connollystn

There's a website called 'preservedthumpers.com' which deals with the subject of 'NIR thumper freight'. There's a photograph of a single Class 70 car hauling some fertiliser wagons. Very interesting website for those of you who want to learn about Thumpers.

The last two times I was down in Wexford Town it was raining. The sun always shines on TV but not on Wexford. Mind, it's a great excuse to visit one of the local hostelries on the way home from the exhibition. Hope it's raining next time I'm down there........

Both, I think! I like bread and I like cake so a great combo.

Well, the only reason I consumed so many scones at the MRSI exhibit was because the only alternative was breac and I'm not a fan of that, plus, I have a fondness for apple tart (hint-hint @ the caterers in Wexford). It might sound a tad sad but, for me, the real highlight is the café - the fact that the purpose of the exhibition is to display model railway layouts is purely consequential.

Iarnród Éireann will have its obligatory engineering works that weekend so will have to bus it down to Wexford. Will be worth it for the tea, sandwiches and slices of apple tart, oh yeah, and the model railway layouts also!

Very impressive weathering, really adds realism to the model. Funnily enough, my face is fairly weathered now but it took me 72 years to get it to this stage.

Didn't have time to bitch as I was busy consuming copious amounts of tea and stuffing myself with loads of tasty currant scones.

Hi All, not sure if any of you who attended the model railway exhibition last weekend paid much attention to the Accurascale stuff. It was quite difficult for me to view the models at this stand due to the congestion but, what little time I did get to look, I got to see the classes 31 and 37. They looked very impressive with a high level of detail and a quality finish. It'll be interesting to see how the Accurascale 37 will compare with the Bachmann version. The latter's release seemed to get a fairly muted response as, I'm sure, a lot of people asked themselves 'Why?'. Pity I didn't get the opportunity to study the other models in the display unit but I got a good look at the model I wanted to see [class 31].

I recommend a visit to the cafe - the scones were very tasty, the Accurascale 37 and 31 looked very tasty also (not available in the cafe).

Think I predicted this! Anyway, it was the obvious choice and don't think anyone could have any objections to this being IRM's next powered model. The 22,000s have transformed rail travel in Ireland and the production of these ICRs in model form may entice the younger generation into getting involved in the best hobby in the world.

Have to say, the highlight of the show (for me) was the cafe. Had three cups of tea, a ham sandwich and a couple of extremely tasty scones.

Hi Guys. Not a one for blowing my own trumpet but did I not say that the 22,000 would be the next sensible model?

Looking forward to seeing the finished article, that is one of a number of very interesting locomotives which operated on the GNR(I).

Last time I used the Sligo service there was a total of 40 minutes of delays for both the outward and inward journeys and then they want us to use public transport? Doesn't make sense to me. Back in the day before motorways etc. the train was you only man but now it has been left behind, way way behind.

I bet the guys at IRM Towers are now kicking themselves that they didn't come up with that idea.

Hi Broithe, thanks very much for that advice. Now, just need to think of a place which might have boxes suitable for my needs.

Hi Darren.d, I've a Supertrain liveried Class 33 together with three Mark I coaches lying about somewhere. Let me know if you are interested.

Make sure that all of us who are in attendance are around the stand before you make any announcements - I've been waiting for this moment for the last three years

Wonder who will be the first user on here to announce the announcements which will be announced at the exhibition tomorrow?

Think that this weekend should be all about the exhibition. If Paddy turns up with 141/181 locomotives good and well but, if not, there will still be a show on with lots of layouts to see and people to chat with. The one thing I will say about those locomotives - at the time of their' releases there was no other OO model diesel which compared to them. I blame Paddy Murphy for turning me into a pernickety railway modeler.

@BosKonay - Have to agree with you regarding the sales of IRM stock, from my own experiences, I feel that the UK retailers add on a hefty mark-up. Also, it's likely that in future I'll be buying directly from yourselves because in the past, some items I've bought from a certain retailer never seemed box-fresh.

Hi guys, I find using Iarnród Éireann quite frustrating. I don't understand why it takes almost 2 hours to travel 76 miles [121 kilometres] on the ICR to Longford? In fact, it is often the case that the down Sligo train only travels as little as 20 miles [32 km] in the first hour. Using that service annoys me so much that I've told my elderly widowed mother that I am now reducing the number of times that I will be visiting her. At my age and with an extremely dodgy ticker, can't afford to be spending as long on a train which takes so much time to cover so little distance. Modernisation must have passed the Dublin/Sligo line by?

Hi guys, I have to off-load a load of Fleischmann stuff as I need to cull my collection. It's most likely that I'll have to sell them to a European retailer. Can anyone advise me as to where I can get boxes and packing? Your help will be very much appreciated.

Very annoying news, he will be a big loss to the exhibition. Always has a great selection of stuff. We're paying the price for the people who put the cross in the wrong box. 'Welcome to the Brexit sir!'

Nothing wrong with the odd rumour here and there, sure, if this website wasn't operated by IRM I'd be making up loads of stories about them guys. I'm a bit of a gossip - it's my job.