The Stranraer Coleraine and Donaghadee Railway

[Phil Clarke 1980]

Hi Colm just wanted to say I thought the piece in railway modeller is excellent iv said before I love your layout especially Caledonian Princess keep up the great work

 

all the best

 

Phil  

[Legend]

Yep thoroughly enjoyed it. As I've written in RM thread, my favourite layout this month. Very interested in seeing more of your Swindon 126 unit. My favourite dmu class. Good memories of them travelling between Paisley and Glasgow Central, going into the compartments in the middle car pretending you were going long distances !

[kirley]

Well done Colm, no mean achievement to have your layout published.

[colmflanagan]

There have been some developments at the third station on the layout.

 

 

The “Donaghadee” station on the SCDR has been laid now for some four eyars, and I’d got quite a bit of the scenery built as well. There’s been an ongoing “internal” debate about tis actual name; the original scheme had involved a bigger station more closely based on the BCDR terminus. This would have had two platforms, a “main” and a bay, with the main platform being able to take a six bogie coach train, similar to Coleraine and Stranraer. However, I realized that operating it would be like having a different railway –I’d be outside the operating well for the rest of the layout and with my back to it. So I decided on a revised smaller station; the site was a bit cramped, and so compromises had to be made, as I wanted the facility of running a diesel railcar train into the main platform then running it out via Coleraine (effectively a triangle) to allow me to “turn” a unit, or a locomotive and short train.  The “bay” at Donaghadee could not access the main line approaches, but that seemed OK.  I decided a bit later to model the station building at Ardglass as it is a more interesting structure than the rather plain train shed at Donaghadee – where the actual station building had been a dwelling house on the pier where the station was situated – it was “offstage” on the model anyway.  Hence the growing confusion over what to call the station... But I did not want the expense of a new Act of Parliament and so that railways remains “officially” the Stranraer Coleraine & Donaghadee Railway.

Then operating sessions with some friend began. Initially I operated a Stranraer sequence which did not involve Donaghadee/Ardglass (DA for short in future), except as a simple extra siding for storage of one train.

Then I devised another sequence timetable based on the UTA services in 1949, the final summer of the BCDR. And one day there were three of us to operate this. It worked well, but it did not take long for the shortcomings of the track layout at DA to become apparent, empty stock workings had to be added to the timetable just to keep it reasonably clear; only one train could be stored there and it blocked the run round; the bay was also effectively inaccessible while that train was in the station, so if another working came in it had to stabled in the goods shed –not at all prototypical..  To be honest, I’d not considered this kind of situation hen building the layout, having always been a “lone” operator.

Then I decided to try and make a more ambitious timetable for Stranraer and for that I needed DA to be Dumfries and Carlisle. Tricky.   But then, of all places, while travelling on a train from Glasgow to Derby I came up with a plan.

 

 

 

A Diagram and picture of the track layout at the throat of DA station, as built. 

 

I reckoned that by removing point B which I hoped to re-use, and also C, I’d only need one new right hand medium radius point which would go at D and provide direct access to the bay from the “main line”; reasonably shortish trains or locos could access the tri-angle via the new point C; there’d be no access to the triangle from the main platform but I could live with that; I rarely used it anyway. Some rewiring and new point motors would be needed but in should be relatively straightforward, although “dropping” new sections into existing railways is always fiddly enough. Here are  some photos of work progressing to the point where trains could run again, and a diagram of the new alignment.

 

 

 The point at the end of the main platform ( B) has been lifted; after filling in the hole left by the under sleeper motor, I will put a piece of plain track in here.

 

 

A couple of days later; the curved point C on the bay has now also gone, and the underlay leading to it has been eased off (thank goodness PVA responds well to water, so i don't actually need to replace it.)  My new point arrived very promptly from Hattons but I was away for a week or so, and work began on my return.

 

a week or so later (below)

 

 

 

The new point has been installed, it will have an H&M surface mounted motor which will require some scenery to be rebuilt. The fresh underlay laid on the new alignment of the triangle curve, link to bay platform road, and point underlay, have all been put in place.

 

 

 

I had to make some changes to the control panel (still named "Donaghadee") - it'll be tidied up later. 

 

 

The second hand H&M point motor in place - GEM wire and tube to the point - it will be covered by hillside scenery and foliage! These motors just go on and on...

