is from Ninelines, that on the right (and next to the loco in the next photograph) is the Alphagraphix/Inscalemodels combination

Maybe surprisingly there are two kits available for the County Donegal Railways 1893 Oldbury vans in 4mm scale. One is the ‘heritage’ plastic kit by Ninelines, introduced around 1989, the other a card kit by Alphagraphix from around 2002. I’d built the Ninelines kit many years ago when I had first started in 00n3. Very straightforward as you would expect and it is a shame that with the demise of Ninelines it may no longer be available. I was fortunate to acquire the card kit for this van as I wanted to use it for the Inscalemodels brass chassis kit designed for this van (and as a replacement for the basic Ninelines chassis).Care is needed in cutting out the parts for the card kit. I find the corners of the framing the most challenging. I followed the instructions provided. In 4mm scale I would not advise any backing of the timber framing with scrap card, everything seems to fit well without. The painting of the card edge can also be tricky. I used Humbrol enamel paint, applied along the edge, from the back, with a fine brush. It would be helpful to have a suggestion of suitable paint colour to use in the instructions as I’m very poor at colour mixing. With a range of greys in front of me I eventually opted for Humbrol Slate Grey, No 31, which seems a near match for this kit. Other kits will vary.

I’d already soldered together the frames, etc provided by Inscalemodels. They needed shortening a little at each end to fit the van body. I backed them with balsa wood so that they could be stuck to the mount board that formed the floor of the van. The masters of brass out there would do a more professional job I’m sure. I finished the chassis using 10.5mm diameter wheels from Alan Gibson. The roof is made from corrugated plastic-card glued to a balsa former and is removable. The vacuum pipes were completed with brass wire, wrapped around with iron wire for the hose, acceptable at a glance. A brass pin soldered to the pipe fits through a hole drilled into the end of the van and, glued from the inside, will hopefully hold the pipe in place without causing damage to the card if it gets knocked.

Shunting at Lispole... now how did two CDR vans get this far?

Shunting at Lispole... now how did two CDR vans get this far?

Close-up of the Alphagraphix kit

Close-up of the Alphagraphix kit

The Alphagraphix card kit takes much longer to produce and I’ll let the reader judge whether it’s been worthwhile! I find building three card kits a year is enough, though there is something addictive about them and they definitely should not be discounted. I’m currently building the CDR bogie wagon by Alphagraphix, and there is that wonderful combination of a card kit with soldering to tax one’s skills!

[Paul also tells me that his  Annascaul, Lispole and T & DR web sites have gone down with the expiry of his freeserve web address. The preamble from Freeserve said this would not happen, but then it became Wanadoo, and then Orange so he assumes that the rules have changed. At some point in the future he hopes to resurrect them, in a superior format.  Ed]

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September 28, 2009 · 3:24 AM

Some Irish Conversions

Denis Grimshaw

 

Whilst these models are not built to fine-scale standards, and certainly not to a professional level, they do reasonably represent the classes modelled. In any case, using 00-gauge track at in 4mm scale gives much larger discrepancies than slightly inaccurate driving wheel diameters or axle spacing. The WT-class 2-6-4Ts Nos. 4 and 57 are Hornby Stanier locos, modified with Comet tank and cab sides, the bunker rebuilt in plasticard, outside steam pipes and a top feed. Painting is in post-war NCC style, rather than UTA (albeit incorrect for 57: I must get round to renumbering this engine to the 1-10 series). The VS 4-4-0 is a Hornby Schools, with a new brass sheet cab and other modifications in plasticard. The GNR SG3 0-6-0 is a Mainline LMS Class 4 with a new brass sheet cab and firebox, and other alterations (particularly the tender) in plasticard. It needs a new dome with a rounder top. The GSR B1a 4-6-0 is a Mainline Royal Scot, with modifications in plasticard, and repositioning the dome. All are hand-painted – some better than others! As my main interest is in operation rather than precise modelling, they give an adequate effect at relatively minimal effort! Whilst most of my models are NCC (with a layout based on Coleraine and Portrush) some poetic license has allowed other railway’s trains to occasionally visit! Scenery will hopefully be improved once I retire and have a bit more time at home.

