Galteemore

The class gets an honourable mention in ‘A Decade of Steam’ - Driver Bill McDonnell says that a 500 was in especial demand for heavy passenger specials and they were his favourite CIE class. Once a 500 had lifted a train to 50-60mph, ‘she could lope along on a whisper’.

Funnily enough, I was recently given an ancient Slaters kit of an RCH 6-planker to make up. Couldn’t resist adding some SSM transfers and a real wood interior. I also altered the strapping a bit to the Irish pattern. Not perfect but 2’ rule and all that….

He should have bought 207 Leslie, never mind 2750!!

Yes, the ‘express’ bit simply referred to the non-stop run through the north. The Dublin-Dundalk leg did look rather more impressive as it could attract some heavy motive power of S class and above. Up the Irish North, though, the pace got more leisurely !

Clearly the young lad is cut from the same cloth as Mr W….. Totally agree with the livery. Just recalls that immediate post steam era when the railway was still run with proper goods trains, semaphore signals, and little byways such as Ardee and Loughrea still saw trains. And you could get a decent meal on the Sligo Mail….

Indeed, but as GSR 800 comments, the Enterprise worked differently. One particular feature was a shutter in the bar, which was moved across at the border to shut the ‘northern drinks cabinet’ and open the ‘southern’ one, thus ensuring alcohol was sold at correct duty rate in each jurisdiction! The only other train, I think, which crossed the border without checks, was the Bundoran Express, which avoided checks by not stopping at any stations in NI. Would have been a fine sight running round the curve of Enniskillen station.

I think the confusion here may arise from the modern use of ‘Enterprise’ for all Belfast-Dublin trains. Your train had an engine change but that would have been a normal Belfast-Dublin train and not the ‘Enterprise’, which was a non-stop service.

That was the last ever Belfast - Dublin steam. This was the specifically branded ‘Enterprise’ train, which was entirely diesel from summer 57. Specials and many slower through trains on the route were still steam worked up till 66.

There’s a classic and subtle Irish vibe about this - the main st running under the bridge recalls quite a few real life locations.

SLNC large tanks are 100% scrapped. 50% of the Lough class does survive

Larne Aluminium. 66% preserved

In fairness I thought same thing when I looked at the photo!

or is the shed door just obscuring the other end of the wagon ?

That’s a beast of a Buhler motor!!

Excellent work / and those are good books. Look forward to seeing more !

Wouldn’t have to be a loop - just a spur.

I think the RPSI site means red plates with brass letters. All SLNC locos had black plates with red letters/outlining , unless recently outshopped at Dundalk, where the staff seem to have preferred some bling. Manorhamilton generally quickly rectified this. Erne is basically in Barry condition, sadly. Totally agree re Downpatrick but she requires so much money spent v the money she might generate that I fear we will never see her steam. It’s especially depressing given that she was less than 25 years old when her last fire was dropped.

Thanks at Ernie. And proof SLNC locos did have red coupling rods!!

Must still be valuable if you keep them under lock and key…sorry !!

Great stuff. Presumably Alan keeps all his valuable possessions beneath this layout pictured ?

Lovely. Perhaps Mr Weaver realises that this is also a fine local product like his linen. This does, incidentally, reflect the real life ‘Brookhall Mill’ - Andrews of Comber, who had a BCDR siding into their mill.

They also kept some interesting company

Can’t half spot its Lancaster DNA, can you???

Cracking stuff - well done !!!

More info here…..https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/5682-but-railcars/