Noel

Agree, especially with a rake of blue/grey mk2. Bachmann Class 37s in original BR blue livery with later generation chassis with operating lights have been difficult to source on eBay. The Class 37 has had an amazingly varied and extended working life in so many different liveries starting with BR green hauling maroon ex-LMS and ex-GWR stock.

Curious they branded it 'Supertrain' when it was supplied with BR mk1 coaches in B&T livery, rather than BR mk2s in ST livery. Only the class 33 loco no 215 is in actual supertrain livery. Nice to see a train set supplied with 4 coaches instead of just two or three.

Awesome - I want to fly it

That's the most incredible layout I have ever seen. And operationally hyper realistic. Is it a club/society layout or a private one?

I remember seeing all black MVs in the 60s

Eoin that is astounding model engineering. Interesting that the trailing pony is fixed but the axle is articulated.

Hi Kevin. You can buy it retail in store (it comes on a USB key only), or online and download the ISO image, burn a DVD, or install from ISO image and buy an activation key from Microsoft's web site. I bought it retail, but installed from a downloaded ISO image because VMWare could not boot/install W10 from the USB key, only DVD, but used the retail product key. Obviously you need an Apple USB DVD SuperDrive, or an older mac with a DVD drive, or download image to a virtual DVD drive. Will post feedback when I've spent some more time with Anyrail. Noel

Just some feedback for any IT or Tech bods on here who use Mac I use Mac, but don't really like 'RailModeller' track planner, and prefer 'Anyrail' which only runs on Windows. But, just got Windows 10 (64-bit) running on MacOS Sierra under VMware Fusion. Works a treat and no dual boot nonsense, just swipe four fingers on the track pad to switch from Mac desktop to Windows desktop. I hear Parallels is just as good a VM tool. Looking forward to retrospectively creating a digital track plan for 'Kingsbridge' and also for future layouts.

You have to email Keith or phone him for an order. He doesn't have online ordering. I've bought directly from him and good service.

Magnifique

Hi Roxyguy. I love it, looks great. Like the diversity of rolling stock too. Noel

+1

Thanks for the info Portoman.

Hi Dave, perhaps a reason the MM orange EGVs are so rare is that folk bought them when first released to go with their existing 'Lima' mk2 stock, hence not enough to go with the MM Mk2d sets when released. Fact or fiction, I've no idea but it seems plausible. Noel

Ping! Has anybody any news or information about when the 're-vamped' Mk2 ST coaches might arrive?

Hi Ray If you don't have any luck you could consider two options for ending up with an orange roof mk2d EGV. First option is buy a current retail stock MM5604 or MM5608 EGV in Supertrain livery, and get somebody like Grahams Resprays or George Conna to spray the two white stripes on in so that it would then be IE/IR livery. Or a second option is to buy a Galway livery mk2d EGV from eBay or somebody and get it resprayed by similar respray vendors. Noel

Super photo. The distant jet trail adds a nice touch.

Interesting video clip on that link

Very nice job. Looks well.

Thanks for those fab clips. Wow those beat trains were really long. For a few decades beat trains must have accounted for nearly 50% of all freight on Irelands rail network (i.e. by weight or volume). Pure unadulterated nostalgia.

Hmmm - those ivory ones looked rather cleanish and quite smart in those photos. The orange ones in this link posted by kevin look great against a green country side

Thanks for posting that. One interesting formation was B&T GSV + TPO coupled to rake of ST Mk2 with EGV, and the same B&T GSV/TPO combination with a liner train. Enjoyed that video.

Without knowing the details, one might be forgiven for wondering if investment might have been better spent on track and signalling infrastructure back in 2007-2012 rather than an entire fleet of new rolling stock (i.e. ICRs), when the mk3s could have been operated for another 10 years (i.e. overhauled like UK fleets) and a dozen youngish 201s seem to be rusting away unused in sidings. There is no doubt the new ICRs must have brought operational cost savings due to track rationalisation, reduced man power, turnaround times, reliability, etc, but there was a very substantial capital cost which may or may not earn enough cost savings over time, especially if the track and signalling has a backlog of maintenance and upgrades due. Combine that with our new motorway network, then it does look rather bleak for some rail routes.

It doesn't read well. I didn't realise Limerick/Ballybrophy line re-opened as recently 2012, is that correct? We travelled on it from Heuston to Birdhill last year via change at Ballybrophy. Painfully slow across country. Alas the timing of the motorway network opening and the investment in new ICRs seems to have been unfortunate.

PM Sent