Sentinel281

I know this does not really help any further, but just to add some footage: On Ebay two badges were sold in the last few weeks, also showing the DUTC lettering on it: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/CIE-flying-snail-enamel-badge-/261204690426?pt=UK_Collectables_Badges_Patches_MJ&hash=item3cd10345fa&nma=true&si=tupth5Eav35GB2bL8T01bbfRqo8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 http://www.ebay.ie/itm/CIE-flying-snail-cap-badge-/261204710820?pt=UK_Collectables_Railwayana_RL&hash=item3cd10395a4&nma=true&si=tupth5Eav35GB2bL8T01bbfRqo8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 They both were (wrongly) described as CIE ones.

Concerning the question what combination of scale and gauge would lead to goot results I would like to add some thougts. Coming from H0 as a continental modeller, 00 gauge was a completely new world to me or nearly. Certainly I had had a look in to my friends magazines (Railway modeller) but never thougt I would ever model anything in 00. Now I think I have a rather good comparison between two totally different markets, the German/ Swiss one and the Irish one. In Germany, following the division between '49 and '90 and the closure of a western german firm called Rokal, TT (what here is called 3mm gauge) at 1:120 was mostly a phenomenon of the (later called former) GDR. Since the reunion in 1990 many new models are produced in TT, now also to western prototypes from the still very popular epoch 3 (i.e. 1949 (after Nazi era) untill 1968 (when a big renumbering of all rolling stock took place)). Despite this devellopment it is still rather difficult to model a western layout in TT as road vehicles, street lamps, kits of modern buildings etc. are mainly produced to eastern prototypes. Back to the irish theme. Beginning to model in another scale would mean, that all accessory material that is available in 00 gauge would be missing. In 1:87 yo can have excellent models of cars, busses and lorrys, but the market is completely different to that one in 00 gauge. I must admit, in the last few years some manufacturers established a collection of diecast HO models that are similar to those of the Corgi/EFE/Oxford/Pocket Bond range, but they still have only a limited range of prototypes. The great choice do you get as relatively high priced plastic models, you can google for example Brekina, Busch-Modelle or Herpa to get an impression. There is also a wide choice of US prototypes, but nearly no "non continental" ones. As Ireland is still rather similar to GB (dont exclude me from the forum for that, please) concerning the use of road vehicles and standards of buildings (especially if one compares Ireland to any other country of the world) we now have a good choice of matching articles for model layouts. It is still easier to paint a red letterbox green than to have no pillar boxes in the chosen scale at all. Another issue is, that if you take any rtr track system that has a 4'8,5" prototype, it will never be prototypical for 5'3", even when the distance between the rails is correct for the selcted scale. You will neither get the appropriate sleeper spacing nor the correct rail clips. For the german market, nearly every important prototype got a reproduction in H0 scale. The whole market is diminishing. This means that the manufacturers tend to less important and espescially more regional or even local prototypes and smaller numbers of produced models. These circumstances make the german and the irish market more comparable. In my eyes the availability of rtr stock undoubtedly brings more people to model a certain theme but as time goes by, the demands made to the detailing of models always grow. You cannot imagine what problems are discussed in german forums: The availability of models is only a rare issue. The members discuss which of the (in one case four) manufactuers does the best model, if the fittings of the kettle are prototypical for the special machine the manufacturer produced, if the flat car has the right kind of fixing points. They are angry about bogies that have brake shoes fitted despite he protype has disc breakes (which means they only would have to cut off the brake shoes (which is done in the same time as writing in the forum)). They condemn the manufacturers for having printed the wrong date of the last repair onto a model. People ar not contet with what they get. Never. My conclusion: Modelling irish themes does by no means get easier if you change scale. Every problem you solve will bring other problems, especially concerning accessory and will split up the market which leads to even smaller numbers of produces models. We should stay to 1/76 scale, be it 16,5 or 21 mm or anything in between. As many manufactuers switch to smaller series, the availability of rtr irish models comes nearer in my eyes.

I am more an expert in the preservation of trams but i can confirm that you are right

Wow, really stunning, great work. Congratulations, the rake looks just... perfect! I love the work you have done in upgrading the barrier wagons. Alas the MIR range ran out of production. Thanks for sharing your pictures.

DC kits offer 201 Class Locos at 110 pounds for some versions: http://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/shop/kits_modelling/irish_railways_inc_murphy_models_rtr_kits_transfers/

Thanks a lot, I just ordered at DC Kits. They also have good prices (and also C-Rail Containers ), really worth a look. Intercity and Enterprise livery for only 110 pounds!

Thanks Anthony and Blaine, I think I should order a 201 as long as they're still for sale. An official interpretation of these facts would be interesting: Are republican irish locodrivers not clever enough to use such steps or act NIR that irresposible towards their employees... I think we will never really know.

Hi all, on some pictures of 201 class locos two rectangular holes under the marker lights can be found, on others, these holes seem to be closed. There is also a difference in the models, for example on the MM0203 (River Corrib) the holes ar closed, while on MM0220, IE 220, River Blackwater, the holes appear black and open. Could anyone advice me what these holes are for and when they are open or closed? The only technical difference between differen locos of this class I could find so far is the ability for push-pull-service with Mk3-rakes. Is there perhaps a conjunction? BTW: Could the 201 class or any other class besides the 121s work with the suburban Mk3-push-pull formations (as delivered from Silferfox models)? Thanks in advance Gerhard.

Very nice indeed! What would be the correct colour for the Hunslet, maroon or already blue? Cheers Gerhard.

I think we had reached this state of discussion already with the picture of the irish camel, despite the lack of relationship to railways...

