Irishswissernie

I am cracking on with converting my 2000-2005 video tapes to MP4. The plan is to upload them in 9 minute segments to Flickr in date order so as to provide a record of Irishrail activities in that 6 year period before the demise of most of the freight traffic and the advent of mass railcar introduction / withdrawal of most of the locomotives. To date I have uploaded 12 videos for May 2000, 4 for October 2000 and 3 out of 29 for June 2001. A further 11 for August 2002 are done and I have just completed the first Digital 8 conversion for November 2002. I have uploaded this one out of sequence to see how it looks on flickr, mainly North Wall on the 12 November https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49938059096/in/dateposted-public/ I shall probably upload them at 1 per day and gradually remove earlier shorter or edited versions as and when the new ones reach them. I reckon there will be getting on for 20 hours of reasonable material in total.

Just switched my order from Hattons, maybe taking a chance on the Euro/ sterling exchange rate worsening but what the hell! EDITED Don't need to worry about the exchange rate I've now paid for them (8) up-front, also if Madame finds out its too late for her to do anything about it! Ernie

Thanks Ballymote it is I've just checked out a Jonathan Allen shot of the Box and Goods shed. That didn't take long!

I have been picking up the odd negs and slides recently. Can anyone identify this view? I think its of an Irish station but it may well not be! Slide dated May1986 EDIT Identified as Ballymote.

Link to latest video uploaded Limerick Junction to Waterford behind 163 June 2001 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49918027733/in/dateposted-public/ More photos have been added including some Cavan & Leitrim negs and also these 2 views of Mullingar in 1956 G2's 659 & 667

Another video instalment uploaded from May 2000 https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49908303827/in/dateposted-public/ I have also uploaded a number of photos of WT 55 being re-railed at Portadown ca 1963/64 taken by Mike Shannon, now DR Dunn Collection. Link to this one https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49908234461/in/dateposted-public/ This one displayed below and 2 more links underneath it https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49908234546/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49908234591/in/dateposted-public/

I think that you are seeing what appear to be steps but its the other rail, the steps are quite indistinct , I can make out one under the 'shack' door. I've done an enlargment but I only have the original scan to work off.

Its the 6 wheel wagon in this weed-killing train, Barrel at the far end and a 'hut' at this end.

I think you missed the error 40 people per 1000 SQUARE MILES ie. Take the average width of a beach between high and low tide. this would work out very roughly as 1 person on the beach between Dublin and Dundalk. The BBC have now corrected their boob to 1000 square metres! I have been in Lock down since 9 March when the first case in the North East happened at the Church where my wife, daughter and her husband who live with me attend and had been in close contact with the person. So we had 14 days lockdown then the nation wide scheme came into operation. My daughter and son in law both work for the NHS (he on a Covid Ward) so we have all been extra careful. I take the dogs out at 4.45am before Haltwhistle awakes from its slumbers then its indoors for the rest of the day (unless DRS are sending the flasks through then i venture 50 feet to the overbridge for a quick video) Next wednesday I will make my first trip out of Haltwhistle after 72 days to Hexham Hospital for an MRI Scan; I think I would rather have stayed in Lock Down! Happy Days, maybe not!

This is on the BBC News web site "As countries across Europe begin to ease lockdown restrictions, authorities in Greece are reopening more than 500 of the country's beaches. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis says he wants Greece's tourism season to begin in July. For now, sun-seekers are required to respect social-distancing rules on the beach. No more than 40 people are allowed per 1,000 sq miles" Seems a bit OTT

Latest 2 videos on Flickr are: I've added them as a link rather then embedding them https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49897040887/in/dateposted-public/ Limerick Junction - Limerick City May 2000 This also shows the crossover at the platform barrier end being used to run round (It had gone a few months later) https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49899693088/in/dateposted-public/ Limerick, Limerick Junction, Mallow & Cork Too make up the loss of tantalising part images of the videos this 'eye candy' has also been added 402 Cork October 1960 GT Robinson 131 arriving at Connolly 1959 JG Dewing Other Irish images have also been added, there are a fair number still to put on flickr. Ernie

Or just look at my cover photo left! It has been doctored though to "Lough Ernie"

I seem to remember I acquired some 141's / 071's in exchange which are now on Glengarriff. I don't really have enough room for 0 scale. I'm trying to persuade my son Alan to do some 3D printed SLNCR locos in 4mm but at present he is tied up building an extension to his kitchen. One day!! maybe!

Its one of these 2 repatriated some years ago from my loft. They were jointly built by my friend Iain Young of Sans Pareil Models and his loco builder who lived in Sunderland. Ian did the knocking out of the rivets on the etchings and no doubt ended up with an RSI!. Original North Star kits as were the 2 PP Class I also had built. Des acquired the kits from North Star Design after they decided to give up on Irish prototypes. I think they had only produced 10 PP kits and I acquired the last 2. I went back to 00 scale

2 more videos from May 2000 now uploaded. Drogheda with 149 and a bubble , GNRI 171 passes south then back to Limerick via Thurles with some freight shunting and ECS work in the late evening sunshine. Lastly if you are a fan of Class 37's , especially the Cornish China Clay variety then you might like this video. Displayed as a link to avoid up-setting General Motors enthusiasts! https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49887062746/in/dateposted-public/

Todays offering from 9th & 10th May 2000 includes bagged cement at Limerick Junction, then off to Drogheda for 077 on Tara's 134/176 come off the Gypsum from Kingscourt and go on shed and 149 arrives from Platin with 1 bubble and some bagged cements . After adding the latter to the gypsum wagons 149 retrieves the bubble and in the next video (tomorrows probably) goes on "shed". There are also some scans taken by the late Ken Groundwater of spoil trains etc at Carrickfergus. Click (s) on the image as usual!

251 was a J9 according to the ABC 1949 reprint. Found this view of the 2 styles of J5 which I havn't yet put on flickr. Taken by the late JW Armstrong in the early 1950's 635 plus another unidentified one behind at Broadstone

More of Limerick Junction 9 May 2000, 20 years ago - it only seems like 5 years but apparently this is a symptom of old age! 164 arrives and departs again on the shuttle and 226 on the Cork - Platin Bulk cement mts drops off a wagon into the up sidings for servicing at Limerick works. This was a regular routine and I videoed it a few times over the years. A 141 would trip the bulks to and from the works. Again double click and then click to get the whole 4:3 images.

The next part from 9 May 2000 now uploaded to flickr. This depicts the shuttle arriving at the Junction and 164 running round. 160 on the 'bubbles' then appears from Waterford and continues across the main line and on to Limerick City. Finally the weed spray gang take advantage of the dearth of trains in the bay etc to spray the tracks either by hand or using a tractor. 2-6-0 461 dead in the down sidings had failed on its way to Cork (I think) AS USUAL sods law has given this video a black thumbnail so please just double click and then click the icon

I have a couple of views of J5's at Mullingar 5th June 1956 First 643 which was shedded there in 1938 as well, and 627 with a different larger tender.

Now that I have converted all my Irish video to MP4 I can now go through it systematically and upload some more extracts starting in May 2001. This one is from 9 May returning to Limerick City from Ballybrophy behind 164 and then leaving on the shuttle for Limerick Junction. As usual with it being 4:3 aspect please double click on the video to see it correctly or you wont see the bottom third.

The County Down's 4 Baltic tanks seemed to stick in enthusiasts memories more than the 15 Atlantic tanks probably because they were so massive compared to the rest of the railways locomotives and possibly also in the Loco crews memories but for different reasons!

For the last fortnight I have been busy converting my 35 hours of 2000-2006 Irish video from Hi8/Digital 8 to MP4 and have also converted some of the UK material from 2001 around Haltwhistle & Carlisle. The better parts of the Irish stuff are already on Flickr and I will upload more exerpts . Today I have added a couple of videos covering mainly Carlisle from 2001. The Thornaby Crane appears and there are plenty of 37's 56's and 92's plus an 08 with a long train of repaired wagons from the now closed Currock wagon works. Royal Mail piggy back trailers plus the ex Cawood 4w flats on Gypsum. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49862016188/in/dateposted-public/ https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/49862335776/in/dateposted-public/ This one of Belcoo & Black Lion, 1953 added yesterday

Probably another Swiss idea. All the SBB Swiss electric locomotives and railcars built prior to the Class 450 and 460 in the late 1990's had whistles rather than horns. I last visited the Gottard in 2016 just prior to the opening of the Alptransit Base tunnel and the Class Re 4/4'' and Re 6/6'' were sounding the whistles in salute at the numerous photographers on the North ramp around Wassen.

Many thanks for your kind comments. This topic got me thinking about the train services into Sligo on each of the 3 routes . I have a couple of CIE working timetables 1948 and 1957 which also include the SLNCR trains between Sligo and Ballysodare. The service in 31 May 1948 was much worse than in 1957 on the main route only 2 passenger and 1 goods made it to Sligo although there was a short return working to Boyle and also a return working to Dromod listed as a coal train (traffic off the C&L) The Limerick line had a Mail/Goods working to Sligo (arrive 11am) plus a passenger Limerick depart 12,30pm Sligo arrive 7.30pm 7 hours for 145 miles! From Sligo to Limerick the sole passenger service left at 7.30am arrive Limerick2.25pm (5 minutes quicker) then a goods at 8.15 am and that was it. SLNCR only had 2 return railcars (3 in 1957) plus the 2 goods or mixed. I have copied the 1957 Mullingar workings and added the Limerick line services to it next to the SLNC times.