Irishswissernie

Did a quick search of the IRRS Flickr archive and 67 images came up including a number of building images. Don't delay join today!

Hi Paul, the original layout containing Glengarriff and the fiddle yard etc is 10 feet x 5ft-3 ins . There are 6 baseboards. 2 end boards 5'-3'' x 2'. these are separated by the main fiddle (1ft wide) and the back fiddle yard (6'' wide) They are 6 ft long. These 4 boards have no scenery on and if the layout was dismantled could be transported relatively easily. In front of the back fiddle yard are the scenic boards for Glengarriff each 3ft long x 2 ft wide. They were designed to be taken out and could be stored box-like screwed together facing each other. It is possible to run trains without the scenic sections in place as the continuous run still exists. One other criteria was that I sometimes want to run long trains so the 3 longest fiddle yard loops can hold a 20 wagon + 2 baby GM's. The longest loop will hold 10 Tara's and 8 Fertilisers at the same time. The operating well is therefore 6 ft x 20 inchs - not very wide but neither am I! The original idea with the removable scenic part was so that I could build other boards displaying different scenarios covering my NER/Scottish models and possibly USA or 7mm narrow gauge without having to build a lot more fiddle yards etc. This concept however has been modified owing to the passage of time and a consequent lack of cooperation from my knees and back! I decided therefore to give up on the switching scenic boards idea and instead build an extension which could also include more elaborate scenery. Four Masters Bridge is the result. L shaped 5ft x 8ft. Maximum overall layout size is 15 feet x 8 feet. This extension is dual purpose, Irish modelling wise it is the Sligo & Donegal Junction railway but it will also serve as a station on the Caledonian & North Eastern Junction railway a direct line from Morpeth then over the Border into Scotland to Carstairs on the West Coast Mainline. This will be late steam early diesel in both Irish and UK formats. The scenery in both areas is very similar. There will be some loss of the original fiddle yard capacity when operating in S&DJ or C&NE format but this will be offset by a new 7 road fiddle yard at Four Masters. Hired a drone to take some views from up in the rafters.

Drowes River Bridge basic painting now completed.

Yes 603 failed at Sligo so B132 worked Sligo-Ballaghadereen and back to Kilfree where B129 took over to Mullingar (According to 6 Bells Junction Railtour files.) At Boyle the train waited to cross B130 heading to Sligo- have this slide to upload in due course.

Uploaded this one to flickr today.B129 at Boyle 8 June 1961. What makes it even more interesting to me is the footbridge. I like the shed built in to the footbridge support on the left and also the black painted panels above the tracks - add details like these to your layout .

I always went early in the morning and departed before noon prior to some of the locals arising from their slumbers. I was asked once if I fancied a one way trip to the Wicklow Mountains! There was always something going on (railway wise that is) 144 + 149 shunting June 2001

The Drowes River viaduct at Four Masters Bridge is now awaiting painting. Its still in 7 separate pieces to facilitate painting. Just chanced putting a wagon on it rather than a pair of 121's Construction is Plasticard, Plastruct odd bits of wood and plaster hole filler.

A39 Gort 27 March 1999 Photographer G Roose

A bumper bundle of Irish narrow gauge uploaded to flickr; 71 Londonderry & Lough Swilly and 7 colour slides West Clare Diesels and railcars. I thought there had been a colour shift on some West Clare slides but there does appear to have been 2 shades of green as both appear in some of the views.

The Drowes River Bridge Deck is ready for painting so I took a few photos to check out the layout sight lines.

