IRM announce NIR Enterprise Mark 2 Coaches

[BosKonay]

These coaches are all mark 2b not 2d, just to be clear 

[DJ Dangerous]

32 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

These coaches are all mark 2b not 2d, just to be clear 

Except for 903, you sly devils!

That's the one that inspires hope in one day seeing some IR / IE packs!

[BosKonay]

29 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Except for 903, you sly devils!

That's the one that inspires hope in one day seeing some IR / IE packs!

Sometimes paying close attention is very rewarding

[DJ Dangerous]

1 hour ago, BosKonay said:

Sometimes paying close attention is very rewarding

It was eagle eye @murphaph who pointed that one out to me!

[Jarl]

Well done to IRM. These look great and fill a big gap (the same goes for their Accurascale cousins for the BR modeller). One grey/blue pack ordered, with much thanks and anticipation; something of quality for 111 to pull at last.

[Wexford70]

On 27/8/2021 at 2:01 PM, gm171 kk said:

Most NIR Enterprises I've seen have been 111/201 + 9-11 mk2s including a genny at both ends. 

Although I did see a photo last night of a 201 + DVT + 6 mk2s + genny. 

Any chance IRM can produce a second genny in the later livery to allow a prototypical rake?

[jhb171achill]

7 hours ago, BosKonay said:

These coaches are all mark 2b not 2d, just to be clear 

2b or not 2b, that’s the question.

[DiveController]

Just wondering and I think I know the answer but is the 'Enterprise' board on the front of the DBSO removable or all one piece. Frequently the front of the driving trailer had the wine diamond so wondering if that came as an alternative or additional piece.

If i recall the DBSO was converted form gangway stock and may have had the board fitted and possibly removed when later used as a coach only even if it ran next to the genny which itself had passenger accommodation. 

Edited September 23, 2021 by DiveController

[DiveController]

Incidentally, how did you solve any issues with light bleed from the coaches? Is there a black skirt at the cantrail level or no joint there if the body is removable as one unit? Light bleed at the floor level is usually less of an issue, and through the windows not at all @BosKonay

Edited August 28, 2021 by DiveController

[jhb171achill]

In terms of where these coaches went to, I am still delving, but a learned and long-standing friend contacted me today having seen these posts, and advises me of certain interesting movements they had.

On 10th February 1994, the RPSI's No. 4 hauled one of the Mk 2 vans from York Road, via Antrim and Lisburn, to Belfast Central Services Depot, at the former BCDR Queen's Quay station. he also suggests that a set of Mk 2s also reached Larne Harbour on an MRSI excursion in 1997.

So there's a bit more information; at least one of them was hauled, on at least one occasion, by a proper steam engine instead of an infernal combustion machine.....!

[JasonB]

Have to admit, I never thought I'd see these produced RTR, to this standard by a manufacturer.

As said above, they're niche, and it's a gamble by IRM, but I'm sure it will pay off. 

The driving trailer looks absolutely fantastic. 

I'll say no more, I've just soiled myself.  

[LARNE CABIN]

I agree @JasonB, the Driving Trailer 811, in Blue/Grey is absolutely fantastic.

[DiveController]

38 minutes ago, JasonB said:

Have to admit, I never thought I'd see these produced RTR, to this standard by a manufacturer.

As said above, they're niche, and it's a gamble by IRM, but I'm sure it will pay off. 

The driving trailer looks absolutely fantastic. 

I'll say no more, I've just soiled myself.  

Also agree about this being produced at all. Pretty much every other IRM gamble seems to have paid off. I think these will be very popular even among southern modelers. It looks like that board might be press fit and removable. An optional white diamond end board in the bag of bits would be nice. 

[iarnrod]

Question for the IRM lads or any NIR Mk.2 guru's out there.

Is it possible to create additional protoypical NIR coaches by simple renumbering from any of the three corporate livery packs? I suspect Corporate Pack 3 is a good candidate at least.

