Ironroad

Hattons are selling a modular system https://www.hattons.co.uk/newsdetail.aspx?id=900&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=content&utm_campaign=mar-0729-hattonsprecisionbaseboardsrange&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJ0aG9tYXNjYnJvbmFuQGdtYWlsLmNvbSIsICJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIkpHUWVYaCJ9

Is this the same or is it compatible?

I concur. Symoba offer a short and a long NEM pocket, they provide a height gauge but most interestingly they produce a very neat kinematic mounting plate intended to be mounted to the underside of the body rather than to a bogie. Their products are also available from DCC Supplies.

Hornby supply a 10 pack of their NEM pockets (product code X6354) which I believe are available from Peters Spares.

Bachmann supply spare couplings complete with NEM pockets, they don't seem to sell the pockets separately. The product codes of those I know of are 36-027, 36030 and 36-061.  

14 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

The two BIG missing links in the 1950-75 period are AEC railcars and "tin vans".

Could not agree more, and would be more than happy to see just one version of a genny

22 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

One has to be on FB to track these ones down?

here's one on Ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/193647662586?ul_noapp=true

I strongly recommend that you reinforce those upright panels with the big cutouts, the integrity of the particle board is seriously compromised. Use 2' x 1''  (50mm x 25mm) or equivalent wood strip or perhaps flat metal strips.

2 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Was the Olympian also painted in City Swift livery, and a City Imp style livery?

Some info here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_Olympian

1 hour ago, RedRich said:

This reminds me of the movie dumb and dumber he asks the girl what are our chances of getting together. She says a million to one, the lad replies so I have a chance.

It's also a bit like football fan transfer muppetry. The chances of your club signing a player are zero to none but you keep hoping. Don't give up man keep the faith.

Rich,

Good analogy with the football club but sometimes it does happen and I have a lot of sympathy with Wexford70.  Perhaps if the dream of a regular GSV came to be  (I'd commit to 2 or 3) it might not be too far a step to getting a weedspray van from there. I'll keep the faith but fear I may be pushing up daisies before it is justified.

1 minute ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I wasn't even a twinkle in anybody's eye back then, but those Panorama's are gorgeous. Any excuse to have one!

I think that model was released as far back as 2015, I found it by accident a few weeks ago and couldn't resist it, snap it up they only have a few.

2 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

The Plaxton Panorama, sorry!

I should apologise the other one is Bus Eireann.

The Plaxton Panorama has the Dublin registration no. NZO 33 and that number was issued in the latter part of 1968 (I know because I had a motorbike that was registered in July '68 and it was EZO 506. I remember those coaches and I would expect they had a good lifespan.

1 minute ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Thanks!

 

Wow, that CIE one is lovely! When did they run from and until?

They are both lovely, which one?

2 hours ago, Warbonnet said:

The project 42 range was announced 2 years ago. So there has been plenty of pre-warning of these items coming out. Future items will be announced with pre-production samples, so there will still be plenty of warning. 

 

Hi Fran, I'll put this context from my view point and in keeping with the weedspray set topic.  The weedspray set is not of particular interest to me but I have deliberated over whether to purchase it because it would provide me with 3 x 42' flats for use with containers from C Rail, and I could use the tanks to model tanker wagons as suggested by Mayner.  But it seems perfectly logical for IRM to release the 42' flats without loads, and for IRM to leverage the work done in tooling the tanks to produce the tank wagon. But without any indication as to your intentions it's a bit of a dilemma.

In fairness you did announce the 42' project in March 2018 and I think your last announcement of a new item (except for accessories and the grey bubbles) was the A class Oct 27 '18. Given the pletora of earlier announcements I feel there has been a subtle change in policy.  I do not mean to seem ungrateful in any way for what you do but it would be helpful to have a better picture of what to hope for.  

On 8/28/2020 at 12:36 AM, Mayner said:

Personally I will probably get more enjoyment out of re-building at least one of the tanks back into its original state as a wagon, than waiting in the expectation of IRM producing a rtr model, I also need to design a 21mm gauge w iron assembly suitable for other wagons with triangulated underframes.

