Irishswissernie

County Donegal Railways, Ballyshannon. Railcar Trailer 2 (I hope!). June 1957. Donegal Town, junction of the Stranorlar and Ballyshannon routes.12 May 1959 JGD Dublin Pearse 2648 ca 1959.

Cork shed A1, ca 1959-60. Thurles ex GNRI 207 on a special 17 March 1962 JG Dewing (Any familiar faces?) Another JG Dewing neg; 438 at Dun Laoghaire 17 May 1951.

At the 2014 Transport Gala they transported a wagon load of Peel 50's down to Port Erin behind the new diesel ( 2 ill fated designs together!) On return to Douglas they were unloaded onto the platform for display. 2 people could pick them up and they had no reverse just a handle on the back which you lifted them by and turned them around. They were too late for the old days of the Isle of Man Railway.

Today I have been doing some work on the slate waste tramway bridges which disguise the 2 exits into the fiddle yard.

West Clare Railway 3389 at Kilkee after record non-stop run from Ennis , 10 June 1953. 2 views of the GNRI diesel 800 prior to re-numbering by CIE, Dublin Pearse station 1958.

Just got this neg of it! Circa 1960. There is a similar crane preserved on the site of Union Mills station, the trackbed from Peel through Union Mills to the Douglas outskirts is now a footpath.

I considered going but am not really up to travelling far these days. I first visited in 1971 and have managed another 6 trips since; its a shame that they couldn't have retained the Peel line as well, then all the major towns on the island would still be rail linked. I have 12 albums on flickr covering all aspects of the Railways but the most interesting one is this one with some 450 photos.: This covers the lines pre preservation from the 1930's and also the Ailsa period. I have just acquired another 120 odd images to add in due course.

4 JG Dewing today. 2 views of an IRRS Special to Youghal with 193 at Cork and Cobh Junction 17 March 1962. SLNCR , 'Sligo' in the goods yard at Collooney on the Enniskillen goods. May 1947. I'm pleased this negative came to light as I already have JGD's view of this same train departing Collooney Finally Signals at Derry, Waterside October 1970.

SLNCR Manorhamilton station. Enniskillen on the Enniskillen goods 27 May 1957 JG Dewing. Kilfree Junction G2, 653 on the branch train, March 1961.

Sad news and a bit of a shock! Steve and I messaged each other regularly about images on my Archive. He was a mine of information especially on the GNRI. R I P. Ernie

Some interesting arrivals recently. These 2 are from the Light Railway & Transport League's Tour in June 1953. Tralee & Dingle, 8T at Castlegregory Junction on 11 June. Cavan & Leitrim, A view of after the famous collision on 8 June (thanks to the extensive photographic coverage by the LTRL members on the train) at Mahanagh Xing between 3L's train and a Ford Model Y Poplar. The car was carried for several yards but was righted after the 2 occupants had got out with just a few scratches and they apparently drove off and both train and car continued on their ways. No doubt these days the place would be a crime scene and the line and road closed for several hours. They don't make cars or trains or that ladies hat (unconfirmed on the last one) like that anymore!

I met a volunteer at the Tanfield Railway Legends of Steam Gala on friday who was born in Northern Ireland and a devotee of "Ernies Railway Archive" so these 2 JG Dewing images are my thanks for his assistance. You might like them too!. Randalstown 7 May 1959. Antrim WT 50, 13 May 1959.

It will be a quality production but I already have the 2 previous books on the Tralee & Dingle and I can't see that there will be much new information in this one. Having said that some more negatives landed on the door mat yesterday and there are actually 2 of the LRTL Special at Castlegregory Jc and Dingle on 11 June 1953. Most of the recent books I have purchased have had the photos looked at and then they are put on the shelves to be read at a some later date which doesn't seem to happen!

I have been working on the bridge piers and embankment for the slate Tip tramway . These will disguise the tracks into the quarry and the main line to Penmachno AKA the fiddle yard. The Scenecraft Ffestiniog 'Bog' block needs to be backdated with smaller window panes and possibly the odd lean-to and extra chimney for its new role as the Watchman's cottage.

Mallow, 17 March 1962. Limerick J11 218 5 July 1955.

North Wall 171 April 2000. Wexford North 189 on cement 'bubbles' 12 May 1979. Portadown shed ca1959

Progress on the slate tip and the Workshops.

A Link to the publisher and his preview of the book. https://ttpublishing.co.uk/product/omagh-railway-station/

Inchicore F6, 42 3 June 1961. JG Dewing. CDRJC Donegal Town Railcars 20 & 16. June 1957 Nick Nicholson

I was talking to the Publisher today, I think he said its being published this Sunday (11 June). An excellent and interesting read and worth a place on your book shelf.

I'm thinking it might have been the late 1980's but with this time gap now plus my advancing years I'm probably mistaken. I moved from Blyth to here in the 'Centre of Britain' er Haltwhistle in June 1993 and I'm pretty sure I purchased a fair number of the Irish kits, Donegal 2-6-4t, Swilly 4-8-0, C&L 4-4-0t several coaches and about 15 wagons whilst at Blyth. The loco kits were missing various motors, gears and wheels and these were going to be forwarded in due course. Everything was thus packed away pending their receipt which unfortunately never happened. Several years later I exchanged the lot with Geof at Contikits probably for some Bemo Swiss H0m models.

A bit of progress this week on the Quarry Workshops/boiler house and the slate tip.

3 More JG Dewing originals. 2 views of GNRI U Class 204 'Antrim' , the first at Skerries 13 May 1959. A close up of 204 name and the GNRB 'crest' Connolly 15 May 1959. I already have the black and white neg on flickre but now have Dewing's original slide. Cork Albert Quay IRRS Special 17 March 1961 464.

County Donegal Railways, Strabane, 11 On the Stranorlar Goods 3 October 1958. Another JG Dewing original, on closer examination the train isn't departing; its split between the first 2 wagons so that the porter on the right can push his barrowload from the GNRI side through to the Donegal platform. Courtmacsherry, 552 6 November 1960.

Tallow Road B124 16 March 1967. Inchicore Works ca 1960.