Edited August 29, 2021 by iarnrod

[DiveController]

Noel, thanks very much for putting that together! With my Doyle and Hirsch editions in hand you just saved me a whole lot of work 

[iarnrod]

29 minutes ago, DiveController said:

Noel, thanks very much for putting that together! With my Doyle and Hirsch editions in hand you just saved me a whole lot of work 

Put it together to try and get my head around NIR Mk.2 stock. For such a small fleet, there was some amount of different versions and changes over the years.

Dates for conversions and seating numbers seem to differ depending on where you look, but broadly speaking, should be accurate enough to allow an overview of NIR stock for anyone purchasing the latest goodies from IRM.

[jhb171achill]

I checked with my sources for any further details of NIR Mk 2s and their travels beyond Dublin.

Seems there weren't any, beyond extremely rare forays to Dún Laoghaire, so that's that; when NIR wanted to send a train deep into IE / CIE territory, it seems that they always used 80 class sets.

So no rare visits of Mk 2s to Tuam, Mullingar, Limerick Junction, Kerry or Waterford!

[Galteemore]

What was the consist of that MRSI special to Westport in the early 90s? I have a vague recollection of spending part of it in the NIR executive coach 913.

Edited August 29, 2021 by Galteemore

[Blaine]

20 hours ago, DiveController said:

Just wondering and I think I know the answer but is the 'Enterprise' board on the front of the DBSO removable or all one piece. Frequently the front of the driving trailer had the wine and diamond so wondering if that came as an alternative or additional piece.

If i recall the DBSO was converted form gangway stock and may have had the board fitted and possibly removed when later used as a coach only even if it ran next to the genny which itself had passenger accommodation. 

I think regarding the maroon and blue ones it was whatever was handiest to grab and there were more of the maroon and blue ones as the 80 class sets were shuffled around 

Need to consult the books but there were two DBSO's initially and I 'think' a 3rd was added later. One ended up being adapted to run with an 80 class set, this was one of the 3 sets that IR rented in the late 80's - early 90's 

The DBSO's when mixed in with the other Enterprise stock were usually in the middle of the set, it did not matter ultimately where in the rake, as long as they were inside the 2 gennys

[MD220]

45 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

I checked with my sources for any further details of NIR Mk 2s and their travels beyond Dublin.

Seems there weren't any, beyond extremely rare forays to Dún Laoghaire, so that's that; when NIR wanted to send a train deep into IE / CIE territory, it seems that they always used 80 class sets.

So no rare visits of Mk 2s to Tuam, Mullingar, Limerick Junction, Kerry or Waterford!

The ITG Western Enterprise tour in 1990 consisting of 111 hauling an NIR mk 2 set visited Tuam!

[DiveController]

Nice shot here from IRRS of 111 with red warning rectangle with the light blue and 'grey' livery c. 1981. Actually it was pretty much only the roof that was anything like grey in fact

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/49734221398/in/photolist-2iLQTiQ-2kKjw4A-2kKoQU6-2kKpmV4-2kKpmVz-2kKjDSG-2kKoQWF-2kKoUCV-2kKoR1t-2iLTEZt-2kKpn5x-2kKk7fm-2kKoUt1-2kKoUx4-gQ3XNr-imw6gm-iE8ntC-gRCviE-cfHe95-e42BB9-iL46Ag-q31ZrJ-e42HwQ-gqEnWP-gQ3Zdv-pqa3Ty-cWfLAU-ovLwT7-8QaKAS-cUUm27-dS55zo-gQ4TYZ-gRCwbG-d5h7Yf-hZsJmX-gQ3YRY-dRYtpP-of9RtJ-d5hnc5-arhXzo-d5hR8S-arfiXn-dS55zE-iL519T-2kKoUDM-2iLTF27-2kKjDYo-2kKoopC-2kKoomS-2kKoUui/

 

@Blaine Actually I have an image of a red board with white diamond but it must be the maroon and navy boards with diamond on the DBSOs that you referred to

 

