Coaching Stock - Irish Freight Models

[jhb171achill]

They actually look better weathered.... me being me, while my above comments stand, my own gripe would be the livery on the green ones - they appear to have a white line along the waist instead of very pale green.

 

Maybe it's the photo, but they look that way too on their website.

 

Setting your layout in 1963 would mean the thing probably hadn't seen a paintbrush since new in 1955, as they were the first to carry the light green after the awful "silver" was applied to tin vans and laminates!

[Junctionmad]

The criticism is not displaced one bit. Dave is a collector and enthusiast of the hobby and has seen every kind of quality in his time, therefore his opinion is sound. The same can be said for Ed's opinion as he has been involved in the hobby for a long time as a modeller and exhibitor at shows on this island and beyond.

 

The OP himself has stated in another thread that he would not want to go down the kit road of non injection moulded plastic models. When he asked the IRM team if there were any intentions of a bullied corrugated model being produced the lads said there were no plans at this time. It was pointed out to him that another manufacturer has produced a fine kit of the wagon, he said himself he would only be interested in injection moulded plastic models. That then blows the availability theory out of the water.

 

I'll take a bet Junctionmad, that if anyone except Noel had started this thread you would not have gotten involved in it.

 

Rich,

 

 

I only commented Richie , because I have seen his IFM stock up close and as I commented , I feel the criticisms are misplaced , in so much that there is a wide variety of accuracies on any layout , ranging from track that's 5mm too narrow to all sorts of compromises. Equally there are others kits from others that are, in my opinion, also poorly rendered in certain areas , but if a builder really feels bad about it , he can correct those issues no more then someone with an IFM model could equally do.

 

I don't think that discrepancies are solely with IFM , many kits and products from smaller and larger suppliers have issues that are either overlooked or fixed depending on the builders skill and interest

 

As I've said , I've seen them , and I think they are very nice for what they are and add great variety to what would otherwise be a sea of Murphy models and several other posts seem to agree.

 

We'd all like everything to be perfect, but that's not possible. Taken on an absolute comparison, These IFM coaches aren't perfect, but then many similar small suppliers kits aren't perfect either.

 

I don't see that they should be particularly singled out from any others , that's all

Edited March 10, 2017 by Junctionmad

[BosKonay]

I think to be fair to all posters, no one here 'singled out' IFM, this thread was simply about their products.

 

Just like in the past, we've had threads picking apart projects such as Eoin's DARTs, or Weshty's Kits, or the IRM wagons, or even Murphy's MK2s.

 

To try to curtail opinion, criticism and constructive advice would defeat the purpose of this community.

 

Any offering in the marketplace should be able to stand up to scrutiny; any smart offering should be able to take and build on the criticism, giving us all more and better options in general!

[Blaine]

Wow! What a load of bollox. I suggest this thread be deleted or locked as it's nothing short of an IFM bashing exercise.

 

A few facts:

1: IFM do not charge top dollar. 95 euro is NOTHING for a handmade model of any description. Comparing with China mass production? Meaningless.

2: It is well known that IFM have some compromises in their models. As with any product, look at the pics before buying.

3: It's a free world, IFM can make whatever they like, however they like.

4: The people who produce Irish models do it mostly out of the desire to create an Irish railway model scene and hopefully not go broke in the process.

 

There's a reason the UK manufacturers haven't touched the Irish market except when commissioned with money up front. You can still get Cravens made 10 years ago.

 

There's a sense of entitlement and waiting around for top notch RTR everything on this board. Ain't gonna happen in any of our lifetimes/ever. Out of curiosity I bought an IFM Park Royal kit. It's perfectly well cast and will make into a lovely model with medium modelling skills. Not 'Master' skills as some have suggested.

 

So enough with the IFM bashing and get out your glue and airbrushes chaps. I learned from nothing and so can the rest of you.

 

Your very upset and protective there David - at a rival manufacturers product. You would swear that you had something to do with IFM or something

[WRENNEIRE]

I think to be fair to all posters, no one here 'singled out' IFM, this thread was simply about their products.

 

Just like in the past, we've had threads picking apart projects such as Eoin's DARTs, or Weshty's Kits, or the IRM wagons, or even Murphy's MK2s.

 

To try to curtail opinion, criticism and constructive advice would defeat the purpose of this community.

 

Any offering in the marketplace should be able to stand up to scrutiny; any smart offering should be able to take and build on the criticism, giving us all more and better options in general!

 

Bosko

One of the best posts to appear on this forum

That what does not harm up makes us stronger

Eoins DART has progressed in leaps and bounds partly because of some well aimed criticism but also because he took everything on board

and was man enough to accept his model was not what the punter wanted and went on from there

Indeed at the last Stillorgan Fair there was one of his original DARTS for sale ant it was unrecognisable compared to today's offering

Again Westhy has taken critisism on board and also MM, who is having his ST coaches repainted as we speak

But room must also be put aside for those who are happy with what is on offer, they afterall are the people with the money and without it where would we be?

[jhb171achill]

I have to say that since my house move 4 years ago or so, and the attendant lack of space (downsizing!), the argument is finished for me; if I DID have the space I would constantly sway back and forth from "will I get a big layout with cheap stuff" or "a small layout with detail-perfect and extremely expensive stuff".....

 

Well, I've a filthy weathered J15 on my shelf beside me. The grey's much too dark, but it's a lovely model and very well made by one of our compatriots here! :-)

[craven1508]

purchased 1 supberban park royal+ 1 cross country version, weathered and they are staring

at me here, thank god we have I.F.M and the likes, im going to get a full Length

travelling post office next [heavily weathered]

[DiveController]

purchased 1 supberban park royal+ 1 cross country version, weathered and they are staring

at me here, thank god we have I.F.M and the likes, im going to get a full Length

travelling post office next [heavily weathered]

Good for you, Craven. There is very little stock really available for the late 50s/early 60s period which is a very interesting period. When we have a reliable supply of these, maybe we can discuss the imperfections in the IFM models. They are a little expensive. I'm surprised the collectors haven't picked up three of each model from a small Irish business rather than completely non-prototypical pieces with a large foreign manufacturers brand stamped on them.

[Junctionmad]

I have to say that since my house move 4 years ago or so, and the attendant lack of space (downsizing!), the argument is finished for me; if I DID have the space I would constantly sway back and forth from "will I get a big layout with cheap stuff" or "a small layout with detail-perfect and extremely expensive stuff".....

 

nothing in railway modelling is " cheap" so a " big layout with expensive stuff" or a "small layout .. extremely expensive stuff"

 

the point is this thread is about weathering not about IFM anyways

[Garfield]

the point is this thread is about weathering not about IFM anyways

 

This thread has been about IFM from the outset. Noel's weathering thread is here: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/6101-When-it-went-all-wrong-the-rocky-horror-show

[Junctionmad]

This thread has been about IFM from the outset. Noel's weathering thread is here: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/6101-When-it-went-all-wrong-the-rocky-horror-show

 

So it is , I apologise for the confusion