Mol_PMB

Wonderful - many thanks! There are certainly some common features between that and what I can see on the E401 photos.

I've been doing some more work on the etch artwork including the cab, which is progressing nicely. I'm trying to make best use of fold-up subassemblies rather than a myriad of separate parts, whilst avoiding awkward fit problems. Does anyone here have any photos of E class cab interior? E401 preferred but I appreciate that's less likely, E421 pics from the preserved examples would be better than nothing. Although the windows are fairly small I'd like to make some attempt at representing the control desk. Best I have for cab interior views so far are these: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54255284989/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53509328774/ Also, if anyone's got a particular loco or period they would be interested in modelling, please let me know. There were lots of minor variations between the locos and it would be impractical to provide for them all, but I can do some. Cheers, Mol

Many thanks for your thoughts and interest. At present I'm doing the E401, none of which survived. E401s were more numerous and have more choice of liveries; they were delivered in silver, but withdrawn in the late 1970s whereas some of the E421s survived into the early 1980s. I could probably develop an E421 afterwards if this works out well. There were significant differences between the classes in major dimensions and styling, though the wheelbase was the same so potentially a common chassis could be used. The E421s were better balanced. I think if IRM do an E class it's much more likely to be an E421, in fact I know they've had a good look round one of the E421s at Downpatrick. It's too early to think about pricing at present, or how many I might have made. I have my custom etches done by 4Dmodelshop, who provide excellent quality service and a quick turnround, and quantities as small as 1, but it costs more per etch than the firms which do mass production. I think my approach will be to make one etch to start with and build it myself, then I can do any debugging necessary for a small production run, and I'll also have a completed model for people to judge whether they would be interested. I haven't got my head round CSB, but thanks for the info on the hornguide standard and what slots I would need to provide. That will be very helpful when I get to doing the chassis artwork. I agree that the challenge of driving the wheelsets is how to do it without upsetting the compensation or springing. In the last 20+ years I have done most of my modelling in 7mm scale so I'm not familiar with the parts and methods typically used in 4mm scale. I've had a good look through the High Level Kits website and I'm more confused than it was before - it doesn't even say what gear module they use which is a fundamental dimension needed to design a gear train using their parts. All the examples given are steam locos with rods, where the gearbox only needs to drive one axle. If you understand CSB it sounds like you're way ahead of me on this! Could you help me with a rough sketch of how you would set it out and which components you might use? The wheelbase is 20+32mm, wheel diameter 12mm or 12.6mm. I don't think space in the bonnet is a limitation. My intention is that the functional chassis will be inside-framed, with the outside frames just cosmetic. Cheers, Mol

I've now also completed the footplate artwork, including bufferbeams and cosmetic frames. I've identified some suitable castings for the axleboxes and hornguides too. Next thing to do is to draw up the cab assembly. I'm still mulling over how to arrange the chassis. I think it needs some form of compensation, and probably a long row of gears and idlers to transmit the drive to all axles. There's no shortage of space in the bonnet and the motor could be positioned to drive onto any of the wheelsets, or indeed one of the intermediate gears. I expect the chassis will be made of thicker material so it won't be on this etch. That may also facilitate different gauge options. It may not be etched at all. Any thoughts?

If you missed out on IRM's cement bubbles and have since discovered that they never/rarely come up on eBay, then rest assured you don't need many for a realistic train. In fact your loco lash-up can be longer than the wagons they're hauling: A Waterford-Limerick empty cement passing Tipperary in 2007, by Colm O'Callaghan on Flickr.

On the subject of etch artwork, I've made a start on something Irish. Very much work in progress but there's probably enough here for someone to guess what it's going to be. It seems I use a different colour convention to John. On mine, black is full thickness, red is etch from the front, cyan is etch from the back, and white is etched right through. I haven't put tabs on yet. Hopefully something less likely to be produced by IRM as none of them exist any more. Initially for my own use but if it works out well I'll see if anyone else is interested. It's quite possible I'm making some bits rather fiddly for 4mm scale, as I'm more used to designing in 7mm scale. I'll find out in the test build. One thing I have learnt already is that the locos weren't all the same, so I'm trying to cater for some options. Close-up of part of it: Next I need to do the cab and the footplate, which should be relatively simple compared to what I've done so far. Then I must think more seriously about the chassis, compensation and gearing.

One more from Roger Joanes. Here's you're excuse to buy a Park Royal...

Several railtours went to Kingscourt in the freight-only period, some with steam (ex-GNR 132, RPSI 186) or diesel (059) haulage , and some with obscure railcars (SLNCR 'B', NIR 'RB3'). There was a black and tan Park Royal in the train hauled by 186, in 1970. Some photos from Jonathan Allen, Colm O'Callaghan and and Ernie on Flickr. There are very many more photos of Kingscourt on the IRRS Flickr archive which you can only view if you're an IRRS member: To answer your 'what if' question, then yes, 1990s would likely have been Park Royals and BR or Dutch van.

It's probably easier to acquire an E than a 400hp Maybach shunter!

This link seems to work: Mousa Models https://mousa-models.co.uk/product-category/4mm-scale/ Threads on RMWeb suggest that the owner has been ill recently, but at present there's no suggestion that the models have been withdrawn entirely. Hope that helps.

Many thanks John, that looks good. No rush, I've got plenty of projects on the go already, but I am definitely interested in some of these.

