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reemgee

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  1. reemgee

    Irish Modellers

    By reemgee,

    Hi All,
     
     
    As secretary of the club I joined bout two years ago now, I was wondering what sort of contact base there was with other like minded modelers in Ireland in RM Web our Club; Midlands Model Railway club is based in Abbeyliex in County Laois
     
    As a hobby there seems to be very few model railway clubs in Ireland but, I am sure there are a lot of railway modelers in Ireland?
     
    Is there a particular part of RM Web which relates to modelers in Ireland? I see there is a part for Irish Groups but just wondered if there was a club/society part for contact.
     
    We are looking into a video stream link and it would be interesting to find out if there are like minded modelers who are too far away from clubs but would like to share there interests in one way or another.
     
    I am open to suggestions
     
     
    Reemgee
     
     
    Reemgee
  2. reemgee

    Surprised by real water!

    By reemgee,

    Hi all,
     
     
    Went to new club for second time last night, all round good bunch of guys really, one of the founder members invited me up to see his own layout, what an eyeopener! it must have been the biggest private layout I have ever seen, it was very good, like all layouts of course a work in progress!
     
    What really suprised me was that he had real water, lakes, streams, working mill with water wheel, the lot! don't know about you guys but I have never seen this in any layout, very well done, with ruined church on the lake, when the water is up, you cannot get access by road etc, he has cleverly used varnish and undertreated this so, even if the water is not running it still looks very effective.
     
    He has a disused canal with dumped bicycles, prams etc also very effective, night time lighting, also very effective in the dark! I think next time I am up, if he does not mind, I will take some photos if I can find my camera! I have a camera on the phone if I am stuck but, would rather use the normal camera for photo's
     
    As far as my own layout is concerned not a lot of progress, other things get in the way! Point motors still on the agenda for next week!!
     
    Volunteered to do a bit of base board extension work for the club next week and will hopefully get a bit done on my own if the weather is poor, if it's good then the garden has first priority next week, I also have a bit of finishing work to do on the new kitchen !
     
    That's my lot for now, let me know if you guys have seen real water on a layout?
     
     
    All the best
     
     
    Reemgee
  3. reemgee

    visitations and web site

    By reemgee,

    Hi All,
     
    Noted the comments in Blog re website, living in rural Ireland as I do, our web service is nothing short of awful and the site and MRL TV works fine with me, no complaints!
     
    Anyway went to the local MRclub show here last Sunday, it was the Midlands clubs first show and it was very good with an overall surprising attendance, got chatting to some of the guys as one does and decided to give club membership a try.
     
    Went along last Thursday to see what the club is into and got a very warm welcome, not a big outfit but has all the essentials. I have said before that , the model railways scene over here is not as big as UK by a long way and outside of Dublin, there are not that many clubs, as it is limited by population/interest etc.It is nice for me to have something within 30mins or so travel.
     
    I'll be back again this week and we will see how it goes, they are guesting at a show in Dublin in a few weeks so, it will give me a better view of the modelling scene over here. It is a long time since I have been a member of a club, work/time has always got in the way so to speak!
     
    Still on baseboards although, I have made a start on trackwork which reminds me I will have to do something about point motors, I have rod kit for the local stuff but will still need motors for the mainline etc
     
    Will update as we go!!
     
     
    Reemgee
  4. reemgee
    Starting back to modelling again now that I have finally retired, I have always enjoyed canals etc having lived in England for 9 years before moving to Ireland and want to create one in 00 format for my layout but, for the life of me I can't find any info on modelling any, Plenty of info on canals of all types but not on how to build models.
     
    New to this blog thingy !! so hope soemone will come back with some advice/info
     
    There are a few canals over here in Ireland where I now live but they are not as many as there are in England and they are not used anything like as much or modelled as far as I can see!
     
    Any help would be appreciated
     
    reemgee
  5. reemgee

    Starting out again

    By reemgee,

    Hi all,
     
     
    Initial try outs on site good, got kits from scale scenes re canals etc. thanks for all help on this. Just been looking at grass and weeds etc.
     
    I have been going through all the packed away for long time boxes and have found many items
    I thought had been thrown out!!
     
     
    I went to the show at the Secc in Scotland a few months ago with long time freind and bought Power cab DCC kit and converters, big change from my beginnings as being an electrician to trade, I spent most of my club modelling under baseboards with a soldering bolt, especially at exhibitions !!
     
    Spare bedroom getting ready for clear out soon as the other rooms which are being changed around are nearly ready for builder etc. Modelling again can't come soon enough!
     
    That's all for now
     
     
    Reemgee
  6. reemgee

    Back from hols!

    By reemgee,

    Hi all
     
    Haven't posted for a while since not much to report really, house change round done now as well as most of the decorating, so can get back to planning and construction?
     
    In the model room I am fitting cupboards that I used to have in my workroom/office, these are now surplus to requirements office wise since my retirement!
     
    I am mounting as many as I can above the baseboards and intend experimenting with light effects when the cupboards are fully in situ and the layout constructed whenever that might be!!!! they will also be usefull for storage.
     
    My thoughts are to create sunlight and moonlight operation which might or might not be effective when it all comes together. I will use the bottom underside of the cupboards to plan out the lights when I have decided on the village ends on the layout. Hopefully in the next week or two I will get the digital camera out and post some photo's, at the moment things are a bit all over the place as I only moved the baseboards in just before going on hols and finishing the decorating so there is just a mess for now!
     
    Will post more later
     
     
    Reemgee
  7. reemgee

    Still trying

    By reemgee,

    Hi all,
     
    It's September already and not a dish washed so to speak! I keep trying to start but something always gets in the way of time! Reading the blogs, it would seem that I am not alone, some of you guys seem to push on in all areas and some like me are restricted in time and end up taking two steps forward and three back. I have managed to build a couple of bridge kits to my credit and a crossings house/cottage,not very well I hasten to add, as it has been along time since I built kits!
     
