Noel

I'll check if I have any spares of these cylinders salvaged from donors I used for C class models.

Hmmm! Interesting the mk3s were built based on BRs loading gauge for their UK mk3s so the bodies were not widened for our 5'3" unlike the wider Cravens which matched the Irish loading gauge. Would 21mm bogies look visually over scale with only 16.5mm wheel axles? If feedback is correct it seems there may be more fingers on a hand than the number of modellers with 21mm gauge layouts. Some models designed to accommodate 21mm conversion can look disproportionate with rather unsightly sideways overhang of bogies or axle boxes (ie protruding too far from under the body), but wheels almost completely out of sight. Its also virtually impossible to convert model steam locos to 21mm unless built for 21mm from scratch.

Phew https://www.derg.ie/smileys/bow.gif

Doing some trials on rejected platform sections trying out different surfaces. Gort had a sort of aggregate chipping for a surface (1 inch down). Will judge in the morning after the PVA has dried overnight.

Enjoyed a running session earlier while waiting for paint and PVA to dry on various Gort items. The Park Royal coaches finally fit in without the twin stripes. De-IE'd - PR+Craven+PR+PR

Park Royal Coaches were part of the CIE Golden era from 1960s to mid 1970s when Black'n'Tan livery coaches had replaced the former flying snail green and eau de nil livery. This is one of the first rakes I've operated without a single Craven coach in the formation. As a child I remembered hardly any CIE coach formation had more two of the same coach types in it. It made for great diversity and visual stimulus. On local workings a single craven plus one park royal and a GSV or HLV made up a train.

Wasn't happy with the name board so made another less clunky looking one.

Correct Patrick The embossed plastic sheet for the goods shed and walls was greenstuffworld.com 'Smooth Rock Wall'

Park Royals mixed in a typical 1960s CIE mixed rake formation hauled by B135. I recently tweaked the livery of these from IE/IR modern Tippex twin stripe to single stripe CIE era black'n'tan livery.Mixing the 1960s with the 1990s on the layout by accident now a thing of the past.

Might need a few tulips or roses to brighten these bedding plants up a little or a touch of blue. Just some filing left to do. These will make platform beds. The more I continue with this very enjoyable project and the more I look at photos the more I see what has yet to be done and the list becomes like ever expanding foam to infinity.

It was worth waiting for in the end, 121 was staggeringly good with some innovations.

Spot the differences - IFM Park Royal Coaches livery converted to CIE era rather than IR/IE Tippex modern era. Done by brush. Unfortunately the masking tape took the coach no transfers off with it so will have to replace those. I just cannot run modern era Tippex livery behind my beloved black'n'tan locos through stations with sidings full of two axle goods wagons. Its just not 1960s or even 1970s. Love these unique coaches. I have 3 RTR like this one to be converted back to CIE and two further kits which I'll paint myself so they will end up CIE era. That'll be enough park royals to form at least 3 rakes of CIE era coaches in formation with other assorted CIE era coaches such as early Cravens and Laminates (IFM+SF). When I was a youngster no passenger train was ever made up of the same coach type, not until the super train mk2d's came along in the mid 1970s hailing the transition to modern era trains with uniform rakes of both passenger coaches and fitted freight wagons.

More Gort mysteries, planted and watered

Part of the problem is a small number of collectors/investors and traders who bulk buy a large amount of stock at the time of a new release, but then drip feed them onto the market some years later when supply is becoming constrained. Btw, I am not referring to normal hobby retailers in this respect such as IRM, Marks, Hattons, Rails, etc. This reduces the supply to the ordinary model railway entusiasts who often seek to buy just one or two items to actually use and run on their layouts. Free market and all that. I get a sense this may have been a factor in the recent 121s virtually selling out so fast. With MMs recent announcement and IRM we are probably safe and guaranteed good supply of new and re-released Irish models for decades to come.

Fiacra, just a tip if you found a black roofed mk2d EGV its a fairly quick easy job to remove and repaint just the roof back to matching orange, alternatively respray a Galway mk2d EGV to tippex livery, more of a total respray job, or finally if you can get your hands on the most recent MM Super Train livery mk2 EGV, its a relatively simple matter to put tippex white stripes on it and IR intercity logo on the sides using only transfers, no paint needed, just a brush of varnish to seal afterwards.

Yes but in fairness it seems to happen more frequently than one might hope with some of the smaller online sites. I've had this occur in the past even with Peters Spares, Osbourne Models, Gaugemaster, Element Games, etc. Its annoying but not the end of the world.

Just goes to show what an exceptional model they were, still the best and most enjoyable runners I've ever come across from any manufacturer. Supply and demand has pushed these prices up to silly levels.

I started buying from German retailers two years ago in preparation for anticipated possible brexit issues and so far have found it an excellent if not better source than UK outlets. Same for amazon.de who's postage rates to Ireland has improved significantly over the past two years. Happy Days.

Well done MM and Patrick Murphy This is staggeringly great news. Now there’ll be plenty of finescale Irish coaches for 201s and the imminent A class to haul. You must be delighted Rob to hear about the mk3s in particular. Doh I’ve just finished respraying a rake, but will still be delighted in time to buy two rakes of the MM mk3 to go with two A classes and existing 071s. Time for a bit of time travel in my case.

Some mysterious bits for Gort

Yes it was the first model that looked like a prototype and past the duck test, even if it ran as rough as clock work tractor, back in the the mid 1970s I thought this model was the 'bees knees and the cats whiskers' This Lima CIE 215 pretend A class yoke was an even worse runner than the Lima 201, but probably the fastest model loco in history.

Possibly mind you I’ve seen film of 14 coach trains, and knock specials, but the longest trains in Ireland most probably were beet trains with in excess of 35 wagons.

For fun I kitbashed one of these a year ago. Never got around to making more. Decided against making the 62ft versions because of their extreme length and perceived running problems on typical curve radaii, and excessive train length. JHB and Barry Carse had a nice photo of a rake of these in Galway Yard in one of their books.

Amazerballs! sublime

Some tweaking needed but we're getting there.