Here's one from IRRS in Connolly in 1983!!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/51030549422/in/photolist-2iLQTiQ-2kKjw4A-2kKoQU6-2kKpmV4-2kKpmVz-2kKjDSG-2kKoQWF-2kKoUCV-2kKoR1t-2iLTEZt-2kKpn5x-2kKk7fm-2kKoUt1-2kKoUx4-gQ3XNr-imw6gm-iE8ntC-gRCviE-cfHe95-e42BB9-iL46Ag-q31ZrJ-e42HwQ-gqEnWP-gQ3Zdv-pqa3Ty-cWfLAU-ovLwT7-8QaKAS-cUUm27-dS55zo-gQ4TYZ-gRCwbG-d5h7Yf-hZsJmX-gQ3YRY-dRYtpP-of9RtJ-d5hnc5-arhXzo-d5hR8S-arfiXn-dS55zE-iL519T-2kKoUDM-2iLTF27-2kKjDYo-2kKoopC-2kKoomS-2kKoUui/

 

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by DiveController

[MD220]

Video by Southern Yard on YouTube 

[murphaph]

They definitely made it to Kildare and possibly Portarlington to reverse, having brought passengers down from Belfast for the Irish Derby. At least one pic of them at the Curragh in the Irish Railway Rambler book springs to mind.

[Galteemore]

37 minutes ago, MD220 said:

The ITG Western Enterprise tour in 1990 consisting of 111 hauling an NIR mk 2 set visited Tuam!

Yep. Pretty sure I was on that 

[DiveController]

1 hour ago, Blaine said:

Need to consult the books but there were two DBSO's initially and I 'think' a 3rd was added later. One ended up being adapted to run with an 80 class set, this was one of the 3 sets that IR rented in the late 80's - early 90's 

The two initial DBSOs were 811 and 812  in 1970 but a 24S DBFO was added in 1972

1 hour ago, Blaine said:

The DBSO's when mixed in with the other Enterprise stock were usually in the middle of the set, it did not matter ultimately where in the rake, as long as they were inside the 2 gennys

Any idea if the DBSOs had regular gangways to allow passengers to move thorugh the train when used as regular coaching stock within the rake?

[hexagon789]

21 minutes ago, DiveController said:

Any idea if the DBSOs had regular gangways to allow passengers to move thorugh the train when used as regular coaching stock within the rake?

Same as 80 Class DTS vehicles.

[DiveController]

So yes then just by removing the end boards I guess. Must have been draughty with a DBTS as the lead operating vehicle

[hexagon789]

21 minutes ago, DiveController said:

So yes then just by removing the end boards I guess. Must have been draughty with a DBTS as the lead operating vehicle

In the cab or the passenger accommodation?

 

It should really be no worse than an ordinary passenger coach and the driver could always close the cab door to insulate themselves if it was draughty at the expense of elbow room.

[Bumble_Bee]

I cant wait to order a set of these stage but depending what else gets announced over the next year I might end up getting three packs because i really want the DVT, a generator and a grill haha. 

 

That said my layout is literally only a single loop oval so a 9 carriage train would end up with the arse end and front end coupled together

[iarnrod]

The fact that IRM are releasing 547 and the Driving Trailer alone is amazing, particularly with 547 as it's such an oddball carriage.

Hopefully, sales are encouraging enough to enable further NIR carriages once the Mk. 2C is released as a more mainstream range by IRM/Accurascale. One Mk.2C already crept into one of the NIR packs, so I would imagine Mk.2C's will be in the next tranche of Mk.2's from IRM/Accurascale.

Edited August 29, 2021 by iarnrod

[jhb171achill]

7 hours ago, MD220 said:

The ITG Western Enterprise tour in 1990 consisting of 111 hauling an NIR mk 2 set visited Tuam!

Didn't know that - I will inform my learned source as well! Thanks for the info.

6 hours ago, murphaph said:

They definitely made it to Kildare and possibly Portarlington to reverse, having brought passengers down from Belfast for the Irish Derby. At least one pic of them at the Curragh in the Irish Railway Rambler book springs to mind.

Ditto!

 

 

Thanks, folks!

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by jhb171achill

[iarnrod]

Some interesting haulage on the NIR Mk.2's.

