IRM announce NIR Enterprise Mark 2 Coaches

[jhb171achill]

25 minutes ago, Blaine said:

Theres actually 3 liveries

Original grey/blue - 1978 - 1986ish

Grey/Blue with white banding/Intercity script - 1986-1989

Corporate Intercity - 1989 - 1999.

Although there was mixed livery rakes too

Four; the original maroon & blue also.

[mphoey]

7 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Four; the original maroon & blue also.

yes surprised the maroon livery was forgotten as well as rpsi livery

[Westcorkrailway]

6 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Yeah I didn't see that coming at all. Fair play, they look beautiful already. The Hornby chaps were clearly impressed.

Obviously there's some common tooling between BR and NIR versions but the decision to press ahead with the "oddball" NIR variants is brave and I hope will be rewarded.

With this announcement I can't help but feel an 80 Class isn't too many years away.....

 

At least my silver fox railcar set and C class were not imeidiatly outdated before they even arrived

 

80 class very much jumped up a few places for a future release in the coming years

[murphaph]

3 minutes ago, mphoey said:

yes surprised the maroon livery was forgotten as well as rpsi livery

Well you have to have something to re-release. I doubt it was forgotten. I'm sure it was a conscious decision

[Warbonnet]

1 minute ago, murphaph said:

Well you have to have something to re-release. I doubt it was forgotten. I'm sure it was a conscious decision

Exactly! And Maroon and Blue only ran with Hunslets..... 

[murphaph]

We demand Hunslets!! lol

[Westcorkrailway]

1 minute ago, murphaph said:

We demand Hunslets!! lol

To be fair I’ve seen people do wonders with the silver fox hunslets The tooling is certainly one of there better one so that will suffice............for now 

[mphoey]

only copped this part in the article so even more value for us

Each triple pack is priced at €199.99 and there is a 10% discount when you order three or more packs.

[Westcorkrailway]

1 minute ago, mphoey said:

only copped this part in the article so even more value for us

Each triple pack is priced at €199.99 and there is a 10% discount when you order three or more packs.

Triple packs are ideal cause it has value and 3 is a good amount of coaches for most layouts

[murphaph]

Did they ever run all 9 of the planned bumble bee coaches together?

[Bumble_Bee]

Which of the A-class liveries ran with which of these coach liveries? 

[Westcorkrailway]

9 minutes ago, Bumble_Bee said:

Which of the A-class liveries ran with which of these coach liveries? 

Super train and tippex did anyway

[jhb171achill]

“A”’s never hauled them, but were in Supertrain livery hauling the CIE set at the same time as the grey & blue ones, and the “tippex” white lines started appearing on IE liveries at the same time NIR were adding them to the NIR livery.

I got the impression at the time that NIR took that “white line” idea from IE.

CIE Black’n’tan on locomotives was long dead when this NIR livery appeared.

33 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Did they ever run all 9 of the planned bumble bee coaches together?

I think so, certainly on rugby specials.

[Bumble_Bee]

So I should wait to see if any Hunslets are announced or IE livery mk2s to run with my A class 054 then?  

 

Also are these mk2s the 'gatwick set' I see mention of or were they different? I think the ones above are before my time as I remember seeing trains with teal striping, not yellow. 

Perhaps that was early Translink livery though. It was around the turn of the century, I remember vividly sitting in burger king in yorkgate before going to the cinema, watching the trains thunder past with lovely yellow ends with red diamonds, and they definitely had teal lining with the blue and grey

[hexagon789]

1 minute ago, Bumble_Bee said:

Also are these mk2s the 'gatwick set' I see mention of or were they different? I think the ones above are before my time as I remember seeing trains with teal striping, not yellow. 

These are Mark 2B design coaches which NIR ordered new from BREL in 1969 and which entered service on a "re-launched" Belfast-Dublin Enterprise.

 

The so-called Gatwicks were second-hand from GB Train Operating Company Gatwick Express (hence the nickname) where they were used in push-pull sets with Class 73 Electro-Diesels and ex-2HAP Driving Motor Baggage Cars. They were replaced on Gatwick by Class 460 EMUS.

