Galteemore

Ernie - your latest SLNC photos cast interesting light on this book, as some of the snaps above looked oddly familiar. Riley was on that SLS trip, it now seems, as the dates check out. Reconciling the Casserley and Riley info, looks as if the railcar left EKN at lunchtime (after snapping ‘Enniskillen’ shunting). Crossed the 1115 ex Sligo goods at Manorhamilton, which was booked to leave there at 2pm, with a few hours to visit the workshops etc. Then crossed the railbus at Dromahair c 1640, arriving Sligo c5:20pm.

Brilliant stuff Ernie - thank you. What’s really nice about this sequence is that it shows the passengers arriving for the rail bus and gives a bit more of the ‘social history’ of the line that 3/4 views of locos just don’t.

These look really good John - hope you get printing sorted. I built an H van in 7mm and you are quite right - they tend to dominate other stock a bit!

That’s interesting. Max’s father Marcel Varnel presided over a location swap in the other direction in the Will Hay comedy ‘Oh Mr Porter’ - set in the imaginary border town of Buggleskelly on the Southern Railway of Northern Ireland - filmed in Hampshire but purporting to be Fermanagh !

In 1978-9 there was also a FFT with a colour cover (unusual as they were b/w in those days) with a number of articles focusing on the restoration of 184 and the film work.

That certainly featured large in the official IE take on the role: Iarnród Éireann has inherited a rich legacy of architectural, industrial and social history stretching back for more than 150 years. The company’s heritage office is responsible for the conservation of the many protected structures, artefacts and installations across the network which reflects the distinctive styles of the companies which constructed the system. Iarnród Éireann’s heritage policy, managed by heritage officer Gregg Ryan FCILT is geared towards preserving what is best from the past in the context of the operating railway system, engaging with community groups and enthusiast bodies, and facilitating the operation of vintage steam trains over certain routes to cater for the growing railway tourist market in association with the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland. Several publications have also been commissioned, with proceeds going to the railway pensioners’ CIÉ Welfare Association, while the company also co-operates with professional video and DVD production for international consumption. Celebrations on significant anniversaries associated with the railway take place regularly at venues throughout the country, and archiving of written and photographic material, together with artefacts and items of rolling stock and motive power is ongoing.’

We have a huge capacity for idiosyncrasies in these matters. Many years ago I taught in a primary school deep in hard core Republican Belfast. Before 69 it had been a Protestant school and had changed population almost literally overnight. As a result, it had a few bits and pieces that wouldn’t normally appear in a ‘Catholic’ school. One was the former portrait of HM the Queen which had once hung on the wall - replaced by the Pope of the day. It was now stored in dust and detritus under the assembly hall stage, emerging only on occasion when stored chairs or tables were taken from that location. It amused me intensely that no one could quite bring themselves to throw it out...

The Leitrim folk, are very wise, JB. Especially North Leitrim....

Didn’t save the Queen Victoria nameplates on No 2 and she was named after a pub!

That King Edward has always impressed me. Amazing to think it still had the name on it 10 years after Saorstat Eireann was founded ... especially given that a C and L loco received tricolour lining in 1920...

https://meathandkildare.org/news/retirement-of-revd-gregg-ryan/

Looks a little like a Timoleague and Courtmacsherry bogie

Nice work Robert. Are the buildings Far North of Scotland prototypes?

Beautiful, Ken. My grandfather apprenticed as a cabinetmaker in H and W shipyard in the 20s and looking at examples of his workmanship over the years has given me a lasting appreciation of the craft. That is a lovely piece of work.

And the RAF has looked rather poorly on such behaviour ....https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawker_Hunter_Tower_Bridge_incident Back on topic, the RPSI has featured in many TV dramas such as ‘The Irish RM’ , ‘Aunt Suzanne’ and ‘My Dear Palestrina’. The late Tommy Dorrian, 8th Army Desert Rat, Belfast scrapman (who used to cover the old Belfast zoo loco with old scrap to hide it until its rescue!) and ultimately, legendary RPSI barman, featured as a costumed extra in the middle one of the trio.

There was an RAF station at Fermoy until 22 - wonder if any of them ever tried flying under the viaduct in their Bristol Fighters !

And of course there were also English railways pretending to be Irish ! Cliddesden station masquerading as ‘Buggleskelly’ in Oh Mr Porter - with Basingstoke standing in for Belfast !

Ireland’s finest railway company....now there’s a debate...

And hearty congrats to the humble scribe .....

First Great Train Robbery used RPSI 184 (lightly modified with cosmetic frames etc) and 186. Fake carriages were constructed on old under frames. These kicked around in a siding at Bray until the early 80s. The movie ‘Michael Collins’ also features RPSI 171 and 461. 184 also featured in the 1960s ‘Darling Lili’ and was in the remains of its beige livery from this when rapidly overhauled for Great Train Robbery work in 1978. It was in very poor health and was effectively a smoke machine pushed by a heavily disguised A class - which apparently worked regular trains in between filming whilst so costumed ! Downpatrick was used for filming Spike Milligan’s ‘Puckoon’. http://railwaymoviedatabase.com/darling-lili/

That is terrific David. Looks like an illustration from one of Geoff Holt’s books. Your honest posts are most encouraging for those of us muddling along in your wake (Seamus Heaney’s poem ‘Follower’ somehow echoes in my head). I have a set of GW rollers which I tried out last night, as I will need to make a boiler soon. I have heard that pre-curving the ends helps make the curve continuous. But you’ve achieved the result!

Yes, we owe Richard a huge debt. Thanks to him (and a few like-minded souls like the late Anthony McDonald) some precious resources are available. I have the MGWR NPCS book, plus the SLNC wagons one and the wonderful GA set for the Sir Henry class.

Thanks Ernie. If you can narrow down the issue I’d buy a back copy! Lovely wagon image too- thanks

Yes - ‘bags’ is a common term for vacuum hoses. On a 1905 Beyer Peacock drawing I am currently using, the large metal cylinder for working the brake is referred to as a vacuum sack. Possibly technical terms dating back to the earliest form such equipment took.

Growing up in a home where the SLNC had quasi-cult status, I thought I had seen pretty much every printed piece about it. Until Galteemore Snr drew my attention to a Railway World album of 1990 which includes one of the most interesting accounts of an SLNC journey, by Robin Stieber. A day on the line when all did not go well. You can pick up a copy for buttons online so treat yourselves - it’s a fine little read !