 

 

17 october   The first piece of "new" track in place, with the rest ready to go. I try to align everything before hand, doing "dry runs" to check geometry etc., and then lay quite quickly. I paint rails first as well.  I then "paint"the track bed with slightly  diluted PVA -the grey paint helps stop it being too quickly absorbed =then lay and temporarily pin the track before sprinkling on the  ballast. I'm not keen on the method of sprinkling dry stuff and then dropping dilute PVA - it makes it look a bit too "solid" for my taste.

 

 

 

 

About a quarter of an hour later, all laid in, and pins driven in to keep alignment -some can be removed later.  There's still some electrical work to be done and the contol panel to rewire, but it should all be pretty straightforward from here.

 

Now, to clean the track, sort out the scenery and services can run - I plan to lengthen the platfomr bya  few inches just to allow a 3 coach train to be set into the bay. I hope it is worth the effort. The next few operating sessions will tell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[colmflanagan]

Just a footnote to the above - on re-reading it there's a rference to a new point at "d" but no explanation of where that is - it is to the left of Point A on Diagram 1 -but hopefully it'll become clearer as the pictures progress, and there's the final plan at the end.

 

Colm

[Colin_McLeod]

Hi Colm

That change dramatically improves the appearance of that end of the station. Well done.

[colmflanagan]

It's been a  wee while since I put anything on, and to be honest, after the track work I haven't really done  much except occasionally run a few trains.  Another V1 goods engine has taken to the rails, but not here... No 15 worked for a while on the GNR, the model was made from a Bachmann 3F with a new cab, and small NCC style tender, which had to be scratchbuilt - our railways kept relics like this long after they'd disappeared from railways across the water,and I can't see any manufacturer ever doing one of these.  , The NCC had plenty of good 4-4-0s for passenger traffic and latterly had only a handful of 0-6-0 types, and as far as I know the V/V1 class were not actually used on passenger trains, unlike the BCDR which used their 0-6-0s often,as did the UTA later with GNR UG classes. 

 

 

 As yet, other than the Paddy Murphy "Woolwich" and NCC "Jinty"  (which are both really GB types which ran in ireland) all talk of r-t-r irish steam has so far remained that as far as i am aware. I heard someone had plans for an RPSI loco a while back though.but haven't heard any more.

 

Anyway, I'm on buildings right now, and this is the new station building for Donaghadee/Ardglass. It's much more  Ardglass than Donaghadee - basically a fairly big building which looked like an Ulster  farmhouse with station booking hall attached at one end. Still lots to do. More will follow in due course. But, I feel a desire coming over me, to have a go at another NCC railcar...decisions, decisions......

 

 

 

 

 

[Hunslet 102]

Nice start to the building,if it turns out like Coleraine station it will be well impressive

[Nearholmer]

Colm

 

Interesting thread - really enjoyed reading about your layout in RM earlier this year too.

 

Seems to me that you've got the balance between "scale-ness" and enjoyment/operability about right. In a way, and I trust you won't take this wrongly, it is quite an "old fashioned" layout, and a great deal better for it.

 

Kevin

[colmflanagan]

No offecen taken whatver

 

Colm

Interesting thread - really enjoyed reading about your layout in RM earlier this year too.

Seems to me that you've got the balance between "scale-ness" and enjoyment/operability about right. In a way, and I trust you won't take this wrongly, it is quite an "old fashioned" layout, and a great deal better for it.

Kevin

No offence at all - I am a train set child of the 60s  and still enjoy reading old RM magazines, looking at the layouts which inspired me back then.  I know from personal  observation that some "scale" railways which look really like the real thing, (especially when the camera angle is right), would not satisfy me in terms of their operation (or lack of it!).  For all of us, there's a balance between home (or exhibition) operation and looks - and its a bit different for everyone.   

[colmflanagan]

My station building is now in situ, still requiring chimney pots,  the platform canopy and "bedding in", people etc. but essentially complete.  I'd say its "based on Ardglass"  because a lot is guesswork, I had to mirror image it for my site,  - and it is a smaller building than the real thing. The BCDR rather let itself rip with buildings and  presumably land was relatively cheap!  Ardglass building shell is still there, and the station masters house end is properly roofed, so someone cares for it.  The actual station bit has no roof.

 

 

 

 

There's a very short strand on this forum on BCDR building colours- the answer to the question seems to be that no-one really knows what colour the buildings etc. were. So unless someone now long gone took really good colour pictures before 1948 which come to light, I guess we'll never know for sure.

