Noel

3 hours ago, johnfromoz said:

Do you have a service email for Murphy Models Noel?

Sent email via PM to avoid spam harvester if posted here on an open forum.

http://www.murphymodels.com/Aboutus.html

6 hours ago, johnfromoz said:

Hi Leslie, haven't got to address issues yet, but mine definitely has a circuit board fault somewhere, causing a short above certain  power levels or heat thresholds. I have been over the board with a magnifying glass looking for stray solder tracks and have cleaned it up a bit but problem persists. Loath to send it back to Kernows from Oz.

Have you reset your chip? ( IE 8 to

John

Suggest send it direct to Murphy models under warranty. I got great service and a replacement direct from MM within 48hrs. A middle man just adds delay and unnecessary pain. MM warranty service is excellent.

PS on addressing note programming 121 as a loco address is treated as a long address by some DCC controllers and a short address (ie <128) on othe DCC systems due NMRA ambiguity. For example program 121 into a loco on NCE is not addressable by say a Z21 or Lenz and visa versa. As recommended above to mechanically diagnose a loco try on DC first with the DC blanking plate to illuminate all possible DCC causes.

Channel 5 - REPLAY - Great model railway challenge

For anybody who missed this when it was broadcast live on Channel 5 two years ago here are youtube links. Entertaining viewing. Don't take it too seriously.  

Season 1 Episode 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HntwOejAYs8

Season 1 Episode 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q_BgURWmE0

Season 1 Episode 3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6fEv8QL-MM

Season 1 Episode 4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7QybpAwdovU&t=1063s

Season 1 Episode 5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ApaDYQ4RZM

Season 1 Grand Final https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK5AhXfKFnk

Thanks all, I just found my missing copy of 'Rails through the West' which has most of what I need.

1 hour ago, flange lubricator said:

The O'Dea collection is a great resourse 

Holdings: Diagram, Athenry, Co. Galway. (nli.ie)

Excellent. Thank you 

Kind sirs. By any chance would anybody please have a historic track diagram or signal box diagram, or even photos of Athenry station about 1960 to 1970 showing track layout including east of the road bridge and west of the level crossing before the Gort branch line deviation? Thanks in advance. Noel

I remember those on the roads in 1960s on the back of a CIE truck, in the days when CIE transported bloodstock and did furniture removals, and Aer Lingus did catering. Another era.

2 hours ago, Robert Shrives said:

Have you seen the magnetic coupling alternatives by Hunt couplings 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/westhillwagonworks?_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2563

might stop the uncoupling lark, festive greetings

Robert 

You could try the Hornby or Roco close couplings

Or Kadee No 19s

Tension lock couplings are poor performers and look awful. Dreadful pushing stock in reverse over paintwork and short radius curves. The Roco for fixed rakes of mk2 work well, or kadee knuckle couplings but slight fettling is required as the NEM pockets are incorrect height on the mk2d coaches (and the Cravens).

15 hours ago, mmie353 said:

Another one!!!! https://www.ebay.ie/itm/115154529119?hash=item1acfbeab5f:g:36sAAOSwEothw16f 440 euro to buy it now!!!

Love the IE/IR orange window frame modelled as a repair part

Wishing all my fellow model railway enthusiasts, their families and loved ones a really special, blessed and peaceful Christmas celebration. Take care all, keep safe.

11 hours ago, murphaph said:

That 112 finished at €438 + P&P. I suppose if you want something enough you'll pay for it!

https://www.ebay.ie/itm/115143451606

Good luck to them, it’s free enterprise, free choice to sell, free will choice to pay that much. Not my cup of tea personally but I appreciate there is a tiny highly specialised niche for NIR/UTA stuff and collectors seem willing to pay for it. Good luck to them.

Stunnng modelling. Just spotted this amazing thread now.

Sounds like an excellent concept. Let us know when you've sketched up some track plans. (railmodeller pro on mac is good)

On a serious note diesel motive power won't be around for much longer, so all those 22k and 201s are going to need replacement power plants post 2030 if climate action demands it. Diesel has gone from 'good cop' back in 2007 to 'spawn of satan' nowadays. Electrification or HFC may be the way forward. But I'm sure IE procurement are weighing the cost benefit of these options against a revitalised turf condensing burner or dail hot air heat pumps. 

On 13/12/2021 at 1:42 PM, WRENNEIRE said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353804714006?hash=item5260678016:g:qn8AAOSwIfFhshu0

Set of 5 Cravens £550 (€645)
Postage £ 37 (€43.5)
Import taxes £171 ( €200)
Total €888.5 or €177.5 per
Happy Christmas!

Based on those prices I should perhaps sell all my toy trains and buy a new EV instead.

Excellent results. Subtle, realistic, not over cooked. Just right. 

20 hours ago, JasonB said:

Have you got yourself a part time job working with the grim reaper over the Christmas, Noel? 

No, just spent 3 hours sitting in the coach right behind the DVT on Thursday, going a good lick over some uneven track work as the suspension was working overtime and I could see the DVT bouncing a lot, knowing 3200hp was pushing 8 coaches ahead of it. It just crossed my mind as we were doing 100mph at the time. With steel monocoque coach bodies probably quite able to handle a derailment, unless passing a bridge at the time.  

