Patrick Davey

I have visited Kells station in Co. Kerry many times - in fact I have visited all 3 Irish stations named 'Kells', but I digress...... This one was on the long branch from Farranfore to Valentia Harbour, which closed back in 1960. The station had up and down platforms, a classic (for the branch) corrugated iron-clad station building, as well as a stationmaster's house - it does not seem to have had a goods shed. The site is owned by Kerry County Council I believe and each time I have called, the station building has been locked. Not so tonight - a council employee was on business at the station and he kindly let me into the building and I was amazed to see how many original features remain.

Very nice!

Looks first class!

Simply wow

Delighted to at last meet this absolute icon of the Irish narrow gauge! Lispole Viaduct, on the famous Tralee & Dingle Railway in Co. Kerry. More T&DR explorations tomorrow.

Turning into a bit of a 'mare this. Anyway, to bring us back from the inevitable insanity, here are the SEVEN answers! Murphy Models - 121 class No. 125, Cravens carriage Irish Railway Models - A class No. A3r, A class No. A15, H vans Silver Fox - steam heating van Irish Freight Models - tin van Provincial Wagons @leslie10646 - H vans, ex-GNR cement vans Enda Byrne @Past-Avenue - Palvan JM Design @Mayner - CIE 10T covered van, 20T brake vans There are at least another three suppliers represented in my collection so maybe some day I'll make a video featuring all 10!

Glad I asked

5 right! Who is the last one?????

Nope

3 right……

Edited to add the word ‘model’ 4 right…….

Here's a challenge - can you count and name all the manufacturers of model Irish railway locomotives and rolling stock who are represented in this video, which shows a passenger train and a goods train departing Clogherhead? Some are obvious, some less so....... Clogherhead.mp4

I've watched reviews and they all mentioned this so as expected, Accurascale steps up and provides a perfect fix. Superb customer service every time!

Wowwwwww!!

Early UTA days at Brookhall Mill and both NCC Jinty tanks have arrived, one has already been decorated in the smart UTA livery of black with red and straw lining. Then a decade later, ex-GNR locos started to appear in the UTA livery, including UG No. 49.

As explained elsewhere, Brookhall Mill will shortly be retired to make space for the next project. I have today assembled the layout in ‘exhibition’ mode for a few final running sessions, and here are a few nostalgic photos just to make me feel really guilty….. This became my favourite part of the layout. I eventually got the electrics right! Interior detail was an obsession

Nice work! Good to see another update!

Pleased to report that BHM has been successfully relocated to the outbuilding, and remains fully operational

Truly a work of art Alan!

Yes indeed - liveries have been researched!

I’ve been doing something dangerous - thinking So I currently have two active layouts, both fictional and both GNR-based: Brookhall Mill & Clogherhead. BHM is now nearing the end of its service because I am well and truly in the DCC fold and would need to adjust the wiring on BHM to make it fully DCC compatible. CHD was my first foray into the world of DCC and I’m still very much enjoying the layout, and my next IRM arrivals will fit in nicely - Park Royals and a Hunslet in original livery. Brookhall Mill (2020-22) Clogherhead (2023-24) As I have hinted before, I would like to do a re-run of my previous Capecastle diorama, which was dismantled to make way for BHM, and the wheel is about to turn full circle because I have decided to retire BHM to make space for a revived Capecastle. Then, next year, CHD will be retired to make space for a brand new project. Unfortunately, I do not have space for multiple projects to be operational at the same time. Capecastle Diorama (2019) Here’s the proposed timeline: July 2025: BHM will relocated from the ‘railway room’ to an outbuilding (not used during the summer) where I will have a few final running sessions prior to retirement. This will create space in the railway room for work to begin on Capecastle 2 (CC2). August 2025: CC2 should be completed, and might even make it out onto the exhibition circuit during late 2025 and into 2026….. look out for the new thread about the CC2 project, which will see me exploring new horizons! CHD will most likely remain housebound, as the main baseboard is probably too heavy now to move. That’s a pity, because I think it might be well received at exhibitions. I will also begin the conversion of my remaining DC motive power to DCC, so it can all run on CHD. September 2025 - June 2026: CC2 & CHD will be enjoyed! July 2026: CHD will be retired to create space for a brand new and much more ambitious GNR(I) project, ‘Killylea’. This will be a departure from my usual ‘shunting’-type projects as it will be a continuous run layout and very definitely intended for the exhibition circuit. By that stage, all my GNR motive power should be DCC-enabled, so I will have plenty of very suitable stock to run. But more about that in the future! *** Meanwhile, Mr. Weaver will be enjoying his well-earned retirement in Blackstaff Cottage. Blackstaff Cottage (2025)

So the summer approaches and that means lots of things to normal folk….. but to someone like me it only means one thing…a new project! Time now to get started with my long-discussed revival of Capecastle, a previous diorama version of which I built back in 2019. Capecastle was a tiny halt on the narrow gauge Ballycastle Railway in North County Antrim, being 3 miles from the Ballycastle terminus, and sitting in an idyllic location in a small hollow at the foot of the impressive Knocklayd Mountain. The otherwise unremarkable halt was made remarkable by the existence of a 66-yard single bore tunnel at the Ballycastle end, one of very few such structures on the entire Irish narrow gauge. I have a strong family connection to the line as my Great Grandfather James O’Connor was a driver on the line in its independent days, ie pre-1923, in which year it was taken over by the LMS-NCC. The project will see a number of major changes from the previous 4mm diorama: • It will be built to 5.5mm scale using 0-16.5 track (already bought!) - this combination gives the most realistic representation of the 3ft gauge of the Irish narrow gauge • The project will be a working layout rather than a diorama • Rolling stock will be scratchbuilt, beginning with 0-6-0st locomotive No. 2 ‘Countess of Antrim’, which will be a joint project between master locomotive builder Alan Nixon @Tullygrainey and myself • It will be DCC, and will have a long narrow scenic section of 7ft x 1ft 2in And we’re off - baseboards next! Many thanks to all the members here who commented on my previous posts about this idea, which helped me formulate the eventual plan

This looks like some vicious instrument of medieval torture!!!

Wouldn't have a notion about that!

So the new BUT railcar has been on trials at Clogherhead. The livery looks very much at home for sure. It runs well, less so at slow speeds, but it really doesn't like the ancient double slip at the station throat. And it's very quiet too - totally drowned out by the seagulls. BUT Railcar @ Clogherhead.mp4