 

I decided that I wouldn't do them green (UTA) or maroon, and Stranraer is blue (ish..), so opted for a tan bargeboard/guttering  colour and cream windows.  Not a million miles from GWR, I suppose.  Anyway, I like the result. and 28 feels very much at home on her short train of six wheelers (without heat....but its always summer there anyway.)  There are lights inside,  as yet unconnected to power, as there'll still be a bit of taking it on and off to do, before its finally settled in.  

 

 

[Hunslet 102]

Nice work Colm,this new part of the layout is taking shape nicely. The Harlandic does look at home.

[bcdrmodeller]

Your buildings really look the part Colm. I visited the station at Ardglass several years ago and have posted some photos on my facebook page "Remants of the BCDR". I had hoped to find some trace of original paint on the surviving woodwork but unfortunately everything had been weathered away. It is amazing that so many authors of books on the BCDR have been able to record the  colours used for the locomotives, carriages and wagons but have neglected to comment on the buildings. Maybe there was no county wide "official" scheme but a small selection of what was available?

 

Nice to see the BCDR living on in model form.

[colmflanagan]

I have a feeling you're right about the building colours - there may well not have been a  "definitive" system wide scheme and Belfast was a long way from Ardglass or Dundrum in those days.

 

The same thing would apply today to enthusiasts - most still concentrate on locos and trains, naturally enough. And in the days when film (let alone a quality camera!) was really  expensive we can hardly really blame them for not recording what seemed like rather static and often  unassuming structures. And most of the BCDR disappeared before colour was widely available anyway!

Then some guys come along 65 years later trying  to re-create branches where hardly anybody ever went....!! . Have you noticed how few people feature in most pictures of the BCDR network, except for obviously "posed" ones?

 

I was tempted to do the whole thing in "UTA" colours.....and still haven't made up my mind what to do about the goods shed, signal box and loco shed all of which were made years ago before I gave much thought to the actual colour.  

 

Colm

[colmflanagan]

And just to finish off this sequence - here it is with detailing added; the writing is on the wall for the branch as a UTA liveried bus is lurking round the corner.

 

 

The man with the golf clubs is explaining to the lady and gentlemen that he got on this train at Downpatrick, meaning to go to Newcastle but didn't realize he had to change at the Loop Line station (and anyway, the Golfer's Express didn't stop there!) - but do they know if there's a golf links anywhere near?   He can't get back to Downpatrick as the Harlandic has failed and another engine cannot get to Ardglass until after dark..

 

 

 

I rather like the sleepy "rural" feel of this small station, now that it's nearly finished, maybe a couple of guys at the lorry unloading (or loading) at the goods shed and that'll mostly do it.

 

[Colin_McLeod]

Nice scenes Colm. Is that UTA bus a kit?

[colmflanagan]

No, that bus is a conversion of an EFE English model - but as well as the UTA paint job, I altered the front destination board a bit and added the cycle/luggage roof rack which were a significant feature of the Leyland PS1 buses which the UTA used.   A bus enthusiast at a show where we had Killagan, informed me, after a close examination, that the radiator grille was wrong,apparently it's an AEC....which just shows that its not just we rail enthusiasts who count rivets....

 

Jim Poots did a very accurate PS1 kit and I have one of those as well

[colmflanagan]

There's not been a huge amount of progress on the layout as a whole since my last post, but there have been some developments on the "afterthought" narrow gauge 009 section, now known as the "Northbrook, Ballylumford & Stranraer Harbour Railway.( Northbrook was the original location of Coleraine station), and "Ballylumford" is the location of a former NI power station on Island Magee near Larne- my late friend Edmund Calvert Harrison had a small station with this name on his fictional 009 railway and I have still the station nameboards in use on mine..).

 

Anyway, here's some further meanderings: 

 

Boring facts:

 

I’ve recently had some additions to the stock on the SCDR narrow gauge section, a conversion of an “Atlas” static steam tram loco and the total failure and subsequent rebuild of my eccentric Eggerbahn steam railcar No 10.  Both these vehicles now feature a Kato 4 wheel drive unit which  gives excellent performance.

 

But the real story is much more complex as can be seen below…..

 

STOP PRESS 

 

The Northbrook, Ballylumford & Stranraer Harbour  Railway     10 July 2016

 

Consternation has set in at the above  (narrow gauge ) railway locomotive and traffic departments.

 

A director recently made a holiday trip to Austria where he saw a steam tram operating.

 

So impressed was he that, without seeking the approval of the Board or CME, he bought a machine and had it shipped at his own expense.   

