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Irish Rail CAF Mk4's - Would This Be Viable?


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Hi everyone.

 

I was thinking that as Accurascale are to produce the UK CAF Mk5 packs for 2020 which do look great I must admit. So this got my brain ticking and I would like to propose something new to the Irish Model Train field and I hope that the sister company Irish Railway Models would consider making the CAF Mk4 sets that are used on the Dublin to Cork routes that are hauled by the GM 201 Class locomotives. 

 

I have found some photos here which I have linked to for reference by pasting links which shows the photos of the trains which courtesy of Finbarr O' Neil.

Cherryville Jctn

 

Dublin Heuston

 

The train formation from memory is 5 standard saloons + one bar car and one first class with a DVT generator unit at the other end whilst the GM 201 Class only provides traction to haul or propel the train depending on direction. I would be down for buying two sets to go with my Murphy Models 201 class locomotives and the reason I am proposing these is because at present. Irish Railway Models have not yet produced any passenger cars in their range and this would probably make a good start. Another two reasons I also proposed this CAF set is because the first reason is that Accurascale are doing the UK CAF Mk5 sets and the second reason is that Murphy Models have produced the Mk2's and the Cravens and I wanted to avoid anything that would duplicate them although I will propose other passenger stock in other threads later but this one seems to be a safe bet to go with for now ;).

 

As with my suggestions. I welcome feedback on my ideas and suggestions and I hope this will be helpful and useful for Irish Railway Models in the future as and when they come around to new product proposals as they have a lot on their plate with other models at present and I am not in a rush for these. So I am quite happy to wait because I have other projects that need to be tackled first in terms of model railways like the new Class 92 and the new CAF Mk5's that would fit well with my other model trains :).

 

All the best

Ash.

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Im sure IRM have looked at these, and as with any project, there has to be the demand to allow models to be produced at an affordable (to the mass market) price.  The CIE CAF's are, I believe, a completely different coach to the UK MK5's and I dont there is any commonality of parts between them - very happy to be proven wrong.

 

Would be good to see though, as Irish prototype modelling becomes more popular

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As mentioned above, the CAF connection between the British Mk.5 and Irish Mk.4 is worthless (no common parts, nothing can be shared) in such a case. There's absolutely nothing similar between them.

 

How popular is the Irish Mk.4??? Is there sufficient demand for an 8-car formation? Can it be done to a price point that people will buy.

 

IRM/Accurascale need to keep their model standards high, meanwhile can people afford it? Most people who wanted a set or two, just went about modifying Hornby Mk.4 coaches. I've seen a number of people do that.

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Good points there. But the Murphy Models Mk2's are quite popular and is the case with the Cravens coaches as well. When I was living in England before 2017, I had a load of Irish model trains before I had to dispose of them and all but one went to buyers in the United States. That must mean that there is a lot of American modellers that like Irish trains as well as us here in the Isle of Ireland and the UK. Infact I think that it would be a great idea for anyone else besides me that likes the idea of having a Mk4 CAF set to compliment their 201 locomotives to post on this thread and share it because. That would aid Irish Railway Models in how viable it would be to produce the models and if there is enough demand for them. I know I would need two sets for another layout project I am going to do in 2020. But being a realist. I should well know that it is going to take a lot more than two sets ordered to make this a viable selling product hence why I made this more of a question with a proposal rolled into one thread ;).

 

All the best

Ash.

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5 minutes ago, BritishRail60062 said:

Hi Fran, No problem. I will repaint a CAF Mk5 set instead ;).

Better off painting a BREL MK4 set. 

The CAF mk5s have nothing visually in common with CAF 4. Wouldn't pass the 2ft rule lol.

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I might repaint the Mk3 SD coaches from Hornby and just use a Mk3 DVT as that would be a closer match. Because the Mk3's are closer to the CAF Mk4's but I won't give up on proposing them though. One manufacture might not be interested but that doesn't mean that all will say "no" and I am happy with using repainted Mk3's with a Mk3 DVT for the time being. But it was worth a shot though :).