    I keep saying that I will take some pictures and always seem to be waylaid somehow, some time I will, but there is not much to see yet, just the bare bones of baseboards in what will be the layouts permanent home!
     
    I was just looking at how much work there will be to covert my old stock to DCC operation, it does not look too bad, so I might try one next week! Spare time will be a bit more available over the winter as all the major house tasks/alterations are now complete! a bit of painting and door resizing for carpets etc. but these are minor things, compared to what has gone on since the beginning of the year!!
     
    It is a hobby after all, we are under no time constraints, it is for pleasure after all, I am hoping to go to a local show here in Ireland this weekend, there are not many over here believe me! you guys in the UK are very lucky!! due to the costs, it is not possible to get over to the UK very often, I did get to the Scottish show earlier this year as I mentioned before, but I think that will be the only one for this year.
     
    Anyway guys hopefully, I will have a bit more to say in the near future whio knows!
     
     
    Reemgee
  8. reemgee

    The long journey

    By reemgee,

    Hi All,
     
     
    Still working away without much to show however, after my 4th visit to my new club, idea's are beginning to come back to me, a little help from friends always brings results, it can be a lonely hobby at times as we all know, club life does make a difference!
     
    At the club we are building an extension to the fiddle yard at the back of the layout, to allow more train storage for exhibition running, hopefully this will be ready to fit to the layout after the clubs next show which is the end of October.
     
    There are a number of ideas being floated at the club for adding to the main layout and that is always good for the future.
     
    I think from my own point of view, I know where I am going now, over the next few weeks time permitting, I wiill complete some of the running bases for track laying. I am also on the lookout for what buildings to install and how I want the overall layout to look! It has been a difficult task to know what the overall look should be other than a branch line, which has to have a canal that, is as far as I have gone, but now I know where the pub and the church is going to be, where the village will be off layout, it is beginning ot fit!!
     
    Will keep you posted and I promise at some point photo's!!
     
     
    Reemgee
  9. reemgee

    In one piece again !

    By reemgee,

    Hi guys,
     
     
    Not posted for a while as I spent the New year in hospital, the dreaded heart attack followed by multiple by pass surgery, a hard way to bring in the New Year!! On the mend now thankfully and getting back into the hobby both at club level and at home!
     
    Heading off to my first show for a while on Sunday as the club is exhibiting our revised scenic 00 gauge layout for the first time this year. I think I have convinced my fellow members as to the value off scenic drop in sections, instead of the traditional way of board to board layouts.
    Using this method. means that the scenery can be changed around over say a weekend show, without the track work/wiring altering. The guys have added a little more fiddle yard space, as we were a wee bit short on that and if I get the chance I will post a few photo's next week .
     
    I have only seen photo's so far myself, but can't wait to see how the finished product looks
     
    We are experimenting with sound cards at present and will incorporate these soon on our permanent layout and at a later date the exhibition one. We hope to automate the permanent layout this year with infrared sensors etc. This layout can then be operated with mimimum staff at our home exhibitions all going well!
     
    We have made good use of Led's on the exhibition layout as we have a circus now incorporated and a building on fire scene, plus the garage welding mock up. We will be extending this use and I am building in sound cards to my own layout, I already have the church bells etc and station announcements on basic sound card format.
     
    Anyway I will close now and update you after the show with hopefully a few photo's!!
     
     
     
    Reemgee
  10. reemgee
    Hi all,
     
     
    It's been an age since I posted anything and that is somewhat lazy on my part!
    I think by the time I keep up with my clubs requirements and the house/maintenance chores!! coupled with my own layout which I have started on again after some absence, there is not much time left!
     
    Club wise, we have had a good year traveled/exhibited to a number of model rail club shows here in Ireland and been asked to exhibit at agricultural shows and Diorama diecast shows as well!
     
    We are not a large club so, we will have to prioritize this in 2014 I think, as we are limited in what shows we can go to overall.
     
    Club wise we are well under way with our 00 Gravel quarry Layout, this will be a handier size to transport about to shows this year!
     
    From my own point of view my layout is progressing ? that's all I can say, The canal basin is coming along and the far end station is beginning to come together, hopefully, over the holidays I can get the biggest part of the track work completed? we will see!
     
    I am fitting automation in a simple PLC format to the club quarry layout right now but, my old laptop is too old and my new one is too new so, I have the usual 232 coms linking problem! 232 adaptors are not doing the trick for me right now!!!
     
    I have purchased DC driver starter kits from Sainsmart in China with Arduino and this will be the end format of control via the Ethernet cards produced, but that is long term, I would just like to program the Mini PLC right now, no doubt I will find a way with something. I have the basic route program written, I just need to link between PC and Plc!
     
    This type of auto operation is useful for Exhibitions as, it will control the layout eventually with just one person to keep an eye out for derailments etc. So team wise, we can do shows with two people now! our large layout needed 4 minimum to cope with full running!
     
    As we all know members have only limited time available, due to work and family commitments so, the fewer required for shows the better!!
     
    We still have our modified original layout up and running in the Heritage hall where we are based and this has proved very useful to the Center as it attracts children in, they can operate this layout via push button for a designated time period, This is only DC just now but will take DCC probably in the spring, when we get a bit of spare time!
     
    We can operate this layout normally on club running nights so members can run their older stock on this layout. Our larger exhibition 00 DCC layout is still around and we can assemble this for running nights as well.
     
    I would think many of you are members of clubs, both large and small, I would find it hard to build what I have built, if it were not for the advice and help received from club members.
     
    So to end I will say to anyone reading this, happy New 2014 when it comes and may it be a good one for you
     
     
    Reemgee
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