Ironroad

The Trix 3.8 mm coaches and wagons came in kit form in pre coloured plastic and took only a few minutes to assemble. They also provided the option of using the Hornby Dublo (Peco) coupler or the tension lock type Triang inflicted on us. I still have a few items purchased about 1963. It was a brave move and an attempt to provide rolling stock that was a bit closer to scale for the 16.5mm (HO) track that is and was in general use But never took off.

Yes. Extract from the OO Works website;- Beginning in 1930, about half of the class received a later superheated “Z” Class boiler with Belpaire firebox – the preserved No.186 was one of these. In later years most superheated locomotives ran with larger tenders while the saturated locomotives mainly kept the smaller tenders with springs to the upper sides of the tank sides, however there were several other types of tenders used as well. Almost 60 remained in service into the 1960s, of which, about a dozen still had round top fireboxed saturated boliers. The last of the class was withdrawn in the mid 1960s. Thankfully, one of each main type has been preserved: No 184 representing the earlier round top boiler and smaller upper sprung tender, the other being No 186 with a super- heated (Belpaire firebox) Z boiler and a larger tender.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for IRM to produce this and even if they do you may be a long time waiting. I bought one when originally produced by OO Works and since they are offering the option of the version with a high tender this time round I have ordered one of those. As for the price, keep in mind this is not a mass produced item, it is quality RTR item coming from a small workshop. What would it cost to have a kit professionally built?

This has to be a record price for a bus https://www.ebay.com/itm/404011495934?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=2410896d7f3449beb5cc2d2d8138da77&bu=43100402880&ut=RU&exe=0&ext=0&osub=-1~1&crd=20221123013210&segname=11021

A little off topic, but speaking of that sense of being separate and independent, about 15 years ago I flew from Dublin to Cork and was asked for my passport on arrival !!!!!!!!!!

Write to Hatton's and lobby them for this. When they've exhausted all liveries that they think are viable, they may be inclined to release undecorated ones. It would extend use of their tooling.

I'm open to correction but I don't think so. For example it seems to me that in the case of the dark green livery the four pack is comprised of - 3rd no. 419, 3rd no. 453, 1st/3rd/lav 526 but it is not clear to me which of the brake 3rds no. 102 or no. 90 completes the set. So if you want a simple rake of pure 6 wheelers , you could order the four pack and add 1st 3rd no 452, in which case a second brake 3rd would not be necessary not would full brake no 18. However, if you are mixing six wheelers with bogie stock then the full brake and the second brake 3rd may be desirable. An email to Hattons may be needed to clarify which of the brake 3rds is included in the four pack.

Great news and nice to see that they listened to those of us that lobbied them to do this quite some time ago. Goes to prove, if you don't ask it won't happen.

I'd be interested too, and you'd be very welcome all the way over here.

Is this a possibility, I think it bigger than the hall at St Paul's https://www.buildingsofireland.ie/buildings-search/building/50060404/oconnell-school-hall-north-richmond-street-dublin-1-dublin

Little apparent interest in this so far https://www.ebay.com/itm/265963129899

Brisk bidding on these https://www.ebay.com/itm/314212424146

I know the location well but do not remember the railway bridge across the canal nor have I seen any photographs of it. But please take a look at the thread for the MRSI Dublin Show Oct 29 - 31 2022.. At approximately minute 7 of the video posted by Nick (last Saturday) you will see images of a diorama depicting the railway access to the Nth City Mills across the Royal Canal. I'm informed by Wrenneire that this diorama was created. by Michael Delaney an MRSI member. A picture of the diorama was also posted by Patrick Davey.

Thank you, good to know, it's excellent. My visits back home don't always coincide with exhibitions but next August is a possibility. Enjoyed meeting you in Bray last time I was over..

I'm curious to know who built and displayed the diorama of the railway access across the Royal Canal to the North City Mills just west of Cross Guns Bridge in Phibsborough. I know the location well and this is really captures the essence of it..

Regardless as to who gazumped who, it seems like there was foul play (industrial espionage !!). And in effect Hornby have managed to bully a competitor out of the market. On the face of it Hornby do not deserve the benefit of any doubt simply because they did not announce. It's a bit similar to Bachmann's recent attempt at one up man ship on Accuracscale. But it will come back to bite them, the more manufacturers involved the greater the choice, generating greater consumer confidence, and creating a greater chance of success.

But Hornby did not announce, it's too much to be just coincidence

TT has come and gone before. It was a brave move by Heljan but by deliberately duplicating models Heljan intended to produce, Hornby have gotten it horribly wrong and have effectively killed any chance that TT scale might succeed this time round. Had Hornby entered that market with alternate models complementing those proposed by Heljan, that would wet the appetite and be a lot more tempting to new entrants and those who might switch scales. I have never liked the business practices of Triang/Hornby (of which this is another example) and as a matter of principle have never purchased their products.