 

The Civil Engineer insisted on modifications to the chimney as he worried about the bridges and tunnel, and the locomotive department, (especially Tommy, the steam railcar driver) were dismissive of this ridiculous “traction engine”. However, the director paid for the work of shortening the chimney and some other modifications -  (it was of course built to a continental loading  gauge, a  fact he’d overlooked in his enthusiasm)  - and the machine passed its gauging trials.    Worse for its detractors, it has proved both rapid and powerful  (by NB & SHR standards).    Pictures are attached.  Tommy hopes it will “blow up” soon.

 

 

 

The matter will be raised at the next Board meeting –might the railway become a (hated word) “Tramway”!? Rumour has it that a new and powerful Steam Locomotive is at the drawing stage. Will it prove a success and head off this foreign incursion?   Watch this space…

 

                               

 

PRESS NOTICE       7 08 2016

 

The Northbrook, Ballylumford and Stranraer Harbour Railway     18 July 2016

 

Since the release of bulletin No1 of 10 July 2016 the Directors of the above  Railway Company, pursuant to their desire to provide the public with a reliable and economically  efficient railway, have continued to consider the development of  modern rail based transport modes.

 

It is a matter for great regret that one day soon after the introduction of the Steam Tram, one particular employee, Mr. Thomas  Alfred  Williams, took matters into his own hands and arranged the failure of the tram, which was to be tested on the prestigious “Boat Train.”  As No 10,  the Steam Railcar, was the only alternative source of motive power available, Mr. Williams had determined it should be given an “unofficial” trial, something which until now the Directors had been reluctant to do, knowing  this vehicle’s  poor reliability record. (Mr. Williams has always maintained that this has been due to poor maintenance at the company’s shed, a charge hotly denied by the foreman). In recent weeks the railcar had indeed been operating significantly more smoothly than in its previous years with the company.

 

The journey from Northbrook began auspiciously with good progress being  made and the timetable adhered to. However, just past Ballylumford road crossing the machine  ground to a halt and on inspection it was discovered that the entire boiler/valve gear and linkages to the wheels had simply fallen on to the track. Passengers were conveyed to Stranraer Harbour for the ferry, by road, at the Company’s expense. Clearing the line and removing the remains of the railcar to the transfer point on the broad gauge took a day with other services suspended, - causing more disruption.

 

 

Eggerbahn Steam railcar No 10 as originally delivered

 

The steam railcar was taken to the shops for a major rebuild. Mr. Williams was transferred to general duties on the loco fleet, as he refused to even board the tram engine. However, his sister being married to the Chairman of the Board, he could not be dismissed for this high handed behaviour.  Further bulletins will be advised. The public are requested to remain calm as services on the NB&SHR will not be adversely affected by this ongoing situation.

 

FROM OUR TRANSPORT CORRESPONDENT IN THE BALLYLUMFORD  HERALD (dated JULY 26)

 

Meanwhile behind closed doors, the question of the railcar’s future was raised. Should it be scrapped?   A report by the chief mechanical engineer admitted that an accident in the shops had rendered the existing drive system irreparable. He did state that even if repaired it would have been “virtually useless”. He suggested a radical solution – a totally new power bogie employing a diesel engine and suitable transmission.  Units of this type were working well on other railways, such as the County Donegal.

 

The proposal was accepted and in conditions of great secrecy work began. Tommy was not permitted entry to the shed and testing was carried out in secret.  The railcar was finally “rolled out” officially on 7^th August and was now finished in the standard B & L  Crimson and Pullman cream; a second cab had been fitted which allowed running in each direction at full speed in safety.

 

 

 

 

In trials the railcar far exceeded the line limits, acceleration being much quicker than before.  The unit appears much more reliable, with little of the juddering and surging experienced with the unit before. And Tommy professed himself “very happy”   with the new more spacious driving position permitted by the removal of the vertical steam boiler. 

 

The Railcar has not yet been rostered to tthe Boat Train  but Tommy is convinced it is only a matter of time.

 

Rumours of a new steam locomotive for the line have continued to circulate though as yet no signs of construction have been seen.

 

NORTHBROOK  BALLYLUMFORD & STRANRAER HARBOUR RAILWAY COMPANY

  PRESS RELEASE   14 AUGUST 2016

 

The Company Directors are pleased to announcement further enhancements in our services.

With the purchase of Tram Engine No 12 and the return to service of Railcar No 10 after a  major overhaul/rebuild, we are confident that recent issues have been overcome and that extra services using these new machines will shortly commence when a new timetable will be  issued.

