Robert Shrives

Well latest batch arrived in the blue and grey - look the part and checking after bogie comment all "pure" NIR are fine, what I call crossover coaches as the basic vehicle could be BR or NIR all have the BR 00 bogie. Given majority use 00 just having an exchange bogie will suit I am sure. Perhaps I missed it but I guess the MOQ for 21mm replacement wheelsets prohibitive to offer as an after market choice. Still brilliant and at work the BR modelling guys were drooling!! Now we have the middle car for augmented 80 class and with new end slide the DBTS as well. sort of 66 class railcar... dreams of top spec 80 class in 2025... Robert

To add to the plaudits I took delivery of the bumble bee packs just now and lovely models but the best part was finding a card in the base below the protective inner tray looking like an OLE warning - carefully done to explain the various coupling options. The booklet with diagrams very useful and clear. Showing how our rtr models are really a mega kit built for us to use/play with. We might make one model but spare a thought for the many hands in China making these for us, I guess 5000 plus kits to build and most of us would baulk at the thought !! Thanks to all involved in the project around the globe/ other side of the flat earth! Robert

Paul, Thanks for that. I guess doing interior gen set corridor walling in a light grey and black on the other side will calm down the orange currently visible. Thanks Robert

Well my EGV landed and had a chance to look over, MM5603A , in IR livery it looks the part just need to fanny with roof vents - black wash and a dot of black on exhausts to make it look like it has a hole. I guess paint over the orange interiors - a bit lurid but at least it has an interior - any soul got phots of inside please. very please to see bogies are suitable of 21mm gauge and cleverly the brake block moulding can be reclipped to the outer spacing - neat design move. Very please to add coach to fleet - does take the "urgency" off finishing a couple of brass ones in the massive part started heap! Thanks to all involved in rerun and distribution. Robert

The couplings are standard fishtail NEM couplings IIRC and so any Bachman/ hornby/ dapol would fit. check with a coupling off a wagon? robert

Short cut for track could be Peco HOm track, 12 mm gauge flat bottom rail, wide sleeper spacing. so at 4mm scale 10 foot long would give a reasonable space for a terminus to fiddle line. Robert

Given the shady going ons and generally shambolic life style might it had some thing totally off the wall. Perhaps electric tram style or another go at a monorail solution. Mind you I can see a grubby C class and some park royals and tin van with a certain lady saying "go - on, go on etc" as hapless driver tries to start the loco. Gets coat and heads for door. Robert

Hi, Just seen email from Rails of Sheffield with note on Irish models pre owned sale prices below an example Murphy Models MM0124-PO Pre-Owned IE Logo Class 121 124 Diesel Locomotive – Rails of Sheffield Might be of interest look to around 30 locos Robert

Ordered a 3 pack PW set just now - if a layout ever gets built they are likely to be siding fodder but good to show the chassis design. I imagine as a flat useful as a barrier for overlength traffic as well. I mugged one up based on the car photo as well. Viz the BR Conflat in Irish guise I would think they would sell as well. Another Dapol wagon project? Robert

You might get requests for the Lima dmu bogies if you post on RM web. I have had a few requests in the last year and have cleared by gloat box. However Charlie Petty at DC kits stocks a dmu wheel on 26mm lima axle length axles that are fine as low profile 4mm scale wheels - used on my Lima Mk2s so you might have a use for another kit in the future. I too have a couple of the motor bogies and also unused. Might make one up one day for fun. Your emu will be lighter without the door castings - melt them down for wagon weights! Happy modelling. Robert

Love the striped paint, fitting printed seat fabric amazing given curves of the seats - or is it a transfer? robert

While getting MTK kits to this standard is clearly a labour of love a big thanks to Colin Massingham all those years ago persevering with his aim to make kits from alu stampings, white metal castings, and a lump of magic dust! I think he understood quickly that oversized whitemetal casings allowed for shrinkage and adaptability. The formed shells were a mixed bag and often better treated as sides and a roof cut with a stanley. I have tucked away a 103 that was supplied flat and the roof is at least 6mm too big however it might get rolled, but without the kit I would never have started on a 103. His range covered N, TT, OO and O gauges. the N was nearer true 2mm and live on in BHE kits via fleetline kits - I bought several coaches from Winton models in Bournemouth in the early 1980s. Even then the plastic mouldings were a mess with flash but the brass etch was lovely. Castings were right general shape. I have some TT sides and in flat are lovely but loose height when rolled to a MK1 shape and do not fit the clear vacuum plastic shell, the castings are a mixed bag of course. A treasured possession is the El crappo box for an O gauge 156 - complete with cartoon Donkey in action! I have the 156 and it has a good blob of filler around cabs - but having learnt on the roof oversize issue It might be a better job to break apart and split roof, one day maybe! Also a big thanks to Darius for show and tells on these build - inspiring to us almost armchair modellers. Robert

