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Not sure if I ever posted these here. But this is from a local modeller who wishes to be anonamous. @Mol_PMB noted that many industrial lines were in the cork/Kerry region. And while I can’t speak for the rest of the network. The West Cork System had a number of private sidings. Beamish had one in Bandon. A small branch for the mills at Desert, Allmans Distillery famously had its own locomotives, Coffeepot and latterly a Peckett 0-4-0 which later became GSR 495. Ironically this locomotive was not only purchased for its age (being less then 10 years old at the time of purchased versus the rest of the aging GSR fleet!) and used for the Fords/Dunlop siding. The tight curves on some Cork City Railway Curves around the quays and the Corn Mills on the marina making it ideal anyways I’m missing a major one here. Shannonvale mill in between Ballinascarthy and Clonakilty still stands tall, it closed a year or two after the railway line that served it closed. Shannonvale mills had its own 400 odd meter siding off the Clonakilty branch. Rather than a private locomotive, a horse worked the branch. The last horse work the line known as paddy, who retired to a local farm rather then facing the scrap! Gravity would work the wagons into to Mill while paddy would bring them back out. A deadly dangerous quick release system would engage at the top of the gradient and paddy, along with the workers would have to dash out of the way. the track may have been lifted by CIE funnily enough as according the local accounts was lifted by a rail tractor (which CIE used to lift the T&C branch line among other light track some footage of paddy https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxL5hDnFAZ6geNU215dcVm84m_Tt7wHGfk?si=6t1xIjELaKddy9Dp https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxYZD5EQbx7WjEFkncZEAksHxedcphB8wA?si=O9mofvztnjWiukhZ interestingly Cork and Bandon Railway are recorded as saying that locomotives did end up going down there. Impossible the verify other then word of mouth and one recorded interview from the 1960s. Beet was certainly stored down there during a particularly busy season in the 1950s according to Ray Good 31/03/1961 taken from the cab of the last Ex-Clonakilty mixed train the pulls up to the mills where the last wagons will be taken (C) Brian Baker anyways this layout is supposed to capture the mill, not long after closure. Enjoy!

We've had some heavy rain this week after a prolonged dry spell. It's had an amazing effect on the countryside around Kilmore.

rather predictably I am back after a long hiatus and have been plugging away at a new project! I am finally at the stage where im happy to share it with the world. I like my micro projects, because im far more likely to actually see them through, the lack of a running loop tends to frustrate me though. Im also not a fan of ovals that are 4 to 5 feet wide as ive always seen them as a terribly bulky and sometimes hard to reach across.. so messing around in railmodeller and i came across marklin 2210 which ive apltly nicknamed radius 0 as it seems like it would be the next size down from first radius in the set track system. this gives me an overall size of around 2.5 x 3.8 feet, a very portable size! Initially this was just going to be a simple experiment oval to see what would actually run on it with some time spent on detailed scenics however during the planning phase i got carried away with several different siding ideas and thought sure lets try and squeeze in a siding, which turned into an inglenook and so on. I can just about get some 42 flats around this but any passenger stock will be out of the question. In terms of era and location it was decided fairly early on for it to be a very generic scene that could be anywhere in ireland and that neither modern nor old stock would look out of place on it, it was finally decided to focus on a 1970's or 1980's aesthetic but as i wasnt actually alive to remember either of those decades artistic license can be used somewhat and there wont be any hard of fast rules. I have enough loose coupled wagons and nowhere to put them! so without further ado! Heres my overall trackplan and despite it looking quite sparse there is actually going to be more going on than meets the eye. there will be lit signals, motorised points, block detection and even possibly some automation down the line! Lets assume there is a loco parked on the spur playing yard pilot and 3 random wagons in any of the 2 sidings but the "line" cannot have any wagons parked on it by the pilot because there are trains passing through frequently, let's also assume that there is another loco with 5 vans plus a brake van working the "line" This gives us 2 different games plus a running loop for times of boredom. the loco pulling 5 plus a brake van can be ran on a loop, it can also stop into the yard and play the inglenook game using the 3 sidings while the pilot simply waits around before he can play the inglenook game however he must shunt the brake van down onto the bottom siding in order to have enough space to shunt. once the inglenook game is complete the train leaves the yard and either goes back to doing its loop or it simply stops in the fiddle yard. When the line loco is in the fiddle yard the pilot loco will be able to shunt wagons between the yard and outer siding in a tuning fork formation but he will have to stop and goto the spur when a train comes to pass through the yard. in time id like to see if i could automate the line train to stop in the fiddle yard for 5 minutes before coming again following the pilot to be driven around by a human in the interim! IMG_2678.MOVIMG_2678.MOV

