connollystn

You seem to get a lot of nice packages, what's in this one?

Is that Ringsend Bus Depot?

That's why I turned out pretty normal.

I don't want to sound sacrilege but my favourite version of the Class 071 is the current one. Think the cab ends look neat without the grab handles and the livery is certainly better than it's immediate predecessor.

Regarding the early liveries of the Crossley As, how many variants would have operated at the same time considering that the application of the new colour schemes would have been applied over a protracted period?

We'd be lost without Wrenneire - picked up a few nice (rare) wagons off him recently.

Now I'm concerned that you guys [IRM] aren't using the right shade of black on your locos.

@Edo - The photographs of the 121s on websites didn't do the early liveried versions real justice, they look way better in the flesh. As per Wrenneire's post above, if the full range is available at the Bray show it'd be worth going - it will eliminate any doubts some people have about the grey livery, think it shows off all the details of the prototype at it's best. Same with the As, I only had eyes for the EMD engined As until I saw the Crossley versions at the last Annual Railway Exhibition in 2019. I think that the As as they appeared originally have a bit more character than the later up-rated versions.

Great way to start the week. The A42 looks great, have taken a shine to the Crossley engined As since I first saw them sampled at the model railway exhibition in 2019.

Thanks BosKonay for that picture, you just reminded me that I need to buy a soundbar for my television. I'll be able to watch Sam with surround sound.

It's disappointing to hear that this years model railway exhibition has been cancelled. Think the only way most of us can be cheered up at this moment in time is if someone [Warbonnet] posts some more photographs of the IRM A30.

That news, while disappointing, isn't unexpected. It's difficult trying to plan anything at the moment. Hard to believe that it'll be three years between the last exhibition and the next. Thanks for letting us know.

@Wrenneire - I have a friend just like that, see him everytime I look in the mirror.

We're not comparing the Hornby and Lima efforts to the IRM As. There was very little effort put in FULL STOP!

Double brilliant. PS. Think there's someone in the IRM household who could learn a thing or two about unboxing.

Better still, they could start producing some O gauge models themselves - it'd certainly be a quicker way to go out of business.

If it's Hornby then it a model of the Western Region's Hymek (Class 35). They were worse than the Lima 33s and there was an strange smell generated from the motor of burning oil/lubricant. I'm still traumatised - it affected me right through my childhood and into adulthood. That model was destined for the bin as soon as I got my Lima "A class and Craven's" set.

I was always surprised that Loughrea was a branch rather than on the main line. It would have been considered fairly populous considering there aren't any towns of note between Ballinasloe and Athenry.

Better than the bees knees. It's been a long wait [since the seventies] but certainly worth it.

It's a very impressive looking locomotive. What was it's top speed?

@Garfield - those are valid points. There was the demise the manufacturing industry in Britain also, a lot of companies which were household names no longer exist. When it comes to online purchases, I found that delivery from Britain could take up to two weeks while from Germany & Chechia it was no more than three working days. Unless it's necessary, I don't buy online from Britain - Ireland first then the EU.

The good thing about some of the items I import from the U.K. is that they only need to be inflated after they arrive through the post.

@Warbonnet - I've a feeling that these beauties will arrive at these shores before BosKonay is finished with his unboxing of the A class.

That's much better, lots of detail and very sharp also. If the guys at IRM could brew Carlsbery, it'd be the best Carlsberg in the World, Probably!

Heard on Newstalk this morning (that's the channel us old fogies listen to) that containers are costing up to 10 times as much as they did this time last year. It was mentioned that there might be shortages at Christmas so you should get your shopping done now - I wonder if that's a slight exaggeration? Some goods are being left at ports as the value of the items doesn't justify the cost of shipment. It'll be certainly an interesting year ahead. Mind, I only like high value gifts like my favourite, Blue Stratos Aftershave - it's great for keeping the flies away (and some people too).