leslie10646

Kevin I'm not quite sure what you mean by a reference book, but no-one has published a book on Irish wagons. I did three runs of the 16 ton van - which are very close to the Dapol Banana van - so there are about 500 of these vans on various layouts. I was thinking of doing another run, maybe in the 1970s CIE guise? Anyway, I have the full number list of such wagons, in my copy of the GNR Wagon Book. I'm afraid that wagon info is dotted all over the place. I know that the IRRS Archive has a copy of the GNR Wagon Book, but as for CIE, or GSR, I'll have to investigate. Leslie

Yes, Kieran, a very nice replication of once common sight - of course the wagons look good, but then I would say that! Still available, by the way! I have probably posted this fact-ette before, but the CIE weekly notice BEGAN with fair specials for that week - on one occasion, it ran to forty plus pages of those alone! Jon is generally right that every Irish model station should have a cattle dock, but by some error of choice on my part, the ones on my layout (Portadown and Richhill) didn't have them - so I have a train of twenty cattle wagons to RUN THROUGH as the Enniskillen Shipper - which was nothing but cattle wagons (GNR and SLNCR). Keep up the great work Kieran - where do you find the time? Leslie

A very nice piece of work, Nelson, which look terrific when put in the context of the colliery sidings. Leslie

From another grandad - If you e-mail me on lesliemcallister@aol.com I'll send you some stuff from the Ron Pocklington collection, in the hands of the IRRS London Area and held by me. Ron was the actual detail designer of much of the loco; Click was very much involved also, of course. As for Bulleid's reluctance with the project (which was politically motivated, in an attempt to use non-imported fuel) my contact suggests that as he was so tied up with getting the British made diesels to work, he did not want to spend any time on the TB project. Likewise, the Inchicore staff were reluctant to get involved, for much the same reason. Thus Pocklington and Click did most, if not all of the engineering drawings themselves. I covered this in a talk entitled "The Third Man" given to the IRRS in London some years ago, related in Belfast to the RPSI. I met Pocklington when he came on tour with me some years ago. Good luck with the model, by the way! Leslie

Good news - they looked the part in ORANGE!!!! The CADCAM looks brilliant, guys - if I am still around, I'm up for a rake - I need something to pull behind these "diesel" things someone persuaded me to buy! Best of luck with the project. Leslie

Thanks for these encouraging words, John. It's a bit embarrassing if my Murphy diesels can sail round with thirty wagons in tow, but my steam struggles! Actually my Class WT, from Colm Flanagan of this Parish, has no trouble with thirty. Of course, one should be running SIXTY behind a 0-6-0 to replicate the night goods to Derry! Leslie

Actually, I don't think they are - they may give that appearance because they're a bit thick? I've had a look at photos of them in Tom Ferris' GN book and I'd say they're OK. I also note that the UG has a whistle - let's hope he remembers to put it on the Class U as well - have a look at the CADCAM - it appears to be missing from the U. All that said, I've just been on the phone to one of my customers who has the 00 Works SR Class I3 and he speaks very positively about it, so I'm looking forward to these new locos! Leslie

Ah Whitee, I should have read this first - you haven't been drinking the wrong stuff after all! Like you, I ordered one of each straightaway, for as we both know, it's a modest price for a running Irish steam loco, even if not top-flight in terms of detail. When they come demanding cash, I'll ask them not to paint my UG, except in undercoat, as i obviously want it in GN black! The use of white metal is, in truth, a slight worry - rather heavy stuff - still I don't plan to hang more than a few coaches behind the 4-4-0, but the goods engine will be expected to pull twenty of my wagons! How many of you guys have ordered one? Leslie

For goodness sake, White, I told you to lay off that dreadful stuff they produce round where you live - stick to The Bush!

Great idea, John, then it would be STEAMING along!!!!!!

Congratulations Ilona and Richie on an the birth of Isabelle. May she be blessed with a long, healthy and happy life. Richie, I don't need to tell you that the greatest thrill and blessing in life is to hold your own child for the first time and I've been blessed to do that for two great sons and a grandson - all with Railway engineer's names - you know what comes next? Every little girl needs a brother ....... Wonderful news. Leslie

It is with great regret that I must announce the death, quite suddenly, of Lance King, an early member of the RPSI and founder of the IRRS's London Area. Lance had been confined to bed for over 2 years now and received home care. Just before Christmas, he contracted a breathing issue and was admitted to Northwick Park Hospital in London, where he died on 2 January 2016. He had been due to return home and arrangements had been made for his return there, alas not to be. Lance had a considerable interest in and knowledge of Irish Railways, which he photographed with considerable skill from the 1950s onwards. He founded the IRRS London Area soon after the famous All-Ireland railtour of 1964, but less well known is that he began the London-based fundraising group known as The Syndicate, which has supported the RPSI for over forty years. A fuller tribute to his life’s work in the enthusiast community will follow.

