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Some new arrivals at Guage O Castletown. Three adaptions of Leinster Models LMS coach body shells. 1. GNRI No. 114 L13 Brake/3rd See page 73 The Great Northern Railway (Ireland) by Norman Johnston. 2. GNRI No. 75 K15 Open Third Page 24 3. GNRI No 30 F16 Side Corridor Composite. Page 57 New coaches with GNR(I) PP No. 25. CIE J15 No. 131 'adapted' from Lima F8 131 with 6 wheel coaches CIE AEC Railcars Sides from Jeromy Clements, Front and Roof from Andy Crockhart. AEC railcars with Buffet Car DSERetc

Sheep in 1937 Sometimes things don't change Sheep at Ballinderry and Belfast to Coleraine Train summer 1994 DSERetc

Anti-theft security microchip modules. 'Home of 'O' gauge included 1 security module and one record card, with every locomotive kit and RTR locomotive they sold. In their 02/03 catalogue they cost, 1 for £9.95, 5 for £45.00, 10 for 85.00. Since HOG has closed, I have searched the internet but failed to find any for sale. With all the new Irish locomotives around, especially at exhibitions and being aware of the number of break-ins, we should try to protect our models. The security microchip module is a glass capsule, 12.5mmx2.5mm, with a tiny antenna and a microchip with an unique hexadecimal serial number, which can be read by a scanner which all police have nowadays. If the stolen property is found, it can be returned to the owner. The module can be glued in a hidden place in the locomotive and painted over. Does anyone know if these modules are available? They may be smaller now-a-days. Some insurance companies give a discount when items are microchipped. DSERetc

Posted November 25 2018 A little teaser for the next loco on the bench Hello Ken, I have just come across your posts and I have another possible answer to your teaser. Sometime in the early 1950s, I was travelling from Dublin to Bray. Somewhere along the way I looked out the window of the carriage to see what engine was pulling us. I saw the side tanks, cab and bunker and it seemed to be one of the 0-6-2T 670 class tank engines. When we reached Bray, imagine my surprise and joy when I saw a tank engine with outside cylinders. It was 850 the 2-6-2T tank engine. It was the only engine with outside cylinders I ever saw in Bray. It was built in 1928 and was said to have parts of the unbuilt Woolwich 2-6-0. The side tanks, cab and bunker, even the hand rails, seem to be almost identical to those on the 670s. So if you have these stored on your computer, and if you can get a Woolwich frame and motion, a pony truck and a boiler, you could have another model of an engine running on the DSER. Great Work. DSERetc

