NIR CAF 4000

Just completed a conversion of a Bachmann Class 170 into a representation of an NIR CAF 4000.

The main work was in the roof, getting rid of the 170 bits and adding roof ribs and vents.

Otherwise a repaint job but the livery design meant lots of masking and re-masking to get the NIR livery.  The decals are from Railtech.

I did a short video of the CAF in action on Kirley Junction and tried to embed it with out success. Here is the link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09EZOnOV4KQ&feature=youtu.be

I am now at the stage where most of the track is laid and operational, which lets me run the stock that I have been building for the past few years.

Now starting on buildings and scenery.

Cheers

Darius

The excellent models now available from Irish Railway Models / Accurascale have tempted me back for another little project, which is starting to bear fruit. I've been describing this in detail over on the specialist Irish forum but I'll share the odd photo here.

So here is my E401 class loco, scratchbuilt using custom etches, on my Irish 21mm gauge photo plank with a few weathered and regauged IRM wagons:

The silver livery adopted by CIE in the 1950s did not wear well, and these locos became very grubby until the livery was changed to black in the early 1960s.

There, now you know why Manchester and Switzerland have been a bit quiet recently. Please don't be too cross with me!

The grandfather , godfather and patron saint of Irish model railways has received his last call and has sadly departed

Ar Dheis De go Raibh a hAimn Dhillis

I think,as like a lot of modellers,we are drawn to recreate a model of something we remember from our past.Such was the case here.I decided to model a fictitious local station with an adjacent freight yard,but running it in a prototypical manner as per the real operations on the line at the time.

The layout,as time and resources permit,has been moving along those lines over the last few years and ended up in layman terms as a double track scenic side with hidden sidings at the back-until last summer!

I have always liked the bustle of main line stations,but the area I have available,12x4,was fully utilised with the existing layout.I have always had a soft spot for the old Great Victoria Street station,which finally closed in 1976 and wanted to do a tribute model to it.I also did not want to undo all the work and effort of Adelaide,as the freight operations and movements are something I enjoy in modelling.A compromise was needed,but Great Victoria Street in such a small area available,it could never happen!

Bringing everything up to date,the continuous run hidden sidings have been ripped up,to be replaced with the 4 platform Great Victoria Street (lookalike).Although Great Victoria Street was the Belfast terminus for the Dublin trains,it did only have 4 platforms in the 70s.Also,the NIR based Enterprise,the name for the Belfast to Dublin express,had a winter formation of a locomotive and 5 coaches while the CIE equivalent had a loco with a maximum of 6 coaches.After careful measurement,platform 2,which was the only platform used by the Enterprise due to customs checks, could accommodate trains of this length.So,as prototypical operation could be achieved,all local trains were formed of 2 and 3 car railcar sets mainly,a start has been made on building a tribute to GVSt while retaining my tribute to Adelaide and the freight yard.

If progress is anything like the last few years it will be slow,but hopefully I will be able to upload some photos as things progress.Photos can speak a thousand words and hopefully the Irish feel of the layout will be apparent.Great Victoria Street station was a shadow of its former self in the 70s due to various bomb damage,with the overall roof being in a particular bad shape,so to create a model of a glass-less roof will be a challenge in itself.

Further information on the station and layout will follow with photos.

Hunslet 102

To start with, this is progress on my 141 class.

The first photo shows the transparent cast cabs, both painted and unpainted. The master was made from plasticard with the aid of my Silhouette cutter. The lower fairings and cabside windows are in plasticard and microstrip.

The second photo shows the parts laid out. The bogie sideframes are made using my cutter and slide on to the Tenshodo bogie sideframe holders. The bogies are wired together. The slow running is good, but should be better once some weight is added. This was not the cheapest motorising option, but I knew it would work and be compatible with the solid cab castings so there was a low risk of me wasting my money! I plan to create a "float" of bogies to service this and any future 141/181/121 models in case of failure.

The third picture shows the current progress. It is nearly finished, but there are still details like the fuel tanks and tablet catchers etc to add on. It will be in 1970s/early 1980s condition. The decals are nearly ready for printing on my inkjet printer.

(1) Belfast-Bangor.

(2) Belfast-Newry.

(3) Belfast-Larne.

(4) Belfast-Londonderry.

(5) Coleraine-Portursh.

(6) Lisburn-Crumlin-Antrim junction.

Hardest was the Crumlin branch presently mothballed. Went over from Glasgowtook train to Lisburn then waited for a bus to the first station on that route. Took pictures then a wait for a bus to each of the next stations so took a while. Then through a railway contact discoverd someone had a film taken in the cab on that line before it waqs suspended and he sent me a cd.

