leslie10646

During the coverage of King Charles's visit to The Province today, as the royal party was awaited at Hillsborough Castle, the commentator listed some of those attending the official declaration of sympathy on the passing of the Queen. "Train driver Noel Playfair and fireman Anto Dargan". Noel and Anto are the only Irishmen to have crewed a steam locomotive hauling a Royal Train - when the Queen travelled from Coleraine to Bellarena to open the new station there. The Royal Train engine was, of course, No.85 Merlin. I couldn't see them in the room, but the camera position only covered about half the attendees. A well-deserved honour.

Mutter, mutter, what's wrong with my GNR Cattle wagons? Like Mr LB, I can't think of too many photos of long cattle specials in the late 1950s / early 1960s. As I've previously commented on this forum, the CIE Weekly Notice used to have a couple of dozen PAGES of details of that week's arrangements for cattle specials. I think that the most I noted in the brilliant collection held by the IRRS was about FORTY pages. It usually went right down in detail to the name of the inspector attending the fair and how many drovers etc he would have with him. Back to The Shipper. This photo was given to me by the late Drew Donaldson when he searched for photos of the Centre of Universe for me. I believe that it shows a (short) Enniskillen Shipper drifting through Richhill behind GNR(I) P Class No.105. The wagons all appear to be standard GNR cattle wagons with a standard brake at the rear - all available from Provincial Wagons - you'll have to build your own Class P! Richhill is having a moment in the spotlight, as the gates of Hillsborough Castle (all over TV today as King Charles visits The Province) were PINCHED in 1745 from Richhill Castle. There was much comment on this during the commentary on the royal visit. Small world.

Looking forward to seeing those wagons in traffic. Dane, if I didn't put in builder's plates for the 1953 vans, remind me, please. I have new transfers of them in production. As they say, plenty more of these kits available from me .......

Hi Dange Yes, there is I'm lesliemcallister@aol.com Leslie

I’ll reply more fully when back from Delays in Deutschland - but I can’t resist asking “would the horse at Fintona have been replaced by a Parry People Mover?” If DB and Eurostar get me home from Cologne tomorrow you’ll know soon enough! Another thought on Galteemore’s post above - how much would a month’s Interrail Pass cost to cover that map! Should have had another Black Bush, then I could have dreamt about how I’d cover the network (by steam, of course!)? Night, night

Ah, Colin - cattle specials! i suspect anything from ten upwards? JHB may have some ideas. I have twenty GNR cattle wagons for the daily Enniskillen Shipper through Portadown Jct. And a few SLNCR ones. Must set it up for a photo!

Hi Colin see Jon’s reply with which I agree but my GNR brake would been seen to 1965. Also see North Wall’s post above which is accurate - I can supply these kits by return. I’ll be back for week or two next Wednesday, then I hope to be back Interrailing in Europe - at least the €9 tickets will be finished and people can get on trains again! Greetings from Aalen, Baden Wurtemburg - TORRENTIAL rain here tonight - makes home look like a desert! Pray that it stops, please. I hope to have my first run with a Class 23 for 45 years tomorrow - I traveled behind fifty of them in 1970s. Super little 2-6-2s, built 1950s. Leslie The Site has just raised my “status” to Veteran! I should think so - at 76 I must be one of the ten oldest contributors! Thanks.

Great work, Paddy. The LED strips are great for layout lighting.

Yes, I’ve got “Bomber” on tape - chilling to hear what a single cannon shell could do to a Lancaster. A brilliant book about the futility and nightmare waste that war is. Before the War the Germans had a superb railway system, electrification under way …… not that the GB railways were lagging. Without the war we might have found out how good the 800s were?

Great layout - congratulations to all concerned. great rolling stock, by the way - MORE Provincial Wagons put to good use! Greetings from Austria where I am at the moment

The Work of The Devil, Patrick, yon Faceless thing. I’ll have a look!

Hi Majestic I have had a lot of fun with the website which I must close down. You can my kits from me by emailing me on lesliemcallister@aol.co I’m Interrailing at the moment, but back in UK on 1 September. Almost every kit in stock. Glad that you thought that the kits produce good results! Leslie ————————— Email me on lesliemcalliister@aol.com and I’ll send pictures when back from Austria / Germany on 1 September. Yes, I’ll be at Raheny but let me know your needs before - I have been known to sell out of some kits! Leslie

Hi Majestic I have had a lot of fun with the website which I must close down. You can my kits from me by emailing me on lesliemcallister@aol.co I’m Interrailing at the moment, but back in UK on 1 September. Almost every kit in stock. Glad that you thought that the kits produce good results! Leslie

Actually, Ivan, it's not having the railway mags on the top shelf that's the issue, it's when they are on the bottom one and I can't bend down enough to reach them!

Ernie Garrison Branch? I wonder if my Dad used it much getting to his barrack at Garrison as a constable in the RUC in the late 1930s and early years of WW2 (that bit is true!). Model railways are great - we can make the story up as we go ....... The layout looks great. That river bridge is very nicely done.

I particularly was amused by the photo at Portrush - the loco appears to be starting, as the drain cocks are open and there seems to be steam around the chimney - but there is a gange right in front of the engine, so obviously not. The pose of the foreman ganger is priceless!

Yet there it is; and not even 00 scale. In 0 gauge, as above posts point out, there's almost NOTHING Irish KIT-wise, never mind RTR. Come, come, JB, Alphagraphix has produced quite a few Irish kits - locos, coaches and wagons and now KMCE of this parish is doing his bit for the 36.5mm (?) folk as well. There is a post somewhere here of me suggesting a scan of one of my Brown vans and its re-creation as a 3D print (it WAS a very hot summer)......

Aahhhh.... So I shouldn't buy one to increase my loco stud?

Thanks for the link, Declan. I lead five Great Railway Journeys tours round Connmemara, pointing out just how much of the line was still there. If any of you boys need an excuse to visit, take the Missus to Moycullen (Connemara Crystal is on the station site) for a bit of cut glass then on to Jim's little, soon I hope BIG, line.

Dane, You need a copy of "Across the lines" compiled by Charles Friel where a lot of Dundalk men talk of their railway experiences - a lot of them worked in Barrack Street Goods. Good luck with the project - I see a few more kit sales to you ......

Robert and JB have hit the nail on the head. It's a great record of a remarkable operation. The selection of photos is seriously good - a great credit to Charles Friel who largely looked after that side of the exercise. As Robert says, a useful reference book on how to "weather my wagons! I've been informed that The Syndicate has been sent a supply, so you can buy it from us (UK customers only), the money still goes to the RPSI, but if I send some out, it'll save John Friel at the RPSI a bit of work! Just PM me or e-mail me on lesliemcallister@aol.com and I'll take it from there

My pleasure, Darius. It makes the buildings that bit unique. This example could be found in 1930s Castlederg, courtesy the estimable Mr Cundick.

Ernie Those two NCC shots of John Dewings are really delectable. A Scotch engine with its ancient tender on a long goods, as well! Lovely

Great stuff, Phil. The Harz really is "Something Else". I first did it (bar The Brocken, of course) in 1988 when it was in East Germany. Isn't Drei Annen Hohne the place to be? - not sure if anywhere else in the World where in 2022 you'd get THREE steam locos on timetabled trains together! Surely the steam isn't included in the €9 ticket?

Indeed you did, Andy! You can see the Great Man himself in this shot of the engine shed, after Close of Play - Well, not actually Close of Play as the Steventon Village Hall is right next to the Cricket Pavilion and after the exhibition closed I enjoyed a very ENGLISH hour watching the Holy Game and drinking a pint of Doombar, in sunshine.