Railer

The Mk2Ds started to get black roofs from around 2002-2003 as far as I can recall.

Can use any loco right up to the IR livery. There was still a Cravens in the old livery on the ITG railtour that was double headed by 208 and 209.

Very true, it was NIR's 208 and 209 double headding on an ITG railtour that caused the damage.

Pairs of 121s or even a 121+141/181 were fairly common on the Maynooth line too.

They were only hauled by the A class up till 1994/1995 when the 071s took over. Only once an empty tara train was hauled by a pair of 141s from Northwall to Drogheda where an 071 took over. NIR's 112 has hauled them in recent years while on loan to IE but 111 or 113 never have. As I joked with the lads at the show, this wagon will make a good case for a high end A class model.

Great looking wagon and my number one pick for project 3. Had a good chat with Patrick and Fran earlier and the level of detail in this will be amazing. It's a good bit out there in the time line but it will be well worth it.

I see the guys have the bubbles up for sale already including the 4 packs for €400 deal. It's not Saturday morning yet.

Absolutely amazing collection of photos there. Some amount of history too.

Just looking at the Bubble CAD, I'm assuming they will have the swan neck coupler like the Ballasts in the production version. Can't wait to see the samples of both for myself on Saturday.

On the box of MM 222 there is even a photo of 222 hauling a MK3 PP set out of Connolly on a GAA special.

Tickets now sold.

Have two tickets for sale for the RPSI Western Explorer Railtour. There is a 40 year 071 badge included in the ticket price handed out on the train. Selling tickets at cost price of €75 each.

If you leave the leaver partially on iy will continually apply that set amount of pressure until either released or increased further it won't continue to build.

Just gives more time to save up for the bubbles thankfully. The end of the month can't happen soon enough.

It was always like that on one side as 1508 was a bar coach with Irish Rail along with 1509. MM 1508 is out there still and 1509 is due some time next year from Murphy, it was due this year but got delayed.

The first Cravens is 1508 Noel, used as the crew coach for this tour.

Thing is, with gen vans, to go into production you would want to be confident that you can sell around 1,000 units. Most people would probably buy 1 or 2 maybe 3. But with the like of a wagon run you have alot of people buying 12 or more units each.

Sure the Supertrain MK2 Version 2s have to hit the shelves before the 121s, along with the interm 201 livery and Cravens 1509. Long, long way to go for the 121s.

There was one or two Cravens in the CIE livery right up to 1995. One was even part of the ITG Yankee railtour that was double headed by the two NIR 201s. So a Gen van in the later IR livery can cover running from 1987 to 1995 with the CIE livery Cravens. Then you have the old CIE livery GSV what would cover from the 1960s right up till when the last GSV was painted in the IR livery sometime in the early 90s.

Yeah,I don't see the reason for the common user livery on 231 and 233 but I do really like it. The locos just need the above mentioned additions to be fully Enterprise ready. The livery is basically the Enterprise livery without the swirls almost like 8209 when it went around for a few months in the half finished livery. No reason they could have put them in Mk4 livery and used the logos like the 071s have, no colour at all. I find it odd what they did to the common Enterprise fleet livery wise. 206-209 stayed as is, Enterprise to Enterprise. 230 is basically a write off/full rebuild required. 227 and 228 went from Mk4 livery to Enterprise. 231 went Mk4 to CUL and 233 went from Enterprise to CUL. None of the Enterprise locos have any branding or logos applied to them or either do the CUL locos. Would almost have made as much sense painting 231 and 233 in the 071 livery.

It's the same with ICR sets 1-6. They are fully equipped to work on the NIR network as needed and as such they have the new logos applied but they are in grey scale with the tri colour removed.

I tried to buy one that I spotted at the Blackrock show last year and seller said "Sorry no, I'm holding it for someone else and there is loads of interest for it" Then take it off the table and stop teasing people. I was willing to pay 50 over the odds for it as it was brand new, perfect box, never run.

Not according to the Royal Mail and An Post and that's what matters.

Wow, looks great. You're tempting me now.

210 is on sale in Marks for cheaper. €155 delivered.