Noel

[quote=glenderg]There was no issue with coupling height, it was all done to NEM standards, and if not, this rake would have ruined itself when the video was taken on the 16th November 2017, some 8 years ago..[/quote] Hi Richie. Respectfully there was an error with the coupling height on the ballast wagons and the cement bubbles (inc ploughs that shared a common chassis). IRM even had a fix page on their web site back then with a solution. It wasn’t about running problems, it was about NEM compliance and incompatibility with Kadee couplings. It wasn’t a problem if one used the supplied gull wing mini tension lock couplings but was incorrect for Kadee’s as the NEM pocket height was incorrect. All other IRM stock since then had had perfect NEM pockets in terms of height from the rail top. I got around the problem by gluing kadee no 18s to the underside of the NEM pockets to get the correct height for kadee coupling height guage and kadee uncoupling magnets. It was a right royal PITA having to do it to two rakes of ballasts and two rakes of cement bubbles. This might have been a hangover of the unfortunate DJ input to IRMs first product which were the ballasts. Murphy Models had a similar fault with their craven coaching stock when the NEM pockets were also at the wrong height and needed fettling to use with popular kadee couplings. First world problem, but given the re-runs it might have been an opportunity to correct the tooling as that chassis is shared by carious IRM wagons (ballasts, cement, plough vans, magnesite’s, gypsum, etc). Photo below illustrated the problem. The manual fix. A pity the couplings could not be use correctly when plugged into the NEM pockets

Sounds a great move, and should prove popular. Is there any new tooling to correct the NEM pocket height error in the original run?

Jeepers Dave. That advert from The Hobby Horse in Rathfarnham shopping centre took me back. Fabulous Shop. Sold Hornby, Peco and Wrenn. Had multiple display layouts in the store and one above shelf height that was always running.

Does you know how does it treat plastics?

Not sure DCC will help clockwork Thomas

Great idea for a layout project And the L shape may suit a room. Been to Fenit many a time, a surreal little place of awesome beauty surrounded by tralee bay and the kerry mounts. Amongst the finest beaches in Europe. Was struck by the vast size of the Leibherr Cranes exported from the quay transported by road from the Killarney Factory. Can you imagine if such was possible by rail instead (no bridges would be possible). The concrete pier at sunset is awesome in silluette as brilliant bronze sun washes through the vertical pier support structure. We’ve cycled along part of the old track bed. Brendan the navigator pointing west past Little Samphire light house island. Warning on a gate nearby along the old track bed. Will watch this space with interest.

071 models about to be rerun and rereleased by MM, according to a little birdie who knows a man.

I've been in hospital for a week so havent been near t'internet and missed this. Wow this is a stellar announcement. No wonder the recent intereest on FB in the Bachmann CIE coaches. Never seen 800 run myself but its a must have as it was the iconic mainlune express loco in Ireland on the Cork-Dublin line. Something to look forward to for next year. 800 was more powerful that the GWR castle class.

Thanks for info guys. I already have an accurascale account. FYI, as it's only Thursday, I noticed non of my IRM orders have moved across so far. Presume they will appear in next week or so. Once we are still same pricing in Euro with no customs/vat on delivery issues, well then happy days. Looking forward to the Park Royals in due course. Continued success. Looking forward in time to buying your O gauge 141 . . . and B113 in 00!

Bump for the FB groups

Yes there are so many options pushing H which for now with grey hydrogen is fossil fuels by the back door until grids have transitioned 100% to non-fossil. JCB have released their combustion H engines for heavy construction, there is still the inefficiency of H which requires storage, distribution using fossil fuels, distribution and pump storage, etc. It just doesn't stack up well2wheel for efficiency compared to BEV for cars which can use the electricity grid for the most efficient energy transfer to wheels. HFC hydrogen fuel cell seems the way to go for rail as locos can safely be high pressure refuelled at depots, same for HGVs where HFCEV has a role (ie depot refuelling). The problem for cars aside from high costs is there are zero H pumps in Ireland, but every home has a 3pin socket. Only time will tell. A mix of solutions probably with BEV being the standard for cars, HFCEV for HGVs, buses, heavy agri, construction, rail, etc. Airbus are in proof on concept stage for H powered jet engines. Low cost air travel is gong to get carbon taxed out of the skies sooner or later, so a solution needed for aviation urgently. Toyota seem on a hiding to nothing pushing H for cars while they continued to sell so called 'self charging hybrids'. :)

Yes you can and I’ve done it, but it is better to have base boards primed with undercoat paint or a sealer. Track underlay, ballast pva and static grass bind to it better. Many folks paint a dark brown colour under their static grass which gives an earthy soil look if there are any bare bits and also better bonding for the PVA. Unsealed wood just soaks up vast amounts of PVA. Looking good. Nice project. Frequently folks apply static grass to plaster cloth land scape shapes, banks, embankments, hills, etc, which its white so painting brown before static grass avoid ‘white’ bleed through any bare patches of grass. Baseboard being wood helps as it’s already brownish.

