Warbonnet

And someone always has an axe to grind, for whatever reason. But that’s life. We’re just delighted that our core customers are loving them and serves to encourage us to do more powered models for IRM. That’s the most important message we take out of our A Class experience. Cheers! Fran

Right here

err... www.irishrailwaymodels.com Most clubs also run models and layouts covering diverse interests. MRSI for instance as O gauge, American HO, British OO and Continental HO and N as far as I know.

When we did the sound for the As we recorded A39r, so the sound is from a genuine A. No mixing or tricks there from other EMD locos. End of the day, our sound chip is the real deal and the As sound different to other EMD locos due to their unique silencer set up. Just need Australia to relax quarantine rules now and we'll get the Crossley one done!

Due to a cancellation of a largish order some As are back online for sale! https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/a-class-locomotive/availability_in-stock?

Hi everyone, 027 is the latest to sell out, biting the dust this morning. Only 7 running numbers left, with 056 looking the most endangered https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/a-class-locomotive/availability_in-stock? Cheers! Fran

Perhaps. We shall see in time.

A couple of small ones, yes

Hi everyone, Great news! We have dispatched all of the fully paid up, A Class pre-orders, including A3R. If you have placed an order and not yet fully paid for your A Class, you must pay up by Friday, November 12th. Failure to do so will result in your order being cancelled. With some very nice, sold out liveries being taken up with unpaid orders it will give others a chance to purchase it. You will also lose your €50 deposit. If you have paid up and heard nothing from us, please contact sales@irishrailwaymodels.com ASAP so we can look into it for you. If you have a friend who doesnt do online, or is away, please let them know so they don't miss out! Thanks, Fran

Nom nom nom!

Hi everyone, The great news just keeps rolling in here at IRM, with our Tara Mines wagons now less than two weeks away from arrival. Perfect for our new A Classes, the Taras in their gorgeous original blue livery, or later brown are perfect for our metrovicks. So, if you need some stock to go behind your new locos, look no further! At just €79.95 for a twin pack of wagons they offer amazing value for money too! We have also modified the bogies to feature brass bearings for even smoother running characteristics. Order yours today, with 10% off when you order two or more packs: https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/tara-mines Cheers! Fran

A couple of months ago we brought you a Class 92 update featuring decorated samples of their later privitisation era liveries which seemed to go down well. Now we have received a second batch of decorated samples featuring the various styles of Railfreight two tone grey with Chunnel blue roof these locomotives were originally delivered in during the mid 1990s. Doesn't this livery just suit them so well? Our model of 92003 represents our Dysons as per first delivered during the heady, optimistic times of the significant freight growth envisaged by the opening of the Channel Tunnel. With its attractive take on the then standard triple grey livery, but with the added splash of colour with the blue roof, just like the Eurostar at the time, they made for an eye catching sight as they came into service. Of course, the Class 92s were born into a major upheaval to the railways, with privitisation gathering momentum. Soon various brandings were taking place offering some new takes on the classic grey livery. RFD were quick to brand their locomotives in similar fashion to their Class 47s, 86s and 90s with "Railfreight Distribution" script on each side with the addition of small RFD double diamond markings, as depcited in our model of 92022 'Charles Dickens'. After a very brief period in BR service the locomotives found themselves with new owners. EWS took the Dysons under their wing as they purchased RFD along with various other shadow freight franchises in the mid 1990s. With the locomotives being new, and the amazingly hard wearing paint job done on the body shells by Procor Engineering when first built, many wouldn't need a repaint for many years. As the 2000s wore on EWS did take to branding their locos in existing liveries with the large vinyl "Three Beasties" logos, as displayed by our model of 92036, which is still operating trains in this livery today. EWS were not the only company to add their branding to the iconic grey livery. Six locomotives were allocated for "Nightstar" sleeper train duties, sadly a service which would never take off. These locomotives were eventually bought from Eurostar by Europorte, receiving "Europorte 2" Tunnel branding as per our model of 92043 "Debussy". Our testing of the Class 92 is now complete and production has now begun, with our delivery date of Q3 2022 still in place. We have even tested our Dysons in exhibition conditions, with our preproduction model of 92001 playing a starring role on the Making Tracks WCML layout at the recent "Great Electric Train Show" at Milton Keynes, preforming flawlessly on the Sunday of the show. Click on the link below to see her in action! Remember, we have now set our early bird price deadline and it's getting ever closer. With the sheer amount of technology and separate detail in these locomotives a price increase from £159.99 DCC ready to £179.99 DCC ready and £259.99 DCC Sound Fitted to £279.99 DCC Sound Fitted will take place on January 1st 2022. All orders placed before that date and so far will avail of the lower price, including £30 deposits. So, if you fancy one (or more!) of these overhead and third rail beauties for your layout, make sure you place your order soon to avail of the bargain of the model railway world! (Even at the higher price they represent excellent value for money, but who doesn't like saving a few quid?) With two operating DCC pantographs with separate flywheel motors for smooth operation, Legomanbiffo DCC sounds, twin speaker set up including an EM1 style "Accurathrash" speaker, ESU Loksound 5 digital decoder, ESU powerbank capacitors for smooth running and more, all for up to £70.00 less RRP(!) than other high specification electric locomotives on the market, our Class 92 goes beyond the pinnacle of model locomotives and powers on to the summit. So, make sure you grab so much more, for so much less cash. Order your grey beauty today, available direct from Accurascale, or check out our website for the full range. View the full article

