Time to build a railway...but where?

[Peter Butler]

if ever I want some of those, I'll pick 'em up in person, it's only £6 on the train from here!

I guess you know that Jerry Irwin is near you too..... Filton.

[philipy]

Peter, I've looked several times but I can't find any links to Jerry Irwin products. Does he have a website?

[Peter Butler]

Jerry doesn't have a website but the link below will show his range of kits. Also he gives his email contact for direct sales, cheaper than via ebay, which he occasionally uses for parts etc.....

https://www.flickr.com/photos/107486657 ... 8655086333

He is also a member here on the Forum, so PM's will work too!

[FWLR]

Only just got to read your reply Peter.

Thank you so much for the information. It's one of those things that one tends to do naturally when one thinks they should rub down something to get a smooth finish, but end up making it worse.

You have used plywood before haven't you and found them to be excellent kits. I wonder if the prices ie: pay more for them you tend to get a superior kit, makes all the difference in what you end up with. I myself would never pay the prices some manufacturers charge for their kits, after all, we run them outdoors and no matter how hard you try not to, derailments happen for one reason or another.
Following your advice before has helped me tremendously and I intend to carry on in that respect. Although I have improved some ways you do things that suit me better.

I must also say, I am not the best at builds and my skills are limited, but Anne like what I do, so for me that's what matters.
But the members thoughts are also important because without them, it's a lonely world is garden railways..

[Peter Butler]

. I wonder if the prices ie: pay more for them you tend to get a superior kit,

One of my targets was to discover whether that was the case, and found out that it was not!
The kit with least number of prepared parts and the use of poorer quality material, resulting in less accuracy in assembly due to these two issues, was also the most expensive to buy.

[Andrew]

if ever I want some of those, I'll pick 'em up in person, it's only £6 on the train from here!

I guess you know that Jerry Irwin is near you too..... Filton.

No, I didn't know that! Always nice to support a local business...

I'm very tempted my one of the "porthole" opens, even though I've got an IP one awaiting construction. They look a joy to put together, those jigs are wonderful.

When you get a chance, would you mind running a ruler over it? I'd like to see how it would compare with my existing "Small Birminghams"...

Thanks!

Andrew.

[Peter Butler]

Andrew, dimensions of the 'Porthole' coach are :
Body length.... 166 mm (10ft 4in)
Body height.... 100 mm (6ft 3in)
Overall height from rail 111 mm (6ft 11in)
Body width..... 105mm (6ft 6in)

How does that compare, and with what?

[Andrew]

How does that compare, and with what?

Thanks Peter!

I'm wondering how it compares with my existing, scratchbuilt, bug boxes. They're pretty much to scale I think, but I guess I'm more concerned with whether they'd look right side by side...

I'll get out and measure them later...

Andrew.

[Andrew]

I had a measure, and it looks like Jerry I's ones are a little bigger all round than mine. IP's are too, as I recall, so it's possible I made mine too small, I don't recall where I got the plans from now.

How do a JI and IP one look together, from a size perspective?

Thanks,

Andrew

[Peter Butler]

Andrew, I managed to grab an opportunity during my flexible (non)working at home day to take some pictures for you. What with having to fit in lunch, coffee and dog exercising breaks, I don't know how I find the time!
The IP an JI coaches are so close in size there is really no noticeable difference between them.....

IMG_7314.JPG (108.78 KiB) Viewed 5647 times

IMG_7313.JPG (145.13 KiB) Viewed 5647 times

IMG_7312.JPG (149.13 KiB) Viewed 5647 times

I hope this helps.

[Peter Butler]

[/quote]
Peter, where did you get your crests done and do you have to trim round the image to get it to look so neat?
Apologies again if this has been covered before and I've missed it.
[/quote]

PM sent Andy.

[Andrew]

Thanks Peter, that's really helpful, and much appreciated. The "to do" list is still rather long at the moment, bit it's definitely one to think about...

Yours really are beautifully finished - they'll look great with your new Hunslet at the head of them.

Cheers,

Andrew

[FWLR]

On the last two photos there doesn't seem much difference at all, although the Jerry Irwin has more character. But both would look good on any line for me.

[11thHour]

Well done and thanks for the comparison.
Both coaches look excellent.
Despite being of similar dimensions the open coach, on the left, has more of the 'magic carpet' stance beloved of narrow gauge pioneers. Presumably they were scared of tipping over, or perhaps it was a marketing ploy to make the coaches look more stable.
Maybe its just the lighting, or my imagination?
Tim

[Andrew]

Despite being of similar dimensions the open coach, on the left, has more of the 'magic carpet' stance beloved of narrow gauge pioneers. Presumably they were scared of tipping over, or perhaps it was a marketing ploy to make the coaches look more stable.

These the first carriages on a 2' line, and I believe their low-slung look was indeed a bid to maximise stability - the wheels are between the central longitudinal seats. I guess they found quite quickly that stability wasn't quite the problem that they'd feared, because later carriages had a more conventional arrangement, although the end compartments of the bogie carriages are more cramped than the central ones because they have to accommodate the bogies. The Ashbury 4-wheelers must have been especially unpleasant to ride in, because they had a floor above the wheels but weren't much taller than the bug boxes.

Incidentally, the central seats in the bug boxes are the reason that the bogies carriages have balconies that don't lead anywhere (unlike, say, the Welshpool carriages) - they were to provide passengers with a "bridge" to access the far side of the 4 wheelers without needing to walk all the way round the train.

Cheers,

Andrew.

[ge_rik]

I noticed that a resin BugBox was being used as an example in the chapter on building kits in the 16mm NGM guide. A quick trawl of t'internet revealed it was once made by AnDel models, so no longer available. A pity, it looks like quite a good rendition. I wonder what has happened to the moulds?

Rik

[Peter Butler]

Hi Rik,
I did look up AnDel at the beginning but discovered they are no longer available, shame it found its way into the guide really.
I am still continuing with the Bug Box collection and have today received the latest kit from Jerry.... the 'Flying Bench'. I asked Jerry whether he intended to produce one and within four days it was in my postbox. This makes a total of four Bug Box kits available from Jerry which include: Observation Car, Port Hole Carriage, 3rd Class Carriage and the Flying Bench. Possibly the greatest variety available from one manufacturer?....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huTR7lNmME0

I will add this build to the series.

[andymctractor]

Hi Rik,
I did look up AnDel at the beginning but discovered they are no longer available,

I still have some Andel models D class WD bogie wagons lying somewhere. I bought them just before they stopped trading. The reason I bought them was that the ironwork is separate from the bodywork so, with care, may be cleaned up and painted separately.
I THINK a lot of their small detail stuff was made by 3D modelling in the early period of the development of that technology. Having said that, the bodywork of the bogie wagons are resin castings in one piece.

I know I own them but can't find where I've put them.

[Peter Butler]

Andy, in answer to your question about Ffestiniog transfers I have now found a source..... Endon Valley Decals, they have a website where many 16mm scale railway company transfers are shown.
https://evcd.bigcartel.com/contact

[FWLR]

I have used Endon Valley Decals and I have found them to be excellent. Although I didn't use them for the correct period of coaches or wagons. I just found some I liked and used them...Was I wrong in doing that...