Galteemore

It’s unfortunate that 131 isn’t cleared to run in the south yet. The Qs were really the queens of the Derry Road for many years and did some fine work - would be most interesting to see her on the DSE banks. The S class were indeed incredible performers - essentially an Edwardian design ( I know, 1913 technically isn’t ‘Edwardian’) that could hold its own against all her successors - an S still holds the Belfast-Dublin steam record, and an S on form could match a V or VS. On rare occasions, too, an S could even be seen as far away as Enniskillen. So glad we have one safe and sound - and on her way back to the main line in 2023 hopefully….images from RPSI website. Look how deep 171’s post 1938 rebuild frames are ! https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/rpsi-collection/7/no131

Excellent. Sadly she stalled at Rathdrum - bad coal and injector problems I hear - and has had to have diesel assistance home. The passengers, I understand, have been forwarded by other means. My dad was on it - still waiting on a DART at Greystones c2200…..

Lovely stuff David. Nice view of some SLNC stock too - not that I’m biased

Sound job. Tone down the whole with a wash and change the red bag to dirty linen colour.

Agreed. Ciaran has been an incredible asset for IRRS. The Flickr site has given me many gems.

Lovely little thing. It looks right - like a one-off from AEC. Won’t look at all out of place.

Excellent - great work. I’m not really up on EMUs but are those the things I see streaking up and down the WCML ?

Good plan, Patrick, although it’s hard taking up work already done well! The street version of those shelters were death traps, as the slab roof could collapse if the walls were hit by a blast wave. I have seen many shelters like yours over here and they were often surrounded by an earth bank, overgrown with grass, to soften the blast. The NI Govt never seriously expected a raid as it was so distant, with relatively small targets compared to GB. As one Westminster official put it, it would be like a shoplifter walking through Harrods to do their pilfering in a corner shop! Sadly, when NIs meagre defences were tested they proved most inadequate.

Terrific stuff. Love the door on that shed - just right

Excellent work - great deal of thought and care gone into this.

14”

Fascinating stuff, Ht. It’s only when you want to model something that you really begin to look at it properly and notice the intricacies. As a scratchbuilder, I find it intriguing to see what wheels we can end up using. The T9 seems worlds away from an 800! I ended up using Stanier Pacific 3’ bogie wheels on a Sligo tank’s rear end….

Wonderful stuff. Look forward to you working your magic on it. But ‘the last word in Irish steam’? Now there’s a statement - the GN types might throw the VS at you, the NCC lads would point to the WT, and depending how one interprets the phrase, of course, the last word in Irish steam was what came over from Beyer Peacock in 51…. It is interesting to note that, for all the comments on the short life of the 800s, Maedb (and likely her sisters too- haven’t the book with me) herself actually had a longer working life than poor old 27’s 18 years!

Very nice. Bleached sleepers on the table road set it off nicely

Not when the Provincial Kit is available…..maybe years ago when the Wrenn stuff was more common, perhaps, but not worth butchering a collector’s item now!

Looking good and atmosphere is building. Keep it coming please !

Double smokebox doors were such a lovely anachronism. I think they rather suit her.

The message of Tara Junction is very clear - if you want to travel efficiently, stay off the roads ! Nice photo

It’s an optical illusion. Look carefully and you will see both port and starboard bow railings appear in front of the wagon. If on board, you’d only see the starboard ones as the wagon would block the view of the port rails. The wagon is also level - if on the ship it would be following the angle of the deck.

It’s a railcar trailer. Many Irish lines used them - this is a GNR one at Cavan. Image below of Clones shows what the ensemble looked like.

Fascinating stuff - had no idea that the fleet lasted till 1993…..https://www.guinness-storehouse.com/content/pdf/archive-factsheets/transport-cooperage/ships.pdf

Interesting idea, but wouldn’t 14 have ‘CIE’ stencilled on the buffer beam?

It’s horrible vandalism but these guys have incredible precision in terms of aerosol application. I suspect they could apply those skills in a far more remunerative and positive way by spraying models and not 1:1….

Well if you trace the ‘Black and Tan’ motif back all the way, it originally referred to the hounds of the Scarteen Hunt, whose coats are Black and Tan. The RIC men who acquired the nickname did indeed wear a mix of very dark green and khaki. Or it could simply be that a CIE official was drinking a Black and Tan…

Although interestingly the commemorative medal awarded to those who served in the War of Independence has a Black and Tan ribbon….very different to UK medallic practice, where medal ribbon design never incorporates the enemy’s uniform colours! Pic from irishmedals.ie