One of the attractions of the conversion is that IRM have completed the really difficult work in modelling the tank anchors and triangulated underframe.

The wagons were originally built on a standard 16'11" 10' wb triangulated underframe similar to the corrugated opens and later H vans. The wagons were converted into de-mountable tanks during the late 70s for use with the new weedspray train. These wagons were smaller in capacity and quite different in design to the tank wagons built by CIE from the mid 1960s onwards and the Class A & B Charles Robetrs tank wagons imported for ESSO oil traffic during the late 1960s

The information provided is much appreciated. thank you.

I agree that there is great personal pleasure in creating models from scratch or adapting existing components to create a model. However, the difficulty is in deciding what to dedicate our time to. If we know a manufacturer is proposing to produce an item we desire, that affords us the opportunity to dedicate our time and efforts elsewhere while we wait for that offering, accepting some will want to take on the challenge anyway. This is why I'm a bit disappointed that IRM are choosing to delay announcements until close to the release of models and justify this by  pointing to criticism of long waits on the part of some. Well personally (and I think many would agree) I would really like to know what may be in the pipeline no matter the wait and I would hope to see a policy change in that regard.   I think this should also be advantageous to IRM as commitments to purchase should help with planning. 

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

Be nice to be able to order empty flats from IRM.

12 minutes ago, Warbonnet said:

Watch this space. 

Hurray, been hoping for that

There are some models of Irish buses available at present, examples;

http://briancollinsenterprises.ie/product/brian-collins-enterprises-bus-eireann-expressway-model/

https://www.hattons.co.uk/108950/efe_15718_plaxton_panorama_c_i_e_coach_tours_/stockdetail.aspx

15 hours ago, Mayner said:

I am planning to use the tanks as a basis for the tank wagons built by CIE in the late 50s early 60, looks like a matter of cutting off the ISO twistlock frame extensions,  designing and installing suitable running gear

 

Excellent idea,  but would suspect (as does mphoey) that since IRM have already done the work of producing the tank it would make sense for them to use it again and produce this wagon.

What length was this wagon and what was the wheelbase, and is there a RTR chassis available? 

On 8/16/2020 at 8:49 PM, Mayner said:

There was no specific CIE coal wagon as such.

CIE used its standard wooden bodied and corrugated wagons to carry coal, sugar beet, gypsum and bascially anything (including containers & farm machinery) that could be carried in an open wagon. Both types were used for coal and general traffic up to the mid 1970s. In later years coal was transported in open top ISO containers on flat wagons.

Provincial wagons produce a kit for the corrugated wagon.

Studio Scale Models produce a whitemetal kit of the "Standard Irish" open wagons used by the GSR, GNR & CIE

The Bachmann Branchlines 5 Plank open looks reasonably close to the earlier wooden bodied opens

https://www.hattons.co.uk/60907/bachmann_branchline_37_061c_5_plank_wagon_with_wooden_floor_in_br_grey/stockdetail.aspx#:~:text=*Click the photo above to see a larger picture.

The containers in the first picture labeled BLMC would seem to belong to the "British Leyland Motor Corporation" and since that company was only formed in Jan 1968 this photograph was probably taken much later than that.

There is a Parkside model that looks to be of the same container (probably just requires the correct livery and decals if possible) that could be used with the Bachmann 5 plank open or similar for a little extra interest.    https://www.hattons.co.uk/322381/parkside_models_pa21_br_bd_container_for_conflat_wagons_plastic_kit/stockdetail.aspx

On 7/18/2020 at 4:31 PM, Rob said:

Any ideas of where to source 'modern' & 'normal' 1:76 scale vehicles (cars) for a layout?

Majority of anything available is vintage (60's) or exclusive (Aston Martin's etc).

Seems impossible to get anything post 2000's you'd find in lreland like a Passat or a Focus!!

