Brack

The piers/breakwaters at the mouth of the Tyne both have rails in them: But we're never connected to anything else (well, the south one connected to the quarry just down the coast, blocks for the north pier were taken by rail to a jetty on the river and barged across, then by rail down the pier). So far as im aware, rail mounted cranes of a wider gauge and wagons to move stone/concrete blocks for building and repairing it was the only use for them. I think Tanfield railway has one of the block wagons and the grab, the ruston survives in scotland. the track on the pier was in use (or at least intact) into the 70s or 80s I think. This is interesting reading: https://southshieldslocalhistorygroup.co.uk/index.php/buildings/structures/piers/ And then scroll down for photos of loco workings here: https://southshieldslocalhistorygroup.co.uk/index.php/transport/railways/ Thry had a ruston 48ds and a peckett similar to the hornby model, there's an interesting prototype for a model! Of course this isnt an Irish example, but a good account with photos of the building of two breakwaters a mile out into the sea, presumably methods were similar.

I think the hunslet archives are at statfold barn. Perhaps worth asking there with the works number so they can search the drawing register. They have an archivist, and there is a charge for drawings, but they'll tell you how much upfront.

Maybe you could use the kit to make one of the pair the Rio Tinto had in Spain? 3'6" gauge. In fairness, at the time I recall it was advertised as being possible to build it to 009 with outside frames.

I'm sure they'll mention those when they announce the extension to burtonport...

Not a bad plan, notwithstanding an obvious error at the lower right, where you've inexplicably forgotten to mention the Donegal baltic tank and swilly 484t...

It's good news for those of us who can't be bothered with lettering/numbering our stock.

I think that centralising stuff in one location gives you a better chance - not competing for grants, volunteers, visitors etc and should have economies of scale with the overheads. A shame that things are quite fragmented with the 3' in the North too.

Looks about the length of the tracklaying train. Also the roadbed underneath it doesn't look as well prepared/ballasted - perhaps a temporary siding for construction only, to be removed later?

One should always pick a correct species for the area and model/paint accordingly. It's jarring to biologists to see inappropriate species depicted on layouts.

Nope. The license costs a lot and the IP owners enjoy a bit of legal action.

From what I've seen I'm not sure Bord na Mona have 50m of straight and level track to sell you, and I'd worry that the loco would never have been tested on such a thing!

Well everyone in the uk gets £350 million pounds to.... Hang on, your figure is both more accurate and plausible than that one...

Sort of... http://www.oxfordrail.com/76/OR76IOM.htm The Oxford rail model is a static die-cast, but looks good. It's also a somewhat later type. If you put one in a sandwich bag it's ideal for an early 21st century Douglas shed diorama.

Navan?