New IRM Announcement - Original Taras! (and Newer Livery too)

[Warbonnet]

IRM Sings The Blues - Original Taras! (and Newer Livery too)

We haven't had an IRM announcement for a little while as we work to get the A Classes over the line. Now our Metrovicks are getting close to completion, we can focus on other projects.

So, we have a couple of excellent new announcements coming up over the next while. The first of which is a perfect companion to our A Class and something that's been in high demand since we sold out of them a couple of years ago; the Tara Mines wagons are back, and this time in their most iconic livery of blue with Tara branding!

The Tara Mines wagon were built by CIÉ in 1977 for Tara Mines Ltd to convey zinc and lead ore from their mine near Navan, Co. Meath to Dublin Port for export. They are still in operation today and currently represent the heaviest freight trains operated on a daily basis in Ireland.

When they first appeared on the network they sported an attractive all over blue livery with Tara branding, forming a distinctive and bright block train as CIE pumped positivity into the Irish rail freight network. Three laden trains still operate in a block formation between the mine and Dublin Port each day, with the wagons going about their business in unassuming and reliable fashion for almost 35 years.

When we launched our first run of these distinctive wagons back in late 2016 we did so in the current red oxide livery only. We were asked by many modellers if a blue liveried model would be forthcoming. It seemed pointless to provide them at that time due to a lack of quality A Class locomotives to haul them, but we did tool the original style hoods as we were already planning then to do the A's some justice in model form. 

The blue Taras were almost religiously hauled by A Class locomotives between their introduction in 1977 and repainting in the early 1990s, with Supertrain, Supertrain with IR logos and IR white lined livery providing motive power during this time. The wagons themselves began to suffer due to the corrosive nature of the zinc order they hauled, with the blue fading into grey before the repainting into red oxide livery. IR branded A Classes would continue to haul the Tara's in red oxide until their withdrawal and replacement with 071 locomotives in 1995.

As per the first run of these wagons, a wealth of separately applied detail to ensure the bulky nature of these interesting wagons is captured correctly. Rotating axle hubs, kinematic couplings with NEM pockets set at the correct height and full 21mm provision has been accounted for, with sprung buffers and full brake detail present.

As well as blue livered Tara's, we're also offering packs of the later red oxide livery with all new numbers and later style hood to help modellers bolster their previous rake, or build a new one for their IR A Classes or 071 locomotives in IR, IE orange and black, black and silver and current grey livery.

There will be five different twin packs of the blue liveried wagons, each with a unique running numbers allowing you to build up an authentic rake of 10 wagons behind your IRM A Class. We are also offering three packs of these wagons in red oxide livery. All packs are being made in extremely limited numbers. 

Despite rising costs in China, we are able to maintain our RRP of €79.95 per twin pack. We also know our rake deals are always popular, so we will be continuing them. You can buy all 8 packs (five blue and three red oxide) for €624.60 (saving 15%!) or two or more of any packs for 10% off. Just add the wagons to your cart and it will be automatically deducted at the checkout for you!

Tweaks to some of the printing (including the "Tara" branding) is already underway and once this is complete manufacturing will get underway, with a Q4 2021 delivery date envisaged. You can pre-order yours by clicking here. 

[Michael Nolan]

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

[Warbonnet]

3 minutes ago, Michael Nolan said:

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

If you care to read the announcement again @Michael Nolan you will see that there are other announcements due in the coming weeks. What an odd statement to make.

[Georgeconna]

6 minutes ago, Michael Nolan said:

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

Feeling Blue it seems....

[Barl]

Delighted to see the new announcement with the never previously released  blue Tara's. 

I missed out on them before but they only thing is now I have to decide between them and another A class I was just about to click checkout on..

Edited June 3, 2021 by Barl

[BosKonay]

1 minute ago, Barl said:

Delighted to see the new announcement with the never previously released  blue Tara's. 

I missed out on them before but they only thing is now I have to decide between them and another A class I was just about to click checkout on..

Worth mentioning that the original wagons have also different roofs to the previously released models.

[Blaine]

11 minutes ago, Michael Nolan said:

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

Ok

What do you want. Tell us. Be blunt. Be honest. Be frank. What do you want that is good enough. All you seem to do here is whinge and complain so why is this one any different. Maybe this interest is not for you as clearly it upsets you.

