Irish steam confirmed

[mphoey]

Well irm has confirmed an irish steam loco for this year.

It was on their rpsi mk2 update today

[Patrick Davey]

Hinting that it is indeed an RPSI one....?

[StevieB]

I note that they use the word could rather than will, which suggests…..or maybe it doesn’t. We’ll have to wait for the formal announcement.

Stephen

[jhb171achill]

Achill bogie please!

[DiveController]

Would prefer to see a Queen than her Jeep

[jhb171achill]

As 00 Works showed with their CBSCR 0.6.0ST, obscurity is quite possible! There can be few prototypes more obscure than these, but it sold out I believe. As for the first IRM one, and the foregoing being the case, it could be absolutely anything under the sun. Availability and suitability of the internal gubbins may have a big say in determining what it will be.

[minister_for_hardship]

12 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

As 00 Works showed with their CBSCR 0.6.0ST, obscurity is quite possible! There can be few prototypes more obscure than these, but it sold out I believe. As for the first IRM one, and the foregoing being the case, it could be absolutely anything under the sun. Availability and suitability of the internal gubbins may have a big say in determining what it will be.

Tacked on to production of the identical British based locos, just a different coat of paint and number plates. If it were a stand alone Irish obscure model, it may not have fared as well.

[Horsetan]

My money is still on the Guinness saddle tank no.3.

Failing that, the 0-6-4T Lough Erne or the DSER K2 2-6-0 no.461.  No outside valve gear.

[Flying Snail]

Go anywhere, do anything ... 

 

.. at least that's what I four-see anyhow

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, minister_for_hardship said:

Tacked on to production of the identical British based locos, just a different coat of paint and number plates. If it were a stand alone Irish obscure model, it may not have fared as well.

True, indeed.

Maybe we should be scanning what British chassis might suit something Irish...........

[David Holman]

 I may have posted something similar before, but the choices made by manufacturers in the past have sometimes been odd, like the Hornby Dublo/Wrenn R1 0-6-0Ts, which only really got used on the Folkestone  Harbour branch. This was very much back in the day, whereas we now have sensible options like Stanier Black 5, Terriers, etc, etc.

 I suspect that in the past, choices were driven by what could be easily produced, whereas now, options are more varied. However, from an Irish, steam outline point of view, a key choice will be whether a new rtr loco can be converted to 21mm gauge or not. New diesels seem to be made that way, but for any steam loco with splashers, outside cylinders or valve gear, suspect it becomes a production nightmare. Add in the fact that there are very few steam locos that avoid ticking these boxes and suspect whatever  is produced will perforce be limited to 16.5mm gauge, though guess that is unlikely to worry the majority of potential buyers.The

 By the by, does anyone know if the 7mm scale Ruston 88DS is easily converted to 36.75mm gauge? Likewise the little Hunslet 0-6-0T which bears more that a passing resemblance to one used on the Fenit branch and elsewhere the the South West?

[Irishswissernie]

I'm thinking this could be a 'top tip' I'm pretty sure that the Sligo & Donegal Junction would have acquired one if it appears. In RPSI days seen all over Ireland. JG Dewing photographed it at Coleraine April 1970.

[mphoey]

On 27/3/2024 at 8:30 AM, Irishswissernie said:

I'm thinking this could be a 'top tip' I'm pretty sure that the Sligo & Donegal Junction would have acquired one if it appears. In RPSI days seen all over Ireland. JG Dewing photographed it at Coleraine April 1970.

if it was to allow an rpsi sales version 171 is obvious as the rpsi main identity loco and due to come back shortly into service

[Patrick Davey]

On 13/4/2024 at 2:02 PM, mphoey said:

if it was to allow an rpsi sales version 171 is obvious as the rpsi main identity loco and due to come back shortly into service

Exactly my theory for some time now!  But I have been completely wrong with my predictions on each and every IRM announcement so far.............

[Brack]

On 26/3/2024 at 10:30 PM, Horsetan said:

Failing that, the 0-6-4T Lough Erne

You could do all 3 types with the same chassis....

 

Bet its a jinty.

Or a LNWR special tank...

[226 Abhann na Suire]

Surely a Jeep…?

[jhb171achill]

29 minutes ago, 226 Abhann na Suire said:

Surely a Jeep…?

I'm actually astonished that this hasn't been done years ago.

[Patrick Davey]

All these nice wagons are super (two packs heading my way!) but I wonder when we'll hear about the steam announcement........?

