leslie10646

Well done Robert! Just a little update, the Euro Price is €22.10, post paid.

With both my RPSI and Provincial Wagons hats on, may I draw attention to Joe Cassell's brilliant new book on the Spoil Trains. Available from the RPSI shop: https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/shop This lavishly illustrated new book, by lifelong RPSI member Joe Cassells, details the life and times of the Spoil Trains, and the men who worked them. Between 1966 and 1970 more than 4 million tons of quarry waste were moved from Magheramorne to the shores of Belfast Lough to form the foundations of the M2 motorway. And it was done by the last steam locomotives in these islands. Joe relates how the contract was originally drawn up, including the building of 70 dedicated wagons by Cravens of Sheffield. These incorporated a large opening side door for quick unloading at the Belfast end of each trip. At Magheramorne quarry, two extensive loading banks were built. Joe describes the heroic efforts of the maintenance staff, working in primitive conditions by present day standards, to keep the locomotives moving. The book is based on previously unpublished information, and sheds completely new light on many facets of the Spoil Train contract. After the contract ended, the RPSI preserved locomotive No.4 in running order. Since 1970, No.4 has hauled special trains all over the Irish railway system Softback, 21 x 30 cm, 80 colour and 70 b&w photos, 5 maps, 98 pages. £15 plus £1.50 postage (UK postage). AND YES, IT IS LAVISHLY ILLUSTRATED. But then I would say that as there are ten photos from the late Lance King's collection which I am still cataloguing (about 5,000 slides!). I might add that Lance is just one of about twenty photographers who brilliantly recorded this remarkable Finale to mainline steam in these islands. Joe has done a great job researching this and I cannot recommend it too highly. Just to mention that the Provincial Wagons Spoil wagon kit is still available from stock, as is my Brown Van kit – there are several photos in the book which show them! Support the RPSI and buy a copy!

Great work Daruis -Scalescenes should pay you for demonstrating that these downloadable kits can be made to work - BRILLIANTLY.

Phew, that's a relief! Keeping on a DSER theme - I really meant this for "Barrow Street", but folk can see it here. Lance King captured Grand Canal Street sidings from the Boat Train on 5 June 1964 - a treat for BnT A Class lovers? Copyright IRRS.

Ye Gods, Ernie! Did we bid AGAINST each other for the Casserleys? I thought that The Syndicate had bought all the non narrow gauge pre WW2 negatives! Thanks for putting up the John Dewing shot - not a commonly photographed place AND that stock! John cycled a lot, so it's probably really in the sticks! Hope that you are as well as can be!

Still available from Provincial Wagons, but you have to paint it yourself. We DO supply the transfers. Completely agree Murph. Very much a missing link. I've toyed with the idea, but as it was a certainty that "The Boys" would do it, I didn't. Measured one up years ago. PS I'd buy some too, as they'd look nice on my 20ft flats.

I took the other May bargain - HALF PRICE INTER_RAIL passes! A First Class pass for a continuous month of travel THROUGHOUT EUROPE cost about £325 - the same as a five days in two weeks pass before the pandemic. A three month pass was about £450 and that's what I've opted for, starting (DV) in early July. Sorry, folks, but the "Sale" lasted five days, so too late to grab it now.

Good luck with your 9 Euro runabout, Murph. Back in the 1970s, there was a thing called a Ferientourenkarte, which had to be connected to a return ticket for at least 200kms - it cost, wait for it - £2.50 for TWO weeks. Almost as good as this amazing bargain. I used three of them on my 1970 summer holiday to notch up - 3,150 miles of steam haulage (almost all oil burning Pacifics with lots of 70 - 80 mph running) in Schleswig Holstein 613 miles in Black Forest (mainly P8s - same vintage as Slieve Gullion, but a few runs with 78s, the Prussian 4-6-4Ts) finally, 663 miles with the Hof-based coal-burning Pacifics (Class 01 of 1925, Class 64 2-602Ts, Class 50 2-10-0s) 4,400 miles of steam in 17 days. I'm amazed that the Harz steam railways are included! Have a great month - full reports to be posted here, please!!!

Have a great day lads - as you say, a good backdrop!

Sorry, Noel, NOT that please. As Gmore says, it was a fake livery - intended to be the South Eastern of England livery at the time of the Crimean War. Of course, the black livery was just as fake. Cobh? I thought the "Folkestone" scenes were at Cork? Must watch the film again! No great hardship - should be in everyone's DVD library! Back to the topic - if the orginal 4'4" boiler J15 had sold well enough, Roderick had thoughts on the Z Boiler version (as 186 is) and even the double-doored smokebox version. If steam RTR sold as well as the A Class, then Noel could certainly have his green!

Almost a certainty, I'd say - it was always Roderick's intention! Soooo..... You can all have a RPSI 186?

JB, Glad that you like your little grey J24 - she looks even nicer in green! Roderick seems to like doing 4-4-0s, or 0-6-0s: like Victor, I think that a Midland L Class would be nice (more GAA specials via Inny Jct to Portadown!). Even more a "Cattle Engine"? Mind you, for utility on my layout, the Great Northern's SG3 "Big D" would be much more use - except that none of us has a layout to take 40 - 60 wagons goods trains!

