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

[Georgeconna]

14 hours ago, connollystn said:

Jennifer E. Kirk mentioned the A Class on her 'Monday Club' YouTube channel [live every Monday evening]. She's going to record a review of locomotive so it'll be interesting to hear Jennifer's verdict. The Monday Club makes for good viewing and, if you haven't already seen it, you should check out Jennifer's interview with Fran of I.R.M. fame also.

Personally Not a great fan of these influencers TBH plus they dont half rabbit on!. She seems a daycent ol sort though. 

Ya man Sam was on the Hornby Program,I did chuckle when he blew the trip in his gaf whilst connecting up some super controller.

[Georgeconna]

On 4/11/2021 at 4:36 PM, connollystn said:

It's most likely that the next model from I.R.M. will be something modern like the Class 22 000 railcars as the current era isn't being being catered for and there needs to be something to keep young guys, like me, interested in railway modelling.

I'd put me money on a C Class to be next, Loads of liveries to get the cash into the Shareholders pockets so they can get in a trip to Bray or even a Hunslet to go with the Coaches. Good few Liveries for that loco too. I would imagine an earlier DMU would pop out before a 22 due to the orange era being fairly popular with all the different motive power.

A Tie up with the RPSI would be Fab and bang out a few Steamers that are currently on the grid as you could run them with your modern stuff and the lonely RPSI cravens and also the RPSI could benefit from a few bob from the models themselves with a bit of luck.

Imagine a top range J15 all the bells and whistles....well just whistles, moving inside motion , flickering firebox glow, laser Scanned IRM Crew figures. Real coal. Sound....oh arrr missus. Could even licence a Great Train Robbery Pack with a Connery Figure and a full size model of Kent Station.

 

 

 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Georgeconna

[StevieB]

I couldn’t agree more about the C. If they were to do the AEC railcars, you could have the delightful sight of the CIE and GNR cousins side by side!
 

Stephen

[Westcorkrailway]

2 hours ago, Georgeconna said:

I'd put me money on a C Class to be next, Loads of liveries to get the cash into the Shareholders pockets so they can get in a trip to Bray or even a Hunslet to go with the Coaches. Good few Liveries for that loco too. I would imagine an earlier DMU would pop out before a 22 due to the orange era being fairly popular with all the different motive power.

A Tie up with the RPSI would be Fab and bang out a few Steamers that are currently on the grid as you could run them with your modern stuff and the lonely RPSI cravens and also the RPSI could benefit from a few bob from the models themselves with a bit of luck.

Imagine a top range J15 all the bells and whistles....well just whistles, moving inside motion , flickering firebox glow, laser Scanned IRM Crew figures. Real coal. Sound....oh arrr missus. Could even licence a Great Train Robbery Pack with a Connery Figure and a full size model of Kent Station.

 

 

 

Current order of likelyness in my head “speculations mode on”

C class

80 class

AEC railcar

22k

sulzer

Rtr steam 

re-run of currently existing loco 

[amdaley]

2 hours ago, Georgeconna said:

Personally Not a great fan of these influencers TBH plus they dont half rabbit on!. She seems a daycent ol sort though. 

Ya man Sam was on the Hornby Program,I did chuckle when he blew the trip in his gaf whilst connecting up some super controller.

They're a good way to see a model & its features but I wouldn't take what they say as gospel.

Their lack of knowledge of the prototype often leads them to miss the most obvious mistakes made in a model.

[irishthump]

3 hours ago, Georgeconna said:

Personally Not a great fan of these influencers TBH plus they dont half rabbit on!. She seems a daycent ol sort though. 

Ya man Sam was on the Hornby Program,I did chuckle when he blew the trip in his gaf whilst connecting up some super controller.

Oh Sam’s Trains is fu*king painful to watch. The worst thing is he has this lovely converted loft space for his videos, high ceilings and everything, and he runs his trains on the bloody floor!

[Westcorkrailway]

28 minutes ago, amdaley said:

They're a good way to see a model & its features but I wouldn't take what they say as gospel.

Their lack of knowledge of the prototype often leads them to miss the most obvious mistakes made in a model.

Everyone is guilty of that the odd time.  Even one of my favourites EUVIRAIL mixed up the A and the C class in term of having an NIR livery. 
 

I’ll watch a sams trains video the odd time. Particularly the 3d modelling serious he is doing right now, granted some of the models he makes are shocking but some of them warrant grabbing ideas from 

 

[Warbonnet]

Due to a cancellation of a largish order some As are back online for sale! https://irishrailwaymodels.com/collections/a-class-locomotive/availability_in-stock?

[Broithe]

Well, mine has finally travelled the last half mile to here. It was shown as 'delivered' last Monday, but not here, or at any immediate neighbour. I had a vague thought that it could be at another house with a similar address and the same family name - I've had her tax disc before now - I was just about to head up there to enquire and the post van came past with it - result!

 

Anyway, I've had a quick look and am massively impressed by the Start Trek-like 'swoosh' of air as the box lid is slid off - that is some tolerance to achieve with cardboard!

It seems as good as others have reported - and better.

 

 

But, I have been unable to open the cab doors so far, and a search of the "bag of tiny bits" has not turned up a key yet - otherwise, it seems quite good.

[Georgeconna]

don't forget the drop of Diesel!

 

[connollystn]

@Georgeconna re: influencers - One of the people you mentioned in your response to my last post can hardly be described as an influencer. That person will review anything just to place content on YouTube - the latest  being a comparison of which brand produces the best railroad wagons [answer = Scale Trains]. Euvirail and Dean Park are my go to people for proper analytical reviews of models.

[connollystn]

2 hours ago, irishthump said:

Oh Sam’s Trains is fu*king painful to watch. The worst thing is he has this lovely converted loft space for his videos, high ceilings and everything, and he runs his trains on the bloody floor!

I couldn't agree more. Never watch his channel now 'cos he's an affront to the model railway hobbyist.

[Jarl]

An excellent model and excellent customer service.

I had emailed IRM with a question about delivery last week at a silly time of evening, and got a response very quickly; some midnight oil burning going on there.

And the model itself (A12) - superb. Smooth-running and both detailed and robust.

I had a couple of friends over yesterday so we could drool over admire it. They are british-outline modellers and I'm pretty sure Accurascale just sold at least one more Class 37...

[Colin R]

Just got all my 4 out of the boxes to take a look at them fantastic, now sadly however I am having to put them away so they don't get damaged while the work around the house get done, if everything works out how I hope it might, I shall be moving next year to somewhere that I can build a nice size model room, we will be starting the house hunting after Christmas as there is no rush right now.

Edited November 9, 2021 by Colin R

[DJ Dangerous]

Jayus, why all the hate for Sam's Trains?

He has a nice voice, his videos are nice to watch for a few minutes, and his set-up probably resembles what many folk have as their only option...

All I have is a board that slides under the bed with a few mm clearance!

He does go on a bit, but I don't think that's the problem - I did an unboxing video a few months back, and it was about three minutes, yet there was still some yoyo on moaning about it.

 

45 minutes ago, Jarl said:

An excellent model and excellent customer service.

I had emailed IRM with a question about delivery last week at a silly time of evening, and got a response very quickly; some midnight oil burning going on there.

 

Have to second that!

Where I'm based, Irish shipping firms, be it An Post, GLS, DHL Scumbag Express, they all make a complete balls of things, over and over and over.

Any time I've had to email IRM, be it Fran, Stephen or Patrick that I've spoken with, they've been nothing but helpful and courteous.

I imagine that many companies would just say "To Hell with him, he's the only one down there", but the IRM lads just don't give up.

Here's an example of the massive clusterduck that is An Post...

International flights resumed here in June 2020, and we've been free of lockdowns since then, yet this is the message on the An Post website, today:

 

 

 

Lastly, who are Digitrains and what sounds are these?

 

 

[connollystn]

9 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Jayus, why all the hate for Sam's Trains?

He has a nice voice, his videos are nice to watch for a few minutes, and his set-up probably resembles what many folk have as their only option...

