NoelG

Fabulous job, you must be very pleased to have the full set including the 1514 Bar Car. Like the excellent maroon GSV too with proper B4 bogies.

Interesting about kadee patent. Thanks for heads up. Yes as far as I know some ballast wagons are available: https://irishrailwaymodels.com/index.php/shop/

Cheers Kieran, he's not actually in the cab himself yet, but it has since been glazed and an actual driver has been rostered for B121 duty. Will post up some pics soon. Still finishing summer activity on the water, so model choo-choo's haven't got much attention.

A reasonable question and sorry I don't know the answer. Fran (071) from IRM may be able to comment. I guess in designing models one has to balance absolute reproduction of scale dimensions with prototypical operating appearance. With models obviously one or the other needs slight compromise. From memory the prototypes had 2ft long buffers but in a model form obviously the buffers aren't sprung nor coupled in compression close together, hence separation distances needed for lowest common denominator trackwork expected in the target market. One of the things I like about Bachmann 2 axle stock is the wagons are prototypically very close together even with tension lock couplings which is achieved by having buffers slightly under scale length and shortish couplings. That way wagons are prototypical distances apart. I really like these ballast wagons and plan to replace the tension lock couplings with kadee's which will solve the prototypical gapping in a rake.

In anticipation of running IRM Cement Bubble wagons on the layout next month, here is a shortened video clip of 20 Ballast wagons running on Kingsbridge in the CIE era. Apologies no ploughs - I don't do yellow in the B&T era! But in time I will fabricate two older era brown ex-GSWR plough wagons.

News: http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/6482-IRM-Cement-Bubble-Latest-News IRM published pre-production photos and news over on IRM forum of their superbly detailed cement bubbles wagons which are due for release soon. They look stunnng almost seems an understatement.

Fabulous video Wiggy. Love your layout scenes and stock. Did you use a lining pen for the black lining or masking? Superbly sharp paint job.

Any pics?

Ditto. No doubt Kieran, I'm sure you will be one of the first to make your own RPSI/LMS crimson livery GSV!

Great news. Another superb fine scale Irish Model and available in a few weeks apparently. Well done RPSI and Murphy Models. It gets better and better with IRM delivering bubbles soon, tara wagons in the not too distant future, and the imminent arrival of Murphy Models 121 class in all liveries. It could be an expensive winter!

Really enjoyed following this thread. A superb example of top class model engineering and excellent model making. The end result is a stunning and unique model.

A flywheel removal tool like this might be useful to have in the toolbox. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Turnigy-25mm-Flywheel-Removal-Tool-RC-Model-Engine-/301489102310?hash=item4632269de6:g:35MAAOSwZapZxM2m

Simulated old colour slide to go with the video clip

A bygone era when we had real trains, brake vans, diverse and interesting pick up goods train formations, coach rakes that were mixed, engines hauling trains, run around operations, shunting, wagons and coaches to make and split formations, action and interesting movements, loads of track work needed for shunting and the stirring noise of the GM locos notching up and down. A far cry from todays boring yo-yo buses on rails.

Superb scenery. It could be a period movie set.

Suggest check in case securing the motor in the cradle works before removing the flywheel.

Agree joints to both bogies need to be flexible, but there is no need for the motor to be exactly central. It doesn't matter if one shaft is shorter than the other. If the flywheel is too close to the bogie for a flexible joint then suggest doing away with one of the flywheels and replace with a flexible joint shaft so bogie is free to pivot. With DCC flywheels are less essential anyway due to the pulsing of the motors, and one flywheel will do.

Hi Kieran Listen to the vibration noise my Bachmann 141 centre drive chassis made after I had reassembled it (link below). Especially the first ten seconds. The cause was the motor was not seated firmly in the correct orientation in the chassis cradle. Plastic shims solved it and the noise went away. Noel

Fab idea and work Kieran. I'm about to use an 071 chassis for an A class SF project, so it is great to see this. It may also inspire me to do a Sulzer as well. I heard one with a BR class 24 sound chip on Irishrailman's ballybeg layout and it sounded amazing. Your SF sulzer looks fab. Btw, when I adapted a 141 chassis for a C class B233, it also sounded rattle'y after I reassembled the chassis, but I didn't need to shorten mine except at each extremity. I discovered that I had mounted the motor back to front in the chassis holder and left out a tiny shim. Made one up with plastic card to wedge motor in place the the vibration noise vanished. Not sure if you experienced the same issue or a separate gear shaft noise. For the A class I will just cut the shafts shorter and rejoin with fuel tubing.

Wow - 33lima they are absolutely superb models.

Oh well I'm content with them as RTR container wagons which cost about the same as some kits. Really happy with the Bell's, nicely detailed and excellent paint job. Unfortunately I neither have the time nor the inclination nor the skills to work with brass, and I've rarely seen brass kits of container flats built to a high standard which has put me off more than anything. Might try modifying some unpainted Dapol wagon chassis.

Congratulations on a sublime piece of master model making

Received more superbly detailed 20ft Bell Containers from C-Rail recently, and excellent RTR 20ft skeletal flat wagons from Irish Freight Models to carry them. Some gentle weathering will be applied during the autumn

Recent posts on plough vans over on IRM forum got me thinking. As many may already know, I'm a fan of the 60/70s era and dislike all things yellow. Now I really like my rake of IRM ballasts, even if I pretend they are gypsum wagons hauling mineral freight rather than doing PW work. Hence I have no desire to have a pair of yellow plough vans . . . but there were older plough vans in much more acceptable brown or bauxite livery like the GSWR plough below, and they looked prettier. So I have decided to convert a pair of my GWR 'toad' brake vans to ex-GSWR ploughs and match them up with my rake of IRM ballasts even if not strictly prototypical, at least there won't be any yellow. They will need some modifications, add small windows, remove the full length steps, replace with steps under door, add vertical stanchion at door to roof, a plough, and respray in GSWR brown/bauxite. They will be a bit long but should pass the duck test. The alternative is to just respray a pair of BR shark vans brown, but I do like the look of GWR toads resemblance to the GSWR van. Two in bauxite would do the trick and then one day I could pretend they are hauling ballasts and another day gypsum. Will update this thread as they progress along with a few other kits and bodge jobs in the pipeline like a GSV and a luggage van.