 

Despite rumours circulating in the  local press, at this time there are no plans for any new steam locomotives to be constructed before the next financial year.

 

 

https://youtu.be/hbz5X3Cko_s

 

 

[colmflanagan]

After the shenanigans on the narrow gauge, a newcomer on the system slipped the attention of the local enthusiast photographers until now.

 

We go back to 1953....

 

The UTA had asked a number of manufacturers for expressions of interest and prices for 850bhp diesel locomotives for mixed traffic working, and they got a varied response from both the UK and abroad. In the end nothing was done –

 

BUT what If they had progressed further...read on

 

The government agreed funding for four diesel locomotives – word had got around that south of the border, dieselization on a wide scale was on the cards and the Stormont government didn’t want to be seen to be falling behind. So, after a tendering process the winner was the North British Locomotive company in Glasgow.  Initially the UTA engineers were keen on diesel hydraulic traction but the pendulum was swinging away from this, and so the new locomotives would be diesel electric types.

 

An LMS prototype Bo-Bo called “Hawk” had been constructed by NBL and not unsurprisingly, given the preponderance of exNCC men in the railway engineering department, the new UTA locomotives bore an uncanny resemblance to “Hawk”. Developments of this engine, virtually identical to the UTA locomotives, became the Class 15 and 16 on BR.  All employed the same Paxman 833bhp 16 cylinder engine, NBL built the mechanical parts and assembled the locos, while British Thompson Huston provided generators,traction motors and control equipment.  The cab was situated two thirds of the way along the bodywork which had a tall engine hood; visibility from the cab as a result, was quite restricted, however it was no worse than that of many of the steam engines which had preceded it.  Heating of UTA passenger trains would be by heating vans, following the example of the “Harlandic” No 28 though new bogie vans would be provided, as top speed of the new locomotives was to be 75 mph.

 

After considerable thought, the “steam” livery of lined black was adopted, and the locomotives, (classified as Class “1”) carried cast number plates with red backing on the cab sides. A fitting for a portable tablet snatcher apparatus of the type used on the Class WT steam tanks was also located there.

 

 

The four engines were given the names of well-known figures on the BNCR/LMSNCC as d follows

41                    Malcolm Spier MC

42                    Berkeley Deane Wise

43                    Bowman Malcolm

44                    Edward J Cotton

 

The names were carried on an NCC style name plate mounted high up on the engine hood, it being impractical to mount them any lower down owing to the large number of equipment cabinet doors on the engine hood sides!

 

 

They entered service in June1955 and an accelerated timetable was introduced on the Londonderry line at the same time.

Initial results were very good but as was so common with these pioneer designs, the engines were the weak point – the Paxman engine proved unreliable, and working on these precision machines in grimy steam sheds did not help.  The development of diesel locos was stalled in favour of railcars.

 

By the mid-1960s the UTA was almost entirely diesel railcar operated, and the four locos spent an increasing amount of time out of use in York Road. In a final effort to dispense with steam, it was decided to re-engine them. The BTH electrical gear was still in good shape and English electric agreed to oversee a project to re-engine these locomotives using their 8CVST engine, as installed in the BR Type 1 engines (Class 20). At that time a substantial railcar order was going through for the UTA for what would become the Class 70 DE railcars. The re-engining of the NBL locomotives was an immediate success and the idea was then picked up by CIE with the A and C class Metrovick locomotives, though in that case a GM engine was used.

 

In this guise the locomotives were employed on excursion and infrastructure work until the late 1970s, when NIR moved to a policy of buying GM products. Scrapping began in 1978 and all were gone within a year. The fate of the name and number plates is unknown.

[kirley]

Another one of Colm's 'flights of fancy', but why not, it's his railway.  Nice job on this 'could have been' but beware of the dangers of an open glue tube....or you could be seeing a blue train on the layout next.

[colmflanagan]

back to more basic things now on the SCDR.

 

The one significant structure yet unbuilt is Coleraine goods shed.  I wanted something not too big, (Coleraine's actual shed was a fair size as was Ballymena.) - but bigger than the Ardglass or Killagan sheds. I finally got inspiration from Cullybackey although this is not a model of it as it actually was.

 

First,a shot of the area area to be filled. I already have a  crane and the existing end loading dock will become the cattle beach..

 

 

I have for some years now made "guide" buildings from cereal packet card just tog et a "feel" for size and how the building will look in relation to the other structures etc on the layout.  I was quite happy with this one.

