Irish Royalty - Park Royal Coach Next For IRM

[Mayner]

1 hour ago, Flying Snail said:

Similar taxes on low value items from outside the EU are being implemented in Ireland (and across the EU) too. From next July theres a €3 plus VAT charge on each individual item in parcels worth below €150 coming from outside the EU to Ireland (and that includes from the UK  ) https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2026/0609/1576806-online-shopping-customs-duties-ireland-eu-regulations/

I remember a local importer/former major Auckland model shop owner complaining about 15-20 years ago that modellers importing models (locos & stock) direct from the UK and States without paying duty and customs charges were undermining his business and charging duty/customs charges on each individual item was the only item. 

He had seen the writing on the wall in terms of modellers importing model from overseas retailers or direct from the manufatures and sold the business. The new owner focusing more on diecast, RC aircraft and cars, effectively running down the model railway side of the business only now stocking Hornby, rather than the once large range of British, American outline by several major manufacturers. Now apart from Hornby and a handful of retailers that stock Bachmann or Atlas model railway items (in an area the size of the UK has to be imported.

The delay in eliminating the De-Minimus exemption was that until recently it cost more to collect the duty/customs charges than it generated in revenue, the almost world-wide change to electronic/automated customs clearance systems around 2021 has changed all that, and the Irish Government have been pretty efficient that Customs and An Post extract every cent.

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Mayner said:

I remember a local importer/former major Auckland model shop owner complaining about 15-20 years ago that modellers importing models (locos & stock) direct from the UK and States without paying duty and customs charges were undermining his business and charging duty/customs charges on each individual item was the only item. 

He had seen the writing on the wall in terms of modellers importing model from overseas retailers or direct from the manufacturers and sold the business. The new owner focusing more on diecast, RC aircraft and cars, effectively running down the model railway side of the business only now stocking Hornby, rather than the once large range of British, American outline by several major manufacturers. Now apart from Hornby and a handful of retailers that stock Bachmann or Atlas model railway items (in an area the size of the UK has to be imported.

The delay in eliminating the De-Minimus exemption was that until recently it cost more to collect the duty/customs charges than it generated in revenue, the almost world-wide change to electronic/automated customs clearance systems around 2021 has changed all that, and the Irish Government have been pretty efficient that Customs and An Post extract every cent.

During the covid lockdown, with tourism at a standstill, I started selling off crateloads of all sorts of old paperwork, historic banknotes and railway tickets, books, surplus model railway stuff and practically kitchen sinks via fleabay. I shifted loads and loads of items. Ebay was very busy then, and if you did a search for just about anything under the sun, you'd get loads of options.

Often, I just advertised things "postage included" because I knew it would be a negligible cost no matter where in the world, with very few exceptions. If I did have to charge postage, it might have been €5 on an item(s) worth €60. 

VERY different now. I'd end up having to charge maybe €15 on that same item. It's not just brexit/trump tarriff type charges, or EU customs - it's a combinaton of that, plus a move away from nationalised postal services to private, profit-driven distribution and courier firms. A massive, massive disincentive to businesses, ironically derived by and 100% the fault of supposedly "pro-capitalism" countries.

In my case, I neither buy nor sell internationally much now. Between here and Britain, I use the address of a northern-based relative and I either travel north with my free pass to retrieve it, or my relative delivers it on their frequent-enough forays to Dublin Airport.

Defrauding Irish or UK customs? Sure, bring it on. I'm proud to do so. Since I started working and paying taxes sixty years ago this year, they've got enough out of me. And I refuse to send a solitary cent anywhere near Bezos, Suckerberg or Musk, or their ilk, unless I really have absolutely zero choice.

Edited Tuesday at 15:22 by jhb171achill

[Broithe]

A while back, I bought a CD in Japan, priced in Yen - on the day the conversion was under £15, which was what I paid for the whole thing. When it arrived in the UK, they converted the Yen value and came up with £15:10.

This was over the £15 threshold, which resulted in a £3 VAT charge. Almost fair enough, but, there was then an additional £8 charge to facilitate the payment of the £3.

