MD220

Merlin is a GNRi V class loco.

The Ballynahinch Junction gate is still there, I pass it regularly!

Lovely job!

E428 was based in Limerick for quite a while and I've seen photos and film footage (on the IRRS YouTube channel I believe) of 429 shunting oil wagons in Cork.

This is looking fantastic. Great job!

The 421 class had lifting eyes which pivoted out from recesses behind the buffer beams, perhaps this was a lesson learned from difficulties in lifting the 401s !

One small point worth noting in this photo is that the silver handle fitted centrally on the control desk was not a standard feature. This is only to be found on E428 and was a control handle for the vigilance system which was added in preservation to allow for main line use. The rest of the class were never equipped with vigilance.

039 is Sinead, although she doesn't carry that name currently!

That is exquisite. Mind blown!

Lord Dunleath also provided the land required for the fledgling DCDR to begin construction in the mid '80s.

As a Downpatrick man born and raised I've spent all my 49 years living in and around the town and I have never seen anything like this. Shops and businesses in the town centre are under several feet of water. This is a devastating time for business owners along with the the DCDR, not only an important local attraction but a railway heritage centre of national importance. Truly awful.

These are lovely looking models. Does anyone know if any examples of these vans survived into preservation? I know that Westrail had one (2213N) but I have a suspicion that it might have been cut up, though I can't be sure.

The idea of using hydrogen as a clean fuel in internal combustion engines is great in theory as the only emission, as it burns, is water; however the problem lies in the creation of the hydrogen in the first place. Manufacturing hydrogen (by electrolysis of water) is hugely inefficient, requiring a lot of electrical energy. This can be accomplished using renewable energy sources, so called Green Hydrogen, but the amount of green hydrogen available currently is minimal. I still think its important to explore this idea of using clean fuels to run old technology but until an efficient method of creating hydrogen is developed I don't think we're really any better off.

If I read the article correctly they aren't going to re engine the loco, but will modify its current engine to run on hydrogen. Hopefully this won't alter the noise made by these magnificent machines!

This photo shows cars on a goods train at Claremorris. Not sure of the year...40s or 50s maybe? Photo credit: Rob Cross photography.

Nice job

Yes, 1468 was a former Westrail carriage.

I'll buy all 3 if still available. Thanks, Des

As seen in this afternoon's Accurascale email. A possible future release or a wind up to get tongues wagging....??

Thanks for that clarification. I'll know for the next time!

So the new run of fertiliser wagons reached New Zealand nine days ago, the new unladen bogie flat wagons are already appearing on ebay at inflated prices yet in Co. Down in the North of Ireland, I believe, my orders of both may appear some time next week. Brexit? .... Brex-sh*t more like. This is not at all a criticism of IRM I hasten to add, but would it not be feasible for customers from the six counties to continue to order from the IRM.com website and have our orders shipped from Dublin? I know that NI is no longer in the EU customs union but (as I understand it) the NI protocol has ensured that many of the same rules apply. I would be quite happy to order from IRM.com and pay in Euros, as I have done in the past , rather than be forced to the Accurascale site and have to wait for a couple of weeks longer for much anticipated releases. I should finish by saying that the models look fantastic and I know that an extra few days waiting for them to arrive, in the grand scheme of things, is probably a small price to pay for such quality, but maybe the above could still be considered an option? OK, rant over, I'm off to take my blood pressure medication. Have a lovely day everyone.

Great news! I missed out on these beauties first time round

She's a beaut!

2 axle 20ft container flat.

Just a note on the Tuam Ruston. It was painted in a lined green livery when in Sugar company service, the BR blue with full wasp stripes was a Westrail repaint.