Now I have laid track south of Newry all the way to Dublin. Started scenery from Connolly station and that is compete as far as Drogheda. A couple of miles north of there have a lot of scenery to do to just south of Dundalk. The branch north of Dublin to Howth is complete with scenery. Haven't decided whether to include the Drogheda-Navan branch as no longer passenger and just freight. However when finished my project will be amongst the larger ones for the island. Originally had thought of a second project just on the NIR and bringing back a couple of closed lines but thought more practical with present railways and means eventually Enterprise Expresses can be run between Belfast and Dublin. Trainz Sim is great and you do not need to be a tech wizard to build. One can programme trains and/or hop from driving one to driving just one and so on.

The reason I decided to attempt the NIR is because I felt the Province was the worst part of GB for rail closures and was nearly theree-quarters and a shame. You can visit my site listed below but a word first.

I tend to use the Opera system on my pc and why it happened I don't know but the slideshows, maps, etc get kicked so to speak but on microsoft MSN you get the site and slideshows on each of the above Ulster routes and what is completed south on the IrishRail extension.. So you railway fans from NI can see the only complete sim for over there!

www.northernirelandrailwaysim.moonfruit.com

Bobby from the centre of the Universe (Glasgow!)

I made a jig from a printout and constructed each truss from Evergreen plastic strips.

7 trusses were then glued to 9 mm I-girders

and purlins from 30x80 thou strips

The assembly is now standing on stilts while I think about what to do next!  Perhaps something like the side of Portrush Station - are there any drawings of that? Or Larne Harbour?

I have just read and enjoyed the photos and accompanying narratives of this fourth book in the series just released by Jim Edgar, of Markle Associates.

Another great book to accompany the series, focusing on NIR, but with lots of content from CIE/Irish Rail.

The photos are great as usual, but the accompanying narratives really brings them to life.

Great references for modellers, some unique and extraordinary formations could be modelled.

All in all a great book, available direct from Markle Associates, or I believe through the RPSI shortly.
 

Cheers

Darius

Today I visited Gordon Hunt of Ulster Model Railway Club to see his superb replication of Donaghadee railway station during the 1950s. 
 

A fantastic model and a delight to see in person! 

Nelson. 

I am interested in converting some Airfix/Dapolkit tank wagons into CIE vehicles. I know Heljan have produced some rtr versions but enjoy modelling. Has anyone else taken this particular modelling path? Tank barrel supports look interesting as a modelling prospect! 
cheers

Still need to make some alternative number plate decals.

Cheers

Darius

Cheers

Darius

Repainted Dapol LMS suburban coach.

Plus an MPD…

Cheers

Darius

Wonderful kit - goes together in about 30 minutes including parts clean up.

With thanks to Provincial Wagons/Leslie.

Cheers

Darius

Cheers

Darius

If there are any commodity specific workings, eg 16.00 Platin - Adelaide cement, 09.55 Adelaide - Platin cement, that would also be useful to know.

Many thanks in advance.

This is by way of a "Heads up" and "Thinking Aloud".

I am giving serious consideration to retirement. If I get to 2026 (DV), I'll be 80, so maybe the time has come to stop? Reluctantly, I will not deny as I / we get plenty of fun out of it but the "work and getting there" bit is a lot less fun!

At present, postal sales are almost nil, thanks to Brexit - and of course the excellent products from a certain bunch of youngsters in Dublin!

Any sales I make are at exhibitions in Ireland and an invitation to attend the NDMRC (Bangor) exhibition in April has provoked much debate between Richard McLachlan and I whether to do "one more year" (even to the extent of checking hotel rates in Blackrock in October!).

It is no exaggeration to say that each exhibition is knackering, takes up at least two weeks of time, each time - more if I'm bringing new product as I would be chasing the producer for months before! At best I cover my costs.

I don't intend to produce more stock beyond what is on order now, or in my attic. That is:

NCC Brown Vans

6

SLNCR Cattle

4

GNR Brake

0

Double Beet

10

GNR Y5 Van

3

GSWR Brake

4

CIE Cattle

12

GNR 10T Ftd

9

GNR 10T U/Ftd

6

GNR 9T U/Ftd

6

GNR Cattle

4

GNR 6 Plank

7

GNR 4Plank

7

GNR Loco Coal

3

Spoil wagon

0 (but some on order)

Bread containers

                             17

I still have about ten Grey RTR CIE van with broken wheel and 20 or so Brown vans, also with a broken wheel.

Leslie