2 hours ago, Bob229 said:

Speaking of 201, just saw 215 departing Kent with the 11.25 Dublin service can't beat a loco hauled service

Yes was on cork train yesterday and Monday. Tipping along at 160kph in places. 4006 was bouncing a lot yesterday, but comfy seats in the CAF mk4 coaches. Alas no food on board, not even trolleys (covid gets the blame). The Green'n'grey livery 201s look great matching their coaching stock. Noticed some of the 22ks got nicer seats recently, noisy though inside the cabin compared to the relaxing 'whoosh' of the mk4s gliding along on CWR. Often wondered what might happen if a leading coach or DVT derailed when being pushed at 100mph by a 201 (ie what are the fail safes, etc).

17 hours ago, connollystn said:

Not a fan of the Murpby Models 201. Doesn't capture the character of the prototype due to obvious inaccuraracies. Consodering what the guys at I.R.M. did with the A class would much prefer them to do an up-to-date mode of the 201(new).

Not sure what said inaccuracies might be, but I like my two Intercity green models 222 and 229. Nice smooth runners but as models just very long locos as are mk4 coaches, so never going to look very realistic on typical layout curves.  Hard to fit a rake of 8 mk4 sized coaches.

1 hour ago, Warbonnet said:

Pile dwindling further. Thanks everyone! 

Thanks, already have a full shed of the lovely A's

10 minutes ago, flowcoach said:

I remember reading how, on the introduction of the A Class in Ireland, a confused onlooker mistook the quantity of exhaust for smoke and asked the driver "where do you put the coal"!

Looks like that isn't a thing of the past.

The drama of this clip is added to by SNCF's inscription on the side of the engine - "Cette locomotive respecte votre environnment"!

Yip you can see why govts all around the world are so keen to ban diesel powered machinery and vehicles.  I doubt we’ll see much diesel locos and multiple units on Irish rails after 2035. These disgusting heavy polluters and health damaging yokes seem on a short wicket. Bring on electrification and HFC power.

Thanks for posting. Very educational video footage. Looks like that line has been saved. Must have been one of the last lines with wooden railway sleepers. It was on the 'at risk' list. Hope the Wexford/Waterford line gets a new lease of life also. 

Took some photos of 2021 version of Gort station today.

water tower was disassembled and moved about 12ft about 18 years ago

ticket office unchanged no longer in use so mostly bricked up.

A few more in poor light. Looking south west towards limerick/Ennis

looking north east towards Athenry direction. Signal box gone

ticket office with iconic goods shed behind.

On 18/11/2021 at 2:14 PM, jhb171achill said:

Just got a text - this has arrived from the printers now.

Now Barry and I can mull over what’s next…… if and when we’ve time, as if we’re not struck down by the covidpox….. 

Ordered

Congrats @jhb171achill and Barry on what looks like another fine and valuable book for modellers.

On 16/11/2021 at 6:38 PM, jhb171achill said:

I'm going to go out on a limb here, and suspect that not one person will agree with me; I would love to see an ICR in black'n'tan, or 1950s green, snails an'all...!  Or a NIR 4k in UTA green..

Here you go then   

18 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Having acquired a considerable amount of machinery to build ‘Enniskillen’, it seemed rude not to build another engine. The only question was what to build. I had long thought of a D19 Kerry bogie. However, I have also been doing much soul searching on my modelling future - more on that anon. Suffice to say I have ditched - or am attempting to - all my CIE stuff and going SLNC all out. But I still felt I should build a 4-4-0 - as @leslie10646and @jhb171achillknow, I was brought up to respect the GNRI and all its works! I have long had an affection for the GN locos, especially the smaller and more ancient types such as the Ps and PP.
 

As many of you know, the SLNC had two, bought 2nd hand off the GNR. Expecting these two elderly ladies to cope with the vagaries of SL gradients and curves was cruel really - like subjecting your granny to an assault course. Because they had been so short lived and unsuccessful, I’d always written them off, until last year I saw a photo of one gleaming in black. The rods and plates would have been red - what a picture ! And that ridiculous chimney….I was just captivated by the idea of this little old thing heading a smart new clerestory on ‘the mail’. The locos were also the first 4-4-0s acquired by the GN - so the direct ancestor of all the blue beauties that came later. 

Anyway, weeks of filing and cutting and measuring later, we have a free rolling chassis. Loads to do but this is a milestone. Doesn’t look much but this has taken a long time. The foundation is really the 4 oblongs of metal which are drilled together to make rods and frame blanks. Saw to shape, solder up and with baited breath stick the wheels on….

Respect 

1 hour ago, Westcorkrailway said:

there is already a reason to re-run the 121s. What a fantastic looking livery on the locomotive 

 

this has to go as one of the most obscure but fantastic livery combos in Irish rail history

Its like a loco from a Bond movie, militaristic and menacing looking.

44 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

A 121 got this livery before an 201

 

im sure some regard that as a joke

 

although I’m not sure I like it as much on the 201

https://www.flickr.com/photos/northernblue109/12975381494/in/album-72157636435273666/

 

Sorry the long 201 'Peat Briquette' doesn't blow my skirt up in any livery. If the ICR yoyo's takeover the Cork and Belfast routes retiring the 201s to freight, they may well end up in this smart freight grey livery.