It's been a while since we reported anything on our next PFA wagon run, including all the weird, wonderful and bright new range of nuclear containers which will accompany the new run of our favourite little container flat. Back in March, we announced a new range of our PFA wagons with several new weird and wonderful nuclear container options added to the rage, from full height bespoke 20ft ISO containers, to Nova Packs and Dragons, we conducted thorough research on these highly specialised and secretive containers to add a funky new range of packs to our catalogue. Progress had been swift from announcement at the end of March this year, to decorated samples in late June, followed by a further announcement of other PFA wagons, such as the return of the Cawoods and British Fuel containerised coal wagons and the existing low level nuclear waste container wagons once again. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing energy rationing at the factory these wagons have been delayed from their original delivery date of Q4 2021 to Q2 2022. We apologise for this delay, but unfortunately this is something beyond our control. With 75% of the production run already allocated the demand for these interesting wagons has been very strong indeed. Don't miss out if you fancy some, order your packs for just £74.95 per pack of three wagons from your local stockist, or direct right here, with 10% off when you buy two or more packs. View the full article

It's been a while since we reported anything on our next PFA wagon run, including all the weird, wonderful and bright new range of nuclear containers which will accompany the new run of our favourite little container flat. Back in March, we announced a new range of our PFA wagons with several new weird and wonderful nuclear container options added to the rage, from full height bespoke 20ft ISO containers, to Nova Packs and Dragons, we conducted thorough research on these highly specialised and secretive containers to add a funky new range of packs to our catalogue. Progress had been swift from announcement at the end of March this year, to decorated samples in late June, followed by a further announcement of other PFA wagons, such as the return of the Cawoods and British Fuel containerised coal wagons and the existing low level nuclear waste container wagons once again. Unfortunately, due to the ongoing energy rationing at the factory these wagons have been delayed from their original delivery date of Q4 2021 to Q2 2022. We apologise for this delay, but unfortunately this is something beyond our control. With 75% of the production run already allocated the demand for these interesting wagons has been very strong indeed. Don't miss out if you fancy some, order your packs for just £74.95 per pack of three wagons from your local stockist, or direct right here, with 10% off when you buy two or more packs. View the full article

Oh, and one more thing. As it stands we have about 8% of stock left. So, grab them while you can! Cheers! Fran

Hi everyone, Great news! Today sees the light at the end of the tunnel, with the last of the A Class pre-orders, including A3R fully dispatched by close of business today. If you have not received a dispatch email with tracking information by tomorrow morning, then please email us with your order number to support@irishrailwaymodels.com We do have a few orders we do not have full addresses for, so if your order is not yet dispatched, you might be in this pile. We will just need to confirm for you from tomorrow morning onwards. If you have placed an order and not yet fully paid, you must pay up by Friday, November 12th. Failure to do so will result in your order being cancelled. With some very nice, sold out liveries being taken up with unpaid orders it will give others a chance to purchase it. So, if you have missed out on a particular flavour of A Class you wanted, it might come back on the market W/C November 15th! #Justsayin Once again, thank you to everyone for showing us great patience in firing out these orders. In the even it was almost 2500 parcels, which is almost 10 times what we do for typical wagon pre-ordering! Next time we will be a lot more prepared and quicker. Cheers! Fran (on behalf of IRM)

