leslie10646

I am running things down. When the stock reaches zero, I'm done. You are quite right, the Dapol van would be a pain for 21mm. I will be sending out Spoil wagon kits all next week.

Come on Paul. Pay attention at the back! I've been producing this van for NINETEEN years now in over half a dozen livery / number combinations - there are well over 600 of them out there.

Just to say that the sample pages of the book are now on the Transport Treasury website. When I looked, their software was having blip, so you'll need to use the side arrow to look at other pages See: https://ttpublishing.co.uk/product/with-lance-king-in-ulster/ Thahnks Leslie

Some of you will be aware that I give talks based on the colour photographs of the late Lance King, truly a master photographer. The photographs are in the possession of the Irish Railway Record Society and are their copyright. Many people asked – “When is The Book out”? Well, it is out now! It will be officially published on Sunday, but I now have copies in my hands, so I will share the news with you. These photographs were taken in the province of Ulster and as well as the GNR, the book has almost every colour photograph which Lance took of the Sligo Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway and ONE simply wonderful one of the Co Donegal. His narrow gauge photos must await another volume. If blue engines and mahogany coaches are your kind of railway – then this is for you. (Buy early for Christmas!). 102 pages, about 130 photographs, all but a few in colour. Available from me at £17.50 plus £2 towards post and packing. Please e-mail me at lesliemcallister@aol.com and I will send you a link to payment. Profits to the Irish Railway Record Society. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you are in Euroland, then please buy your copy from the RPSI Shop at https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/shop which allows you to pay in Euros and is set up to post within the Community. That way profit goes to the RPSI, which Lance King supported enthusiastically. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ After the weekend, it should be possible to find the book and sample pages on the Transport Treasury website https://ttpublishing.co.uk/transport-books/irish-railways/ However, if you buy from me or the RPSI then some benefit comes back to Ireland! Thanks for looking. Leslie

Not me JB, NELSON did it. When I saw it, I said to myself, that's not leaving the House!

I don't know why Roderick and Rebecca have packed up their little company, hopefully simply to retire after over twenty years of producing niche locos. If so, a long and well-deserved retirement to them both. While you can buy lots of their locos from eBay and secondhand retailers, I haven't seen an Irish loco offered. I'll be on the phone to my insurance people in the morning to increase my cover - what price a Class U 4-4-0 (70 made) or a Class UG (about a hundred I think)?

Keep it up @Moogie-69. This is the Counsel of Prefection - the prototype by the late Michael Rayner with oversize transfers, hence the "Brak Van". We DID correct the transfer set. This one has run on Ken Gillham's Cookstown Junction (I didn't have a layout at the time) for "trials". It's now on the "other" Junction. RPSI No.81 or after years in traffic - a gem from young Nelson - it was intended for sale, but never got beyond my loft!!!! I'm delighted that you're doing this as I'm out of the kit (just 180 or so sold), so people know who to be nice to if they need one in the future?

Hmm..... Been there, done that. Behind No.186, Belfast - Drogheda on 3 May 1968. Good luck with the print @Moogie-69

Just another "improvement" since Brexit. NOT my fault, I've even been on marches, I I vote for a staunchly pro-European Party, my MP is their Europe Spokesman. It has destroyed businesses, who find it all too hard - meanwhile others seem to be coining it. As @jhb171achill has aid, useful having relations abroad!

Possibly the last word on this exhibition. In the same hall as the Fremo layout shown extensively in earlier posts was something - to me at least - much more interesting! This gives a clue to what's coming up. Another clue.... Or for the ecclesiastical types among us YES, Derry Waterside (so far). I suggested to the clever guys who put this together that as they have the bridge, they may as well do Foyle Road and Pennyburn as well? So, Waterside approaches. The station and a rather stunted model of the loco shed alongside. Then the CDR station . Victoria Road. The guys have their narrow gauge well populated, but the LMS side was a bit sparse. It didn't need to be super-active, there was just so much to see. A remarkable project, brilliantly executed.They are threatening to bring it to Bangor. If one of the builders gets in touch, I can probably offer them more stock to run for the weekend. Easily the best thing there - but then I am from the North!

Can't recommend Enda's grain hoppers too highly - every layout based in 1950s to, say 1970s, should have a couple. I have a @Mayner original in grey and a Ranks Red courtesy of Enda, who used John's designs. I had to have a red one, as I visited the late Drew Donaldson when he was constructing his 0 Guage one in the 1960s - not an easy task with tools and materials available then - the air was blue! They provide a nice contrast to endless H vans and Bulleid Opens on any civilised goods train. Go on lads and lasses, clear Enda's shelves!

The real thing is at WHITEHEAD, @Moogie-69, not that far from Drmore, so go and feast your eyes .......

Thanks, @James, I got in and got one for myself, but someone was seconds ahead of me, so I couldn't get a second one for my pal Richard. The maroon n' blue ones are sold out, AGAIN!!!!

Haven't a clue. I'm not sure if I've ever seen a photo of the roof. I must look - when I have nothing more exciting to do!

Ah ha, Noel! You need BREAD CONTAINERS! I'd better start another run of those!

