leslie10646

According to Rebecca, they are doing the re built version, which has the single smoke box door, ...

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

Managed to get time to sort out a few photos from Saturday, most of them are just for trying to get a few ideas and see how things were done on displays

 

Peter,

 

Thanks for putting that super slideshow up - great stuff and worth a look, as you say, for ideas.

 

I commend it to the rest of you - a good use of a quarter of an hour!

 

Leslie

I actually think the railcars aren't that bad. Certainly not as bad as Ollie's SR diesels or electrics!

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

I'm surprised how angular the front face of 2660 looks. I always thought they were more "roundy".

 

Lovely building work by the way!

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

According to E. M. Patterson's 1962 book on the GNR, he describes the railcar blue as Royal Blue. In another part of the book, the author also describes the railcar blue as being Oxford Blue?

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

Janice O’Connell I was told?

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

The library is now also closed for the summer, last Tuesday was the last 'Library Night', they will resume as normal in September. The only exception to this during the summer will be the annual 'Open Day' held on 26 August as part of National Heritage Week.

Apologies, I was only quoting the site, which I shall have changed!!!!

Well done Eiretrains for providing accurate info.

Leslie

Hello Colin , I will try but it might take some time as he IRRS archive is probably closed for the summer.

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

That's OK Leslie

 

All I want to do is to make sure that I enough of the right type of Irish good stock for the layout.

 

For me I hope to build up at least two good's trains of thirty plus wagons a piece, now while I am not in to tail chasing, it is important to get a balance of goods to passenger trains.

 

Not forgetting a long cattle train as well and then a short local pick up goods as well I should have a fair bit of stock to use.

 

Just working out the above I think I need to acquire at least one hundred wagons and vans.

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

Thanks John that brings me on to another question tank cars where these for Milk or what did they carry, I am trying to get a picture in my head as to what type of tank car was used, there must have a been a difference between diary products and oils/chemicals.

 

The period I am interested in is up to the mid 1960's or just up to the introduction of the bulk carrier fleets of container wagons.

 

This is because I happen to like the Model A, B and C diesel locos that where introduced around that period and so I could just about run Green/Silver locos.

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

So as to not confuse the issue I wonder if anyone can answer this question for me.

 

Besides the bog standard Cattle special of say 20 wagons plus a brake van.

 

can anyone come up with a typical good train formation for the above period

 

I understand that it might not be possible but I was wondering what a typical good train would have looked like, I appreciate that the the various lines and different gradients would have played a part in how long a certain train would have been.

 

But I was wondering if you could get away with say two or three covered vans, a couple of opens/flats, may be a container flat wagon with some bread bins on it, may be a well wagon and finally a brake van.

 

Colin

Colin

You can do little better than to peruse the books which have photos of goods trains - the trouble is, few enough books have!

As you say, it depended on the line. The GNR's Night Goods to Derry by the Derry Road could be sixty wagons with a 0-6-0 hauling it. There were two around 8pm ex Belfast and BOTH had anything up to ten flats with bread containers on them! However, the greater part of the train would have been vans - Ireland's weather didn't encourage the use of opens - not to say that there were none.

The GN main line goods "over the Bank" to Dundalk were not quite as heavy, were mainly vans, no bread containers - they were a Northern Ireland peculiarity.

Mineral traffic was very much less than Britain, except for loco coal going to outlying sheds. You didn't get the British situation of local coal merchants with offices in station yards (and even their own wagons). There were a FEW, of course. East Downshire Steamship Co. on the BCDR was a case in point.

As you say, cattle specials were a massive business for the Railway - especially CIE - I saw one weekly notice of 120 pages where the first FORTY was entirely fairs specials!

Of course, the smaller branch lines would have had short goods with a mix of vans, opens and cattle wagons. Well wagons were uncommon.

If you're modelling the Great Northern, the IRRS reprint of the GN Wagon book might prove useful.

I'm sure Jon will add massively to this, but it will get the ball rolling.