[jhb171achill]

2 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

All these nice wagons are super (two packs heading my way!) but I wonder when we'll hear about the steam announcement........?

It’s being re-boilered right now….

[Branchline121]

16 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

I'm actually astonished that this hasn't been done years ago.

I’d say it would be a likely candidate as it could also be easily retooled into one of the LMS/BR 2-6-4Ts for Accurascale, which certainly would sell a bit, considering how ubiquitous they were in Britain.

[Horsetan]

16 hours ago, Branchline121 said:

.... it could also be easily retooled into one of the LMS/BR 2-6-4Ts for Accurascale, which certainly would sell a bit, considering how ubiquitous they were in Britain.

Not that easy. The smokebox/G8AS parallel boiler/firebox and possibly the cylinders and outside motion are directly transferable from the Fowler engine, likewise pony and trailing bogie, but the chassis frames appear different. The 6ft driving wheels are shared with the Stanier Black 5.

The tank and bunker plate work are also Stanier/Fairburn-like, without being a direct swap with either of those 2-6-4T designs.

If it had been that easy, Hornby would have had alternative tooling for their Fowler 2-6-4T ready years ago.

[jhb171achill]

Indeed.

There’s many a thing can be converted to as near as dammit to an Irish prototype - and many’s a modeller had made a pretty good “Jeep” out of a British 2.6.4T. But they never seem to look QUITE the same; I suspect new design would be as necessary as for a Sligo tank or a Dingle 2.6.0T.

Doable, of course.

I always just thought that given a Jeep’s versatility, and it’s busy RPSI career into modern times, it could be an excellent candidate.

As the very last steam locos in service in Ireland (cue a VERY heavily weathered factory-finish!), they rubbed shoulders with many types of diesels too….

[Patrick Davey]

I still think the Ballymena & Larne would make a worthwhile subject.

[airfixfan]

You mean the 2-4-4T?

[Westcorkrailway]

 

the only real candidate for a RTR Irish steam locomotive 

 

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

8 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

the only real candidate for a RTR Irish steam locomotive 

 

What is it?

[minister_for_hardship]

13 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

the only real candidate for a RTR Irish steam locomotive 

 

If there's a suitable chassis out there, can't see a reason why someone couldn't 3D print a body, bar getting hold of an accurate drawing for such an unusual short lived loco could be tricky.

[Westcorkrailway]

8 minutes ago, Gabhal Luimnigh said:

What is it?

Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Baldwin Tank Engines from America. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBSCR_Baldwin_saddle_tank

1 minute ago, minister_for_hardship said:

If there's a suitable chassis out there, can't see a reason why someone couldn't 3D print a body, bar getting hold of an accurate drawing for such an unusual short lived loco could be tricky.

There is drawings of the locomotive on the internet (its on the forum infact!) for all to see so it wouldn't be the most difficult thing to do. problem is....it wouldn't be a great seller id imagine! at most people might want it to put next to there GMS to show the evolution of American locomotives in Ireland 

 

https://digitalcollections.smu.edu/digital/collection/rwy/id/2214/rec/93

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Baldwin Tank Engines from America. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBSCR_Baldwin_saddle_tank

There is drawings of the locomotive on the internet (its on the forum infact!) for all to see so it wouldn't be the most difficult thing to do. problem is....it wouldn't be a great seller id imagine! at most people might want it to put next to there GMS to show the evolution of American locomotives in Ireland 

 

https://digitalcollections.smu.edu/digital/collection/rwy/id/2214/rec/93

Those were probably the most hideous-looking steam locomotives ever to run in Ireland!

[Westcorkrailway]

6 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Those were probably the most hideous-looking steam locomotives ever to run in Ireland!

 

dont know if these ever ran but.....

[jhb171achill]

1 minute ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

dont know if these ever ran but.....

Not pretty either! This was an experimental conversion of an existing loco.

[Galteemore]

The GNR were generally spot on with design but the superheater experiments produced some horrors. I can’t repost here but have a look on the GNRI section of ‘Transports of Delight-Smugmug’. 

Edited April 29 by Galteemore

[GSR 800]

2 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

the only real candidate for a RTR Irish steam locomotive 

 

 

[Horsetan]

41 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

 

dont know if these ever ran but.....

That's the last iteration of Bulleid's turf-burning testbed, prior to scrapping in about 1957. 356 was colloquially known as the "...Mental Turf Burning Locomotive"

[Killian Keane]

we're all crying out for this