Noel

Thanks Fran

Old Blarney your evocative description makes one almost feel like they were there. Is there still a plan to evaluate the feasibility of reopening the Youghal line?

Its easy to forget how busy these little stations used to be with pick up goods traffic. I remember spending hours watching B&T and early ST locos shunting loose coupled stock in places like Galway yard, Newbridge, Portarlington, Gort (visiting Uncle), Waterford (home), etc. It was mesmerising with very interesting movements including signalling which I never fully understood. The constant change in pitch of the baby GMs as they patiently shunted stock, often a single wagon off a passing mixed goods train, or some times on the western lines coupled to the rear of passenger trains. It was a golden era alright and so much more interesting than push-pull and fixed rake formation. These stations were alive with activity interspersed with hours of nothing happening except for trains passing each other on loops. We can't stop progress, but there is nothing stopping us modelling trains when they were interesting to operate, almost Rubik's Cube like mental agility needed by the CIE staff when shunting stock off trains into sidings in the right order. I can still hear the noises, voices, humming engines, metal to metal clinking and clacking, flanges screeching, and couplings being slung unto hooks. H&S today would never have allowed youngsters my age back then line side. Some of the CIE staff gave me amazing amount time telling yarns and explaining how it all worked, what was controlled from Dublin and what was from the local signal box, and what they could do within the station confines off the main lines, and what procedures they had to adopt to keep trains running when analog signalling systems failed.

Thanks guys. I guess I'll have to make do with no 210 which most retailers seem to have in stock. Actually the number 201 is not the attraction for me it is the name 'River Shannon' where we spend a lot of time. River Erne is our next favourite boating spot.

Hi Guys, First question is did Murphy Models produce running no 201 "River Shannon" or was no 201 a Lima? If the former I'd be interested in a new or pristine boxed MM0201. As you know I'm not a fan of the prototype because its not my era but I probably should have a single example of the class. Can't find any record of MM0201 on any of the retailers web sites. Cheers. Noel

I posted this before somewhere a few years ago, but this is what I mean by smooth ultra slow speed running under DCC when the chips are optimised. IMHO, scale models should be able to start smoothly and not at scale speeds of 25mph. Some lovely scale models are let down by toy standard mechanicals on their chassis.

Classic Irish goods yard scene from early 70s. Photo Ciaran Cooney Loose coupled, non-braked pick up freight. Trains dropped off a wagon or two at each station, and picked up one or two.

I didn't want to drift the news thread on IRM, so separate thread here. Some pics of the wagons that would be great to be able to buy one day as quality RTR models. I know there are some suppliers of kits and low quality RTR, but it would be fab one day if high quality injection moulded fine scale models were available of some of these wagons, especially the Bulleid beat wagon and H-Vans. The most numerous wagon to ever run on Irish rails and the back bone of freight from the late 50s through to the early 70s These Vans were found in every siding of every station. Pick up freight when locos shunted and movements were interesting. The quintessential open wagon. Loose coupled non-braked pick up freight Loose coupled non-braked freight All copyrights to the photo links acknowledged

Yes looking forward to getting the Ballasts in October. Would be great if projects 3 or 4 were either Bulleid corrugated beat wagons, or H-Vans. Both along with the double height beat wagon were the most numerous and quintessential stock that ever ran on Irelands railways. Probably the most hauled goods wagons by 141/181 and A class locos. Apologies for my interest in these wagons, they were the essence of Irish freight stock from the 50s through to the mid seventies, every siding or passing loop was full of them. It would be great to have 'quality' RTR stock of either or even both one day.

Hi Sulzer, As I said it was slightly "Tongue in cheek" They are very functional and efficient for IR's business, and I agree for modern trains they do look well. My only complaint about them for long intercity journeys is the noise and the stiffness of the seats. Not a prob for short commuter trips, but Dublin-Killarney, or Dublin-Westport is a long trip on them. Cheers. Noel

Some fab shots

"Tongue in check" - Trams in the form of 22k have been back since 2008, and luas street trams since 04. Luckily on the Cork and Belfast routes real passenger trains still operate (i.e. an engine and carriages), no 'roller skates' on rails. I fear one day in the future the only real trains that may run on Irish rails could be RPSI specials.

Apologies Tonto Noel

Seems a poor show to post a "for sale" thread and then ignore PMs

Great looking NIR stock.

My only fuzzy memory is that the city centre streets were still pretty full of tram rails in the early sixties including O'Connell Street and around College Green.

Any 21 pin decoder should work. A four function one can operate the running lights and the headlights. A six function decoder can also operate the cab lights. Make sure you know what address your decoder is set to. Factory default for most is 3. Put loco on the DCC test track circuit and see if you can write AND read back CVs. That will tell you if the decoder is working or not. CV8=8 on the test track will reset the decoder back to its factory default settings. Ps. I've used 7 different 21 pin decoders types ok with MM 071s (zimo, ESU, lenz, bachmann 557/554, MM, tcs)

Some great pics. 226 is like new - gleaming and spotless. What was the nature of the fault on the carriage (i.e. was it Electrical, Mechanical, Hot axle, Brakes, Doors, WC/Waste, or Aircon, Suspension, etc)?

Interesting. I didn't realise they were withdrawn as early as 1949

They look very well alright. Was really tempted but wrong era for me and a beautiful long scale length mk3 rake like that really wouldn't fit on our layout. Btw what is a 'mirolo' job?

Hope this is of use. Build by hand from MMs old spreadsheet and retailer web sites. Its not a comprehensive list but has most. MurphyModels071_201.pdf

Class engineering - very impressive

+1 Great to see successful ventures that spin off into the wider economy as well.

Not surprised. I looks a great product and should sell well into that market segment. That is 100 trains assuming 40 pax per train (i.e. 20 x 2 cabins) and €20m to €30m roughly in revenue. How often is it going to run?

Hi Dave. Glad somebody else thinks the livery was a little plain, but easily fixed with a tiny amount of delicate thin lining (e.g. photoshop earlier in the thread). I like the blue and grey roof, it just needs a tiny lift along the sides. In fairness there seems to a market for such 5-star+ products and the price reflects that. Suites at that price are the norm on many of the large cruise ships, and also the smaller 150/300 pax premium cruise ships. Prices are not dissimilar to the 'orient express'. In terms of the company location, some of the 'spend' will go into the Irish economy in terms of local day excursions, jobs if even sub-contracted, Irish rail, and the local hospitality sector. Once exposed to Ireland, in the future some of these pax may return here for land holidays or talk about it to their 'circle of friends' back home. Irish golfing holidays in the 80s and 90s had a role in attracting some of the corporate inward investment that came here decades later.