connollystn

I'd say the guys in IRM towers are having a great laugh at us as it is likely that none of the prototypes mentioned thus far are going to feature as part of the new announcements. My money (what little I have) is on the ICR 22,000 - it's the sensible move.

You have to remember that Enda Kenny was involved and, look at the state he left the country in.......

Can just see them taking a good idea and making it bad. It was the toyish looks of their models which put me off OO.

I've a feeling that Hornby aren't very good at coming up with their own ideas. IRM won't have to worry about competing with them in the Irish market, at least.

What a boring video, it's enough to put me off railway modeling forever! The guy interviewing the Hornby fella seems to be as interested in the subject matter as I am in womens formula one motor racing. Have been to lots of model shops in Germany and don't recall ever seeing TT scale models. I'm too invested in OO/HO to consider changing down scale, however, if I was starting out again it'd be something I'd consider.

Railway engineering works seem to occur on long weekends which is very annoying. If they got the works done correctly in the first place it wouldn't be necessary to be closing the service at holiday weekends, anyway, the Sligo train is so slow it feels like there's engineering works on that line 363 days of the year. Just three weeks and four days* 'til IRM announce loads of new releases *Equivalent to 25 sleeps!

Just six weeks to go and I'm not thinking about it, even! Hard to believe that'll be three years since the last event. So looking forward to it.

@Billycan - Would never have known that was the iron bridge which spanned the Grand canal near the harbour. I used to hear people talking about it in the Harbour Bar [Harkin's] when they were describing what the area around James's walk was like years ago. The 'infamous' Fatima Mansions would have been on the left of that bridge, hence, the name of the Luas stop. Heard many an interesting tail when I drank in the Harbour Bar (formerly known as the 'Harbour Light').

Thanks for that clarification. That makes it real good value, I guess!

Is this a joke? I know the IRM A class are the best RTR models of Irish railway prototypes going but that is mad.

I'm a big fan of the ICR sets and those of us who are used to traveling on them will only be too delighted to see them produced in model form [OO]. I know a few guys...............

I'm having a bit of a cull of my model railway stock, mainly HO but I'll be off loading two of my A classes as I've made the decision that I am no longer buying stuff and having them sit in boxes doing nothing. I will donate 20€ from the sale of each of the locomotives towards the IRM fundraiser - think it's a worthy cause.

@Darius - Looking very impressive already. You seem to be gifted when it comes to modeling. Everything I get has to be RTR, otherwise, the stuff I'd make would turn out like a dogs' dinner.

Might head down again as I had a great experience the last time I was there. People were very friendly and the guys in the café plied me with loads of tea, sandwiches and cakes. Something very personable about the Wexford exhibition, hopefully, Iarnród Éireann will be operating a train service to Wexford that day as there were engineering works in progress on the line the last weekend I was down there.

Hi Guys, As you probably know already, I'm too miserable to spend money building my own model railway layout so I keep discovering videos of some fantastic stuff on YouTube. Check out this guy [Neville Grove], he has loads of videos uploaded and uses realistic sound also. This will make you want to buy loads of Accurascale Class 55s.

Hi All, happened upon a YouTube channel run by a fella called Mark [Model Railway Fantasia]. He has serious health issues - mainly to do with multiple amputations from all of his limbs, however, despite his disability he manages to create fantastic scenery for his layout. Interest in his hobby gives him a positive outlook on life and it's railway modeling what keeps him going. He's got an eclectic mWhile seeing how bad things are with Mark is won't stop me whingeing about my own health issues - of course, not on here as this place is a form of escapism. I've added a link to one of his YouTube videos, hope you find it interesting.

@Branchline121 - Thanks for uploading the video, it was interesting to watch.

Doubt that any other manufacturer is going to dabble in the Irish market, anyhow, the guys at IRM have a lot of goodies to anounce this year so calm down and be patient. The feeling I gather is the new Bachmann 37 seems to have received a luke warm reception - my money was on them producing an updated Class 70.

@GSR 800 - Thanks very much for those links to the New Irish Lines articles, made for plenty of very interesting reading.

Great pics @irishswissernie, I didn't realise that GNR(I) had the MaK diesel locomotive as far back as 1955. Makes me wonder why they waited until the early 70s to get diesel traction for mainline passenger services.

@meathdane - Nice collection of locomotives, love the weathering on the 141s, you should certainly get you hands on the A30 - the silver livery is so under-rated. And as for Wrenneire - where would some of us be without him? Have purchased a few rarities off him in the past.

More than words can say…….

@irishswisernie - The last photograph reminds of the good aul days when Longford was a busy rail freight terminal. The houses situated in the background is where I grew up.

I recall block fertiliser trains being a regular occurrence on the Sligo line. On one occasion I witnessed a fertiliser train being hauled by a class 121 and A, I always remember because it seemed unusual at the time.

Lots of videos of the Accurascale Deltic uploaded. Most people are delighted with their' purchases while, a few have had minor issues - namely, parts which have fallen off. The funny thing is that it's not obvious to them where the parts have fallen from which makes me wonder if it was necessary to have them in the first place. All of my IRM A classes arrived in perfect condition and for a while kept discovering details/parts which I never knew existed. I learned more by looking at that model than from any amount of photographs and written articles I've seen over the years. For me, IRM got the fundamentals right and the added details are a bonus and I believe it's the same in relation to the Accurascale Deltics. Don't know if anyone has ever said this before but, Did we get too much for our money?