Bray in the 1950s Bray Railway Station today is an efficient Dart Terminal station. It has about 110 Dart arrivals and departures on an ordinary weekday, using the down platform for arrivals from Dublin and the Up platform for departures to Dublin. About a quarter of the Dart services go on to Greystones. There is a regular arrival and departure timetable frequency of between 3 and 12 arrivals and departures per hour. There are also intercity trains to Rosslare and commuter trains to Arklow and Gorey. This is very different to what I remember in the late 1940s and 1950s From 1854 until 1927, Bray had only one platform, with a scissor crossover halfway along it, to serve trains to and from Harcourt Street and Amiens Street or Westland Row and to and from Greystones and Wexford or Rosslare. It was a junction station. It seemed to me that many of the practices of that time continued, even after the second platform was built. I am writing as an observer. I do not have a working timetable for that time. It seemed that if there was no train due from Greystones, then trains from Dublin were brought into the up Platform ‘The Near Side’. Sean Kennedy’s picture in Great Southern Railways by Donal Murray of a train from Dublin just arrived at the up platform. If a train was due from Greystones or already at the up platform waiting to depart, then the trains from Dublin were brought into the Down platform (the Far Side) and passengers had to cross the footbridge to get out of the station. There was an exit on the Down platform about halfway between the Signal Cabin and the Glass canopy and another exit at the south end of the Up platform beside the Starting signal and the water column. This exit was down steps to Albert Avenue under the Railway bridge. The bricked-up doorway at road level, can still be seen in the bridge abutment. These exits were used on fine summer days, especially Sundays when extra trains from Dublin were put on for ‘Day-trippers’. It has been mentioned about looking out the window. It was common in a train coming from Dublin as it was crossing the river Dargle at the harbour, for someone to look out at the three doll Home signal to see which signal was off and to announce to the rest of the passengers “It’s the near side” or “It’s the far side" Because of the single line beyond Bray, if a train was approaching from the south and another from Dublin, then both were brought to a stand for a few moments at the outer home signals, the up signal at the ‘Wicklow sidings’ behind the Esplanade Hotel and the down signal just after Woodbrook Golf Course. Then both cautiously entered the station. On a week day, there were 25 arrivals from Amiens Street, 2 from Westland Row to Rosslare and 22 arrivals from Harcourt Street, 1 for Arklow and 1 for Rosslare. There were 16 departures for Greystones, three for Rosslare and one for Arklow. Arrivals and departures were not evenly spaced out during the day. Usually departures for Harcourt street and Amiens street left within a few minutes (sometimes 4 minutes) of each other especially if one train had arrived from Greystones. Then there could be almost 45 minutes or more to wait for the next departures. Shanganagh Junction worked with Bray to ensure that when two trains from Dublin arrived at the junction at about the same time, the one going on to Greystones went through even if the other arrived first. Sometimes it was the one from Harcourt Street, (the Main Line), sometimes from Amiens Street. Very often, the train for Greystones ran to the very end of the up platform. Then the second, about four minutes later, followed. It was stopped at the home signal then the ‘Calling on’ signal came off and the train came into the up platform behind the train for Greystones to let passengers change trains without having to cross the footbridge. Sean Kennedy’s picture in Great Southern Railways by Donal Murray, of a train from Dublin on the facing crossover from the down to the up line after getting the calling on signal to come in behind the train already at the up platform. If the platform line was clear, the main or top signal would be used. On Sunday afternoons in Summer, when the weather was fine, droves of day-trippers came out to Bray and in the evening, it seemed that the time-table was abandoned. Both platforms were used for arrivals and departures. Trains waited in the Wicklow sidings and sometimes in the sidings on the north side of the gates. Engines were waiting on the centre road. When a train arrived from Dublin, the first of these engines would go forward and reverse on to the back of the train, while the engine that had just arrived was uncoupled to go to the turn table. As soon as the train was filled it would depart. If there was gap in the arrivals, a train would be brought to the platform from one of the sidings. All sorts of goods and parcels arrived in and were dispatched from Bray. The window to collect parcels was beside the exit gate facing up Florence Road. The 7 bay goods shed was entered from the Meath Road. All day long you could hear buffers clanging as wagons were shunted to be loaded or unloaded. In the evening, at about 8.00 or 9.00 pm, the Wexford goods would arrive from Dublin to drop off and pick up wagons. It would depart at about 10.30 or 11.00 and very often would need a banking engine to get up the gradient out of Bray. This would return a short time later. I only discovered a long time later that there were two staff instruments in Bray Signal cabin, one the train staff and the second the banking staff. The line remained ‘occupied’ until both staffs were returned to their instruments. In the summer of, I think 1956, Bray and Shankill parishes had a combined pilgrimage to Knock. The train arrived in Bray from Inchicore. The engine, a new A class diesel, ran round the train and then took the carriages to Shankill Station on the Harcourt Street line for the Shankill pilgrims. The engine ran round again and brought the train back to Bray for the Bray pilgrims. It ran round again and then ran nonstop to Knock. The line through No 5 platform in Amiens street ran straight to the down line to Glasnevin before the alterations for the Dart. I was standing at the door at the rear right hand corner of the carriage and as we swept round the curve beside the passenger entrance to platform 5 at about 40 mph, the edge of the carriage over-rode the platform leaving a trail of sparks. Finally, my first practical lesson about steam engines. We were in Amiens street to meet cousins arriving from Belfast. The big Blue Engine (a Vs) had stopped just short of the huge hydraulic buffers on Platform 2. There was a lot of hugging and kissing, meanwhile I was enthralled by the outside valve gear and motion. I reached out and touched the cold silvery piston rod only to discover it was HOT!!! - VERY HOT. DSERetc