GSR B1a Macha

GSR B1a 'Macha'

GNR(I) VS class No. 210

GNR(I) VS class No. 210

GNR(I) SG3

GNR(I) SG3

NCC Jeep

NCC Jeep

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September 28, 2009 · 2:52 AM

A Rake of Coaches: Or How Solving One Problem Leads to Another

John Mayne

 

It started out simply enough early in 2004. I saw the listing for a laminate brake standard on the Worsley Works web site and thinking it was a model of the 1958 brake composites, I bought the coach and a Deutz loco kit. I had been involved with the MRSI Loughrea group for many years and thought these models would give us a more accurate representation of the branch line in the “modern image era.” The only thing was that I was in the middle of planning a move to New Zealand!  So the Deutz and coach have never had a trip on the Loughrea layout. The Deutz is essentially a complete loco kit without wheels motor, detail castings and turnings, the coach basically consists of sides ends and underframe, the builder has to source roof, bogies, interior, detail casting and bogies. While the Worsley Works coaches are basically similar in design to Comet, the main issue is in forming a roof as most Irish stock is wider than the British; Comet and MJT extrusions are too narrow.  I model on 21mm gauge and while proprietary Commonwealth bogies might pass muster, I wanted the model to be as accurate as possible and bogies would require custom made side-frames. I was impressed with the detail of the coach and ordered an AEC railcar set, a Laminate second and a Park Royal coach: in for a penny,  in for a pound. Basically the idea was to commission any special components required such as bogies, roof extrusions or pressings and detail parts from UK manufacturers, to complete my own models and test the potential market.

Disappointingly, few of those I contacted responded or demonstrated a willingness to follow up on a serious enquiry for the design and  manufacture of components to compete the project. I had experimented with forming the roof profile variously from brass, plasticard and balsawood without much success, there is little practical guidance on scratch building coaches or metalwork in the contemporary model press. Commissioning an extrusion locally was prohibitive. Eventually I followed Allen Doherty’s suggestion of using a proprietary extrusion as a basis for cutting and filling to a wider profile. Bogies are based on MJT torsion bar compensation units which are easily adaptable to the wider gauge, and other details are a mixture of Comet and MJT components.

The Coaches:
Unlike the relatively rapid development of the BR Mk.1 stock, Inchicore like the GWR in the 1930’s, seemed to have difficulty in building two batches of coaches to the same design and went through several stages of development before the arrival of the Craven stock in 1963. Briefly the 1953-4 period  saw the introduction of a wide range of hauled stock based on a development of Bredin’s GSR flush sided timber framed designs, including open and compartment coaches, buffet, restaurant cars and mail vans. The earliest vehicles ran on GSR design bogies and traditional steel under-frames, later batches incorporated Bulleid triangulated under-frames and Commonwealth bogies. Even in the 1950’s such stock would have been expensive and labour intensive to produce and not readily adaptable to mass production, requiring a large highly skilled workforce to machine and assemble components. The Park Royals with their prefabricated components allowed volume construction using a semi-skilled workforce. Significantly though designed for suburban and main line use, only one design of body shell was produced.

1379 class Park Royal suburban coach

1379 class Park Royal suburban coach

The laminates (aluminium, insulation, plywood panel) are best described as of modular construction with several body designs (based round a small number of components), again allowing rapid construction. There appear to have been at least four designs: a brake composite, 70 and 64 seat main line standards and a suburban coach. I recall laminate coaches being refurbished at Inchicore in the late 1970’s. Each coach was stripped down to roof, ends and under-frames, and re-skinned; either CIE still had a stock of body panels or the manufacturing capability existed. One theory was that it was originally planned to replace the bodies after 20 years, but this was no longer required following the introduction of monocoque design in the 1960’s. Inchicore appears have briefly reverted to timber frame body design for its final batch of twelve coaches (ten standards and two firsts) before the arrival of the Cravens in 1963. Significantly these coaches used the heavier BR pattern of Commonwealth bogie.

The brake standard appears to be based on the 1970’s conversion of laminate coaches to brake standards rather than the 1958 brake composite design. The brake standards of this era were converted from laminate suburban stock and 1953-4 composites. The Worsley Works kit is of a different pattern and appears to be based on a conversion of a main line laminate standard. Two laminate brakes are preserved one the DCDR at Downpatrick, another by the RPSI as a service vehicle in their Dublin excursion train rake. The laminate standard and the Park Royal appear are to be accurate representations.

1448 class laminate standard

1448 class laminate standard

The etchings make up in a similar manner to the Comet coach kits, with the body sides and ends designed to be removable from the chassis. There is a half etched representation of the joints between the body panels, a distinctive feature of the laminates. The chassis comprises a main floor etching, with fold down truss rods, with separate etchings for solebars and a lower body stiffener making up into a nice solid chassis.  The solebars on the laminates and Park Royal coaches do not run parallel with the sides, the coaches running on Bulleid’s triangulated under-frames.  I have left well enough alone, though solebars, say from brass angle, could be set up in a jig to capture this subtle and distinctive feature of CIE stock of the era. The sides are easy enough to curve using brass bars and a straight edge. The Park Royal sides are etched in three sections with over lapping tags but are a bit flimsy being half etched.

Laminate coach - first section of roof in position

Laminate coach - first section of roof in position

I would rather use a formed sheet metal roof like the TMD Bredins, should a suitable one become available. I recently completed a C&L narrow gauge coach: forming the arched roof even with the down ward curving ends was simple enough, though forming a “modern” elliptical roof is a different matter and a subject seldom if ever covered in the main
stream model press. The etched brass assembly is soldered, and the aluminium roof extrusion glued in place using cyno reinforced with epoxy resin, with a strip of plasticard to reinforce the joint between the two sections of aluminium and support  the filler.

Laminate brake standard

Laminate brake standard

In the end on Allen’s suggestion, I used a Comet BR Mk1 roof extrusion cut down the middle the gap filled with body filler. The roof detailing covers a multitude of sins and lifts the model. Comet torpedo ventilators and PC lining strip  gives the roof its distinctive and  jointed appearance.  I decided to include a fairly high level of detail with door hinges, knobs, handles, toilet filler and communication cord pipe-work. Next stage is pattern making and castings for bogie side-frames, dynamo and vacuum cylinders, heating and  vacuum pipes, couplers, finish painting, build layout, couple up to B141!

Laminate coach sides clamped while glue sets

Laminate coach sides clamped while glue sets

Worsley Works underframe, MJT bogie compensation units, plasticard spacers for 21mm gauge, MJT LNER buffer shanks

Worsley Works underframe, MJT bogie compensation units, plasticard spacers for 21mm gauge, MJT LNER buffer shanks

Laminate coach with Comet seating units, plasticard floor and bulkheads

Laminate coach with Comet seating units, plasticard floor and bulkheads

There is also a lot of useful information on building etched brass coaches like these on the Comet Kits website: http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/ Follow the links: Downloads  Building Coaches the Comet Way.

[Ed: for more details see the following paper on coaching stock built for or by CIE from 1945 to the arrival of the Cravens: Kennedy D (1965) Modern CIE Coaching Stock Journal of Irish Railway Record Society 7 (37): 14-61]

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September 28, 2009 · 1:49 AM

Hints on Putting Together Etched Brass Coach Kits

Jeremy Fletcher

 

Brass etch kits, or etching sets, provide a useful way to produce good quality models of non-mainstream or obscure prototypes which are not of interest to the larger commercial model manufacturers who need large production runs to cover the costs of specialised tools and dies.  They fill a gap between commercial models and scratch built models which many modellers may not want to attempt. Some people regard brass etchings as ‘hard’ as they usually involve soldering which is anathema.  Soldering is not really all that hard to do once you get started and gain some practice.   Basically it is just like using a liquid glue (Super Glue) which runs between the pieces to be joined.  The solder has to be melted to run by capillary action between the pieces and it sets when it cools off.  As for any glue, the pieces have to be clean and in the case of soldering the final cleaning of the metal surfaces is done by the flux.  The metal is first cleaned of dirt, oxides etc. using emery paper or filing. You could say the filing does ‘mechanical’ cleaning and the flux does ‘chemical’ cleaning. Oxides build up quickly on the hot soldering iron tip and need to be cleaned off regularly with a wire brush.  A potential source of complications occurs when soldering together long pieces.  Thermal expansion can cause warping or buckling.  It is best to ‘tack’ the pieces together in a few places; make sure they have not become buckled; and make corrections as required before going any further.  You may have to unsolder, let the part cool, clean off excess solder and try again.
 