HC Casserley from the 30's + Richard Casserley from 1955. SLNC 1929-09-20 Sligo 'Lissadell' HCC Glass 6323 Cas25008. GSR 1934-07-17 Westport. 530 HCC11201 Cas25166. DB&ST 1932-06-05 Embankment HCC8723 Cas25126. CIE 1955-04-14 Glenbeigh , 127. RMC83267 Cas25099.

Had a brief but excellent catch up with Alan this evening and he kindly permitted my taking of some photos of his current layout build ‘Kilmore’. No need for any descriptions for the photos - just incredible!

Update on the 3D printing: The excellent file created by @J-Mo Arts has now been printed on a resin printer - quite an improvement from the previous print!

I was always a Mark III fan and in particular, the Irish Rail Restaurant coach with its unique window layout and roof vent structure differentiating it from the British Rail equivalents. A few shots of 7402 and 7410 around Heuston North.

Finally done with the cattle dock...................... And here it is in place, with some paying customers

In preparation for the annual Dugort Parish Knock Pilgrimage on Sunday, the excursion set rests overnight at the harbour station. At Tralee it will join another six, and the ten-coach train, two heating vans and a diner will trundle their way to Claremorris, via the North Kerry, Ennis and Tuam. Looks like a pair of 141s will end up on this. In 1966, there’s still the odd green coach to be seen.

I'd better post the photos of my finished models here too, just to prove that I do sometimes finish something, and don't spend all my time doing research...

A few images from steam days. CB&SC 1954-09-04 Drimoleague shed 470 KC. Track and turntable removed on dieselisation. second photo. CBSCR 1954-xx-xx Drimoleague 35 ref036 The branch train from Baltimore. third photo. Nameboard.

Work on Kilmore over this last week or so has focused on the track - points rodding (2 sorts), ballast and paint. Points rodding 1: In the interest of keeping it simple, I've avoided points motors and opted for simple rod operation using 2mm brass rod and some bits from choc-bloc electrical connectors. It works well on The Stone Yard and I hope it will here too. This is the basic arrangement... ... and here it is installed under the board. The rod exits through the back board and terminates in a wooden knob. To paint the sides of the rails, I used a method described by Chris Nevard in Model Rail - Halfords matt black and red oxide from rattle cans, sprayed at a low angle across the track until a satisfactory colour is achieved. Shouldn't work but it does a remarkably convincing job of representing old rust. Points rodding 2: Cosmetic representations of the real thing using Wills plastic kits, laid before the ballast went down. This was the hardest thing I've done in a long time. Fragile and nightmarishly fiddly to assemble. I broke a lot of bits, lost others to the carpet monster and some of the finished results are a bit approximate. Give me an etched brass coach kit with no instructions any day! Ballasting: Not my favourite activity. Placing the ballast is fairly satisfying - all that dusting it into place with a little paint brush whilst humming quietly to oneself - but gluing it down and then picking grit out of flange ways and points mechanisms isn't. And vacuuming up the stray particles only to find great chunks coming adrift because it wasn't glued down properly or you didn't leave it to dry for long enough. Then there's weathering the stuff... Anyway, here's the state of play to date... Grassy hillsides next. Pastoral landscape has been noticeably absent from my previous layouts so new ground to be explored, new mistakes to make. Alan

Cabin glazing completed. Cheers Darius

Mr and Mrs McQuillan who patiently waited for the 7mm narrow gauge train at The Stone Yard recently decided to move house and now they wait for a different train on the platform at Kilmore. Yes..., they've downsized. I'll get my coat.