The Gatwicks as used by NIR are Mark 2F design with air-conditioning, originally ordered by BR in 1972 for the West Coast Main Line. 

The particular Gatwick ones were previously used on the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and Nottingham/Sheffield, rendered surplus by HSTs being introduced to the route in 1982/3 they were modified into fixed 2/3-car sets for a re-launched Gatwick Express which was then run as a dedicated non-stop Express service.

Translink obtained 4 of these coach sets in 2001 (married pairs of two coaches), they were withdrawn in 2005 but soon re-instated to provide extra capacity. Although a Driving Trailer (an ex-ONE Mk2F DBSO) was obtained to allow the set to run push-pull, the set was never converted and was withdrawn in 2009. 

[hexagon789]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

Four; the original maroon & blue also.

Which is by far the best

On 80s as well... but I digress 

[NIRCLASS80]

4 hours ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

Mk2 range hopefully incorporating a 80 class announcement!

please

Thanks lads. We’re half way there!

[Blaine]

1 hour ago, jhb171achill said:

Four; the original maroon & blue also.

In the launched IRM range, I'm not that naive 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Blaine

[MOGUL]

29 minutes ago, hexagon789 said:

These are Mark 2B design coaches which NIR ordered new from BREL in 1969 and which entered service on a "re-launched" Belfast-Dublin Enterprise.

 

The so-called Gatwicks were second-hand from GB Train Operating Company Gatwick Express (hence the nickname) where they were used in push-pull sets with Class 73 Electro-Diesels and ex-2HAP Driving Motor Baggage Cars. They were replaced on Gatwick by Class 460 EMUS.

The Gatwicks as used by NIR are Mark 2F design with air-conditioning, originally ordered by BR in 1972 for the West Coast Main Line. 

The particular Gatwick ones were previously used on the Midland Main Line between London St Pancras and Nottingham/Sheffield, rendered surplus by HSTs being introduced to the route in 1982/3 they were modified into fixed 2/3-car sets for a re-launched Gatwick Express which was then run as a dedicated non-stop Express service.

Translink obtained 4 of these coach sets in 2001 (married pairs of two coaches), they were withdrawn in 2005 but soon re-instated to provide extra capacity. Although a Driving Trailer (an ex-ONE Mk2F DBSO) was obtained to allow the set to run push-pull, the set was never converted and was withdrawn in 2009. 

The Gatwick's ran with a Gen van converted from a Mk2B BFK, 8911.. But the lads won't be producing that one, I would imagine as it doesn't really fit with the other Mk2Bs being released here..

Or maybe its the ace up their sleeve for a Christmas surprise release

Also, to add in as I don't see it mentioned yet, the NIR MK2B would have occasionally went further afield on the IE network on GAA specials, and I think they even ran to/from Dun Laoghaire for a short while to offer a ferry service connection.. 

 

[jhb171achill]

10 minutes ago, MOGUL said:

Also, to add in as I don't see it mentioned yet, the NIR MK2B would have occasionally went further afield on the IE network on GAA specials, and I think they even ran to/from Dun Laoghaire for a short while to offer a ferry service connection.. 

That had occurred to me - I have info on this somewhere. I’ll check it out & post details. They weren’t as well travelled as 80 class railcars though - 80s were to be seen on Waterford - Limerick Junction and Limerick - Athenry, among other places!

Edited August 26, 2021 by jhb171achill

[enniscorthyman]

The NIR mk2bs ran to Rosslare in the 90s,I have a photo with 2x141s just outside Enniscorthy around 1993/94.Must have been short of stock that time.

[murphaph]

Woah, hang on a sec....you guys slipped a ex FK mk2c into the NIR set! I completely missed it in all the excitement.

https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/mark-2-coaches/products/nir-mk2b-pack-corporate-intercity-1

Now that means we can almost certainly expect RTR versions of IR 4103, 4104, 4105, 4106 and 4107.

4109 was the only standard based on the mk2b so that should also be doable. Very excited for the future, even more than I was!

