Mol_PMB

As I get older I find my memory isn't as good as it once was. When I went out to the shed to find the tools for mounting the display cabinets, I reminded myself that I'd got this, that's been screwed to the wall out there for 15 years or more and I'd completely forgotten about it! Well that's the identity sorted for a 121 class model! 131 was the first 121 class I travelled behind (or perhaps in front of - it was on the Limerick-Junction shuttle). I should have used this to check the artwork for my custom transfers - I didn't get the ends of the 3 quite right. I'll have to do the 3s again again...

Those ones would be the wrong length for an Irish corrugated wagon, but perhaps they could be made in other lengths as an optional accessory? I wonder if they would look effective in semi-translucent yellow as a more modern alternative to the traditional sheet material?

Whilst I still consider layout and track options, I've bought and installed a pair of cabinets for my Irish models. They're not the expensive sort, but they'll do! It took a bit of care to get them perfectly aligned in all planes so that the glass panes can be slid through one to reach the other, but I have managed that despite the walls not being quite flat. They are a very snug fit in the available space! Enough space for 70 traditional wagons! But they'll soon fill up with longer things, and aren't efficient for displaying coaches as each shelf is 450mm long.

Yep!

Over on RMWeb, Rapido are asking for suggestions on liveries for the next batch of Evolution coaches: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/topic/188351-evolution-coaches-48-non-corridor-rolling-stock/?do=findComment&comment=5724666 Now's your chance to put in a vote for some CIE (or earlier) liveries. This lovely photo posted recently by Ernie isn't far off in styling, but the Rapido coaches are non-corridor, non-gangwayed. Were there suitable prototypes in Ireland? A quick scan at the IRRS archives indicates that the CBSCR had some carriages of about the right length and styling. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53509091095/in/album-72157662268090968 So did the GSWR: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508744101 Possibly the DSER: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508837918 Possibly a negative point is that, so far, Rapido have insisted on all making all coach types in all liveries. I'm not sure all their coach types are similar to Irish prototypes, and it would be much harder to see a production batch of 5 different types, than 1 or 2 types. I could see a fair number of people adding a couple of 8-compartment bogie thirds to their trains of Genesis 6-wheelers.

I think typically 5000 to 10000 psi for hydrogen gas storage.

I gather that some of his proposed departmental secretaries might be partial to the occasional tot of whiskey...

Some car makers have certainly backed the Hydrogen horse. Some of the same risks are there, but cars generally have a less severe vibration environment, and of course the volume of storage needed is much less for a 1-ton car than a 1500-ton train, which scales down a lot of the risks. Another challenge with hydrogen that I didn't mention before is that many common materials (including steel fabrications) become brittle in the presence of hydrogen, as it affects their microstructure. Making tanks and pipework to store and transfer hydrogen (which either has to be at extremely high pressure or very cold) is quite a challenge.

The tender could be lettered (experi)MENTAL HYDROGEN BURNING LOCOMOTIVE. That is a good idea, though again the energy density of batteries isn't great for hauling a heavy train long distances. There are some interesting applications of this where the batteries are built into ISO containers so they can be swapped quite easily with existing infrastructure. It's much better if you can use the traction motors for braking and regenerate the energy into the batteries, which is what modern electric vehicles do, but very difficult to retro-fit to 1970s technlogy. By the time you've replaced all the traction motors, alternator, power control systems etc, and the basis of the loco is still 50 years old, you would be better off buying something new.

Off-topic, I spotted these in your sidings, which look great! Did you do a Provincial Wagons kit at some stage? I was wondering about making one from a modified Parkside kit.

Hydrogen is challenging as a transport fuel because it leaks through materials that we would normally think of as solid, and all the joints in pipework have to be to a very high standard. Railway locos are notoriously a high-vibration environment, which can tend to make pipe joints leaky... Also, its energy density is low compared to diesel, so you need more space to store it in - hence the tender. Which is going to be connected to the loco how? Bearing in mind the leaks issue and the need for flexible hoses. It would probably need to be semi-permanently coupled, and the tender would therefore also need a driving cab, and some interesting discussion with the unions about the safety of sitting on a hydrogen tank. Finally, did you know that hydrogen burns with an invisible flame? If you have a leak and it ignites, you can't see it. First thing you know is when something else passes through the flame and it catches fire. That something else could be you! It's not impossible, but for the rail traction application there are far more proven, reliable, safer alternatives. Hydrogen is a means for governments to spend relatively small amounts of money on research and claim they're doing something, while kicking the more expensive infrastructure spend into the future and someone else's problem. Cynical? Moi?

Yes, they've been sold out for a while and I missed out on them - I'm hoping IRM will have a few spares available once the orders have been sent out. Perhaps your 'CC1' should be coupled up to a long train of vans to free up some siding space?

