Noel

Choo choo!

Proved well deserved in the end. Just collected IRM Ballast wagons (was away on hols). WOW! I was expecting and in truth hoping they would be good, but I was astonished!!! They are stunningly exquisite, hyper detailed, beautifully finished, very tastefully packaged, but most of all they are the highest quality RTR model wagons I have ever seen. IRM have indeed raised the bar to such a high level, that other manufacturers such as Bachmann, Fleischmann and Märklin, cannot but fail to notice and be impressed. Well done team IRM - Stephen, Fran, Patrick and Richie. Wishing you continued success with IRM's future plans. Now I am really looking forward to the cement bubbles, and beyond. Will post up some pics or a vid later in the week. Well done guys - a class act.

Best this novice can manage I'm afraid on the undulating surface. But at least it looks like a duck from 2ft.

Right so Ted, here is another clue

Time to start adding some detail bits'n'pieces to 121 class. Pic shows how well the Athearn SW1500 chassis fits with only the metal lugs at each ends of the chassis needing to be cut away with a mini drill rotary saw and internal mounts added. Plenty of spaces for speakers inside. Plan to replace the bogie sides and fuel tank this week. Won't add any hand rails until everything is finished for fear of bending them while handling. Will have to do windows before doing inside of cab. After painting Before painting

It's ex GS&WR

A where is it?

Stunning detail Eoin.

That's a superbly framed shot. The grey roofs on the mk3's and the light almost give the impression the loco and rake are the same livery.

Welcome Paul. Looking forward to hearing your progress as Galgorm II evolves.

The green A class looked fab. Is that the one with two power bogies? What is the origin of the nice 'Ranks' wagons (i.e. kit, RTR, etc)?

Fab Kieran. 2m40 sequence was particularly creative.

An ICE derailed in Dortmund last week. Lucky it happened at low speed. Bizarrely it was the rear of the train that derailed. https://www.thelocal.de/20170502/high-speed-train-derails-in-dortmund-disrupting-travel-for-days http://www1.wdr.de/nachrichten/ruhrgebiet/ice-entgleist-dortmund-hauptbahnhof-100.html

Hi Eoin, by co-incidence I had just finished re-reading this superb thread. Excellent engineering. Really looking forward to seeing this develop. I have a soft spot for the C class. Noel

Not surprised, that black and silver was probably the uglyest livery ever to appear on an Irish diesel loco. I'm seriously considering repainting mine into a black'n'tan livery just for fun. Like this . . .

A bundle of Lima stuff more accurate. The two 'A' classes are also Lima BR class 33s!!!

Looks nice Kieran

An earlier photo not released by IRMs press office

Agree absolutely classic. Had the guys off loaded the ballast load first, they might have been able to hire a smaller crane, and save a few bob towards project no 4 Love the detail of the foreman looking under the wagon

Absolutely stunning Eoin. Had you considered the suitability of Black Beetle 27:1 gear ratio motor bogies for your A or C class projects? They are expensive but seem the biz.

In fairness there is now plenty of quality RTR rolling stock for CIE, IE, IR, whereas there seems to be more kits available for GNR, NIR, GSWR, MGWR, etc. One has the option to commission kit building.

Thanks Richie. Will do.

Has anybody on the forum successfully made their own flush glazed windows for kits or to improve RTR stock? Assuming some folk have, would you mind giving a brief bullet point 'how to' guide on same? I can't remember where, but I vaguely remember seeing posts here some years ago showing stunningly thin flush glazed windows with visual frames. Thanks in anticipation. Ps. I've already googled much and trawled YouTube, but all I can find is manufacturer flush glaze kits, various transparent glues that look awful, sticking clear acetate behind openings, etc, but none using DIY precision cut windows beautifully framed in some manner.

Good to see the superb IRM Ballast Wagons are also available in Marks Models shops for €119.99 http://www.marksmodels.com/?pid=27984 http://www.marksmodels.com/?pid=27985 http://www.marksmodels.com/?pid=27986

Yes especially if it was done in two separate prints, one vertically for the cab end to avoid 3D stepping on the compound curves, and another horizontally for the rest of the body. Just needs somebody to do the cad drawings! (Says just in jest). Another option could be just the cab end designed to marry with a cut short Bachmann/Hornby BR mk4 coach. BR Mk4s different but closest looking RTR stuff to Irish mk4. 3D replacement coach ends could make a lot of difference (i.e. flat profile + corridor connectors).