IRM A Class Now In Production! Here's why you should get your pre-orders in sooner than later...

[DiveController]

Don't think so

[Colin R]

WELL THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU, You have done it now, the first of four turned up today it has been waiting for me to pick it up from the post office drooled all over it when I got it home, until construction can start on the 21mm gauge layout, it stays in the box so I don't loose anything a bit of a jig and a bottle of the black stuff are now in order but which comes first I will leave it up to you to decided    

Edited October 23, 2021 by Colin R

[WRENNEIRE]

7 hours ago, spudfan said:

Are there any other stockists of the A class other than IRM and Marks Models?

I know a man.......

[Westcorkrailway]

Care to explain chaps? 

 

well at least we aren’t all going mad

 

also….the cheek of ye to be hiding this edition the WHOLE time

Edited October 24, 2021 by Westcorkrailway

[BosKonay]

 

[Colin R]

 ARRRRGH. If I had known this was going to happen I would have asked for one of these as well, however sadly the bank won't allow me to have one right now.

Like you say railway heritage is so very important to the railway modeller, I suspect these will fly off the shelfs as well. I will have to have another look in January to see if you have any left as that is the earliest that I could buy one.

That is of course you don't surprise us again with another green version before then as well. 

Edited October 24, 2021 by Colin R

[Westcorkrailway]

I don’t think (surely) that there are any more A class variants hiding in IRM towers unfortunately

 

however these will be quick to sell out I would think. So many were trying to get A39R and A23R. So much so that some late to the party settled for crosselly engined A15. Even if it was not ideal

 

so Thanks IRM, for helping preservation, hungry modellers, and not announcing AEC railcars when mine arrived 2 days ago 

[DiveController]

This is a chance for anyone who missed out on A23R to acquire something in this livery. I wish I had been able to include one in my recent order. It's still €40 each time with DHL for us in the US

[DB JOE]

Well holy God!!!!! 

My Poor Poor Credit Card!!!!!

[BosKonay]

2 hours ago, DiveController said:

This is a chance for anyone who missed out on A23R to acquire something in this livery. I wish I had been able to include one in my recent order. It's still €40 each time with DHL for us in the US

But you are saving the 23% the Irish tax man will want

[DJ Dangerous]

14 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

But you are saving the 23% the Irish tax man will want

 

Yeah, that VAT would be a killer.

God love you poor schmucks up in Ireland.

 

2 hours ago, DiveController said:

This is a chance for anyone who missed out on A23R to acquire something in this livery. I wish I had been able to include one in my recent order. It's still €40 each time with DHL for us in the US

 

Just buy a few of them and make it worthwhile...

€40 over five of them is pittence...

[Georgeconna]

Nice, Saved 60 notes Diesel today by not being able to get to Wexford so that will be going towards that loco!  Smashing box too.

[DiveController]

How does this preserved A3r differ from  A3R was in traffic with CIE? @BosKonay

There were some obvious differences between say MM141 and MM141A(preserved) most notably the LED light clusters (and I don't recall what else) 

Edited October 24, 2021 by DiveController

[DJ Dangerous]

7 minutes ago, DiveController said:

How does this preserved A3r differ from  A3R was in traffic with CIE? @BosKonay

I don't think that it's as-preserved. It's as it was in traffic. The blog article says that it ran like this "later" in the mid nineties, albeit with toughened windscreens.

Edited October 24, 2021 by DJ Dangerous
Added url

[DiveController]

1 hour ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I don't think that it's as-preserved. It's as it was in traffic. The blog article says that it ran like this "later" in the mid nineties, albeit with toughened windscreens.

That was a little confusing but rereading that it seems the blog is merely stating that it ran later in the nineties in this livery after the Inchicore 150 where it was reliveried into A3R

Edited October 24, 2021 by DiveController

[DJ Dangerous]

29 minutes ago, DiveController said:

That was a little confusing but rereading that it seems the blog is merely stating that it ran later in the nineties in this livery after the Inchicore 150 where it was deliveries into A3R

I took that to mean that the model is in the livery that the loco ran in, but could also be used to represent the later mid-nineties preserved version, minus the glass.

"A3r also ran in this livery in preservation (albeit with later toughened windscreens) on mainline railtours in the mid-late 1990s as part of the Metro-Vick swansong on the main line network."

[Edo]

Evening

only 80 odd of the A3r left this evening already...

Im afraid the last of my toy train budget for the year has gone on acquiring  a near mint condition B&T 141/181 ( facilitated thru the good offices of a fellow forum member - thank you!) - as much as I want to support the ITG - I wont be in the market until the new year....I've already got the A39 so I hope anybody who wanted a B&T A class should take the opportunity and support a vital organisation into the bargain.

lastly Just a quick word to compliment the IRM lads on the quality of the packaging for the A Class and the care and attention - its these little details that matter - you're a setting a very high standard here - fair play to ye. In fact the packaging is so good that I picked up this weeks Darwin award after being stumped half way into unpacking A12 and I couldn't work out how to open the inner plastic packaging....until herself pointed out " there's an extra plastic sleeve there...are ye blind or wha......."..............yeh its time for my next specsavers appointment!