I travelled on the Dublin suburban trains between Howth Junction and Blackrock daily in the period 1975-1977 and later daily between Harmonstown and Tara St in the period 1981 - 1990. I cannot claim to have been very observant but John Mayner's observations on these operations are much in line with my recollections. As noted these services fell into two categories, IE inner and outer suburban services. Inner services operated between Howth and Bray with some continuing on to Greystones stopping at all stations and were operated using repurposed (and gutted) former AEC railcars (with engines removed) as push pull trains with C Class Locos. (Loco normally at north end of trains but not always as was the case in the Gormanston crash). Outer suburban services (some as far north as Dundalk and as far south as Wicklow) were operated using Laminate coaches and some Park Royals (i don't recollect seeing Cravens but probably so from the mid '80s ) and were loco hauled These trains ran non stop between Connolly and Howth Junction on the north side and non stop between Pearse and Dun Laoghaire and then non stop to Bray on the south side (I'm open to correction on the south side services. There were no push pull services on the main line north of Howth Junction until I believe 1989 with the introduction of Mark 3 coaches push/ pulled by 121 class locos on the outer suburban services (again with the loco at the north end of the trains). Class 121 locos never operated push pulls on inner suburban services other than between Bray and Greystones late '86 - '87. Three trains were involved in the crash in Gormanstown in 1974. The runaway train was an empty Pearse to Howth Junction Push Pull train, pushed by B202 which was diverted onto the main line at Howth Junction. At Gormanstown the runaway hit the rear of an empty Connolly (departed from the Fairview Shed) to Skerries AEC 2600 railcar train . This train had continued north of Skerries because the driver was warned of the runaway behind him. The third train hauled by B219 travelling southbound Dundalk to Bray with over 75 passengers was stopped at Gormanstown. One car of the AEC railcar set was derailed and struck the side of the southbound train killing two passengers. The whole affair was a disgrace and in my opinion amounted to criminal negligence. http://www.raiu.ie/download/pdf/accident_gormanstown.pdf.

It's not just the interconnectivity of rail services that is ignored. Busaras in Dublin is over sixty years in existence and is sited across the street from Connolly Station, yet in all that time the concept of providing a simple elevated pedestrian walkway linking both terminals does not seem to have occurred to anyone.

I know little of the subject of UK vehicle registrations and photo is not quite sharpe enough to be sure, but the last letter of the registration (year suffix) of the Cortina looks like an "N". That being the case I think that car was registered between Aug 1 '74 and July 31 '75. So yes, photo probably dates from late '70s.

Excellent execution of an air of age and neglect with so many small details, simply fabulous

Some research needed but they probably used the Royal Yacht to get around in 1911 as Edward V11 did in 1903. The political climate of the time may have had a bearing. So far as I'm aware the earliest travel by a British royal on Irish rails was by Prince Albert and Princess Alexandra in 1885 from Dublin to Cork, they were not well received. And the earliest i know of by a reigning monarch was again by Albert as Edward V11 and Alexandra in the course of a private visit in 1904. They arrived in Dun Laoghaire on April 26 and travelled by train to Naas for the Punchestown races. From there they travelled to Kilkenny again by train and stayed at Kilkenny Castle for two nights. They then travelled on to Waterford again by train and left by sea on May 4th.

Didn't pay VRT, report to Customs

I think 95% is bit of an exaggeration, one third of the population lives in the greater Dublin area. The proposed interchange in Glasnevin alone will link Kildare, Maynooth, Swords, the Airport, the Docklands, the south side of the city and the Dart system (both Connolly and Tara St.) Although I have never understood why a quick and easy link to the city from the airport via the northern line at Clongriffin could not have been provided long since. Perhaps the fact this may have necessitated adding a third running line from at least Clongriffin to the city was a factor mitigating against this but I believe this will ultimately have to be done anyway given the congestion that exists on this section of rail line. As for who pays, well the same can be said of motorways and national road routes (anywhere in the world) which are funded centrally. They would not be built if local populations were expected to pay for them. But I do have a problem with the fact that the trucking industry is not expected to pay proportionately for roads. The fact that they enjoy this invisible subsidy is always overlooked when the finances and viability of railways are under scrutiny. As regards the Dublin Metro, central funding does make sense in the interests reducing car dependency in a congested area with the environmental benefits this brings and reducing pressure to expand road capacity. It is also impossible to consider some sort of local taxation to contribute to this funding or even for local initiatives to be considered or commissioned, when the local authorities have been stripped of their powers progressively since the inception of the state to the point that the Dail has become a glorified county council. A re-organisation is in order including elected Mayors in the major cities.