Leslie, Perhaps, when you are building it, you can correct a big mistake in the original design. For a young train spotter travelling from Dublin to Belfast, the one big disappointment of the journey was Portadown Roundhouse. All we could see was the back wall. You could place it so that passengers to and from Dublin may see the interesting engines inside DSERetc

184 being turned in Bray. There were three Dublin to Bray return trips on 22/9/1979 and on 12/04/1980 and 13/04/1980, I cannot remember which day I took the photos. The film coaches were stored in the siding between the turntable and the up platform and on the line at the then disused Goods store. DSERetc

In the magazine of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland, FIVE FOOT THREE, No. 42 Winter 1995/96, Peter Rigney has an article, FILMING 1995, describing the activity of the RPSI in filming Michael Collins. Also, in FIVE FOOT THREE, No. 52, Winter 2005/6, there is an article, Cameras, Continuity and Codology by "Best Boy" describing some of the events in 1978 before and during the filming of The First Great Train Robbery.

When Alice retired Mella took charge of the catering. She had a habit of leaning out of the window when the train stopped at a station. I waved to her a few times in Dundalk when she was in an up train heading to Dublin and I was on a train going to Belfast. Andy Crockart made a TV programme on the GNRI Line between Belfast and Dublin and interviewed Mella. She was from Omagh and started work on the Derry Road. She told me she was on the train on 24th November 1950 when 5 men working on the track were run over in Omagh Station. She said she was down on the track under the restaurant car nursing one of the men who died as she was holding him. Being from Omagh, she knew the five families. In the New Year's Honours List, 1991, She received the British Empire Medal for faithful service to the Railway all through the troubles. After she retired she sometimes attended the RPSI winter Meetings where practically everyone attending knew her.

If it is Mella, I first met her and Alice Quinn in the Restaurant Car on the 11.00? am Dublin to Belfast train on 19th January 1966.

Sympathy to the families of the Driver, Conductor and passenger who were killed and also to Scotrail on the loss of two employees. Looking at the aerial photographs, where is the leading locomotive? The news report says that there was a locomotive at the front and back and four carriages. Looking at the wreckage, it seems to illustrate the risk of Pull-push working compounding an accident, when a powerful locomotive continues to push after the front of the train has suddenly stopped. The rear carriages ride up over t he derailed carriages in front in spite of buckeye couplings and anti-climb buffers which are supposed to keep the carriages in line in the event of a derailment. Pull-push working is more economical than double-heading, un-coupling, running round and coupling at the end of each journey. Is it safer? DSERetc

Leslie, sorry to hear of the fall. Get well soon. The discussion has mentioned signal posts: square - wooden and concrete, lattice, round and telegraph poles. Signal arms: red and white stop signals and distant signals. The GSR and CIE distant signals were yellow and white until the end of steam. The steam locomotive head lamps were only indicators to signal men rather than illuminating the way ahead. With the powerful head lamps on the diesel locomotives and railcars, as a further safety feature, the reflective material was put on the signal arms and I read somewhere there was a proposal to do away with the oil lamps on the semaphore signals. One detail which has not been mentioned in the discussion is the colour of the spectacle plates, perhaps because it is obvious. If so I apologise. On the GSR and CIE the spectacle plates are white. On the GNR and NCC they are the same colour as the signal, red or yellow. In Britain on the GWR and BR they are black. Sometimes you may see British signals in use Irish layouts. DSERetc