10 years ago even all you had was the vintage MIR resin kits for these and other stuff, people used to say 'wouldn't it be great if someone made them ready to run and affordable' - that is now here from an Irish company that is rapidly growing in terms of good reputation and presence and you still moan.

Good oul Ireland - a nation of whingers, begrudgers and backstabbers. Thankfully in the minority.

[mfjoc]

The blue Tara's looked like that for about a week

I will have to bite the bullet and weather them!

 

[PaulM1974]

Great stuff! Missed out on these first time round as I didn't have a layout back then, looks like I'm gonna need a bigger fiddle yard in my new one! Thanks to IRM for all the great work!

PS Give us a few pay days before the next announcement...

Edited June 3, 2021 by PaulM1974

[murphaph]

Did the red oxide ones ever have the old style lids or had they all been replaced by then?

[Garfield]

3 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Did the red oxide ones ever have the old style lids or had they all been replaced by then?

The transition from blue to red oxide overlapped with the replacement of the lids.

[Patrick Davey]

Love the colour of the new Taras - surely it is but a small step now to applying a similar shade to a steam locomotive............ 

[heirflick]

Ah feck it....there goes my lockdown savings!

[Wexford70]

1 hour ago, mfjoc said:

The blue Tara's looked like that for about a week

I will have to bite the bullet and weather them!

 

Nice design but what a vibrant blue alright! Not having the weathering skills I think I may reluctantly pass on this model.

[DJ Dangerous]

Ghdjkjfgrhfjjfgjcx...

Translation:

Too excited to type.

Who was that moaning?

Not good enough?

Would ye get the boat???

[Noel]

Good to hear. Still holding out hope for CIE era laminates, some 2 axle vans and open wagons somewhere in the future.

[mphoey]

great to see the blues finally and it will be great for those that never got taras originally

[declan64]

Nice surprise this morning even if my credit card was running hot from two Class A's last night. I missed the Tara Mines first time out and always regretted it so my order is in - I don't care if they're a re-hash of the previous model, that's fine with me - they've got new running numbers at least for the previous owners to extend their rakes.

I've never seen the blue Taras in model form before.
Now if I could lay my hands on an NIR 071 in this blue livery, that's something I'd be interested in.....

[DJ Dangerous]

Do I have this correct?

These blue Taras will wear G1 (first gen) lids.

The previous IRM red Taras wore G2 lids.

These new red Taras will wear G3 lids.

[Garfield]

11 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Do I have this correct?

These blue Taras will wear G1 (first gen) lids.

The previous IRM red Taras wore G2 lids.

These new red Taras will wear G3 lids.

The new red oxide Taras also have G2 lids. In reality, the transition from G2 to G3 is still taking place...

 

[DJ Dangerous]

Just now, Garfield said:

The new red oxide Taras also have G2 lids. In reality, the transition from G2 to G3 is still taking place...

 

So they're perfect for completing rakes of IRM's last red Taras, while also perfect for anybody lucky enough to track down a grey 071!

[WRENNEIRE]

Saw a new logo on the current Taras
Do you think you might be able to add it to the new oxide ones?

[Warbonnet]

Just now, WRENNEIRE said:

Saw a new logo on the current Taras
Do you think you might be able to add it to the new oxide ones?

Not on this run, but perhaps on a future run (if such a concept doesnt cause too much frustration!) 

[enniscorthyman]

The blue Tara's look very well.

I may wait and see how the finances are going as I want to get a few more A class.

[NIRCLASS80]

Another excellent announcement bringing more variety yet giving everyone a chance to buy something to meet their needs. 
 

[BosKonay]

14:00 North Wall / empty Tara mines approaches Portmarnock.

Thursday 03 06 2021. (Photo John Healy)

[JasonB]

9 hours ago, Michael Nolan said:

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

I've read some shite on this forum over the years, but this is the best yet. Not good enough? I'm genuinely baffled by this comment. 

[Dempsey]

I maybe showing my age or lack of knowledge of anything rail related before the early nineties or both, I had no idea that these existed in another colour. Would these be the only examples of privately owned freight stock running on the network? 

[Dempsey]

7 hours ago, Wexford70 said:

Nice design but what a vibrant blue alright! Not having the weathering skills I think I may reluctantly pass on th

I know a guy if you want them weathered

[GSR 800]

10 hours ago, Michael Nolan said:

Very Disappointed in todays announcement after such a long delay all  we are offered is a re-jig of the old models. Not good enough.

