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Whilst it would be well out of period for my modelling interests, I couldn’t resist one in model form. I suspect fitting the power bogie wheels into those splashers with enough space for bogie rotation and 21mm gauge would be a real challenge though, and there’s no space for over-size flanges! The FR Fairlies have a maximum bogie rotation angle of 4.25 degrees in yaw, so the doubles are prohibited from sharply-curved sidings. In pitch they are even more fussy, and so they do not go on low-loaders. They are impossible to lift in one piece by crane too. So they don’t leave home. Merddin has travelled over a million miles in nearly 150 years without ever going more than 25 miles from where it was built! There are still a few original bits - the nameplates have been polished so many times that their thickness is half what it once was.

The ffestiniog enginemen were extremely fond of their single Fairlies, it was remarked that if there were railways in heaven that they must use single Fairlies! 33/4 would be one Id be very interested to see, not that we'd likely see one on the main line now due to the very small water capacity, but Downpatrick or Maam Cross!

The wheelbarrow against the wall is a genius touch Alan!

At one stage it was thought the handbrake column was an original part, but it turned out to be from Moel Tryfan rather than Taliesin. The original chimney also survives but wasn’t used as it looked out of proportion- the replica is actually slightly over-scale. The FR Fairlies no longer use the flexible elbow joints (Merddin was the last to have them in the 1990s) and instead use flexible straight hoses with rigid elbows. Now there is another team working on a Gowrie replica. https://www.gowrielocomotivetrust.com/

Indeed, the precedent has been set for Fairlie new builds. The single Fairlie “Talieson” on the Ffestiniog was built in 1999, as a sort of replica / successor to the original “Talieson” which was broken up in 1924. The new engine incorporates the original reverser lever - so whether that makes it a replica or a very very comprehensive rebuilt, is for you to decide . McDonnell’s Fairlies didn’t actually feature flexible steam joints, at least not in the way Fairlie’s did: the pipes of McDonnell’s engines simply had enough flex in them so as not to break whenever the driving bogie shifted - undoubtedly a more precarious arrangement, though saved the fitters from the headache of having to keep flexible joints steam tight. That unique McDonnell Fairlie layout is the main reason I’d love to see a replica, as it would serve an educational role and show a more unusual side to loco engineering - compared to some of the more “nice to have” engines, such as a J26, which I love don’t get me wrong, but wasn’t an engine that broke any moulds or set new boundaries, whereas the “double-bogie[s]” were true unsung pioneers!

Well, there has already been one successful project to build a replica single Fairlie, and there's another one in progress. There's not really much more work in a broad gauge one than narrow gauge - all the same parts just a bit bigger. In my experience, a single Fairlie is a very pleasant loco to work, smooth riding, free running, great ergonomics. An ideal branch passenger loco. The boiler on 33 isn't too big or hungry, and it would go round the DCDR's corners* better than a rigid wheelbase. *with apologies to the DCDR track gang, they're laid smoothly but the DCDR trainset does seem to have more radius 1 curves than straights.

Bit of a random pick I know, but I’d have to go for one of McDonnell’s “double-bogie[s],” as they were known by Inchicore men. There were only two of this type built - 33, 34 - the former in late 1869, with the second engine following a few months later in 1870. Aside from their absolutely gorgeous appearance, they were the first single Fairlies in the world - an innovation to which McDonnell doesn’t get due credit for. Similar back-tanks followed after these two, however they were built as conventional locos rather than being articulated: this was a result of the colossal royalties demanded by Fairlie. Thus the later back-tanks, which were likely intended to be Fairlies but altered mid-construction to a non-articulated set up to avoid royalties, were more rigid by comparison. Shortly after 33’s completion, the first of Fairlie’s Ffestiniog locos made headlines in the engineering press, undoubtedly overshadowing McDonnell’s engines, leaving them to be observed as a mere footnote. Having either 33 or 34 with us today would fill a gap in the history of locomotive technology, and represent one of Ireland’s lesser known contributions to it.

It's a bit of a risk going to Valencia as it puts me within missile range of the Canaries, so I'll have to take a break from being an insufferable asshole to poor @DJ Dangerous when I'm down there! But needs must. Hopefully I can get a bitta video of the Spanish choo choos to put up here, and maybe on YouTube since I only have one video up as is.

I hope you have a great time in Spain - hopefully it won't be as dark as your garden!

