Noel

Entertaining story Leslie.

But definitely worth it. They are unique hand build scale models of an iconic coach that ran on Irish rails for many decades. Park Royals with their distinctive shape really add character to a coach formation and a layout. I'll post a few more pics later. The build quality is excellent. I wasn't sure what to expect as sometimes 'specialist' low volume kits and custom RTR stock can fall a somewhat behind the quality of major manufacturers, but certainly not in this case. My expectations were exceeded and I will be ordering more now that I have received this first sample and it has measured up.

The postman brought a Park Royal coach today from IFM. Yipee - its superb. Congrats to Tom for producing such a gem. Park Royal right at home with cravens I'm a really thrilled with this coach. Top class model. The poor phone photo doesn't do it justice. Will take a proper daylight pic tomorrow. She looks at home in 'Crinkle Wood' station

The coach came in a set with LMS Princess Elizabeth loco which had a working smoke generator.

Ah, OK. I thought MRSI was an overall model rail association for Ireland. Didn't realise it was a north side club. Do SDMRC run similar exhibitions?

What about the IMI Conference centre in Sandyford (i.e. the large hall)? I think its only used on weekdays.

Very nice. Is this a new MM product or a respray? If the latter, hats off - excellent. Like the curtains.

Having just watched a DVD on Irish Railways 1967-1997 I am consolidating my jurassic tendencies - Yes it's 1960s and 70s era for me even more after the memories stirred by the video. All the unbraked freight wagons, mixed passenger and freight trains, Bredins and Park Royals, loose wagon shunting - wonderful operations. Makes me wonder if I will need less Cravens and more Park Royal and Bredin/Laminate coaches?

Hotels with big conference rooms sometimes offer deals as they will get food and bev trade from the visitors. Personally I think its nice if there is at least a cafe on site or even F&B for those who've travelled long distances. Folks may stay longer, spend more! And at least there is somewhere to sit down for a rest!

Thanks, that seems a good suggestion. Watching a recent Irish Railways DVD it brought back memories with clips of 001s and 141s pulling a few coaches with assorted goods vans and wagons attached and a brake van. Must have needed an interesting 'braking' technique in those mixed formations with the unbraked loose coupled wagons behind the passenger coach(es). The driver must have been careful to initially slow the train gently so all the wagons closed up on their buffers before applying more braking action (i.e. avoid multiple shunt bumps against the passenger coaches as each wagon closed the gap between buffers).

Thanks, that's interesting cause I have a lot of them in 'Corrination Blue' livery which could make suitable donors both for olive green livery and B&T. I travelled a lot on them too in the 60s and early 70s. After watching some Irish Railways DVDs I'm beginning to think I may need more Bredins and Park Royals than Cravens for the Kingsbridge layout.

Please forgive, but why tasty, is it not just the Galway mk2 livery EGV with an orange roof instead of black? The Galway livery like the original 201 livery never looked attractive (i.e. from a marketing point of view).

Wills - when used with balsa structural members it can work quite well. I used to build structure with balsa 1/4" strips and then cover with plasticard sheeting.

Thanks guys. (slightly embarrassed). It has great personal nostalgia value so I will run it despite its odd prototypical pedigree. I'll put some weight in it and change the wheels. It may inspire me to repaint these LMS Staniers which are close enough to CIE laminates in appearance. But I'll learn to use a spray gun and masking tape this time. LMS Stanier as donors for CIE Black and Tan laminate stock

Everard Junction video series covers every aspect of modelling. Top notch videos. He as loco paint videos and coach weathering videos.

Well I promise not to wait over 40 years before the next paint job! Was about 12yo when that botch was done. What's next for me is foam blocks and modelling plaster to get some landscaping done on 'Kingsbridge', then paint, scatter, and may attempt some static grass.

Fabulous pictorial resource and nostalgic

Cheers lads, I just posted it for fun. I hand painted it with a brush when I was a kid over 4 decades ago I need to put a bit of lead weight in it, those old Triang coaches weighed nothing.

Another old rolling stock item dug out from storage Please don't slag too much My first repaint to CIE colours - over four decades ago when I was about 12 or 13 I was desperate to have some Irish trains to run so decided to repaint my LMS train set coaches Hand painted Triang LMS coach - I actually remember mixing multiple samples of humbrol paints and test patches to try and get a reasonable CIE tan colour. Can't believe I hand painted the white lining - My hands couldn't manage that anymore. It used to look like this LMS toy coach - a lot better (not my photo) The actual body shell seems a prototypical botch job, a sort of mk1 shell with makey up side panels pretending to be old world LMS. Don't think any such coach actually ever existed. What will I do with this now? Could convert it into an imaginary presidential coach. I vividly remember seeing President Childers sitting comfortably in an armchair on the then presidential coach about to depart Heuston station some time in the early 1970s, but that was a much earlier style coach and shorter.

Hi Dave Thanks. What's the purpose of the regulator, is this not handled by the air compressor? Presumably some extra lengths of hose and fittings are needed to hook it all up to a compressor. Any recommendations for an air compressor type suitable for occasional modeller? It sounds like it is better not to get a small pokey one that's constantly kicking on and off. I had read somewhere recommendations not to get a spray gun that has changeable nozzles - any sense in this for non-pro use? Noel

You won't believe it but Todd Andrews wants to close the Harcourt Street line. It'll never happen though.

Nice photo and great idea. The sky in that pic is so atmospheric. Looks just west of Castlerock - Downhill? Lovely part of the coast.

I would tend to agree about the limited space. It felt very crowded at times and one was constantly bumping into folk while viewing exhibits. It would be nice to have a venue with a sit down cafe area on site. But it's a good complaint to have too many visitors than too few.

Hi BTB, I think it is Kevin who is looking for buildings. Noel

Hi WRENNEIRE. In truth, I don't know if I still have the boxes, I doubt it, I would need to search the attic where I store the boxes of my rolling stock and locos. I have retained all boxes for the past 35 years, but before that it's a bit hit an miss. I will consider your advice about retaining them 'as is'. I have been considering either making or buying some display cases to retire stock for static display on track that I don't intend to run or run again (e.g. old Dublo, Triang, early Hornby locos that just don't run well and won't lend themselves to DCC conversion). These Limas and a lot of my old plastic wheeled hornby goods wagons may be candidates for static display. Cheers Noel