I feel that he doesn't have much knowledge on many of the items he's reviewing that's why he spends ages removing models from their' boxes. On the Westerns [BR Class 52] he was surprised to find a third axle on each of the bogies and, on another, was disapointed to discover that the centre axle was unpowered - not realising it was an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement [BR Class 31], allegedly. He should do a review of the I.R.M. A class - it will take him years to remove it from the box.  

[DJ Dangerous]

1 minute ago, connollystn said:

I feel that he doesn't have much knowledge on many of the items he's reviewing that's why he spends ages removing models from their' boxes. On the Westerns [BR Class 52] he was surprised to find a third axle on each of the bogies and, on another, was disapointed to discover that the centre axle was unpowered - not realising it was an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement [BR Class 31], allegedly. He should do a review of the I.R.M. A class - it will take him years to remove it from the box.  

 

Hardly any of the YouTubers do.

They dawdle along to drag the video length out for monetisation.

 

[Westcorkrailway]

5 minutes ago, connollystn said:

I feel that he doesn't have much knowledge on many of the items he's reviewing that's why he spends ages removing models from their' boxes. On the Westerns [BR Class 52] he was surprised to find a third axle on each of the bogies and, on another, was disapointed to discover that the centre axle was unpowered - not realising it was an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement [BR Class 31], allegedly. He should do a review of the I.R.M. A class - it will take him years to remove it from the box.  

To be fair it took me a good 3 minutes to get it out of my box because the blister Plastic surrounding the loco is was so tightly sealed I didn’t want to put it under pressure as there was a 190 euro loco beneath 

[connollystn]

Ah Westcorkrailway! You're being too kind to our 'friend' across the water. It might take you three minutes to remove it from the box but, at that rate, he could make a feature film out of performing the same task. You have to remember, their education system is different to ours that's why they voted to leave the European Union. 

[connollystn]

By the way, I've a feeling that the I.R.M. As are the last sub-€200 model locomotives of Irish prototypes. That sort of quality and detail is just going to get dearer.

[DJ Dangerous]

6 minutes ago, connollystn said:

By the way, I've a feeling that the I.R.M. As are the last sub-€200 model locomotives of Irish prototypes. That sort of quality and detail is just going to get dearer.

 

I don't mind paying €200 for some grey 071's and some NIR 071's!

[Westcorkrailway]

4 minutes ago, connollystn said:

By the way, I've a feeling that the I.R.M. As are the last sub-€200 model locomotives of Irish prototypes. That sort of quality and detail is just going to get dearer.

MM201 and next IRM loco (hopefully) will be under €199.99 otherwise I can forget about going to college

[connollystn]

@Westcorkrailway - I didn't go to college and look where it got me [unemployed]. Anyway, better off buying one great model than lots of mediocre ones.  

[Westcorkrailway]

4 minutes ago, connollystn said:

@Westcorkrailway - I didn't go to college and look where it got me [unemployed]. Anyway, better off buying one great model than lots of mediocre ones.  

Your talking to the fella who payed €300 for silverfox railcars that needed 2 hours of complete rebuilding to get running 

 

and slightly Doesn't  regret it 

Edited November 9, 2021 by Westcorkrailway

[connollystn]

@Westcorkrailway - Silverfox should not be mentioned on the same website (or planet) as I.R.M. Can't even say that their attempts at modelling Irish railway prototypes are a dogs dinner because if I did then my dog would starve himself to death - he's not a fussy eater but has his limits. 

[DJ Dangerous]

34 minutes ago, connollystn said:

@Westcorkrailway - Silverfox should not be mentioned on the same website (or planet) as I.R.M. Can't even say that their attempts at modelling Irish railway prototypes are a dogs dinner because if I did then my dog would starve himself to death - he's not a fussy eater but has his limits. 

 

At one stage, Silver Fox were almost the only option we had, and their Mk3 Suburbans and DVT's, while not MM or IRM standard, are not bad:

 

 

[connollystn]

@DJ Dangerous - The only good thing about that video is the backing-track, The KLF 'Last Train to Trancentral'.

