Noel

Still pondering what to do with my pair of CIE Lima class 33s which I have from the late 1970s or early 80s. They were supposed to look a bit like 001/A class MVs but compared to todays standards they don't really measure up. Not bad in BR livery as class 33s for their time. They've been in storage for 30 years! Three choices seem to be static display for nostalgia reasons, sell, or rejuvenate with better power units and all wheel pickups, and add the proper A class cab window arrangement and buffer beam. They are not bad runners for 70s/80s but compared to MM 141/181s they are not as smooth, nor as quiet. Decisions, decisions. I might try doctoring one of the bodies this winter and if thats a success then investigate as per DVs suggestions better motors and all wheel pickup.

Not laughing at all Mike. That is a salutary lesson for us all. Glad damage was not too bad. We could have lost our home about 10 years ago due to low winter sun striking a ladies magnifying mirror on the window cill of our bathroom. It burnt a 1/2" deep gouge right across the wooden window frame. It the gouge line was burnt to a crisp. Thankfully there weren't any more flammable items on the window cill at the time or it could have caught fire!!! What was scary is it was only low winter sun which we normally wouldn't expect to be hot, but magnify those rays into one tiny concentrated area at just the right focal distance and ouch! Thanks for posting. PS: Reminds me of my childhood when I setup a small Triang layout on a sun room table (birthday present). The hot sun ruined my two BR MkII coaches which partially melted and warped like bananas. I was not a happy bunny but learnt a lesson that day.

Does anybody know where I might source a mk2 EGV in IR or IE livery (dual white strip, black or orange roof), but not yellow, orange Galway livery? Probably silly timing for such a question given the show next weekend, but no harm asking. Noel

Eh, not quite sure what that means, as in 'dream on' or yes its part of the dance! At a show earlier in the year in Dublin I could hardly get a word in to ask a trader about some of his stock, pricing, etc, as he was engrossed in idle 'chit chat' with some tyre kickers who seemed to be pals of his. After waiting 10 mins to talk to the guy I left and instead bought a rake of coaches the next day over the phone from another vendor for €5 less per coach than the 'chatty' guys show prices!!! He should have watched John Cleese's famous sales training videos 'how not to lose a sale'.

Looking forward to this show. Hope to go Saturday. Do any of the trade stands offer discounts at these shows?

That's a pity. Are there any preserved broad guage railways based down south? All the good stuff seems to be happening up north. I'm totally out of touch with what has been happening in relation to preservation for the past 20 years or so, only catching up now via internet. RPSI seem to be doing really well. Hats off! When preservation 'specials' run on Irish Rail track, do they allow RPSI/ITG personal operate the locos or do they need to be operated by or with the supervision of IE staff?

Nice pics as ever. Thanks for posting. Are the mainline locos and coaches stored at WCR ever going to run again on a preserved line, or are they just going to be static exhibits?

Wow, fabulous photos. I missed the originals when posted two weeks ago. You have greatly improved the look of the NIR 208. Love the load loader idea. Just brilliant. Wow again - GM Central HQ - What an amazing and huge fleet of MM GMs

Hi Kirley, forgive my ignorance but what is 'St Paddy' for chassis, do you mean an MM 071 Co-Co chassis? Can you buy MM chassis on their own or are there similar all wheel dual bogie drive bachmann chassis that suit. I enquired about an RTR Silver fox A class but they don't sell with dual bogie drive option. Thanks. Noel

There are just two airworthy Lancs. One in UK and one in Canada. This past summer the Canadian one flew the Atlantic to fly alongside the sole remaining RAF Lancaster at a number of air shows and events in UK. It was the first time in many decades since two lancs flew together in formation.

