Colin R

I wouldn't be surprise to find that Des does more sales from all these extra bits from his kits than he does a complete kit some times. There may be more of a market for all those extra additions to RTR models that we care to think about. Colin R

looking at the humbers flying off the shelf, i would be a mug if I didn't ask for at least 10 ( may be 20 once I have purchased all the other bits I have out standing at the moment) Just out of Interest how many would run in a medium size train? Colin

Hi Guys I have just been told about this, https://www.gwra.co.uk/auctions/hierarchy/66/September-2019.html Not sure if anyone want to see if any Irish stuff in to be sold as well, but the link should get you to the list of photos for sale. Regards Colin Rainsbury

Having a bit of an issue posting to the site, having to resend it a couple of times before the reply says OK Colin

I hope not as that would kill the Irish model railway market, here in the UK, that said, down in good old South Africa Bachman ( I think it is) do one of thier bogie deisel for an eye watering £350 pounds very much Ouch!!!!! Colin

Hi Popeye, Just had a note back from Neville, he tells me he has made contact with Ian and he hopes to be sorting out all the missing castings in due course, if this happens then, this will bring back in to production the L&LSR 4-8-0 Tender loco kit I think Eoin will have his name all over one of these when they become available again Colin.

I have a great local model shop here in Kent (England) Invicta Model's of Sidcup Kent. I shall wait and get mine via them. One advantage is they may be willing to do custom livery editions, if they have enough people on a list they may well do it. Here is a link to thier website:- https://www.invictamodelrail.com/ Very good customer relations Colin R

Hi guys unless I have missed something, I would put it down to a technical glitch or someone forgot to pay the web server / phone bill. Not that it matters now, just glad to have it back up and running. Colin R

Hi Popeye Neville is not one to keep his website up todate, as he is to busy with the day job and when he gets time he will produce a few chassis , he tells me he would like to expand the 00n3 range over time, but lets get what he has up and running first. As for a web site you can try the following https://www.n-driveproductions.com/ but dont expect it to be current I think he last looked at it about 3 years ago, for me it does not matter since I have the address and he lets us know over on the 00n3 yahoo group when something new is coming out from the backwood kit range. I have past on the contact detail for Ian Young, as this could help find some of the missing castings he needs for one or two of the Backwoods kits, just got to save my money now for the Donegal class 5 kits ( all 8 of them, 3 for Class 5A) and of course the four class 4's as well. From what I know he has the following available Donegal Turntable kit Donegal Coaches kits (3 types one of each) He is currently working on the Cavan and Leitrim 4-4-0T kit Hopefully before the end of the year Donegal Railcar No 7 and 8 will be available. I don't have prices for them but I hope this all helps Colin R

Hi. Also don't forget the website and archive here https://newirishlines.org/ If you have something you want to publish then contact Alan as I am sure he would like a few more articles for future Magazines Colin R

I am glad I am not the only one that missed this website, though my computer had gone wrong when I could not touch base with you guys, was there a reason why it had gone down? Colin

Its times like this you just want to say NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO dont give up on the kits. Take in to consideration the size of the irsh model market and I bet you are doing far better that some of the Smaller British kit manufactures who would have a larger market. In 009 at the moment there is a lot more RTR than there has been for years, yet if Heljan can get it wrong then they are left with models no one wants to buy, but us 00n3 models felt a chill when Backwoods stopped producing his kits due to personal circumstances The upside of this is that some one is now producing the kits again, the downside is they are twice as expensuive due to costs, I did have a budget of £2,000 to buy all the kits I needed from him, now I will be luck to get all the one's I need for about £4,000. Please don't take this the wrong way, But I do understand what is involved in bringing a kit to market, there is a lot more to it than a lot of people know, first you have to make a model to see how it will go together, then you may have to make up a number of prototype just to get one item correct, after that you have the masters to make and you hope that they come out good enough to make the kits in, if it isn;t then you have to start the whole process over again (more time used up). May be after six months or more it may just happen and you get a new kit in production. you then need to price it up so you can recover your cost's, I don't know of one small model railway manufacturer making a living out of this. So what it is worth please make the kits, I might not be the first in the que, but if your kits can run on 21mm gauge track then I will be interested and in line. Regards Colin R

Yes please I do have one from the Railway Modeller of Blarney, but any other drawing is welcome as sometimes different drawings show up details which are not alway shown on other drawings. Colin

Hi Guys I am looking for any drawings or details about the locomotives or Rolling stock from the Cork and Muskerry Railway, I have the Oakwood press book by Stanley Jenkins about the lline, but the details about the rolling stock is a bit vague any help in finding out more detail would be welcome. Colin Rainsbury

Have been waiting for this one to appear would like ten but depends on the cost and if they can be made to fit 21mm gauge might take even more when the time comes. Colin

Well that is a good start Colin Rainsbury

When you see a photo like the above, some folk don't want to believe that it is narrow gauge. Colin R

Just had a look, I don't mind paying a reasonable price for things but these, well this is another matter, the long term damage has been done sadly, if manufactures stop making Irish models or kits because they don't sell , we shall be so much the poorer for it. I suppose if you wanted to upset the apple cart you could set up a bogus eBay account and out bid everyone and then refuse to pay, but as Noel has said all the time you have people willing to pay those prices there is very little you can do. However if you fancy a go with a air brush etc and doing a repaint Bachmann N class locos on eBay are going from £70.00 upwards. Colin

it would be a great advantage to all of Ireland if that line could be reopened, wasn't there a pipe dream to build a new railway from Derry via Letterykenny and on to Sligo a few years ago? Colin

I don't think so, but for me any model of a loco not only has to look good, but it has to be able to do a job on any layout and hauling a realistic load is all part of the package.

Thats great to hear, I like the looks of the meaty motor I hope it will have the grunt to haul scale length trains, nothing worst that getting a great looking model only to find it can't pull the skin of a rice pudding. Colin

The rail looks like shinohara track, but i could be wrong I think we have discussed this already but a may be which could have been I have always fancied is a Sligo extension to the Donegal and another could have once the boarder went up was a new direct route from Stranorlar to Letterkenny, cutting out Strabane. Colin

Hay Wayside it will depend on the weight of the rail, but if it is the right price and size/ weight, then I am sure you could try and sell it to any one of the British narrow gauge railway groups. 40 or 50lb per yard is what most are looking for Colin

Thats great John thanks, I have just taken delivery of a London Road spot solder welder unit it works like a spot welder but acts like a soldering Iron for Brass etc the advantage of this is you don't need to heat up a big brass kit to get a good solder join I hope to start to play with it next week but I have to find a suitable bit of steel / aluminum to use as my base plate. Colin

Hi John They are all 4mm or 00n3 gauge, at one stage i had plans to build an IoMR based layout for them all to run on, but I got somewhat side tracked with the project so it has no progressed for a couple of years. Colin