Galteemore

If he can produce a photo of the sleepers with the snow still on them we’ll believe ! https://ore.exeter.ac.uk/repository/handle/10871/20057

The chairs may have been so stamped, or a symbol on them was so interpreted. Rumours of British-made Russian surplus were aplenty in that era- such as the fallacious idea that the RAF got its light blue uniforms from a batch that had been ordered by St Petersburg and were suddenly not required in 1918…..in a tangentially related point to the original topic, a few air forces have buried jets. The Australians buried a load of asbestos-ridden F-111s, and Saddam buried his Air Force to stop the US destroying it! The cautionary tale of the Burma Spitfires perhaps suggests that most stories of buried locos be treated with a pinch of salt…..https://news.sky.com/story/amp/burma-spitfire-mystery-is-solved-10454358

This is what they were like in 2015. I saw them in July and they are just as JHB describes. Image from Morgan Young on Flickr …click for more…

That’s lovely work. The gated, cobbled siding especially effective

As with so often in this Forum, a thread has got me exploring. There is an 0-6-0T buried in England near Wigan. Unlike so many of these tales, the incident happened within living memory and is well documented - including a pic of the loco in the pit. Good to see that the driver has been honoured by a memorial. https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/stuff/past1.php

The NIR thing is genuine. Loads of old multiple unit stock dumped in a County Antrim quarry underwater. Had been an alternative plan to relay part of old Goraghwood - Armagh line to enable sealing them up in Lissumon tunnel.https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2004-11-16.196086.h According to Hansard, some 18 items were disposed of this way. As for burying steam locos, they contain far too much in the way of recyclable ie resellable materials for that to happen! It has happened perhaps occasionally overseas when an engine cannot be recovered or a scrapped on site (there are a few NZ cases) but not here !https://i.stuff.co.nz/national/119847636/second-locomotive-buried-in-river-bed-may-be-recovered

I suppose, to the UTA, it was inconvenient for short workings being single ended. CIE’s pair, I think, were largely employed on the INW stump workings till 59 and then went the same way. Here’s one of the last workings : https://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000304436 My dad has great memories of railcar A - above - on the Derry Road. Had a fine mahogany interior apparently

Don’t think the wheels turned round many times! Colm Flanagan says it was out of use at Adelaide for 2 years before 1961 scrapping. Glad we have this pic - as you say, great evidence of how stuff was identified in the GNRB/UT transition. Would have looked quite smart with the UT roundel, too…..

There was an end on junction between the two systems at Castlewellan, and trains from both could be seen in each other’s company between there and Newcastle.

Nice thought! Des Coakham’s view was that it was one of the most interesting engines on the line. He felt that the inspiration came from the GNRI RT tanks which visited Queens Quay. The external styling though is very SLNC-like ! In a nice little circle of history, of course, 2 SLNC 0-6-4Ts worked on the Belfast dock lines just after 29 was withdrawn- a real pity they were never seen together.

Looks brilliant. Although SLNC and BCDR cabs aren’t always that far apart check out no 29 here which has a very SLNC air, right down to the 0-6-4T arrangement and the jack beside the smokebox!

I’ll PM you as pics are problematic …

That’s very nice. A little reminiscent of the SLNC 4-4-0T ‘Erne’. Change the chimney, tweak the cab and it’s very reminiscent!

Just imagining a 7.25 line through the Barnesmore Gap…..interestingly, the Bure Valley line in England - 15” gauge - has a loco which was once of Donegal outline -see below - but had to be rebuilt, one reason being the cab was too cramped. The rebuild was done in Leek and Manifold style.

Jim McGeown of Connoisseur Kits also suggests ensuring the brass is warm and dry. I follow his guidance of sticking my brass models in the hot press for a while along with the can and it’s worked. Although as an Englishman he calls it an airing cupboard …..

Thanks Ernie. Always liked those GN railcars - something almost Michelin-like about them

That’s mighty work Eoin. Reminds me of a late night footplate trip I had once on 171 with the crew silhouetted like that against the fire….

Most interesting JHB. A socially awkward, oddly dressed, muttering type - you’d think someone like that would be conspicuous on an Irish enthusiast tour….. All the same, bet you’d give anything to be kipping on a dusty oul sate on a laminate out of Sligo behind a 141 again…

Definitely calling out for a track panel or two of 5’3. Could do what this bloke has done….in SLNC two tone green… I’d probably convert the signal cabin into a workshop upstairs - lots of light ! And use the locking room below as a layout room..,

Looks like the N gauge Society one they produced with Farish a few years ago. I had a blood and custard one. Lovely little model - here’s another variant.

This any use ? http://www.crecy.co.uk/railway-atlas-of-ireland-then-now

Nice to see this taking shape. No matter how much drawing you do, there’s nothing quite like seeing a plan in 3D to see where adjustments have to be made. Backscene sketch looks great.

As a member of the Gauge O Guild I get updates from their photo gallery. Just in is this Class K of the South Australian Railways. This is the loco from which all the SLNC 0-6-4T locos derived, the likeness to ‘Lissadell’ and her sisters is obvious. The last K class went in 1956, so they had a similar lifespan. The modeller has, nicely, built it to proper 5’3 gauge. They have also built an ‘L’ class, which is a nice ‘might have been’ for the SLNC…..again, the family likeness to the tanks is there to see. The L class were originally tanks and rebuilt.

Thanks Ernie. This was that brief window when the Belpaire Compounds had the Enterprise all to themselves before the VS arrived! That photo at Dunleer is pure GN glory. The tortoise may not have won the race in this instance but it certainly had a longer working life!

Good advice there ! Little tricks to help the finish are also : 1. warm the can in the hot press for a while before spraying 2. never stop or start spraying on the model - sweep over the model with the paint coming out and stop spraying when you’re off it - avoids paint runs and drips 3. Two light coats always better than one thick coat !