Warbonnet

Great info as always snapper. Will we see 131 south of Heuston this year?

That's a pity Dave, I know I'd have one in a heartbeat.

Don't suppose you can convince him to do another batch, Robert? He'd sell them no bother!

As stated elsewhere, we're delighted that the Tara managed to win 'best model' at the Wexford show this weekend. So, our model has won an award even before release!

I’ve finally had some time to sit down after a crazy busy weekend in the (not so) sunny south east. I’d like to extend a sincere thanks to all the guys and girls of the Wexford club who looked after me tremendously over the weekend, including running out to get me sandwiches on both days as I was unable to leave the IRM stand. It was my first time at the exhibition and I was impressed by the organization and venue. Very well done. Sadly I didn’t get much of a look at the layouts but heard lots of positive comments about what was on show. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the IRM stand to say hello, have a chat, check out the Tara and Accurascale hopper and of course those of you who made purchases. Finally, I was approached by a large contingent from the club on Monday evening. Fearing I was getting evicted as they had found out what I got up to as a lad on holidays to Curricloe and Carne it turned out IRM had won an award for Best Model for the Tara!!! We’re blown away by it and thank the club sincerely! What a lovely bonus to finish off the weekend!

Produced in very small numbers about 10-15 years ago? Fairly rare, though I know a man with two. I'd love one myself I have to say.

We’re all set for the Wexford Model Railway Club exhibition! There are some fantastic layouts on show! We’re at stand 7 with the following bubble special offers: 2 packs: €225 (save €25) 3 packs: €340 (save €35) 4 packs: €450 (save €50) 5 packs: €550 (save €75) We can accept cash and all major credit cards!

As I make my way to the Wexford show IRM’s design genius @Glenderg is busy CADing up our first loco between Easter eggs and his leg of lamb. The turfburner is a complex beast but should make for an excellent model and we wanted to do something uniquely Irish. Now, has anyone got a sound recording?

Lol don’t worry, we won’t be doing the Blue Tara’s in 2018 so you have time to save!

Hi Kevin, Yes, yes and one code per set. cheers! Fran

Thanks for the order Ernie, we’ll dispatch them on Tuesday for you!

That’s an egg-cellent post Noel. You’re some yolk coming up with that! Anyway, sale is now on!

Get cracking if you like

You guys crack me up.

We all remember those dark days when we would use the contents of a well known chocolate egg as the body for homemade cement bubbles. Thankfully, those days are gone, and to celebrate we are doing a very special sale this weekend on all 5 packs of remaining bubbles, both online and at the Wexford Model Railway Club Easter Exhibition. 2 packs: €225 discount code: 2easter2018 (save €25!) 3 packs: €340 discount code: 3easter2018 (save €35!) 4 packs: €450 discount code: 4easter2018 (save €50!) 5 packs: €550 discount code: 5easter2018 (save €75!) You must include the correct discount code for the amount of packs you are buying. Simply put it in at the checkout to receive the discount. We will be selling bubbles at the Wexford show at this price and can accept cash and all major credit cards at the show. This can be made up of any permutations of bubble packs B, C, D, E and F you wish to do. This egg-cellent deal begins at 9am on Good Friday and finishes midinight Easter Monday. Don't miss out on this great bargain! www.irishrailwaymodels.com/shop

Another milestone has been reached by Accurascale in our first British outline project as we received our first decorated samples of our forthcoming HOP 24. The decorated samples shown in accompanying photographs are from pack B, which features the branding, “Load only to Stella North or South Dunston or Blyth Power Stations”. They also display the individual running numbers, lettering and detailing characteristics which will feature across each of the 15-wagon release that will make up the first Accurascale release in pre-TOPS ‘HOP24’ guise. The wagons are finished in BR freight grey and are ready to weather, featuring details such as authentic tatty black lettering panels, a distinctive feature of these wagons. All wagons offered in the Accurascale range are based on comprehensive photographs of the individual prototypes. Refinement of the tooling has also been completed, with the brake gear modified and the NEM pocket moved to correct height. With these revisions complete the model will now progress to production in the coming weeks, with a delivery date of Q2 2018 for this first production run. Over 25% of the first HOP24 production run have been sold already, with the rake deal of 15 individually numbered wagons for £275 proving very popular. These are made up of five packs of three wagons and they are only available to purchase directly from our website.

Our Tara sample has reached Dublin and we have been running the rule over it. We're not too keen on the institutional cyan the factory used, but thankfully the model looks delicious in the flesh! It is a hastily assembled sample as these first samples tend to be, and a couple of minor refinements are required, but overall it's a stunner. Lots of fine detail underneath and kinematic coupling system on show. The NEM pockets are at the correct height, so no need for cranked couplings this time round! Buffers are also sprung. Yes, they are real springs on the brake gear! Lots of nice brass wire for the brake pipework too. The bogies with the rotating axle caps. We're delighted to say that the sample is a lovely free roller with this set up. Also, 21mm conversion can be achieved by just pulling the wheelsets out to the correct gauge. The actuator is missing from this sample but will be included on the production models. There is a couple of small things that need refining, but overall we are delighted by the first sample. These minor adjustments will not affect the delivery schedule. We will have this model on our stand at the Wexford show this Sunday, as well as the Bangor show in a few weeks for you all to see. We're well over the 25% sold mark on these beauties already. Make sure you don't miss out! www.irishrailwaymodels.com/shop

God Noel. you'll be buying Tara's next with all this modern stock appearing on the layout!

Ferts, flats, plough etc need to go in there before anything else. Thankfully the banner can grow in size...

Ah the music gets decent after around 9pm. Awful muck during the day though.

Yep, both days. Let’s hope the impending weather of doom forecast for next weekend doesn’t impact the show!

Looking forward to my first visit next Sunday with a pre production Tara and decorated British wagons under my arm along with lots of bubbles and IRM Cards for sale!

Hi everyone, I know it's Tara season but the bubbles are still bouncing out the door and we're at 80% sold out so far across the ivory and orange bubbles. If you're thinking of getting another set to add to the rake or still thinking about taking the plunge our advice is not to wait around too long. The ballasts went within a year of landing and these sold even quicker. It seems some of you are buying a second rake, for weathering perhaps? We will have them on sale at Wexford next weekend and should have some left for Bangor (hopefully!) Cheers, Fran

Hi Graham, many thanks for the kind words. Our initial impressions are favourable, but still needs a thourogh going over when it arrives in Dublin in the next week or so. Re lids, the round one on the sample is the one that has been in use for the last 20 odd years and the peaked top one is the latest. We’re going for round on this run as it gives it the longest operational span. They were red oxide underneath, with weathering turning them bauxite. The blue ones will get the correct corrugated lid when we do a run of them. The peaked lid run would depend on demand a few years down the line but we will certainly do the blues too. cheers, Fran

Hi Stephen, This is correct, there is a bar running across one end of the ballast and bubble which is on the prototype. This sits right here the pocket needs to go for correct NEM placement, so we came up with the cranked tension lock compromise. As far as I am aware, there is not a cranked Kadee. However, we did some experiments and this is what we came up for people wishing to have Kadees at correct height placement. https://irishrailwaymodels.com/ballast-bubble-differences-in-coupling-height-and-solutions/ Hope this helps! Thanks, Fran