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Jaysis - Leslie will be delighted! Looks Fantastic Noel - more power to your Elbow!

my money is Ballymote on the sligo line. the Shelter on the Left Platform is quite distinctive - it and the Water tower are all that is left today from that picture - CIE have long got rid of that unique Signal box and goods shed at the end of the main platform - the loop is lifted and the track has been re-aligned. Check out Google maps at street view on the bridge on the other side of the Station................I thought it was Cloughjordan on the Ballybrophy - Limerick branch at first - same gentle sweep into the platform - but nothing else tied in. Ed

The problem is that the dollar always gets stronger in times of global turbulence and crisis ..............the dollar being the world reserve currency of choice - how long that situation will survive the Tango Kid is another question - but that is the situation for now. China demands payment in dollars - which are costing us Eurozone and sterling dwellers more now. Also throw in the fact that transportation of any means is selling at a premium too.............. I had budgeted about 200 yoyos per model from the start - so Im not surprised - it not that much more - they'll sell grand anyway

I've pre ordered 3 - probably this time last year - I might give them a bell on Tuesday to see what the craic is.....no change on the website yet.

the good ole Arrows - fab job! I used to get them every morning/evening for about 6 years in the late 90's/00s from Ashtown to Pearse Street/Grand Canal Stations and down to Grand Canal Basin for work................In all that time I'd say I experienced the actual seats about 5 times - they were jammers at rush hour!

Noel - the demand will be there. According to Fran - the Kegs are already 65% sold - already ! - that is a bigger run than previous and still they are selling great. Obviously - the market is out there and growing. It also helps that the standard is so good. When it comes to eras - Im the same as you - my preferred era is 1950s, 60s and 70s ...but I will purchase at the very least.... one from every release that IRM are doing and will do regardless of era - a little because I like to support Irish businesses when possible - but mostly because they are producing crackingly good models.....up there with the best ..............I had some Hornby stock out on a tailchaser set up on the kitchen table a couple of weeks back - there is no comparison in quality - it was very clear who were producing the toys!.... There does seem to be a growing market out there for the Irish scene. Im looking at a MM141 on the "Bay" at the moment - there are 25 of us "watching" a used MM141 that will probably cost the guts of 200 yoyos all in to get it in my hand.............I'm struggling to justify paying that.....but I'm probably a double Jack daniels away from pressing "Bid" because they are so hard to come by at the moment and I don't have one ......................but it will sell in the end no bother - the demand is there. PM's 121's will sell out in under a year at the most - likewise the A's and Im sure the rest of the IRM offerings will sell away grand too ......... OK - there will be a CV-19 effect to a degree - especially if we're still locked up / back in lock up after the summer - which I doubt - but I think the IRM lads and their considerable investment will be ok - its niche - its great and growing reputation and the desirability ( is that a word?) of their product - even my wife thinks they look fantastic...she was positively cooing over the Liners.....which was a bit freaky....but thats for another day and thread!!! My main hope - coming late to the Irish rail scene is that PM or IRM or whoever might see their way to another run of 141/181s and early cravens!.....if the demand is there - it will happen eventually. Well done guys Ed

They'll be on the proverbial slow boat from China eh! Just shows how mental our world has gone in a couple of months. Thats grand - they'll be here about the same time as the 121s I m looking for

Great Job Noel

Female Flesh eh? - Im sure Just Eat can supply a Roast chicken or something similar straight to your doorstep............... If its female flesh of the human persuasion....ie wimmin...............well take the parenting controls off the internet and google whatever floats your boat...... If its the real life talking version...............after nearly 4 weeks 24/7 stuck in the same 4 walls as the wife - highlight of my week is going to the Recycling bank on my own..................I can see the advantages to your situation - trust me!!

They look fantastic guys - they really do. The attention to detail is something else - as usual!....well done and so looking forward to the As in the autumn.

Thanks for the input JM Yeh - ambitious - yer right - probably too ambitious for the space involved to do justice to either. Im still ruminating big time over what exactly I want to do - Well - I know I want all of the above Stations and the Branch line - Its just how and where it can be done. I know I really don't have the space in this particular room. However the attic would be far more promising spacewise and would accommodate both stations and the branch line with ease - the plan always was to hide the "mainlines" out of the both stations and concentrate on the borris branchline which was the scenic line compared to the other 2. that "plan" above was last fiddled with last summer......TBH my thinking has changed quite a bit since then and could be summed up as follows: I want the layout to be portable as much as possible because the Attic will probably come on line in a few years after revamping and I want to be able to move the layout easily - who knows...if they turn out anyway decent somebody else might want to see them in action too! I want to do all 3 stations - Bagnalstown, Palace East and Borris - they are 3 very different and distinct stations , both in set up ,location and Architecture - therefore Im tending towards assembling the stations individually - in modules to some degree - this would enable them to run individually - but also fitted into a longer running space with them all joined up, Again - ambitious - but long term dooable So, with that in mind , like your suggestion above - I am now contemplating rejgging the set up in the Den (space shown above) to just having the layout on the large wall ......and have it fed by a fiddle yard and a single line around the walls of the rest of the room for continuous running.......It would also allow me throw a proper workbench in there - much more comfortable than the draughty shed outside. Appreciate the input and info - I'm on your wavelength in regard to being realistic about the possibilities. I'll get back when I can with a more recent visualisation of what Im planning In the meantime - when Tango man isn't terrifying the living sh^t out of me - my TV watching is a crash course on the various railway modelling you tube channels - its very educational! Ed