Gents Thanks for the support. Yes, I am certainly still trading. What I don't have is a working website. I'm trying to conquer Wordpress, which is not proving that easy! Frankly, it's tempting to give up as other things command my attention (today it was locating all my Chinese logbooks to help an author with some loco allocation details - happily, they are located and better referenced in my giant "steam haulage" spreadsheet). Still sending out kits - next batch are off to US of A! Leslie

Robert Glad to see my "flats" put to good use - PLENTY MORE WHERE THEY CAME FROM for those looking for a 20ft container flat! Even some already in "Europe" - just ask. Keep up the good work Robert! Leslie (Provincial Wagons)

I hate to say this, but I asked for a straw poll on this forum (and my then website) to rerun the Class UG - I think I had ten takers and Roderick simply wasn't interested. I would also politely say that the number of us prepared to pay about £300 sterling for a steam loco isn't that great - look through earlier threads where there were adverse comments on the price. To comment to West Cork above - like JHB - I found mine a good runner and it didn't cost a fortune to get the nice man at Kernow Models in Guildford to hardwire it. Get one while you can?

As I said on my own thread - go and see William Redpath's model of Portadown at Bangor this weekend!

Don't forget to visit the NDMRC exhibition and see William Redpath's proper model of Portadown. As usual, I'm in the wrong place!

Thanks, Nicholas for the video! For some reason, I really liked Rathmicheal - could it be the twelve (of my) double beets rushing round behind a variety of locos? I liked the attention to little details on the line too - like the GSR concrete Milepost. Being a timer of trains, that's what I'm always looking out of the train window and trying to see! Thanks for sharing, Eoin.

Thanks for supporting Lorna at the Exhibition and thanks, Wexford MRC, for providing PW with a stand! I'm not sure what Fainne, Anthony's little girl, is looking at here (Mum's holding the camera)! Today was the second anniversary of Anthony's untimely death. Apologies to the gent who wanted a second GSWR brake van - I recently repatriated three, as I was out of stock here in England! God-willing we'll be at Raheny and you can buy one there! Leslie (Provincial Wagons)

Totally gobsmacked by the standard of work and the methods used. Just brilliant, Eion - and I say that about a COMPOUND - it's not a VS which is a nicer looking loco to my youthful eyes.

The only gents I can identify are Joe St Leger, Clifton Flewitt and Norman McAdams - possibly a very young David Houston and Norman Foster. The ladies would have been wives of English participants. Lance King was there, but I think kept out of this shot. He only took one shot in B&W and a single slide here - remarkable clear of ANY particpants. It was after this tour that Lance founded the London Area of the IRRS and I intend to cover the 1961 tour extensively in my "Lance King on Tour" talk to the IRRS in a year's time (if I'm spared!). I showed Lance's photo here in my first Lance talk in 2019.

Final evening talk for IRRS Manchester on Thursday 14 April “With Lance King in Ulster 1957 – 1970 - The NCC in Action” by Leslie McAllister 14th April, doors at 18:00, talk to commence at 18:30. This event will be a little different; Leslie McAllister will present online from home, whilst the committee will be at The Waldorf in central Manchester, close to Manchester Piccadilly station. As usual, we will have a selection of secondhand books and signed copies of Ted McAvoy's new book on the fast disappearing Bord Na Mona network to buy on the night. You can register to attend by Zoom - https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Xug6lt_cQlCZNIws4Qnd8Q "Leslie McAllister presents a third selection of the photography of Lance King, We will enjoy Lance’s colour images of the remaining lines of the former Northern Counties Railway (the NCC) and the activities of its locomotives both on their home lines and on the Great Northern. Lance also photographed modern diesel units, so a period of change is faithfully recorded. Lance travelled on many of the early RPSI tours and the period concludes with the famous Stone Trains. A heady mixture of nostalgia, brilliantly recorded by a master photographer in a presentation with an additional 50 photographs since presented to previously to the London area so there is sure to be something new for you to enjoy". Note from me, the presenter, Lance took stuppendous shots of the Spoil Trains, so a great chance to see loads of them (sixty to be precise!) as well as the famed 2-6-4Ts on passenger and specials. Spoiler alert - I've sneaked in a few of Henry Casserley's NCC piccies as well. If you have problems getting registered, PM me. Leslie

Well, JB, Mrs McDonald has one left in her stock for Wexford, I think (heavy hint), and I have others here in Surrey! Great stuff, by the way, Patrick!

Thanks for the advertorial, Noel. The "builds" are all great, but i think that the GSWR brake takes the prize? I think it was Michael's Magnum Opus - a delightful reproduction of a piece of antiquity! Lorna will have some kits of it to sell at Wexford, never fear! And those opens - you've made a great job of "weathering' it! Needless to say H Vans as well. Leslie

If you take a trip down to Wexford this weekend, Lorna McDonald will sell you my kits of H vans, corrugated opens and a nice old GSWR brake van to hang on the back, even some flats and containers which just about make the "Black"era. If you think they're hard to make, ask Robert Roche, who is certain to be there - he's made enough of them! I even persuaded Noel, famed of this Parish, that they were worth having a go with! More fun than light engines, although I must say I applaud your good taste in your choice of liveries, the Silver A is splendid (for a diesel!) and I was very tempted by the black one!