Irishswissernie

It definitely looks like it. The captions on the Armstrong negs are often a bit suspect, I imagine because it was at Broadstone he thought it was ex M&GWR. Here is another. Pennyburn Level Crossing on the Swilly. I rather like the collection of telegraph poles and supports, the odd signal and the trespass sign bolted to one of the poles.

Several or probably many years ago the Armstrong Trust kindly provided scans of the late JW Armstrong's negatives taken in Ireland in the 1930's and just after WW11. I was pretty sure that he must have taken more as some remote locations only had one or two views. I have now had the opportunity to go through his Archive and ones where Ireland wasn't in the caption had been missed in the original 'trawl' Here are a few of the latest finds. I am sure that the negative of CDRJC 'Blanche' is an original works view rather than one listed as at JF Wake the SH loco dealers in Darlington as even the nameplate is still in situ.

Keeping busy in between blood tests , scans etc. I have fettled up the track on Glengarriff as it always moves a little during the summer and especially after the recent heat wave. Now its beginning to feel like Autumn (in more ways than one!) This a view looking west showing the cement storage siding with 2 x 121 having just reversed a set. I also managed to reverse this set around the layout as a check on the trackwork. A short video link to the flickr album with a few trains.

Model Railway Shows were getting to be financially risky even prior to COVID. I understand both the 2 large shows here in the North East in 2019 made a loss. Back in the 1980's when I was involved in such ventures, Even allowing for inflation, Venue hire was much lower especially schools etc. Public liability Insurance much cheaper and visiting layouts expenses lower. Plus there were far more clubs so a bigger pool of members layouts etc which would do reciprocal visits etc in exchange and forgo expenses as a result.

Nothing yet Jim

Right area Jim but its the other terminus, Thurso

Its still under construction planned opening Spring 2022

The viaduct at Newport Isle of Wight is quite interesting. It carried 2 single tracks, the near one went to Ryde and the rear one to Sandown. The girder span on the right pivoted upwards to provide a clear route for the sailing barges to reach the warehouses in the distance. The Fairlie view at Porthmadog also shows the old Britannia Foundry in the distance (the building with the letters on it. This was demolished in the 1970's or 80's and replaced by an appalling Tax Office building which in turn has been demolished and a new Premier Inn is being built on the site. You will have a choice of 2 superb views from its rooms. Either up the Glaslyn estuary towards Snowdon or towards the sea with the Ffestiniog/Welsh Highland station in the foreground. A bit better than the Travelodge on the Industrial Estate which actually has frosted windows on the rear rooms to blot out the building and scrap yards.

OK A quick look as I am awaiting the onslaught of the grandchildren and no 2 son and his spouse who have gone to destroy Beamish Open Air Museum. No 3 R.A.B (not RAB C) one of my favourite programs but definitely not PC these days. 5 Mersey Railway somewhere on the Wirral (not Liverpool Overhead Rly) 6 Liskeard with the still open branch to Combe Junction and Looe passing underneath. 7 I think this is Bude Canal with the goods only branch. Smashing shot! 8 Newport IOW looking the other way from the previous photo and 9 is Newport with a train entering the Freshwater line. 11 Portmadoc or now its Porthmadog with the Fairlie standing where the coal stage is today. 12 Ravenglass 13 Portmadoc 14 VOR looks like Devils Bridge.

Here are the answers from the Haltwhistle Jury (where he knows them!) 1. Newport Isle of Wight. 2.Montreux 3 Spiez BLS 7 Brienz BRB 11 WAB Kleine- Scheidigge 12 Spiez BLS 13 Kleine- Scheidigge JB 14 Spiez BLS All the above except No 1 are in Switzerland and the spelling of Kleine-Scheidigge not guaranteed. Last time I was there there was a giant Teepee with rock music blaring out. It was the same on a Sunday morning on the summit of the Rigi but with some pop group practicing (off key) Sort of destroyed the peace and tranquillity .

Having missed seeing the Irish narrow gauge railways I tried to make up for that by several visits to the Isle of Man starting in 1970. I have also collected a fair number of views from the old days. This is the Collection of some 1200+ views. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/collections/72157719627780099/

You can still do this by train if you go to the Isle of Man , that's Port Erin not Peel. Its a pity the line to Peel didn't survive as well then all the major centres on the island would have had a rail connection of some sort. The Peel line track bed however is now a footpath with some of the infrastructure still there including a rail mounted crane at Union Mills.

Did some tidying up today and had a look at Glengarriff which has taken a bit of a back seat whilst working on Four Masters Bridge. I actually ran a train very gingerly as nothing has ran for several months and some of the track in the fiddle yard has been re-arranged to connect the new sections. Ran a gypsum as per the Kingscourt trips/speeds and took a video to check what needs sorting. The back drop needs a good sprucing up! 376691376_2021-07-31GlengarriffGypsum.m4v

Mine was advised by New Zealand Mail to the Royal Mail and they provided full tracking once it reached the UK. It will probably depend on the delivery address Country as to whether their individual Mail Systems offer the same facility.

Well if Madame ever finds out how much the items in the loft cost the temperature would be over 100C . Mind you hopefully this will be after I have 'gone below' so I will be enduring temperatures way above even that!

Van has arrived and road er rail tested on Glengarriff - looks great. More views on the Glengarriff topic.

New JM Design Brake Van arrived from New Zealand today. Looks great, no extra charges from Customs etc and only took 2 weeks to get here.

This L&LSR trespass sign was still in situ at Letterkenny 27 June 1968. The company was still running bus services then . Is that the paint scheme in use during the railway era.

Correction Britain from Above https://britainfromabove.org.uk/en/image/XAW027080

Thanks for confirmation of where I thought it was

My Brake Van according to the Tracking has now reached Qatar so hopefully depending on the customs at Heathrow it should be arriving here soon. At least it will be acclimatised to the weather, it was 32 Centigrade in the loft yesterday slightly more than the 30 degrees in Qatar er oh that was in the middle of the night though.

Negatives etc continue to be added to the collection. I quite like this John G Dewing image of an Up express at Cork. I had an email yesterday from Alan Godfrey Maps who do reprints of the old 25" to the Mile Maps reduced to approx 15" to the mile. They have released 2 of Enniskillen for 1936. https://www.alangodfreymaps.co.uk/fm2209.htm The east one covers the GNRI and SLNC station.

There is a photo on page 74 of Pattersons revised book published by Colourpoint looking from the outside of the cab on No 12 and the details all fit. I can't find anything on the maps of a possible definite location. Definitely no 12 or 11. The mountain faintly visible looks like Errigal.

Its a tender engine (no evidence of side tanks) with a Belpaire firebox and a large smokebox wrapper which would fit in with Lough Swilly 4-8-0 No 12 somewhere on the Burtonport extension. That could be a ballast siding off to the left. Will see if its on any of the old 25" maps but coverage of the Burtonport line was patchy. I think I have seen a photo somewhere in one of the books on the Swilly of a photo with the same aspect of No 12 derelict outside Letterkenny shed.

Mine works fine although its not done much running. It has the large washers behind the wheels, I don't know why the frames are set so close thus requiring the washer 'spacers'.