WT CLASS 2-6-4T No. 4

I wouldn't be surprised if PM has relinquished control of MM and somebody else has taken over the reins, just a thought!

That would include the whole population then I suppose

Looks remarkably like Glendergs version from a previous thread http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3384-BR-MK1-Weedspray-Coach-Overlay-Kit.

When I posted my observations of Murphy Models from the Lima days to the present I did not expect an attack for simply stating what was obvious to anybody with a little knowledge of railways and their model form. The last sentence was not a slight on Mr Murphy but only a wish that the high standards achieved with the Cravens, 141’s/181’s and the 071’s would be maintained. As for the Lima’s as Wrennerie said it was a lack of knowledge on Mr Murphy’s part that allowed class 33’s with a mix of Mk111 and Mk2 coaches and incorrect numbering to be distributed to the retailers by MM for selling on to the public. Then came the golden age for Murphy Models, very detailed and highly finished models which raised the bar not only for Irish RTR models but RTR models everywhere, UK, Europe and USA. So people came to expect this standard when buying a RTR MM, be it coach or loco. So when the recent batch of Mk2d coaches were released to the retailers by MM a lot of people who had become accustomed to the previously high standard were disappointed by the finish of the new batch. As Wrenneire said in his post the coaches were painted in China but they were distributed from Dublin to the retailers by MM, so Mr Murphy has some involvement in the process. If he was not happy with the product he should have delayed release to the retailers until he had sorted out the situation with his contractors in China. If he was not aware of the problem before the models reached the retailers then that is a sign that there is a problem with QC in MM. There should be sample testing and inspection of each batch of products received from his manufacturers and only be distributed when MM are happy with the quality, if not they should return the whole batch and not just the defective samples, to the manufacturer at his expense to be rectified. I previously worked for a company who had products manufactured abroad and that was the system they used. After complete batches were returned a couple of times the manufacturers improved their QC and we seldom had a problem afterwards. Having said all that I purchased some of the offending coaches well after the controversy about the paint finish had been reared after reading Glenderg's solution to the black edge problem, I,m not too worried about the shade of tan/orange/brown as once a rake is the same shade it will not be noticeable. As I said before I hope MM get back to the very high standards which they have achieved in the past and I wish Mr Murphy well for the future and I look forward to some day soon being able to buy a MM 121 or 2 or 3 of the same standard as the 141's.

Mr Murphy appears not to have been as diligent in the detail in the early years as he was up until recently. 71xx should be a first class, 7151 a composite coach and 74xx a diner. I hope he's not slipping back to his old ways as has happened with the new Mk2D's finish.

Just rang Grahams Toymasters in Portlaoise and they said that the server was down, but they are working on it.

I get that a lot and have to relog in.

Congratulations on the Article in Railway Modeller David. It's publication coincides with the 25th anniversary of Arigna coal mines closing. There was a piece about it in yesterday's Irish Times, Sat 14th. Here's the link http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/arigna-pays-tribute-to-miners-on-25th-anniversary-of-coal-mines-closing-1.2139156.

30th January - Museum News: Taken from the RPSI site. Possibility of some new models in the future? Thanks to generous funding by GROW South Antrim, the Society has been able to tender for non-destructive 3D scanning of some of our vehicles. 3D scanning provides a permanent archive, recording and preserving the external and internal detail and condition of these key artefacts. The scans will provide wider access on-line and will be used in a variety of other digital applications. In this contract, we are getting 3D scans made of ten vehicles - locomotives No.3 "R.H. Smyth", No.85 "Merlin", No.186 and B142, NCC carriages 68, 87 and 91, and, from the GNR, the Directors' Saloon, a Guinness grain van and goods Brake van No.81 "Ivan". Each vehicle is being scanned externally, from above and from below (where possible) as well as internally. Each vehicle has had up to 20 separate scans made to ensure complete coverage. The highly-specialised scanning camera records up to half a million infra-red signals a second and, as each scan can last about five minutes, there is quite a lot of data! The principal output will be highly-detailed point-clouds which can be rotated on any axis, cross-sectioned in any plane and measured, to the nearest millimetre, between any two points. These will be used to generate plan and cross-sectional drawings as well as form the basis of other 3D model types. Our contractors, CMC Associates, are also taking thousands of photographs which will be used to add texture to the drawings and thus provide highly-detailed pictures which can also be rotated, cross sectioned and measured in the same way as the drawings. These pictures are of the vehicles as they are now but the final models could be modified to demonstrate different liveries or configurations. This project can also be seen as a pilot for making the entire RPSI collection accessible digitally. These assets may also have the potential to generate income for the RPSI through generating small scale models for sale, virtual objects or perhaps future files for 3D printing. Further photographs are available on our Facebook page. Looks like good news for the Irish modeller. Walter.

I was only a very small bump on me mother's tummy then!

The track in the video looking after the relay train has passed seems to be severely buckled.

Not strictly railway related but if anybody needs access to their attic Woodies are selling a Stira style loft access ladder for €79.99.

Its much better than the orange with yellow and black. I like it so I'm in the supporters camp. As for Noel's suggestion of independent operators for competition, the rail network is too small to have several operators. The only thing that competition has done in Ireland is to cause an increase in prices to the consumer and lower wages for the workers. Before competition in the electricity sector Ireland was the third cheapest for electricity in Europe with only the ESB, since the other operators started up we are now one of the most expensive, because of economy of scale, duplication of administration and shareholders need for profit. The break up of CIE resulted in four boards for three companies where only one board existed before, and duplication of a lot of the administration jobs with no improvement in services for passengers as a result of the change. Walter.

Not strictly Irish but some may be interested. 21.00 Hrs. tonight on BBC4 its "Golden Age of British Rail during the era of nationalisation".

Nice tip Eoin, must try that with my points.

No men of that era paid in LSD, pound shillings and pence.

Hi D/C this seems to be the only place listing 141's/181's http://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/shop/kits_modelling/irish_railways_inc_murphy_models_rtr_kits_transfers/index-2.php Wally.

http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/images/kernow/title.gif have 7 MM 201's in stock, 208, 209, 220, 222, 229, 230 and 233. 220 is the orange one. They are £145 each.

Was that usual to quote the fares in Shillings and Pence rather than Pounds, Shillings and Pence? i.e. The single fare would be £2-06-05 and £1-10-02 in old money if my grey cells are working properly.

Must have been a first year apprentice painter who did the job! But it looks good all the same. At speed it would not be noticed.

What's your prices ?

Happy New Year to everybody on the Forum and may 2015 be a productive one modelling wise. , Wally.

Happy Birthday Richie.

You could always try Maplin http://www.maplin.co.uk/ for LED's for your engine shed. They have a couple of shops in Eire as well, good for switches, resistors and LED's.

I think it was 82. I finished the shift in Heuston Plant at 16.00 and by 21.00 No27 bus abandoned its passengers me included at the Artane roundabout. Took the best part of another hour and a half to walk the rest of the way home. The snow froze and persisted for a couple of weeks after. Some hairy moments trying to get in for the night shift the following week. I parted ways with CIE the following June, that's how I know it was 82.