Doubt it as the Irish loading guage would have remained constant and CIE/LHB coaches would not have been oversized like continental stock.

Some very interesting photos. Fortunately these coaches seem to have been cravens so did not crush like match wood employed in earlier laminates, park royals and breeding. A lucky escape for most considering it was a packed knock special. https://www.historicalballinrobe.org/places/mayo-and-irish-history/claremorris_train_crash_site_-_sept_1989

Looking forward to playing with these over Christmas. Much disruption swapping the two layouts around. Looking forward to playing trains again. Storage is no place for my favourite toys. They are for Running and driving.

Ps. Was also impressed with their ‘Silence Zones’ in coaches, no people talking, or talking on phones, no shouting conversations, no gamers, no videos without head phones, peace and tranquility as these trains glided along. Florence to Rome in little over 80mins. Rome metro also superb. We still have no underground in Dublin, no link to airport, no fast rail link to Heuston. Made use of Rome’s city eBikes also.

Very impressed with these electric high speed trains that run at twice the speed of our DMU/ICRs.

Doesn't trouble my mind, I've stopped buying stuff from brexitistan 3 years ago, found suitable alternatives in Euro zone for any toy train stuff I need. Anyway most Irish Models are available here direct from Irish suppliers such as MM and IRM, or Marks Models. About 15 years ago well before brexit my employer replaced all their former UK suppliers of IT gear and software with alternatives from Euro zone. The historical route to market that used to be forced through UK distributors was broken. Back in the bad old days Irish companies could not buy direct from manufacturer but instead had to buy from a UK based distributor (unnecessary middle man). Markets ebb and flow and find their optimal route, businesses shop around for best route to market. I find many of the small UK suppliers were still living in the dark ages, not having web sites, not taking credit cards nor online payments, SAE mentality, postal/money order from the jurassic era, very very conservative. The Europeans and Americans on the ball.

I don't want to buy anymore toy trains. I'm already ashamed of the size of collection I've built. Yet lust for a blue NIR 112 or an CIE Sulzer B113 hovers in the back of my mind.

Yes but does it matter how much, they are foreign stock. Irish modellers are predominantly buying Irish rolling stock these days mainly from MM and IRM, et all. It's a long time since I bought BR rolling stock. Have boxes of the stuff in the attic which I will eventually flog off in on ebay.

Fran are there any plans for the mainline variants in the near future?

Have that badge now. Onwards and upwards, I am sure the end result will be even better than you hoped for. Best wishes Stephen. Kingsbridge was dismantled yesterday.

Kingsbridge is being dismantled and going into hibernation storage in a shed for a year or two. Track will need to be relayed and ballasted. The original peco foam underlay started to perish, so difficult decision decided to store and will work on individual baseboards relaying track and ballast. In the mean time Gort will move into the layout room for its extension works, and in time Kingsbridge will eventually return with sealed base boards and ballasted track on top of two layers of closed cell 3mm foam for sound insulation. The old Peco foam underlay was fab for quiet running, but aside from not looking as good as ballasted track it started to perish due age, UV, etc. Out with the old in with the new. One of the six baseboards in storage in shed. First jobs was stip the layout of unfixed scenics, buildings, etc, un-plug wiring, lift short baseboard track joins. Looking forward to working on the Gort extension in comfort indoors with a bit of heating (ie 4 additional baseboards to WMRC specifications). So no running sessions for a few weeks or perhaps even a month. I may spend more time at the work bench on some long delayed kit bashing projects, some resprays, weathering recent IRM stock, RPSI maroon GSV (BCK variant), diy coach lighting, or just get bored and drive trains on Gort.

Stock went off the layout into storage boxes for the winter today.

Yes, Robert Alexander Schutzmann had an infectious enthusiasm and a most pleasant manner about him on air. A gentleman of another era. Thanks for posting this wonderful youtube link.