StevieB

I believe in the principle ‘you never quite get what you pay for”, and this applies especially to the modern way of delivering railway passenger services If you take the UK as an example, and a very bad example in many people’s eyes, the tendering process is done with government, not the public, and everything is for the government’s benefit, not the public’s. Rail passenger travel may have doubled in the past 20 years but have things really got any better? Investment is still driven by government, because they are by far the biggest payer. On all main routes there is no competition, the operator having agreed to pay the government the largest fee, or conversely require the smallest subsidy. The only competition is by way of open access, and that is severely restricted in what it can provide on the main operator’s route. Surely Ireland, even considering the two parts together, is too small for the EU directive to be effectively delivered. Good regulation will get the best out of the system. Stephen

Without getting political, the EU seems to have trouble seeing reason on occasions. Stephen

Coaches from the BR international set that IR bought to make up the numbers, so to speak. Stephen

You have to order them off the RPSI website. Stephen

I raised the use of brake vans on liner trains some four years ago, since it makes the running of freight trains all the more interesting. In the mid 1970s, we had the last of the traditional loose coupled freights plus BELL liner trains with a brake van but others, like the dolomite and oil/magnesite trains, running without brake vans. Stephen

I used to see such as these in my late father’s collection of a pre war Meccano Magazines. You’re very fortunate to have been given them, even if only to sell on. Stephen

Wow, you just keep on producing such beautiful pieces of miniature engineering. Must get mine ordered. Stephen

I know you have run dolomite trains in the past but have you got enough room in your fiddle yards to add an oil and magnesite? Then you would be able to replicate all the trains that would have run on your imaginary piece of ‘Rails through the South’. Stephen

You continue to inspire with your postings. It all looks lovely in your little piece of ‘Rails through the South’. Stephen

When I looked recently, there were only three retailers in listed on MM’s website who were offering advanced ordering of the class 121, namely Hattons and Antics in the UK and Marks Models in Ireland. No doubt others will in the future. Stephen

Well done, nice to have you back! Stephen

It’s been a long time coming but it will have been worth the wait. Stephen

Is that what we used to call marketing, getting the right product at the right price in the right quantity. Stephen

They all work in slightly different ways but, as long as you get what you’re after, I guess it doesn’t really matter. Stephen

Marks Models in Ireland, plus Hattons and Rails of Sheffield in UK. Stephen

There is nothing stopping you renumbering existing models to provide extra versions. Stephen

Some of you may know this already but Roy Jackson died recently. He was a phenomenal EM gauge modeller, best known for layouts such as High Dyke, Dunwich and, more recently, Retford. There’s more about him on RMweb. Stephen

I don’t believe Roderick Bruce is asking anymore on eBay for the remaining ones unsold, just bringing them to a wider audience. Stephen

Railway preservation doesn’t seem to come easily in Ireland, so we wish them well. Stephen

It’s very nice to see progress. Stephen

Have you tried running anything yet? Don’t forget to post videos when you do. Stephen

Wow. Stephen

The threesome of NIR big GM's has been on there some little while now, so snapped up is probably putting it a bit generously. Stephen

Aren’t there plans for a new station at Waterford on the Rosslare side of the existing one? Stephen

The annual show put on by DEMU, Diesel and Electric Modellers United. Stephne