leslie10646

Does anyone know if there will be an Irish layout at the 2019 Warley. My invite has just arrived and if there's Irish company, then I'll ask for a stand near it! Thanks. Leslie PS By the way, a few negative comments about attending this show, but I think they are not completely fair. Yes, the Saturday is usually frenetic, but the Sunday is invariably quiet and that's the time to come.

I wonder which one it is? I hope it wasn't No.10 the one which TWICE gave me 80mph - hence one of my models is her, complete with a model Driver Tommy Crymble in the cab. Oh to have had about £1,300 in 1970 to buy a second one for the RPSI!

Then Provincial brought in the GNR one - superb! But this is suitable for GNR, UTA and NIR, as very few of these ended up with CIE, and those that did were replaced very quickly,...... Dead right, Jon, but not before John Dewing took that wonderful photo of 184 in her green livery pulling a transfer freight over Islandbridge Jct, with a GNR van right behind the engine. Those GN vans had a working life akin to the BR Standard steam locos - a lot of them didn't survive to celebrate their 21st! Aargh.... that was fifty one years ago - GN steam had ended and the World was about to end.......... yet I'm still here (by the Grace of God) and I've packed an enormous amount of steam running into the time between (in over two dozen countries)

And - "Athbhliain faoi shéan is faoi mhaise duit" to you too Magpie!

Thanks, Jon, your interest is already noted on my database! Planned for Blackrock 2019. The other wagons you mention are all available right now, especially the new GSWR Brake van - see the Provincial Wagons website! Happy New Year everyone, however you say in it your language! Leslie

Following on on Noel's suggestion a series of pictorials of lines in the Midlands would be nice, perhaps combining colour and black and white photos with condensed versions of J P O'Dea's John O'Meara's, and N J McAdams IRRS papers would really bring the operation of these lines in the 1950s & 60s to life. The IRRS London Area did a short series of Irish Railways in Pictures, one of which covered the Midland - I still have few, being the publisher! And of course, I have copyright access to those old articles from the Journal - as you say, priceless stuff to set the scene for the modeller. With a recent mini-landslide of wonderful collections coming our way, what you suggest might be worth a punt. Trouble is, I've got two other ideas which are overdue for publishing ........

Yes, another new book, but maybe not for most of you folk, as it's narrow gauge! Published by my favourite railway publisher - Black Dwarf Lightmoor, this is a sequel of sorts to the Author's father's volume from the 1960s - Narrow Gauge Album. The difference is that the photographs are crystal clear, not the grainy, flat printing of Ian Allan in those days! About a quarter is Irish content, as you can tell from the Contents. The late Patrick Whitehouse presented, with Pat Garland, the BBC's programme Railway Roundabout and while he was making it, he took many very fine colour images of three of Ireland's best loved narrow gauge lines. I don't approve of printing across two pages, but one shot of a steam train in the Barnesmore Gap almost brought tears to my eyes. A must for the narrow gauge folk, especially if you like the Ffestiniog and IOMR as well. The Syndicate (profits to Irish preservation) will send it to you IN THE UK ONLY in time for Christmas for the cover price of £25 post free. Stock on hand now. I very much regret that because of the extreme weight of the book, sending to Euroland is not practical, as the postage is about £10 for a single book. If a bunch of you wanted it, I guess I could send a pile to one place for distribution? If you're interested in the book, please PM me. Thanks to those of you who bought your "Irish Railway Memories" from us - they were posted to you on Monday - the publisher was very slow in replenishing our stock! We've still got that in stock. Happy Christmas!

Tony You will be aware that there is a model of the UTA low bridge double decker on the market - probably only second hand now. You'd have to re-letter the destination blind, as the model is a "Ballyclare" bus. A bit like my Jim Poots' PS1, which is going to Carrickmore ( a former home) - hard to explain that in Portadown, or on the level crossing at Richhill?

Thanks for showing that, David. It looks as if I'm wasting money on a Stay-alive chip - mind you, I'm sure the MRSI's track is fifty-times as well laid as mine! Sorry to hear about the wonky cab. I believe it is a separate "piece", as I believe Roderick told me he was going back to having a metal boiler - just the thing for an 0-6-0, giving it bags of torque and pulling power (like the redly thing!).

In those "happy" days, my annual season for Crusaders FC in the Black North was 10/6 or 52.5p, say 60 cents! For that, our centre forward (Danny Hale) knocked in fifty goals during one season in the Irish League! Now Danny was a member of the (True?) "Old" religion and the prod supporters of the ultra orange Linfield used to sing at him "Hale, Hale, The Pope's in Jail". Danny found the perfect answer and put the ball in THEIR net! Oh, I didn't mention that the East terrace at Seaview was perfect for watching NCC steam trains as well! Trains seemed to go past very slowly on match days!

Exactly right, Ivan! When Irwin Pryce and I were compiling our version of the 101 history, we mused on whether any part of 186 (maybe the wheels?) was original!

Mine arrived at Coastal DCC for the usual "Works". No use having an analogue loco here - I'm too lazy to switch power systems - mind you, I should as the Kernow Bulleid diesel hasn't been out of its box yet!!!! Still trying to dream up just WHY a J15 would be at Portadown in 1956! Now, there's one for you Beaumont - did a J15 get to Portadown before 186 was towed through there in the mid-sixties, en route to immortality?

Folks Just an update on this, as a lady in the Republic enquired after the cost to "Home". Of course, the good 'oul Royal Mail fleece you for sending stuff to Euroland. Now that I've come round after finding out just HOW much, can I mention that I'll post this book to Euroland for €15, post paid. Profits to the RPSI. If you're interested, I'll provide my Euro account details. Thanks

Good man, thanks for buying it from us! We can supply it, £10.95 post free to UK, for anyone who would like one. I'll check the postage to Euroland! Yes, it certainly made a very positive impression - we had five with us and sold the lot! PM me if you're interested, profits to Irish preservation. Leslie

Easy, there, Jonathan. We had a talk from Peter Smith in London ten days ago - among the best five talks I've ever attended over sixty years. From the direction he seeks to take IR engineering, I'd say it could be a very exciting place to be in the future. He struck me as a guy well on top of a very diverse and testing job. If the politicians give him some backing, the Irish people will have a great railway to travel on in the future.