jhb171achill

This whole layout look so realistic!

Pure white when new, but white does tend to age, and it's there some 65 years now!

800 is exact, and fresh, as CIE gave it a repaint in standard green (which was still being used on buses and lorries) before it was sent to Belfast. A myth grew up in Belfast that it was (is) in GSR green in the museum….but this is obviously nonsense!

I couldn't agree more. As one who has been there the odd time to do a talk, I'm always delighted to go. Good to catch up with the Irish contingent living over there too - you know who you are!

Let’s hope that’s not what the RPSI matched the colours for 134 with…. although, by happy coincidence, they both look much the same shade…. Very few nowadays who remember the original 121 livery. It only lasted a few years anyway - several were repainted black’n’tan within only 2 or 3 years. I certainly don’t remember it - my earliest memories of those engines were standard black’n’tan, yet I remember the older green on many another thing.

This could vary.... However, 656 and 660 appear to have been working out of Mullingar in the mid 1940s and probably later too. The late Jack O'Neill wrote about firing on a turf train double headed by these two. 666 ("The Beast") spent a period in the 1950s on the DSER. Prior to 1950, they were almost never to be seen off the ex-MGWR lines.

Yes, you're right - it was a "local" job, though as likely to be Glanmire Road or Limerick as Rocksavage. There was a set of old GSWR coaches brought in to the West Cork section after a while lot of old knackered CBSCR stock was withjdrawn in the early CIE days. However, initially they were proper lined green, as shown in the very forst photo, and the second carriage in the last (colour) photo. Any repaints afetr that tended often to be plain DARK green. I've a couple of vehicles on Dugort Harbour done like that. Usually they had no snail either. The photo you have up there of 8B, a 33ft bogie, was one of only two done like that; no lining, but two snails, and painted on, not the normal gold-lined pale green transfers. Both were local Cork jobs. WHY am I only seeing this post NOW!! Absolutely TOP class work. What is the kit?

I have been considering buying a cheap second hand 08 for some time, and repainting it as a D. Why one would have ended up on a remote rural Kerry branchline in the 1960s, would of course come into consideration!

Vehicles like this are definitely of mid-1880s to 1910-15-ish origins.

Correct.

Standard GNR goods van, 1940s build, I’d say. Now; This is apparently near Ballinasloe. One of the GSR’s “high vans”. Common enough at one time, but exceptionally rare animals today.

Standard GNR goods van, 1940s build, I’d say.

And I only burned my finger twice….

This is a London & South Western Rly. Parcels Van, somewhat similar to several the fewer had in the 1875-1920-ish period. I have been beavering away in terms of learning the dreaded brass kit building skills. It puts many off, but with care is easy enough under the right teacher, which I have! This thing is now ready for cleaning and painting. In my world, one was sent down to Wisht Kerry, boy, though in reality few lasted into CIE times, and only then as little used, little seen, departmental tool vans. I just liked the look of it, and thought that on a fair day at Castletown, a yoke like this mixed in with two unlike 6-wheelers, a Bredin and a few cattle trucks on the back, would very much look the part. Go easy on me if examining detail - it’s only my 2nd attempt at brass! The finish will be CIE green with snail, heavily weathered in the older livery. Next, I'm tackling a Bredin bogie full brake. Wish me luck……!