There are various ‘suppliers’ of etching sets.  They generally supply few detail parts such as those mentioned below. Most modellers prefer to supply their own.  My own experience so far has mostly been with the Worsley Works coach etch sets and I can best comment on these.  These come as sets of etched frets and are really intended for use by scratch builders, providing hard-to-make parts such as panelled coach sides, fine grillwork etc.   Bogies, wheels, buffers, coach roofs etc. have to be arranged by the builder. Coach etching sets are generally provided with the walls, ends and floor but, typically no roof.   The floor may have fold down under-trusses and battery boxes etc. It is intended that the coach floor be made removable, held by screws, so that interior details and glazing can be put in after it is painted.  There are no instructions supplied with the sets and it is best to first study the various parts to visualise and decide on the procedures to follow and in what order.  The various sections should not be cut free from the etch frets until they are required for building up.  Care is needed when cutting them free to avoid unnecessarily bending and stretching.  The edges of the sections should be tidied up with a fine file so that they can fit up properly and cleaned where they are going to be soldered. 

The best way to build a coach ‘kit’ is to start with assembling the basic coach body ‘box’. The coach sides should first be curved if appropriate.   The ends can be used as templates for this.  The method of actually bending the sides is up to the discretion of the modeller. It can be done by bending around a suitable piece of pipe or such likes.  Care is needed to avoid stretching or wrinkling the thin etchings as it is difficult to straighten them again. The edges of the coach sides will normally overlap the ends at the corners.  To ensure that the corners can be put together square and also to make sure they are strong and rigid enough to withstand normal handling,  it is a good idea to put stiffeners inside the corners.  The stiffeners can be made from left over strip from the etch frets, bent into right angles.   They are soldered inside the coach ends, flush with the edges.  The coach sides can then be lined up against the stiffeners and first just soldered to these.  After any adjustments to get a proper fit,  the rest of the join can be soldered up.  The soldering is done from inside the coach to prevent ‘runs’ from spoiling the outside.  The coach body should be checked to be square before going further.

The coach body will typically be lacking in rigidity because of the soft flexible etchings and it will be necessary to add some reinforcing.   It is a good idea to solder in stiffener strips along the top edges of the sides.  These could be pieces of brass rod, or can provide a use for salvaged otherwise unwanted brass rail.  However, the coach sides may still be found flexible and it may be necessary to provide extra transverse stiffeners between the sides. A compartment coach will have interior partitions and these will help to reinforce a coach body.   Obviously it is necessary to avoid buckling when soldering on long stiffeners.

Making the roof for a coach is another story.   Normally no material is supplied by Worsley Works for making the coach roof.   It is very difficult to properly form a piece of sheet brass to the correct shape, particularly the more sharply curved edges without a special (i.e. expensive) bending jig. One could adapt a plastic roof from another coach, by (say) splitting it along the centre and widening it out or otherwise adapting to suit the etched coach body  It is possible to buy commercial wood lengths milled to various profiles and one these may be suitable or could be adapted to suit the particular coach.   Another way would be to make one’s own roof, either from solid plastic or built up from plastic sheet and strips or from balsa.  The roof when attached to the coach helps to make the assembly more rigid.

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September 28, 2009 · 1:27 AM

Converting the Murphy-Bachmann 141 Class Diesel to 21mm Gauge

Denis Bates

 

The General Motors 141 Class diesel of CIE was introduced in 1962, and for over 40 years has been among the most successful of the Irish diesels.  So it was not by accident that Murphy Models chose it for their first foray into a completely designed Irish model (the previous Woolwich Mogul and the NCC Jinty were of course repainted versions of the English models).  So, although my main interests are in steam days, and particularly the BCDR, I couldn’t resist purchasing one, with a view to re-wheeling it to 21mm gauge and P4 standards.  The prototype is described and drawn in two of the model magazines: by Tim Cramer in Model Railways for March 1977, and by Shane McQuillan in Practical Model Railways for June 1986. The latter article describes also the building of one, from a kit by the Model Irish Railways group. Comparing the Murphy model with the drawings, I could find nothing amiss – except for the buffer spacing. The buffer centres should be at a spacing of 6’3”; on the model they are at 23mm (5’9”). I presume that is to match the spacing of other Murphy-Bachmann models, at English spacing.