Thanks @DoctorPan, I will pass this on. I know it took longer than everyone wanted to get them all out, but the warehouse gang really have gone above and beyond. They worked all last bank holiday weekend, evenings with up to 15 hour days and will work this weekend too to clear it out. They have done absolute trojan work and wrapped them to a massively high standard. Cheers! Fran

Agreed, I was merely reassuring other customers as well as yourself that there are no worries on multiple loco dispatches being damaged after you raised the concern in your original post. Cheers! Fran

We have yet to have any feedback of locomotives damaged in transit from a multiple loco dispatch. I understand you have been in contact with Stephen regarding your other query. Cheers! Fran

Hi everyone, When an order is held, it is sometimes held from picking (if it hadnt been picked at that point) and goes to the back of the queue until released again. Rest assured all stock is accounted for, so if it's sold out on the website it doesnt mean the order you have with us has been given to someone else, I know some people think we're the worst in the world, but not even I am that mean. We had hoped to clear out the orders today and focus on A3R from Monday (as per the A3R release) but dispatch of pre-orders will spill into Monday and Tuesday now. We're almost there! Cheers! Fran

I believe those orders are due to go out tomorrow. Cheers! Fran

Should be, with A3R landing with everyone from next week.

Hi everyone, As reported previously, there is a misprint regarding DCC functions in the instruction manual for the sound chips. Here is the updated list which you can download and/or print out. Apologies for the confusion! Click here for function list. Cheers! Fran