The video didn’t work for me on the laptop, but did on my phone. Hard to see detail on the small screen though, so thanks for the photos which are much clearer. It looks like these are aimed at the OO gauge market which is fair enough as that’s most people, but they may be tricky to regauge for 21mm? Cheers, Paul

That looks appealing, and one of the wagons that's definitely on my wants list. How many come on an etch? Cheers, Paul

New Accurascale Invisilock:

I can see your point. The tension locks aren't so obtrusive in the larger scale. Whilst the back end of the railcar looks very convincing, I can see it must be a right pain to do. I wonder if it might be better as a one-piece overlay in thin brass? Incidentally, have you seen that Accurascale have introduced a transparent tension lock coupler on their latest GB release?

This 1994 photo from Colm O'Callaghan on Flickr appears to show one of the bogie flats with steel floors as the second vehicle in a Bell Liner. If so, it had lost its chain pockets by this time. But this 2012 photo from Karl Rose on Flickr complicates the situation. Here is 30081 (not one of those originally fitted with floors) with a floor added. Presumably this was done after it was transferred to the Engineers' fleet. The floor overhangs the solebars, which is a distinguishing feature compared to the original 30091-30098 batch which were built new with floors:

Recently while looking through archives on Flickr, I've found several photos of Irish railways that surprised me - "I never knew that happened". So I thought I'd start a thread to share a few of them, in case anyone would like to justify some unusual moves on their layout. Feel free to add examples you've found too. Here's a nice starting point given the forthcoming release of the Park Royal coaches from IRM, but the current absence of a BGSV to heat and light them. From Colm O'Callaghan on Flickr, a Connolly-Drogheda service formed of an A class and three Park Royals. Only. The date is 3rd September 1988. There is guard's accommodation in the last vehicle, but I don't see any battery boxes on the underframes so there wouldn't be any light or heat. Perhaps in early September they could manage without? I'm pretty sure I can make out some passengers inside so it's not an empty stock move.

Ah, so I'm not the only one then! That's reassuring. The research and the rolling stock construction are my favourite bits, though I also enjoy landscape scenery. I'm not sure whether my best achievement today is making a load of progress building a couple of etched wagons, or finding three photos of LMA vans in service! I do feel I need to get something moving (for more than a foot or two on my photo plank), so I ought to regauge one of my locos and make a more comprehensive test track at least. One of the tasks I need to address with the wagons I've built/rebuilt so far is to go back through all of them, make sure they have the same wheel standards and fit them with couplings. But it's not on the priority list at present because they don't need those things to sit in the display case, and I haven't quite decided what wheel standards or couplings to use yet. Anyway, I'd better get back to the soldering iron...

Good thoughts! I like the idea of a layout where I can watch the trains go by - the loft is the only space big enough but it's a lot of work to convert it to a comfortably usable space. I may well end up with another shunting plank instead, which would at least be portable. Fenit Pier definitely appeals for that. But before I get anywhere with a layout I need to master 21mm gauge pointwork, and reliable couplings. They're my next challenges. Having said that, maybe I should just admit that the bit I most enjoy is building wagons, and keep filling up the display cabinet with trucks that will never run anywhere!

Sorry, my mistake. It was right on the original. I'll correct my post.

Just a couple more: Cattle train at Claremorris, 1972, from Paul Taylor: Wexford by the same place and photographer, 1975, a line of withdrawn bulk grain vans. Note a different livery variation on one, with large 'BULK GRAIN' lettering on the panels either side of the doors, rather than the doors themselves: From Tom Ryan, enough steam heat vans to create an impressive sauna...

Not IRRS photos, but I did notice that the IRRS Archive account 'follows' some other Flickr members, and I'm having a bit of a look through them too. I'll have worked out by now that I'm a wagon and container nerd, so these photos mostly follow that theme, but there are a lot more worth looking at. I spotted a rare beast in the siding in this photo from 'Carrickmacross Rare Ould Times' - an LMA van: From 'Frank', it's possible the third van here is also an LMA van. It has a corrugated end, and the lack of shadow at the eaves compared to the two nearer vans would indicate it's more likely an LMA than an ex-GNR cement van (2 photos of the same train, dated 1975): From 'Frank', A12 in trouble at Waterford in 1970 not long before it was re-engined: From Colm O'Callaghan, a lovely shot of an Acrylonitrile wagon, and a barrier: Colm's got some fantastic Irish freight train photos - well worth a look through his photostream. From 'ML125r', a nice clear colour view of two of the 10' bulk glucose containers: From the same source, some interesting containers here. Look at that massive CIE roundel on the white 40-footer! Some CIE open-toppers with a choice of roundel positions: Mmmm - Guinness, Bell and baby GMs! Another container feast, lots of CIE and some CTI, several of 'my' MOL too:

Wonderful - thanks again. It looks like a couple of the 001 names were transferred to 141s later on. So once I've renumbered my locos to my preferred examples (mainly ones I travelled behind back in the 1980s) I should have: 007 'Paula' or 'James Bond' 055 'Sarah' or 'Sulky Susan' 156 'Principled Priscilla' 192 'Venereal Vera' 155 and 158 always seemed to turn up on my travels as well, maybe I need a 'Negligent Nellie' or 'Hilarious Hilary' in due course. Edit: having just checked my photos, 172 was the one I had a cab ride in, in later years, so 'Stinking Stasia' is another option...

Many thanks! Interesting that some of the names changed over the years. Names for the other classes would also be of interest!

Very nice! Plenty to keep you busy by the looks of it.