Malahide Casino Model Railway Museum

[jhb171achil]

Folks

 

The Fry model collection and (modern) model layout reopens to the public, unforeseen circumstances permitting, on 19th May.

 

Much extra work has taken place on scenery, and there are more trains operating now.

 

 

[jhb171achil]

I've about 20 vids of trains running today, but I can't upload even a 9 second one - this site appears to only take 10MB uploads.....

 

How do people manage to put 3 min videos up?

[AY Mod]

1 hour ago, jhb171achil said:

How do people manage to put 3 min videos up?

 

Upload them to YouTube and post the link here. 

[jhb171achil]

Thank you - I will try to!

[kirley]

If you load your video onto YouTube as you publish it will give you a link for your video.  Just copy that link and paste onto here and your video will show.

[jhb171achil]

Today's update on all things Malahide Model Railway Museum.

 

Following a suggestion, signage will be ordered to explain the four scenes on the layout. There's an overall review of signage going on anyway, so it's now included in that.

 

When the place was opened, the initial thought was that roughly half of all of Fry's models could be displayed, and the other half stored; the two sets being swopped several times a year.

 

I advised against this at the time, for the obvious reasons of constant handling not being in the best interests of the models, to put it very mildly.

 

So, I thought, I will select the more interesting half, and get them to put up pictures of the rest. Result.

 

However, once the display cases were installed, it became evident that a very much greater proportion of his models could be displayed. The models Fry built (as opposed to the ones built later by other folks for the Castle layout) consist of approximately two thirds Irish, almost a third British prototypes, and a dozen or so mainland European items, plus an American five-car diesel train which Fry repainted. So, with more space than expected, the entire Irish collection (bar several duplicates) has been displayed. The only Irish stuff not displayed are one badly broken open wagon (similar to others anyway), a couple of half-built things (possible focus of a future "work in progress" display) and several duplicates - e.g. he made several "H" vans, and more than one of certain designs of BCDR, CIE, GNR and NCC coaches. In the latter case, one of each is on display and the others are stored.

 

There was just about enough room for all but (I think) one of the mainland European stuff.

 

This left the British stuff, which is a mix of the following: (a) LNWR coaches and locos - probably half or more of the British stuff; (b) other one-offs (like a BR 1950s sleeping car), and (c) well-used bought Hornby stuff which Fry had as a kid. There is no room for all of this anywhere.

 

Today, we had a look round the place to evaluate proposals for more glass cases, with a view to displaying this material (not the Hornby models). If this can be achieved, ALL the Fry-made stuff, bar a few items retained by members of the family, and which were never gifted away at all, will be on display.

 

There had been various ideas about where we might display this stuff. The most likely option has been changed, so these days I'm packing this stuff into proper conservation boxes as they're likely to be out of sight for a few years. I'll post a few pics here in the coming days and week.

 

To start with, this is a working LNWR mail coach. The trigger underneath activated the net mechanism on the side, to make the net drop to pick up mail bags. You can see the spring attached to the trigger on the underside of the coach.

 

Fry got a batch lot of LNWR crests made. Some are on the side of a GSR coach as a "GSR" crest and a couple of Dublin trams have them too! They're somewhat overscale too - a common complaint of crests and logos on model coaches of all types.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2021 by jhb171achil

[jhb171achil]

More…..

 

Shows the trigger underneath.