Noel

Jason, did you use solder or superglue? Any in build pics? Noel

OK change of mind. I've decided I'm not happy to compromise on the kadee height on the Ballasts I converted earlier. Aside from the trip pins being too high for magnets to operate uncoupling, visually the coupler in the NEM pockets are almost the same height as the buffers which visually clutters these lovely models and doesn't look right. I have now followed IRMs advice and glued the kadee no 18 under the NEM pockets. This is much closer to the correct Kadee height gauge. IRM Ballasts after conversion to Kadee No 18s GLUED UNDER the NEM pockets - gap greatly reduced enhancing the look of a rake. Coupling now matches loco heights and other stock on the layout which will facilitate shunting and marshalling. It took a while but I saw the light. I did some running tests today and this coupling distance runs runs perfectly on the layout including on the few short radius Peco streamline points I have. Also tested ok on some spare 2nd radius curves. Happy days. Shows no 18s glued to underside of the NEM pockets. You will need to file off the thin IRM logo on one of the NEM pockets. Matches loco perfectly now so no risk of uncoupling at changes of gradients, or when coupled to other rolling stock. Comparison between using the NEM pockets or IRMs recommended fix of gluing the kadee's to the underside of the NEM pocket. This visually looks much better as the coupling is below buffer height. I'll have to weather all the newly installed kadee's now! It really is worth the time to iteratively trail and error Kadee conversions especially extensive running tests on shortest radius curves on the layout, and with other rolling stock both being hauled and pushed. Will do the same fix with the IRM cement wagons and the ploughs in due course. I understand the Tara's have the NEM pocket at the correct height. PS: Kadee no 17s would only work on vary large radius track and only if also glued under the NEM pockets because they cannot plug into the NEM pocket without removing the lovely cosmetic coupling hook.

Oh they are just stunning Jason. That must be one of the best ever jobs done on those SSM Plough kits, if not the best. That looks like factory RTR quality, so crisp, so sharp, just delightful.

This is absolutely fabulous. Totally Amazerballs. Stunning concept, implementation, models, scene and railway. Class project.

Kingsbridge workbench thread dedicated to converting the layout stock to Kadee couplings and in limited cases close couplings (Hornby/Roco) for fix rake coach formations. Hopefully as the thread evolves it will show how I converted coaching stock and goods wagons to Kadee couplings using a variety of methods and couplings from various NEM shank lengths to various types of gearbox Kadees which will be needed to convert my old Bachmann 2 axle wagon stock. Some of this already posted in the Q&A forum but I want to keep a record of all the conversions on the layout here as they occur in the comings months. IRM Ballasts before and after conversion to Kadee No 18s plugged into NEM pockets - gap greatly reduced enhancing the look of a rake. NEM pocket a little high but the kadee's work perfectly within a fixed rake of IRM ballasts or IRM cement wagons and actually 50% overlap the correct height for coupling up to an MM 141 or 071 loco. If I encounter any running issues I may adjust the height of the coupling in the end wagons of each rake for 100% loco height match. Overall though it looks like an easy conversion for my IRM ballast and cement wagons. 20ft Skeletal flat wagons before and after conversion to Kadee No 18s plugged into NEM pockets - NEM pocket height spot on Converting Murphy Model CIE Cravens - Make NEM shank adaptor using Kadee no 17 for correct coupler height Murphy Model CIE Cravens closer coupled using Kadee no 17 with DIY NEM shank adaptor NEM shank adaptor correct height for Kadee hook up to Murphy Model 141 or 071 locos Converting Murphy Model Mk2d coaches to Kadee - glue alternate no 19 and 20 to underside of NEM pockets for correct height. Kadee no 19/20 glued to underside of Mk2d NEM pockets correct height for loco coupling 071 or 141 Close coupling - Orange roof Mk2d have kadee no 19/20 pair per coach, black roof Mk2d have Hornby R8220 close couplers. There is little difference when stationary. Both vastly superior to gaps left by tension lock couplings. Hornby R8220 close couplers. Easy to vertically lift stock out of a rake unlike TLCs and these really do close couple yet can cope perfectly with 1st radius curves. Roco 40270 close couplers seem almost identical but apparently are a little shorter for even close coupling. Will try a set next week. More to follow in due course.

@popeye was looking at the photos of your sublime 42ft again today. Mind blowing precision craftsmanship. It seems the best 42ft by a country mile and the first 42ft brass I've seen that is straight as a laser beam.

I couldn't walk past that without rotating the cover right way up! Opps did I say that out loud? Seriously some great pics. You have good eyes to see things.

Thanks. I discovered I have some. Not entirely happy with the ride height as the buffers are marginally too high, so will replace the 12.5mm dia wheels with smaller ones and then readjust the height of the NEM pocket. Also noticed some of the wagons had a horizontal channel beam bracing the two centre stanchions which I may try and add.

Was just realising what a great resource the folks on this forum are. I never new such a wagon existed until I re-read @jhb171achill's book, posted a question on this thread only last week, got fab information, a magical machine in a foreign land printed a plastic body shell, a parcel flew by air to Ireland, a postman delivered it in a little green van, I did a little kit bashing and painting, and 8 days later I'm running a model of the wagon in question. Thanks again chaps.