 

[DiveController]

6 hours ago, iarnrod said:

The fact that IRM are releasing 547 and the Driving Trailer alone is amazing, particularly with 547 as it's such an oddball carriage.

Hopefully, sales are encouraging enough to enable further NIR carriages once the Mk. 2C is released as a more mainstream range by IRM/Accurascale. One Mk.2C already crept into one of the NIR packs, so I would imagine Mk.2C's will be in the next tranche of Mk.2's from IRM/Accurascale.

546 may even have been one the cards as Richie had been looking for information on it way back on New Year's Day 2017 but had lots of info on 547 at that time.  That's really how long these have been on the cards for development especially as both coaches are still extant I believe.

I put my order in on the weekend for all packs although the bumblebee is not so much my era but I do have 112 to run them behind so they'll get an outing or two anyway (or maybe just a Baby GM in SupIR livery for that matter)

Edited August 30, 2021 by DiveController

[murphaph]

Some more video. All thanks to Gerry Conmy's YT channel.

Kildare:

Portmarnock:

 

Poyntzpass:

 

Not sure where:

 

Balbriggan:

 

 

 

[Warbonnet]

On 28/8/2021 at 12:29 AM, DiveController said:

Yes, I have to agree with that. Although I am a little despondent at not having any early Irish coaching stock, these really are a lovely product, thoughtfully done wrt the lighting, lighting control, ultra close coupling and easy access to the interior.

It's clear lessons have been learned from earlier products like the plough vans which suffered from some flickering which will be nullified by inclusion of capacitors on the lighting system.

Purists might argue that we might have to leave those out if early stock is produced for prototypical realism!!  (I seem to remember many flickering lights on coaches as a boy although I don't recall if these were TL or dynamo driven lighting)

Access to the A class and the coaches is much better than MM products (and many modern products, no offense intended to MM products superb for their time). Luckily I picked up some 111-113 at various points after they had sold out, difficult with the limited editions for sure, and there may well be a market for a re-run of these. Looking forward to those MM Mk3 Supertrain livery in all new tooling hopefully to a similar standard as these.

Other than some persisting issues with 21mm reguaging I have to say these are really wonderful, a superb job by IRM, I'd say. 

Rome wasn't built in a day, so don't worry, earlier stock will come. These things just take time is all. 

What persisting 21 regauging issues? All our bogie stock has sufficient room, as does the As, and you can see here that we have tooled the B4 and B5 bogies for these coaches for 4ft 8 and a half and 5 ft 3 for the NIR examples to allow regauging to 21mm. Can this evolution to the unfortunate slight lack of room on the Ballast/Bubble chassis be classed as persistent?

On 28/8/2021 at 2:36 AM, mmie353 said:

I am curious to know if there will be a re-run of anything that has been done so far. I am blown away with the Mark 2s as the samples look awesome.  It must have taken a minute to get the close coupling figured out from what we have seen on these models to what seems to work really well from the video. I do not have anything from NIR, but these have me thinking... 

To turn on the lighting with the magnet is a cool feature. 

Thanks! We have previously re-run our cement bubbles, ballast hoppers and have just done the same with our Tara Mines wagons, so there is every possibility depending on how popular something is. We do not re-run same numbers with the same livery combination though, and while we hope to do the maroon and blue NIR mark 2s one day it is very difficult to say if we will rerun NIR Mark 2s in this livery again one day given their niche nature. Like everything Irish outline, it's wise to grab them while you can and if you decide later they're not for you you will get most of your money back (or even a profit) by selling them. 

6 hours ago, DiveController said:

546 may even have been one the cards as Richie had been looking for information on it way back on New Year's Day 2017 but had lots of info on 547 at that time.  That's really how long these have been on the cards for development especially as both coaches are still extant I believe.

Incorrect. Work began on these about 2 years ago with Gareth project managing this one and a smashing job he has done too. 

To answer your question re. Enterprise headboard; this will be in the accessory bag so user fit as you see fit.

Cheers!

Fran