Robert Shrives

I like the Mk2 gen idea - like a service car on a well know NG line .. At least nobody tried to foist the Leyland MK1 conversion on NIR - quite likely as it as uber cheap it would have seen fleet production ! The Mk3 shortie shows Hornby might have been onto something! but the windows as on the 317 were dreadfully ugly. FWIW on the international coaches CIE started to look at/ cut a bit of metal to make the International brake into a driving car have you ever seen anything of a diagram in your searches? Cheers Robert.

IRC known as "Tugs". Well they can pull a mountain. DB have struggled to replace on fuel trains from Wales. Good what if model thanks for showing. Robert

Hi just to say thank you - the Brake van arrived on Saturday and now had a chance to look over and trundle up and down ! What a lovely model. The roof lightly clips on and off - to reveal a lovely interior with seats, stove and brake valve. Free running and of good weight it feels a solid model. Axles allow for 21 mm gauge with slots to allow brake block parts to move over. I am sure fun could be had adding pull rods etc for full brake rigging - if you run model upside down! For unboxing enthuiasts model comes in a blue carboard box with foam insert that holds model well There are foam inserts in cut out to protect sides - lift model in foam cradle out of box and remove top cover foam and then push through from lower side using insert to protect model - foam is too good a fit to dig model out of foam - a prerequisite to survive the best global shipping. I will look into my stocks of spare handrails and fit as these are user source and applied items - easy to make and certainly worth adding. Colours lovely and muted and in a matt finish - I am sure the rust and rot experts will have a field day! Certainly a fitting (ed) end for any freight ! Robert

Deed done 3 in varying livery inc the rail tour yellow panel. Yes class 80 but guess the easier win will be the original livery Enterprise next time the Mk 2s are run. Having retired from the remains of Crosscountry trains in August I was quite amazed by a collection by my former colleagues - a 335 euro IRM card - they knew me too well it seems! could well be an avenue to spend .. Thanks again gang. Robert

Gang, Long felt want fully satisfied. Thanks Robert

Indeed loco does look good and price increase reflects model changes as well as the difficult job of changing factories- extracting intact tooling etc. And then new factory picking up project hopefully it will fulfill a big gap in market. Robert

Mike, Hopefully a new slice of Ireland will appear given all the lovely stock. Robert

NIR Class 450 3-car set by CMAC Model Railways OO Gauge | eBay Hi Just spotted this might suit some and worth checking out the other items - lots of 4mm cars suitable. I have got one of these already and is in the part started bit of my world. Robert

For a test I offered £100 for one of the 121s and had it promptly refused ! Robert

Hi Well mine landed but only just, box trashed enroute and only 75mm of carboard holding in the box with crushed and torn outer, just dumped by DPD in a public area, ho hum!! However the policy of a plastic sleeve outer does mean the box and even more importantly the contents survived and are brilliant. Looking forward to running and playing with the lights and the wand - little things please little minds etc. Just need to go Dutch gents for those without the Fox EGV model. Robert

Hi Postie just done the honours and lovely they are too, crying out for some weathering - all my stuff packed away as moving shortly so will have to go on to awaiting pile.. As always thanks to the IRM staff for all work done and thanks to the little hands in China who have made kits into rtr models for us! Robert

Hi I stand fully corrected sorry if I caused you grief not intended I will of course refain in any action in future. thanks for folks time . Robert

Hi Just to say the Show was the same but different , smaller hall but had a diesel -class 37 as centre piece lovely layouts -mostly working well but all well chosen. However as the magazine has other modelling titles show showcased military, air and Sci fi hobbies so a good mix but certainly model railways seemed most active part of show when I was there on the Sunday- well worth a second visit as hall was booked for a show in 2025 same weekend. Robert

Hi these look very good and I guess essential for back end of many trains back in the day. Robert

Hi Often called strapping or "iron works. You can buy etched sheets to cut out, also a product called Archer rivets which are a resin rivet head on transfer/ decal backing sheets in varying specs and these can be laid on to and painted - very effective. 4MM33: Wagon Strapping – Wizard Models Limited Hope that helps Robert

Chocks do stop a runaway if the external handbrake released by ****tards making up for lack of school career. On BR class 31s had chocks as handbrake could not be relied on and secondmen tasked with securing loco/ removing once air brake applied on startup. I can see the loco has also been pulled off the wagons ready for the run round. Grand phots as ever. Robert

No, but sure they must along with a MK1 GSV on a well known gangs radar! Robert

Looking forward to mine, but now of course I have a big pile of part started Lima conversions. I will end up with more buffet conversions than in real life! The B4 bogie packs arrived today which is good as I can now faff with GSV models for B5 bogies, just in time for the announcement of Dutch and Mk1 gen brakes ... Robert

Hi, perhaps missed somewhere but spotted on web shop spare B4 bogies available- bought 4 packs for other projects given how well they run. fun if B5s got on the shop as well as ideal for EGVs. Robert

Does that mean they "sound flat".... as compared to sharp, gets summer coat and leaves stage left! Robert

Very interesting stuff, thanks to all involved in a heady afternoon! Now if I was to mention scale colour or colour at scale should I get a coat? Robert

Patrick, Just caught up with the news , good luck with the move and hope in time you can share new works, no rush it is a hobby after all. A big thank you for letting us share the layout and the inspirational words and pictures over the life of the layout. Robert

Hunt Magnetic Couplings ELITE **BUCKEYE** - Close Coupling Clip Couplings for Airfix Mk2 Coaches - OO Gauge (westhillwagonworks.com) Is what you are after, the black plate on top of coupling lifts off it coupling will not pull past peg inside, having just looked at a bogie in a box of bits of a part started rake. Used couplings in N and are very good. Many have bought more and firm has a large physical presence as interweb shop. hope that helps Robert

I think the bank balance will take hit fellow modellers, given how IRM happily sell the packs of everything then surely the holy grail will be three RPSI locos in one pack for £1000 ( 4/85/131) . followed up with 3 jeep packs to celebrate the rtr spoil wagon now I have 12 in a rake ready for a loco or three. Robert

Brake van deffo needed now. I guess it goes against the "grain" but just ordered a pack on the back of paying for the PW flats. Robert