 

 

 

ken pointed out the roof profile was too flat and you can see the difference between the mock up and the "real thing" in the third batch of pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once I had the four main walls complete I placed them in situ to check clearances and the general "look" before continuing with the window detai  and so on. This is now well advanced  and the next step will be assembling these walls permanently including the platform inside.

 

 

 

[kirley]

Good to get it to this stage Colm, now for the tricky part, the roof.

[colmflanagan]

Some more progress on the goods shed over the last few days.

 

I usually finish the side walls with window detail etc., before starting  to assemble them,  and t did the same with this structure -I find it much easier to work on things like window frames and glazing when you can lie the wall flat!. I also had to build the loading platform inside, and again check various clearances and so on - the doors will open inwards so there is a cut out in the platform edge to allow them to be pinned back clear of the running line.

 

 

It was then  time to begin gluing them together; and once I had the four walls erected the roof was begun - I am modelling a type of shed where the guttering is actually p embedded in the top of the walls and the water flows through them and into the drainpipe, rather than the more common external guttering. Different NCC (and GNR/BCDR) sheds had different types though clear pictures are hard to come by. Goods shed weren't usually of that much interest to photographers.

 

I had just begun to glue the black plasticard roof base when I realized that I hadn't done anything about lights. I've just recently wired up lights in Coleraine station building and various other buildings including the two signal boxes (haven't any really decent pics yet though);  It's tempting to say "I'll put them in after" but that is crazy - it is awfully fiddlly groping about inside a building and trying to run wires and fit bulbs. Not on. I removed one of the panels where the glue hadn't quite set!

Then  I paused and had a long think. I use small 12v bulbs (they used to be called "grain of wheat" but are now usually referred to as "12v filament." these I run off about 6v and they give a lovey warm glow type of light - most LEDS are rather "stark" in comparison, even when you sue yellow ones.  How to mount a couple of them? Eventually I built two roof truss supports and fixed the lights under them, leading the wires across a top member (you'll never see it anyway!) and down through the little platform office = this was almost my first ever bit of scratchbuilding - dates from about 1965.   I used some LED holders as shades to stop light firing up into the roof ceiling. My memory of any goods shed I saw at night was they were pretty gloomy places.

 

 

 

 

Then, after touching the lighting wires and girders in a kind of murky brown colour, the lighting rig was glued inside and the second roof panel fitted. I've now checked all the clearances and tested the lights.

 

Next to do - the outside end loading bay and then the slates for the roof, and final detailing and finishing off the area.

 

 

[colmflanagan]

The shed nearing completion: The end loading dock is also nearly finished.

 

 

The roof well under way too; I use Slater's embossed plastic card sheets of tiles/slates for this.  They are intended to overlap but I find it better just mounting them flush as the plastic card is (in my view) just a bit thick for slates and emphasises the horizontal line too much..

 

 

And the interior loading platform and office - a very old small building -another of my "never throw it away" jobs...  Since then I have fitted doors to the ends - though you can't really see them in the other pictures..

 

 

then, a few days later...tonight in fact

 

 

It's not winter approaching but polyfilla - this area was a kind of "worktop" for the last few years  and the surface was heavily scored  so needed sanding down and some polyfilla to smooth it out a bit; there is a warp or something under the shed, hence it doesn't sit flat. But a little judicious filling, weeds etc., round the base of the walls will disguise that.

 

The crane was made years ago from a "Mike's Models" cast kit for a Midland Heavy crane - a type used in Ireland also.

 

I decided to model the roof on a type I have seen somewhere 9possibly Ballymena?)  The guttering is not a half pipe running along the edge but is on the other side of the wall - water then flows through holes in the stone and down the drainpipes. A but unusual.   I'm quite pleased with the general look of the thing.

 

 

 

the cattle dock structure (can take three wagons at a time). I haven't the right sort of fencing for it, so that is on its way.

 

next. panting the board, surfaces, vehicles and general goods yard clutter.

 

 

 

 

[colmflanagan]

 

 

 

I couldn't resist one of these little Bachmann jobbies when I saw the review in RM recently. the motor is in the hauled truck, of course. Now, here's one for the DCC sound boys to get heir heads around...

 

I don't think the UTA ever had one of these Wickhams, though CIE had a number of more modern versions from the manufacturer, but I painted mine in UTA green anyway, and it is a great little runner though would look more "at home" on the 009 section!  I may have a small UTA crest somewhere which could go on the front.

r

The group shown include a man from the district engineers office - not too happy that this is his " inspection car" for the day. Sadly, the chief has the ex LMS one already booked out.

 

Colm