Westcorkrailway

Some prototype news for some of ye not on Facebook. It has just become public knowledge that 2751 is to be re-activated. This morning it was transferred to limerick works, however it was described by people in the know as “just as good as when it went in” 

consdiering it’s been over a decade since these graced the rails. As much as they are a bit boring. (And have some bad memories attached!) it’s fantastic to see one be re-purposed for shunting in portlaoise. (Now wouldn’t that be a layout for somone hint hint)

Today was the first day an arrow livery railcar went down the Midleton line 

Some of my images of the Times Arrow Railtour. One which had achieved the rank amongst my favourites, maybe even my favourite

Passing where the loop once was. And where the new platform will be 

awaiting departure on 5

Trolly service on a 2 car 26! Richie lee gifting himself something for his birthday no doubt 

while held up outside Limerick, some fellow gricers started accumulating around the train….

Thurles

the invited guests in question being signatories from tokyu car….including somone who designed 2600s 

Driver Ken fox making sure no one didn’t accidentally board this train, displaying many random locations throughout the country 

a shot of the railcar roof 

30 years old vs 41 years old 

the lotto building bought and audible gasp in the railcar 

a comfy reliable train, next to a DD set in Dundalk

Malahide 

A sneaky headboard application….

Heuston At the end of day 1

day 2, off from the military platform 

Cobh now, and with kind permission from HQ, the Munster area headboard goes on

The left excellent Team that staffed the tour 

migration across the footbridge 

Terminus of the tour, platform 5 Kent 

“dineen dairies”

“2601 pints of milk”

Thankfully Thurles number 4 spent 20 odd years pulling a CIE Bullied open, CIE 234A EX WLWR and a CIE 30 tonne van up and down a track less then 300 meters in length. 

13 minutes ago, Tullygrainey said:

The ex CSE (Carlow) Ruston at RPSI Whitehead, August 2020

Yes, but at the point (if you look at the RPSI website for instance) it had been painted a few times  but the above is pretty good 

It’s like when the line itself closed…

There was no real standard colour for them. All of them were a green colour st one point. But the details are a bit hazy after that the best approximation is probobly, as John says unlined mid-light green body, Red buffer beam (and buffers) and if your really pushed, putting a CSE logo on either the side of the back. (Think they were on the back on at least the 165 ds in tuam) 

I’ll be going for the as preserved livery when I get around to it, nostalgia bias wins again. Thurles locomotive no.4 when it moved from mallow to halfway in the 1990s 

1 hour ago, David Holman said:

Nice! Believe there is one due out in 7mm scale, so will be very interested to see if the wheels can be moved out to broad gauge.

Someone asked that, nope…both Hornby and Accurascale rustons would need major surgery to bring them to Irish gauge. 
 

Although I’m sure a run of CSE rustons wouldn’t do to badly regardless of compatibility. But that’s hard to say, I think the release of the Hornby Ruston has been slightly overlooked by Irish modellers (although to be fair it has been 4 years or something since they were announced….crazy!)

Over the years we have seen moguls and Jintys made into Irish livery, as was prototypical as these types worked both over in the UK and here in Ireland. However what is more overlooked in recent years is the oncoming of industrial types such as the peckett 0-4-0 which were very popular in the UK. 3 made it to the island of Ireland with 1 being owned by both the GSR and CIE in the Cork Area 

One popular class of shunter in Ireland that remained in private ownership for its working life were the Ruston 88DS. There was around 5-8 of these shunters introduced in the 1950s that could be found on 5’3 rails at Mallow, Carlow, Thurles and possibly Tuam sugar beet factory) They replaced the O&K steam shunters (now preserved at Downpatrick) built immediately the early-mid 1930s. They were replaced in the early 1970s by G class locomotives on loan from CIE. 4 of the 88Ds types from CSE (Irish sugar company) survive into preservation. In whitehead, belturbet, Inchicore and Clonakilty. 3 were preserved by the GSRPS and went painted red during this time. One even got down to Fenit. 

The livery on these is a little hard to track down but the general assumption is a mid green, red buffers and red buffer beam. There was also CSE written on the back of the cab and some had a yellow lining.

my one however will be painted into a much more basic Green and black livery that one of the mallow engines wore from the mid 1990s(?) which it still wearing, although starting to come off now! 

What an huge and excelent collection somone has just sold off though!

It’s on google when you look up marks models cork before you ever go into the site
 

they have very good stock, not as good as Dublin stored perhaps but Micheal is very helpful in finding exactly what you need and with your engineering problems. 

Certainly the old harmonstown site was far too crowded with people with disabilities such as yours (and indeed mine, since aged 11 I think!). However generally when it comes to these events it can be hard to accomidate things like this as the best of times. What I always found was that taking breaks from the large crowds every once in a while and going to a less busy area is the way to go. 

15 minutes ago, Horsetan said:

In the 1990s, one ended up in Vic Berry's scrapyard in Leicester. Always wondered how that came about but, then again, there was precedent for it; a few steam locomotives were shipped from CIE to Spain for scrapping.

Not to mention nearly all the C class ended up in vic Barry’s didn’t they? 

Basically….yes 

once 2601/2 finished the tour ids say you can wave goodbye to the icr 

17 minutes ago, Gabhal Luimnigh said:

Lads what is the best option for six wheel coaches? I'm definitely a rookie at this era and I need guidance, is there ready to run options or is it kit only?

Hattons (well I suppose it’s rails of Sheffield now!) are launching there rtr CIE 6 wheel coaches. They should be unreal when they release later this year, although not rivet counter freindly. I would say there the best option if you can get your hands on them 

you could always try your hand at respraying the horny/hatons ones but I’ve no idea how easy that is

for accurate ones studio scale models do some fine Irish 6 wheel kits. Im sure worsely works also do etches 

There might also be a presentation in the IRRS Munster area on the 14th of may on the North Kerry by the ever so knowledgable Gerry McMahon. If you have a question I might be able to ask him on your behalf. 

Welcome @jameshilton, and good luck! 

https://www.thejournal.ie/new-electric-battery-dart-trains-dublin-irish-rail-6367468-Apr2024/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Xis3v3pZqn-R1_WfmejeQqQfUTIx0UJfO0pPpn6jMHCP4PXKJGFZtNNU_aem_AYacN0XQlEWnFRZNajDeAX0Joy0qZDhzoy_lvZaWUzW01DF2nUIHms9RbtVGzFupOeYixsB1wUxzKQWFeQ0-ULBe

6 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Those were probably the most hideous-looking steam locomotives ever to run in Ireland!

dont know if these ever ran but.....

8 minutes ago, Gabhal Luimnigh said:

What is it?

Cork, Bandon and South Coast Railway Baldwin Tank Engines from America. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CBSCR_Baldwin_saddle_tank

1 minute ago, minister_for_hardship said:

If there's a suitable chassis out there, can't see a reason why someone couldn't 3D print a body, bar getting hold of an accurate drawing for such an unusual short lived loco could be tricky.

There is drawings of the locomotive on the internet (its on the forum infact!) for all to see so it wouldn't be the most difficult thing to do. problem is....it wouldn't be a great seller id imagine! at most people might want it to put next to there GMS to show the evolution of American locomotives in Ireland 

https://digitalcollections.smu.edu/digital/collection/rwy/id/2214/rec/93

the only real candidate for a RTR Irish steam locomotive 

If I had enough money I’d buy one and paint it up like a Silver G class along with a maybe 50 meters of straight track….or is that sacreligous 

4 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Has anybody in the GTA modding community re-skinned the train in GTAV?

It already has a classic GM look to it, but it'd be nice to see a more Irish version - with a few Bell containers!

Yeah it’s been done, infact I think some have replaced the model that’s in game and replaced it with something else….I’m not doing it though! I haven’t a scooby doo how to do it 

Now that the tracks are going down… adare!

Maybe something on the limerick junction to limerick line comes to mind. Although to be fair that might cause delays for the cork train!