leslie10646

Dare I say it, but I have one come back to me when I purchased a collection. Available at Blackrock, €17 to the first taker. I'll have other early Dapols commisions of mine - likke the GNR conflat with furniture container. Dinner's ready. Must go!

Thanks, Kevin! The "PALvans" by which I assume we are all talking about the sliding door jobs, series 26001 - 26500 (just checkin' ....) were introduced in 1964 (I'm quoting Oliver Doyle and Stephen Hirsch from their invaluable little booklet Locos and Rolling Stock of CIE and NIR (1979). Noted for having had three different end designs!

Careful what you wish for JHB! Ah, but be careful what you say, Mr Mayne! "I suppose if there is sufficient interest the next step is to design a fly away cab as an 'add on" for the original kit for those that want to build the loco in its original condition" Well, I'd prefer one, so there's ONE! As for a Class L 0-6-0, well ........ Probably not the best time to tell you that I've had to replace my 13 year old Smart Car (its DCC chip wasn't reliable any more) with a five year old one, so I'm impoverished! Keep up the good work, John!

Now, the price for the "next wagon" now known as the "new" wagon - The kit will include a SMALL one plank Snail - more of those to be seen in photos - but VERY fiddly! I'll stick in some bigger ones if you buy more than one! A range of legitimate numbers as well. Talking of which - Single kit £29 €33 Five pack £140 €160 Ten Pack £275 €315 Don't ask me about a Six-pack - I never did get into keep fit! Euro prices are as per the recent "mid-price of €1.15 to £. Might be a lot less by morning, if Boris gets his way. Personally, I'm cheering the man with the unpronouncable name! I'd appreciate statements of interest for delivery of this, or any other kit at Blackrock - two thirds of my stock of this wagon is covered by existing "interest", so please let me know and your name's on the kit(s). No compulsion to buy, it just ensures there's still one (some) for you to buy! Thanks for looking. Leslie

Just noticed this (sorry, it's the age thing!). Now, there's a GOOD IDEA! I was scratching my head on what to do next. Two issues - WHO would buy them and how many - remember these are KITS not The Lads RTR ones! and, of course, have The Lads plans to do them in the next five years? If you are interested in the "Pal" van - send me a PM and I'll start counting! Thanks. Leslie

As usual, David, heartiest congratulations - it looks terrific and interesting to see models of motive power I've only seen in photos. I'd raise a glass to you, but then I noticed that the layout includes the TEMPERANCE Hotel!

Sorry, Ed, I didn't see this to reply. Yes, I have a good stock of cattle wagon kits, ready to smuggle into Ireland for Blackrock (ah, it's before Brexit, not smuggling!). The stock is two thirds spoken for, so if any of you guys want them, PM me, or e-mail me. I'll update the cattle thread shortly. Sterling is £29 each , £140 for five, £275 for ten. Multiply that by the mid rate and you'll get my Euro price - €1.15 to Sterling a moment ago. As for the Bullied corrugated opens - I have a decent stock ready, but they're by far my most popular wagon. H vans aplenty ....... Leslie

Thanks, John, for the very informative piece of background, which was news to me. By a strange coincidence, I was reading an article in "Backtrack" about the end of steam in USA - ten years before UK, almost to a day. Like the UK, some of the steam locos being scrapped were barely five years old. Again, CIE was ahead of the game had the wits to bite the bullet and replace the lot, which were Earlier, you mentioned Dan Renihan's articles in The Journal, which are well worth a read, as Dan had enough experience of the various classes to write a couple of books! When I've got my set of IRRS JOurnals to hand, I'll try and list some "required reading".

Good Lord, the Irish in the lead again! Common sense!!!!

The Metrovicks were considered to have a very good electrical system ..... Am I right that the "AR" kept their British electrical systems when re-engined?

Gents No surprise to read those comments on RMWeb - the Irish have been leading the way in diesel models ever since Mr Murphy produced his double-ended Yankee! Well done!

Thanks for the master class, Eoin, great to see real model engineering! I have had similar work done to my 00 Terry Mac's S Class which after a lot of work will now pull eleven GN coaches. I went shopping for bits with my loco man - it's a Black Art! Watching Mr High Level Gearboxes picking out all the little parts to do the job was an education.

