DiveController

Are they RPSI 134s due to arrive simultaneously with the 1st batch of MM 121s? It's probably worth mentioning that RPSIs cannot really be ordered simultaneously with other items on the website as it throws up the In Stock/Preorder warning if you order with other 121s

Great news, John. I'll take a few but not sure on what just yet. I was lookin at the tin van wallpaper above and there seem to be a huge number of variants the the three vehicles on there not just the tool van but in BnT alone.

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We discussed sound damping from the baseboard maybe 4-5 years ago and restoration of sound conduction to the baseboard by the PVA glue. Great to see you using the closed cell foam over the baseboard to start. That should make it very quiet indeed. Nice job wiring the electrofrog points to have the entire frog set to one polarity with the switch. Great groundwork!

A very fine layout indeed. Sorry to see it go but glad it has a permanent home. Well done, sir!

1st & 4th wagons are converted shales as you can see from the original horizontal ribbing

Lovely shot of the 181 in BnT with the distinctive 7 vents below the headlight

Jhb is probably right, I was referring to IE and not IR era and couldn't recall when they were added exactly.

Actually, some of the shales were converted to Taras, two as clarified by Fran below To become shales they'd have to lose the roof and you'd have to add some ribbing along the side (You may not have detailing in the inside) Both 32' long, similar bogies

I think the ends are black with the red warning square number etc

Shale wagons would have used the Ballybrophy to Limerick line much more and were stored in Limerick after 2009 when the mine traffic ceased

Well done John. Probably the closest shot https://www.geograph.ie/photo/2101427

The MM 141 & 181 classes were turned out over a decade ago with good detailing and excellent running (particularly slow running characteristics). By comparison with the some models in the last couple of years, there may be a few differences. They do come DCC ready but not sound ready insofar as they do not have an inbuilt speaker which functions as soon as a compatible sound chip is installed. A sugar cube speaker seems to function best and can be wired in although it is not PnP. They have directional marker/running lights and headlights which change automatically with the direction of travel but do not have cab lighting like the MM071 class (iirc). The rear lights of a lead loco or the front lights of a trailing loco can be turned off if two are running in consist but the switches are somewhat inaccessible as they inside the body shell versus the larger 071 class which followed where they were located underneath the loco and could be switched with a fingernail or small screwdriver blade. To access the interior the 141/181 body shell has to be removed from the chassis which means very carefully detaching the handrails along the loco sides from the cabs, and prizing the body off which can be slightly tricky. It comes apart as the main body with one cab as one piece and the other cab as a second piece. When replaced, some found that the cab did not fit back as tightly to the chassis as factory fitted and had a tiny (<1mm) gap which was a minor cosmetic issue. In short, it's not a matter of deciding to link two locos up for a quick spin and then detach the consist again. When new, they usually came with a 'bag of bits' which included horns, skirt (to be 'blown up', or just fitted where the coupler is at the 'non functional' end) and various hoses. These are fitted by the user as needed and enhance the look of the loco but may be missing when purchased secondhand. One of the members did a nice tutorial on how to fit the front skirt and then have the coupler come through it but the photos have disappeared from the site when Photobucket withdrew support from linking to other websites. More recent offerings are often sound compatible out of the box, with better access to switches e.g. through a roof panel so there is not need to remove the body shell, have cab lighting and maybe some additional cosmetic nuances. With all that being said most will agree that there are VERY fine locos. If you cannot acquire what you need from Dave then take solace in the upcoming MM 121 which seem to have all the perks

Conversion to 'Tippex' merely involved addition of the white lines as transfers to the ST livery and additional of the 'set of points' IR logo.

Bide your time, I'm sure you'll get a chance. In the meantime IRM have the plough vans of your chosen era still available

Yes, And we saw this and agree with you Yes, and you're not the only one who spotted that, and it's of little consequence really. The packs are nice at least we all agree on that I suspect

@Noel, it spans the Bann at Coleraine, bascule type. A bit like this one standing on its head, the mechanism being under the wheelhouse

Any representative photo of the side boxes? What were they for?

Lots of word salad to say that a fault was found ..... hopefully some updates after the investigations has concluded

I think this is the container on a 4w flat wagon at Limerick 1970 (compliments of Ernie again)

Exactly, anything like Eoin's in BnT or earlier. Anything in ST would already have been re-engined. @popeye Thanks for that drawing, very helpful indeed. C233 & C234 got Maybach engines (initially) in '65/'66? They kept these until they finally got GM engine in '79/'80, most of the rest of the C class having received theirs by '72. Wonder what that looked like?

Those photos really tell the story for the original and re-engined versions. No question your smoke is black with the Crossley engined one, I think, which says a lot about the heavy weathering on the roof and even sides

I thought that all the MM spares were long sold out. I haven't been able to get a little 'bag of bits' in years

Hmm, that would seem to make sense why the ITG have those areas covered. Don't know too much about the innards of the A or C classes at all. What area the various vents & grilles for?