Some new wagons weathered and Hunslet 101. Palvans from Enda Byrne (CK Prints) Parkside grey Palvan. Refrigerated Containers on flat wagons. Not numbered or logo like the real thing but with very narrow planks you would need very small numbers. Some new pic's of NIR 101.

A change of direction with the Countess of Antrim project. The original plan was for Patrick @Patrick Davey to build a body in plasticard on my chassis. However he managed to source a 3D printed body, printed in resin by a friend from a file created and generously donated by @J-Mo Arts of this parish. And very nice it is too. As a result, the brass running plate is now redundant since the 3D print incorporates one and it would be highly problematic to try to remove it. Both body and chassis needed a bit of fettling (that's a technical term for "hacking lumps out of each") to make them get on with one another but we're just about there, I think. The Countess so far... Some cosmetic tidying up, detailing and then paint. Over to you Patrick

Under wraps in Moyasta in May First test run to Inch in July

The landscaping on Kilmore has come on by leaps and bounds over the last three days. A few of those leaps were in the wrong direction mind you, with static grass getting everywhere it shouldn't and scatter clogging up the points. And when I finally stopped for breath and looked at the result last night, I hated it. Far too bright - more toy town than County Down. This morning I mixed a thin dark green wash of acrylic paint (Tamiya XF11 green and XF1 black) and airbrushed the vegetation - the paint flow dialled right back to produce a barely visible mist. It did the trick, taking the technicolour edge off the landscape and toning the whole thing down a bit. I'm much happier with it now. A few more pics to supplement Patrick's portfolio...

Picked up one of @Past-Avenue’s lovely 3D printed 30 ton brake vans at the last Bray show. I opted for an unpainted version which came supplied with decals. It really is an excellent print with a very smooth finish that takes paint very well. I used a more of a brown bauxite colour (Tamiya XF68) which is less red than some models I’ve see but I’m happy enough with it. It will be heavily weathered anyway. While the decals were fine, I just couldn’t get the wasp stripes to work. Sorry Enda! So I opted for hand painting them, I think it looks ok. I also removed the NEM coupler pockets. The molded ones are spot on, I just prefer to mount coupler boxes on my stock. The finished product, sans weathering.

The sun just came out briefly so I took a trio of vans out for a photo. These are all modified and repainted IRM fitted H vans (previous batch) and are based on photos of the real thing, as linked in the Green H vans thread: Although I have finished the prototype palvan in plain grey, at least three of these were painted green too, becoming grey later.

A new arrival at Maam cross,thankfully in working order….2751. Thanks to PC for the use of his photo.

After my summer break, the new model making season has begun. I spent the last few months doing a lot of research into Irish architectural heritage. My plan for this season is to work on another exhibition, which I hope to have ready by April. The working title is "The Irish House", so a range of buildings from a ring fort, to a modern mansion. My first build of the season is Ormond Castle in Carrick on Suir. A unique Irish building, the only Tudor manor house ever built in Ireland. Dating from the 1560s, it says something about the power and confidence of the Butlers of Ormond, that they built an unfortified manor house at a time when every body else was still building castles and forts. It's been as tricky model to build so far. The main part left to build is the ruined tower at the rear, which will be a new model making challenge for me. Also planned for this modelling season, is to get a double loop of track and some sidings laid, and get some trains running. I have a base board done so it would not take a lot of work to get trains running. The problem as always is getting distracted by buildings.

Of course, 124 did not just appear by magic. We had somehow managed to keep our restoration work and test runs under wraps, including sneaky moves like shunting it down the South Line on a public running day with 146 to avoid anyone working it out. If anyone asked, we were just checking platform clearances. As my video of the highlights of our testing shows, we may have been keeping secrets...

It's not, but it doesn't get unveiled until we sell some more ICRs, Hunslets and 800s first! they pay for each other which pays for the C....

