Noel

Yes thanks for those super interesting pics. The coaches do look great, but they seem to be just crying out for some delicate understated lining to give them a slightly more sophisticated look (e.g. gold, or yellow). Wonder why they are being transported to Dublin by road instead of by rail, unless they are not yet certified for operations.

It just looks so shabby and unprofessional to mix and match incompatible loco and coach liveries, never mind the black and grey is duller looking than grey waste from a dishwasher.

Nice pics as ever, but why is this stupid grey and black livery used on 201s hauling Green & Grey Intercity Mk4 coaching formations on the Cork main line? Are Irish Rail executives colour and brand image blind?

I see eBay has not adjusted the euro/gbp currency exchange rates to reflect sterlings nose dive today. GBP priced items are listed at the same Euro rates they were a week ago.

ROFLMAO - Brilliant

Excellent scene. Love this layout.

Well it's all over now bar the crying. Ok, what's heppening next?

Toymaker hornby announce turnaround plan http://www.rte.ie/news/business/2016/0622/797281-hornby-results/

It might cause cost of sterling model railway products to drop significantly for those in Euro zone, assuming sterling either drops in value or devalues post a possible BrEXIT vote. Don't think it will have any impact either way on rail services within ROI. Not sure how enterprise may or may not be effected. The CTA (common travel area between UK and ROI) predates EU but not sure of it's legal standing if UK left EU.

Will trains have to drive on the opposite side of the road? I think Patrick has it right, it may be almost impossible to have a thread with the word 'brexit' in it and not drift into the political arena.

Wow - Ireland U-20s in final of World Rugby Championship. Great semi-final victory today 37-7. Senior team have a real crack at a test series win is SA next Saturday, and Irish soccer fans win praise from French police for their rendition of (youtube)

Thanks guys for the feedback. It's a shame there are no preserved lines in ROI that heritage stock could be run on, even a segment a few miles long from a closed line. Ballybrophy to Limerick must be at risk of closure, hope it doesn't but if it did, it might be an opportunity for a well funded preservation movement along with some state grand aid, to preserve and operate a short section of the former line. Ballybrophy has the advantage that folks could travel to the heritage line by rail and just walk across the platform. Probably pie in the sky, as here in ROI we do not have a culture of state aid and support for such projects unlike the UK and NI.

Are either of the two preserved locos 124 or 134 in operational condition?

Thanks Fran. Very positive news to see there is strong enough demand for significant additional production runs. Well done guys. What sort of timescale do you anticipate for delivery of the additional packs 2 and 3 (i.e. compared with the original run pack 1)?

If folks who have already ordered multiple original pack 1s at the launch price of €110 per pack inc Vat, wish to change some of their packs to 2 and 3 will they be charged a cost differential (ie. new price is slightly higher than launch price)?

First Ireland U20s beat the All Blacks, then the Senior side with only 14 men and for 10mins only 13 men beat South Africa at home. One of the great days of Irish sporting history. Amazing, especially how 14 green jerseys beat 15 boks.

AddressPal is more effective for getting enamel paints here by post because An Post's pickup depots are on the UK mainland, whereas Parcel Motel depot is in NI which is off the island of GB, hence 'hazchem' over water by air or sea, and Royal Mail won't deliver enamels off the island. AP and PM are the same cost, but AP allows 5 working days to collect from your nearest PO, whereas PM give you only 48hrs from a limited no of pickup locations.

Agree static display won't cut it. If there is no layout action nobody will visit it.

Hi Dave, that article was from Feb, have there been any recent significant developments? Understand the CEO quit in Feb, and their bankers had given the company more time. What ever happens to the company, and I hope it can restructure and survive, the brand names will probably never die and be acquired by another interest should the current owners fail to turn things around. Sadly toy trains along with many other ubiquitous toys that helped develop the mind and physical engineering skills of youngsters have fallen out of favour with the market in favour of games and entertainment on small LCD screens and mobile internet.

If there wont be a layout it's dead as a viable economic visitor attraction.

I presume they are planning to build a separate new building on the grounds of the casino to host the Fry collection and layout, as the casino building is way too small to store the layout, and as a listed building they most likely would not be allowed to bolt on an extension.

LOL - Yes the egg whisk motor must have over heated. Roller skate buses on rails, just not as comfortable as a real bus. Noel's definition of a train: "Carriages or wagons pulled by an engine"

Thats excellent

Lucky escape from smoke http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/news/someone-was-screaming-to-get-out-over-100-passengers-evacuated-from-irish-rail-train-after-engine-bursts-into-flames-34779039.html

Precision job