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

Preliminary earthworks along the south wall of the garden, from Knockrann curve to Barnacollin bridge. Annoyingly difficult to level out since the shovel snapped. Apologies for the rather dark video but I only thought to record my progress after the sun went down. IMG_2033.mov Since the railway room has been built, theres been a line of spoil along the southern edge of the garden, which I’ve started shaping into an embankment leading to behind the new building. I thought I’d post this as I’ll be visiting family in Spain from Monday to Thursday, so I won’t have another opportunity to share progress for a while. At the end of the week, once im back home and it’s daytime again, I’ll do a full walkthrough of the planned alignment. The railway has been planned for nearly four years now, so hopefully 2026 will be the year it finally comes to fruition.

Lovely scenes, the people help to give it more life.

3002+3004 1005-1250-1605-1850 today

That’s lovely Alan. Fabulous work

Beautiful! Super modelling and photography - the attention to detail is amazing.

KiIlmore's official photographer @Patrick Davey came by the other day and tried out his new wide angle lens. It was a cold day and the stationmaster has just lit fires in all the grates. In other news, a grounded van has appeared in the goods yard.

A bit more progress on the bitumen tank. There's only so much of this I can do at one sitting. It's even got working springs! I've not got too far to go now with the chassis. The tank is well on the way but needs a bit more filling and sanding before I start work on the ladders and catwalks.

Not really just thought it might be of interest to someone here.

Very interesting! Late 1940s and looks like an anchor-mount tank. Crude Benzol is a Class A product (low flash point) so would be a silver tank. Are you thinking of bidding on it?

Found this on a auction for 5th Jan Great Northern Railway (Ireland) Blueprint Drawing for a 20 Ton Tank Wagon For Conveyance of Crude B

Limerick Works?

My recent trawl through the photo archives has identified some more photos of tar bitumen tanks that can be referenced in this thread. Most are in the IRRS Flick archive so you will need to be an IRRS member to see them. Firstly, a couple more detail photos of the GNR 6-wheeled tanks, the second one is in colour: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511317628 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54255284544/ Then an interesting group of shots showing how a rail tank could be discharged by gravity into a road tanker at Mullingar. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511613510 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511499779 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511347303 One wonders whether the traction engine might be a source of steam for melting the contents of the rail tank if it had solidified? The road vehicle appears to have propane/butane tanks for that purpose. A very characterful tar tanker/sprayer which appears to have been converted from a GSR bus, if I am interpreting the caption correctly: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54419691774 A couple of photos of Mallow showing tar bitumen tanks on a siding near the Fermoy/Waterford line. Noting the hoses by the wall and the lower ground level beyond the wall, I wonder if Mallow had a similar arrangement to Mullingar for discharging the tanks? That would have later been superseded by the use of the Quartertown Mill branch. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511646893 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508522006 And finally a miscellany of images showing tar bitumen tanks in trains, yards and sidings: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511455538 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53510434982 (on the right) https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53527761675 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53527329681 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54253254179 (3 in this photo, including an older, smaller one. Note steam heat connection on the nearest one) https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305566 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54252089752/ (2 here, the right-hand one is older and smaller capacity) https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000304717 (this shows the steam piping rather well, as well as the catwalk details) I'd better get back to the soldering iron and finish off my model of one of these!

A super photo of a GNR fitted IRCH van has just come up for sale on ebay, lots of nice details here. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/358059308009 This looks like N4168 in the UTA fleet, close to the 4166N I modelled.

Thank you both!

Digressing slightly onto the 6-compartment 3rds, John is correct that the vast majority were withdrawn or converted in the 1940s. According to the diagram 86 listing, 73 of these 6-compt thirds passed to the GSR in 1924. However, the listing shows that after the purge in the 1940s a handful survived into the 1950s. Late survivors were: Withdrawn in 1958: 649, 654, 660 Withdrawn in 1960: 558, 614, 624, 655 Photos of these in CIE days are very hard to find and I suspect that these seven carriages may have spent their final years before withdrawal forgotten in a siding. One photo showing a 6-compartment third in CIE livery is this one by Ernie at Harcourt St around 1951, and I do think it's a GSWR coach: Until yesterday, I thought I had another photo of one in Cork in 1955, also by Ernie: But then Ernie posted this photo, which shows a 6-compt 3rd of GSWR style with only 4 wheels rather than 6. Looking at the photo above, I think that is also a 4-wheeler, likely the same one. I haven't yet worked out whether this is a GSWR 6-wheel coach converted to a 4-wheeler, or whether it's a CBSCR / CMDR oddity. Anyway, I have other plans for my kit for a 6-compartment third, involving some replacement sides. It is likely to become a full brake. There are various options which may spawn a separate thread as they seem to have been modified significantly over their lives, but I'm thinking of something like the nearer one here: