Westcorkrailway

I’ll still beat the Bandon Tank Drum for as long as I live. Problem is that it would only be useful for maynooth runs in the modern day preservation scene. A bit too hungry for Downpatrick. Even if the CRRS had preserved it in the mid 1960s, it’s hard to imagine how 464 would have survived to now unless treated like similar size loco lough Erne That’s thinking with my heart, but with my brain I think by far the biggest gap would be for the MGWR E Class / J26. Not only would it give the Midland a deserved representation in preservation aside from coaches. it would also be practical, being perfect for Downpatrick’s Demands and not as hungry as some other monsters! Helpings it’s case for a new build is it’s also one of the best proportioned locos on this island. The class was also extremely well traveled, traveling to virtually every corner of the country, working alongside No. 90 in Cork ending up replacing it on the T&C section!

Not sure if I ever posted these here. But this is from a local modeller who wishes to be anonamous. @Mol_PMB noted that many industrial lines were in the cork/Kerry region. And while I can’t speak for the rest of the network. The West Cork System had a number of private sidings. Beamish had one in Bandon. A small branch for the mills at Desert, Allmans Distillery famously had its own locomotives, Coffeepot and latterly a Peckett 0-4-0 which later became GSR 495. Ironically this locomotive was not only purchased for its age (being less then 10 years old at the time of purchased versus the rest of the aging GSR fleet!) and used for the Fords/Dunlop siding. The tight curves on some Cork City Railway Curves around the quays and the Corn Mills on the marina making it ideal anyways I’m missing a major one here. Shannonvale mill in between Ballinascarthy and Clonakilty still stands tall, it closed a year or two after the railway line that served it closed. Shannonvale mills had its own 400 odd meter siding off the Clonakilty branch. Rather than a private locomotive, a horse worked the branch. The last horse work the line known as paddy, who retired to a local farm rather then facing the scrap! Gravity would work the wagons into to Mill while paddy would bring them back out. A deadly dangerous quick release system would engage at the top of the gradient and paddy, along with the workers would have to dash out of the way. the track may have been lifted by CIE funnily enough as according the local accounts was lifted by a rail tractor (which CIE used to lift the T&C branch line among other light track some footage of paddy https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxL5hDnFAZ6geNU215dcVm84m_Tt7wHGfk?si=6t1xIjELaKddy9Dp https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxYZD5EQbx7WjEFkncZEAksHxedcphB8wA?si=O9mofvztnjWiukhZ interestingly Cork and Bandon Railway are recorded as saying that locomotives did end up going down there. Impossible the verify other then word of mouth and one recorded interview from the 1960s. Beet was certainly stored down there during a particularly busy season in the 1950s according to Ray Good 31/03/1961 taken from the cab of the last Ex-Clonakilty mixed train the pulls up to the mills where the last wagons will be taken (C) Brian Baker anyways this layout is supposed to capture the mill, not long after closure. Enjoy!

Some more early photos

And if it wasn’t already clear. AEC Built the 1953 stuff whereas the later wedge heads were Icore built

These photos hopefully provide a simple answer

On a Thursday, the railcar set was almost always strenghtened by 1 or 2 - 6 wheel coaches attached to the back of a 3 car railcar set. This was due to a promotion on the west cork lines where return tickets could be bought for the price of a single (original poster below, @jhb171achill might like to see this one! Poster https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxQF4Buudcm6Fpt_QuezPg38y0eB_trIBC?si=zd1tSo9ybV6je8Qy Footage of the Thursday railcar passing Bandon station with a single railcar in towe Usually a van being sent out on a railcar set was a horse in a cattle wagon. Often these would be left at the station for the goods train to shunt them later on! This actually happened on the 17th of march 1961 and the IRRS no.464 had to shunt it out of the way causing a delay, albeit some photographs to be taken I don’t have the high resolution versions, but some wrecks also served as intermediates in West Cork. a john Langford shot outside Drimoleague - that coach certainly isint new! there is a reason this was chosen as a book cover…2 green railcars and a dark green Park Royal crossing the viaduct

At the greatest gathering today.

I think that’s a windscreen wiper?

The last train on the harcourt street line was also a wedgehead I think. So those dates might be handy One is in this footage here https://youtu.be/JKLtyavDH98?si=mWEk92YeYLynAG7e

Some photos from the 31st of march 1961. 2660 worked the West Cork Mainline in the final day so some good photos exist at Clonakilty junction heading to Cork just East of Bandon Station Crossing innishannon viaduct At Albert Quay final train to Bantry (Note GSWR 90 in the left foreground whistling the final train goodbye!)

Some more West Cork 1950s stock IRRS excursion in crossbarry https://flic.kr/p/2pr95zUan interesting first class coach https://flic.kr/p/2jUqfLt Weathering inspiration anyone? https://flic.kr/p/24MCWeK

We will never have it as good as these wagons. An extremely beyond generous move

Ah those ones….they may have been tried on the West Cork line to be fair. Though I certainly don’t remember that being recorded by anyone