Noel

Like the active Portlaoise platform shot.

Yes have BR shark plough van ready for repainting to yellow as there are no Irish RTR plough vans!

Good news. Looking forward to putting them on the layout next month behind a double header of 141s.

Yes that's interesting John, 075 having survived the Buttevant rail crash, and 086 the Charleville Junction crash. A credit to GM and Inchicore personnel who maintained her that she is still in service today after 40 years. 40 years is some achievement, a shame the mk3 rakes only saw 25 years service and were withdrawn 15 years before their BR counter parts. The black'n'silver was not my favourite livery, the newer freight grey in the OP's post has grown on me. Photo from Doc Brown's travel web site. And, 086 survivor of the Cherryville Junction rail crash (Photo from Brian Soloman's site)

Thanks JB. You are an encyclopaedia of useful information. Btw, I will be putting only one white strip on it as per 1960s Thanks for tip David re Halfords primer.

Well spotted JB. Yes both versions were available (i.e. 1 white stripe or two), but despite my 60s preference I choose tippex versions (see below which was at the end of the photo post).

Yes that kit/part scratch built PR does look superb, but what RTR alternatives are there? Not everybody is a talented master builder. I agree with some of the earlier comments, the cost seems a lot for the level of detail, and yes MM Cravens are obviously on another planet, but the RTR laminates and PRs are not bad for low volume resin bodies. Its a free world and I appreciate folks have different opinions, requirements and expectations. If somebody ever produces a complete fine scale quality kit, or better still produces fine scale injection moulded plastic versions of a similar quality to MM cravens I'll bite their hand off. Or indeed if anybody is interested in commissions to build fine scale stock I'd love to know.

Ok so now that I am just beginning to learn how to use an airbrush, here is a fun respray project I am going to attempt. To make this Hornby Stanier coach look very vaguely like a CIE Bredin/Laminate in B&T livery Dismantled Halfords plastic grey primer Now wait 48hr for it to really dry hard before attempting white band above windows,then finally black around the windows, and finally orange tumblehome, under frames and ends. And if I don't make a total hash of it, weathering. Fingers crossed.

Hi Fran, Stephen Light wasn't great but here are some close up photos as requested. The Park Royals and Laminates could do with door handles, etc. The shade of tan on the PR needed to be toned down. Noel TPO 2 axle TPO 2 axle Bulleid heating van 2 axle Bulleid heating van 2 axle Bulleid heating van 2 axle Park Royal Park Royal Park Royal Laminate Laminate Laminate The lot together makes up a nice mixed rake of Irish coach types typical of the 60s and early 70s. Mix and match with MM Cravens and SF GSVs and you can run plenty of variety of black'n'tan era passenger trains. Not bad at all for resin mouldings. PS: Btw I know the Park Royals above had two white stripes instead of one typical of the period, I just prefer the look of the 'tippex' Park Royals on our layout.

Where do I sign up? Brilliant JB, you crack me up. I can smell the cattle sidings and see black sulzers at work, mixed rakes of green flying snail and b&t coaches You'll never see a ford Mondeo at a vintage car rally in 70 years time and 22k's will never be preserved. When they are done, they should be recycled into rare snail species nests, or melted down to make uranium battery cages for hydrogen cell cars, or failing that recycled into electric bicycles Bantry Town Station looks like a fab project though, and as said could span a number of eras.

Hi Fran. Will do, and no prob Link here to clearer 1080p video clip: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/3707-Which-DCC-sound-chip-for-MM-141-181?p=98166&viewfull=1#post98166 Noel

Fab pic of 4001 under the bridge

Magnificent. You have some very talented modellers in SMRC.

181 on passenger duty running LokSound decoder with 'Power Drive' (PD). I need to seal the speaker inside the loco body better as it vibrates at certain frequencies. Will PVA the speaker in place and seal in a plasticard box next time I open the loco up. This project has 'Drive Hold' feature which toggles the throttle between speed control and notch control. I'm getting more used to it as I practice, and it is growing on me, but I'm still leaning towards the non-PD version which very elegantly automatically notches depending on speed changes and throttle inputs allowing the driver to look at the train more. Its a variation on ESU's 'Full Throttle' version. PS: Apologies for intermittent auto focus noise from the SLR, I forgot to put it on manual focus.