Following on from our Part 1 blog on the history and decoration images of our Chaldron wagons, we reveal the outstanding packs and chart their histories. These cute hoppers may have been the rail equivalent of the Ford Model T (You can have any colour you want, as long as it's black!) but what they lack in colour they more than make up for with interesting lettering and markings. They also win first prize for the worlds cutest item of rolling stock, right? They really are teeny! Pack E: Wearmouth Coal Co. - Three ex-NER P1 style Chaldrons, dating from the period 1900 to late 1920s/early 1930s. Originally called Pemberton Colliery until 1847, the first shaft was sunk in 1826 on the north bank of the River Wear and the company’s staithes that served the Wearmouth Colliery were almost exactly opposite those of the Hetton & Lambton Staithes. A fleet of early Chaldrons served these staithes until 1900, when the company opened Hylton Colliery and a vast number of ex-NER P1 type Chaldrons were purchased, all being numbered in the 14xx series. Wearmouth Coal Co. had running rights over the NER lines between Hylton and Wearmouth and their waggons were hauled by Colliery owned locomotives utilising their own brake vans, until 1914 when they were restricted to internal use only, being replaced by 10t coal hoppers. The Chaldron fleet disappeared from the books sometime during the late 1920s/early 1930s and the site of Wearmouth Colliery is now occupied by Sunderland AFC’s ‘Stadium of Light’. Pack F: Lambton Collieries (Earl of Durham’s Collieries) - Three ex-NER P1 style Chaldrons in pre-1896 livery. One of the oldest mining concerns in the North East, the commercial extraction of coal was developed by John Lambton on his parkland surrounding Lambton Castle in the Wear Valley. In 1783, the first of seven pits was sunk in the village of Burnmoor which together with Lambton Park, Lumley, Littletown and Sherburn made up the concern of Lambton Colliery. The railway system serving the colliery had its roots with the 1737 built horse-drawn tramway between Fatfield and Cox Green and in 1819 Lord Lambton (the Earl of Durham) bought the Newbottle waggonway, and connected this to the Lambton Railway with a line between Burnmoor and Philadelphia. The company now had a direct route from its collieries to the River Wear, where it constructed Lambton Staithes on the south bank of the river and the waggons were hauled by Lambton owned locomotives and backed by the company’s own brakevans. The Earl of Durham’s collieries purchased vast numbers of ex-NER P1 type Chaldrons, both from private dealers like Cooks Ironworks of Washington and from the NER direct, with the last order of 300 Chaldrons for the company being made in 1896. In that year, the struggling company was bought out by James Joicey and renamed as Lambton Collieries Ltd and the ED legend was gradually replaced by an LC legend in the same style of lettering. Pack G: Stella Coal Co. - A perfect example of how Chaldrons were kept in service, being repaired as necessary, until they were fit only for firewood. Three S&DR style Chaldrons, circa 1950. Coal mining in the Ryton area of Northumbria can be dated back to at least the late 14th century and by the 17th century ownership rested with the powerful Vane family, but various leases expired in the early 1830s and the colliery lay dormant for several years until, in 1839, the lease was taken up by John Buddle, T. Y. Hall, and A. L. Potter, under the name of the Stella Coal Company. The S.C.C’s railway system covered four collieries, those of Addison, Emma, Greenside and Stargate, with Addison being adjacent to the NER and Emma/Greenside being served by two branchlines that converged at Stargate, which was linked to Addison/the NER by a self acting incline until well into the late 1950s. Chaldron usage was mainly limited to supplying coal for the boilers at Stargate and Emma post-1914, as well as acting as service waggons and as runner vehicles on the Stargate incline, but from 1946 until closure in 1961, locomotive haulage replaced stationary engine working and Chaldrons could be seen with both S.C.Co. and NCB legends in this period. Pack H: Londonderry Collieries - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in two body styles, circa 1960s. Pack I: Seaham Dock Co. - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in three body styles, circa 1950s. Pack J: Vane-Londonderry Collieries - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in two body styles, circa 1960s. Seaham Harbour was the final stronghold of the Chaldron waggon fleets and the Vane-Tempest/Londonderry/Seaham Dock Co. fleets could almost be considered to be one, such was the intertwined history of the collieries. The South Hetton Coal Company line served South Hetton, Murton and Haswell pits, while the Vane-Tempest family controlled pits in the Rainton, Penshaw and Pittingdon areas. Through marriage to the Marquis of Londonderry, the Vane-Tempest lineage carried the Londonderry title and ownership of the area’s collieries and the railway became collectively known as the Londonderry system. Such was the vastness of the system, and such was the requirement for Chaldron wagons, that a new improved style of 4t ‘black waggon’ was created during the 1860s; giving rise to the familiar family of rolling stock that is still colloquially referred to as the Chaldron and that was still operating in the Seaham Harbour area until 1976. The VL legend dated from the mid-1880s and lasted until the turn of the century, when new waggons were built with the L legend. With the Seaham Harbour Dock Company being incorporated in 1898 to take over and improve the existing harbour and docks at Seaham Harbour, and which subsequently took over ownership of the dock railways from the Marquis of Londonderry, Chaldrons also appeared with the D.Co. legend and mixed freely with the surviving VL and newer L waggons. In the coming weeks we will have a video demonstration of our gorgeous magnetic coupling system, including the NEM attachment for locomotives and other wagons, so keep an eye out for that! Delivery is on track for Q2 2022. Just click here if you wish to pre-order any of our Chaldron packs, just £44.99 per triple pack with 10% off when you order two packs or more! View the full article

