Irishswissernie

The Ballina branch train was stabled at Claremorris but connected with the Dublin Westport trains at Manulla. However there were no run round facilities at Manulla so in the up direction (to Dublin) The ECS followed the Dublin train to Claremorris once it had made the connection at Manulla and then as ECS preceded the train from Dublin to Manulla and made the connection there for Ballina passengers.. Now if you are watching my videos this didn't happen as they were doing trackwork on the Ballina branch so it was a bus connection from Claremorris rather than a train from Manulla. I had arrived at Claremorris specifically to do the Ballina branch and was talking to the Station Mistress saying it was a bit disappointing having to go on the bus and after a few minutes she told me not to get on the bus as she had decided they were going to run the train up to Ballina for it to make the evening connection with the last Westport Dublin train and I could travel on it from Claremorris on its outward journey to Ballina. I don't think the Guard was all that impressed with her as he appeared to be looking forward to a short shift that day.

OK will do.

Glengarriff Farmers Warehouse is now more or less finished and embedded next to the Loading Bank and Goods shed. Painting is a bit rough because my eyes and co-ordination are playing up a bit. Hopefully it won't be noticed once the foliage etc is done. I have been collecting bits for the S&DJR MkII and have been attempting to acquire some more of the Gaugemaster ballasted underlay. Apparently after checking out some 20 odd online shops only to find its been out of stock for over a year. I accordingly telephoned Gaugemaster to find out what the problem was and the German company who produce it say the supply of the basic foam material has been unable to supply it. Gaugemaster say the German Co. have found an alternative supplier of the material and if things go to plan they hope to start manufacturing the underlay in 2021. Meanwhile good old E Bay has been having a field day with £25 rolls going for over £55. As a last resort I contacted a Trader here in Haltwhistle who usually deals at shows just in rolling stock and he had 3 part rolls which I obtained for £5 delivered to my gate! More than enough for my needs. Some you win!

No idea who photographer was but they came via Robin Fell (Trotskee) who acquired the albums with copyright. He only took photos at Strabane on his trip which was one of only 2 he had made to Ireland. Do you want scans of the prints for the Museum John?

I have typed out the photographers notes for volume 1 (as far as Ballyconnell) and added them split in 11 parts immediately preceding the batch of photos they refer to. I havn't typed up the remainder from Vols 2 & 3 but will get round to it some day.

Thanks for your kind comments. From the photographers notes he ran out of film in Enniskillen which explains the dearth of phots taken there and left early the next morning going straight through to Omagh where he obtained fresh supplies and then went back to Bundoran Junction before returning to Omagh and then on to Strabane and Derry. Unfortunately for us he didn't spend any time on the SLNCR and didn't travel on the CDRJC but makes up for it by a fair number of views at Bundoran Junction, Omagh and Strabane. The plan is to upload 3 or 4 each day for the next 10-11 weeks.

I quite like the look of the 6 wheel versions and intend to get a rake for the Sligo & Donegal Mk11, as being an independent company it would naturally have some of its own stock as well as stock working through from the CIE and GNRI systems. They would need to be lettered up S&DJR which shouldn't be a problem transfer wise!

I think this was normal practice when I visited 2003-2005 particularly after they had built the houses next to the sidings. The loaded train ex North Wall usually came in around or after midnight and if the empty wagons had already been assembled into a train it cut down the shunting and noise. The loads merely had to be reversed into the Guinness siding and the oil tanks (if any) into the oil siding and the loco then backed onto the mts train ready to depart to Dublin. Using the Ballina branch loco wasn't a problem as it sat at Claremorris for several hours between runs. Just acquired this Graham Roose view of earlier freight shunting using the Ballina branch loco 24 March 1997.

190 is also a new build by the Ffestiniog Railway at Boston Lodge following the Manning Wardle design as amended by the Southern Railway addition (Lew) Its been around for a few years as I think its 10 year boiler inspection was due this year. One of my favourite performers . It was used a few years ago on the annual Ffestiniog Subscribers special to Dinas on the Welsh Highland and by hanging out of the first carriage window next to the loco I got an excellent video of it blasting back up to Rhydd Ddu driven by Paul Lewin (General Manager) who made the odd emergency stop to repair lineside fencing on the way.