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Sure the range of Irish MK3s have yet to be done. All we had so far are Lima and Hornby resprays. None of them are proper due to the plug doors. Irish buffet MK3s have a different window and roof layout to the UK ones and we don't have a high end RTR model of MK3 EGVs either.

 

What would be nice are some MK3 push pull sets for the 121s being released this year.

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18 minutes ago, Fitzer said:

Sure the range of Irish MK3s have yet to be done. All we had so far are Lima and Hornby resprays. None of them are proper due to the plug doors. Irish buffet MK3s have a different window and roof layout to the UK ones and we don't have a high end RTR model of MK3 EGVs either.

 

What would be nice are some MK3 push pull sets for the 121s being released this year.

I too would like a set of Irish Mk3's with the proper plug doors on them for my Orange 201 models :). The closest to those would have been those on the Class 442 EMU's that are used in the UK and the buffet car on the Irish Mk3's is more identical to the RFM. Maybe Murphy Models could make those Mk3's once the Class 121 is out to market. I will have three of them as I will have two in a pair on freight (similar to how the Class 20's are used) and one on the back of a rake of repainted Mk3 SD's with a Mk3 DVT on the other end :)

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I’d certainly be interested in two rakes but only if the DVT was included. They’d nicely complement MM201s in the green’n’grey intercity livery. I have a rake of Hornby resprays but while they do at 2ft range, not up close. If the numbers ever stack up in the future could also be win/win for MM could could rerelease more 201s in the current intercity livery to go with them. Also toy market potential as today’s youngsters have seen them in the flesh.

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11 hours ago, BritishRail60062 said:

Good points there. But the Murphy Models Mk2's are quite popular and is the case with the Cravens coaches as well. When I was living in England before 2017, I had a load of Irish model trains before I had to dispose of them and all but one went to buyers in the United States. That must mean that there is a lot of American modellers that like Irish trains as well as us here in the Isle of Ireland and the UK. Infact I think that it would be a great idea for anyone else besides me that likes the idea of having a Mk4 CAF set to compliment their 201 locomotives to post on this thread and share it because. That would aid Irish Railway Models in how viable it would be to produce the models and if there is enough demand for them. I know I would need two sets for another layout project I am going to do in 2020. But being a realist. I should well know that it is going to take a lot more than two sets ordered to make this a viable selling product hence why I made this more of a question with a proposal rolled into one thread ;).

 

All the best

Ash.

 

That still does not mean that there's a big market. Someone in the US might buy Irish stuff, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll buy these particular Mk.4 sets.

 

I know someone in India who collects Irish stuff but won't want to buy Mk.4 coaches.

 

You've failed to factor in many things before making a comment stating that there's a market for Irish stuff in America.

 

I think you should stick to a simple poll with regards to who wants them and who doesn't. As of now I think you're making assumptions based on incomplete data. As you said, you're a realist, you're going to have to sell more than just two sets. Viable production runs usually mean 1000-2000 units per vehicle. The lower the production run, the higher the cost per unit, and vice versa. If there's lesser demand, will all those who want them readily part with a higher sum?

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Have to remember that MM only released 512 examples of each 222 and 229 in the IC Mk4 livery.

 

Yes there was a bit of cross over with orange block 2 201s hauling them for about 2 years while they were repainted, 225 being the last hold out.

 

The Mk3s were basically hauled by everything in every livery bar the A and C classes of obvious reasons. Even pushpull sets were hauled by non push pull locos.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Mk 3s are a better prospect than CAFs.  A push pull 3 car set would sell very well to go with a 121.  This could then lead on to the IC types.  The bodyshell of a suburban and an IC TSO are essentially the same, the main difference being the windows which could be accommodated by a different glazing unit.

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10 hours ago, D6975 said:

Noooooo, not Oxford if you want a decent model.

The Oxford Mk3s are good models, just iffy colours!

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