leslie10646

Folk Replying to last two e-mails. John M is quite right that the sundries container on a flat WAS indeed used as a modern "H Van". I have read somewhere of CIE's intent to have a "no shunt railway" - I'm still scanning through old IRRS Journals for the full story - after which I'll share it. I believe that the idea was that the train containing containers on flats would pull up, a fork lift remove pallets as required and off it would go (I think!). Anyway, Michael and I decided that we would sell the combination more or less as a "van" - hence just using the double beet chassis, WITHOUT the fancy skeletal insert (which adds cost). IF you want a proper skeleton plus container, I'll oblige you, for about a couple of Euros more than the "standard" kit. To have a 26xxx flat under your container, just add a small sheet of Plasticard between the suppled chassis and the container - only trouble is, I haven't done the transfers for that yet! Now, "Junction" 's comment about the little "Uniload" containers - when my pal Anthony and I measured one in April, I'm pretty sure they were a 8ft6in cube. As I said - on the to do list. Now, where can I get the white letters for Lyons …………… Leslie

Ah, Flange, you've beaten me to it! I'll run one of these Lyons containers off when I find a suitable source of white letters. Did anyone ever see them actually in traffic? I haven't been able to decide how many of them there were either. Leslie

Hi "Mogul" It is my intention to sell it separately in time. PM me and we'll sort something out. Leslie

Thanks, Paul. I'll be able to compare it with the photos I took of the DART there around that period! Nice idea, even if "built to order". Don't think I've ever seen an Irish "Electric" layout - first time for everything! Leslie

An interesting collection of layouts, including Irish ones I didn't know existed - Dun Laoghaire? Wow - what period, chaps? By the way, Richard McLachlan will be demo-ing brass coach building and can show you how to 21mm-ise my wagon kits. If you do want any of my its, please let me know in advance and I'll reserve them for you. As always happens, despite starting to build up my stock in July, people will insist on buying the stuff, so some "lines" are in shorter supply than I'd like. Just send me a PM or send an e-mail via my website. I look forward to seeing some of you guys there - do come and say hallo, even if you're not buying - it's nice to put a face to a name! Leslie

We have again made use of our model of the double beet wagon to produce another kit. Remember that the beet was built by placing two corrugated wagon bodies onto a 26xxx series container flat. The 1970s built 27xxx series was similar, except that it had no floor, but instead the skeleton underframe was visible. This has been the subject of an earlier kit. Our new kit uses that same chassis, but WITHOUT the skeleton - you won't be able to see it anyway, UNDER A CONTAINER! So, we have modelled a 1970 period Sundries Container, of which 200 were built in an endeavour to boost freight traffic. My researches suggest that the containers were built by McArdles of Dundalk around 1970. This company built several hundred containers for CIE around this period. This container had both side double doors and end doors, as can be seen above. The colour of these containers is not easy to replicate, so the builder can have some fun. I have tried both Precision Paints "CIE Brown" and a Humbrol "orange/brown" both of which give a reasonable result - probably a bit bright. You can judge for yourself, as I'll leave the "experimental" container as is for Blackrock! There are few enough photos of the containers and, of course film colour can be deceptive; then of course, there is what we older types actually remember of the real thing! The kit will come with transfers for the flat and the container. In my illustration, I have just added the usual CIE "Broken Wheel", but the final kit will include transfers (in white) of the container number and tare details; plus a "TIR" square for the end door. Price £31 or €36.50 post paid The Euroland price is rather high due to the Royal Mail’s high charges for a “Small Parcel” to Europe; however, remember that I can post two or even threee wagons for the same cost and I will reduce the price of multiple orders accordingly. Better still, buy the kit at Blackrock in October for €35.

Tony The "new-looking" tickets which you see are referred to by ticket collectors as "Audits" and are quite real. - in simple terms, unused tickets. There must be thousands still around, as the old companies printed far more of some tickets than they could ever have needed. They are lower value to collectors than used tickets, or so my ticket collecting friends tell me! Leslie

Kevin Not surprising really, as the sloped front, double-doored version disappeared when the original locos got new boilers - the last of those appears to have been around 1921. The model has the so called 4ft 4in Boiler, first introduced in 1902 and carried by No.184 into preservation. I feel sure that WHEN this run proves a massive success, the Z Boiler-ed, Belpaire version will appear. Ivan, I've no idea how many J15 kits Des sells in a year, but the kit will continue to be attractive to those who like building, rather than running locos? Of course, the kit is a better bet for guys like you modelling in 21mm. Leslie

Thanks, John, for the livery treatise. You're absolutely right about the grey, but in a very short time, they LOOKED BLACK. As Lord White of this County famously said "It's my layout and I'll run what I like on it" - so I'll go for black. Now, I believe you missed one repaint - No.184 was repainted in 1958 and displayed at Inchicore for the Institution of Locomotive Engineers' visit that Spring. Dare I say it, nicely illustrated in "Steaming in Three Centuries", Page 98. A super photo by the late John Dewing - and pulling a transfer freight over Islandbridge Jct with, of all things, a GNR(I) 20 ton brake van at the front of the train!