I appreciate the model is a generic and is also standard gauge. However, comparing photos of the model to photos of the real vans that received black and tan livery, my observations are as follows: The general appearance, layout and length of the vans is a good match. The roof profile is a close match to 1077 and 18, but different from the older vans The panelling is also a close match to 1077 and 18, but different from the older vans The application of black and tan livery is closer to 1077 than 18. The model has windows in the double doors, not present on the Irish vans (not too hard to change) The Irish vans have a window instead of a deadlight adjacent to the double doors, not present on the model (not too hard to change) The arrangement of vents and lamps on the roof is different (not too hard to change) The model has the ducket to the left of the guard's door on both sides, while the Irish vans have both duckets towards the same end of the van - left of the door on one side and right of the door on the other To regauge to 21mm I would need to widen the chassis by 2mm. The body also needs widening, perhaps by more than 2mm? I guess it should be either 9'0" or 9'6" wide over the body itself, the duckets wider still. Not sure how wide the model would be. Is it justifiable within my modelling interests? Well geographically, 1077 seems to have got everywhere on that railtour, even outposts like Fenit. 18 appears in photos at Cork and Tralee. The year 1964 is a bit early for me, but I can always invoke rule 1. I can stick it in the mail train with all the tin vans and TPOs that IRM are about to churn out

Nice! Hopefully the wheels won’t fall off.

OK, so having been succumbed to temptation I've had a quick lunchtime scan through Flickr and found the following relating to the black and tan full brakes, and other late survivors. They were not all the same type. There was a group with a high elliptical roof and square-cornered panelling. These included 79, seen here withdrawn at Mullingar in 1969 (post-withdrawal) in black and tan: TAD_GSWR_79_Mullingar_14_April_1969 | [Photographer: Tom A D… | Flickr These two photos from Ernie show 71, of the same type, in light green livery in 1961: 69 at Downpatrick was originally one of these, though it is undergoing significant modification. Interesting history on this page: GSWR 69 - Downpatrick and County Down Railway Then there was another type that was distinctly different in appearance, with arc roof and round-cornered panelling. 1077 of this type was on a major railtour in 1964 and there are lots of photos of it; the 3 below are from Ernie on Flickr: Here's sister 1078 in green, a livery which shows the panelling more clearly: There was another of this type in black and tan, number 18 seen in these photos by Ernie, in Cork in 1962 Based on the height of the orange on the waist panel, I think this is the same van in Tralee in 1963: Searching back on the forum, this is a very useful thread: This lists the GSWR full brakes withdrawn post 1960 with 3 in service post 1964 the last withdrawn in 1970 the oldest lasting longest in typical GSWR fashion. Strangely 1077 isn't on the list, but the other vans illustrated above are all there: No.18 1905-1964 No.69 1888-1968 No.71 1911-1966 No.72 1898-1962 No.79 1887-1970 No.116 1887-1962 No.1070 1908-1961 No.1073 1908-1961 No.1078 1908-1963

I'm delighted to see that those 7mm scale GNR items have found a good home!

I have weakened as well, and ordered just one. It will no doubt need widening in both body and wheels. Now I need to do some research into how many actually received black and tan livery, and how different they were from the Genesis model. Should have done that research before purchase really, but as you say it's a case of grab it while you can.

Just imagine a whole fleet of them, maybe interspersed with a few twin-engined Sulzer monsters! Some of the planned smaller turf-burner variants with B-B wheel arrangement for the branch lines. And a fleet of Drumm battery trains for the suburban services. Everything painted silver!

That's interesting. Equally I have seen IRM posts in subsequent years that have declared Project 42 'complete'... I've ordered some Cambrian bogies and I'm going to have a go at grafting in some IRM wheelsets complete with rotating axle ends.

It seems one of the dropside wagons survives (or survived) at Dunsandle. Based on the buffers I'm guessing this is a GSR or GSWR built one. I don't suppose IRM measured it up on their visit to the corrugated wagon? Photo by Fred Dean on Flickr:

Nice view of an Irish Ferryways 20' box here at Loughrea; I don't think there were facilities for lifting containers here so presumably it was unloaded at the end dock? I'm presently looking at options for modelling an Irish Ferryways container, either 20' as here or 30'.

The book on CC1 does give details on testing and the loco must have been instrumented with manometers and pyrometers to provide that data, which were presumably read manually and jotted down on paper. There’s no indication of measurements of drawbar pull, or of the continuous recording of data on a chart recorder, as would be expected with a dynamometer car. They seem to have been more interested in the enormous quantity of oil needed to replenish the motion, and the number of carriages set on fire by the exhaust!

More likely giving it a good kicking for nit-picking the details on their models! Which are still streets ahead of what was available before, and are responsible for getting me back into the Irish modelling hobby. I am gradually demonstrating how to address them; I've just ordered a batch of replacement bogies...

Indeed, there's no evidence of any instrumented vehicle in the description of the turf burner tests, which would surely have been a perfect opportunity for one to be used.

I do think the preserved kettles have a better chance than others, purely because they can appeal to people modelling the diesel era as well as the historic periods. 186, 4, and 171 are probably the front runners on that score, but who could resist a model of 'Uranus'? 461 would be a bold move, being a very small class with geographically limited operation, but it's a good-looking loco!