Irishswissernie

Cork, Glanmire Road shed ca 1959. Strabane CDRJC 'Erne' June 1957.

I have finally started final planning on the Welsh narrow gauge 009 layout first mentioned in the Glengarriff / Four Masters Topic last year or was it earlier?. I'm doing my bit to save the planet, so no drawing the plan out on bits of paper plus its easier to remember it on a photo. I also needed some Sundeala board and co-incidentally a piece of chipboard to block off a fire place in the living room for SWMBO and I therefore ordered a piece of chip board which came as a 'stiffener' for 2 pieces of Sundeala. The baseboard framework is to be constructed from roofing 'lats' which slates are nailed to. The odd thousand feet of spare lats were used by my daughter in the re-roofing of her house. I have reluctantly actually had to purchase two boxes of screws. The baseboard will have a dropped section to accommodate a small underbridge and valley similar to that at Dolgoch - not the ugly viaduct but the nice stone oneat the upper end. Basically the'history' of the line is that it was constructed from Llanwrst in the Conway valley southwards on the hillside above Bettws-y-Coed and then up into the hills to the Penmachno Valley to serve slate and later road-stone quarries terminating at Rhiwbach quarry. In real life this quarry had a long and difficult connection over the hills to the Ffestiniog Railway and they were supporters of my route to Llanwrst. Baseboard construction is scheduled for next Sunday whilst Madame is away at Church and unable to monitor the piles of sawdust etc on the lounge carpet.

Hot off the Scanner tonight! Glass negative G2 655 at Broadstone Dublin. Date sometime between 1926 and 1934 when rebuilt with a Belpaire SH Boiler & firebox. Flyaway Cab removed 1935 according to Locomotives of the GSR.

The sun shone yesterday at Melkridge (just outside Haltwhistle) but back to rain today. Here is 60090 on Gypsum mts from Newbiggin Cumbria to Tees Dock. 25 years ago in 1998 I walked from home to Melkridge to video 56123 loading coal. The siding and loop plus loader were taken out of use later in 1998 when the NIMBY's refused an extension to the Open Cast site with the argument that it was it was ancient moorland that was being destroyed although actually it was a Grouse Moor and would have been woodland if not maintained as open land for Grouse shooting. The link is the track and siding which are still there unused for 25 years and only 6 years old from when they were laid.

Enniskillen GNRI, 203 June 1957.

Looking at the first photo of No 500, the fifth vehicle appears to be some kind of van followed by another set of coaches. Each carriage set also seem to be arranged in a descending order of 'modernity'. I think therefore the train is composed of a couple or more portions for different destinations.

Approaching Inchicore 500 ,14 May 1953. Guinness Brewery No 3 ca 1950.

D S M Barrie's book on the DN&GR says that the LNWR furnished the whole of the original rolling stock and specifically says that they constructed the locomotives and carriages at Crewe and Wolverton. However he doesn't state that the goods stock was built by them although it is extremely likely that it was rather than outside contractors. Original (1872) goods stock provided is listed as 50 cattle trucks, 18 ft long, 10 bolster timber wagons, 40 open and 100 covered goods wagons and 2 goods brake vans.

I have a feeling that the current invective being generated towards the railways existence has been prompted by yesterdays arrival of some Sundeala for the baseboard of the Welsh narrow gauge railway projected to occupy a 4' x 2-6" space in the computer room. C'est la Vie. Meanwhile 071 Class 085 works a Fertiliser special over the Drowes River bridge ar Four Masters.

Some views of Glengarriff today with Class 121 powered up and down ore trains. The layouts future is a bit uncertain at the moment as there is a move afoot to spend an inheritance on moving to a nice modern bungalow instead of (Quote) 'this rundown, cold, too large, out-dated, draughty terraced hovel I have had to put up with for the last 30 years, etc etc' This doesn't reflect the views of the railway management of course!

I have the 1947 WTT on flickr. Also the fourth scan is the1917 GNRI WTT Barrack Street - Dundalk section which shows the Boat train Finally a GNRI A Class on the line with a cattle special pre WWII

Inchicore A50 8 April 1967. Belfast York Road, Class W 103 'Thomas Somerset' May 1950.

Navan ex M& GW station 10 September 1950. CDRJC 'Erne' at Raphoe June 1957.

Cavan & Leitrim, Drumshanbo station June 1957. Ex B& CDR unid 2-4-2T at (I think) Belfast Queens Quay, 1950.

J G Dewing image of WT 57 at Aghadavoyle ca 1963.

I reckon its on the Dublin side of the station where the main line was double track with the goods train heading towards Dublin and the canal behind the low bank to the right of the train.

GNRI Bundoran Junction. 50 June 1957. Clonsilla, 391 10 September 1950.

Near Bray G2 661 with an ancient and modern-ish passenger set . 18 Sept 1954.

County Donegal Railways, Railcars 20, 16 + 19 at Donegal Town June 1957, Pristine condition! CB&SCR Cork Albert Quay, 464, 4 November 1960

I have a couple of 229 views on flickr in the B&CDR album.

Good Morning Leslie, I understand the photographer was a Nick Nicholson, I have about 70 of his original slides. While I think on have you any SLNCR cattle wagon kits in stock again?

I would say that the planks are just weather beaten, probably accentuated by lime washing in the distant past.

A couple at Navan Junction, 10 September 1950, the second one has 638 arriving off the the Kingscourt line.

GNRI 135 but where, no information with this negative unfortunately. No information for this one either but it looks like Bangor on the County Down and possibly pre WWII. No 11.

I always found the Swiss extremely accommodating! If you were travelling First Class then several times the railcar drivers if they saw you videoing etc, they would invite you to travel in the cab with them. At Buchs one day the train from Austria through to Zurich was delayed and a lady grew concerned that she would miss a flight from Zurich Airport. The Driver of an Ae6/6 powered freight overheard the passengers talking and offered to take us through to Ziegelbrucke (about halfway there) in the cabs of the loco. About 10 of us climbed aboard the loco and I managed to get a place in the front cab so I could video the trip. At Ziegelbrucke we transfered to a local train, the station staff ushering us all across the track rather than having to walk round via the subway.