Irishswissernie

Sad news and a bit of a shock! Steve and I messaged each other regularly about images on my Archive. He was a mine of information especially on the GNRI. R I P. Ernie

Some interesting arrivals recently. These 2 are from the Light Railway & Transport League's Tour in June 1953. Tralee & Dingle, 8T at Castlegregory Junction on 11 June. Cavan & Leitrim, A view of after the famous collision on 8 June (thanks to the extensive photographic coverage by the LTRL members on the train) at Mahanagh Xing between 3L's train and a Ford Model Y Poplar. The car was carried for several yards but was righted after the 2 occupants had got out with just a few scratches and they apparently drove off and both train and car continued on their ways. No doubt these days the place would be a crime scene and the line and road closed for several hours. They don't make cars or trains or that ladies hat (unconfirmed on the last one) like that anymore!

I met a volunteer at the Tanfield Railway Legends of Steam Gala on friday who was born in Northern Ireland and a devotee of "Ernies Railway Archive" so these 2 JG Dewing images are my thanks for his assistance. You might like them too!. Randalstown 7 May 1959. Antrim WT 50, 13 May 1959.

It will be a quality production but I already have the 2 previous books on the Tralee & Dingle and I can't see that there will be much new information in this one. Having said that some more negatives landed on the door mat yesterday and there are actually 2 of the LRTL Special at Castlegregory Jc and Dingle on 11 June 1953. Most of the recent books I have purchased have had the photos looked at and then they are put on the shelves to be read at a some later date which doesn't seem to happen!

I have been working on the bridge piers and embankment for the slate Tip tramway . These will disguise the tracks into the quarry and the main line to Penmachno AKA the fiddle yard. The Scenecraft Ffestiniog 'Bog' block needs to be backdated with smaller window panes and possibly the odd lean-to and extra chimney for its new role as the Watchman's cottage.

Mallow, 17 March 1962. Limerick J11 218 5 July 1955.

North Wall 171 April 2000. Wexford North 189 on cement 'bubbles' 12 May 1979. Portadown shed ca1959

Progress on the slate tip and the Workshops.

A Link to the publisher and his preview of the book. https://ttpublishing.co.uk/product/omagh-railway-station/

Inchicore F6, 42 3 June 1961. JG Dewing. CDRJC Donegal Town Railcars 20 & 16. June 1957 Nick Nicholson

I was talking to the Publisher today, I think he said its being published this Sunday (11 June). An excellent and interesting read and worth a place on your book shelf.

I'm thinking it might have been the late 1980's but with this time gap now plus my advancing years I'm probably mistaken. I moved from Blyth to here in the 'Centre of Britain' er Haltwhistle in June 1993 and I'm pretty sure I purchased a fair number of the Irish kits, Donegal 2-6-4t, Swilly 4-8-0, C&L 4-4-0t several coaches and about 15 wagons whilst at Blyth. The loco kits were missing various motors, gears and wheels and these were going to be forwarded in due course. Everything was thus packed away pending their receipt which unfortunately never happened. Several years later I exchanged the lot with Geof at Contikits probably for some Bemo Swiss H0m models.

A bit of progress this week on the Quarry Workshops/boiler house and the slate tip.

3 More JG Dewing originals. 2 views of GNRI U Class 204 'Antrim' , the first at Skerries 13 May 1959. A close up of 204 name and the GNRB 'crest' Connolly 15 May 1959. I already have the black and white neg on flickre but now have Dewing's original slide. Cork Albert Quay IRRS Special 17 March 1961 464.

County Donegal Railways, Strabane, 11 On the Stranorlar Goods 3 October 1958. Another JG Dewing original, on closer examination the train isn't departing; its split between the first 2 wagons so that the porter on the right can push his barrowload from the GNRI side through to the Donegal platform. Courtmacsherry, 552 6 November 1960.

Tallow Road B124 16 March 1967. Inchicore Works ca 1960.

Portadown shed T2 143 10 July 1955. Banteer 5 June 1961. Railcar for Mallow waits to cross the IRRS Special (No mistaking that horrible but handy for identifying headboard!). I am also uploading to Flickr at the moment (at the rate of 2 or 3 a day) Isle of Man Railways in 1960, ex Highland & Great North of Scotland 1980's, North Eastern Railway infrastructure 1970's. Approx 5000 images so about 5 years work!

Moving on to the Quarry Workshops now. The Scenecraft Portmadoc 'Bog' block is being adapted to form the Offices and Watchmans cottage and the Boiler House and Wagon shop are being constructed form Plasticard and various bits lefi over from other projects.

Galway G2, 656 5 July 1955. CDRJC Stranorlar 12 May 1959 JGD & a view of the Works etc ca1959

Another JG Dewing slide of the 17 March 1961 IRRS Special near Bandon. Clonmel with another Special recorded as 17 March 1967 on the slide.

NCC Belfast York Road WT 10 ca1960. SLNCR Manorhamilton 'Lissadell' June 1957.

Dun Laoghaire, C3 460 May 1959 JGD. Strabane, 8 May 1958 JGD. New Ross B107 16 March 1967.

The stream and surrounding area are now more or less done; next is the slate tip and quarry workshop area. I am sticking with the corrugated cardboard packing for the landforming. Son Alan gave me a polystyrene block to carve but it made one h*ll of a mess which didn't go down well with the Missus.

Oops ! Amended Jim, thanks.

A couple of recently acquired glass negatives taken CA 1935, I do not know who the photographer was but he was probably from the UK mainland as there were a lot of English/Scottish glass negatives for sale with these 2. The only clue on the negative sleeves is the letters WD before the ref numbers. The first image is of ex D&SER F2 432 at Grand Canal Street. This was rebuilt with a Belpaire Type T boiler in 1939 . The second view is of GNRI BT 119 probably at Dundalk after withdrawal in 1935. This loco was the first engine built at the GNRI Works, completed in June 1887 as a 4-4-0T and initially numbered 100 but then immediately re-numbered as No 1 (Norman Johnston locos of the GNRI). The 13 locos in the class were found to be too small for suburban traffic and the other 12 were withdrawn 1920-1921 however No 1 was rebuilt as a 0-6-0T and re-numbered 119. It then worked as the Londonderry shunter until withdrawal in 1935 . I think the view is after withdrawal and at Dundalk Works as its sandwiched between 2 tenders, the left hand one being the wrong way round.