Irishswissernie

Cattle bank developments

The larger Puffers (89 ft long as opposed to the earlier 66 ft long) certainly traded to Northern Ireland and probably down the east coast to Dublin but probably not round Malin Head and down the west coast. They traded to the Western Isles in Scotland but went via the Crinan Canal to avoid the rougher seas around the Mull of Kintyre. The Langley kit is the smaller 66 ft version which were built to fit the locks of the Forth & Clyde Canal and around the Firth of Clyde If there was a chance of making a few bob on the side Para Handy and the Vital Spark would have taken it though!

My download speed is 71 MBps so uploading will be correspondingly a bit faster than yours , the last video I uploaded to Glengarriff was 322mb for 4 mins 28 secs so my file frame (or whatever you call it) size is a bit smaller. Its still only copper wire to the house though.

Does it happen every 25 years or so? here's a Graham Roose slide from 25 October 1995

I had my Flu jab this morning bright and early 8am and also as a result of a BOGOF managed to have a needle in both arms (free Pneumonia offer) So I gave up work on the cattle bank fencing and cleaned the track so I could try out one or two trains. A couple of Sligo & Donegal layout locos make their appearance, not many people remember that the S&DJR acquired several ex GNRI & SLNCR locos in the 1957 closures. From the SLNC in debt settlement and from CIE , ex GNRI locos not required on the dismemberment of the company. This was to cover the expected increase in traffic to Co Donegal via Sligo on closure of the Irish North Western etc. 2020-10-20_Glengarriff.mp4

I just upload Glengarriff video direct from the PC to IRM, its only slightly longer than uploading a photo. I combine the clips on the 'Photos' thing on Windows 10 but don't upgrade the 'export' to high. Its 4K video to start with so massive files so you need to keep the final film length to only 3 or 4 minutes

Yeh I was charged a quid, it took 10 days to arrive but I think that was because Robin Fell hadn't quite completed adding it to the Web site. There's some cracking photos in it plus fairly extensive captions. Ernie

Glengarriff is looking a bit cluttered whilst I finish off the last bits of scenic work, however I felt the need to escape to the 'man cave' or should it be eyrie as its int loft so I did a bit of videoing. Didn't bother cleaning the track and there's been a bit of movement track wise over the usual Haltwhistle summer heat wave so a bit shaky. A few more photos as well. Glengarriff_18Oct2020.mp4

19mm x 16mm single pallet or 19mm x 32mm 4 pallets

Not about my photos etc for a change! I was talking to Robin Fell of Trotskee Travel, the source of a fair number of my negative and slide acquisitions a couple of weeks ago and he asked if I bought Irish railway books. I replied that I probably already had them all but he said that they were publishing an Irish railway book by the legendary British railway photographer Dick Riley. Apparently Dick had made a weeks trip in May 1950 in the company of noted Irish railway photographers Henry Casserley, Tom Middlemass and HS Brighty. Its a Print on Demand book and a new venture by Robin under the Transport Treasury umbrella. Compiled by Michael McMahon. It arrived today and is a superb good quality hardback volume of some 80 photos . coverage is roughly Belfast (3 main termini) Greenore Dundalk Connolly, WEstland Row Bray Mullingar C&L Clones SLNCR Sligo CDRJC Strabane Stranorlar, Derry, L&LSR Waterside Colerain Ballycastle. https://totempublishing.co.uk/product/riley-in-ireland-by-michael-mcmahon/ Price £12-50 postage in the UK free. Looks like £5-99 to Eire (Europe) unfortunately

A couple more interesting station views, Athlone M&GW station 1967 and an enlargment of Ballysodare with an its sturdily built Goods shed 1969.

Today I've started on the last area to be developed, the Guinness Compound.

Markle Video, Irish Rail Archive Volume 8 , Tara to Clara covers the unloading including inside the unloading shed at Dublin Port..

I came across this one today whilst sorting out some Swiss negatives. Rather faded or possibly lighter paint on the Container end. Some 6 years after Bell Lines folded. EDIT Another one at Goschenen 26 May 1988 20 foot containers , white roofs but possibly one grey or just dirty.

About 40 negatives of station views in the 1960's landed on my door mat last week and now I have finally finished up-grading Swiss video to MP4 I have scanned the negs today although none are on flickr yet. Here are 4 which might be of some interest. I have overlaid the titles on the photos - they won't be so adulterated on Flickr.

My CBSC Album on Flickr might (or might not) provide inspiration and the web site http://map.geohive.ie/ Look in the Data catalogue top left hand corner and click on Historic Map 25 inch (1988-1903) and enlarge to the CBSC area for track plans

The Flickr 1956 Trip Album has reached Strabane today and other views added today are of Waterford: 263 under repair in 1953 and CIE 1953-08-14 Waterford 150 on 10.45am to Macmine Junc. Interesting alteration to the platform and addition of an inspection pit in the foreground.

I have the 1953 WTT and all the trains in the notes ran then but no mention of through coaches or bread containers. I had also completed a scale model ( invoking the view at 500 feet rule) in order to work out the moves but have been hindered in completing my examination of the manoeuvres by a.) one of the dogs ate the bread container model and b.) my missus suggesting that really I should perhaps go and have a lie down. I plan to continue my investigations after she has gone to work tomorrow and after locking the dogs in their cages.

I'm still trying to get a grip on the manoeuvres at Bundoran Junction. I've got some plasticine somewhere so am thinking I'm going to make little lumps marked for the different locos and stock and draw a diagram of the junction and move them according to the writers notes. I think the bread containers according to the notes came from Enniskillen and are now being added to the Enniskillen bound train which doesn't make sense unless they were picked up at Ballinamallard and it was easier to do this operationally. Or I could just take some paracetamol and have a kip!

With regard to the 1956 Trip album currently being uploaded (ont Flickr) I have scanned the photographers notes rather than laboriously typing them out and have added them up to where the uploadings at. Tomorrows are at Fintona Junction and Bundoran Junction

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.