I have being trying to contact Steve in Railtec to see if it is possible for him to reproduce a sheet or half a sheet of the existing Irish CIE 'Stanier' coach set 4mm transfers in 7mm. DSERetc

Is this story true? When General Motors Corporation EMD representatives accepted the order for 15 Diesel-electric locomotives, they asked ' What livery do you want?' C.I.E. said 'We will get back to you on that!' After some time with committees , consultants, artists, PR People and Board Members, C.I.E. contacted GMC EMD to pass on the decision about the livery, only to be told that the locomotives had already been shipped from the factory.? The following item may be of interest: Journal of the Irish Railway Record Society, No.28, Spring 1961, Vol 6 page 49 Recent Developments on Irish Railways CORAS IOMPAIR EIREANN In January – February General Motors Corporation, U.S.A. delivered fifteen Diesel-electric 950 h.p. locomotives of the conventional Bo-Bo type – the makers’ plates affixed to the engines, however, call them “0-4-4-0”. They are painted in a grey-and-yellow livery, and have a single cab right at one end; this latter feature has already met with criticism , and it has been suggested that, for appearance sake, it would be well to make use of the turntables and (for at least the named and other important trains) run with the cab at the trailing end. These comments, although not of great moment, are recorded here to show how the minds of observers are becoming accustomed to new methods and things, and comparisons drawn in quite the traditional way. The new locomotives are numbered B121 to B135. After some trial runs, they were used on regular services on the Northern section from February 20, and Midland section the following day. The first to reach Belfast was B133 on St. Patrick’s Day. After the tests, none has done any regular work on the Southern section, but a few Bray suburban trains have been taken by them. On page 51: The new No. B126 was tried non-stop to Belfast with 8 bogies on March 21, in 2h. 16m., the return to Dublin being rather better at 2h.7m. DSERetc

For O gauge modellers, on ebay: TMD models Irish J15 0-6-0 7mm kit unbuilt. DSERetc

The other type of CIE headlamp with the piecrust top goes back to GS&WR days...... The RPSI made two 'Genuine Antique' lamps similar to this for No.461 during a previous overhaul. DSERetc

Has anyone ever reviewed or commented on the Bassett Lowke Gauge O Irish Woolwich 2-6-0?

/Never heard of Obelisk Hill railway station though. Obelisk Hill railway station was below the Vico road at about mile post 9, from 1855 until 1857. Ballybrack Station was mile post 10.15 from 1854 to 1857 and mile post 10.20 from 1857 until 1882. Killiney station was at mile post 9.50 from 1854 to 1882 The present Killiney and Ballybrack station at mile post 9.74 replaced these in 1882. Ballybrack station house is on upside and is now a private dwelling at the corner on Seafield Road. There does not seem to be any trace of Obelisk station. It may have been near the footbridge on the path from Vico Road to the beach. Information from Dublin & South Eastern Railway by Ernie Shepherd and Gerry Beesley, page 154. DSERetc

I am very saddened by the news of Anthony's tragic death. He was one of the smiling faces greeting us at the IRRS meetings. About two years ago, at a Tuesday night meeting I asked him if he could get me copies of some drawings. I expected him to say that he would have them for me next Tuesday. Instead he said wait there and within twenty minutes he was back with the copies and a big smile. He will be greatly missed. Sincere sympathy to his wife and children. etc

Regarding the S.L.N.C.coaches not leaving their own line, it seems that four of them may have been responsible for a train over-running the buffers in Greenore on 30th June 1904 according to D.S.M.Barrie in The Dundalk, Newry & Greenore Railway, page 32. Perhaps that is why other companies declined to accept them on their lines. DSERetc