It was held hostage until I paid this, taking a £15 purchase to £26.

I complained to the Financial Ombudsman that the £8 charge for processing an electronic payment without even a man-second of cost was ridiculously over-the-top - but they never even replied.

[Crossley]

Mine arrived on Sunday,  here are some pics , the other is awaiting couplings as I prefer to use Kadee couplings. 

Tried the Park Royals with size #19 but due to my track radius they require #20 when shunting back . 

Note the fitted Bulleid van deputising for a tin van needed somewhere to put the prams cycles and parcels.  The guard now travelling in the coach. 

Edited Tuesday at 18:10 by Crossley

[Mol_PMB]

Nice! I'm looking forward to getting my green ones in due course.

I've fitted #19 to my first one regauged, but I've now run out of them and I don't have any #20 so I need to get some more Kadees ordered.

I'm hoping #19 will do on my more gentle curves as it will minimise the gap between the gangways, but I will need to experiment.

[glenn19]

Just got my Park Royal D.176 Suburban No. 1400TL, looks absolutely lovely but, it derails very easily, haven't had time to examine in detail yet, but when the bogey is turning the coupling is getting caught. 

It's a 2nd radius curve. All my others work OK. 

Maybe I need longer couplings, but I have a problem on a straight where it also derails, yet I can't see anything wrong

Anybody else having this issue 

Edited yesterday at 21:22 by glenn19

[murphaph]

46 minutes ago, glenn19 said:

Just got my Park Royal D.176 Suburban No. 1400TL, looks absolutely lovely but, it derails very easily, haven't had time to examine in detail yet, but when the bogey is turning the coupling is getting caught. 

It's a 2nd radius curve. All my others work OK. 

Maybe I need longer couplings, but I have a problem on a straight where it also derails, yet I can't see anything wrong

Anybody else having this issue 

Have you got any more to test on the same track or just the one?

[Metrovik]

48 minutes ago, glenn19 said:

Just got my Park Royal D.176 Suburban No. 1400TL, looks absolutely lovely but, it derails very easily, haven't had time to examine in detail yet, but when the bogey is turning the coupling is getting caught. 

It's a 2nd radius curve. All my others work OK. 

Maybe I need longer couplings, but I have a problem on a straight where it also derails, yet I can't see anything wrong

Anybody else having this issue 

I'm also having a bit of trouble with them on my Hornby track. They don't seem to like the points very much. 

[glenn19]

16 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Have you got any more to test on the same track or just the one?

I have another one, haven't opened it yet.... Will try it tomorrow and report back. 

[Mayner]

My first memory of a train on the Midland, westbound train approaching Kilcock GM loco possibly late 60sS?, two probabably Park Royal coaches topped and tailed by Bulleid Vans. Family was returning home to Dublin after a Sunday afternoon drive in with my Dad a fisherman checking out the Boyne and its tributaries.

Had intended to compare with a Park Royal assembled from a set of Worsley Works parts about 20 years ago. bascially to check whether it was worth upgrading the bogies.

Main issue was non-matching roof profiles and mine had collected almost 20 years grime in the display case. 

[glenn19]

16 hours ago, glenn19 said:

I have another one, haven't opened it yet.... Will try it tomorrow and report back. 

I tried my other one, same issue.... On the curves the bogey is hitting the back of the coupling  

[glenn19]

The carriage at the bottom of the video above is an old Lima which shows how much the bogey can swivel 

[Mol_PMB]

The coupling is mounted on a mechanism that should allow it swing it sideways when the bogie pivots. 

If you try this when the carriage is held upside down then the coupling hook can catch on the bufferbeam detail and stop it swinging. 

I wonder if there's something else catching in the mechanism that's preventing the coupling swinging sideways?

 

[exciecoachbuilder]

Hi, I'm having a problem too with the park royal coach bogies not being able to swing enough to negotiate some of the curves. It seems to be catching on the coupling mechanism with some of the curves on the layout, and derailing.  I have similar problems with the bogie fouling on the curves on two northern Ireland coaches. All the other coaches that I have, Murphy, silver fox, converted hornby, bachmann, when run fast, slow, reverse ,forward over points on different curves doesn't seem to have this problem. It's a pain in the a**e to be honest. 

