IRISH RAILWAY MODELS BALLAST HOPPERS

Starting something new? It’s probably best to start with something small… That’s what Irish Railway Models (IRM) has done. IRM has become only the second organisation to produce bespoke, ready-to-run ‘OO’ gauge Irish outline models, but whereas Murphy Models has gone for locomotives and coaches, the newcomer has focused on the world of wagons. It has made a flurry of announcements in the past year or so, and the first fruits of its labours are now on show. The first subject to be tackled is the quirky four-wheel ballast hopper. IRM provides, within the handsome green card box, a hugely comprehensive factsheet that gives chapter and verse about these wagons. To summarise, the first of these purpose-built ballast hoppers were introduced to CIÉ in 1972, followed by a further batch in 1974; some were also built for dolomite and mineral/ gypsum traffic. Withdrawals started in early 2001, before Iarnròd Éireann’s new Autoballasters condemned the last of them in 2013. These 20t wagons have a rather distinctive look, with the underframe protruding some way from the low-slung body at both ends. IRM has captured this slightly awkward but not unattractive look well, with lots of fine plastic components. Given the exposed nature of the underframe, the model looks as though it might be slightly flimsy, but it’s actually very sturdy. The draw and brake gear are nicely rendered, as are the suspension units and the bearing detail on the axle ends. Under the heaped, grey ballast load the only slight on the model’s looks - is a detailed hopper interior. The load is removable but the fit is tight, and you’ll need something like a scalpel blade to wiggle it free. Metal wheels to 16.5mm gauge with pinpoint axles are provided, but IRM has designed the model so that 21mm gauge wheelsets (accurate for Ireland’s 5ft 3in gauge) can be fitted. The bufferheads are moulded plastic and the finish is perhaps a little crude. However, that negative point is offset by a positive one; the tension lock units are finished in the body colour, which helps to hide them when running. The couplers are held in fixed NEM pockets, but the lack of a pivot didn’t seem to hamper the wagons when running through tight radius curves and pointwork. With most infrastructure wagons, there’s not a lot you can do with the livery - and these hoppers are no exception. The bauxite finish is well executed, and what highlights there are - the number and data panels - are all excellent. One particularly pleasing feature is the barely visible number on 24132, which has been painted over and replaced by a new-style stencil. IRM has offered three packs of three wagons, all with different individual numbers. At €117.02 (just over £98 at the time of writing), they could be considered expensive (£32.66 each, compared to £28.95 for a Bachmann ‘Covhop’ for example), but this is a niche - dare we say, exclusive - product and therefore warrants the price tag. Plus, IRM has helpfully included a special code within the packaging, offering you money off its forthcoming Tara Mines bogie ore hopper, which is a nice touch. Overall, these little wagons are an impressive debut. They’re a must for all modern image Irish modellers and we await further models with interest.