A pair - snap. Very nice! Now I might have to invite you over for a play day and we can run a timber train.

Work continues on a sample two axle timber wagon. Painted and weathered, just decals, vacuum pipes and white tips left to do. Happy with the way the kadee worked out on the ancient 1972 Tri-ang wagon chassis - now thats recycling. May try and copy this body with a few pasticard repeats. I've loads more old Tri-ang wagons for chassis donors.

Isn't it a wonderful problem to have. Ten years ago there was virtually zero decent RTR Irish rolling stock. Now the supply and standard have sky rocketed so high thanks to MM and IRM we can afford to raise our expectations and are becoming spoilt for choice. Once upon a time if a poor model had orange paint on it we were happy it was 'Irish', now we might notice if the font on wagon lettering is marginally the wrong type face. For IRM rapidly increasing numbers of satisfied customers, fuelling ever higher expectations is also a welcome problem for any successful business. In the fullness of time due to age profile in the hobby the sales of CIE era may surprise - or it may not, but I'd bet my favourite Black'n'Tan 141 on the former. When you raise the bar you also raise customer expectations. Managing that can be fun. Happy days ahead. PS: 7 out of the 17 MM baby GMs were done in a CIE livery.

There is no 'Like' button available on your posts @BosKonay so here is one

CIE era my personal preference too, especially pre 1975. The three wagons that I could almost guarantee would brake all sales records are Bulleid corrugated single beat, double height corrugated beat, and H-Van. The most populous wagons that ever ran on Irish rails and operated over the entire network. These done to the exceptional IRM RTR standard would simply fly . . .

Thanks Stephen. Yes it only took about 45mins to get to that stage, mostly filing and sanding all the crude seams off the old Tri-ang chassis, and then build up the NEM pockets. I tried all the gearbox Kadee's I had, but I didn't have 142 (medium overset) which might have screwed nicely on to the chassis without any spacers needed, so I went the NEM route and plugged in a no 18, and changed the plastic white rimmed wheels for metal ones. What donor chassis did you use for yours?

Ah that's brilliant. So if I switched to the IE version all I might have to do is remove the window grills and add a black CIE broken wheel logo.

Thanks to @BosKonay's 3D link I decided to try a two axle timber wagon. Started on the bench today. I recycled and part cannibalised an old Triang chassis I had since childhood. If I like the look of it when I'm finished might try scratch building a few more bodies using this as a measurement template. DIY NEM 362 pockets fitted so I can use Kadee or TLCs in the future.

Thats an absolutely superb job @popeye. Sharp, square and no warping. Love the finishing touches. 42ft not really my era but looking at that I might even be converted (oops did I say that out loud). Did you enjoy working with brass as a medium?

Apologies Stevie, I'm not a fan of Zuron pliers for cutting track rails. Two broke on me, could have lost an eye with one, but luckily I was wearing goggles, they are not really designed to cut material as thick as code 75 or code 100 rail. They are also less precise than micro disc cutters. They are however great for cutting thiner metal materials such as cabling, wire grab rails for rolling stock, plastic, thin bits of brass, etc, etc. Carborundum disc causes zero distortion unlike pliers once they get older (i.e. easier to get fish plates to slide on after cutting).

https://www.mfacomodrills.com/mini_drills/drills.html https://www.amazon.co.uk/Rotacraft-Carborundum-Cutting-10-Silver/dp/B007RC5B7Q http://www.marksmodels.com/?pid=18800 https://www.mfacomodrills.com/mini_drills/drills.html If you already have a modellers mini drill you also need a spindle to mount the discs on, but you can also buy complete kits like some of the above.

Agree 100%. Carborundum disc on a mini drill is your only man for cutting track. It is by far the easiest and least labour intensive, and accurate.

Thanks Fran. On the IR/IE versions do you think it would be easy for modellers to remove the wire window grills? (i.e. will they be separate pieces glued over the glazing or are the an integral part of the body).

Talking about close coupling and gangways, etc. One of the things I remember as a child in the 60s was jumping over the gangway flaps between carriages with the tracks clearly visible flying underneath, with the gangways bouncing around, the big thick rope hand grabs, daylight gaps appearing and disappearing as they flexed over wobbly jointed track work - and the noise! It all looked so feeble and as a child you wondered if the two carriages could part company just as you were moving from one to another. Another time when trains were proper trains with engines and carriages, instead of soulless boring rail cars passing lifeless deserted stations devoid of any goods traffic. Not like the 60s and 70s when every tiny station between Dublin and other cities was a hive of pickup goods traffic, nearly always with an interesting goods train waiting in a loop being overtaken by the passenger train you were on. Men shunting a closed van into the little goods shed, it all seemed so logical and systematic. Oh there was so much interesting stuff and track formations for a child to look at in wonder out the window of a train carriage. A few days later you'd try and recreate the scenes you'd seen, past copies of Beano hardback annuals making up platforms beside Hornby-Dublo track, and humming train noises, buffer clashes, couplings, guards whistles and notching GMs. You became quite an impersonator - but of imaginary trains not here today gone tomorrow celebs. Nostalgia! I've got a fit of reawakened nostalgia from reading 'Rails through the West' - yet again!

Likewise the CIE version would appeal to me too (i.e. without the window grills). Ordered the IR version in the mean time.

Stunning model.