I first determined that a P4 wheelset would fit between the bogie frames, and it does, just. My main mistake was to dismantle the loco as far as possible – this is not necessary, as the bogie frames can be levered off. They are similar to those of the Bachmann Class 20 diesel (described by Keith Norgrove at http://www.norgrove.me.uk/index.htm). A screwdriver is used to prise out the frames, which appear to be identical on the two bogies. The wheelsets can then be prised out of the bogies. Each wheelset has an offset plastic gear wheel, two brass bearings which are a push fit in the sideframes, and brass wheels with insulating sleeves. Measure the distance of the gear from the ends of the axles, before tapping out the wheels and sleeves using a small drift and hammer. The gear wheel can similarly be tapped off the axle.

If the model is to be converted to EM gauge, all that is necessary is to cut 2mm steel rod to the appropriate length, and put the gear and wheels on. Although there is a spline on the original axle for the gear, it seems tight enough on a plain rod (a smear of loctite could be used to anchor it firmly). To keep the axle laterally in place, two brass sleeves, or an appropriate number of washers, should be added between the gear and the bearings (or between the bearings and the insulating sleeves (see figure). For conversion to P4 and 21mm, the original brass wheels can be used, but have to be turned down to receive P4 rims (these are obtainable from Alan Gibson on special order). It is also possible to turn down the existing rims to P4 standards. For those without a lathe, it may be possible to purchase P4 wheels to suit. Before finally inserting the wheel sets, the pickups need to be adjusted so that they bear on the backs of the wheels. On the Bachmann wheelsets, the hub projects further out than the rim, and does not fit easily between the sideframes. However, the insides of the frames can be filed out (about 0.5mm or more) to give clearance. I used a cylindrical dental burr to do this, held in a drill press, and hand held the frames. Once finished, the loco ran just as well as it had done on 00 track. Now to try it on Adavoyle Junction, out of period though it be!

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September 28, 2009 · 12:58 AM

Something New; Something Old

David Malone

 

Several modellers have had a go at fitting sound chips into the Bachmann-Murphy 141 although some seem to be using slightly larger speakers than I did. To replace the unusable round one supplied. I did no filing, just snipped the corners off the oblong speaker’s plastic frame, and soldered the wires from the cut off speaker to the new one. I did not know that there were speaker terminals on the lights board. I have fitted my two, black 141 and 181, with Ultrascale wheels, to 21mm gauge. The wheels are intended for the BR “Western” class, and feature protruding hubs. I removed these using a chisel shaped hobby blade, wider than the tyre diameter. They can then be shaved off, using the outer tyre face as a limit stop, a few minutes work per wheel. I had to reduce the supplied axles length by 0.75mm.  The little gear wheel sits on a splined bit of the axle, and slides on the 2mm axle, but a touch of Locktite is all that is needed to secure it. I made the mistake of mounting the gear central on the axle, it should be slightly off set to fully engage the gear in the bogie, I will tweak mine over.  The pick up phosphor-bronze strips need bending out to touch the back of the wheels, and act as a side control spring. Now came the big test, would it run? It worked fine on my 3’ length of straight track, but what about my 5’ length, with a reverse curve 4’ 6” into 4’radius, with rail depression in excess of 1mm staggered in the curve: how would the rigid axles cope? Well, much to my pleasant surprise, they stayed on the track, no problem. Since then I decided to file about 0.5mm off the inside of the side-frames, just to provide a little extra clearance, and reduce the chance of the paint on the wheel disc wearing away.  Looking at the removed wheels, I think the protruding rim of the tyre could be turned off until the tyre is scale width, and then the flange could be turned down to P4 or EM profile, thus avoiding a twelve week wait and the expense of Ultrascale wheels.