Outlaws Hobby and Craft, were selling 3D, 80 class units amongst other items, at North down MRS exhibition this year, I only bought the power car which required very little preparation, light sanding, spray primer. I'm well pleased with the result thus far, Painted with pheonix precission paints NIR maroon and NIR dark blue. Transfers are from MIR stable and fox transfer 0.5 mm lining, I have yet to decide on the chassis as I intended this as a dummy. I have four MIR brass kits to construct The intercity set is the second set, I already have a set in NIR surburban Livery and still two remaining set to construct. Ive attached a short video of the suburban set running 80 class sub run 1.mp4

Enniskillen today. GNRI 1957-09-03 Enniskillen U 201 comes off train from Dublin.PFF234. GNRI'SLNC 1957 ca Enniskillen AL probably No 59 shunting. Railbus 2A PFF217 Not sharp unfortunately. GNRI 1957-09-26 Enniskillen 204 ,PFF009.

Just came across this, thought I’d share it out of interest. Don’t take the shade of green seriously - the original colour slide is in awful condition! At Waterford obviously, about 1962. Like the A & C classes, some had a pale green “waistline”; some didn’t. None had “flying snails”. Black on top of roof.

Let there be light. Someone appears to have nicked the lead flashing from that roof. That needs seeing to.

The best kept secret in preservation is now out https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/2025/first-preserved-121-class-working

Ulster model railway club, The show is on in Belfast this weekend, Sat/Sun. I will be there selling card and lasercut buildings plus some wagons and road vehicles.

Just a few examples of the very fine modelling on display here today..

Yep it was great to be there today at the DCDR, the sights and sounds! Well done ITG

Kudos to Downpatrick and ITG. As Theodore Roosevelt said….

After lots of cutting and applying, I finally got these finished during the week. Unfortunately, I didn't get them all covered as I ran out of decals. But I think I've got enough done for a convincing yard scene.

Early morning at the MPD we see railcar 2607+2608 being prepared for service, 085 and 175 receiving exams, 127+128 spare and 124+134 being coupled together for freight duties-the fitter giving the bogies and fuel tank of 124 a wash.

CIE 1961-06-05 Fenit Pier yj313. CIE 1961-06 Athlone West Junction Cabin yj328. CIE 1966-05-14 Ardee B159 yj321.

Back to my main interests in the south, here's the collection of goods vans in the 21mm gauge display cabinet: Top row - 1960s unfitted vans: Provincial Wagons GN 10t van, modified to represent MGWR equivalent. Work in progress. Provincial Wagons GN 10t van, modified to represent GNR sheet-sided equivalent. Work in progress. Modified IRM H van body on Parkside chassis, to represent early CIE 170xx series unfitted van. JM Design LMA van, built as intended. Middle row - 1960s vac fitted vans: Provincial Wagons GN 10t fitted van, detailed. Work in progress. IRM fitted H van, regauged detailed and repainted. IRM fitted H van, regauged detailed and repainted. Chassis of IRM H van, regauged, with modified Parkside palvan body, to represent one of the prototype palvans converted from H vans. IRM fitted H van, regauged. Bottom row - 1970s vans, roundel era: IRM fitted H van, regauged, modified roof. Provincial Wagons cattle van, modified to a vac fitted version JM Design GSR grain hopper, with added details. IRM fitted H van, regauged. GNR cement van based on detailed and regauged Parkside kit. Soon to arrive will be 6 IRM unfitted H vans. There are also 3 IRM grain vans awaiting the regauging and weathering process. Ideally I'd like to modify one of these by replacing the doors with a plain panel. Once I've dealt with those, there will be some GSWR 'big boy' vans to make, based on my measurements at Cultra. I'd also like to make a GNR grain van, and two GSR variants of the IRCH standard vans. I probably have too many already!

Model airplane stuff! I have used model airplane construction method in polystyrene to build coach roofs;- This was for a Tin Van. It would also work with balsa wood. Eoin

Recently removed the chipper and terrace houses on the hill by the road. Decided to replace it with a ruined abbey from the middle ages, scratch built by myself from plywood and willis kits stone sheets, I thought it would give the layout a more rural Irish feel, rather than those old English-looking Metcalfe kits!