Great news from Paddy - he's doing the original grey / yellow version early! I may even live to see it! As a teenager, I remember visiting Great Victoria Street station after school one day, with the other members of the "Inst" Railway Society, to see the first single-ended Yankees on the CIE Enterprise. Quite an eye-opener to see such a classically American locomotive in Belfast! Of course, they were the start of much better times for CIE's hard-pressed mechanical engineering department and little wonder that CIE went back, again and again to The States for their diesels. A pity it took BR so long to learn the lesson! Again, well done Paddy for getting this show on the road. May it be a great success for you. Leslie

Gents OO Works: They get slightly mixed reviews, see - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/41670-who-are-oo-works-and-what-do-they-make/ but at the price, it must be worth a punt, if you're a GN person, like me! Nelson (who sent me an e-mail)- Thanks for bringing it to my attention. Orders going in!! Leslie

Happy New Year to you too, John (and all of you). You have an advantage over all of us that you CAN run the first train of the new year! Your rain noted, after a balmy Christmas, Surrey actually had a light frost last night and the Moon (exactly half) shone really brightly at midnight, as I watched the neighbour's fireworks and enjoyed the first Black Bush of the year! As for the modelling year - let's hope the 121 appears. I have THREE vans planned for you. Leslie

Nelson, Of course I have! Elder son's 41st Birthday treat to the extended family - from 7 year old son Joshua (my Grandson, of course) upwards. I took William to the original film aged THREE! He was bought dozens of figures and just about every vehicle going (including the original Imperial Shuttle - a seriously sexy piece of kit). We then went en famile to the succeeding episodes, until the vile computer graphics things. Anyway, the film was great fun, it's still cowboys and indians in space, the Goodies Win (oops, have I given the plot away?)rather like the original film, but that's no bad thing as it was a breath of fresh air in the midst of many violent films showing life at its worst. Needless to say, there's a new Millenium Falcon under the Tree for Joshua! He's been playing with his Dad's old characters for the last couple of years (they were stored under the Railway!), ever since I built him a space station for Christmas! May the Force be with you. Live long and prosper. Leslie

I can't find any signal cabin remotely like this in the new book "Signal Box Register Volume 9: Ireland and the Isle of Man" published last month by the Signalling Record Society. No doubt Bachmann will illuminate us on the prototype, if Irish it is meant to be? By the way, if the signal box book is of interest, I hold copies here, profits going to the RPSI. A 286 page volume, it ain't cheap but is a mass of info. Paperback costs £24, the Hardback £32. I'll post it for those prices, if anyone is interested. Send me an e-mail, or a PM. Leslie

No, I'm not beavering away on a H Van, I'm just in from a Carol Concert! BUT, My Man is on the case. Trouble is, I've got a lotta guys asking when the double decker beet will be ready - I KNEW I shouldn't have shown the mock-up at exhibitions. That's also in play, once my latest GN vans are on the market. Maybe at Bangor ....... Leslie PS Off to watch Match of the Day

Thanks, Richie, for the plug! A word about the weathering idea about 3/4 pages back in this rather rambling thread. When I started Provincial Wagons (Lord, it was EIGHT years ago) I was advised by someone who had sold thousands of Dapol repaints NOT to offer weathered wagons, as they weren't popular with the punters. I took that advice, for good or ill - I think for good. Having seen the terrific weathering efforts on my RTR wagons and subsequent kits - I'd leave the guys to do it themselves. Now, COLOUR is another thing! I don't recognise the bubbles in GREY - they were ORANGE when I was a lad. So, I hope that you guys are going to do them in that slightly politically incorrect colour as well! As for doing them in threes or singly, I would think that anyone with the siding space would take at least ten? You guys should post dozens of cement liner photos to wind us all up to buy them by the dozen! I hope to be around to buy my fair share, even though they came into existence a bit late for my "period". Good luck with the project! Leslie

Great stuff, Kieran. I note you only ran her with six bogies - how many can she manage? My No.207 slips with the full ten on - imitating the All-In for the Rugby Internationals. Annoyingly, my Class WT manages ten OK - the reverse of the "real thing" where the tank would have VERY pushed taking tenover the Wellington Bank, while the real No.207 would have taken it in her stride. When my trackwork looks a little less amateurish, I'll post a video of 207 with a complete mahogany train. MAHOGANY not xxxxing teak!!!! As I say, brilliant stuff. What do you do in your s[pare time? Leslie

Aw, come on, Ivan. I agree that it can be crowded at some layouts / traders - you couldn't get near the Cup-winning MRSI layout two years ago - but you simply go and look at another and come back when it's quieter. Never any problem seeing layouts on the Sunday (as Blaine has just beaten me to say), or late afternoon Saturday.

Irish layouts include - O'Connell Street Tramway (now even longer!) is at B44 Valencia Harbour B45 Schull B46 Stanfording is "0" Gauge and is separate at D45 You'll find me on Stand B33, just round the corner from the others - Irish Railway Record Society - right opposite the refreshment area! I will be displaying my next two wagons so come along and have a look. The kits will be available within weeks and I can take orders. Also, come and see the treasures of the IRRS Archive which my friend Richard McLachlan has been digitising - Great Northern (others later) locos, coaches, wagons and buildings. We will also have a stock of Irish railway books for sale, including the latest publications. At least drop by and say "Hallo" - or if you're not a member of The Society - COME AND JOIN!!!! Leslie

Yes, John, that's a very fine engine and a credit to David. The green looks pretty good to me - you could hold it against Drew's model at Cultra? HE probably used the original paint - these senior men did that sort of thing! Now ..... Have you got ten Bredins to run behind it? If you haven't, bring it over to Surrey and I'll loan you ten GN coaches to hang behind it and we'll hammer it round my loft!!!! Great stuff. Leslie

Had the bulk of the GNR lasted longer, what of containerised goods traffic? What were you getting at here, John? - whether the existing container traffic would have continued, or instead ceased? The GN was commendably heavily into containers - not just the bread, but lots of BR containers (usually carried inside open wagons!). But the biggest "what if", which we modellers CAN pretend actually happened, is that the Border followed the Provincial boundary - then we would indeed still have the Irish North and the line through Armagh to Clones, etc. As for the other later closures, they simply wouldn't have happened. Wow, Blue and Cream CAFS running to Clones on an hourly service! Leslie