All good things come to those who wait. Barely got a chance to see stand at Warley- busy most of time, did show my cement wagon as a hint... coaches looked great. I suspect that the docks busy with not just in time crimbo tat so landed delays/ customs stuff not helping the cause! The one thing I missed at Warley was the Hunslet 101 announcement. Robert

Well just about all in place 99% done ! IRRS stand with stalwarts in place during the afternoon and Ballyconnell Road up and looking ready to go. Easy to find - big steam loco alongside and just down a bit from IRM on tour stand! (IIRC A24.) - It has been a long day. I hope anybody on here who visits has a good day at the show. Robert

Darius, The build of the wickam mirrors my experience with a Transpennine unit cutting off the roof with a stanley to allow ends a fighting chance to fit bodies got attached to a Lima chassis, back in the day so the buffet offered pizzas! The 306 must be better proportioned if ends fitted that well, good luck with the build Robert

A good build today at NEC with around 60% of walling and shell schemes built, 500 tables and 700 chairs in place, GWR tank 5164 has popped over from SVR as a fund raisier, it is a lightly weathered finish to encourage others! It does look good . Contractors building stands all afternoon and IRM boys stand started to arrive so hopefully it will fly up tomorrow. Long days for next 3 days, but looking forward to it (I think!) Robert

Hi Good to know all coming, I will be in the Hall from Thursday Lunchtime to last man standing so hope to see a few. Funny how you ended up close to the layout ! While not confirmed check out the display cabinets on the Warley club stand for a few wagons on display. Robert

Also from an engineering view point the track forces are a lot lower with distributed power as axle loads and hammer blow is reduced so track can last longer with reduced maintenance., which is a cost saving of a large magnitude. In UK Regional railways dumped loco hauled stock for railcars/ dmus very quickly as total costs savings even after buying new a stock made the BR Boards books move towards balancing. Railtrack/ Network rail track access regime reflects track damage from heavy axle loads and for the Intervillage operators like East Coast, Advanti West Coast and Last Great Western can get more from the emu/dmu fleets over loco hauled and reduced HST power cars sees track access charges fall. It is a shame however that those who think putting a bus engine under a train filled with ill thought "cheap seats" are not made to ride on them long distance. In UK the clamour about the seats caused the Rail safety board to investigate- using the BR MK3 as the bench mark its tests showed no improvement in any of the modern trains being foisted on passengers. I hope the future bimode/ electrickery stocks in Ireland take heed of passenger needs when discussing the finances. Still on topic looking forward to my 6car . Robert

Looks like you had fun with that. plenty of weight for the chassis being cast, neat joins on bodyside. A class that did not quite get there after rebuild, too small a class and engine issues plus 73s being rather more than a box on wheels along with a loss of traffic gave them a short life. Thanks for showing Robert

That is a great move as chassis used on several more wagons. The body is crying out for double stacking and having the sep floor is inspired! Have to check finances but a short rake possible. Thanks gents Robert

I would love to know if the pixels shown will be available as 21mm gauge spare parts as a 16.5 gauge pixel regardless colour could be useful to many but FS 21mm will help some as well. I have been collecting pixels for a while now and have been considering 10.5mm ones as well as it gives a chance to use my 2mm stock with a little work. Off for a coffee now and a 1:1 scale biscuit. Robert

I can see all the arguments and benefits of all these alternatives but one not mentioned is slowing down. I guess we have become such a global village it is not possible to for anywhere to be even vaguely self sufficient. The rise of the 15 minute limitation society for movement adds to the arguments about traction for mobility. A local friend in Wales now with some 20mph limitations has considered the family horse as a potential for the commute. It is self recharging on company grass! But garaging and running costs currently make it like a luxury car! I guess vet bills worse than the daylight robbery of just plugging in a lap top to reset a car that is too clever for its tyres. Robert

Darius, good luck on the move a big big task ahead. It will keep you busy for a good few hours! Robert

Thanks to NIRCLASS80 for the inadvertent bump! Just to add I now have some 80 class PCs heading my way to allow a bit of yellow fun to be created, hopefully I can mask the fact that 752 is of Lima "parentage." Might have missed it but one for Kirley if he sees this but the pics back from 2014 will not display- If it were possible to recreate a big thanks from me! Robert

Really good and thanks for taking my money !!!! The Driving brake does mean the 80class is tantalisingly close with just a bit of fun adding pipes and cables to make 754. I could happily give a development model a happy home...