NorthWallDocker

Four factors for a maker to consider: -- Sometimes an offering, well-researched and well-planned, then well-advertised (possibly by free word-of-mouth), creates or expands marketplace demand by attracting new interest. What changed in Ireland and the Irish diaspora between the advent of ready-to-run models in the UK, Continent, and U.S. during the 1950s and the advent of small-batch kit-makers in the 1970s-1980s, then Murphy Models, Irish Railway Models? -- Niche markets are only sustainable if potential buyers act upon their interests, or are able to act. Good intentions but no purchases pave a road to somewhere. -- High-quality RTR will attract new buyers, because time and skill are scarce for working-age buyers. Quality and operability now can justifyt a premium price to overcome the obstacles of no time, inability to develop skills right now. -- Models that allow a buyer to represent a "fleet" can encourage multiple "rolling" purchases by one buyer over time. I'd love to see an RTR Irish 3-foot narrow-gauge locomotive for a "fleet" -- either Tralee & Dingle Hunslet or Donegal.

The Pullman Society of the U.K's newsletter PULLMAN No. 55 (July-August 2020), pages 5-11, includes an article about the four Irish Pullman coaches. Drawings of an Irish Pullman's side, end, and floorplan -- with numerous exact measurements -- appear on pages 6 and 7. A number of the photos in the article date from 1926 or shortly after and show the original as-delivered paint scheme with PULLMAN across the letterboard (including a coach being lifted onto the ferry boat for shipment to Ireland). The GSR Pullman coaches were wider than English and a few feet difference in length. So a Hornby model in OO with similar window arrangements is too narrow, maybe too short. I think a rake would look great behind an 800-class loco, even though they worked solo in other trains.

Personally, I'd enjoy a rake of GSR Pullman coaches, to scale and exact in detail. Worsley Works makes etched brass sides as "scratch-aids."

You might want to set up a poll for subscribers to vote. Maybe set up a few category questions for the first round: what time periods (1850-1879, 1880-1900, 1901-25, etc); major companies; major or popular locomotive classes for each railway. You might also want to survey for desired scale: 4mm, 7mm, 15mm.

One could possibly determine the "dwell time" for the IRM web boards from Google Analytics -- and more probably from the IRM web board's "dashboard" for administrators. Usually, there's a calculated graph that shows the number of viewers per time period (a day, a month) that fit within durations. You can figure out who's reading, who stumbled accidentally and looked for a few moments, and "false hits." I'm near Chicago, so I'd be curious to learn of any modellers of Irish railways who are anywhere in the Midwestern U.S., or anywhere in Canada or the U.S. I've seen references to someone else in Lemont, Illinois, and then maybe Ohio and Massachusetts and Alberta Province.

I'd definitely buy two 7mm J26 models in 36.75 gauge.

@Majesitc_Trains: I <think> I have an extra new, unused locomotive in green, and possibly an extra coach. I'm in the States near Chicago. Feel free to send me a private message if you might be interested. I haven't considered selling the extra locomotive, but would be happy to look for what I have and consider selling it to you. Gents have been similarly helpful to me. If you're in Ireland, you might also want to ask @WRENNEIRE.

@Robert ShrivesPlease post in the future if Wayne is able to experiment in producing Irish broad gauge (21mm) sleepers to thread rail, even if it's only straight or flex track for a start. There were 33 persons who responded to the survey (50 percent) who chose "yes, definitely," and another 19 expressed interest. That could lead to kits for regauging some of the RTR models to broad gauge.

@RobertRocheFollowing up on my brief comments on FB -- I'd certainly be interested in at least one or two. Thank you for all your design labor and effort; wonderful talent. I wish I could learn this wonderful skill you possess. Perhaps you might consider how such an intricate structure could be easily harmed in shipment or handling. You might want to consider interchangeability for variations, too. Maybe consider these suggestions: -- separate the legs and their upper connecting frame (below the deck) into one piece; -- maybe curve the handrails and latticework for the crosswalk structure above the upper landings; -- separate the stairway structures so that they can mount on the legs and square leg frames; -- print the crosswalk either as one longer length, or as two halves that can be joined in the middle with narrow reinforcing, intersecting plates. -- consider adding an insertable straight crosswalk section, to allow the different configurations that @Westcorkrailwayshowed in the posted photos. With interchangeable segments of legs, stairs, and crosswalk, you might expand your potential buyers. Wonderful, admirable work.

Yes, definitely I'd buy 21mm track and points. The sales opportunity lies in the new modellers joining. One economical approach might be to create the sleepers for RTR track using 3-D printing, to allow an adjustable print-to-order. The track could be sold as simple kits -- sleepers in strips with rails to be inserted. Meanwhile, I bought Irish broad gauge sleepers from the ScaleFour Society and bullhead rail in code 75. (Thanks, Jeremy Suter, for the help.) Just need uninterrupted free time. Working towards a combined MGWR Sligo line with Collooney Jct. to Dromod and the Cavan & Leitrim from Dromod to TBD. A now-often-cited article about "the Long Tail" of a niche market might help explain how to think about models of Irish broad gauge (and Irish 3-foot RTR on 12 mm track). You create the niche, in part, that people haven't articulated in masses -- you don't respond to an existing mass market. The idea is used for a lot of niche-market sectors, such as a rare books library or historical museum that specializes in certain research subjects. https://www.wired.com/2004/10/tail/

View Advert Wanted: Tralee & Dingle 2-6-0T Hunslet loco kit - 7mm, 4m, or 3.5mm Seeking your excess-to-needs Tralee & Dingle Railway (Ireland) 2-6-0T locomotive kit or built model -- either Chivers-Finelines 7mm (RC711), HO scale 3.5 mm (RC11), or Branchlines OOn3 T & D etched brass kit or built model. Also seeking Ultrascale 12mm (36-inch scale) diameter driver wheels and OOn3 axles for Branchlines T & D kit and John Taylor kit for converting Branchlines T & D loco kit to 2-6-2T loco 5T. (See photo.) Offers also welcome of your excess-to-needs other Irish narrow gauge (and broad gauge) models and kits: Jeremy Suter kits, Studio Scale Models MGWR J26 loco and MGWR/GSWR vans. Payment via PayPal or bank transfer. Located near Chicago. Martin Tuohy Tinley Park, Illinois USA Advertiser NorthWallDocker Date 19/12/20 Price Category Locomotives