RedRich

Eamonn I just sent you an e-mail outlaying things including model and prototype pics and hopefully it should explain everything. Give me a heads up when you get it. Rich,

Cheers Fran I look forward to it. Rich,

They look exceptionaly good Charlie, I wish you the best of luck with them and I hope sales will lead to some more more familiar Irish contemporary containers. Rich.

That's true Fran regarding the air dryer filters. I wouldn't mind a closer look at the Cannon & Co GM fuel tank details to see if there is anything on it that could be used on a MM 201. Rich,

That all sounds good to me Fran. Nostalgia and recreating the real world in miniature is the core of the hobby. The American modelling side of the hobby is very diverse and extremely interesting when you gain an interest for it. Some of the steam outline models are amazing pieces of engineering. I've definitely been spending a lot of time on youtube lately checking out the trans Atlantic prototype and modelling uploads. Then there's that connection with our own locos being built in the USA and Canada by GM. I think most Irish modellers of a certain age have a soft spot for the 121's. They just look so unique and they cover a huge geographical and period of the railways that they are a must from the sixties onwards. Mind you a lot of the drivers that I know or knew weren't as ecstatically keen on the prototypes as I was. Rich,

That's really positive news Eamonn on the 121's and sound chip. I'd love a 141 or 181 and 121 double heading a freight train or two 121's. There are lot's of livery and detail differences on the prototypes. 124 and 134 in the later IE livery with the center windows filled in would be nice. Rich,

Fran a lot of people are prepared and are happy enough to run stock on their layout from different eras and geographical location. Some people are more concerned about prototype fidelity and running the correct stock in the right era. The model of 8208 is still available in many shops. I don't think 209 would sell as well as the other variants even though it would be a beautiful model, and it could encourage more people to model NIR stock. The old Enterprise livery was one I was really looking forward to as it is one of the most eye catching liveries to ever grace the class. To be honest I would (given the choice) rather see a 121 produced at the sake of any more 201's, but you never know. Rich,

There are loads of detail differences on the various 071 and 111 class locos and these have been excellently researched by PM for the models. Some locos have token catchers, blanking plates on the cabsides, and others don't. Sinclair antennas are correctly modelled on some variants while others have the more modern IE type antennas. It shouldn't be to difficult to model the various receptacles on the cabfront of 112 if anyone wishes to. A lot of the time mistakes are made in the livery and printing departments at the factory and Murphy Models aren't the first manufacturer to have suffered that in their pre production products. I am sure that these errors will be corrected before release. The freight livery 071's have some differences across the class in livery and detail application. 075 was released from Inchicore without any IE logos on the cabfront. Some of the locos have white cabside numbers with black shadows and some have black numbers with white shadows. There are locos with cabside blanking plates and those without them. A few of the locos have orange roof horns and 075 has a 141 cabside window fitted at one end. One of them also has black doors on the cab instead of silver. 072's livery looks correct and it is correct in the number color on the model. The blanking plates are correctly modelled also, but the IE logo on the bonnet is to large. However I can also see this (hopefully) being corrected on the production release. The black chevrons with white stripe also need to be corrected on the IE & IR locos and I have no doubt these will also be corrected along with the bonnet side IE logo. I have just had a look at some photos this morning and from what I can see 077, 078, 087, were still in the IE orange livery in 2010. I have compiled a list of the detail differences on the freight livery locos and if anyone is thinking of re-numbering some of their locos I'll be glad to give them any info they should need. I can't wait to get mine so roll on October. Rich,

I have a great passion for that part of the railway myself Eamonn and made many visits during my life to those areas. It was a beautiful landscape on which to view a railway. We used to always take the coast road as it offered some great scenic views of the railway. It seems so long ago now. Rich,

Thanks very much for that, being a Waterford man it brings back some great memories. Rich,

Great pics Richie and thanks for sharing them. Forgetting the liveries and the different eras modelled the main look of the loco is exceptional and that's the most important thing. The hours of hard work and R&D look to have paid off and PM deserves every compliment and thank you he gets. He's an amazing and dedicated man for his age. Rich,

You're spot on there Stephen. Baby GM's layout is really taking shape and looking good. Rich,

Some lovely military modelling Seamus on Fort Camden, lovely photos also. The Sea and Air models photographed be Richie also look amazing. I couldn't make it myself unfortunately but well done to all concerned and congratulations on what looks to have been a great success. Rich,

Excellent commentary on the show Fran it sounds like everyone had a good time and that the show was well attended. It's always nice to put faces to names also when you meet fellow members. Rich,

Cheers Fran, I was in Marks Models a few months before the release of the 141's and I had a chance to have a chat with Paddy. He is a very engaging, informative and friendly man when he talks one on one. He was telling me that he was unsure about the thickness of the white lining on the black and tan 141 samples as he thought it was to narrow. He corrected it for the production releases and it looks great on the model. With 5 of the releases having the chevrons on the cab needing correction before production I am confident he will be aware of it and have it sorted before release. I've got to say that the shade of blue on 112 looks really good. The silver on the freight livery loco looks really good to as it is a difficult color to reproduce when scaled down. I was having a comparison look at a pic of 076 with the small IE logo and it looks spot on on the model. Good to hear that there are more MK11's on the way Fran as it will help people form a full rake as I have seen MK11 sets in the past without Composites and Super Standards. The Galway coaches should be nice. Rich,

Thanks for sharing the photos Fran and Stephen. I hope everyone had a good day at the show. Did anyone ask PM if any of the livery errors will be corrected for the production batches. Rich,

That is a very good match Magpie, a lot of determination and hard work went into building such a beautiful model. Rich,

Thanks Seamus for posting the photos for the members today. The models from the angles they are photographed from capture the look and bulk of the prototypes very well, and that is always one of the most important features in a new model. Seamus has said that these are pre production models and some changes should be amended before final production begins. If anyone attends the MRSI show today and manages to get a chance to chat to Paddy Murphy today please ask if the IE logo is to be corrected along with the front chevron on the IR and IE models as it is a very prominent feature of the prototypes and was correct on the 141-181 models. The view of the roof on the MM website photos looks really good and the small IE logo loco is also nice. 112 and the freight locos look to be in the lead at the moment in the looks department. Rich,

Thanks for that link Fran, they look great. Anything that Arran has produced in the C-rail stable has always been of excellent quality. Since he has formed the company with Charlie Petty they have produced some beautiful models. I believe Dapol are going to produce a Bell container also. Rich,

Only just copped this now Fran. Great work mate as Stephen has said, I look forward to seeing more. Rich,

082 looks nice in the freight livery. Rich,

Richie great work as usual. I only looked at it tonight, and you are truly at the top of your game. The skills on here among our members and the willingness to share them with everyone is making the group go from strenght to strenght. Rich,

That's a really wonderful model Des and you deserve all the plaudits and good wishes you have received. It's an absolutely amazing piece of engineering and the very hard work from design to finish must have been overwhelming. Rich,

No problems Eamonn it was always something that I used to wonder myself. The buffer beam red on the MIR 071 locos was always a breaking point for most people, myself included. Rich,