COACH DEBUT FOR IRISH RAILWAY MODELS
Brand-new models of Northern Irish Railways Mk.2b coaches have been announced by Irish Railway Models (IRM) in parallel with the Accurascale ‘OO' gauge BR Mk.2b coach project.
Two Brake Driving Trailer Second coaches, a unique grill/bar coach and Second Class open stock were buit for NIR in 1970. The eight coaches were initially employed on push-pull ‘Enterprise' services between Belfast and Dublin hauled by Hunslet ‘DL' 101 class locomotives.
The fleet was augmented with Mk.2c coaches in 1972 and further Mk.2b BFK stock in 1978 which were rebuilt as generator coaches to supply electrical power to the trains after the traction used on the service was changed to GM Type 111 locomotives which could not supply the required power. Additional Mk.2b and Mk.2c coaches were sold to NIR at the same time to strengthen the fleet. It spread its wings to internal routes within Northern Ireland.
It is a rich area of modelling for IRM, with several different liveries; a long operating history spanning four decades and three different types of motive power. It is the first classic Irish coaching stock to be offered by IRM and will be produced to the same standard as the Accurascale models to ‘OO' gauge and will be fitted with bogies and wheels capable of being easily converted to 21mm gauge.
The coaches are being offered as triple packs in Corporate Intercity livery (three sets with a balance of generator, driving trailer and catering coaches) and NIR grey and blue livery as four packs with a similar mix of different coaches which allows authentic train sets to be marshalled. Each pack is priced at £172.99 from the IRM UK website at irishrailwaymodels.co.uk or €199.99 from www.irishrailwaymodels.com