All quiet at the moment - i was kinda caught on the hop with the whole lockdown - i dont have any materials in stock and now there is nowhere open to get them!.......given that Im now unemployed for the forseeable - it will be a long time waiting for passenger aviation to come back - my financials are in turmoil as grateful as i am for the state assistance - the timing couldnt have been worse as my renumeration is largely performance driven - no performance - no squids!....so the " toy train" comes way down the list of priorities.... Anyhoo - all that said - I do have Leslie's kits out on the table - and i did manage to get some glue - so I have challenged myself to get at least one built this week! Lastly - here is the first vague outlines of my plan for the layout - its kinda puke on a page at the mo - very very ambitious with different levels and some lines disappearing and the other appearing etc etc .....its a start! Ed

Happy Easter....I think

Thanks Fran Ordered a pack - they'll go grand with my couple of Taras on the "specials" train! Ed

Thanks Fran Not my era - but I'll order a pack or maybe 2 anyway cos they'll be cracking models One last question - I note that the individual keg cages are not for sale yet - any idea when? - I'd like to get some of those if possible thanks Ed

Quick question - when were these particular keg wagons introduced?....what was the running era? Thanks!

My two cents for what its worth Given Mayner who really knows his stuff around here has indicated its probably the Midland as opposed to the DSER - I tooked around the OSI maps and flickr and the James O' Dea Stuff and generally scoured the internet for a good 45 mins this morning ( when I should be next door edging my elderly neighbours back lawn .....this temporary layoff thing is getting old big time - the wife is offering my gardening services pro bono to all the cocooners on the street and my back is feeling it now!!) and I have come up with Longford railway station as a suspect and this is probably a dublin bound train from Sligo leaving Longford station....... My reasoning: Now I may probably be needing a spectacles upgrade - but from what I can make out from the picture and cross referencing with other photos and maps: The station house in Longford is a substantial 2 story building and is on the same side as the Goods shed which is on the Sligo facing end of the station (the back of the photo). the Signal box in the right location going by the maps and other photos - on the opposite side from the Station house at the Dublin facing end of the Station - to the left of the Signalbox was the engine shed - again clearly indicated by the steam/smoke vent thingy in the centre of the roof. As per Osi maps -Particularly the 25 inch 1888 to 1913 maps - the line out of Longford to the south was orginally double line all the way to Mullingar - Im sure that was probably rationalised in the 20s and 30s.....or more probably one line was upgraded ,regularly ballasted and maintained to express train level while the other was allowed to decay and degrade ....which looks like what happened here and was possibly used as a headshunt? When I looked at this at first - I was sure I could see a "double" footbridge.....ie - the sigalbox was on an island platform - so I looked for that kind of configuration on the MGWR lines - the only real suspects where Claremorris and Manulla junction - but in both cases - all other aspects (Station house, Box and the rest of the yard configurations) were "wrong"....so I looked at Longford again - the Signal Box is on an Island platform of sorts - the Engine Shed and yards were quite extensive on the left side of the picture - but the Footbridge did not extend beyond the passenger platforms....but if you look at maps and modern photos you will notice a road bridge going form left to right - directly behind the footbridge - which could give the illusion of an extended footbridge Anyway im rambling and I have to go and face the lawn.............So I place my bet on the Longford square! Ed

I've been faffing around for the last 2 years about building a new layout for the first time in over 30 years and have finally decided to commit to doing it and put it up here - or else I wont do anything about it! I've finally concluded negotiations with the Minister of the Interior to use my "Den" to house the layout - It took 18 months and comes with several conditions mostly relating to tidiness -it cost me a brand new kitchen with all the bells and whistles , Utility room , patio and central heating system for the whole house and another decade on the mortgage.........She drives a hard bargain.....................but I got my railway room!!!!! Anyway - very briefly its going to be a layout based around the Bagnalstown to Palace east Line circa 1955 to 1980 and at this moment - in my head - it will compose of Bagnalstown Station, Palace East Station - probably Borris Halt and the viaduct (ambitious or what!) and possibly Ballyling Beet siding under the Blackstairs mountain - all on a layout that will go around the 4 walls of the room..........I'll throw up a rough plan when I get a moment .............this probably is all subject to change when I hit that speedbump called reality - but I can dream for the moment!! Anyway - to celebrate and relieve a bit of cabin fever - I threw up a tailchaser made up of some Thomas the tank track on the kitchen table and took out/ tried out my IRM Stock, my 00Works J15s and my MM071 ( seriously impressed with the 071.............talk about smooth - love it already!) for the very first time.............................it was great! here is some dodgy video as evidence - unless you are interested in the RTE news, home & away, Corrie or Jamie Oliver - my advice would be to use the mute button! GreyJ15_and_bubbles.mp4 071_bubbles.mp4 blackJ15.mp4 071_bubbles_slow_reverse_shunt.mp4

