NIR

It's something coincident with Brexit. If European governments had not already decided to introduce a new customs regime in 2020 then the effect of Brexit would have been less.

JIT is all about small shipments made regularly, something that road haulage deals with better than rail freight.

Why the hell would anyone do that. Two lots of VAT are inevitable if you get something delivered in the UK and then get it redelivered to Ireland. It's nuts.

Addresspal and the like were just dodges to make a piddling few quid on delivery charges. There was never a real business case for it.

18 hours ago, Lambeg man said:

Roy Beattie was NIR's first civil engineer, though he later went on to become the General Manager. In 1968 he organised the purchase of NIR's first modern PW machines, e.g. a tamper and I think some other mobile track maintenance gadget.

The only yellow machines at that time seem to have been:

Unilok A2500 works tractor (1965) (now RPSI)

Plasser 05 tamper (1967)

Plasser AL203 lining machine (by 1968)

https://www.ontrackplant.com/forum/on-track-machines/old-nir-machines

https://steamtrainsireland.com/stocklist-diesel-locomotives

What was the purpose of the channel left along the ballast in the top photo. What was it called and when did the practice stop.

10 hours ago, Lambeg man said:

Roy Beattie was NIR's first civil engineer, though he later went on to become the General Manager. In 1968 he organised the purchase of NIR's first modern PW machines, e.g. a tamper and I think some other mobile track maintenance gadget.

I don't think I've seen another photo of them. I expect they got a fair bit of use fettling track during the spoil contract.

24 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Tamper at Downpatrick (now converted to a hedge trimmer) looks  roughly similar.

Built 1971 so two years too late for the photo

https://www.downrail.co.uk/rolling-stock/nir-hedgecutter-hc1/

The other yellow stuff at Downpatrick is 1978 or later.

It's a mystery...

4 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Bottom pic - looks like a tamper

I don't think I have ever seen a tamper on NIR. Something to do with the spoil trains maybe?

1 hour ago, Irishswissernie said:

 

No answer but a question:

Anyone know what the yellow vehicle on the leftmost track is?

It has a very modern track maintenance look about it.

On 3/3/2020 at 10:35 AM, NIR said:

With any kind of bug the realistic objective is not to eliminate it but to slow it down and masks are effective in doing this, as are reducing social contact and avoiding international travel. If you don't feel like doing this for yourself then at least do it for the sake of others.

All pointless at this stage. I should have went skiing last year for all the difference it made

Yes, of late I've been stuck in the standards doldrums

Latest thinking - same track layout, different shape, no reverse curves

A micro of two large radius points, I like that contradiction

Enjoyed that, lots of photos new to me.

Those spoil wagons didn't half get a bashing looking at the corrugated strengthening/repair patches on the angled side even early on, maybe after one of those massive jammed rocks you were talking about.

4 hours ago, murphaph said:

I'd second and third a Bus Scoile and a KC in Bus Éireann livery.

Hinos are a "must have" for an Irish layout of a certain era. Ireland wasn't as wealthy as the UK so the vehicles reflected this. Hinos were cheaper.

Cars on an Irish layout would look fairly different to a GB one. Invariably the lower spec (no alloys, no spoilers, 1.4 CL as opposed to 2.0 GTI).

Far fewer transits and far more Hiaces.

Definitely Hino lorries and Hiace vans. Lorries, vans and cars seemed to carry more damage than in the UK - crumpled wings and mismatched doors - but there were no 4x4s of any description even out in the country, except for the Isuzu Troopers of the Army and FCA. Nearly all tractors were cabless and most didn't even have a roll bar.

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

There's a HK based company called "Tiny" that also do the odd 1/76 item. Must be the British heritage or something. They make mostly HK specific vehicles but they do make a UK St. John Ambulance that would also work fine on an Irish layout. 

UK St John's Ambulance is different to Irish St John's Ambulance. The UK one is a creation of the 19th century while Ireland has the actual Sovereign Military Order of Malta doing the same thing.

Not forgetting the Ulsterbus that growled like the trains, when they weren't being burnt out that is

3 minutes ago, irishthump said:

Oh lovely!

But why would you do that. Those places only exist because trade is not frictionless, even within the EU.

7 minutes ago, burnthebox said:

So if the item is sold off EBay to a buyer in UK, who then sends that item to Ireland, how does the Custom man know the Vat that’s to be paid...!!

The old fashioned way, the value will be stated on the package. If not they will guess a value and charge VAT on that.

24 minutes ago, burnthebox said:

Hi there NIR, what was being introduced, by EBay..! or Gov..!
TIA

BTB

Hi, from 2021 European governments are making organisations like Ebay responsible for charging and collecting VAT on sales through their portals.

So an Irish seller will have UK VAT applied to any sales into the UK. I believe something similar already happens with sales into the USA, US sales tax gets applied whether you like it or not.

The Irish seller needs to do nothing. Ebay adds VAT to the selling price, the buyer pays the VAT to Ebay then Ebay pays the VAT to the appropriate government.

2 hours ago, burnthebox said:

Hi guys, only recently, very recently found out that EBay is charging us Irish, as a result of BREXIT,  V A T on ítems we’d be hoping to sell on there eBay site,!! Anyone heard anything different,!

It's something that was being introduced anyway so nothing to do with Brexit (other than Britain now happens to be outside the EU)

4 hours ago, Noel said:

With the need for urgent climate action would Ulster give its right arm to have these railways back? With petrol and diesel engined cars being banned from 2030  rail may take on a new significance in public transport both for passengers, commuters and goods. One wonders what will replace the flirty Nox spewing diesel engines that run our current railways, presume electric is a strong possibility with either 3rd rail or pantograph.

Hydrogen

Third rail is deprecated these days

4 hours ago, Mayner said:

Again I tested the fiddle yard points with a loco before pinning the track in place.

I'm growing to like the liminality of a scenic fiddle yard.

That should save maybe £5 of transaction charges on my credit card, and with IRM taking all the exchange rate risk. Brexit bonus!

That's something you don't see that often, railways close together on different levels

44 minutes ago, K801 said:

you would think, been a shunting loco, the windows would be much bigger

Being an industrial loco maybe it was a protective thing, against flying beets in the case of Comhlacht Siuicre Eireann