leslie10646

Tonight's the Night! I hope that some of the members of this forum will tune in and find out what I spent 60 of my 78 years supporting. Sign-in details above! I hope to "see" some of you there! Leslie

Thanks, Jim You should have received an "All IRRS" Newsletter this morning which does state the the date and time correctly. If people tune in at 6pm, I'll be having my tea! It's 1930, this Friday, 4 October. Yes, Jim, the Cork tour of 1969 was one to remember - I will be showing shots involving ALL THREE DERAILMENTS!!!!!

Cavan were playing Armagh and the City's sidings were full, so the coaches of one of the specials was worked to Portadown by its train engine for berthing in a siding there. IMG_0237 2.MOV They should have felt at home as a sister coach was already to be found in the "full brake" siding in the yard .... Mine were left on the doorstep, but I got home before the Camberley Mafia could pounce. So, out of boxes to give them a look around - count wheels etc. Then upstairs to see if they would move, so here's the result. One of my thirds derails with alacrity and I upended it to check the wheels - the issue is with the middle axle which isn't moving side to side easily. One for another day - it's late and I have my talk to finish!

Bring it on! The Marxists (don't make me laugh) may have taken away my Winter Fuel Allowance, but if I sell a few more wagons at Clontarf, I may be able to afford whatever IRM come up with! I came back from doing the shopping as The Boss is awaiting a NHS op (apparently the Marxists are fixing that too!) to find a parcel dumped on the doorstep - could be from Sheffield? Photos later!

Dear IRRS Member or IRM Friend Here's the Zoom details. Sign up for a night of nostalgia! Not many railway societies have got to sixty and NONE has run as many mainline tours - I can promise you a night of super photos taken by good camermen as they "chased" the RPSI all around Ireland over the last six decades. For younger friends, an opportunity to see what the Society got up to before you were born and in the days before Health and Safety and when, God Bless Them, the Railway Companies and their staff made the impossible, possible - they still do! I hope to see dozens of you. There is no compulsory charge, but donations will help with the RPSI's work, as my fundraising group will match donations made on the day. “RPSI AT 60” by Leslie McAllister We are pleased to present a special meeting to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Railway Preservation Society of Ireland on 30th September 1964. Leslie McAllister was one of the attendees at that inaugural meeting addressed by Lord O’Neill, and from 1972 to 1990 was the Society’s London Agent, with a responsibility for encouraging British enthusiasts to cross the Irish Sea to enjoy the delights of main line steam travel in Ireland. This is very much an Exile’s view, but Leslie travelled on many of the early tours and especially the “Two Day” tours which made the Society famous. The talk will cover some of those early tours in great detail and then offer a history of the Society through the lives of its steam Locomotives and vintage coaches; right up to today when it has an extensive, well-equipped Workshop and Museum at Whitehead. Photographs from Charles Friel (acknowledged by all as the Society’s “Official Photographer”), the late Lance King, Joe Cassells and a few from the speaker. Log in tonight and share memories of a remarkable six decades of mainline steam and successes the Founders couldn’t even have dreamt of!" Register to join this meeting by clicking REGISTER and fill in your details to be sent a personalised link.

Not to be missed (I'm smiling) three of my earliest GNR(I) wagons: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/205015333639?mkevt=1&mkpid=0&emsid=e11021.m43.l1120&mkcid=7&ch=osgood&euid=898e1ab47f144e9abd6d692a64ca38fa&bu=43025934942&ut=RU&osub=-1~1&crd=20240928045607&segname=11021 It seems as if the seller has been taking a cue from The Boys and is trying to sell my wagons IN THREES! Try him for about £60?

I waited for Mr McLachlan to arrive - he's staying overnight before Scaleforum tomorrow. We both think that the roofs are a bit angular, the Clerestories especially so. That said, as Richard E-H has said above the GNR ones look close-ish. The GNR(I) had 48ft coaches "fairly like" these and the Irish ones had the low eliptical roof, so a relative win? I'll probably go for a set of these. The Midland railway clerestories have the beautiful MR Crimson Lake - BUT - a VERY BIG BUT, AWFUL ROOFS. Anyway, the NCC didn't have anything like them! The LNWR ones have a high arc roof - COMPLETELY UNLIKE the fairly flat LNWR ones. So, good for we GN types with poor eyesight!

Not sold yet? An absolute bargain at that price. They are a great source of information around the End of Steam. Wake up you guys!

Not listed in the MRSI site is the fact that Richard McLachlan will have a stand beside mine where he will be able to give you chapter and verse about the railway drawings (locomotives, rolling stock and buildings) which he has scanned for the IRRS; and he will share his considerable experience of brass coach building.