Or maybe sooner? See - http://www.ooworks.co.uk/products Just the thing to pull my corrugated opens, H van etc. My next offerings planned to suit the newly available motive power! I'll have flyers at the SDMRC Exhibition in October, but you steam men will all have your order in by then? Leslie

Oh, come on, the original Bulleid/Raworth electric at least had some curves, but it's follow up was, I give you, totally beyond the Pale! We must stop this, it's a CB&SCR thread and the forum is very much the richer for it!!!! Keep it up, Bantrymen!

Dear Slavek and others. I'm back in UK for a while again! I actually replied to Slavek from an ICE Train in Germany, when I got access to the Internet. While on holiday, I saw a great model railway in a town called Hausach (in the Black Forest) - it's a model of the railway from there UP to St Georgen - a prodigious climb involving 37 tunnels and at least four hairpin bends. If I find time, I'll put up a few photos. I did the actual run with a 2-10-0 the same day - it's a 100 mile round trip on the main line, for just €26! Just wonderful. In reply to The Controller's query in Post 20, the attic has a 21ft by 17 ft model railway (or more honestly, the start of it!) - PW's "warehouse" is in the middle! I am happy to confirm that I have supplies of most of my kits ready for immediate supply. Leslie

Des Alas, these railcars were, arguably, the ugliest thing built under the Blessed Oliver's direction! Can't wait to see Bantry on the show circuit here - truly a lovely piece of work! Leslie

For what it is worth, Norman Johnson in his book on GN locos (which covers the diesel fleet) refers to the livery as OXFORD Blue and cream. I look forward to seeing the results at Warley, David - shall I bring my BUT set? Thanks for posting the interior photos, John - DON'T show them to modern British commuters who have to suffer rock hard seats in the much-trumpeted new EMUs. Leslie

Whoever, they're very nice stamps! I don't think we Brits have had a railcar set on one! I'm still working my way through the books of NI railway stamps which came out some years ago!

<Hi Robbie, Nice job they look great. Are the chassis less fiddly to work on then the single beats? Noel> Noel, as Robert has already replied, he hasn't had the pleasure of making Mr Bulleid's pretty delicate brake gear! The Double beet's brake gear is a simple single casting - well two, as there's one on each side - as the observant will know, quite different arrangements, for such was the brake gear of the 25xxx flats which the doubles were planted on. Robert - it's quite humbling to see a big rake of the wagons - so thanks for posting the pics. I'm sending Michael the link - as the craftsman behind the wagon (I just "provoke him"), he'll be delighted. Good luck with the weathering - as other have mentioned the "colour" is a matter for conjecture (and possibly personal taste). They really DID get bogging dirty! For those of you who are tempted, plenty more where Robert's came from! Leslie

Friends Thanks to a post on the "other channel" I can pass on a link to a load of photos of a truly superb layout. See - https://highlandmiscellany.com/tag/castle-rackrent/ Leslie

David Thanks for passing on this sad news. I only met Richard once when he turned up at a talk I was giving on modelling to the IRRS London. He brought a couple of his locos which were just superb. I had no idea Castle Rackrent grew to such a size! Re Colin's comment on notes etc, I can only express my relief that my late friend Lance King eventually made a will and a treasury of Irish photographs is in IRRs possession. I hope that Richard left a similar instruction so that a lifetime of knowledge is not lost. My condolences to any family he may have had and to his friends. We have indeed lost a master of his craft who happily turned it to matters Irish! Leslie

Apologies, I was only quoting the site, which I shall have changed!!!! Well done Eiretrains for providing accurate info. Leslie

Colin - Can't be certain that Archive is also open, but Library Nights are - "Library Night every Tuesday from 19:30 to 21:45 (except December 26th 2017 and January 2nd 2018" Quoting the IRRS Website. Leslie

Yes, IF you have room, you almost have a duty to run proper length goods trains. I have twenty cattle wagons so that I can run a realistic Enniskillen Shipper - mainly my GN ones but a few SLNCR ones for variety. That said, and as others have related, the short "rambler" (anglice "pick up") goods reminds us that at this time most things made a journey by rail to their eventual destination - so flats with a new tractor, or baler, or car make a nice break from endless vans? Leslie

Colin I'll leave a "Southern" expert to answer regarding the oil traffic. There WAS a notable oil train which went to a halt on the Bangor line, right up to the 1960s - Tillysburn rings a bell - for Shorts' aircraft testing needs? General oil traffic was sparse in the North. I think I am right when I say that tankers were never used (as they were in GB) for the bulk carriage of milk. That said, many "Creameries" had sidings, North and South, but I suspect mainly for the export of butter, cheese etc, rather than the milk coming in. My Northern farmer cousins sent their milk away in churns - lorries, of course, in the Black North! I must have a look at the appendices to see if I can get clues re milk traffic! Thanks for provoking some thought on WHY a train ran at all! Leslie