JM Design May 2022 website update

[Mayner]

We have largely cleared current backorders and are currently focusing on supplying undecorated wagons.

Two new wagons are now available having ironed out some production glitches with the first set of test prints received in 2021.

GSWR/GSR/CIE 10T Covered Wagon (planked version).

Some of these wagons survived in traffic use until the early 1970s with some later going into departmental use.

The LMA Wagon.

A very small group of wagons 16812 & 17213-17221 (built 1952) with "light metal alloy bodies" before CIE started churning out large numbers of Plywood Bodies Vans on Bullied Triangulated underframes the classic CIE H Van.

Other Wagons:

A very small number of decorated Brake Vans, Opens and Covered Wagons are available from the website.

https://jmdesignmodelrailways.com/blogs/news/may-2022-update-h-vans-ᴙ-us

Edited May 4, 2022 by Mayner

[DJ Dangerous]

I love the look of the three covered vans, particularly the "planked" one! Definitely need to order some today!

Do you have "earliest" and "latest" estimated running dates for the three of them?

IE, the planked one, IWC1005, and IWC10010.

[jhb171achill]

As John says, the "tin" ones were very few and far between; I suspect they didn't outlast the 1960s. I never saw one at all, anywhere.

The planked ones were still to be seen in traffic just about past 1970, though I never saw one repainted brown. By 1973/4, my guess is that they were all gone.

Beautiful models - recommended as essential for any 1940s / 50s / 60s layout.

[2996 Victor]

At times like this, I really think I model the wrong era..... Superb models, John, now how can I justify them?  

Cheers,
Mark

[jhb171achill]

47 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

At times like this, I really think I model the wrong era..... Superb models, John, now how can I justify them?  

Cheers,
Mark

What’s your preferred period, Mark?

In terms of variety, since the 1970s there has been less variety every year as things get standardised. Great for efficiency, not so much for enthusiasts.

By far the greatest variety of locos and rolling stock in Irish railway history was the 1955-65 period, as modellers are (thankfully) increasingly embracing.

[2996 Victor]

32 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

What’s your preferred period, Mark?

In terms of variety, since the 1970s there has been less variety every year as things get standardised. Great for efficiency, not so much for enthusiasts.

By far the greatest variety of locos and rolling stock in Irish railway history was the 1955-65 period, as modellers are (thankfully) increasingly embracing.

Hi Jonathan,

the early Edwardian period is my era of preference, 1905 give or take a couple of years either side. A good variety of liveries and different companies to choose from.

Having said that, I'm thinking of an early 1950s micro at some point.

Cheers,

Mark

[jhb171achill]

6 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

Hi Jonathan,

the early Edwardian period is my era of preference, 1905 give or take a couple of years either side. A good variety of liveries and different companies to choose from.

Having said that, I'm thinking of an early 1950s micro at some point.

Cheers,

Mark

You’re not a million miles off, really. Vans like the planked one above started appearing about 1915 - at that stage, though, they were the very latest thing! The KMCE wagons are the best for you, plus the ancient style Provincial Wagons guards van, and the Studio Scale Models “soft top”.

[2996 Victor]

59 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

You’re not a million miles off, really. Vans like the planked one above started appearing about 1915 - at that stage, though, they were the very latest thing! The KMCE wagons are the best for you, plus the ancient style Provincial Wagons guards van, and the Studio Scale Models “soft top”.

I've recently had a small string of wagons arrive from @KMCE and I have to say I'm extremely impressed with the detail and quality of Ken's prints. I haven't yet begun to finish them, but they're approaching the top of my list! I've looked at Provincial's kits, and although the Guard's Van is in period, it doesn't suit my favoured MGWR unfortunately. However, I'm fermenting a cunning plan to hopefully solve that! Are any of their other wagons suitable for use/back-dating? I'm thinking primarily of the SLNCR cattle wagon and goods van. I've had a couple of Studio's MGWR convertibles languishing in a drawer for a couple of years, too.

Cheers,
Mark

[jhb171achill]

The cattle wagons of short wheelbase of Leslie’s SLNCR / GNR design aren’t strictly within period, but like the new JM Design goods van isn’t too far after. However, despite Board Of Trade rules, in 1905 many - if not most - cattle trucks remained roofless. The Provincial ones could be made up like that, at a pinch.

[2996 Victor]

7 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

The cattle wagons of short wheelbase of Leslie’s SLNCR / GNR design aren’t strictly within period, but like the new JM Design goods van isn’t too far after. However, despite Board Of Trade rules, in 1905 many - if not most - cattle trucks remained roofless. The Provincial ones could be made up like that, at a pinch.

Thanks, Jonathan, that's great!

Cheers,

Mark

[Mayner]

The LMA wagons may survived to the end of loose coupled working in the late 70s, covered wagons used for bagged cement traffic would have become surplus to requirements following the introduction of the Pallet Cement Wagons in 1976, the remaining vans would have been gradually withdrawn as goods trains went over to Liner Train operation between 1976 and 78.

There are few published photos of the LMA wagons, there is a photo of 16812 & 17215 at Mullingar in the early 1980s in the IRRS Flickr album. Unfortunately the IRRS was unable to release photos of the LMA and other wagons.

I came across the body of 16812 (technically the last of the 1915 design of wagon) on a construction site in Castleknock in the mid 1980s and another at the rear of a farmhouse in Milltown Pass in the late 1990s.

Going back to Victor's dilemma: apart from the SSM Convertible and the long discontinued Jeremy Suter Open Wagon & Alphagraphix card kits no suitable kits or rtr models are available of MGWR goods stock from the Edwardian era.

The MGWR had a small number of Hard topped 14' Cattle Wagons distinctly different in design to the GSWR, GNR and SLNCR design of cattle wagon, MGWR brake vans were mainly a caboose design with raised cupola and drovers compartment up to the introduction of a 'conventional' shortie design with end balconies but no lookouts during the 1920s.

I built an 1874 Brake Van using Evergreen Plasticard and Northeastern Stripwood about 30 years ago a fairly simple scratchbuilding project. Jeremy Suter produced a number of high quality whitemetal kits of Irish wagons during the early 90s including the standard IRCH Covered Wagon, MGWR Open Coal, GNR/NCC Bread Container Wagon and a GNR/UTA Bread Van one off runs which were unfortunately never repeated.

[2996 Victor]

Many thanks for this info, John, it's hugely appreciated - I've got some of the Broadstone drawings and I'm trying to get hold of the IRRS wagon compendium, so some scratch building is on the horizon.

Did I read somewhere that your MGWR wagon etches are still available, or did I dream that?

Cheers,

Mark