Looking good Fran. Really looking forward to getting delivery of a rake of ballasts, and later the rake of bubbles. I was able to inspect one of the ballasts close up recently (thank you) and it has stunning detail when you see it in the flesh. Especially underneath. Please post here before any coverage goes to print in the UK mags as I no longer read hardcopy print media, but will buy a physical mag if I know there's a piece in it on IRM. I'm sure you've mentioned this before, but I can't remember or find the answer, are the ballasts weathered or pristine? I know you posted a weathered example here but can't remember if that was an intended finish sample. Thanks. Noel

Hi Noel. Excellent scene. It's alive with busy activity. 071 looks great. Do you mind me asking where you got the mk4 set from? Noel (the other one)

No connection whatsoever, just a happy customer of both. The sound chips were actually supplied by DC-Kits (Charlie Petty), but the sound projects were made by 'wheeltappers' who also sell direct. As Charlie's stuff is mainly by Legomanbiffo I had incorrectly assumed it was biff who'd make it but both he and Charlie pointed me at wheeltappers. As to IFM I have been trying to learn to airbrush and I finally got around to doing a light weathering job on the coaches I'd bought from them over the past two years. Hence the recent interest http://www.dckits-devideos.co.uk/shop/dcc_digital_loco_sounds/irish_diesel_loco_sounds http://www.wheeltappersdccsounds.co.uk/styled-5/index.html Hi Stephen. No those two were taken in poor daylight (High ISO), the other one was last evening under poor indoor light hence the narrow DOF blurry effect and the white balance was also incorrect. Almost identical scenes though. Sure can take some closer shots when the light is good enough. Noel

Thanks Jason. I can't stop driving the two new LokSounds from 'Wheeltappers' on 181 and 190. Some more taken in daylight to add a little atmosphere. I am more than pleased with these iconic RTR coaches. The very light weathering helped tone down the shade of orange on the Park Royals, TPO and heating Van. A rake entirely made up of RTR coaching stock from IFM - such a rake but an impossible dream 30 years ago.

That's coming together really nicely Tony. Your rate of progress is impressive. It seems only a few weeks ago you first posted about track plans. Noel

Just finished lightly weathering our fleet of Irish Freight Models (IFM) coaching stock collected over past few years. Assembled them into a rake for pic and video clip below. I am thrilled to have a rake of early era CIE coaching stock, and really delighted with these unique and good looking coaches. Well done Tom. Will try and get a better picture in daylight in the next few days. Enjoy the short video clip. Also has some of my recent attempts at weathering goods wagons. Locos are running 'wheeltappers' DCC sound projects running on LokSound decoders supplied by DC-Kits. Bulleid Heating Van (2 axle) Park Royals x 2 CIE Laminate Park Royal x 1 TPO (Travelling post office 2 axle)

Wonderful rolling stock on a fabulous layout. I love your goods train formations. The bullied heating van looks great, spotted the nice detail inside the corridor connectors. The 141 weathering is my cup of tea. What chasss is the lovely green A class running on?

Oh no it doesn't It's hideous and will never be allowed to run on the layout looking like that. Kevin, You are too kind, but perhaps the photos don't reveal just how awful it is. That would be grossly unfair to the moss I'll enjoy stripping it down, a coat of Halfords grey primer and then start again with actual orange paint. Another training exercise when time permits.

Sorry Dave. But look on the bright side, I haven't destroyed a Murphy Model IR/IE Mk2d! (yet) PS: Anyway those Police constables aren't Guards :) So no jurisdiction down our way. PS2: Any suggestions where can I get replacement metal wheels for the Lima Vent Vans without paying a kings ransom? They have a shorter axle (24.5mm) than Bachmann and Hornby (26.5mm). My Lima's have plastic wheels. The Lima vans now have a new lease of life and are only very lightly dusted, enough to get the shinny gloss off each plank of wood The old Hornby mk2a's on platform 5 were sacrificed to save me from making a mess of the lovely MM mk2d's on platform 3

The one that got away Go back to 'GO' do not collect $200. At least I didn't destroy an MM mk2d. This is when a novice gets it all wrong when I tried to weather this 1970s hornby mk2a Tried a 'wash' type of method on the roof and rubbed it off before a light dusting after, but it went horribly wrong. Also was all over the place with the air spray direction on the tumblehome. When I get time, will strip this again back to the plastic, and instead of trying to weather the orange plastic will try a full respray over a grey primer and attempt to mix up a proper super train tan/orange colour. No harm done, these coaches were scrap anyway but good guinea pig donors for my learning curve. So much to learn but it is fun experimenting.

Jason, those wagons and the paint job are absolutely superb. Hat's off to you. What do you use to seal them after painting. Noel