Me too. Six green things en route. I did order one BnT van - are they doing those - I hope that they haven't forgotten them. I wanted it for my parcel /newspaper train (first train from Dublin through Portadown Jct each day! Must check my origiinal order! Ah, wrong, I ordered two GREEN full brakes (No.18), but they've only included one - so I've asked for it!

Folks As well as my wagons, I will have a selection of recently published Irish Railway books. I know that many are not easily available in Ireland, another "benefit" of Brexit, so I usually bring some with me. In particular the Tralee and Dingle Railway book which retails here at £60 sterling - I'll do pre-orders at 60 Euros - but please let me know. Profit goes to RPSI. Any other books - just ask. Thanks Leslie

Next door was an even wider gauge - Mr Brunel's 7ft 0¼in - as it was in mixed gauge days with interleaved 4ft 8½in. It is a model of Ealing Broadway - "but not as we know it". A really remarkable though station with sector plate at each end. The layout includes a works with traverser, a loco shed and a very fine station building over the tracks - enjoy - I certainly did!

And now, a surprise visitor from Bandon! Apologies, this is as light as I could get - it was a rainy day in Valencia!

On Saturday last, I made my way to Swindon to see Valencia Harbour again. I was rewarded by seeing my CIE Cattle wagon kit,built by Simon de Souza being shunted by Andy's No.133. Behind is Andy's fine GSWR brake which I mercilessly plagurised for my kit of the same vehicle!

I think that most pf you know that I was involved in the RPSI from the inaugural meeting. When an English society asked me to give them I talk the RPSI, I also offered the IRRS London the same talk, as they have had to postpone our October meeting. So, an extra IRRS London meeting - by ZOOM only. I will publicise the Zoom codes nearer the day. It's a great story and I have great illustrations from Charles Friel and Lance King to back me up. All are welcome to join in. "RPSI at 60 Tonight we celebrate the 60th anniversary of the founding of the RPSI (on 30 September 1964). Leslie McAllister was one of the attendees at that inaugural meeting addressed by Lord O’Neill, and from 1972 to 1990 was the Society’s London Agent, with a responsibility for encouraging British enthusiasts to cross the Irish Sea to enjoy the delights of main line steam travel in Ireland. This is very much an Exile’s view, but Leslie travelled on many of the early tours and especially the “Two Day” tours which made the Society famous. The talk will cover some of those early tours in great detail and then offer a history of the Society through the lives of its steam Locomotives and vintage coaches; right up to today when it has an extensive, well-equipped Workshop and Museum at Whitehead. Photographs from Charles Friel (acknowledged by all as the Society’s “Official Photographer”), the late Lance King, Joe Cassells and a few from the speaker. Log in tonight and share memories of a remarkable six decades of mainline steam and successes the Founders couldn’t even have dreamt of!"

Good news, Dave. A masterpiece of a layout!

And, while we are winding each other up ........ IRM will have their new locomotives on sale!!!!!!! You heard it first here .......

And only three traders - the usual suspects. Well, MRSI, I've told you that I'll be there with my latest vans (see Bangor Exhibition thread) and kits.

I quite like the 60s as well - if only because they give a break from the monotony of endless 66s at Goring - they are used on oil trains from Theale near Reading to South Wales. Livery looks good - almost GSR Steam Grey!

Re an Irish version: a) People can make their own transfers or b) There are folk out their who do very good "Transfers to order".

I was around when they first ventured to Belfast on the Enterprise and I can't remember what we referred to them as except, possibly "B Bullets". You see - when the Blessed Oliver painted the early diesels in the silver livery, "senior" steam enthusiasts like Drew Donaldson etc referred to them as "Bullets". So, logically when the American B Class came along they were referred to a "B Bullets". Latterly, I've always referred to them as "Single-ended Yankees" - but that's not in common use, even if it describes them well. The RPSI had cause to be glad of them, as their existence meant you needed TURNTABLES - which just happened to be useful for turning steam locos with tenders!

In my diary.

The girls can go inside my Y5 van - glad to see that Patrick made a special niche for a niche wagon. By the way, Patrick, I loved seeing the Nun's hitching a ride in MY GNR Open - still available from me by return of post, complete with choice of number transfers. Both six and four plank.

It'd be some layout to have twelve stations!

The Silver Fox coaches look the business, Patrick, not perfect, but windows the right shape and in the right place etc and the colour works pretty well. I have one of his railcar sets - have you managed to persuade yours to go slowly? I need to do some homework on my DCC manual to get the acceleration right! Mine takes off like a Saturn Five rocket! Of course, the coach set is just made by the Y5 van from a very well known source - you've done a very nice job building it. An absolutely super layout!