leslie10646

No, they're waiting for IR to order their electric locos for the newly electrified Cork - Dublin - Belfast lines, so that they are "hot off the press". then they'll do the EMUs (I thought that they were birds?).

Good man, SP, JB never thinks we say anything nice about him! Yes, JB, I'm afraid that you did miss a fine talk by Joe, who really knows his stuff.

Tonight's meeting. The easy link! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83021026650?pwd=bHIyMTZZRG8ybE5EOEVaSGFoRER1Zz09 Meeting ID: 830 2102 6650 Passcode: 374120 Come and join us!

ZOOM only: 18.00 – 20.45 Friday 19 January 2024 “The Lough Swilly” by Joe Begley Joe gave us a great talk about the County Donegal Railway a couple of years ago – well researched and excellently presented, and considered to have been one of the best talks delivered to the London Area. Come and hear him again on a closely related subject. The Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway began life as a standard gauge railway connecting Derry to Buncrana but later expanded into the remotest parts of Donegal, areas ravaged by poverty and lacking any notable industrial activity. The Company was in continuous confrontation with the authorities, both in Derry and with the Board of Trade, a particular bone of contention being the Burtonport Extension, The rise of road transport had a crippling effect on the Company’s finances, and led to an early decision to move from rail to road services, leading to complete closure of the railway in 1953. Joe spices up the formal history with many local anecdotes. ZOOM LINK – any time after 17.30 Open the Zoom app on your device and enter : Meeting ID: 830 2102 6650 Passcode: 374120 The Chat facility will be available throughout the meeting for comment and (if necessary) communication with the IRRS (London Area). If Zoom fails, watch your Inbox in case we update you on the situation by email If you e-mail me at lesliemcallister@aol.com I'll forward the full meeting notice, which should allow you simply to "click" in. I've seen the content when we had a rehearsal ("It'll be all right on the night") and it looks very interesting, not just the railway but the associated social history. If you have any affection for the narrow gauge, this is for you See you there Leslie (Chairman for the Night, our Leader is skiing)

Oh dear, another interesting "modern image" Bulleid for the display cabinet, where it would go nicely beside the Kernow 1CoCo1 Bulleid diesel - very nice in BLACK - which means this one would have to be black too - a pity as the SR Green Sunshine livery looks nice! Thanks for sharing this George and Darius.

We'll let you away with that one, JB. I agree that the GN locos which got the full bling UTA lined black looked very smart, when they were clean! The issue was the sacrilege of covering up the beautiful blue to do it. Of course, the overhaul / repaint indicated that they meant to keep them a while longer. Now they didn't do it to their two VS Class or their Compounds (scrapped almost immediately after the Dissolution). Perhaps, as the VS Class ran posh specials like the Rugby Trains, they felt they should be a bit different? Also, regrettably, they were never given a major overhaul by the UTA, which probably resulted in their diminishing use, in favour of the ex-NCC Moguls. The Antrim Branch which had to be traversed to get to the York Road workshops had a light axle loading, so the VS were banned from using it and thus not getting major work. There was one exception when No.59 (?) made an emergency run to York Road, so that a repair could be made before the Rugby special season. I have a photo, but can't locate it!

It's very heartening to read David's reports regarding the Chatham Club - long may it continue. I was especially impressed by the "Social Media" comment. I have tended to sleep through the "Social Media Outreach" bit of IRRS committee meetings - I'll give it more attention! Last Monday, my favourite ITV newscaster, Tom Bradley, introduced an end-piece on the the enduring popularity of model railways, starring the Cheltenhamd Model Centre and Pete Waterman (who had a bid involvement with Warley for several years). Worth a minute of your time to cheer you all up? https://www.itv.com/watch/news/in-with-the-old-model-trains-see-a-resurgence-in-popularity/xw2nvdp

Gosh, John , you ARE a long way from home! Great images and of great interest to those of us who have crossed America or Canada by train. Keep it coming!

Not just that, but the UG still has its GNR number! The railcar shot is great to see - a bit of history as she is going under the "under construction" M1 overbridge. I remember experiencing an impressive blow-back from the open firebox door while going under that bridge on a tank engine! Thanks Ernie!