Well, it always gives a good feeling to see that other people share the own problems and it always gives a bad feeling to see that the problems were already widely discussed... in this special case I just could not find any help myself Thanks Broithe, your link was a great help indeed!

Hello Jamie, welcome to the Forum! In the last few weeks on of the most expierienced members in here posted that for the correct length of the oil tankers the chassis had to be cut down by 12mm and the tank itself by 3mm. Alas I cannot find the post in the forum. Could anyone perhaps give me a little advice how to use the f....ng search function? Especially when I found a thread I don't know how to get to the marked piece of text. Cheers, Gerhard. Ah, using google I got this here: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/78-Kirley-s-Projects?p=27447&highlight=tanker#post27447 It should be the second post on the sit you will see

About chainlink fences: I recommend Walthers chainlink fence, for example here: http://www.endofthelinehobbies.com.au/railway/ho-hon3-hon35-187/structures-and-lineside/display/1055-fence-ho-walthers-chain-link-fence-933-3125-ho (I guess only a few of us will order there as its in Australia but it surely can be obtained elsewhere, a model railway dealer next town from me selling many american products also sells it)

Thanks for the information concerning liveries, that helps making decisions...

The pre production samples already look great. Does anyone know when the livery changed from light blue to darker blue and when the 8 was added? Gerhard.

Yes, John, that's exactly what I also thougt when I saw the pictures of the station building. Thanks to Ciaran and Boskonay for the link and for the further information. As I am looking for a layout plan, I am really tempted. Looking at my models, the line would have to have stayed open for a longer time. Maybe a "as could have been layout". For modelling i think I would prefer a simpler, less ecclesiastic building. The advantage of the whole situation: The rural environment would perfectly fit to the requirements of my girlfriend, she wants to have a place for sheep. This would not work out with more urban areas or stations like Tarastreet or so...

At school I had a classmate that played the guitar very well, today he's a professional at our musical hall. He always told us guitar players jokes like this one that I remember best: What's the difference between violin and piano? The piano will burn longer... Thanks for the hint, I will have to look for a shop selling guitar strings.

Hello Popeye, nevertheless a great vehicle you built despite the wheelbase. BTW: I think I would not have noticed it... . I like the modifications you made to the underframe with these round spring-pots and also the nicely done weathering. Could you perhaps say a word how you made the brake pipes? I need a set to complete my A Class wich alas comes from Silverfoxmodels without pipes. Great work, thanks for sharing! Cheers, Gerhard.

Thank you very much, it is indeed great to get help from gurus and supergurus Special thanks to Richie! This will cost me lots of time now, just discovered what "osi" means. Really a pot of gold so to say, as there are many more stations and their trackplans to discover! Now back to work...

Ah, I forgot the shinohara track. There is a difference in the track Bemo takes from shinohara and the track they produce themselves, the last is the system with the cast frogs. The Shinohara system is told to be not exactly 12 mm. I fully agree to what John said. There is another issue: The points are connected via the switching sleeper, so the whole switch is not what is called dcc friendly as the wheel flanges will make a short circuit if they touch the point that is not in use at this moment. My recommendation also is the peco track.

Also to add: 141: I'm sure there were even more, I would have to search my hard drive... Edit: On my harddrive, I found: 192SA (supertrain and point logos, also on front) 156S (taken directly from the side, no evidence of front: supertrain and point logo) 144SA (supertrain and point logos, also on front) 012S (supertrain and point logo, front only) 149 (supertrain and point logos, also on front) 013 (supertrain and point logos, also on front) Thats all from "stolen" photos from the internet, so I cannot show them here.

Hello all, I found a photo of a loco shed on ebay: http://www.ebay.ie/itm/IRISH-IRELAND-RAILWAY-GNRI-COOTEHILL-ENGINE-SHED-CAVAN-PHOTOGRAPH-/350768693154?pt=UK_Collectables_Railwayana_RL&hash=item51ab717fa2 Can anyone of you tell me what is the thing in front of the shed? Is ist perhaps a cattle bank? This would be a nice situation to model, very compressed. Thanks in advance Gerhard.

Hello Finbarr, If you really still consider modelling the narrow gauge, please try to avoid bemo switches. I am into continental narrow gauge for some 25 years now and my experience tells me it is better not to use them. Bemo switches have cast frogs that are made mainly from zinc that is covered with a thin layer of nickel (is it called nickel in english? well...). The points are cast parts as well. The problem is: you cannot solder anything to these parts and if you have cleaned them several times the nickel plating will vanish and you will get feeding problems every new day due to fast oxidation and you will have to rub the frogs and points every day you want to drive or nearly. In late winter I was badly in need for a stretched switch for a H0e-layout of my girlfriend and, as the other swiches available were very short, I again took a bemo switch but rebuilt it with new frog made from rails an with new points made from Z-scale rails. The thing took me a whole sunday to finish. Speaking of OO12 or H0m gauge, I much recommend the peco system that can be obtained in Britain to fairly reasonable conditions (in Germany it is so expensive that it is worth ordering them in Britain, if one takes a few items; I don't know the prices in R.I.). The Tillig switches are not bad, but one has to say their radius is less then the one of the pecos wich makes the points look more tram like. Functionality of the Tillig swiches is o.k., but be aware they have spring points which means you have to have a point motor that is strong enough to switch the switch and also to hold it. If you have any more questions, don't hesitate to ask, welcome to the site Gerhard.

Thanks for sharing the pictures, very inspiring. No need for apologies, in my eyes. I work to the same method as you, mostly works out fine... ;-)