Don't worry, Darius - the photo was taken of a handmade one and of my kit - ON THE RIGHT. Now that I'm back from Ireland, I'll get more of them in the post, yours included. The new order book is for more wagons than ever existed. And they're on top of the 200 kits already sold back in the day!

Jonathan, I'll have a look and see if I did a transfer for 770. If I did,I'll get it to you.

You're very welcome, Jonathan. I look forward to seeing my favourite passenger van in CIE green at t' Harbour

Off subject, but just to wish Accurascale success with their latest "toy" - the 0 Gauge BR Sulzer diesel, just announced. While I chatted to Fran on Monday, I was saying suitable (and well-deserved) nice things about them and I will say it louder this time, having seen the price which seems very good value for such a nice model in "0".

Someone asked me whether I had photographs of the LMS "Jinty" working in Belfast - it could have been a guy from Mark's Models. He wanted to make a little diorama of their 0 Gauge version at work. I now have a reply of sorts for him - Page 151 of Bill Scott's Locomotive's of the LMS(NCC) has No.19 on the docks in Belfast with a train of coal wagons - so that's not hard to replicate. She's on tramway track, in stone "setts", so easy to replicate; a low warehouse in the background. I'll break Bill's copyright and scan the SMALL picture for the gent if he gets in touch. "Ask and it shall be given".

And a good idea, it was too. Modern folk don't realise how it used to be dome!

IRRS Eightieth Celebrations and MRSI Show Weekend. A crazy few days. Nothing went right before we left England. The IRRS steam train on Saturday became a diesel when No.171 failed. So I was chasing the MRSI guys for a stand for three days, not two as planned. I was very keen to be at the Exhibition as I had mountains of books to sell – the IRRS gets given a lot of books! The lads at MRSI kindly found me six feet, despite me messing them about. So, Thursday I was in Dublin to give a talk to the IRRS at the “North Star”. Friday, Richard and I met up with Margaret Wynne, David’s widow., whom we hadn’t seen since his untimely death. Back to the Premier Inn at the airport (highly recommended) to change into posh togs for the IRRS’s 80th reception at the Ashling Hotel – another short speech about the work of the London Atrea of the Society. Once that was over, Richard battled through the Dublin traffic to the Mount Temple School to dump my books off. Just time to say hello to Enda and back on the road to the IRRS event, Part 2, where it was great to meet up with other Society members. Saturday, Richard dropped me at The School and he headed off to travel on the IRRS diesel. I got my stand into some sort of shape. I then had a record day of book selling at “Priced to sell” prices – how I love Dublin readers! I even sold some wagons. The morning was crazily busy for a one-man band. Sunday was much busier than I expected, more wagons as well as books. The exhibition dinner was great craic and good food – David and Tony are experts at finding a good location with yummy food. By Monday, I was down to twenty books – and even sold a few of those. 5pm, take the empty boxes out to the car, down to catch the “Ulysses” at 7.45pm. A late start, a very dumpy crossing in a gale, followed by an hour just to get docked! So we were very late on the road at Holyhead in driving rain and high winds most of the way South. Several stops to let Richard have a break and rest his eyes. We were “home” by 9am this morning – it’s usually 6am! To cap it all, Richard had a miserable trip back to East Anglia and got through his door at 7pm. Apart from better than expected business, Richard and I laid the foundations for more goodies for your layouts. As ever, it was great to meet old pals and some talented young ones. Being a Northerner, I loved seeing “Derry Waterside”, the big South Dublin layout was an excellent example of a good exhibition layout – constant activity – we’re here to entertain and I’m sure that our younger visitors loved it. Maam Road showed that you could do that even with a “branch” layout, as did Wexford South. Obviously, for you “modern image” men, the C Class Announcement was great news and very well it looks. NOW, do I provoke The Almighty and assume that I'll live long enough to run it for a few years? Last time? Maybe – the Great Eternal Plan may say otherwise, but I’ve still got hundreds of good books to sell and Dublin’s the place for that, so South Dublin may see me next year! Hard work at the time, but a very satisfactory outcome, for which my thanks to you, the customers; Tony, David, Ed and Co from the MRSI for laying on the exhibition and especially Richard – Chauffeur par excellence.

Even though the announcement wasn't a GNR Compound, I wish Fran, Patrick and colleagues all success with this little loco. They'll fly off the shelves, for there isn't a "diesel-age" "Southern" layout was shouldn't have one, at least. Mind you the scale 80mph is nuts - I doubt if one was ever timed much above sixty mph - if ever. To mis-quote (?) Starlight Express - a Really Useful Engine. To add to the photographic evidence, this is one of Lance King's shots on a Sunday in Cork in 1959 at Glanmire Road. Copyright IRRS. By the time the C Class reaches these shores, you should be able to have a decent fist at recreating this scene. Mum's the word ........

The privilege was mine, @dropshort105, you're an inspiration for all of us that when you put your mind to it, great things happen. The double beets look great - even if they were the easiest kit to build in my catalogue! They were withdrawn in favour of Enda's excellent offering, which I whole-heartedly recommend - now everyone can have their own beet train!

John You guys operating Nathan's layout was a highlight for me - seeing you youngsters doing the Bell Codes and having lots of fun shows that the Hobby has a future. Keep it up! Leslie