Galteemore

As a 7mm modeller I don’t have a dog in the fight. I just know that many modellers, who are quite legitimately satisfied with an impressionist rather than pointillist approach, will be happy to see a steam loco which can quite easily be adapted to a reasonable likeness of an Irish engine. If you want Irish RTR steam, the options aren’t many !

Well quite. Hence my suffix of ‘-ish! ‘.

Bachmann model is of an N class - that’s the one with 5’6 drivers. This one is 6’, as per the K1a class. Very similar locos, different sized wheels

Rapido just announced an SR U class. Close enough to a K1a mogul as makes no difference for someone prepared to do a repaint and add a few decals….

A crude calculation of UK population vs number of heritage lines suggests you need a population of 400,000 for each heritage line. Assuming that people in Ireland are as interested in railways as their UK counterparts, that means Ireland should, mutatis mutandis, have about 13 heritage lines. We apply some judgment to that and admit that interest is no more than half of UK. That gives us about 6 heritage lines or operations as a realistic figure for Ireland. So what do we have ? 1.Downpatrick 2. RPSI 3. Fintown 4. Kilmeaden 5. Dromod 6. Stradbally 7. Maam Cross 8. Giants Causeway So by this very crude heuristic , we are at capacity already

Just noticed that too and been wondering! If nothing else, the chassis will be useful to many

Crafty timing by Ciaran there….

Wow. Membership is worth every penny. Fabulous shots.

Glad it’s found a good home Patrick. So your lovely GN engines will find a home at Clogherhead ?

Yep. Preacher could definitely be herd.

What ‘normal’ people also want are clean toilets, suitable refreshments, and staff who look as if they appreciate them being there. Enthusiasts may disdain Thomas days, ‘dinosaur days’ etc but these things fill the coffers. The vast majority of punters won’t care if the train consists of shopping trolleys pulled by a pink elephant as long as those other bits are sorted.

When we lived in Dublin c99-02, and drove north to see family, was amazing how often the direct route seemed to be through Kingscourt…..

Very well done. Just stick a wheel on the smokebox door as a finishing touch !

It depends on the contributor. Some veer more in one direction than another …..

That’s a 50% overlap with much of this forum…

@David Holmanhas!

Given that Mullingar is built in a Y shape, could have a side each. Given the Long Fellow’s Clare connection, how about Sixmilebridge De Valera ?

Moate Connery

Bangor Coakham, Whitehead Arnold, Adelaide Donaldson ….

There’s also something of an apostolic succession of Irish railway writing here. Michael was a big support to Mac Arnold in his final years, and has since taken up the torch of recording Irish railways and their people

Think you can get them on ScaleScenes ‘diesel depot’ sheet

So we finally know. Rowley Birkin KC is actually from Annascaul….https://youtu.be/1Cwyq3XWeHE?si=cn9biDAO2kJ6hvrf

Not quite as good as their £125 steam locos earlier in the year but some serious bargains here. One thing O gauge stock has is ‘presence’ - you are getting a lot of loco for your money !

I thought he was queuing for the 1st class WC after too many pints in the buffet car! In reality the corridor passengers are in place to distract attention from some glazing glue that went the wrong way !

Thanks Eoin - that’s brilliant. Perhaps I can try to copy the method even without a cameo cutter!