DoctorPan

Simply stunning.

15 hours ago, BosKonay said:

It’s also worth bearing in mind that making lots of accurascale mk2’s is the only and sole reason we can afford tO make NIR mk2’s. Leveraging the UK brand makes unviable Irish models workable. 

*sees the Mk1 subs just announced...*

*Looks at Weedsprayer boxes*

I wonder....

Not much is known about the original MSR No.2 except they were named Jennings after their builder Fletcher Jennings and looked to be a bog standard Dolgoch model repainted.

One of the reasons why I picked the Mid Sodor is the gaps in its "lore" compared to the Skarloey which is a very tight 1:1 with the Talyllyn inspiration so I wasn't going to take a standard Dolgoch model and repaint it. So out came sketching and research. Awdrys lecture notes state that Jennings was a Flecher Jennings 0-4-0WT like Dolgoch, however it was fitted with a home made cab by the Mid Sodor in its works hence the half cab and other minor differences between  real life basis and model.

32 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Cyril Fry managed to produce a model of something which had yet to enter traffic, as he got the drawings from Inchicore as it was under construction…..(the Drumm train).

Just sayin’….

They did say that the Mk5s were an interesting process, trying to produce the models as tweaks were being made to the real thing.

I wouldn't think the BEMUs are going to be coming anytime soon. (Or at least when my colleagues have decided what pantograph works best with the service requirements!)

+1 for Google Docs, saved my sanity and final year thesis write up and results when my laptop decided to melt its screen and kill itself 8 days before the submission date.

On 26/4/2022 at 3:38 PM, jhb171achill said:

Wow! That's amazing stuff, Dr Pan - reminds me of my teen years job on the Festiniog Railway way back in the day........... excellent realistic weathering.

Thanks Jonathan, must be doing something right if I'm evoking the spirit of the Ffes!

On 22/4/2022 at 8:15 PM, David Holman said:

Full of character.

Thanks David, really enjoying the modelling when you don't take it too seriously.

Finished one of the Granite block train rakes and seemed to have aquired one of the MSR's more famous fleet member then Tim.

First proper venture into narrow gauge locos. MSR No.7 "Tim" was one of the fledging company's newest engine, purchased from Sharp, Steward in 1887 to an adapted design of similar loco class Sharp, Steward was building at the time for a tramway railway in a nearby country of Ireland. "Tim" suited the MSR's needs of replacing some of the old tramway's smaller and slower locos with a more powerful loco. Tim was fitted with tram skirts to allow him to run along parts of the old tramway towards the mines although in later years this legal requirement was ignored while Tim was out of service or after his sale in 1936.

4 minutes ago, Saint Johnstoun said:

The top feed was one I had in stock and modified slightly.   I think it came from the good old Crownline days.  I need to source a further supply as I will need one for my WT tank.  The smokebox wheel and handle are available from Caley Coaches.

Top feeds are available from Phoenix Precision Paints 

Thank ye! That's my Jeep project shopping list completed.

Looks great, can I just ask where you got the top feed from? 

And finished.

Oh god not Cáca Milis, haunting from the past that is.

And now for something a little smaller. I've decided to dip my toe into narrow gauge modelling as a chance to have a small running layout in an apartment set up. 

A choice of prototype was debated and I decided to lean into the "whimsy" nature that narrow gauge can inspire in some people and so I turned to an old childhood favourite, the Rev W. Awdry's Thomas books and one book in particular always interested a young me, "Duke the Lost Engine" set on the "Mid Sodor Railway" about "Duke", "Falcon" and "Stuart". So I've taken the opperunity to model the "MSR" seriously as Awdry himself did. Jumping into his lecture notes and additional material on the history of his world, the MSR has a lot more to it then what appears in the books, including 5 more engines then the 4 who were mentioned in the books plus it pulls inspiration from the Corris, Ffes and Snailbeach railways in real life, all which had enjoyable elements for a model. 

One of the MSR's major traffic flows was the mines at Cas-ny-Hawin, the owners of which, had been major supporters of the construction of the railway, as to give their goods a direct line to the Port of Arlesburgh for export then the currently existing mineral tramway they had constructed cheaply to improve movement. 

One source of traffic for the MSR would be the transport of mine workers to the various mines at Cas-ny-Hawin and so they are one of my first main projects. 

All they are missing are decals and couplings as well as their engine, "Tim"

1 hour ago, DJ Dangerous said:

And the buses!

Can never have enough buses!

I'm always glad when its a bus announced as it means my debit to IRM isn't increasing!

Oh yeah, the current pace of annoucments and releases from IRM is just about right for me personally finanically. 

4 hours ago, Warbonnet said:

Yes. Unfortunately it was getting rather abused by people hoarding up orders and then not paying for them when coming into stock. 

If you wish to set up a payment plan please email us first and we can set that up for you.

20% of the run already accounted for folks, many thanks!

Cheers!

Fran 

Many thanks for the update Fran. Email sent.

Has IRM removed the ability to defer payment on pre-orders? Trying to pre-order these and the direct debit option seems to be missing.

Stunning, simplely stunning and an impressive replica of real life.

On 14/2/2022 at 12:38 AM, railfan222 said:

Hi all,

 

I have got a few questions to ask. I would be grateful if anyone could answer.

 

First Question: Why did IE have to open up public consultation to the public to have their say on the DART extensions to Maynooth, M3 Parkway, Halzelhatch and Drogheda?

Second Question: Why did IE extend the DART to Malahide and Greystones in 2000? What were the reasons?

Third Question: What will be the frequency of DARTs in both directions between Hazelhatch, Maynooth, M3 Parkway and Drogheda? 

Fourth Question: Why were Alstom products of the late 90s/early 2000s very bad runners? The 2700s had issues running at 6 cars in length. Why was this so? 

 

Regards Kian. 

1. Legal requirements, any projects that impact on public land require public consultation. Since DART + West, South West and Coastal all include stuff like brand new depot, level crossing closures, construction of new bridges, substations, they require that the public be allowed to give their say on things. DART + BEMU infrastructure is all taking place on Irish Rail land will only require planning premission instead.

2. Growing towns, growing demand for expansion of DART and a by-election win in Greystones. 

3. The aim is to start with 10 min frequency and ramp up over the years to a 3 min frequency.

Trial run expected on the 6th March to Maynooth for crew refreshers

45 minutes ago, Adrian said:

Nice layout  Just catching up on it, good job on the ballast weathering!

Thanks, was quite happy with how it all turned out for a first attempt.

Maca visiting a friend's layout.

Oops wrong thread

37 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Is it an easy kit to build? 

Bogies are the only tricky bit but it still went together in an evening or two. Spent nearly as long building it as cutting the seat kits to fit in.

3 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

But they’ve flat ends?

I’ve one unmade, but it has curved ends, which isn’t really suitable for Ireland. The above coaches have the correct flat ends for all Irish lines bar the WLWR. Which, of course, means that they CERTAINLY “look the business”!

Any more info?

Looking at Popeye's thread, he says he replaced the ends to be flat ends 

They do indeed, to quote a certain show, here's one I prepared earlier: