Irishswissernie

THanks for this its prompted me to get the titles correct. I've done some digging In Henry Casserleys records, the date is correct as stated 22 April 1953 and he describes views as near Dromohair. I just acquired the one lot of GNRI/SLNCR negs and the negs were in 6's strips, the others tie in with the records. The 1955 negs havn't been auctioned yet, the auction has been postponed until the early Autumn thanks to the current pandemic.

I have added to Flickr over the years extracts from a bound copy I have of the GNRI Working Timetables & the Working Instructions for July and October 1917 which appears to have come from the Superintendent of the Line's office. Adding this one today which covers the exchanges between Dundalk Barrack Street and Dundalk Junction with around 19 services each way. There were also extra shipping specials etc. This was at the height of the First World War with little road competition and before partition. The first DN&GR down train is shown as a boat train in italics probably because the steamer service to/from Holyhead was only on alternate days due to the loss of the LNWR steamer in a collision with a collier (passenger services ceased altogether in 1918) There were more than 3 passenger services each way on the Greenore line but the others started/terminated at their Quay Street station. If you are interested I have added the Warrenpoint-Newry-Armagh 1917 Working Timetable to Flickr and of course if you are not interested but suffering from insomnia I can recommend that studying it may also prove beneficial.

You have got the wrong Class there, Thomas is based on an E2 0-6-0T (E4 were 0-6-2t) They were designed not for passenger work but as shunting and short goods working tanks and after Grouping migrated to Southampton Docks where they lasted until dieselisation.

Bundle ordered! Ernie

I have a Casserley negative of 299 on Flickr. Built by Hunslet WN 557/1892 withdrawn 1957 supplied to Falkner for construction of the Kenmare branch and later sold to the Tralee & Fenit Pier & Harbour Co. acquired by the WL&WR when the Fenit branch was absorbed and then to GS&WR. Looks like a standard Hunslet industrial tank. Info from Locos of the GSR I've just seen what this book is supposedly going for; well it was £1221-71 yesterday but there is a copy on Amazon today fro £95 if you are quick.

Done a bit more over the last few days

The area to the west of the Loco sidings is labelled Rocksavage on the 25" 1888-1913 Map, Rockborough House stood in the Gas Works site to the east and on the west again there was a lunatic Asylum on the 1837 pre-railway map which later became a hospital so it might have been a not so polite term for the Institution. Here is 470 ca 1950

Yes that is the signal box in the photo. It was on the river bank. The best article on the line is a 26 page article in Railway Archive magazine No 2 entitled The Midland Railway's line from Londonderry to Strabane. S C Jenkins. There is a double page spread pages 20/21 of the station taken from the Craigavon bridge by HC C in 1937 which clearly shows the box with a further 40 photos in the article of the line, many also by HC Casserley. The box is not there in HCC's photo dated 19April1948 but the point rodding from the ground frame which was at the end of the platform looks pretty new.

Been cleaning the neg up , due to go on flickr soon. I've just had my annual hair cut!

My bolt hole is in the loft. When we moved to Haltwhistle 27 years ago I converted the loft into 2 bedrooms and a railway room with a proper staircase to it rather than a loft ladder in the previous house. The railway room also had hatches through to the bedrooms at a height of 3 feet and the first layout actually ran right round the loft space through the bedrooms with a station in my eldest sons as he was (still is) into modelling. THere were slight problems due to once the train departed the railway room you had no idea when it was going to re-appear plus there were objections from the other bedroom occupier (wives can be so unreasonable!) The next layouts retreated to the railway room but eventually as the 5 brats er sorry children grew up and scattered to other parts of the UK and the USA I was allocated a layout room on the ground floor supposedly the front lounge but basically a stable for pet rats ,rabbits and guinea pigs which also departed (this life). A couple of years ago my youngest daughter returned home with her husband so it was agreed that the downstairs layout room would be absorbed into living area and my trains, books etc returned once again to the loft. Glengarriff then appeared (see its topic for its history etc) One (probably the only) good thing to emerge from the current crisis is that it provided a stimulus for me to get my finger out and get the layout completed. I need a bolt hole as said daughter and son-in-law both work in the local hospital and he is working on the coronovirus ward.I have this feeling I should get something done instead of procrastinating and as I get up at 5 am to take the dogs out when the rest of the village is still kipping I have a few hours to fill in without any nagg er interuptions. Now if you think your layout room is cluttered don't worry the following photos should beat your 'lair' easily. Slides, negatives etc and computing still takes place downstairs , my argument that this couldn't be done in the loft due to the affect this would have temperature wise on the material was accepted by the authorities. downstairs with assistant on duty

If you look at their web site there is a members section which tells you how to do it. I think you have to send a flickr mail request from your flickr site with your name + membership number and they then accept it. Takes a few days. They have been expanding the flickr photo archive quite a bit recently. http://irishrailarchives.ie/index.php/archives/photographs/ Ernie

I found another view in the IRRS photo Archive on flickr (this is only accessible to IRRS members) taken by Norman Gamble of a wagon in the Kildare sidings with the water tower wall and but also that leaded window. All very interesting, please keep them coming Ernie

Hillsborough on GNRI branch from Knockmore to Banbridge

Going back to your photo of 129 at Sallins which I identified as Kildare I couldn't find a photo at the time to confirm my theory although the 25" old maps confirmed the track plans at both stations. I should as usual have checked my own flickr images as the above one of 171 which shows the distinctive Water Tower and doors in its wall as seen in your photo confirms Kildare as does the church tower in my photo. Ernie

Found another view 28 May 1947 on a Letterkenny service. I have uploaded a small part of the print which is not my copyright. I will of course remove it if the copyright holder (whoever that may be) requests me to. Photographer J G Dewing. Ernie

Put this on jhb's other thread on this photo Desmond Coakham photographed a CVR passenger brake van at Strabane (Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock Page 64 top photo) in 1947, which he says did not appear in any writings on either line. numbered 14. Looks very similar.

Desmond Coakham photographed a CVR passenger brake van at Strabane (Narrow Gauge Rolling Stock Page 64 top photo) in 1947, which he says did not appear in any writings on either line. numbered 14. Looks very similar. Ernie

Here is a 5 minute video taken at Waterford October 2003 (also includes a short train of bubbles hauled by 148) Video shows fork lift picking up casks using a special attachment and placing them in cages. The 'attachment whatsit' could be removed and the forklift then used to load lorries or wagons as shown. Thinking back I think the railway wagons would be unloaded and then the cages put into the compound where they could then be sorted before loading onto lorries doing the pub rounds. Empties would again make there way back to the compound where cages could be filled before loading back onto wagons to go back to Dublin. The video is aspect 4:3 so double click on the picture for it to play /display correctly otherwise you won't see the bottom bit of the video.

Kildare

Been busy planting trees, bushes grass and weeds today

A couple of Mike Shannon views 13Feb65 WT8 at Omagh and S60 at Strabane plus a WT at Omagh in 1964. They are the only WT's on the Derry Road I have photos of so certainly uncommon. S Class 60 seems to be the other regular 4-4-0 Ernie

Needs editing re some of the facts. I'm pretty sure the County Donegal Railways Joint Committee had nowt to do with operating it and the Great Northern Railway didn't close the line. Unfortunately I havn't got time at present to check this out. Went to see an old German friend very ill on his last legs today and he was very excited to see me and then passed away. His last words were Du stehst auf meiner Sauerstoffleitung! I need to find out what this means, might be some money to get some Guinness Keg wagons! Better get back on topic St Johnston 14 Feb 1965

Some 141/121 ends for comparison. Sods Law says I can't find a direct side on shot for comparison but the model looks fine EDITED Sods Law also states that you will find a side on shot just after you have posted! . I will add this one also as it is roughly the same aspect as the model photo and conveys the same impression re the heights.

Super Train above Black per Murphy or Black and Tan per CIE

Yes it went to Dundalk Barrack Street. Several views in my GNRI album https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/albums/72157626756740602/with/5736727396/ of the special at Ardee, Dromin and Dundalk