Ah here would you ever come off it, we might as well being seeing the start of a golden age in irish railway modelling, both with the lads here at IRM, the advancment of 3D printing and kits from the likes of JM, SSM, Provincial and many others. Of course theres a loco or coach or piece of rolling stock we'd all like to see announced at some stage, but so far we've been spoiled sideways with new releases, not to mention the A's within grasp, feck all to complain about, especially considering the limitations of the pandemic. 

Not good enough my arse.

[mmie353]

That was a nice surprise the blue Tara's. Thanks lads, they look awesome.. 

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, Dempsey said:

I maybe showing my age or lack of knowledge of anything rail related before the early nineties or both, I had no idea that these existed in another colour. Would these be the only examples of privately owned freight stock running on the network? 

They were that colour when brand new, but a bit like a silver A class or silver tin van, or a steam engine in a light or bright colour, they got so filthy, so quickly and so inevitably that the actual livery they were painted in become lost under a layer of gunk.

Pretty soon they were repainted in the standard brown colour; this concept also applied to other vehicles like the Castlemungret yokes.

In the very few cases of Irish wagons having a livery other than standard CIE, almost inevitably while they LOOK "private owner", they are fully CIE / IE owned. The "bubbles" were branded "Irish Cement" towards the end, but were always owned by CIE - same with the Taras.

Actual fully private owned wagons - we're going back decades, and then not many. I'm sure others will add to the list, but on the BCDR the East Downshire Co. had a few coal wagons, and oil companies had a small number of tankers in the 1950s and 60s.

[Dempsey]

4 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

They were that colour when brand new, but a bit like a silver A class or silver tin van, or a steam engine in a light or bright colour, they got so filthy, so quickly and so inevitably that the actual livery they were painted in become lost under a layer of gunk.

Pretty soon they were repainted in the standard brown colour; this concept also applied to other vehicles like the Castlemungret yokes.

In the very few cases of Irish wagons having a livery other than standard CIE, almost inevitably while they LOOK "private owner", they are fully CIE / IE owned. The "bubbles" were branded "Irish Cement" towards the end, but were always owned by CIE - same with the Taras.

Actual fully private owned wagons - we're going back decades, and then not many. I'm sure others will add to the list, but on the BCDR the East Downshire Co. had a few coal wagons, and oil companies had a small number of tankers in the 1950s and 60s.

Thanks for the info, I had misunderstood that when they were built for tara mines they were built for them as a costumer rather then built for running from tara mines. 

[Mayner]

5 hours ago, Dempsey said:

I maybe showing my age or lack of knowledge of anything rail related before the early nineties or both, I had no idea that these existed in another colour. Would these be the only examples of privately owned freight stock running on the network? 

My understanding is that the "Tara Mines wagons" are owned by the mine (Locomotives and Rolling Stock of CIE & NIR Editions 1-3 Oliver Doyle a reliable source).

I am uncertain about the situation with the NET Ammonia tank wagons and LHB bogie cement wagons. The Ammonia tank wagons were originally leased from Storage and Transportation Systems with the railway responsible for maintaining the wagons & NET the tank/pressure vessel.

ESSO Teo owned the tank wagons used on the North Wall-Claremorris & Sligo oil trains, the wagons were re-gauged ESSO Class A & B from the British mainland.

There are advantages for both the railway and shipper in using private owner wagons and private sidings for train load traffic. The railway was relieved of the capital cost of providing the wagons and the rail terminal and the potential loss of the traffic if the railway cannot obtain funding. The traffic from the Lisheen and Galmoy zinc mines were lost to road when the Government turned down IEs funding application presumably for wagons and a siding during the 1990s.

In the traditional "loose coupled wagon load" era the oil companies owned their own branded tank wagons with ESSO Teo the final company to own its own wagons, the GSR built 8 bulk grain hoppers for Ranks Ireland in addition to 12 GSR owned wagons of the same design these 

[DiveController]

Is the calculation for the 8 sets correct?
Should the SKU for Pack H be IRM1032BX-H?

Been waiting on these so just about to order. But even more interested to see if the new announcements will provide any additional variety. Well done!  

Those of us who purchased the original ballast wagons but did not use the redemption code yet, will IRM still honor that?

Those modelers in the US have noticed that while almost any purchase in Ireland has free shipping and minimal cost in the entire EU, the standard shipping rate to all our various zip codes has increased. @BosKonay

 

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by DiveController