Noel

Yes agree its a difficult one re ploughs. Tooling up for selling just two wagons per client of a very specialist item may not make economic sense, especially when there are brass kits available and people who take on commissions to build them for those like myself who don't do brass kits. I don't do modern yellow stock, so I'd be commissioning somebody to build older brown ploughs anyway. But that list above posted by Fran is superb. It looks like IRM have the next few years exciting production just about penciled in. Looking forward to hearing about each new project as they are announced over the coming years.

Eoin, looking at that your Dart model has continuously evolved into a truly superb offering. Respect. Noel

Thanks Fran. That is excellent news. Happy to wait until the end of time for RTR double beat wagons. Exciting times ahead.

Hence the wonderful book inspired me to put something as utterly modern as a Bell containers on the layout

Thanks John and Jonathan. I was just curious because practically every photo I saw in 'rails through the west' which depicted a mix of 2 axle goods wagons and containers had the containers at the end of the formation. The explanation makes perfect sense.

Here's a question for JB, or indeed anybody else who might know the answer. In most of the photographs of mixed goods train formations typical of the late 1960s and early 70s, where there the formation consisted of loose coupled vans, open corrugated wagons and a small number of 20ft contains on 2 axle wagons, the containers were always at the end of the train in front of the brake van. Often one or two Bell containers at the back of the train. Why was this? Why were container wagons placed at the end of mixed goods train formations followed immediately by the brake van? I can't tell from the photos if the other wagons were in all cases unfitted loose coupled (un-braked) stock, or fitted stock. I've heard one suggestion that it was because pick up freight formations dropped wagons off at stations along a route from the front of the train, but no authoritative reasons. The container wagons must have had vacuum brakes fitted, but not connected or blocked off?

I know, I know, JB, but I had to start sometime and late 1950s like your wonderful books seem as good a time as any

Glad you liked it. I've since edited the video to add some 'aged film' effect and some old black and white cine film effect. Cheers Jason. I'm more than pleased with 'Wheel Tappers' DCC sound running on LokSound chips with new 'Power drive' mode (i.e. similar to ESU's 'Full Throttle' software). That's a very impressive container rake Dave. I see a mix of 40ft and some 20ft pairs on the clip, and a few refrigerated ones too. What are the container flats (kit, RTR, brass, resin)?

Stunning photo Fran. Also like the 'fruit pastille' look of the cables on the valance. 073 does look stunning that freshly painted, especially with the original IR logo.

Will publish the results on Friday Thanks to all those who have already participated.

Just for fun - A really simple poll to find folks favourite passenger train livery that ran in ROI. Hope I haven't omitted any of the mainstream liveries used on main line rail and commuter rail services since the 1950s: Poll Here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RSMK7NL

Nice. Two interesting sets of photos guys. It's strange the orange livery that was once so familiar looks rather bright and loud compared to the refined subtleties of contemporary liveries. 073 looks fabulous in the IR tippex livery if not a little 'Fisher Price' beside the blandness of the Belmond coaches.

Short video clip of model CIE mixed goods train formation about 1972 Video Clip edited to add some "time machine" effects

Bell containers tagged on to the end of an 1972 mixed goods train. Woodvale junction busy with goods traffic movements

Just bought a copy of Rails Through North Kerry. It exceeded my expectations. Superb again. Thanks Jonathan and Barry for another treasure. The caption hints are really clear and a clever idea.

Thanks Fran. Looking forward to it.

Fabulous. Love the scenery, the figure placement, the emergency services, and the house fire.

Love the photos of Ardnacrusha. I'm glad to see they have improved the visitor centre. It should and could be one of the biggest tourist attractions in the country. The "Ardnacrusha" story is incredible. Biggest civil engineering project in the entire world between end of WW1 and 1925, finished on time, in budget, ran the entire national grid from renewal energy, first country in the world to have 100% renewal energy long before the term "green" had ever been coined, broke world records for tons of concrete used, cost 25% of GDP, triggered Ireland's economic development, . . . , etc Inside the upper lock chamber Turbine floor tour Info display in the new control room - Ardnacrusha is fully remote controlled from ESB Hydro in turlough hill. A pals vessel in the lock Parteen Wier - Like a giant valve gate diverting the Shannon I recently found these photos on the internet of the railway line to the power station. ESB Archives https://esbarchives.ie/2017/02/06/irrs-tour-of-ardnacrusha-september-1962/

Some new rolling stock arrived on layout today. Bell 20ft containers. I decided to try a pair before investing in a rake. The 20ft Bell containers are from C-Rail and the container flats are Irish Freight Models 2 axle skeletal wagons. Personally I like the way short wheel base container rakes look on layout curves. 20ft containers straddle the era between loose coupled pickup freight and modern era uniform bogie freight, and could be found in mixed rakes with goods vans and open wagons. 1968-1972 yummie era. B121 shunts two 20ft Bell Container wagons Bell 20ft Containers from C-Rail. Love the detail on these containers and they look right at home on the 20ft two axle container flats. B121 waits to enter the goods sidings after the morning goods train to Kingsbridge has departed and freed the road. B141 hauling a ballast load passes in the up line loop.

Hi Eoin. I agree with you. I've stopped bothering to DCC convert anymore of my split chassis steam locos. Not worth the hassle. Noel

Hi Eoin. Well done. I found the same running issues with Bachmann split chassis after DCC conversion. Effectively due to the stiffness after putting the chassis sandwich back together again they needed to be run-in again. I've never managed to get a split chassis running as smoothly again once I had split it such are the minute tolerances. I blew one decoder such was the high current, so created temporary wiring connectors so it could be run as DC for running in, and left for an hour to run around an oval. It was an improvement but never quite as smooth as it had been out of the box. However with your model engineering skills I expect you will have greater success. Noel Sides back together after reassembly.

That is awesome scratch build modelling

Hi Fran. Do you know of the likely shipping date in September? Anticipation is growing as it's now just weeks away. Thanks Noel

Hmm, it has a sort of NIR look about the fabrication.

All that's needed in that pic is a 121 in delivery grey/yellow livery to synchronise:)