 

Ed

[West Limerick]

Can I say it was a nice surprise, I missed the first run of b&t in the (A), was a bit of a shock when I got the email, but I'm happy now. This will be number 4. Great stuff to irm. Ye are the best thing since slice bread

[RedRich]

Fantastic news both the ITG and RPSI have been doing amazing work. This is our chance to say thanks again 

Rich,

[Bumble_Bee]

Obligatory sharing of pics of my new A Class on the layout. 

 

Ballybriege has had some visitors from Cybertron since Trains were last running, but they managed to make room for a bit of running

 

so so glad to finally have an irish loco to pull my homemade irish wagons! Cant wait to see what IRM comes out with next, the quality on this model is 11/10 easily above and beyond what the bigger manufacturers are doing! 

 

Now I'm trying to decide if I want a second A Class or the NIR Mk2s 

[Warbonnet]

7 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I don't think that it's as-preserved. It's as it was in traffic. The blog article says that it ran like this "later" in the mid nineties, albeit with toughened windscreens.

Correct, it represents A3r in her rebuilt 1970s condition.

Cheers!

Fran

[connollystn]

Much more useful having the A3r modelled as it appeared in service rather than in preservation because none of them [preserved diesels] seem to see the light of day once they've ended their' days with Irish Rail plus, you'd be wasting money on a needlessly expensive ornament also.

[B141]

None of the preserved diesels “seem to see the light of day”? That’s totally inaccurate - the restoration and running of diesel locomotives is the entire reason why models of A3r are being made, as some of the funds raised are being donated to the Irish Traction Group which is currently operating A39r, 146, C231, and G617, and restoring 226. Well done to IRM for supporting such a worthy cause.
 

Not to mention 69 and 458 currently operating at Downpatrick or B124 under restoration at Inchicore by the RPSI…

Edited October 25, 2021 by B141

[BosKonay]

7 minutes ago, B141 said:

None of the preserved diesels “seem to see the light of day”? That’s totally inaccurate - the restoration and running of diesel locomotives is the entire reason why models of A3r are being made, as some of the funds raised are being donated to the Irish Traction Group which is currently operating A39r, 146, C231, and G617, and restoring 226. Well done to IRM for supporting such a worthy cause.
 

Not to mention 69 and 458 currently operating at Downpatrick or B124 under restoration at Inchicore by the RPSI…

100% correct - the entire proceeds of the sale of A3R are being donated - so by buying this collectible piece of miniature history you are directly supporting the work on  it's 1:1 version!

[DJ Dangerous]

I don't think that Connolly was criticising the work of any of the preservation groups or volunteers.

The written word is very easy to misinterpret.

I believe that he was stating quite the opposite, that the proceeds of the model will go towards the locos seeing more light of day, so the model reflecting a livery which saw more use will mean it has a broader appeal.

Broader appeal means more sales, which means more money for the ITG and hopefully, more similar fund-raising models in the future if this one is a success.

[connollystn]

@DJ Dangerous - That is the correct interpretation of what I posted. I simply agree with I.R.M. producing the I.T.G. preserved A Class for the purpose you outlined. 

[WRENNEIRE]

After yesterdays announcement I had to update my pic

[murphaph]

Will the ones with missing stickers be like the old upside down stamps worth millions in a hundred years??

[WRENNEIRE]

Hopefully  

[rajaman]

I’m in awe , the A Class is one hell of a model, IRM have once again raised the bar. Just waiting on the sound decoders for a proper drool fest . Just makes you think what these guys will achieve in the next few years.  A badly made video but I was like a kid this

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by rajaman
Limaetching of Brain

[connollystn]

Great video, reminds me of a Chritmas morning over forty years ago when I got my Lima 'A' and operated it on the living room floor for the first time.

[rajaman]

the baseboard , I use for the  Christmas tree with obligatory train 

[murphaph]

You'd almost feel sorry for it. "A Lima A Class is for life, not just until IRM bring out something that actually looks like an A Class"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185127302612

[Noel]

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

You'd almost feel sorry for it. "A Lima A Class is for life, not just until IRM bring out something that actually looks like an A Class"

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185127302612

I've two of those but I'd never sell them because they are part of my collection of historic Irish models, same with the Silver Foxes. My IRM 001  is going in a display case and won't run much.

[Irishswissernie]

I have joined the bandwagon and purchased an A3r - down to 33 now. Well the Winter Fuel payment is due so here's hoping for a mild winter.