Glover

As many of you will know, Leslie McAlister of Provincial Wagons lives in a house called Pettigo Fair. It would only seem right then that my model of Pettigo station on the Bundoran branch would include a cattle special. Remember that I stretched history and have assumed that the line stayed open through the summer of 1963 and hence Leslies CIE cattle vans can feature. I managed to get to the exhibition in Blackrock last October and bought five of the vans. These plus three GNR vans and two modified Mainline LMS vans complete the train. Others have done a better job of assembling the kits but they gave me great pleasure. One improvement I made was to tighten up somewhat on the gap between wagons. I’m lucky enough to have curves of around twenty six inches plus. A couple of snaps. Glover

It’s been so long since I updated these notes that I could not initially find the thread. Anyway, here we are now. I did update the Irish Railway Modellers forum yesterday and update that community. There is of course overlap between the two fora but I thought it best to bring my news over here. Headlines are that I ran into health problems around June/July last year which resulted in a diagnosis of throat cancer. I underwent chemo and radiation threatment and by early 2020 was declared clean. However, you never get 100% clearance and hence it’s no real surprise that the cancer has now returned and that no more can be done, except provide palliative care. Having been a smoker for fifty years, I can hardly cry foul and must accept that I will pass on at the relatively young age of 68. Can I just say a few words of thanks for all of the kind comments and support which this little community has offered to this ‘lone-wolf’ modeller. I’ll do a separate note on the last project but for now Pettigo signal box is closing. Sincerest thanks to you all. Glover

They have a note on their Facebook page to say that they are working on the issue. Hopefully, it will be back up soon. Cheers, Glover

Can I throw in a few Irish coaches to this thread, partly as a 'thank you' to Mike Trice for his technique and also perhaps as an encouragement to others to have a go? It's actually easier than painting a normal livery! The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) painted their coaches in a varnished wood livery. The company, which had been taken over by the Governments of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the early 1950s ceased to exist in 1958 and was divided between the two jurisdictions. However, the livery lived on in Northern Ireland until the early 1960s; there are many colour photos of such coaches in Ulster Transport Authority service. These coaches are a mix of scratchbuilt and Worsley Works parts. Cheers and thanks again to Mike Trice, Glover

You can do plenty with the Ratio GWR 4-wheel coaches, including making bogie coaches. The plastic used by Ratio is easier to work with, compared to Hornby. This is an Irish bogie non-corridor brake third and a 6-wheel luggage van, both from the Ratio kits. Cheers, Glover

It took me the best part of 50 years to follow Terry Gough's series of articles in the Railway Modeller to model Irish railway coaches of that era, although these particular coaches were longer (60') and of course wider. To modellers of a certain age, the idea that Hormby might upgrade them to modern standard would be regarded with a little suspicion. Where's the fun if there is nothing left to improve?! Glover

This is a bi-annual subscription magazine covering the modelling of Irish railways. Some of the content will be familiar to readers of this forum or the Irish Railway Modeller forum but other material is new, certainly to me. This includes a German gentleman modelling Kilkenny, in 21mm gauge. Ballyglunin (better known as 'Castletown' in the Quiet Man movie) is the subject of the Station Survey. Plans of the station building are included as an insert. The series of Great Southern steam loco drawings have moved on to some of the early railcars, specifically the Sential and Clayton versions. A drawing of the Turf Burner is also included; why can't we let that contraption just go?! All in all, a good and useful issue. Glover

To avoid any embarrassment, can I take it that this late gentleman is he who wrote a quite inspiring series of articles on converting Hornby GWR clerestories to Southern Railway coaches, in the Railway Modeller in the mid 1960s? Many thanks, Glover

And I believe the aroma was very much part of the atmosphere; take up pipe smoking! Cheers, Glover

To Simon's suggestion to work to circa 3mm scale on 16.5mm track, I have thought about that at various times in the past but it always struck me as being at least capable of becoming a problem to solve a problem! In more recent times, I might consider it as an option if I were to build something very specific: say a bit of the Sligo Leitrim or the Waterford-Tramore. Ultimatly I just have to accept that people like John are much more skilled than I in some areas of the hobby and that I should admire and applaud their work. I'll get back to "plastic engineering"! Cheers, Glover

I can only envy your skills John; this to me is engineering in miniature. Like the great majority of modellers of Irish railways, I use 16.5mm gauge. I am prepared to accept this very large compromise but I do have a difficulty with steam locos. Most Irish engines were relatively small. This, to me, creates the impression of the boiler sitting between the wheels rather than over them. You can I think just about get away with it on tank locos such as the NCC 'Jeeps'. I have even wondered about trying to represent something like a J15 on 16.5mm track by distorting scale, building the boiler to 3mm scale. But when I sober up, I realise that is getting very silly! Yes, to model typical Irish steam engines, 21mm gauge is a must. Cheers, Glover

Can I ask about that signal box in your most recent photos? Can't say I recognise it from any Irish companies but maybe that's just advertising my lack of knowledge ! Cheers, Glover

You've been (suspiciously) quiet Kirley...... That's some project. In my limited experience, changing an existing layout is much more difficult; the pre-planning needs to be very exact and there is always the danger of collateral damage. Best of luck with it. Glover

Thanks for all that info Lambeg. I had a look at the location on Google Earth last night; it certainly does provide a stage for a passing parade of interesting stock. Cheers, Glover

This is a bit good! So many points of interest already: the signals, the BUT set and that lever frame. Tell us more. The setting and time period also allow for a great variety of stock, including CIE freight. I also now understand how your 'one-sided' coaches will work out. Cheers, Glover