Found a photo of 223 coming off the Waterford line at Cherryville June 2005 hauling a Push/Pull set Driving Trailer first. Now were the 201's all push/pull fitted when first into service. My Platform 5 first edition indicates that only the 4 dedicated Enterprise locos 206-209 plus 228,229 & 230 were push/pull fitted initially. A quick check through my photos from May 2000 at Drogheda only confirm 228 and 229 on the push/pull sets. Coincidence? Muine Bheag 220 October 2000 This video also shows 220 running round the set at Kilkenny and also illustrates that the trailer was somewhat noisy to travel in. footage between 5.17 and 7.10

Dublin - Waterford 2003 -2005 trains were a mixture of MK 3 sets, Push/Pull sets and Cravens. Some of the Push/Pull sets I travelled on were not worked in Push/Pull mode by the 201's and they ran round at Kilkenny and Waterford. One of the Cravens sets sometimes included a coach with the buffet at the end. They all appear in Ernie's Archive on Flickr either photos or on video. One from up the hill at Waterford in June 2005

The railway viaduct over the Dowes River at Four Masters Bridge under construction. I am constructing the deck first and then building up the piers to meet it. Hopefully this will avoid messing up the track levelling.

Added this one to Flickr today. Birdhill, Silver B109 6 June 1961

Thankfully not in the UK, My wife says I am only one of the four words and its not the first two or the last one! I have pre-ordered from Hattons for many years and whilst you don't pay up front on a number of occasions the order was cancelled by them as they didn't receive enough stock from the manufacturers. I noticed yesterday that I had requested an e-mail for pre-ordering a new Hornby model. The email hasn't been sent and the model is now sold out on pre-order.

I don't think this has been mentioned yet, but books and magazines are still Vat exempt so there should be no extra charges beyond postage costs whether importing or exporting between UK and Ireland. Having said that there still seems to be long postal delays, it took 12 days for the GS&WR Loco book to make its way via An Post and Parcelforce from Dublin to Haltwhistle whereas I ordered a new book on the Reseau Breton in France which was ordered on the Thursday from France and arrived the following Tuesday via La Poste and Royal Mail. My main problem is the second batch of Casserley Irish Negs I won in the Auction last December which ultimately I wish to transfer to the IRRS for their Archive. Slides and negatives are subject to VAT. I didn't realise this some years ago when a friend and I purchased some 1950's UK original slides from a photographer/seller in Canada and we were presented with a £300 demand for VAT before Customs would release them.

A couple at Cork, Albert Quay, 90 shunting 12 September 1960

Thanks Alan, They look great and hopefully I can come over and collect them once lock down ends - possibly before the arrival of the A Class locos. I've actually done a bit of modelling this weekend. This is the road bridge at Four Masters under construction. This will form the backdrop to the girder railway viaduct which is planned to have an open deck hence it will have to be built before any tracklaying on the extension from Glengarriff can be laid

Yes its all coming back to me now! I also have scans of photos taken by the late Ken Groundwater (courtesy of the Armstrong Railway Photographic Trust) Ken was on the Tour and took a couple of shots of No 4 receiving 'treatment' It does look as if the fitter is kicking the pony truck back onto the track whilst his mate is holding the loco up. Big strong lads at Limerick One of Ken's photos I put on here a few months or years back shows a number of Tour participants using a 141 as a bandstand.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Murphy-Models-071-Class-Locomotive-071-in-IE-Grey-Livery-OO-Gauge-New-Condition/164723763640?hash=item265a4d29b8:g:F2sAAOSwFNhgN30E Is it this one?

4 was at Limerick! Probably a good idea to check my own slides/negs first! 26 april 1969. 171 was also used

Excellent evening and presentation with a record 276 (I think) attendees. Probably the only benefit from the Covid Pandemic has been the development of the Zoom meetings wherein members worldwide can attend and/or participate. The IRRS picture Archive is also being rapidly augmented (More SLNC images added recently!) DON'T DELAY JOIN TODAY! You can do it all on-line. Ernie

I am thinking Limerick , the old steam shed yard

I have been sorting out a batch of slides from 1968/9 supposedly Class WT's working Sunday School excursions and specials between Belfast, Portush and Derry. Amongst them is this one of No 4 said to be at Coleraine but definitely not so with the collection of CIE stock on the right which also includes a shunter. Can anyone identify the location. I have also added one of the others ,a double headed Portrush excursion leaving York Road in June 1968.

My mate Geof Poulter at Contikits will probably give you a price for British as well! Ernie