 

[ttc0169]

Good choice,well done to all at IRM,

I like the close couplings and interior lights function 

I will support this venture.

[Warbonnet]

39 minutes ago, NIRCLASS80 said:

Thanks lads. We’re half way there!

Good guess! To be honest it would be great to do the other half, but it is entirely dependant on how these go. NIR is a niche within a niche, so to do an NIR powered model will hinge on sales of these coaches. It's a bit of a gamble but hopefully rewarded!

Cheers!

Fran 

Meanwhile in Foynes....

Don't forget, these travelled extensively across the country. Not just on Enterprise workings! 

 

[Mike 84C]

The guys at IRM have created more exceptional models in these coaches  The bar has been raised even higher! for others to follow. My only concern is, when steam/ transition era stock is introduced will my wallet be able to afford it!? Will my swimbo let me pay 200 notes for three Park Royals!

  Very well done the lads at IRM!  

[DJ Dangerous]

17 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Woah, hang on a sec....you guys slipped a ex FK mk2c into the NIR set! I completely missed it in all the excitement.

https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/mark-2-coaches/products/nir-mk2b-pack-corporate-intercity-1

Now that means we can almost certainly expect RTR versions of IR 4103, 4104, 4105, 4106 and 4107.

4109 was the only standard based on the mk2b so that should also be doable. Very excited for the future, even more than I was!

 

So does that mean that we'll see IR / IE packs at some stage???

The Bachmann Mk2B gougers had better run for the hills so.

[Blaine]

4 minutes ago, MOGUL said:

Also, to add in as I don't see it mentioned yet, the NIR MK2B would have occasionally went further afield on the IE network on GAA specials, and I think they even ran to/from Dun Laoghaire for a short while to offer a ferry service connection.. 

Correct about Dun Laoghaire, was an extension to the Enterprise, theres probably not anywhere on the network, North or South that they didnt venture at least one, including to Westport and Sligo

[murphaph]

Did NIR ever lend a set of these to CIE/IR/IE? I believe they were lent on occasional bank holiday weekends where there was a bank holiday in the south but maybe not in the north but were they ever lent for longer periods?

[Patrick Davey]

4 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

Still holding out for that Ballymena & Larne starter set in OO9…..

I reckon I was the closest of all the guesses because these vehicles would have visited both Ballymena and Larne.

Not my area of interest, despite growing up with these liveries as they whizzed through the station at the bottom of my road, but hats off lads - amazing craftsmanship and raising the bar yet again. 

[Blaine]

7 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Did NIR ever lend a set of these to CIE/IR/IE? I believe they were lent on occasional bank holiday weekends where there was a bank holiday in the south but maybe not in the north but were they ever lent for longer periods?

Very rare, as they needed them for 3 Enterprise sets and a few spares. More for GAA specials etc where you had 15 coaches in a set..

[Garfield]

I think they may have been 'borrowed' by IR if a set was caught on the south side of a bomb alert or similar disruption on the Northern line. I have a vague recollection of seeing a set on a Sligo service in the '90s around the time there was trouble with gangs blocking the line at Lurgan...

[airfixfan]

53 minutes ago, Patrick Davey said:

I reckon I was the closest of all the guesses because these vehicles would have visited both Ballymena and Larne.

Not my area of interest, despite growing up with these liveries as they whizzed through the station at the bottom of my road, but hats off lads - amazing craftsmanship and raising the bar yet again. 

Ballymena yes but Larne now that is a question?

[iarnrod]

A re-run of MM 111's would be good right about now.

[LMSNCC]

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

Did NIR ever lend a set of these to CIE/IR/IE? I believe they were lent on occasional bank holiday weekends where there was a bank holiday in the south but maybe not in the north but were they ever lent for longer periods?

Open for correction here but I think I remember reading after the DeDietrich stock entered service a set was borrowed by IE for a year or so but was only used once. Think they sat at Heuston sidings during most of this time. 

[Patrick Davey]

10 minutes ago, airfixfan said:

Ballymena yes but Larne now that is a question?

There is a prototype for everything after all, ha ha