Noel

I don't know where DC source them from. Silverfox didn't release a rebuilt version. I got basic kit from IFM last year but where Tom got it from I know not. Since had to make some chassis box gubbins for under the chassis. I only bought the kit to have something to run with my Bachmann mk2a intercity coaches. I put sprung buffers on mine and boiler tanks inside.

Bachmann Woolwich Mogul N class with a local mixed goods train Market day. Cattle and fuel coming to town. First test run below after DCC conversion. Wired Lenz Silver decoder in the tender as no space in the loco body or boiler. Had to make some mods to the loco and tender to facilitate the conversion including replacing the original plastic articulated coupling with a traditional wire hoop on the tender and a wire hook on the back of the loco body. A bit of fun fitting it anyway. Steam379.mp4

That's my favourite livery especially without the walkway hand rails as per the delivery grey 121s early 1960s. One of the things that struck me about these models is the incredible glazing with scale sized rubber window seals. A master piece. Interesting on B125 the walkways rails have not yet been added yet the tablet catchers have been removed. IMHO, the most attractive livery scheme CIE ever had.

How on earth do you get the tissue cover paper back on those boxes Dave? Horn sounded a little anaemic at 01m47s and 02m40s. EMD sounded great at idle. No rattling plates.

PS: Like the old expressway bus on the RH bridge

Superb Job Eamonn. Super sharp paint job. TPO looks well. Its a difficult one to mask. The Layout looks fab.

Some MM baby GMs are going for more sensible prices https://www.ebay.ie/itm/284082786267?ul_noapp=true

I Guess the first which was B141 probably flew off the shelves. See list below. 'CIE Black' is actually CIE 'Black'n'Tan' livery (ie black all over with white mid band and orange band at sole bar gunnel level to match coaches. That's 8,500 baby GMs in total produced with an extra 500 B141a preserved produced about 7 years ago (ie RPSI version without the tablet catchers). PS: It is only 12 years since the baby GMs first appeared and started the transformation of the Irish hobby. Ok the Lima 201s were early naughties but it was the Bachmann/MM 141/181s that changed everything.

Indeed €290 for an unpopular livery?

IRM have shown their colours by doing the current re-run of the original Ballast wagons and past re-runs of the cement wagons. Fear not all in good time. Looking forward to their next new Irish wagon project (hoping its of the 2 axle variety) The hobby has never been in better shape.

Holy moly. Thank you MM. Worth the wait, the best yet.

Fab-U-Lous

Our 183 cost €106 four years ago.

Lovely job. Line up and hold!

122 in traffic at woodvale junction

Back to the workbench Sisters 122 and B121 after some chassis tweaks, lube and resoldering some loose pickups.

Sanity returns, perhaps. Bachmann/MM Mk2a https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Murphy-Models-IR-Intercity-Mark-2A-Open-Second-Coach/193760494878?hash=item2d1d06851e:g:MhUAAOSwSRlfuU7H

Love it Jonathan, I’m with you on that. For me the railways became operationally boring after 1975 before the bogie, yellow and uniform stock infestation and pandemic started. However ‘viva la difference’. I do like the look of IR tippex Livery baby GMs even though well into the modern image era. I tolerate a pair of 201s because I’ve travelled behind them a lot in the past 10 years, but they are as boring looking as airbrushed peat briquettes or shoeboxes with bogies. 22k should be restricted to the fisher price section of Smyth’s toy stores (ie beside the yo-yo basket). I Confess I do have some modern image stock, 071, 201, mk2, mk3, and quite a lot of top quality RTR bogie stock from the Fab Four. I like the variety but my heart is beset with nostalgia for a bygone era that model trains allow us to relive in miniature, 50s & 60s 2 axle goods trains and pick’n’mix formations of early CIE and exGSWR passenger trains. The glory days when the railways were interesting operationally as well as a visual feast before all the station point work was ripped up and major stations demoted to almost bus shelter status. Thank merciful hour the Luas doesn’t run between Dublin and Cork.

CIE Black and Tan livery looks absolutely excellent. Good to hear IR livery in this batch too, also an attractive corporate livery. Will these ship to customers from Ireland or UK? Might be a while if the latter due to slow post.

What they said above. Its a 3min job, most of which is soldering speaker wires to the PCB. I use wooden stick to lever it off, sometimes with the help of a very thin flat screwdriver to get between the body sides and the walkway surface. I don't remove the walkway rails, just unclip the ends from both cabs Speaker installation. I prefer to wire the speaker to the loco rather than from the decoder. 141/181s have a speaker cradle that will take a standard 20x40mm speaker rather than a sugarcane speaker.

I miss the old Fry museum layout. It was vast and an assault on the senses it had so much action going on. O gauge has a real presence. But it certainly was not Europes biggest model railway, quite possibly Irelands largest layout back then when it was O gauge. Enjoyed watching the youtube above again that Stephen had posted 8 years ago.

That's amazing art

I was perhaps fortunate to have bought any spares, accessories (eg wheels, couplings, wire, white metal parts) and kits from the UK that I may need in the future already, one more parcel due, but it should arrive well before Jan 1. I've been experimenting using amazon.de and German model shops this past 2 years and so far its been both cost effective and a smooth process. I've saved a fortune off model rail electronics by bypassing the UK channel which aside from brexit issues after Jan 1 seemed a bit of a price rip off anyway aside from Hattons who had good discounts and excellent postage rates to Ireland. Where will it all end Ted? Hopefully we will all be watching 'reeling in the years' in the future reminiscing about CV-19 as a memory, long after it has passed. AddressPal has been excellent these past few years, way more convenient than parcel motel.