Mol_PMB

Unfortunately I don’t have a free choice of colours. There are only inks in specific shades, mostly fairly bright colours. It is possible to overlay some combinations of different colours (but other combinations don’t stick). Having said that, the real EdN faded in several different ways so I can tolerate an imperfect match. Of the three large snails here, which looks best to you?

The rivets have come off the tin van and it is now in the paint shop. Meanwhile the tar bitumen tank is going through a multi-stage weathering process. Soon it will be ready to be mated to the chassis. And the postie delivered this kit today. I am going to modify it into a reasonable representation of WLWR horsebox 1025, which survived until 1964. The sides, floor and roof will need shortening, as well as a few other minor modifications. I've designed some new ends to replace those in the kit - they should fit on my etch of carriage bits.

Very nice! Thank you for looking those out and taking the photos.

Not so far-fetched. This one in Dublin even has an Irish registration: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/376867701391

Many thanks. I hadn't realised that the carriage class numerals also had a gold outline. Not on the Railtec transfers! I guess it's pretty thin in 4mm scale. These trial snail decals are 8mm high which is too big even for the largest size, but hopefully the outline will still work when scaled down a bit more. These are the colours I'm planning to use, representing a slightly faded/tarnished look.

Am I right that the outline of the numbers on green diesels was also gold? It's hard to judge from photos but there's definitely an outline there, as seen in this photo from Ernie:

Excellent. Now I can get some of these sized correctly. Many thanks.

Such things no longer seem to be advertised on the IRRS website. I wonder whether @leslie10646 can advise if these IRRS publications are still available?

Ah, super, many thanks. Sounds like a book I need to get my hands on! That must be the larger size and is pretty close to my estimate. I'll adjust mine to get it spot on.

The W&T driving trailer was 1408 and the intermediate was 1407. IRM are actually offering 1407 in their range, but in much later 1980s condition [corrected - I had got the numbers the wrong way round in my original post] One of the difficulties in answering this question is that we need a bit more info from IRM to know what each of the green models look like. We always have to be very careful with shades of green in older photos, but this railcar looks like a dark green. Park Royal hiding behind the wall on the right. There is a nice colour photo in 'Irish Railways in the 1950s and 1960s' (McCormack) page 125 showing a W+T train in 1957 formed of all 5 'modern' vehicles - 3 AEC railcars and 2 Park Royals. Led by 2659 which also appears to be dark green, though the second AEC looks lighter.

From what's shown on the AS website for the green ones, with livery based on the artwork and door type based on the text, the options are: IRM1212 1379 - green with green ends and silver underframe, original inward-opening doors IRM1215 1383 - green with black ends and silver underframe, original inward-opening doors IRM1213 1388 - green with green ends and silver underframe, original inward-opening doors IRM1214 1402 - green with black ends and silver underframe, modified outward-opening doors As yet, it's not clear whether these are dark green or light green or some of each. The artwork looks dark green for all, but the sample we've seen upthread (1402) looked light green. I haven't yet seen a model sample with the original type doors, or with green ends. So I'm eagerly awaiting the promised update so that I can place my additional order for these (to add to the 5 I've already bought and paid for).

Many thanks for the info. I was thinking of converting one of Leslie's van kits to a GNR ventilated van and then saw your model and wondered whether there might be an alternative option. Sorry to hear about Ken.

Can anyone confirm the dimensions of the (full-size) flying snail transfers? The height would be fine as I can scale the rest off that. I appreciate that there were several different sizes and ideally I'd like to know the height of each. My estimate of the medium size is about 11" high. I have read that the small ones were 5" high. Are these about right? How high were the bigger ones used on loco tenders etc? @jhb171achill have you got access to an original that you can measure? Many thanks, Mol

I used 7mm-9233 rivets. They are 1/2" rivets at 4" spacing in 7mm scale. The reason I used 7mm scale ones is to achieve a wide enough spacing. They don't do anything more than a scale 4" spacing. They do also do 1/4" rivets which would probably be more suitable in this case. However, I have another idea which is to do a laser-cut stencil-type mask for the sides (essentially a grid of tiny holes) and then do the rivets with a spary of brownish paint. I'll try that out on a piece of scrap and if it works I'll take the 3D rivets off. In the meantime I am also evaluating some options for custom transfers in Eau-de-Nil. I don't think I can match the Railtec colour but I think I have a reasonably convincing faded EdN, and a way of outlining the snails (and loco numbers) in goldish.

Very nice! In this photo, the ventilated van second in line - is that from a kit? Not one I've seen before in model form.

I enjoy using those too. Your folded tarp is very convincing - and an excuse for another tasty snack!

I need to get a couple more green ones ordered, still hoping to see some more photos of those.

Yes, I posted a still from a video and an IRRS flickr link showing a brown one in colour at Ardee in the 1970s. Neither great quality images but definitely brown and quite clean.

Courtaulds Pecketts? There can’t have been many into the 1960s.

Quite possibly. I’ll check at the weekend - I’ve been out on site today playing with 1:1 scale trains. These days I don’t get many chances to dress up in orange and work in full scale.

Absolutely true! Especially since my current one is a freight-only branch… I’ll try to get this one finished first. If I extend the main sector plate beyond the pivot I can handle 3-coach trains of 30’ stock at Quartertown Mill, or a tin van and one Park Royal. I have been giving some consideration to Valentia Harbour. Or is it Valencia Harbour? Not as bad as Cahersiveen which has 4 different spellings…

Wonderful. Two more carriages for my rake of 6-wheelers.

Yes, I think they're too bold. Interesting that the carrier film strip is also still visible even after a coat of paint. I'll mull it over for a day or two but I suspect these will be coming off again! Perhaps I should do some custom 2-dimensional decals which are just a grid of small brown spots that could be applied over the silver paint?

They can be pretty obvious on the silver tin vans though: