Noel

These two look like DKs eBay listings: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CIE-1-72-00-Scale-Ballast-Hopper-Wagons-12-handbuilt-sprayed-Irish-Railway/173008359608?hash=item28481a10b8:g:EbYAAOSwvD5aIHri https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CIE-Irish-Railway-Cement-Bubbles-set-of-12-1-76-00-Scale-Hand-made-sprayed/173008416609?hash=item28481aef61:g:d84AAOSwonBaIIeG PS: I'd suggest adding the tag "Murphy Models" as that seems to be the de facto search phrase used by folks searching eBay for any Irish stuff.

Unfortunately I doubt the economic numbers would stack up for an injection moulded RTR model due to the small quantities. Interesting thread back here: The SF dutch van below isn't bad, I've two RTRs and one kit which is about to be sprayed RPSI green to run with Mk2a RPSI set. The mods to make the rebuilt version that ran with the mk2 coaches isn't huge (see DC kits pic below this one) DC kits version

Yes the photos certainly look 'orange' alright, could be white balance. I presume John is using the same precision paints CIE Golden Brown he uses on his other CIE B&T stock which look more tan like.

Hi Jonathan. I don't know. I just spotted them today on their web site. The short wheel base heating/luggage vans look like resin bodies rather than repaints. I'd like to examine them close up before buying. Noel

Holy moly - by accident just stumbled upon all these new coach releases on SF's web site. Mama mia B&T 1960s heaven CIE Open 3rd CIE Buffet car Bulleid Heating Van Modified Bulleid Heating Van Six Wheel Heating Van TPO Bulleid Hooded Luggage Van

Yes, I got an RTR version of the SF converted AEC 2600 push-pull trailer. Very happy with it. I push/pull it with an SF C class. It came lightly weathered at no extra cost. Video clip - Ignore the cravens in the set

Sorry It just looked like the big snow of Feb 1982 which I remember well. It started at 8:45pm on a Thursday night, by Friday evening most major national N routes were impassable. It practically shut the entire country down for a week. I seem to remember a BBC presenter on the 6 O'Clock news pointing to the easterly driven trough on a weather map over northern France joking "don't worry, this is not coming our way". Strong easterlies combined with temps below -15 caused massive snow drifts and most home heating oil froze, combined with power cuts it was the biggest freeze since 1962!!! Roundwood was cut off for three weeks and the army air corps used helos to deliver food to farm animals. Luckily nobody died. There as an amazing 'blitz' like spirit as families took in and welcomed strangers who had to abandon cars all over the countries roads. The N11 was blocked for 5 days.

Looks like Feb 1982

Really excellent looking again. It's funny I thought my favourite colour was the Irish Cement ivory livery. However since I originally ordered my IRM rake, in the intervening period I bought four of George's lovely MIR builds in Bray last year from DB, and discovered I really liked the orange livery. Hmmm - I could be very tempted to buy one or two packs of these to go with the ivory ones especially since seeing the pic of mixed liveries earlier in this tread. I never noticed before that ladders on the orange wagons are all the one colour without the white on the lower rungs. Well done again team IRM.

I'm very lucky to have four superb orange examples built, painted and weathered by @Georgeconna. They go very nicely with the new IRM ivory bubbles.

Seven Bachmann Irish M2A coaches sold on eBay two days ago

Hi Richie. Thanks for the kind offer of the glazing. I may take you up on that in the future for the second GSV conversion if it is a Lima. Yes I plan to do a few more bits including the water filler pipes. Noel A few more blemishes to touch up and she is almost ready for the spray shop. Waiting on some components from Radionics for lights and tail lamps. Going to attempt DIY lighting using bridge rectifier, capacitor and micro pot. Need to change the wheels so I can get electrical pickup from alternate axles rather than wheel edges. @Junctionmad has raised the bar somewhat with rivets on his fuel tank access hatch covers, so I'll have to attempt to keep up, especially as both these GSVs will make their first appearance on one of WMRC's layouts soon. Mine has sprung buffers - JM's are fixed castings All good fun!

Nice work indeed. I also have one of these kits, but I've delayed starting it until I can work out the most efficient way of widening the chassis to the same width as the van. I can't remember where but I've seen on the forum where the chassis was made wider to match the body. Made a big difference visually.

Agree 100%. Fond memories from 60s and 70s of loco hauled pax trains, active goods traffic with 2 axle wagons still in use in every little station between Dublin and the other main rail terminals. Intricate track work, loops, crossings and in use sidings in every small station. Hardly a container nor bogie wagon in sight. Best of all interesting traffic movements, loco runarounds, split pax trains, loads of shunting and drop off goods wagons. A golden era of railways. A far cry from today's boring yo-yo DMUs/ICRs and stations striped of track work. Some no longer even have loops. Still can't stop progress, things have to move on, but we still have the memories and as you rightly say, we now have the ability to recreate new memories.

Looks good. 11 wagons?

40 Cement Bubbles - just brilliant. PS: There were no tail lamps on the end wagon +1 and when fitting shorter couplings the gapping can be reduced

Well done guys. Another Irish enterprise raiding traditional markets with innovation and game changing specs.

Thanks for that Eoin and the effort to take the pics. Appreciated.

I saw this in the flesh yesterday and was mightily impressed. The roof detail was awesome. @Junctionmad's GSV

Thanks. Vernier! Ah now Eoin, I've always done everything by eye, or at most a 30cm steel rule. I suppose should get one. Any recommendations? There are some nice plastic ones on eBay. I used to annoy builders with my former ocd laser eye sight (when I had 20/20 - no more though). Eoin does the plastic card just friction feed through the cameo or does it have to be placed on backing paper or a mat, etc? Does it need calibration marks drawn on it? Thanks so slaters 110 and perhaps even 115 should be ok to cut with something like the cameo. 110 would do for coach window frames and stuff like that. Richie (Sir Richard of Glenderg), what do you use to cut your superb flush glazed windows?

Thanks Eoin, that is really helpful. Is 0.3mm similar thickness to slaters size 120? I could easily work with that. Will it cut clear plastic/acetate as well for windows?

Has anybody here any feedback on using a cutting plotter such as the Silhouette Cameo 3 or similar for cutting plastic styrene sheet or clear glazing? It looks like it could be used to cut out small fiddly bits like window frames, window glazing, and even wagon and coach sides fabricated from multiple laminated layers, and a really useful tool for building construction. Do they work with plastic card? (evergreen, slaters, etc)? If yes what thickness of plastic card can it actually handle (e.g. 110, 120, etc)? Do the cut parts need much tidying up after cutting (e.g. ridges along cut line, etc)? How long does a blade last? Are there low cost alternatives using alternate technology (e.g. laser)? Thanks in advance guys

Before mixing paints using online tool like the one below can be useful to get an approx idea what colours to mix and in what quantity. Mixing any of the three primary colours Red, Yellow and Blue can make any other colour. When buying paints you only need to buy 5 colours, these plus white and black. http://trycolors.com White and black can be used to adjust the resultant mix if needed. Paints that come in bottles with a tip nozzle can easier to measure a mix because you can count the drops therefore using smaller quantities rather than a scaled hypodermic syringe, etc. When mixing actual paint always start with the lighter colour and add the darker. e.g. Various mixes of Yellow+Red (+ tiny Black) can give every shade of CIE/IR orange or tan used over the decades. Apps like the above just point you in the right direction. You will have to try with real paints and suggest testing the mix on a strip of plastic card that already has been primed with a grey primer of your choice. When it dries you will know if it works and you can retain the strip for comparison with future re-mixes. Some of the forums talented air brush maestros like Richie, Popeye, Eoin, etc, can no doubt add more useful details on paint mixing and alternate tips from their experience.

I've only been on one RPSI rail tour and enjoyed it. It is suitable for anyone. However most of the pax are 'enthusiasts' with many getting off at station stops to take photos and video and listen to the loco sounds, especially loco runarounds, etc, lots of heads stuck out windows with cameras, etc!!! It was like watching the paparazzi pack chasing a celebrity - 200 cameras running down the platform as loco ran around the train. The cravens are very comfortable and snack food was available from the catering coach. I have noticed the RPSI has returned to the stone age with a paper booking form, instead of online which they used for the last trip. I certainly won't be booking unless they make it an online process (e.g. eventbrite, etc). It is truly stone age to use paper these days and I'm sure minimises their sales.