Noel

Pure craftsmanship.

Impressive. Some of these massive permanent exhibition layouts on the continent are incredible. Love the U-Boat in the lake. This one in Hamburg has a working airport. Are they the same layout? (i.e. is Sulzer's link above to the swiss section of 'Miniatur Wunderland')

Former Killaloe railway station snapped yesterday from the water. It is now a beautiful private home. The goods sheds slightly downstream are now a popular steak house restaurant. The old line connected with the Limerick-Ballybropby line, ran along the river bank and once connected commercial Shannon passenger traffic with Limerick, as well as connecting Killaloe which was a sort of holiday resort with Dublin and Limerick.

WARNING Photobucket is the latest free photo hosting web site to disable links to linked images (i.e. via bb tags). It looks like more of the free photo hosting web sites are going to disable this feature. Kirleys photo library was disconnected a few months ago when dropbox did the same. Others may follow suit. I don't know if it may be possible for site admins to harvest such photos and change the links to an image cache on the forum. I will move my images to another host and edit the links in my main layout and workbench threads which currently have all image links to photobucket disabled. Admins when you get a chance if you could please temporarily enable long term 'edit' facility for postings on my account for a few weeks and I will change the IMG links to point to one of my own private hosts. PS: photobucket will allow linking for paid hosting but at a cost of €399pa which is a daft price.

Thanks for all the Limerick works photos. Very interesting following it.

Swinging on the hook tonight far away from the layout.

Excellent. The story telling both visually and in prose makes it even more interesting.

Fab-U-lous. How did I miss this post. Super result Graham, especially the chassis and paint job. She runs better then any model A class I've ever seen. Love the sound. Which horn track did you use?

Hi JB Do you know which type of 6 wheel coaches were used on this opening sequence of the 'Quiet Man' movie? Noel [video=youtube;L6YrqZ7HZ-0]

No prob Rich. Like that photo, is that a mixed rake of mk2 and cravens, or Galway mk2 set with some black roofed mk2? Personally for me 201s were more quintessentially remembered for hauling mk3 sets and later the mk4, but perhaps that memory is shaped by the routes I travelled on most. As you say 'each on to their own'.

Btw, I think you meant MIR? Yes, if you mean these crude looking metal junk heaps from an era when modellers were expected to have blacksmith skills! http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CIE-B-121-CLASS-DIESEL-WHITE-METAL-KIT-by-model-irish-railways-No-2-/201965699331?hash=item2f06180103:g:5vwAAOSwXY5ZUPp3 http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CIE-B-121-CLASS-DIESEL-WHITE-METAL-KIT-by-model-irish-railways-No-1-/201965694843?hash=item2f0617ef7b:g:QvQAAOSw3h1ZUPdK This plastic 3D 121 kit is far finer, costs less and fits the newer Athearn SW1500 chassis like a glove. https://www.shapeways.com/product/S3QTQFYCT/irish-railways-121-class?optionId=57420082 However I do have the height of respect and admire modellers who made the best of kit standards and poor quality that pertained 30 years ago. Thankfully the hobby has long since moved on.

Dave, really like the last pic with 20 bubbles punctuated by a brake van. The first five wagons behind the loco look like they are a different colour!

Any update on RTR options for container flat wagons suitable for 20ft Bell containers? C-Rail 20' Bell http://www.c-rail-intermodal.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=25_28&product_id=190 Patrick's recent layout post showed how well 20ft Bells can look on SWB wagons. I have no interest in kits. Bell containers seem to be able to span multiple eras for Irish goods trains. Looking at some old youtube footage it didn't seem uncommon to see a goods train with a mix of vans, open wagons and Bells in the one formation.

PS: Just wondering as there are plenty of RTR BR mk3 coaches already available, despite the small differences, but that are relatively easy to respray or commission resprays, would an IR Mk4 coach be a more attractive proposition for some Irish model operators? There is no RTR remotely close to them in terms of shape, they are unique Irish prototypes, and probably the most attractive looking livery ever to run on Irish rails. Just a thought (goes against my length reservations)

Hi Rich Combination of reasons. Lack of compatible RTR rolling stock, the Lima effect, and yes IMHO, shorter wheel base stock will have a broader appeal and wider target market. Another reason may be the 201 prototypes may not have as much nostalgia appeal as the earlier GMs due to the predominant age profile of the hobby, and the very distinctive shape of the older locos with walkways and rails just makes the models more desirable than the plain shape of the modern locos. That makes a lot of sense re PP where shorter rakes won't look out of place. In IE 121 hauling two or three coaches and a DVT would fit in well on any size layout. I travelled more miles myself on mk2 and mk3 but bizarrely my 'nostalgia' memory prefers the look, operating fun and great diversity of older stock when playing model trains, but that's just a personal thing. I actually have a 201 but its more for a display case and don't plan to drive it on the layout.

One of the problems with some modern image rolling stock such as mk3/mk4 and twin container bogie flats is they are very long and don't look as well on typical layouts, which cannot accommodate decent length rakes of long stock items. They can look very odd overhanging shorter radius track bends. You get a more poetic license with shorter wheelbase stock facilitating more realistic rake formation lengths. For example the long MM 201s just didn't seem to sell well and may be in retailers stocks for years to come. Then there is the cost factor of buying a realistic length rake that is also practical to fit and operate on a layout. Now if I was modelling in N gauge it would be a different matter because you could easily accommodate an 8 coach rake of 75ft coaches looking well on large radios curves, but it just doesn't work as well in 4mm scale. One of the attractions of the earlier eras is you can mix and match virtually any coaching stock, they were shorter 57-62ft, and a rake of 4-6 coaches, or even one plus a heating van looks prototypical.

It seems a shame we don't have the population density nor heritage funding culture in ROI to preserve a section of a closed railway line that is still largely intact such as this one. The Limerick-Nenagh-Ballybrophy line seems at risk of becoming another closed line in the not too distant future. Ballyglunin is only about 10 miles from Athenry with mostly bridges at line crossings. Pipe dreaming.

Is there any remote possibility that part of the 'western rail corridor' might reopen in the next 10 years (i.e. if traffic levels viable post recession)? I think it was part of the original WRC 'dream' but I've no idea if that section of the WRC was wishful thinking or viable.

Ping?

Wonderfully realistic scenes Noel. I can imagine the purr of the GM motors at idle and almost hear a distant angle grinder at work in the sheds behind. (other Noel)

Hi Patrick. Loco already has correct 121 bogie side frames (see photo above). But yes I could have re-used the 141 side frames slightly modified when they were replaced with MV resin ones for the C class, instead of the 3D FUD ones. Aside from only one brake cylinder there were a few other small differences between 141 and 121 bogies. I've another C class in the works using another MM 141 donor chassis so I will save the bogie side frames in case I do another Shapeways 121. Noel

Cheers EM. 121 turned out better then I had expected. The body is a WSF print (white strong flexible). Few bits of plasticard added including roof. The bogies were 3D FUD prints (frosted ultra detail). Having figured out one of these combinations I was all set to do two more, but think I'll wait instead for the MM 121s which are due later in the year. If there is any delay with the MMS I'm chomping at the bit to try a grey livery one. Really pleased with the smoothness of the latest iteration of the Athearn chassis. Noel

B121 on cine film duty. Shapeways body + Athearn chassis (click for video)

You packaging work was appreciated and mentioned some weeks ago.

Fabulous film clip. Thanks for posting. So what changes would one need to make to IRM Ballast train to pass it off as 'Dolomite' train?