jhb171achill

If it gets it over the line, I'd take a couple of of thirds.

Not as much as you'd expect, as the basic buildings infrastructure had been so solidly built (usually out of stone) some 20-50 years earlier, when the various lines originally opened. However, it WAS used when necessary by the GSR, GNR and NCC. Very little use of it in other companies for reasons stated.

The apparently rusted finish on the water tank itself is most realistic. Many were painted black, others with galvanised (silver) paint, and in earlier CIE times green (naturally)! This captures a black one perfectly!

You too!!

Still slow here - especially on iphone. Since all this started, it varies from adequate, rather than quick, to stuck-wont-open.... Right now, slowish.

The 31st Feb Enterprise will only operate between Dundalk and Dunleer. It will be formed of one "H" van. First class, catering, and a locomotive will not be provided. Passengers are advised to bring umbrellas, and push. Bus transfers will be in operation 2026-2029 due to a kitkat wrapper on the track at Gormanston. This will also result in Portadown to Belfast (Great Hall) being cancelled during July and August. Track maintenance between Ennis and Sixmilebridge will result in bus transfers on the Nenagh Branch, Limerick Junction to Waterford, and the Rosslare line south of Sydney Parade, from July 2026 to May 2051.

Meant to say a while back, when we were discussing six-wheelers in general, even amongst carriages all built in the same batch to identical specifications, variations eventually appeared. As early as the mid 1910s individual vehicles were being rebuilt, re-configured, rearranged. Panelling styles were simplified, end windows in half compartments sometimes covered over, internal differences - Senior recalled two identical DSER 6-wheelers which were on the Harcourt St line in the late 1920s, one of which disappeared (presumably to inchicore), returning some time later with internal partitions being half-height instead of original full height. The GSR heavily rebuilt many GSWR aqnd MGWR full 6-wheel brakes; at least one I saw derelict many years ago - can't remember the number - was actually a Midland van which had not only lost its birdcage, but had been rebuilt in a manner which made it look dowstinctly GSWR-esque. Then along came CIE, who also heavily modified some. At this stage, a comprehensive list of what was done to what (and it applied to timber-bodied bogies too, every bit as much if not more so) is probably impossible. Photos will give clues as to some; but may not be taken as evidence of what happened EVERY coach of the type concerned. Many vehicles - tho0ugh it's impossible to say HOW many - would have ended up complete one-offs. And - some were BUILT as one-offs in the first place, or maybe as a "batch" of just two or three. In both the MGWR and GSWR diagram records, only a handful of actual TYPES of vehicles (again, both bogiue and six-wheel) were built in numbers running into dozens. Most were one-offs or very small batches, or maybe 8 or 10 of a type. Complete minefield! Same with wagons, as you know better than anyone!

It’s pre-1959 anyway, as destinations on the C & L are mentioned. While the list mentions “Location of Siding”, just a thought: is there the slightest chance that in any of these cases a rail connection might have recently been superseded by lorries? If so, the date could be very slightly later…. I doubt it, but it did occur to me. Overall, Mayner’s observation is spot on; a period somewhat earlier than 1990-2000 gives way, way more opportunities.

I am indeed!

Compared with the Neighbouring Isle of funny-coloured trains, we never had anything remotely like the number or variety of yards big and small as they did. What few we DID have mostly vanished by the 1970s - some barely even made it ionto the 20th century. So 1990s is narrowing the gene pool considerably. I would therefore suggest a fictitious one rather than, perhaps attempting to replicate an actual one; or if the latter is preferred, simply use artistic licence to pretend it had lasted longer. Some of these places, where they did exist, were simply sidings off to the side of some station - for example, at one time Enniscorthy had no fewer than seven private sidings within the station itself and its immediate environs. Polloxfens Mills at Ballysodare in Co Sligo lasted into the 1970s and had a number of very short parallel sidings, connected through a short rock cutting to the station. Scenic as well as operationally interesting; indeed, possibly the best such example. You could imagine the Westport Quay line lasted longer than the late 1970s, and that the siding from the station there to two mill buildings on the actual quayside still saw atimidly crawling 141 and a couple of wagons into the 1990s. But there lies another issue. In the 1990s, loose-coupled single vans going in an out of small sidings was a thing of the past by some fifteen years. It was by then all about block workings. If you go down that road, possibly your best bet is some sort of place that handles fertiliser wagons or even just loads beet - Belleville siding near Tuam as an example? This avoids the need to have to model a whole modern industrial plant like a cement factory or a container yard gantry. Even Albert Quay in Cork in its last days handled fert trains with sometimes only 3, 4 or 5 fert bogies. If you go for something like that, you can have a fiddle yard line appearing from under a bridge or something, and just split it up into 2 or 3 parallel sidings, each of which might be so short that it would only hold 3 fert wagons - that could be made to look realistic. Locos, as in so many of these type of places, would not haul trains in (thus needing a good bit of extra space for a run round loop and headshunt), but propel them in and haul them out. I think that is probably your answer.

VERY nice work, indeed, Mol. Your output would put many of us to shame! (Me especially)

Senior transferred from the GSR to the NCC about 1944 for several years, when the latter was going through a phase of concrete engagement syndrome. The coastal erosion on the Larne line, following a period of very bad weather, was critical, and that was his area of expertise, learned the hard way round Bray Head! I always thought the NCC obsession with concrete was unsightly and bland; even ugly - but it wasn’t built to hang in an art gallery. It was efficient and very good at what it was designed for - a bit like a “Jeep”!

Why?

Love the old van body! I've several under construction at the moment....same idea....

I'm happy enough to call them 800s! (B1a class sounds a bit nerdy!)