I could send you a log of one in 1965, when it took over from No.207 at Dundalk en route to Dublin. I quote from my comments in the log of 207's run to Dundalk (with 10 bogie coaches, about 350 tons). "No.207 was declared a failure with a hot box at Dundalk and the journey was completed hauled by A Class diesel electric locos. A19 did pretty poorly, only managing the forties to Drogheda, falling to 40 at Kellystown and 59 after. She failed at Drogheda and A27 took over, struggling to manage even the low fifties! Mind you, they were still with their original engines then." Sorry, the best thing any CIE engineer ever did was send money to La Grange to re-engine them! The rebuilds appear to have done good service, although by then I was living in England and my train timing was behind very foreign steam engines. All that said, I've got a silver one on order - they were as much an iconic part of the scene as the 121s were to be - thanks for the update, by the way, Dave. We've got a St Patrick, so what name will young Paddy take?

I was talking about the Crossleys, of course. The "R" version was a totally different business! The Blessed Oliver wanted to buy American originally, at least his successors sorted thing out!

Cheers Leslie, we will film a haulage test with her tomorrow, but at nearly half a kilo in weight it has plenty of heft for haulage. Don't overdo it, lads, the real thing wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding. Interesting to see inside - very neat - but where is the smoke unit?

Great stuff gents. I'm glad I've got my order in. Mind you, you'll have to put up a video with twice that many wagons - I run a dozen bubbles and a brake behind my 1880-built J15 0-6-0! And yes, the slow running was brilliant - I was relieved when the Logo came up - I thought the clip would go on for another five minutes until the Fert had gone by!

Good to see you today, Galtee - I hope that you noted that De S's S Class was indeed Galteemore? Also glad that you liked Lance King's brilliant photographs - he really was a King of photographers - come and see more when I present them at the IRRS on London on 6 December! Alan (aka De S) tells me that the U Class (the bottom engine for you guys too young to identify it) was built in the late Drew Donaldson's workshop over 45 years ago. A serious bit of history. Timothy was making great progress with that point - a skillful young man! If someone will tell me how to get piccies off my Smart phone and onto a computer, I'll oblige Richie with a few photos. I tried to attach them to an e-mail, but Microsoft's xxxxxx software failed me!

Sorry to give zero notice, but the IRRS has a stand at this show tomorrow. I'll have some kits with me and you can see the new CIE cattle wagon. Several fine layouts like Burntisland and London Road (who couldn't admire the LNWR at its best?). Opens 10.30 until 17.30 Saturday; 10.00 to 16.30 Sunday. Hope to see one or two of you. Leslie

Terrific stuff, Tony. Never mind your request for GNR(I) posters - who makes 4mm copies of the Tyrone Constitution, Ulster Gazette, or even the Saturday Night to scatter about the place to please young David H. 4mm remains of fish suppers, even? I won't suggest 4mm fag ends ......

Well done, Ed, I don't think you'll regret it! Now, what about a few wagons to pull behind it? I pull a rake of bubbles, but that's a tad non-prototypical ......

Just looked at the J15 a moment ago - it clearly says LAST ONE - so if you want one ...........

No idea, Stephen. I told him I'd find buyers for ten of them. In effect, he told me that it's close on as much effort to get the parts for a hundred as ten. So he's getting on with a hundred or so of his next loco! After seeing the price, I've bought a new burglar alarm! Hi CoLin R - yes, Roderick does sell through eBay as well. Personally, if you're into GSWR / GSR / CIE to 1964 and haven't got one - you know what to do! Leslie

Yip, just as soon as some brave supplier releases a range of RTR LMS NCC narrow gauge stuff!! Patrick, you could always get a kit of an IOMR 2-4-0T and finish it as the Ballymena and Larne engine of that ilk - then claim it was transferred? I haven't got photos with me, or the book, but are the Peco RTR Lynton & Barnstaple coaches even remotely close? Probably talking through my hat - it's too narrow a subject for me!

Jon, Greetings from mid-Wales (working for GRJ) There won't be! Sorry. The loco is up to £311 now! I must improve my burglar alarms. Leslie