Work is continuing on Glengarriff Farmers Warehouse. The Sundeala has also arrived for Sligo & Donegal Mark11 and has been secreted away in the loft. Next to order is some 2 x 1 for framing etc but as this comes in 4 metre lengths it will have to be cut before I can get that to safety.

Cavan & Leitrim Railway Belturbet

A couple of rolling stock views today. Unfortunately J G Dewing didn't record the coach number

Swedish railways are standard gauge 4'-8 1/2 not 5'-6'' and are actually linked by a bridge and tunnel between the Malmo & Copenhagen localities to the rest of Western European mainland systems and also the the Norwegian System. There were a fair number of 3'-6" and smaller gauge local lines which have all either closed, been converted to standard gauge or the odd preserved bit. Finland has 5 feet gauge as it was under Russian control until WW11. Ernie

Back in the good old days this time of year meant get that flight sorted and the B&B booked because in a few weeks time there were trains to be photographed/video'd. A couple of Graham Roose slides recently acquired. Locos were 085 141 & 123 28 October 1995. Waterford Yard.

There were also 2 fairly distinctive types as seen in the short train below 2 of the earlier type with the 'skirts ' on the tanks and 2 of the later not so numerous type.

Not a pair of 141's giving it some clag on the beet out of Limerick Junction but I caught this one last night 37423 not quite creeping through Haltwhistle Centre of Britain which brought back memories. Don't be tempted to turn up the volume!

The Ballybrophy E Bay slides are by Graham Roose. I have acquired a few more of his . Here are some single coach + van ones. Ennis 24 Feb 1999 & Cloughjordan 11 April 1999

This Graham Roose slide of 082 on the Limerick City shuttle running round at the Junction 13 April 1995 is I think a rare duty for an 071 class. Probably either a loco shortage or failure.

A couple of 163 at Foynes 28 August 1953 After arriving with the branch train 163 appears to have been turned but has acquired an unusual addition to its chimney. Why? There was an oil store siding at Foynes so was it some kind of primitive spark arrester or was the loco having steaming problems and this was to help the draught through the tubes and get steam back up.

I think its this bit here, it might not actually fit on the axle so you don't need to prise off the rotating bit. There would only be one per loco. Looking at later photos of IE IR liveried locos it may have been changed to a different design. I could be completely (and probably am) wrong about this EDITED As usual I found a better view when searching for something else. It does fit on the axle as can be seen on my shot of 129 in May 2000, the wire from the speedo goes in a different direction than on the 126 shot though.

New arrival on Glengarriff, the little bag of extras etc even includes lamps. Close-ups show handrail needs clipping back in which is beyond my capabilities. Unfortunately my certified handrail re-locator has taken a week off with her husband and gone 'darn sarf' the only other resident here is even more visually challenged (eyesight wise) than me , further she does not know of the existence of this loco or of the other 8 on order and its probably best that it stays that way!

The Kiltulla-Bullan Road is the one going across the railway level crossing heading for the middle of the bottom of the map. The buildings would mainly be small farms. The new M6 road is probably built on top of part of the ballast siding where it curved away from the station to cross the road just after the one heading to the top right of the map. If you go on Google street view some of the older buildings will still be there though no doubt modernised but streetview will still give you some impression of the general scenery etc.

There is another larger old gravel pit in the top right hand corner on this map. The gravel pit sidings don't appear on any of the maps that are on-line. I have one view on flickr of the station in 1976 The old gravel pit next to the line is that depression over the wall to the right of the train. The siding to the ballast pit was opened in 1896 but was closed before the start of WW1 as the M&GWR was using stone rather than fine ballast/sand from its much larger Lecarrow operation. The lease was terminated in 1925. The signal box was closed 1925 or 1931 and dismantled (2 conflicting dates in "Baronial Lines of the MGWR") and the frame transfered nearer the crossing gates to simplify working. Ernie

I have managed to acquire some 75 Graham Roose original slides mostly from the 1990's with copyright which will keep me busy for the next few days in between hopefully commissioning 121's. The 1990's are the period Glengarriff is representing so these slides will come in very handy. A couple of samples