Sometimes, things just don’t work out as well as we had hoped!

When we first announced the ICR 22000 models back in October 2022, with eight variations covering 3-car, 4-car and 6-car sets from their initial delivery, to their most recent livery updates, we had very high hopes for the project; hopes that were backed up by the high initial sales.

Emboldened by this, we moved through the project at good pace, with tooling underway by April 2023 and 25% of the anticipated run sold. By October we were proudly showing off the engineering samples and looking forward to getting the samples comprehensively tested and the complex electronic design finalised as we entered into 2024.

And this is where things started to get complicated, on two fronts.
At the beginning of February, Project Manager Paul Isles and Sound Engineer Jamie Goodman spent several days working on obtaining the audio recordings for the ICR project, with Iarnród Éireann Irish Rail kindly working closely with us to facilitate sound recording, both at the Portlaoise depot and during two test train diagrams between Heuston and Mallow. With such a range of awesome audio recorded, and standards in lighting design moving forward exponentially, it exceeded the scope of the electrical design created for the project back in 2022/23, and a rethink by the project team was required. We learned that the existing electrical design would require a DCC decoder in each car, and a significant increase of components in the DC/DCC Ready models. This would come at a huge cost to our customers. 

We have since worked with our friends at ESU to overcome this hurdle, and can now confirm that we will lead the way in functionality but only needing one decoder. This did mean that we would have to retool part of the model for new connectors and circuitry. 

At the same time, we were seeing some concerning sales trends emerging across the range of SKUs, and while certain variants were selling close to their potential, others were slowing down and, in some cases, were static. As a multi-vehicle railcar model, even without a huge degree of variation between prototypes (compared to other models), the tooling costs are huge and while we had taken every step we could to keep costs under control, to achieve the RRPs we have put in place we need to meet stringent Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs) across the range of models offered.

And, to be bluntly honest, four of the variations offered are not meeting the necessary sales figures to be commercially viable, by quite some margin.
This means that the project has slowed.

Behind the scenes, the project team, along with ESU and the factory technicians in China have been working on solving the complex electrical and audio demands. This has been made slightly easier in that the ICR project is being manufactured at the same factory (and by the same project team) that is producing a new high specification UK Multiple Unit project, and so the lessons learned with each project are being applied across both projects in tandem. 

And, if we’re honest, we’d hoped that with the extra time being spent on the project behind the scenes, the delay would allow ICR sales to meet the MOQ needed to keep the complete range financially viable. Unfortunately, that has not been the case.

We’ve noted the growing number of requests for an ICR project update, and with the Dublin show at the weekend, we knew that we would have to take a decision as to how we are are to proceed and so we’ve decided to take some drastic action to keep the ICR project viable and move it towards production. 

Firstly, we will be cancelling the following running numbers in both DC/DCC ready and DCC sound fitted variants due to lack of interest;

DC/DCC Ready

• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 3-car in post-2013 IR livery, RTE Music Week vinyls IRM1177
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 4-car in post-2013 IR livery IRM1181
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 6-car in original 'Intercity' livery IRM1179

DCC Sound Fitted

• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 3-car in post-2013 IR livery, RTE Music Week vinyls - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1185
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 4-car in post-2013 IR livery - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1189-DCC
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 6-car in original 'Intercity' livery - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1187-DCC

If you have ordered these models we will automatically transfer your order to the following 3, 4 and 6 car unit:

DC/DCC Ready

• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 3-car in original 'Intercity' branded livery IRM1175
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 4-car in 2020 IR livery, with blue doors/cycle graphic IRM1182
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 6-car in post-2013 IR livery IRM1180

DCC Sound Fitted

• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 3-car in original 'Intercity' branded livery - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1183-DCC
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 4-car in 2020 IR livery, with blue doors/cycle graphic - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1190-DCC
• IE 22000 Class 'ICR' - 6-car in post-2013 IR livery - DCC Sound Fitted IRM1188-DCC

If you wish to have an alternative ICR instead, or wish to cancel, please email us with your order number and we will sort you out!

Updated Pricing

As we have to face increased costings for the new electrical componentry, and as we have to dramatically cut the production run, we are forced to increase the RRP for these models.

Now, before you panic;

IF YOU HAVE AN EXISTING PREORDER FOR AN ICR WITH US, THEN WE WILL HONOUR THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE PRICE! 

However, the new purchase prices for each model are detailed below;

DC/DCC Ready

• 3 Car - €439.99
• 4 Car - €549.99
• 6 Car - €799.99

DCC Sound Fitted

• 3 Car - €559.99
• 4 Car - €669.99
• 6 car - €919.99

These new prices are now in place on the website for pre-ordering. While the increase is regrettable, there is simply nothing we can do due to demand drying up on these units resulting in a cutting of production numbers. However, when compared to most UK or continental models, they still represent excellent value for money considering the technology that has been built into these units and the niche market that is Irish outline model railways. With the sound project, lighting options, operational functionality and finesse, our ICRs will absolutely be next level units.

We are currently awaiting the tooling modifications to be completed by the factory for the new electronics system. Then we will receive a full decorated sample to sign off. Should the numbers of sold units improve we will be able to kick off production. So, if you really want to see the ultimate Irish unit on your layout, we encourage you to place an order today to support this model. Until then, we cannot give a firm date for delivery of the models, but we know it will be at least mid-late 2025. We will have a proper and full update on this before Christmas as the decorated development sample arrives. 

In the meantime we had the first painted bodyshell (above) and the first decorated sample of the sculfort shunter from Portlaoise Depot that is included in every 6 car pack! 

Finally, we would like to thank each and every one of you who has ordered one of our ICRs and supported this project to date.  We fully understand the disappointment around the delays to date. We will endeavour to make it up to you with a first class model for the original price point to reward your support with us, and continue to bring more great Irish outline models to the market in the coming years.

Pre-Order Your ICR Here!