[DJ Dangerous]

6 minutes ago, connollystn said:

@DJ Dangerous - The only good thing about that video is the backing-track, The KLF 'Last Train to Trancentral'.

Hard man to please!

[murphaph]

IRM managed to drive the price down by a tenner on the ballasts because the run was larger second time round. I don't see the next run of locos from IRM being smaller than the A's which have almost sold out less than a month after delivery. 

 

[connollystn]

@murphaph - If I.R.M. produce the C or B101 classes I can't see them being made anywhere near the numbers the As have. It's highly unlikely that a new locomotive will be appearing on our shelves anytime within the next 12 months during which time inflation will have gotten it's dirty little fingers on them. 

[murphaph]

Inflation is always going to be there, but that means your wages should be going up too. Anyway, I have given up trying to predict what IRM will do next after the mk2b/c announcement! I certainly wouldn't rule anything out anymore

Irish stuff is interesting. It's quirky. It's a strange mix of largely American motive power and British coaching stock plus unique homegrown stuff of course, especially in earlier days. IRM can clearly leverage Accurascale distribution channels to sell more IRM branded stock than would otherwise have been the case. That is an option no previous (serious) manufacturer of Irish models has ever really had. A lot of UK buyers seem to have bought their first Irish loco in the form of the A Class. I'm not sure so many would have if they hadn't come to IRM through Accurascale. Maybe I'm talking through my hat but it seems to me that the Irish market is full of potential to grow and that means lower prices per unit in the future.

 

[murphaph]

12 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Jayus, why all the hate for Sam's Trains?

He has a nice voice, his videos are nice to watch for a few minutes, and his set-up probably resembles what many folk have as their only option...

All I have is a board that slides under the bed with a few mm clearance!

He does go on a bit, but I don't think that's the problem - I did an unboxing video a few months back, and it was about three minutes, yet there was still some yoyo on moaning about it.

 

 

Have to second that!

Where I'm based, Irish shipping firms, be it An Post, GLS, DHL Scumbag Express, they all make a complete balls of things, over and over and over.

Any time I've had to email IRM, be it Fran, Stephen or Patrick that I've spoken with, they've been nothing but helpful and courteous.

I imagine that many companies would just say "To Hell with him, he's the only one down there", but the IRM lads just don't give up.

Here's an example of the massive clusterduck that is An Post...

International flights resumed here in June 2020, and we've been free of lockdowns since then, yet this is the message on the An Post website, today:

 

 

 

Lastly, who are Digitrains and what sounds are these?

 

 

Hmmmm, I was also curious what sound this is. It sounds very much like an EMD sound from the ESU library to be honest! I asked in a comment what the prototype sound is from and found my comment deleted this morning. I doubted my sanity for a minute and just to be sure I restated the question (in a polite way, giving them credit for a nice sound first) and again, comment deleted! They obviously don't like people asking too many questions!

[connollystn]

@murphaph - I was curious as to the sound in that video clip [Digitrain] also. I listened to it a few times and came to one of two conclusions; 1) My hearing is impared because I'm an auld git. 2) Sounds like an EMD engined Crossley. If I.R.M. doesn't have the Crossley sound chip then nobody has.

[Warbonnet]

When we did the sound for the As we recorded A39r, so the sound is from a genuine A. No mixing or tricks there from other EMD locos. End of the day, our sound chip is the real deal and the As sound different to other EMD locos due to their unique silencer set up. 

Just need Australia to relax quarantine rules now and we'll get the Crossley one done! 

[Georgeconna]

22 hours ago, connollystn said:

By the way, I've a feeling that the I.R.M. As are the last sub-€200 model locomotives of Irish prototypes. That sort of quality and detail is just going to get dearer.

Yeah, when I see the Baccy 47 and the Fans whizzing around that would of been the cream on top of the A. How I love to see them rotating as it is very visible. Min 2.38 in the Vid below. Obviously extra few bob involved sticking it in and the Deluxe 47 is a fairly hefty price tag.