Noel

Love this layout. Sublime atmosphere created. Beautiful scenes.

Seriously impressed with these coaches. Magnificent, not my era or region, but they ran in Ireland so had to get a rake. Stunning models. Took them for a test run yesterday, the DVT because it needs a decoder to run on DCC or it buzzes. Support helped me understand their guidance. Will have to put passenger inside and do a little mild weathering. Time travel on the main layout yesterday. Detail is sublime.

Dunno, sorry. I only spoke to him about the baby GMs and 071s. 201s not my era.

Info from MM. End of year all going well, the baby GMs due in retail within weeks.

Daft prices. The re-runs due at the end of the year probably won't be much over €200 new. Buyers need to realise these are due on Sale new from Marks Models and IRM by the end of this year for 1/3rd of that price.

Spotted this earlier. Some interesting footage in colour prior to line closure and abandonment, prior to part greenway.

Thanks for the heads up. I ordered yesterday, and they arrived this morning, that's very efficient fulfilment and impressive. Won't get to play with them for a few days. 24hrs is impressive.

Aye-Maze-Zing. Fabulous on every level. This has to be the greatest layout ever built in this country.

Fabulous Rob. Layout really evokes the look and atmosphere of Heuston.

Wonderfiul. Your memories and your journey resonate. Especially trips to Galway behind grey 121s. Looks like an exciting project, enjoy. Look forward to watching your project develop over time.

Beware Hydrogen does not necessarily mean HFC. There's green hydrogen and there's real green hydrogen. Beware, for big oil some forms of hydrogen are really just hydrocarbons by the back door. True green hydrogen is produced exclsuively from non-fossil electricity generation (ie wind/hydro/solar/pumped storage). The amount of energy it takes to produce hydrogen is massive and today mainly oil based, and the distribution costs are not alone high, but relay on fossil distribution, while every home already has a 3pin socket connected to the electricity grid which is the most efficient and economically viable energy distribution method. IMHO HFCEV tech may have a large role to play in HGVs, heavy agri, heavy construction and Hydrogen a role in grid storage and grid peaking, but doesn't make the cut for personal mobility (ie car transport). Today there are only 5 H pumps in the entire UK, and zero in Ireland, but the electricity grid in both countries already exists to every home. Ireland is ideally positioned to have a 100% green grid within 10 years (ie true green rather than green washed), and so rail transport could switch to electric. EU won't allow diesel much longer anyway. Hydrogen ICE is still combustion and generates CO2, its cleaner but no where near as clean nor efficient as our electric. Hydrogen ICE still means high maintenance costs and oil lubes, as it's basically still a mechanical combustion engine. A 201 has been trailed with this, an improvement over straight diesel with its fifty NoX emissions, but its still combustion and emits CO2. Have we run out of time for gradual managed transition?

Excellent PS: Are the tops ply or MDF?

Agree. As far as I know they will have a speaker but same lighting arrangement as original run (ie no separate headlights), alas no easy decoder access hatch. Its hard to improve on what was almost perfection back in 2008.

I've managed to collect 16 of the original Bachmann/MM ones since 2008, so won't be splashing out much. Might get a few of the black'n'tan versions more suited to my era. But I'm sure this rerun will sell like hot cakes due to the pent up demand from new model train enthusiasts who missed out on the first runs. Bye bye eBay.

Looking great. Your a man after my own heart, at the end of the day this is all about playing trains.

Vaguely remember seeing a 5+3 a few years ago on the cork route (travelled on it). 8 coaches prob within platform gauges. On other single track routes length of passing loops the main limiting factor. As ever with specials with exceptional long trains there are procedures to protect the doors of coaches beyond platforms. It was not uncommon in the 60s and 70s to have 14 coach trains although they were shorter coaching stock than an ICR coach. 3+3 were the most common before they bought more intermediary units in recent years.

That could be the centrepiece of any layout. Love it.

Stunning

July? Its -5ºC outside here now

Cheers JHB. 182 was my first ever MM model, bought at the Fry layout at Malahide castle about 17 years ago. It got me back into the hobby. A few years ago with some fear and reverence for her I risked weathering the pristine model which changed her appearance somewhat as below. Colours are affected by light, time of day, back drop, reflection, so many things. The most unrealistic shade of orange for me were the mk2d coaches with an almost yellow shade or orange rather than the red tinted mud brown orange actually used by CIE.

Interesting comparing the different shades of Shades of CIE/IR/IE Orange on models. Reruns and new orange coaching stock due from various manufactures this next year including Mk2 variants and Mk3. Mix your own options: MM stock MM 177 out of the box, MM mk2d out of the box, MM 182 out of the box MM 083 top straight out of the box, adjusted MM mk2d roof, MM mk2d roof straight out of the box

I'm still recovering from the retirement and closure of W J Owens in Bray years ago. (Model Rail, Cameras, Airfix, Humbrol, RC Model Air, Balsa, etc) once the best hobby shop on the island and an aladdins treasure cave. Mail order just is not the same as a pilgrimage visit to 41 main street bray and the expert Willie Owens son of the founder. Modellers of all types drove from the four corners of Ireland for modelling supplies. In the 70s he also did mail order to clubs for supplies of balsa, tools, glue, etc.

Really sorry to hear this news. Benefited from their excellent customer service and warranty over the years. They had been a great source for track, electrics and rolling stock. Changing times. I understand the Irish Genesis 6 wheelers will proceed as this is a wind down rather than insolvency. They will be missed by many. They brought customer service to a new level in what had been a rather backward and conservative market.

MM mk3's likely to be a hit with the demographic here. But I suspect the 141/181 re-runs may top the charts. Personally looking forward to the IRM Bulleid Beet wagons. 071 re-runs are promised including NIR blue and IR grey which have achieved crazy money on ebay this past 24months. eBay collections likely to be devalued by the Loco re-runs from MM. Will IRM ever do either of the Sulzers? Not convinced there's enough nostalgia memory in the market for those wonderful CIE era diesels. I'd sell my pet hamster for B113 (if I had a pet hamster). Best wishes for 2024 to all on here. PS: Also very much looking forward to the IRM Park Royals.