Following on from our Part 1 blog on the history and decoration images of our Chaldron wagons, we reveal the outstanding packs and chart their histories. These cute hoppers may have been the rail equivalent of the Ford Model T (You can have any colour you want, as long as it's black!) but what they lack in colour they more than make up for with interesting lettering and markings. They also win first prize for the worlds cutest item of rolling stock, right? They really are teeny! Pack E: Wearmouth Coal Co. - Three ex-NER P1 style Chaldrons, dating from the period 1900 to late 1920s/early 1930s. Originally called Pemberton Colliery until 1847, the first shaft was sunk in 1826 on the north bank of the River Wear and the company’s staithes that served the Wearmouth Colliery were almost exactly opposite those of the Hetton & Lambton Staithes. A fleet of early Chaldrons served these staithes until 1900, when the company opened Hylton Colliery and a vast number of ex-NER P1 type Chaldrons were purchased, all being numbered in the 14xx series. Wearmouth Coal Co. had running rights over the NER lines between Hylton and Wearmouth and their waggons were hauled by Colliery owned locomotives utilising their own brake vans, until 1914 when they were restricted to internal use only, being replaced by 10t coal hoppers. The Chaldron fleet disappeared from the books sometime during the late 1920s/early 1930s and the site of Wearmouth Colliery is now occupied by Sunderland AFC’s ‘Stadium of Light’. Pack F: Lambton Collieries (Earl of Durham’s Collieries) - Three ex-NER P1 style Chaldrons in pre-1896 livery. One of the oldest mining concerns in the North East, the commercial extraction of coal was developed by John Lambton on his parkland surrounding Lambton Castle in the Wear Valley. In 1783, the first of seven pits was sunk in the village of Burnmoor which together with Lambton Park, Lumley, Littletown and Sherburn made up the concern of Lambton Colliery. The railway system serving the colliery had its roots with the 1737 built horse-drawn tramway between Fatfield and Cox Green and in 1819 Lord Lambton (the Earl of Durham) bought the Newbottle waggonway, and connected this to the Lambton Railway with a line between Burnmoor and Philadelphia. The company now had a direct route from its collieries to the River Wear, where it constructed Lambton Staithes on the south bank of the river and the waggons were hauled by Lambton owned locomotives and backed by the company’s own brakevans. The Earl of Durham’s collieries purchased vast numbers of ex-NER P1 type Chaldrons, both from private dealers like Cooks Ironworks of Washington and from the NER direct, with the last order of 300 Chaldrons for the company being made in 1896. In that year, the struggling company was bought out by James Joicey and renamed as Lambton Collieries Ltd and the ED legend was gradually replaced by an LC legend in the same style of lettering. Pack G: Stella Coal Co. - A perfect example of how Chaldrons were kept in service, being repaired as necessary, until they were fit only for firewood. Three S&DR style Chaldrons, circa 1950. Coal mining in the Ryton area of Northumbria can be dated back to at least the late 14th century and by the 17th century ownership rested with the powerful Vane family, but various leases expired in the early 1830s and the colliery lay dormant for several years until, in 1839, the lease was taken up by John Buddle, T. Y. Hall, and A. L. Potter, under the name of the Stella Coal Company. The S.C.C’s railway system covered four collieries, those of Addison, Emma, Greenside and Stargate, with Addison being adjacent to the NER and Emma/Greenside being served by two branchlines that converged at Stargate, which was linked to Addison/the NER by a self acting incline until well into the late 1950s. Chaldron usage was mainly limited to supplying coal for the boilers at Stargate and Emma post-1914, as well as acting as service waggons and as runner vehicles on the Stargate incline, but from 1946 until closure in 1961, locomotive haulage replaced stationary engine working and Chaldrons could be seen with both S.C.Co. and NCB legends in this period. Pack H: Londonderry Collieries - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in two body styles, circa 1960s. Pack I: Seaham Dock Co. - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in three body styles, circa 1950s. Pack J: Vane-Londonderry Collieries - Three 4T ‘Black Waggons’, in two body styles, circa 1960s. Seaham Harbour was the final stronghold of the Chaldron waggon fleets and the Vane-Tempest/Londonderry/Seaham Dock Co. fleets could almost be considered to be one, such was the intertwined history of the collieries. The South Hetton Coal Company line served South Hetton, Murton and Haswell pits, while the Vane-Tempest family controlled pits in the Rainton, Penshaw and Pittingdon areas. Through marriage to the Marquis of Londonderry, the Vane-Tempest lineage carried the Londonderry title and ownership of the area’s collieries and the railway became collectively known as the Londonderry system. Such was the vastness of the system, and such was the requirement for Chaldron wagons, that a new improved style of 4t ‘black waggon’ was created during the 1860s; giving rise to the familiar family of rolling stock that is still colloquially referred to as the Chaldron and that was still operating in the Seaham Harbour area until 1976. The VL legend dated from the mid-1880s and lasted until the turn of the century, when new waggons were built with the L legend. With the Seaham Harbour Dock Company being incorporated in 1898 to take over and improve the existing harbour and docks at Seaham Harbour, and which subsequently took over ownership of the dock railways from the Marquis of Londonderry, Chaldrons also appeared with the D.Co. legend and mixed freely with the surviving VL and newer L waggons. In the coming weeks we will have a video demonstration of our gorgeous magnetic coupling system, including the NEM attachment for locomotives and other wagons, so keep an eye out for that! Delivery is on track for Q2 2022. Just click here if you wish to pre-order any of our Chaldron packs, just £44.99 per triple pack with 10% off when you order two packs or more! View the full article