217 RIVER FLESK

I very, very rarely contribute to any of the discussions on here, preferring to just sit in the background & see what's happening out there due to no time for modelling. But for all the lack of modelling time, I do still keep buying the offerings from IRM that are relevant to my hoped for modelling time frame if & when retirement ever arrives. I am a little surprised, if I read the above comments correctly, that IRM switched from having correctly spaced on earlier items, such as the ballast hoppers, cement bubbles etc to changing them to UK standard gauge spacing on the Bulleid wagons, as the buffer spacing would only really be a problem for those that are using 3-link couplings. IRM goals have always appeared to me, as a person standing very much on the sidelines, to be that of heading for ever greater accuracy, such as pushing the bogie frame sides out on the MkIIs & having the Bulleid wagon frames correctly spaced. I suspect that 95%(?) of us probably stay with OO scale track, because, like in my case, life is too short now from where I'm standing to start building scale 5'-3" track or they just want to get some track down & start running trains & having fun. Fun after all is supposed to be what all of this is about? I'm certainly not going to stop buying IRM models in light of 'buffer-gate', but I do like consistency. My own preference would be to stick with correctly spaced buffers, but I wouldn't object if two sets of holes were cast into the chassis to allow UK / Irish spacing, but that does seem to be a case of pushing things close to the edge when trying to cater for every modeler out there. You could then start to argue that all models should come with 3-link couplings ready fitted & sprung ones at that, because the prototype ones are. Oh & why weren't the buffers on the Bulleid wagons sprung? Oh & tut, tut, the side doors are fixed. I generally think that IRM manage to walk the right path through the minefield of modelers & if anything I think perhaps that they are trying to pack too much detail in, there currently appearing to be an arms race in fine details & DCC features in the 4mm world, but then I'm a self confessed luddite & fossil fuel burner . . .

That'll teach me for rushing to type a post when thinking through the fog of work

Yeah, kind of surprised at just the one pack being offered - would like to have seen a version suitable for the late 90s - early 2000s, such as the three that hung around Limerick depot or the ones at Connolly

It's the only one I remember running like that

Personally, I've no interest in the CIE period, my preferred time frame being 1998 - 2008, so IE all the way, with just a smattering of IR

Phew, I can rest easy now. I wasn't trying to put the model down, but that error just jumped out & hit the 'eye', the down side to being a draughtsman I guess. Cheers, Mike C

Looking at the CAD drawings, I still recon that the manual brake lever is still sitting too far down at it's outer end. Looking at the pics in the gallery section the end of the lever sits about half way between the underside of the longitudinal steel that forms the main frame & the 'round' hanger that the leaf springs hangs from. As it stands, I'd say the brakes are just about rubbing. Cheers, Mike C

It's all very well saying contact the manufacturer direct if you have a problem, I did exactly that when I had an issue with a 201 & heard absolutely nothing back - not even a cover all email saying that I must go back to the retailer that I bought the item from (which I couldn't do, as by then they'd sold out of the particular model).

Got to correct this slight error after speaking with 'Mr. A'. When built, the As had a single exhaust port located above the main generator, it wasn't until when they were re-engine with the GM power units that they gained the 3 exhaust ports along the centre line of the roof.

To me, the most logical next item to be produced would be a 22k, as they've infected the entire system (almost), though the cost of producing a 3-car set would be prohibitively high. Having said that, as they are still only at the start of their working lives, they will be around for many years (yawn) & hence a number of re-runs over the years would probably be required as these will be the only trains that people will come to remember. Things like 121s are already history & hence already the number of people that they mean something to is starting to diminish if were are brutally honest. Personally As & Cs don't mean anything to me as they'd all finished by the time that I discovered Irish railways, so I'd almost be inclined to wish for something like a 2700 railcar before a Metro-Vic, though I probably would purchase a model of an A or C if one became available having travelled behind A39 on a tour, but then the model would have to reflect it in it's preserved condition. Yes I'd be interested in 4 wheeled freight stock, but the only thing that concerns me is how they'd be represented. Irish freight vehicles became notorious for being extremely heavily weathered - something that is hard to represent convincingly & if done poorly I find a total turn off. My top 5 wish list: 1 4wd Cement bubbles 2 4wd Beet wagons 3 2700 railcar 4 4wd ballast wagons 5 4wd ballast brake / plough

That was the whole reason why 149's power unit was chosen as a replacement for C226

Very true Waffles, but equally could any kid just wonder in & afford to buy a Hornby or Bachmann multiple unit? But if the kid is going to pester their parents or grand parents for a train set, are they not more likely to pester for the train that they saw go passed the end of their garden last week or the one they took a ride on to Galway etc etc? Cheers, Mike C

Can't help but wondering if MM should be doing a 22K next - at least then any kid could wonder in & buy something that he'd seen that week.

Can't help but wondering if MM should be doing a 22K next - at least then any kid could wonder in & buy something that he'd seen that week.

If it had been possible to go down the road of using a 141 chassis, would MM have done so now that he's stepped out from under Bachmann's shadow?