On the Bray to Harcourt Steet line: I travelled on Drumm trains, 6 wheeled and bogie non corridor coaches hauled by steam engines and later by A class diesel engines, and AEC railcars. In particular I remember two coaches, a 6 wheeler with a half compartment at one end. It had a seat on one side facing windows in the end wall. The other was a bogie coach also with windows at one end. I learned later it had been a DSER Railmotor. I never saw either coach at the back of a train so the only view you got was the end of next coach. Dundrum Siding: once on the way into Harcourt Street we stopped in Dundrum. When the passengers had boarded, we backed into the siding to drop off a van we had been hauling. I am not absolutely sure but I think we were in an AEC railcar. Harcourt Street to Nelson's Pillar by tram: I remember seeing a derailed tram on the junction at Nassau Street and Dawson Street. Nelson's Pillar to Dun Laoghaire: One summer morning, with cousins from Armagh, we travelled in an open upstairs balcony tram to Dun Laoghaire. The rails through the narrow sections of George's Street in Dun Laoghaire were interlaced in two of three places. I do not know if there were signals. So the Boyne bridge was not the only place in Ireland with interlaced track. We also travelled from Sutton to the Summit on the Hill of Howth tram. Portadown to Armagh: On a journey from Dublin to Armagh. On the return journey, when we boarded the Dublin train at Portadown, there were already many passengers from Belfast so I did not get window seat. There was still food rationing and we had cans of Golden Syrup in a bag. This was put behind my legs under the seat and a rug was put over my legs. I was told 'don't say a word.' We were in a side corridor coach. The customs man came in. 'Anything to dec!are?'. He looked at the bags up on the luggage rack and then went out and into the next compartment. 'He didn't see the Golden Syrup' I shouted at the top of my voice! He had the graciousness not to come back. I was almost thrown off the train! Carlisle Pier to Heuston Station: Shortly before the line to the pier closed I travelled from the pier to Heuston Station. We stopped in the 'Gullet' and an E class shunter came up from the station, coupled up behind us and pulled us into the station. Was that always the practice even in steam days or did the train simply reverse as at Killarney or Limerick Junction? DSERetc

This is O gauge and analogue 12Volt dc. I have 2 Gaugemaster controllers. One for main line running and one for the goods yard. So it is possible, in theory, to shunt a goods train in the yard while a train is on the main line. Last year the main line controller developed a fault and was only producing about 3 volts. I have had it about 20 years and the literature said there was a ' Lifetime' guarantee, so I sent it off and they repaired it free of charge, not even postage! Since these photos were taken, I had to replace the baseboard under the station and took the opportunity convert the loop platform to an island platform. I also got some Leinster Models LMS body shells to make into something like CIE 1950s coaches. Up to now no AEC railcars or A Class, C Class or B Class diesel electric locos have run on the line as it is a little out of the way. Tony Ragg is the CME DSERetc

Jhb171achill Many thanks. Please do not look too closely at the goods wagons. Or else just above the waist. I will post photographs when I get the the running gear repainted. DSERetc Jhb171.

The idea for a garden railway came while watching Mark Found's TV programme, The Garden Railway. My brother said 'We could put one in the back garden.' It started off as just a single line circle. Then as he had an interest in Irish films, he mentioned The Quiet Man. We made a basic model of Ballyglunan station house and got some Slaters Clayton six wheel coaches and painted them like CIE coaches. I also got what was supposed to be a GNR PP 4-4-0 and an A 0-6-0. Please do not look too closly!! At least it is a 4-4-0. I also got a kit for a SE&CR N class which Tony Ragg built as a Woolwich 2-6-0. I got some Lima LMS coaches which I painted in an approximate early CIE livery. I put in a crossing loop and a small goods yard. I pictured the layout to be a crossing station on single track main line with main line trains crossing local trains, with some goods traffic. The time is between 1958 and 1963 after the breakup of the GNRB, when CIE got about half of the GN engines. You may be able to see CIE on the buffer beam of the 0-6-0 in the head shunt. I have made bridges similar to the Boyne and Thomastown Viaducts and the Egyptian Arch also tunnel mouths similar to some at Bray Head. Completely unlike the prototype, the signals are worked automatically by memory or muscle wire by current from the track to which the points are set and the direction of travel. DSERetc