CBSC 1959 ca Drimoleague, C224 after arrival on service from Baltimore & Skibbereen. PFF396. BELOW. .CBSC 1959 ca Drimoleague, Goods & Skibbereen trains in main platforms Railcar on right. PFF387. Goods shed line behind platform line on left. Below. CBSC 1959 ca Drimoleague, Railcar for Bantry on right, Baltimore C224 on left. PFF397. Signal is down for the railcar to go to Bantry. Below. CBSC 1957 - + Drimoleague C202 on goods.PFF204. Photo taken from the footpath which appears to have been the only access for passengers to the station. The official route to the lefthand platform would have been over the footbridge but no doubt many people would just use the foot crossing in front of the loco.

Very well done to the ITG, DCDR and anyone else who made this happen!

Hi everyone, couple of background projects I’m currently working on, still a work in progress with plenty yet to do to complete

After all these years I thought it was time I got myself a rolling road for testing locos. But damn they’re not cheap! But I managed to pick up a few sets of rollers from Temu for small money. Then I kitbashed the rest from a steel pot stand from Ikea. Works just fine…..

With the longer evenings fast approaching -we see the lights being turned on at Tara junction….

Once the linen traffic from Brookhall Mill started to decline during the 1950s, the cash-strapped GNR board repurposed some of the former cream-liveried linen vans into general use, giving them the more familiar grey livery. Here are three former BHM linen vans, freshly repainted, at Clogherhead in 1957, along with an also newly-repainted open wagon. The urgency to get the vehicles into traffic was such that it would be a number of months before they would receive their white lettering.

“OK, now, LISTEN to me before yer man comes back. You telephone Burke - Gerard Burke, not Gerry - GerARD - on Tuesday morning in Tralee Goods an’ tell him what I said. OK? He’ll sort ye out. Tell him what I told you, ok? Don’t listen to Dennis. Serious, don’t even listen!”

That’s my biggest ever piece of rolling stock more or less done. Thanks to @Paul 34Ffor significant information input, and @Northroader for the correct bogie sides, which I have squeezed out to 36.75. Very unusual coach, with both compartments and open sections. As with all my models, I’m quite disappointed with it in many ways but nor is it a complete failure, I suppose. Roof looks better in real life and a little more filler some weathering will smooth things out. The roof was horrible to do - a high arch - so ended up making a balsa layer structure and then sanding to shape. Corridor connections are temporary until I can get the correct ones sorted. Should look ok with the PP….shout out to @Mol_PMB and @Maynerfor construction advice.

A new arrival from eBay today, a green A class which I had been mulling over for a while and eventually gave in despite @DJ Dangerous badgering me to buy an anteater instead... I have posed it here with three of my vans which are conversions from the IRM fitted H vans. All of these have been modified to 21mm gauge which isn't as bad as I thought but still a fair bit of work with the brake gear. The green one 18829 has the extended buffers fitted as per prototype. The middle one 18828 is one of the rare prototype Palvans converted from H vans. This is a kitbashed Parkside BR Palvan body on an IRM chassis, also with extended buffers. These were originally green too, but at least one received the plain grey livery shown here. The left-hand one 17083 represents the batch of vans built before the H vans, with a similar body but on a conventional non-triangulated chassis. This uses the spare IRM body from the middle van, on the spare Parkside chassis from the Palvan kit. Both with appropriate modifications. All have been repainted, lettered and weathered. My green van was probably a fair match to the shade of the green A before I weathered it. I have yet to test the A class, and of course it's presently the wrong gauge. I have yet to try regauging an A; as with the wagons it will need new wheels but the existing axles should be OK.

The MK3 buffet 6402 (ex BR HST 40513) has been sold back to the UK. 227 is scrap, think ITG want the bogies/axles as strategic spares, probably the only useable parts. Its been in scrap condition for over 2 decades now. A lost cause 015, could be cosmetically restored, its been left outside for a while now, and it was the spares box for 003/039 for years. Where would you put it never mind run it 6105 and the push pull intermediate coach (6305(??)) would be saveable if you are brave and have money to burn. 6105 has significance as the last coach to be built in Inchicore. Again, preservation (especially in Ireland) is about realism. I'm sure Santie had good intentions, but alas too many obstacles. Buying stuff is the easy bit