seagoebox

The tender pictured with 502? was one of a pair, numbered 407 and 408, built at Inchicore with locomotives 501 & 502 in February and March 1926. They were ordered by the GS&WR but the order was completed by the GSR. They were nicknamed "Biscuit tins" as the coal was contained within a steel plate hopper, set back from the tender outside plating ( to aid sighting lines by the footplate crew ) and the tender did not have coal rails like many other tenders. Water capacity was the second largest on the GSR at 4670 gallons, coal carried was 7 tons 10 cwt, tare weight 49 tons. ( the three 800 class tenders had 5000 gallons and 8 tons of coal.) The ladder with the curved handrail top on the tender rear remains from the time that the three 500's were converted to oil firing for a brief period 1947-48

This pic at Newbridge 15th June 1994 has 157 hauling a failed 015 and Park Royal coach 1944 from Limerick to Inchicore, possibly the last movement of it on IE.

See also IRRS Journals no 3 and 144. Railway Gazette December 1930, first page of a series of articles including a huge fold out map.

Jon, Yep, Let me know, Michael.

someone has made a mistake!

Would you include Ballinamore?

The thinking was that they were to be wipe clean, and were hard, therefore discouraging passengers from sitting in the diner as regular seats, but they had a glossy finish and were very uncomfortable to sit in. They got the "Ronald McDonald" nickname because of similar seating in the kids area of McDonalds! They were eventually with conventional Mk3 seats covered in fabric which became plastered with spilt food and were not at all pleasant to look at never mind risk your life by sitting on them !

The latest Mark 3 dining car... 1st February 1985, note the "Ronald McDonald" plastic seats, you could'nt stay sat in them unless you had velcro on your trousers! A far cry fr

The "Dukes Railway"

The elderly "gentleman" is indeed just that, John Harcourt, he is a resident in a home near Balmoral.

Zoom talk to the RPSI on the photographs of Mac Arnold on Wednesday at 7.30 by Michael McMahon

"V" was painted on a wagon when it was listed for scrapping, an upside down "V" was painted on below the first "V" to turn it into an "X" which meant that scrapping was then authorised. The instruction was then given to the scrap man to scrap only vehicles marked with an "X" I remember a story about a scrap merchant from Armagh engaged on cutting up A & C classes in Inchicore cutting locos with a "V" before parts had been recovered to keep others going !

Full page feature in todays Irish Times.

Jonathan, Mostly BR material, when there is Irish stuff it is in there but it will take ages to sort, good reading material for the smallest room in the house, you should be through it by 2053! Michael.

Branch Line Society magazine, Branch Line News, large quantity 1991 to 2008, some bound volumes rest loose, ( see picture) free to a good home, currently in South Co. Louth, free delivery to Belfast or Dublin.

23/7/1976

Colin, unfortunately Brendan died some years ago, Herbert is still a regular attender at the IRRS archive on a Tuesday evening.

"The Meath Road" by John O'Meara, IRRS Journal Vol 4, Spring 1957, number 20, pages 218 to 240.

From the GSR Green Appendix dated 1st March 1935

Pearse, 24th |June 1988

€25 from Mercier Press

There is a very good article in the IRRS Journal Vol 27, no 190, pages 102-109 including a photo of the removal of the bridge over the Royal Canal on 2nd May 1992. The track was lifted in March 1977

What year... 2/1916, 3/1922, 9/ 1928, 4/1936, 3/1944 ?

I am currently in the IRRS at Heuston, Clifton Flewitt has a copy, looks brand new for €40...

Clements & McMahon !