Noel

Hi Robert It was a mix I’ve used Vallejo yellow 35:1 Vallejo red. Please see test card below. In the past I’ve also Used Tamiya mix. I usually mix by eye and test the mixes on a spare bit of plastic that’s been primed. The Vallejo red (71:102 is very potent). First time I tried it was 50:50 but it came out virtually red, In the past to match MM Mk2d coaches it was more yellow (120:1 mix), which btw are not a prototypical shade and was never used on any MM locos. Hope this helps

Apologies for slight duplication with original post but this is a more complete chronology of this little project. 122 over nine months ago. Along side donor chassis. Made up see through Grills inspired by seeing the MM pre-production sample at SDMRC show. Test fitted side grills before painting Start painting Transfers. Choose CIE Broken Wheel roundal up front with the IR logo on the side The wire grab rails and walkway rails were a challenge Twisted eyes and a few hours last night saw them done Fiddley. My fingers were numb after this Painted all the rails black and fitted the pre-painted cab door grab rails which will be weathered in due course I do like this odd ball hybrid livery transitioning from the CIE super train era to the IR era before the tippex stripes were added Almost finito, just the wipers left and the old tail lamp Just about finished. The see through vent grills exposed the internal white sound speaker which will be painted black, or replaced with a smaller sugar cube speaker so you can see through the loco. Relatively content with the way 122 turned out. She runs sweetly with the Athearn donor chassis. The MM versions are perhaps only 1-5 weeks away, but I enjoyed making my own kit bashed version of 122 to join B121 on the layout with the incoming MM 121's. She has WheelTappers ESU LokSound 5 sound as well. Good Night.

Cheers Robert. I'll have to paint the white DCC speaker black cause its visible through the side grill panels. Just realised I forget the tail lantern and the windscreen wipers! Yes those hand rails caused quite a delay, as I was apprehensive about getting them square and straight. I avoided them like the plaque until yesterday, but once I got started I figured out a process that worked for me.

122 progressed to fitting walkway handrails and grab rails stage. Very tedious and fiddle work. Getting them parallel and dead straight put my eyes to the test and my fingers were numb afterwards Then had to paint the blasted things. There are more holes in this model for wire than swiss cheese, and more wire than P&T used to have. Really enjoyed working on this project for the past few months. I knew the MM livery variant was imminent but I started this months ago so decoded I'd finish it and run with the rest of the stock Finished bar a few bits I forgot like tail lamp and windscreen wipers 122 is ready for service on the layout What next, perhaps a B101 or a B114? Have 5 121s now, 2 x MM, 3 x Kitbashed and some B&T MMs on order. What a hobby this is. Good night.

Holy Cow those first two photos look REAL. Stunning

Newly arrived into service. Super train livery 121 get its first outing on the layout. 122 adds to a growing stable of 121 class locos.

Fabulous. I'd love you buy one or two of the HLVs. I need a silver one for the layout to run with B135 formations.

Fabulous scenes as ever. Lovely weathering on the barrier wagon.

Excellent photos, 7072 looks great. Interesting PW formation. And thankfully not a 22k yoyo in sight.

10:50 Kingsbridge (Heuston) to Waterford departing from platform 2, as 11:10 Kingsbridge to Cork stands on platform 3 prior to departure with new fangled mk2 air con coaches capable of 80mph on CWR. The waterford train limited to 70mph.

Double Double Dutch heat. Careful now, down with that sort of thing! Two CIE Dutch GSVs, one IR rebuilt Dutch GSV, and one RPSI dutch GSV. That's a lot of heat.

Was pleased to discover that the IRM Guinness keg load accessories fit beautifully on IFM 20ft container flat wagons. Would love to see IRM doing 20ft container flats some day.

Nice surprise in the post this morning from IRM's Accurascale fulfilment centre in the UK. In the queue now for the weathering bay and kadee's. A bit modern for me, and yes . . . Yellow! But I could not let an example of these excellent Irish produced models escape the collection. Really like the colouring on the 21ft container. These loads could also be adapted to easily fit and run on 20ft container flats for the earlier style laminate coach van spray train. That reminds me the patio needs its final pre-christmas weed spray.

Agree, the MM baby GMs are stunning runners. I bought most of mine about 6 years ago and all test ran quite and smooth out of the box bar one. Not bad considering they been locked up in storage for about 7 years before that. The noisy one just needed the tiniest amount of lube on the bogie gears and it too became quiet. I’ve some brand new Bachmann and Hornby steam locos in storage for close to 30 years. The few I’ve test run were fine freed up by a little lube. The two bachmann/MM CIE steam N class moguls both needed decent a lube service especially on the running and valve gear. No evidence of any rusting on any of the locos metal parts. I had some 30yo hornby Dublo steam locos that we’re practically seized and at the time had no access to lube or even 3-1 oil, so used margarine to free them up. the main thing is to store model locos in a dry environment that’s not damp nor suffers extremes of temp changes.

Question for those in the know: Did the weed spray van have a generator on board to power the pump, agitators and run the CCTV cameras? Also any form of heating?

Yes quite sure, I saw it come out of the silverfox box. Its not mine, btw. I understand they've switched to laser cut plastic for these hence the glazing improvement. A birdie tells me they may be doing refreshes of some of their other products. A rising tide lifts all boats big and small. That tide was created by Patrick Murphy and the following full moon spring tide by IRM. I have one on order myself. PS: They haven't updated the photo on their web site.

Good news. Silverfox have released an updated version of their weed spray van which seems to be a significant improvement on the original. Laser cut with flush glazing. Should go well with the new IRM weed spray wagon pack. Completes the circle. Photo below of the RTR version, before weathering and after a light weathering. This one will be migrating for the winter to its new home.

Great glory I need smelling salts after watching that fabulous video clip. I nearly fell off the chair. Sublime layout and rolling stock. Reeks of atmosphere.

Wonderful photos. The 121s really bridged the end of the transition from steam of the 50s to the 1960s when GM helped modernise Ireland's railways along with the re-engined A classes and AEC sets. My memory is they got grubby but never to the extent of the IE era almost scrape line state they let their 121s get into. As a child I really liked the look of them, they looked military and almost threatening. Like something from a 1930's sci-fi movie. "The Day the EMD ghost loco swallowed the afternoon branch train from little bunnion west" Superb looking job by Mick Bonwick on MM B121

One of these would look well with the IRM weed spray wagons. The latest Silverfox version which is now laser cut with flush glazing.

Jeepers, If I'd realised the train behind my OO works J14 was worth over €600, I'd have never risked shunting it out of the coach sidings onto the main line. It could have been rear ended by a petulant Thomas high as a kite from hauling a weed train.

Wrong kiape

Would 134 in RPSI retro grey livery not be 645 now and when it was IR/IE Livery? 567 when originally delivered in 1961 CIE grey, but the MM model is not the 1961 CIE version as it has the walk way rails due to RPSI restoration. The MM IR/IE Livery 134 with tippex would be 645 alright. 135 model as it is the 1961 variant would be 567 as Fran said when grey (ie and with no walkway rails).

Took this photo some years ago at Cahirciveen. I wonder if the loco still exists or if the salt water and sea air has dissolved it completely. Silverfox C class kits fit like a glove on 141/181 donor chassis.