Robert Shrives

Like the cautionary top line of the manual, in BR days it said much the same or "not for publication" - like the lockdown in UK who obeys when intent of not following a rational course, would you sit in a pub with the 121 manual and tell all and sundry how to pinch one ... not hopefully you would get to far, Looking forward to the models arrival but good to see training in progress ! Robert

Hi Good news on accessory pack . thanks Robert

Good to see progress, will save pennies ! I am sure it has been said before but if packaging not fully finalised is there room in the box for a spare stack of kegs to be squeezed in to the cornner as a bonus and help scenic fun ? Stay safe Robert

Lovely work , trying not to fall into the gizmo buying but just ordered a set of the tamyia paint turntables inspired tools with good reviews Thanks for inspiration Robert

Warb, Great OLE work - in Brass it ought to be fairly bomb/ hooman proof. It will make track cleaning a bit of a pain but I expect you have a plan. The light weight cross spans are amazingly fine- you must be pleased with them. Thanks for up date and more power to your elbow! Robert

Ha, I did promise to look at that. pivoting on 0.3 steel wire possible at a push but the sliding back into the void might be fun. Robert

Bits of railcar would look good with a C class on push pull look a like. Robert

The beet container does look very good and gets my vote - 10/10. I short rake of 4 would fit nicely ! Robert

Well another vote of confidence from me, lovely models - graced the office desk today ! I am sure a second run will come in time but after the A , C ,class 80, Beet double decker, BR based heating van and a 47 foot flat or maybe between one of the forgoing ! Not wish listing of course !! thanks IRM gang. Robert

Like the pics - but if anything normal to go by the buffer stop would have been move a coach length up the bay rendering it useless !! So well done for getting the Civils to put in a sensible place... thanks Robert

Thanks guys, E mail today saying on the way ! Looking forward to these and future A class fun! Robert

That says a lot about market demands and careful stocktaking ! Any more bumps in the floor ? Looking forward to ferts even more now ! Robert

Fifth photo next to bogie is a screw jack - this on a sliding I - beam - its opposite site friend just to left of it - pulled out and sat on packings, jack to take load, to spread load and watched like a hawk by crew.

As others have said thanks for the candid update , and welcome to the Chinese industrial experience of the new year and factory delays !! A balancing act of being ignored by the factory or inviting an expediting voluntary fee if you push for a given delivery date or being laid back and letting time take its course. It is just great dealing with the culture. Robert

A great bit of film ! Just a quick question what no. kaydees are fitted ? thanks Robert

Brilliant rendition, What colours used ? I too had wondered about lights- seeing how surface mount LEDs now come suitable for N locos I guess these would be suitable. Top head I guess a light guide in bent perspex with led and heat shrink tube connector would work, the pain being drilling the casting. Hopefully not missed it on earlier pages but what power plant in the model - I have looked at several. Robert

Thanks for the pictures- a good record of production. Santa - well postie defo very strong carting what looks to be most of the CIE fleet of 42 foot flats ever built, and I bet the tree was happy to have its protective wall.. happy collecting! And happy new year Robert

Hi Dave, Just a little late to the party , but cases look good - on ebay you can get 00 foam trays and Warley club do a cardboard double tray box as well . Re layout if open to thoughts - if the central bridge was a level crossing it could get a set of signature gates from SSM and surely be made motorised. Depending on what you had in mind for region then a beet loading point possible, re the tunnel entrance side perhaps http://www.rosslarerailandsea.com/rathdrum.html might be an idea of curving and dropping line. Of course the otherway has short tunnel cum bridge and straight viaduct . Traffic wise route saw all traction types and all coach types plus ferts, ammonia tanks , cement bubbles among freight. link to bit on here Robert

Patrick, Good to see more trains running and yes the beet empties do look good. I guess ballasting and the back road around the signal cabin next on the long to do list. Meanwhile I wish you and the family a happy new year . I noticed that you have 4 pawed manager in one shot of the fiddle yard, hopefully respectful of the running of trains. Robert

In reality after a period of running servicing will be required which is an end user job would have you lubricate these bearing points so it is good training !! I used the hobby white teffon grease and a bit on a piece of card and using a pin in a pin chuck to transfer a very small bloblet was all that was required. I kept clear of the rotating cap as I wanted to avoid any sticky residue to attract out of scale weathering! This was so good I used same on my Beet wagon kits and skeletal frame flats and this worked a treat. The wagon works mnt staff will be happy! I really hope nobody takes up the offer on returning stock as it is so simple and it also seems a bit of running takes the extra paint off the axle retaining nibs and all is happy. Working with the Chinese is I am told a bit like getting married - the first product Honeymoon sees all happy but as the relationship matures some of the quality of "life" can change and constant work is needed to fully understand each other. Also it seems your partner seems to change - a bit of an open relationship in the modern world and at some time you will find the first partner you met is now busy in a new relationship and the second or third league player now your effective partner is using their neighbour to help on Wednesdays so standards vary on that day, thus what was once a consistent output has a almost untraceable variation available to spoil the job. However you contact your original partner- as you see it - who happily ensures you standards are kept up and keep sending the money ... I was once advised marriage is the art of compromise and never sleep on an argument. This relationship has not only the issues of comprehension of ideas but being most of half a world away - a case of the distance makes the heart grow fonder , I wonder. I wish the whole trading with China well but sometimes looking nearer home (just down the road) gives in the end a better job and certainly easier control. Happy new year ! Robert

Ha , Reading what I wanted to read but in the latest issue of Rail express model section the juxtapostion of the render and the matching rider coach was too much late last night and on re reading it is worse as the rider coach is captioned as the flask and your render is captioned as the coach ... sorry for any froth cleaning I may have caused. Of course you could go with the flow and do the class 80 anyway! humble apolos Robert.

Hi All being a full time paid conspiracy theorist! I cannot help myself and notice the UK sector of IRM towers Accurascale are doing a MK2 to match the massive nuc flask wagon. Surely this is the the seasonal sign of an 80 Class birth announcement in a CAD workshop scene ? Just saying and getting my coat. festive greetings to everybody in the forum and IRM towers of course. Robert

Great prog , several good inside shots of railcars and a few minutes of the 80 class - hopefully when IRM Towers make the model allowance for fitting head board possible - magnetic perhaps? A good showcase of all that is good about the isle and its railways large and small also it has to be said a gentle touch on the political history across all of Ireland. Apart from a bit of 80 class footage the best bit was going over the Boyne bridge in the 201 on the Enterprise service to Dundalk, CIE picked a good driver to chat with Chris. Well worth it on catch up telly or whatever . Robert

I applied just a pin heads worth of the hobby lube white teflon grease to the nibs on the bogie that retains the axles as the rotating caps run just clear of the chassis so need no lub - I was fearful that such would attract fluff or static grass etc - as I have found on over lubed locos I have repaired. A quick spin after applying showed a massive improvement and not visible on the bogies - weathering next. Some where I have two SSM water tank containers that I ought to dig out and fix on to help display the fantastic wagon frames - and use my 3D print ones for the containers. Thanks gents for the great work. Robert

I hope you all enjoy the read - I got mine the other week and the range and quality of photos and captions really good. I look forward, hopefully, to further volumes. Robert.