Clogher Valley

[61666]

Never alone with a clone

0-4-2T Blackwater, now has a friend, with a second Ragstone Models kit, completed in the form of 'Erne'. These are very nice kits - the only real difficulty being forming the smokebox wrapper. A Mashima motor and 30:1 gearbox [both from Branchlines] powers it, while it was always the case of doing a green engine, to contrast with Blackwater's crimson. By the end of the 1930s, Erne was apparently pretty run down and scruffy, while Blackwater got a repaint.

 I can now [sort of] recreate the cover picture of E M Patterson's book on the CVR.

[kirley]

You have achieved it, excellent.

[61666]

Been working on the presentation side of things, so the layout now has a full frame/proscenium arch a la Rice, which I guess means it is a 'cameo' layout. LED strip lighting is used - one strip stuck to the underside of the pelmet's framing, with a second strip in one of LED Hut's aluminium frames, which seem excellent. Power for the lighting is fed up a central gallows bracket, which also aligns the two back scene boards and carries two clips for the framing.

 Meanwhile, the railcar trailer has been rebuilt. It didn't show too badly in the photos, but I'd made a right mess of the glazing, while the sides bowed in too. Not nice...

 The third photo shows a pair of rare earth magnets [5mm dia x 10mm length] that I'm using as uncouplers for the Kadee No 5s. Fingers crossed, they are working well, though still need to add discreet markers, so operators at either end can spot where they are without moving in front of the viewers. 

 The Uckfield debut draws ever closer!

[61666]

Uckfield

By and large, Fintonagh's debut went well, though not without a couple of early problems. Setting up was quick and easy, but trying to run trains was a different matter, with a short as soon as power was applied. Not good when there is less than an hour before Joe Public arrives...

 Happily, the problem was soon traced to two tags behind the controller socket touching each other. A quick tweak and all was well; am guessing I must have pushed them together when carrying the layout to/from the car. However, no sooner that problem solved than the turntable stopped working! Lots of noise, but no movement. Fortunately the gearbox is easy to dismantle and just putting it back together again cured the problem.

 So, third time lucky and we were away. The only problems after that were down to the couplings. The rare earth magnets largely work well with the Kadee No5s, but are not perfect. The main issue is sighting the uncoupling points obliquely from either end of the the layout, which is front operated. The 'window' is probably less than 5mm, so it is as well that all the locos run nicely, though there was a bit to much to-ing and fro-ing to begin with until we got our eye in. One or two wagons were reluctant to couple up, so I guess things were about 80-90% efficient.

Equally, as a first experience of operating from the front [with 90+ shows under my belt], it turned out not bad at all. Sitting on high stools certainly saves aching feet at the end of the show. The LED lighting strips, one towards the rear and one just under the front pelmet, seem to give just the right amount of illumination, with the 'cool white tones' giving a good colour balance too. Meanwhile, as a small layout, just eight trips are needed to/from the car and much to our surprise, we were driving away just 15 minutes after the show ended. There are only four trains at the moment, but the plan is to add a couple more locos, to provide a bit more variety and a degree of insurance in the event of any failures. Lots of people took details, so looks light Fintonagh will be out and about over the next few years.

[61666]

Atkinson-Walker Steam Tractor

Fintonagh has a new piece of motive power, in the form of the much maligned AW steam tractor. The prototype never turned a wheel in revenue earning service, but seemed ideal as a yard shunter for my new project. Add in a set of Worsley Works etches and a suitable RTR chassis [both from ExpoNG] and a fairly straightforward construction resulted.

 The WW etches are actually for 'Pheonix', which Henry Forbes converted the tractor to for the Donegal. Hence I had to make a couple of adaptations to the bodywork, while the chassis actually 16.5mm gauge, needed new 17.5mm wheels and regauging to my 21mm track. New pick ups too, but it has a flywheel, drives on both axles and with plenty of weight runs well with a Gaugemaster HH controller.

 A basic interior has been fashioned from various odds and ends to represent the vertical boiler and two cylinder 'engine', while livery is Halfords grey primer. Lettering is by hand, using a dipping pen and white ink, with weathering powders adding a touch of grime.

[DLT]

That's a very neat little chassis Dave, what is it's origin?

Thanks, Dave.T

[Martin S-C]

Hello Dave, I have just been directed here (thanks, Bob!) following my posting of some photos of Fintonagh which I saw at the Epsom & Ewell show the last weekend of April. For me it was one of the highlights of the show and when I saw it I detected hints of Wantage. The whole thing works beautifully and your modelling is superb. Thank you very much.

[Burnham-on-sea]

Greetings. I intend to build a layout of Glenties and looked in a book on the CVR for possible diagrams of the wagons which became Red Vans on the CDR. No joy but I did find a couple of timetables of the CVR for 1941. Are they of any use to anyone or is there a museum of CVR? They must have come from my parents, father was the Presbyterian minister in Ballygawley from 33 until 47 and I was born there in 41. Also some pictures of the Fintona horse tram. Let me know.  Regards, Alastair Knox.

[jhb171achil]

A good place to donate them to would be the only museum (and a superb one at that) debited to the railways of that general area. That is Headhunters in Enniskillen. A strange name for a railway museum but it is attached to a barbers shop of that  name, run by brothers Nigel and Selwyn Johnston.

 

Very pleasant gentlemen to deal with and very much worth a visit.

 

I might be interested in these items myself if you wanted to PM me, and I can give you Selwyn’s contact details too.

[jhb171achil]

Should have added, I have some Donegal carriage diagrams myself which you’re welcome to copy.

[Baldwin30762]

Hi Dave managed to see the layout yesterday at Expo-ng, very nice modelling, the trouble was I could not spend any time watching you operate it.

 

From the photos I had imagined it to be bigger than it was,

 

One question from yesterday, I was given a number of Branchline 00n3 coach kits however I have looked at my Branchlines page and they don't appear to do a CVR Brake Van to go with the coaches, do you happen to have a drawing for them, as I think I shall need to make a couple of them.

 

Thanks

 

Colin

[rue_d_etropal]

very interesting, are there any drawings of locos and stock published anywhere?

[tractionman]

47 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

very interesting, are there any drawings of locos and stock published anywhere?

 

some drawings in E M Patterson's classic book:

 

https://www.normanwisenden.co.uk/1-904242-15-4-the-clogher-valley-railway.asp

 

cheers,

 

Keith

 

 

 

Edited October 29, 2019 by tractionman
lack of attention

[rue_d_etropal]

18 minutes ago, tractionman said:

 

some drawings in E M Patterson's classic book:

 

https://www.normanwisenden.co.uk/1-904242-15-4-the-clogher-valley-railway.asp

 

cheers,

 

Keith

 

 

 

thanks, itdoes not mention them in description, which drawings please? just wondering if book is worth it. Are drawings in original edition, or just the revised version?

[tractionman]

9 minutes ago, rue_d_etropal said:

thanks, itdoes not mention them in description, which drawings please? just wondering if book is worth it. Are drawings in original edition, or just the revised version?

 

the first and revised ed has a drawing of a composite carriage by D G Coakham, the revised ed has also a drawing of CDR Railcar 4, loaned to the CVR in 1932.

 

all the best,

 

Keith

 

 

 

[rue_d_etropal]

thanks.

[61666]

Haven't logged on here for a while, so apologies for not responding. The drawing I used is included in the Alphagraphix card kit E25 [p18 of2019 catalogue], which is the CVR tractor unit. Costs the princely sum of £4.