A model of a car currently on the road https://www.hattons.co.uk/stockdetail.aspx?SID=376399&utm_source=DiecastNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20200818&_ke=eyJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJ0aG9tYXNjYnJvbmFuQGdtYWlsLmNvbSIsICJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIkpHUWVYaCJ9

Link to Brian Collins Enterprises http://www.briancollinsenterprises.ie

Also noticed that Oxford produce a Tayto Truck with Dublin Reg which may be of interest to some. https://www.hattons.co.uk/36148/oxford_diecast_76sp032_bedford_tk_mr_tayto_/stockdetail.aspx

1 hour ago, DiveController said:

That looks fantastic and I applaud you for having a go at 21mm. Your construction looks spot on.

It is a shame that in the presence of such magnificent rolling stock that has emerged in the last 5 or more years from manufacturers such as MM and IRM that there is not supplier for 21mm track that does not require assembly.

I do not see MM does it and last time I enquired from IRM whether its would be up for consideration I received a pretty firm no. I believe that IRM have the technical know how, connections and now experience to achieve this but if they do not produce it I don't think anyone else would. I would suspect they would be concerned about the number of pieces needed, the relative paucity of modelers using 21mm right now (due to non-availability of track) and the fact that the track produced would remain on hand for people to order rather than selling out quickly in line with their business model. I do think that more modelers would build or possibly rebuilt in 21mm if it were available like the increased interest in Irish models once they came to market.

Relaying tracking would probably still be an option for some particularly on larger layouts. The track centers and clearance wouldn't change through stations and sidings as the stock dimensions wouldn't change on the width of the wheels and the track beneath them. However the curves would have to be larger possibly the equivalent of 2nd or third radius so wouldn't work for smaller layouts.

The Peco Code 73 bullhead track looks nice but is the wrong gauge and I don't see really see Peco risking making even a limited number of similar items available in 21mm for what is perceived as a small market and relative to their other markets really is. I would like to model a 21mm gauge layout but I prefer to run the railway rather than model incessantly. Hence, while I would open a lot of time regaling all my stock I don't really want to build all the track. If lengths of 21mm BH flexitrack and a RH and LH semi-protypical point (express type) personally I would buy dozens of points and hundreds of feet of track saving months of work in building any sizable 21mm layout. If it were a limited run and I got too much I'm pretty sure it would sell on. This is really all that is need for the vast majority of trackwork. If you need a diamond, three way point or double slip (which were pretty limited on the Irish network) well, I guess you're on your own with Brendan and a few other.

I realized that the transparent wagon is a clever way to troubleshoot the trackwork as soon as I saw the photo.

I'm in complete agreement but I don't think the aversion to producing track is fully justified.

Yes anyone producing track must be prepared to stock it constantly because there will always be an ongoing trickle in demand. While this requires tying up some working capital in slow moving inventory there will nonetheless be that ongoing constant demand and it is a necessity to complement a range of fine scale models.  It also has the advantage of having a one time development cost (PECO Streamline is 60 years old).  As a business proposition it is completely different to rolling stock which needs to be produced to cater to different eras and liveries the purchase of which is optional. Track on the other hand is almost generic and standard but not an optional purchase, all modelers need it  and I and many others would convert and purchase 21mm track even if  the available range was limited to flexi straights, and left & right hand points.  This is the holy grail.

Seems to me not everyone is going to be happy but for what it's worth I would like to see  Park Royals, AECs or Laminates. 

Are the containers permanently fixed to the chassis?

6 hours ago, Railer said:

Apparently it was a metal fatigue defect that was known about from previous exams but the problem accelerated far quicker than expected to the point of failure. I don't know how true that is but it's one of the stories going around. 

If that is true is seems to me the whole class is doomed. Not a great recommendation of a GM product and certainly not to be expected in a locomotive that is a mere 25 years old.

1 hour ago, Noel said:

IMHO the Galway livery was a short lived abomination that was designed to brand match the newly delivered orange 201s. Instead the 201 locos ran with tippex Mk2 and Mk3 coaches and looked quite incompatible due livery mismatch.

This was something different and adds interest, Variety is the spice of life.

But is it an inherent problem, or is it due to impact that wasn't reported? Seems very strange. 

18 hours ago, murphaph said:

Are rakes of Cravens really that easy to pick up? 

I don't think so but this may help; http://www.chrisdyerfairs.co.uk/news