Treated and untreated bogies. The untreated one is my CIE Supertrain liveried 181

Treated and untreated bogies. The untreated one is my CIE Supertrain liveried 181

Two versions of the 141 on 2mm gauge track

Two versions of the 141 on 2mm gauge track

I am now doing a bit of weathering on my 141/181s. I overdid the exhaust staining on the roof of the orange one, fortunately using acrylic so it washes off. On the sound chipped ones, I removed the grey bridging plate, and turned the speakers over, so they are face down into the
flywheel void, thus creating a sound box. It does seem louder, even with the hearing aids turned off. A dab of black acrylic on the silver speaker back makes them all but invisible through the grill. The next job is to fit all the plumbing to the “Pilot”, and try to combine the very neat etched coupling links with Exactoscale bits to form a strong coupling. The supplied ones are extremely neat, but I don’t think the little plastic pins would last long in service.

The J15 is finished, at last. I started it in 2006, having had the kit since 1985!!!  I found that the tender spring hangers that I mentioned were on the fret all the time. I thought they were the loops that some tenders had around the springs. A case of read the instructions.  In the RAF and civil aviation, the instructors always gave advice before you went into any written exam: “Read the d*** questions!”  Translated into model building this becomes: “Read the d*** instructions!”

J15 on 21mm gauge track

J15 on 21mm gauge track

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September 28, 2009 · 12:31 AM

GNR Butter Van

Alan O’Rourke

 

In the days when everything went by rail, some companies found it worth while building highly specialised vehicles for perishable traffics, which attracted premium rates, even if it meant those vehicles must have spent half their time running empty. One such traffic was dairy produce, and the MGWR, GSWR and GNR all built special “butter vans.” In the era before electrical refrigeration, these vans employed various cooling mechanisms like double roofs and  multiple small vents in the body, presumably to make full use of the draft when in motion. I have not seen detailed plans of the internal layout of these designs, but I am guessing that they may have been “double-layered” with ice between two skins of planking, or may have used some sort of system where the evaporation of water from a porous surface (as in the older type of terra cotta milk or wine cooler), by taking latent heat of vaporisation from its surroundings, could effect considerable cooling.  I seem to recall a school physics experiment which demonstrated this phenomenon rather well. It involved bubbling air through ether in a copper beaker, the beaker sitting in a small pool of water on a wooden block. By the time all the ether had evaporated, the whole apparatus was so cold that the beaker was frozen to the block by a lump of ice! Alphagraphix now make a 7mm and possibly a 4mm kit for this vehicle. I am grateful to the IRRS archives and Mr Brendan Pender for access to the GNR drawing and permission to reproduce it.

GNR butter wagon

GNR butter wagon

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September 27, 2009 · 11:58 PM

Norwich to… Cultra?

Steve Rafferty

 

Of all the numerous visits to model railway exhibitions I have made, only once have I been rewarded with sight of an “Irish” layout (Adavolye at Epsom). Putting my faith in providence, my money on a budget airline ticket and my reliance on a relative to provide one night’s sleeping accommodation, on Saturday 15th November 2008 I travelled to the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum at Cultra to see the ‘Friends of Cultra’ model railway day. I was in search of something Irish, and I was not disappointed. There were thirty-three layouts and stands to view amongst the magnificent setting of the main hall at the museum. The “hook” for many younger visitors was no doubt “Ffarquhar,” the very original Thomas the Tank Engine layout built by the late author of the books. There was a wide variety of other layouts, British, American and Continental themed, all of a very high standard, but as my quest was for something “Irish,” it is these layouts that I wish to comment on. 

For me personally the most interesting layout was “Killagan” (OO gauge). Why? I trust our fellow member Colm Flanagan will not be offended if I say it was a “basher’s” delight. I have no skill when it comes to working with kits or etched brass, etc. Therefore I tour the swap- meets looking at second hand carriages with a view to “now what could I hack that into?” The standard of Colm’s work I consider both exceptional and inspirational. The sight of the Mogul and the Jeeps hauling near ‘true’ UTA stock, as well as the MPD’s, the MED and the ‘Class 70’ set, all running in a credible Irish setting, were on their own worth the trip. It demonstrated to me just what can be done with proprietary coaches and a flair for imagination to achieve a real “Irish” looking product. Did I mention the “North Atlantic” set – delicious!

