201bhoy

Hey Tom! My mum's side of the family is from Binghamstown, not too far from Blacksod! Welcome to the site

Sounds like a great layout! 201s and double headed 141s on the ammonia and 071s on the mk2s!

Jaysus, that's horrible. I loved the old plug and socket logo!

Excellent! Have you any pocket wagons for the freight yard? Haven't seen any yet!

Love the sweeping curve there, excellent!

Stunning. Take a bow son, take a bow.

Oh right ok! Have to say the crane makes the space seem much bigger than it is, that's what I'm trying to create in my small 8 x 4 layout!

I like George Hamilton commentating in the signal box

Great pics! Love the t & t enterprise! Is it just me, or has something changed! Did there use to be a crane there?

Lol, I meant an overnight train, (sleeper train!) What a good journey that would be... Derry to Rosslare or Cork in converted mk3s

Thanks for the advice guys, but at present, I just have absolutely no time for any scratch building, I've my hands full with schoolwork, football and the layout! But who knows about later on?

Never knew Ireland had night trains

Yes, that's what I'm planning! Although I think IE normally provided the locos for the freight train, if I remember correctly. But I'm planning to have the whole freight yard concreted over for lorry access. I'll have to have the sea visible somewhere on the backscene, but I'm not sure where...

Right. The new new fleet! Locos Murphy Models 220 (got) Murphy Models 208 Murphy Models 112 (got) Murphy Models 082 Murphy Models 177 (got) Murphy Models 171 Class 3000 or 4000 repaint Coaches 5 coach rake of mk3s (got) 5 coach rake of galway mk2s (need gen van and restaurant coach) 5 coach rake of gatwicks Wagons 5 dapol model shop pocket wagons 4 of hiddenagenda's container flats a few cement bubbles a few timber wagons I'm gonna be busy saving up!

No bother! I'll have to update the fleet soon!

Thanks Rich! Lets hope it lives up to that potential!

That would be brilliant! Maybe a return of North Esk then?

I thought so too! Hopefully it won't be too difficult to build! If it is, I might be calling in a certain Limerick man with a penchant for bridges and other buildings

That sums it up perfectly.

Sorry to start this up again, but just asking where you heard about the Cork liner? Would love it to be true, but as North Esk has been disconnected, I'd say it probably isn't

Here's an edited plan of the layout, just with some extra scenic stuff. I thought the M1 bridge would be a good scenic break and would create a bit of atmosphere!

Oh yes, forgot about them! A nice wee rake of mk2s and another one of Cravens!

So you remember it being built! Was the crane built later? I'm also just wondering if you've been over in Belfast in the last two years or so? Because the crane is gone, and so are any signs of the old freight yard! On the site is now a new dmu servicing depot! Not quite the same, although at least NIR manged to keep the site!

Ok! I'm going to go with the NIR plan! In the year of 2006, EU funded the building of a new line out to Belfast port. The plan included a new 3 platform station and a small, busy freight yard. Instead of scrapping the mk3s, IE decided to keep them, and use them for new services from Belfast to Rosslare, Cork, Galway and Limerick. NIR have introduced a new half-hourly service to Derry. The gatwicks have been reintroduced and now operate an hourly non-stop service to Derry. NIR have also bought the IE Galway rake so they could have two rakes of mk2s for the express service to Derry. There are new freight flows, such as new liner services to Ballina, Dublin, Cork and the newly opened new deep water port at Foynes! There is also a cement silo, and there are daily trains between Platin and Belfast. And finally, the port is used as a stabing point overnight for the newly reintroduced Derry-Waterford timber train!

Well, I never got a cab ride! I was just thinking about your layout when i was looking at pictures of Adelaide's old freight yard, it's a real shame its gone ;(