[Warbonnet]

58 minutes ago, glenn19 said:

I tried my other one, same issue.... On the curves the bogey is hitting the back of the coupling  

 

In this video its quite visibly the coupling hook is sitting upwards and catching the pipes as a result. If you turned the coach upside down it would not occur.

This will also sound harsh but the only thing hornby track is fit for is the bin. We recommend PECO track.

If anyone is having an issue please email us at support@accurascale.com, preferably with a video clip showing us where the derailment is happening on your layout.

Cheers!

Fran 

[Mol_PMB]

No problems here on my curves or reverse curves, even when coupled to a shorter 4-wheeler. 

The kinematic mechanism seems to work very well, preventing buffer lock or the gangways fouling each other, while giving a nice close coupling on straight track. 

I have fitted Kadee #19s but I don’t expect that would make a huge difference compared to tension locks. Possibly they guide the coupler swing a bit better? 

On the other hand, my crossover isn’t as sharp as a setrack one. 

[jhb171achill]

I have got mine but haven’t got a chance to run them yet - but bizarrely I have two older IFM ones which, though lovely models, don’t like curves or points!!!

[Warbonnet]

running beautifully on Barrow Street....  

 

 

[glenn19]

Looks great. No problems on curves? 

Edited 3 hours ago by glenn19

[irishthump]

My three Park Royals were delivered yesterday and my Hunslet came today! I only had the chance to give them a quick run this evening, but I don't seem to have any problems over curves or points when pulling OR pushing. All my track and points are Peco Streamline. 

On a side note I'm really impressed with the design of the pickups on the bogies. There is no drag at all on the wheels, nice job!

[irishthump]

4 hours ago, glenn19 said:

I tried my other one, same issue.... On the curves the bogey is hitting the back of the coupling  

When the coach is the right way up the coupling should clear the bogie and the bufferbeam. Check that nothing has come lose on the coupler.

Edited 3 hours ago by irishthump

[glenn19]

I had it upside down just to make video, but happens right side up too. 

When bogie is turning, it catches the coupling, pushing it out to the left or right... By design I thought.

Except that it offers too much resistance and derails. The wheel rim(not sure it's proper name) is only about 0.5mm so easily slides of the rail track

does your bogie not push the coupling? 

Edited 50 minutes ago by glenn19

[glenn19]

Actually I think I found one possible problem, I took off the bogey and underneath there are 2 plastic strands, not sure what they represent, but I am pretty 6they are catching the bogey.... Might cut it to see 

[murphaph]

7 minutes ago, glenn19 said:

When bogie is turning, it catches the coupling, pushing it out to the left or right... By design I thought.

The bogie touches the coupling but it's impossible to tell from the video if you are already past a second radius curve when it does so. I mean, eventually the bogie has to contact the coupling if the curve is tight enough. A video of the derailment might be more useful. I don't have my coaches yet but I suspect if I flipped one over it would do the same as yours and contact the coupling if I push it over far enough.

The "pizza cutter" deep flanges of older stock were able to compensate for rubbish track (I'm not saying your track is rubbish, it might be great) and stop things derailing that really should have derailed but they look awful, so people generally want more prototypical shallower flanges but the flip side is that track has to be laid better.

Does it derail at both ends or does it prefer one end?

 

3 minutes ago, glenn19 said:

Actually I think I found one possible problem, I took off the bogey and underneath there are 2 plastic strands, not sure what they represent, but I am pretty 6they are catching the bogey.... Might cut it to see 

Please post a picture before you go cutting stuff!

[glenn19]

I put paper underneath so it is easier to see, there is two of them 

Edited 5 minutes ago by glenn19

[murphaph]

Looks like a brake line. It appears to be out of it's mounting hole in at least one place. Should push back into the chassis, does it? Be a shame to go cutting them if they just need to be secured down.