leslie10646

The new train is already in service, it seems - on the excellent Dun Laoighaire layout. This was a hurried "Phone shot". I've just woken up after a long sleep - Richard drove me back to Reading from Holyhead - a one-man effort by him. Thanks! Yes, may I echo Fran's thanks to David, Tony, Ed and a host of other MRSI guys for putting on a great show (even if my "pitch" was a bit cramped between Eamon's "Bog Road" (I only really saw the back!) and the two Michael's with their N Gauge layout where GNR locos brushed shoulders with Norfolk and Western diesels!). See Patrick's photo of me counting my ill-gotten gains and you'll see what I mean! I'm sold out of another two of my RTR vans, bar the remainder which is off to a man in the Canaries. Best of all, the people you meet - the Annual Dublin show has replaced the defunct club-run Warley as the place for Irish modellers to meet. More later, when I come round properly - I was so tired that I couldn't remember this computer's password! Thanks again guys!

Correct, Ivan. Not used now - does it still exist?

Agreed, but with IRM it is DEFINITELY the Infinite Improbability Drive which is steering their Steam Team.

Yes, indeed, although I was timing Bulleid Pacifics on the Bournemouth line that day! When I published a history of the first 25 years of the RPSI Steam's Silver Lining, I noted in the caption of the photo of 171 piloting No.207 Boyne - "The saddest photo in the book" - as it was No.207's last run. She was condemned by her 21 ton axle-loading, which would have restricted her usefulness on tours (Belfast - Dublin - Cork). Yet No.85, with the same loading has been almost everywhere - modern diesels, unthought of in 1965, are so much heavier!

Trying to be positive, I presume that the building site will eventually disappear and that they plan to demolish the unsightly block on the right in the first picture - then you can see the frontage? AND I enjoyed an "Express" run back to Bangor with a steady 70mph through Helen's Bay - which you wouldn't have done in steam days! BUT, it's a quarter of a mile further out from the City Centre and from this favoured watering hole, which I see is still where I left it! As for the loss of through services Bangor to Portadown - yes I know that only a modest number of folk would want that - one connection I looked up offered journeys of 1hr 18 minutes and 1 hour 41 minutes .... All part of the improvements?

For there were these guys too Dozens of 'em.

Paid a visit today from Bangor - the service is slower than steam days - nothing over 48 to Holywood! I'm glad i didn't try the journey in reverse: Find the station ...... The platform indicators were very good! This was at 1515 hours this afternoon. But, nil fesperandum, they had been replaced by humans telling you what train went where: I counted over ten in sight (ran out of fingers, you see .... Is this NIR solving the unemployment problems?

THERE IS! AND RICHARD AND I ARE GOING TO GIVE IT THE ONCE OVER ON THURSDAY BEFORE COMING SOUTH TO CLONTARF. I KNOW A MAN WHO MIGHT PRODUCE ONE ......

Enjoy them! You should have picked up a 00 Works J15 when they were on sale! HE HAS ONE OF NO. 125 AND NO.146 REMAINING

Don't know where to start, Ernie - the Compound entering Pordie-down is magic, especially with a uniform train of mahogany coaches. The dual track at The Harbour was very interesting. The "Double Engine" at Campbell's is wonderful - you'd be accelerating hard down the hill past Dduallt Manor, then the Platform and the PW Inspector's House and hoping that he'd keep the brakes off long enough for you to record a "twenty" (mph) before slowing for the 15mph through the little tunnel. I hope that the antibiotics work quickly! Well, @LNERW1 you should be ashamed at not knowing that, but you'll be able to replicate it - the Ballymena and Larne had 2-4-0Ts like the IOMR ones, which, I think you get buy in a RTR Box. Add your soon to be announced Class WTs from IRM and you can model the Harbour pretty well!

No, It's a Class WT. I've just ordered 1,000 Spoil Wagon kits which will be sent to the Philippines to be built in time for the iRM Christmas 2025 Boxed Set Offer - TWO Class WTs Twenty Spoil wagons as a Boxed Set, complete with oval of track and a few points and a Loading Bank so that you can have the whole Stone Train operation on your layout. Locos with sound, of course - digitally controlled from "Loud" to "Very, Very Loud" so that you can imitate the train going up the bank through Trooperslane.

First, I hope that Mum is as well as can be? Yes, you were missed. Did you arrange for your replacement - an American logging layout - I've forgotten the name, although I voted for it as the most appealing layout - who wouldn't have with Shays, Climaxes etc? Look forward to seeing the Quay elsewhere!

Yes, Colin, so you have! Thanks for buying them. IRM will have fun doing it as a wagon, as no drawings appear to exist. We didn't quite make it up, but a NORWEGIAN friend had made some measurements and with his permission, I'll pass them on - I'll act as his agent to negotiate a price!

The Kernow Models LSWR "Road Van" might offer a basis? https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/43665/SB003G-LSWR-10-Ton-Goods-Brake-Van-number-S54466 I bought mine because it was supposed to be "similar" to some BCDR brake van. Patrick might be able to share light? Ye Gods, @Galteemoregot it up two minutes before me! The B&NCR had something with a side door like this too - I'll have a look when short of things to do!