I remember The Syndicate going to IMREX - yes, we would just drive up to Central London, unload, park somewhere, sell all day and drive home again. No real hassle! Try THAT today. I'm saddened to hear about Warley and have written to the Club expressing the thanks of the iRRS for having us for over a quarter century. The Syndicate used to have a trade stand there, sometimes as well. It was hard work, but we raised a lot of money for the RPSI at that time. As luck would have it, the intricacies of the NEC worked well for us this year so that we were looking forward to the Show in November. It was always a great place to meet like-minded folk and it was the first exhibition where Provincial Wagons went on sale in 2007. Thanks to the Warley Club and all their willing helpers (and they DID help) for many happy memories (and a few less happy ones, mainly down to those intricacies of the NEC) over 25 odd years that we went. Now we'll have to meet people somewhere else! Leslie (for The Syndicate and the IRRS)

Hhmmm, started the same year I did! Look at my "Username". They clearly state Brexit as a reason - Well I marched against it and I hope to be a party to replacing one of the gentlemen who supported it with a good Liberal Democrat at the next election. Michael Gove, in case you're trying to guess!

Ah yes, EVENTUALLY! 2025/6!

TWO steam projects, Patrick? What have I missed? I was aware of one.

Well, you know where to come to for that! One of the nicest wagons Michael did for me. I've still got a few!

Yes, worth every penny! A health warning, though, you'll spend hours looking at them, but satisfaction guaranteed! Well done Ciaran! Another job for me this year is to add another two collections to this lot - a few thousand more!

What's wrong with John Mayne's or my brake vans? Mind you, you'd have to fit your own light! I'll wind up Patrick, Fran and Bosko by saying that they'd never do one as they sell SINGLY!!!! Not in threes! 2025 for a twin set of CIE brake vans - one with wood cladding and one with steel sheeting. You heard it first here - from me. Definite prediction - just in time for my eightieth! (DV). You know that it makes sense ......

Ah yes, but he certainly earns it!

Yes, Bob, but do they run STEAM - otherwise it doesn't really count (although Class 37s come close! I must give them a visit.

IMG_7729.mp4 Download the video (it'll take a while, then play it from the start! Diesel and steam - something for everyone! The second video doesn't exist - ignore it - I have no idea how to get rid of it!

2025 / 2026 before we "see" a RTR steam loco? I'll be EIGHTY (DV). At least let us know WHAT, so I have something to look forward to in my dotage!

Accurascale at Chinnor? Happy New Year, TWO new locomotives for me: First this Class 37 (37.227 NOT one which Accurascale did?) - it had hauled the train on the Chinnor to Princes Risborough line - seen at the destination. And then we were hauled back by this Didcot-based "Large Prairie". As you can see the weather was delightful! Still, the best possible way to start the New Year! HNY!!!!

The list of German preserved engines is long and the list of mainline tours offered is even longer - and seldom a diesel on the back - the curse of British tours now. I like pure steam haulage, so this year my steam miles totalled about 1,500 miles - 1,000 plus in Switzerland and Germany.

It's great what a bit of controversy leads to a good result. Never seen that photo of the "other" junction before. Heresy? I was talking about the unrelieved grey of goods wagons - MY bread containers brighten up a GN goods train!

Congratulations, Ernie on the December haul. As Patrick said, the view at "The Junction" was most unusual and seldom photographed, was the angle taken at Ballyhaise. Then, a rare sighting of a Brewster's Bread container at Strabane - still available from a certain model wagon company - they seem to have been a chocolate brown colour! Or at least, MINE are. The other Derry bakery won the prize with their light blue containers and white lettering. Very colourful on a railway which was mostly a bit grey! Always a delight to see your collection, so thanks again.

Patrick, I am sure that my videos have the same issue, but once you let them play through (with stops while the computer draws breath), I found that by restarting once it had downloaded they ran as one would hope they would! Yes, a painful process, but to see a good video ..... UPDATE. Tried again, NOTHING. I'm on a new iMac.