That about sums it up JHB. Comparing the UK and Ireland is like comparing apples and oranges - pointless - in essence the British peoples neurotic obsession with their past and their so called "Glory Days" works to the advantage of heritage railways in that its comes from a highly selective and edited part of their history (Victorian , Edwardian and the 20th century up to the 60s - ie from 1840 to the withdrawal west of the Suez with the late 60s) that they love to celebrate and, all things considered, would rather jump in a time machine and go back to live in.........railways are a cherished part of the British industrial revolution - combine that with a large urban population, an engineering heritage and a very wealthy country in comparison to others - heritage railways have everything going for them in the UK. Ireland , on the other hand , does not have the same history - diplomatically speaking - it couldn't leave the 1840s to 1960s behind fast enough - the 19th and most of the 20th century was a social, demographic and economic disaster for most of the island of Ireland. outside of the industrialised North East - railways never really made any money - most of the lines to the west were state social projects that were more about pacification than anything else...the massive reduction in the population of the island from 8 million in the 1840s to slightly over 2 million by the 1960s - most people leaving on the trains for the ports and emigration . Railways became a symbol of a "backward past" that couldn't be left behind fast enough. Its no surprise that most of the heritage related organisations are in the North East where there is far more of an appreciation for them. For the rest of the country - It probably didn't help that the CIE was given an unachievable dual mandate from the start - provide a public service and break even and road transportation was the priority from the start...when a line was closed CIE could not lift the line and sell off the land fast enough for fear they might be asked to re-open it...it still goes on to this day..... Looking at all the various heritage projects - the one theme running right thru them is that they have been under capitalised and underfunded from the start - in a way its a bit of a miracle what has been achieved by a dedicated band of true believers on a wing and a prayer and a tiny budget in the face of official and public indifference. I've been involved in politics on and off for the last 30 years or so in one of the bigger political parties - County councils simply don't have the kinda money that is needed or the clout to tell State and Semi-state organisations what to do - if anything its the other way around - because of the bonkers way we have chosen to fund our local authorities and their services ( this fella called General Taxation pays for everybody and everything.) the local councillors have next to zero influence on any big strategic decisions and are reduced to fighting over the local public housing and roads budgets....ie peanuts...................IMHO you are totally wasting your time with local councils - I should know - I've contributed massively to getting many of them elected and I never once had to promise anything railway related to get anybody elected.........sad reality What the whole Heritage railway movement in Ireland really needs is a serious sugar daddy - money is not the most important thing in life - but its up there with oxygen if you want to get anything done! . Get a Irish Millionaire/Billionaire on board ,enthused and prepared to throw down serious sponds to get things started -then things will start moving - you can ignore the local bureaucracy and go straight to the EU where if you have matching funds and a serious plan - you will be entertained - that then opens doors and permissions from the local government who will be delighted to help provided they don't have to put their hands in their pockets...............so..........Michael O'Leary is getting out of horse racing - maybe we could interest him in some Iron Horses!................JP MCManus - who throws money at everything in a Limerick jersey - would surely like to see a heritage line from Limerick to Foynes via Adare for the all the tourists coming over for the Ryder cup and beyond..............it all comes down to money - serious money - and more money follows serious money - its no fair - but there ye are! I will keep yis in mind when I finally get my hands on the Euromillions ( tho I might need it all for a couple of MM141's looking at the going rates on Ebay) my two cents Ed

Thanks Fran A rake of CIE era ballasts to go with me Ploughs if you are asking..................... Ed

Hi Guys I thought there was a mention of another run of the Ballast wagons in the near future.................... Is it still on the cards?.... and if so any rough idea when they might land .....just getting my Railway Piggy bank lined for the next while! Thanks Ed

Jaysis ......what do they say about listening to the voices in your head! Well at least he didn't say God told him to do it............... I'd say God is quite happy about that as he clearly stated on his facebook page the other day that he is done with us here on Earth, is unavailable for consultation ( sort that coronathing out yourselves kids) and is currently on the other side of the universe working on a much less ambitious project..................he also remained tightlipped about when we might see the 121 class.............................

Good call Ciaran - i think u are spot on there.....i was trying to place the bus stop next to the large shed - which ruled out kilkenny.

That doesn't look half bad!........i would actually order that for the sheer novelty value and all the Fr Ted puns!!

Bagnalstown to Palace East and Macmine to New Ross never got the Dual language ones either - english only.....not sure about New Ross - prob didnt as it was Goods only after 64. Ps - Bagnalstown did as it remains part of the network.