Hi Fishplate - No.85 is a BIRD - but don't worry, I made a mistake in Steam's Silver Lining saying that Merlin had just gone through HIS first tunnel (exiting Downhill Tunnel) and I usually refer, in talks, to 85's restoration as "Putting the Magic back into Merlin". Yes, a Compound would be wonderful. By the way, there's a brilliant article by Conrad Natzio in the latest edition of Milepost (journal of the Railway Performance Society) about the Compounds. It deserves a wider audience than the restricted circulation of the Timers' Times! (Pun intended).

John beat me to it - thanks, John - So what's wrong with my Spoil wagon kit - apart from that you have to build it? Over 220 in service and a new order for half a dozen today! (Thanks Damien!).

Congratulations on your big win at the Hornby Awards. For any of you who missed the announcement (sent to all IRM customers?) - here it is: "A massive thank you to everyone who voted for us in the 2024 Hornby Magazine awards. Our sister brand Accurascale won in all 5 categories we had an entry in, including the coveted "Manufacturer of the Year". We know many of our IRM customers vote for us, so thank you once again! One item that won was the joint project of our Mark 2 coaches, which were done for both Accurascale and IRM in our NIR and IR/IE coach packs." Think of HOW BIG YOU WILL WIN NEXT YEAR when your model of the GNR Q Class or "Merlin" is running on all of our layouts! Well done Leslie

I'd normally say, "well, if it is, I won't be buying one", but as they are sure to do No.4, I MIGHT ...... You see, my two are No.10 (83mph at Muckamore with Tommy Crymble) and No.53 which gave me my best time from Ballymena to Belfast - Paddy Dobbin with fireman Albert Plews. Sooooooo, No.4 would be a "new" engine. Oh, and yes, I've had eighty with her - well over thirty years ago! Only thirteen sleeps until we find out!

Eighteen - if we're going for numbers, why not a T Tank (25 in the two sub classes). A 4-4-2T for those under sixty. But, I don't want one of those either (just three of them upstairs). Why, oh why, could all this not have happened twenty years ago ....... Now, with my "NICE" Hat on, it's great to think that there'll soon be a quality Irish steam locomotive model, ready to run (or maybe twenty minutes after you get through the packing and fit a DCC chip? You lucky lads (and lasses?).

I'm coming to Ireland at the end of this week, as the RPSI is celebrating 60 years next Saturday. So, I'm packing already. This may be my last visit as a Trader (I'm getting a bit old for this - 78) and I've let stocks run down. So, if you want anything, now's the time to speak up! I have SOME of each of the kits here: https://provincialwagons.com/kits-available/ If you want to fill a gap in your collection, please contact me (e-mail preferred) and I'll hold the kit (s). No payment required up front, just what and when you're coming. Thanks I look forward to meeting many of you again at The Show. Leslie

Come on guys, just two weeks until the big announcement - no "suggestions" for three days! I've been trying to out-think the lads in The Tower. ASSUMING that it's steam: a) It'll be from a loco class which the RPSI has one of, offering many numbers / liveries - then people will have seen ONE of the type and want a model. b) It won't be a J15 (but within 5/6 years?) as neither of ours are running or are likely to run again any time soon. c) So it's a Compound (yes please), a Q Class (yes please); a S Class - good choice, just coming back into service (but I've got two already!); or a Class WT Tank: popular loco with UK possibilities for the chassis / general design - ditto - I've got twp already! d) Which opens a can of worms as to what to stick behind it? There are NO RTR GNR coaches, except from Silver Fox and certainly no NCC coaches. Park Royals would have been VERY occasionally hauled by them. Now, I can't see IRM making GN coaches - so what? e) The answer MAY be that: there have been sets of RPSI coaches around in the past, both Cravens and Mark 2s; IRM more or less have the Mark 2s available at the moment, so another run of them to provide coaches for the preserved loco would be easy-ish. You could go on forever? My money is probably on the Tank - there were EIGHTEEN of them, NCC, UTA, NIR liveries to choose from, then some of them had extended bunkers (so about fifty variants possible) ....... For those of those of us with long memories, ModelU could be commissioned to make models of the each of the drivers and firemen who worked on the Stone Trains - (Saint Thomas) Tommy Crymble, Billy Steenson, Harry Ramsay, Alan Robinson, "Batman" Simpson, Big Dan McAtamany, Willie Graham, Gerry Phelan, Barney McCrory ........ Men whose exploits when they got out on passenger trains made sure that in 1969 I didn't throw away my stopwatch, but went in search of more steam trains to "time" - 25/26 countries!

Are these not better still? https://www.themodelcentre.com/r4800pre You could just stick NCC on them and off you go - at £30 a go, they're a snip. OR: I think this was the coach which which supposed to be like a "Larne Steel". Certainly they are also similar to the coaches JB's Dad took in a moment of dereliction? Hornby R4657A. This one cost me £25 at a Warley event, but they seem to be much dearer now, even if you can find them! I must put this one into service!

Look forward to seeing your "800" @GSR 800. There isn't an earthly that it will be that - so we all want to see yours!!!

Very clever. Almost cryptic! I'll swallow the top one (preferred) or the bottom one (got three). I guarantee it won't be the middle one and i don't want a second hand US Army vehicle!

Hi Bob, Thank you for your kind words. To help you catch up, I can recommend the Society's website which covers the history very well indeed. Leslie