For the narrow gauge enthusiast, Alan Gee’s “Donegal” (OOn3 gauge) is a must see. The very accurate replication of Donegal town station and the CDRJC trains is complemented by the moving road vehicles system which forms the back drop. This year’s show was the first outing for the North Down MRS’s “Ballymoney” OO gauge layout, featuring not only a credible representation of the original broad gauge station, but also the 3’ Ballycastle Railway. Moving to a larger scale, Norman Bailey and John Pollock’s layout “Ardkrowin and Duncluchan Town” (O gauge) was impressive. While Duncluchan Town is fictitious, Adkrowin is loosely based around the layout at Ardglass as it was. Another ‘first outing’ was Paul Green’s “Kilbrandon” (S gauge),  an exceptional example of not only going “Irish”, but back to a time before any of us were born – April 1900. The layout is inspired by and based on Killorglin on the defunct Valentia Harbour branch, with the addition of an imaginary branch line to increase operating interest. The whole layout (mainly scratch-built) is to a very high standard.

A simple yet entertaining layout was the South Dublin MRC’s “Rosslare Strand” (OO gauge). The end section scenarios, especially the Bray Head one are a demonstration of how three distinct scenes can be accommodated within the strictures of a small (-ish!) layout. Another small, yet interesting, layout on show was Jim Poots and Gareth Hutchinson’s “Slieveroe” (OO gauge), based on an imaginary border location in modern times. Moving back to the narrow gauge, “Ballynure-Doagh” (OOn3 gauge) is a commendable effort by the Ballyclare High School MRC. Although not built as an “Irish” layout, “Ballyrichmond” (OO gauge) is a layout built by the Model Railway Society of Ireland as a Southern Region branch line. However,  with the use of some Irish rolling stock and a few judiciously placed features, I think it just about succeeded in masquerading as an Irish location. Lastly it is fair to say I was in awe at the superb modelling standards demonstrated by the (static) display of 7mm scale models built by Messers Mulholland, Aspinwall and  Crockart. Shame they were not actually running. Together with all the above, Allen Doherty of Worsley Works and Des Sullivan of Studio Scale models were on hand with trade stands. A very large selection of Irish railway books was also on sale.

Was it worth it for just one day and a return air flight? You bet. I, for one, will be attending next one. My thanks to those exhibitors, especially Colm and Ian, who took time to answer my questions, and to the Friends of Cultra I say: “well done.”

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September 27, 2009 · 11:40 PM

Something a Bit Bigger…

 

I am grateful to Neil Ramsay for these photos of his wonderful 15mm scale model of CDR  six-wheel saloon no 1. The bodywork is cut from plywood, built up in layers to produce the panelling, the  use of real wood in this scale gives the  effect of the grain, and imparts more ‘atmosphere’ to the model. The axle-guards were gravity cast (from Neil’s masters) in white metal by John Campbell, who also provided the lamp-tops.

The interior is fully detailed, always a good idea for saloon stock, and especially in the larger scales. The internal mirrors are cut from old CDs with real French-polished woodwork and carpeting from dolls’ house wallpaper. The dining chair is a dolls house model in 1/24th scale, with a new seat from Das modelling clay. They are not really proper scale models of the originals, but give the right ‘feel’ when looking through the windows.

The chassis is built with  simplified Cleminson units,  a mixture of home made components  and sprung bearing assemblies from Ron Grant. The centre wheel assembly is shifted sideways by the linkage to the outer wheels. The problem in a model like this is trying to achieve maximum lateral movement of the centre wheels, as this determines the minimum radius (just about 5’) it will go round.  Springing greatly improves the running: in fact Neil’s  six-wheelers run better than bogie coaches and suffer less from buffer lock as the ends don’t stick out so much on curves. Wheels are Slaters gauge 1 split-spoke 37mm diameter. Neil recommends  Slaters 31mm diameter spoked wheels for the 2’ CDR and LLSR wheels. These wheels are coarse scale G1 and work really well in the garden.

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