Apologies, no offence was intended. My personal railway preferences are just that, my own only, and reflects my nostalgic enjoyment of GWR & LMS steam era model trains and Irish diesel loco hauled stock especially 60s & 70s which I travelled on so much. I just love the older prototypical track and train arrangements of yesteryear. Lots of wagon shunting in small goods sidings and GM locos running around trains. In relation to realistic train lengths it was not uncommon for a single coach to be hauled behind 0-6-0 on GWR branch lines push/pull. For mainline passenger services 5 coaches on a model layout seems a reasonable length if space permits. Loved watching some of Michael Portillo's TV series on great railway journeys. Watching the short railcars stopping on some of the most scenic West Country, Welch and Scottish highland stations, with their long platforms and wonderful Victorian buildings, one can't help feeling nostalgic for the past trains and traffic such places enjoyed in their heyday. At least they are open and in use. I wouldn't complain about modern rail cars if trains were still running to places like Kinsale, Youghal, Foynes or Killaloe. Does anybody know how many coaches were on the longest scheduled services between Dublin-Cork and Dublin-Belfast? (Ie when coaches were shorter).

Fabulous achievement. These look great.

Absolutely superb wagons. The 3F also looks so realistic. Impressive.

Yes I have to confess I have one BR Green DMU set circa 1950s. I suppose I'm referring to the 'oribble rail cars now running on IE rails, ugly buses that don't even make real train noises. Can't stick your head out a window, and even open the doors! (in jest - well a bit) IMHO, Luas, Dart, 22k, 26/7/800 are not real trains - no locomotive, no sound, like a book lacking a beginning and an end - just a middle!

Yes I tend to agree. Two axel wagons and shorter 57-60ft coaches make for more realistic trains on model layouts given the space constraints. As regards freight traffic I live in the past and have no bogie freight stock on our layout nor container traffic - just too modern for my taste. I never saw such on Irish rails in the 60s and early 70s until the 'oribble Mk2 fisher price super train coaches arrived! It's old un-braked open coal wagons, short wheel base vans and cattle wagons for this model fan. Never will a Mk3 soil my model rails And never a rail car (i.e. characterless bus on rails) - in jest

As a matter of interest how do they re-rail light stock like that? Do they clip a chain from buffers to a lift or fork lift or use wooden blocks and jacks?

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0102/495560-waterford-train/ http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/railway-line-closed-after-landslide-29881267.html

I think I may have travelled on one of these during the 60s. I remember the train splitting and being able to see forward.

I designed our layout to accommodate 6 coach mainline trains for that very reason. Most full scale Dub-Cork trains were 8 coach rakes during 80s/90s. I remember having to be seated at one end of a train to get to the correct destination due to a train split on route at an intermediate stop. A waiting loco would take half the rake to a different destination.

Great tip, thanks.

But when are the MkVII CAV 200mp intercity express models going to production. They've been running from Dublin City West central station to Cork since 2025 in under an hour and we have no sign of the models!!! Not to mention Celti-Tunnel trains from Rosslare Culchi Port to Fishguard.

Excellent. Your layout looks wonderful.

Fair comment to a degree. As a "customer" one has choice to buy or not to buy a 201. Customers are not 'sponsors' nor supporters of a business, but may well be a fan of some of a businesses products or services. It doesn't really square that a customer should buy one product that they don't want or need in order to gain access to another product. Lets be positive, the model market is slowly recovering from the deep recession, and there should be greater supply and diversity in the coming years across the board from all vendors. PS: BTW, its not that I don't like the model 201s, it's just that I was never a fan of the actual life size 201 boxy locos.

+1 If MM GMs didn't exist I would have jumped at SF 001 class, but they just don't compare to the MMs. MM have raised the bar so high its seems unfair really to compare with SF. The all wheel drive and all wheel pickup of the 141/181 chassis is simply in a league of its own and enables such realistic operation with no stalling whatsoever. The MM body detailing and paint work again is two gears higher. I too would buy a handful of 001s if MM ever produce them. Many folk may probably only buy a pair of 121s if they appear in MM product line (i.e. a pair nose to nose close coupled double heading), hence 001 may sell more but I could be wrong. The 001 in CIE black with the white stripe and lower orange band is the biz!!!

Enjoyed those. Thanks for posting.