Sulzer201

Powerful work as usual here Eamonn. Well done.

Ultra realism here Stephen, well done.

a fine portico and building

Epic work here, congratulations on a fab piece of work.

top notch work and impressive realism.

Well done and it's way better than my attempts.

Lovely collection of buildings coming on there richrua. Lots of future track options with that turntable and the locos hark back to a golden age when engines were kings.

Fantastic stuff and the A and Ammonia really looks the business the loco is running strongly and smoothly with 6 or 7 tankers and the barriers so I don't know what chassis she's on but I guess it's not the Lima pcake as supplied originally by SF? Great looking train.

I will take half a dozen Genstars as soon as you have them Arran

I remember the 201s arriving and it was exciting times the first new traction since 76 and the first 100 mph capable DE locos to arrive in Ireland. The strategic planning was a bit lacking in that the 30 odd fleet never achieved its potential in terms of haulage diagrams. I remember seeing them being used on very short rakes of ballast wagons around Clara in the late nineties and that was superpower being under utilized. Down here in Wicklow they used to cruise up the banks with the Ammonia and Ferts as if they were just ticking over. A fine looking machine and hopefully if the freight scene picks up more of them will see duty. As regards Irish Rail buying new locos - just my opinion, but I couldn't see that anytime soon as there are is a big loco pool here in the context of the small network and very limited flows. Hopefully Foynes Port will expand and reinstate that rail link as a starting point as we need a freight revival and the received wisdom might suggest that this is starting to happen.

Great work Rob and I love the way that B201 is coming on, a great reincarnation from a 33.

lovely work here she is really coming together.

I thought this thread was going to be a model layout and I'm shocked and sad to see this degree of rationalization of track-work at Waterford. It was always a busy rail head that could facilitate passenger and freight flows but its operating capacity looks to have been reduced substantially in this latest 'development.' I hope there will a bright future for Waterford as a rail hub as it is one of the last real freight centres left on the Irish railway network.

Fantastic looking coaches, superb skills.

Class stuff there Stephen, fantastic viaduct and that Signal Box is hard to distinguish from the real thing...class.

Have to agree these 141/181 models are superb runners, I have a small dc line on the layout and the track is often more grubby than it should be and I'm still amazed and the slow running characteristics. They are a superb model and if I had the funds I could never have enough of them, even to leave one on a short straight in a glass-case you can sit back and admire it.

Hi all, was in Arklow a couple of weeks back, had a look at the station and got a few pics (sorry about quality as original photos are behind glass), of the photographs of the model display of the station. I don't know who is responsible but it is amazing work and captures an era when Arklow was a busy and interesting rail head. Sadly on my visit the once busy oil and cement siding has been reduced greatly in length under the CTC programme and with it, one long loop off the main line remains. It was in that cement depot siding that they used to store the craven set off the evening commuter service from Connolly, in the days when locos were scarce the small gm would run light back to Dublin following the evening Rosslare service, later when they could afford to leave the motive power, a GM might be heard humming away through the late hours if it was risky to shut them down overnight. Today, apart from the odd visit of the auto ballast train and 071s, the 22K and 2900s dominate all the rosters and on the day I visited 22 226 arrived with the Dublin-Rosslare Sunday afternoon service. The leading driving car seemed to be missing the fairing that covers one of the warning horns.

Well done Eamonn that 181 class sounds excellent and what a layout to see her in action on. I remember on the odd occasion one of that class, or a 141 would turn up on the Amonia and did they have to work hard on the DSER section, they'd be roaring and absolutely crawling up the grades but still got the job done. The As did the same work in a honest hardworking away, when the 071s were cascaded it was a handy run for one of those and when the 201s took over it seemed like a breeze for them and you would never even here the loco having to work.

Hi all, I see Foynes Port in the news again as they plan for strategic developments there. The proposition of reopening the rail link has also been mentioned. Anyone think this is possible? be great progress for the railway if the port can generate enough business to make it viable. Some mentioned a rail reinstatement cost of circa 12 Million Euro, does that sound realistic or is this another long term wishlist proposal? The link mentions the proposals but there was also an updated report carried on RTE TV in the last couple of days. http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0222/369028-foynes-masterplan/

Agree iarnrod I have no direct connection with the shop except that its local to me and is another great example of a Irish based model shop which gives the personal touch and offers a high standard of service which goes well beyond what one would normally expect. I will now have to save hard for the next purchase but it is important to give support to our own suppliers.

Hi Lads, I picked up Big GM 077 today and very happy with her. The wife and kids had bought me some track, buildings etc at Christmas and Gareth at Trains, planes....Wicklow kindly allowed me to exchange them towards 077 and I finally got her paid for today. Another bit of progress for a small layout and a lovely looking machine.

Superb looking models Eoin.

Lovely work and a great looking vehicle Eamonn.

Masterful work David, and you can still retain a sense of humour through it.

Superb Noel 087 and the new set of MK IIs look great - well done on a fine scene.