Good sources of photos would be his books on the Western Corridor and the recent North Kerry book. For the GN, Charlie Friel's "Fermanagh's Railways would give you a steer.

I've ignored beet traffic, which were in effect block trains, seasonal, but not a typical goods train!

Hope this helps

Leslie

PS If you need wagons of this period, I know someone who sells kits of them ........

The Class N were the 5ft 6in driver SECR locos which were finished in Ireland as the 372 Class - Class K1.

The Class U were the six foot driver version, of which Ireland had six - Class 393 - Class K1a. If memory serves, they had a tiny splasher, which made them easily identifiable from their "smaller" sisters.

You can get the full low down in Michael McMahon and Jeremy Cleminson's excellent tome on GSR locos.

Leslie

PS my copy was upstairs, so I looked up a certain on-line encyclopaedia!

Does anyone know what chassis I can use for c. Rails 20ft bell wagons

I think that this is what you're looking for?

http://www.provincialwagons.com

The Bell container isn't the DC kits / C Rails one, but an earlier MIR one. I assure you that it carries the later container just as well - I just didn't have one of mine to hand when I took the photo!

Our kit is of the 27000 series, 1970-built skeleton flat. The earlier 1966 flat had a steel floor.

If you want a rake, e-mail me and I'll "do you a price" - Her Majesty's postage on single kits to Euroland is criminal, but you can send several for much the same cost.

Or, you can wait to the Blackrock exhibition in the Autumn, when postage won't be an issue and I'll price it accordingly for the exhibition.

Leslie

PS, I don't think anyone will have too much trouble with the kit - about a dozen parts!

Many years ago I was lucky enough to get a package full of GNR(i) drawings from Paddy Mallon who was foreman at the Dundalk works. Over the years these were mislaid. Is there anywhere on the web that I can get some of these drawings replaced?

Tony

While not on the web, the IRRS, through Richard McLachlan, has digitised the drawings for at least eight GNR loco types, a CDRJC one and a SLNCR one. These are available both as books and digitally.I might say there is enough top build a full scale loco, so if anyone wants to help me put together a million plus to build a VS Class - get in touch!

He has also produced books of GN carriage drawings, railcar drawings and the wagon book (which I believe you have?). There are GA drawing books of selected GSR coaches and MGWR coaches and wagons. The list is considerable.

When I find a moment, I'll scan it and put it up here.

I believe that you can see some of these books at IRRS Library Nights in Dublin and Richard will be displaying and showing them at the SDMRC exhibition in the Autumn.

Leslie

Jon

HEAR, HEAR!

The number of times I've heard people say "wouldn't it be great to get No.800 out of the museum".

But ask them for a a few Euros towards it and ……….

B&B? - a perfect ancestral home with room for we oldies, the boys plus their families, each in their own demesne!!

Pity I'd have to murder the Boss, as she'd never move to Ireland!

No good having a LGB garden railway - only a 12 inches to the fut job would do - maybe the RPSI could loan the buyer a 101 Class?

No - thinking out of the box - if you could afford that place, you could probably afford to have a replica BCDR tank built and a train of their six wheelers.

Hi All,

 

Has anyone done any layouts from around the Dundalk area? Now that I'm in my new house and I have been planning to try and model something around the old Barracks Street depot, a lack of recent maps though of the ground layout is hampering planning. If anyone knows of a resource to help it would be great.

 

Regards,

 

Mark

David Humphries and a group of friends resident around Dundalk are modelling part of the DNGR.

To that end they have been doing superb work in restoring drawings of the route and buildings

I'll see if I can get you a contact.

Leslie

I see that three of my wagons are on eBay at present, having come down from their stratospheric original price.

The flat with the Guinness containers is close to the price I last charged for them - the flats are sold out, plenty of Guinness though.

The other two strike me as very dear - the open was about £11 when I sold them, the furniture container was under £15.

Caveat emptor!

Leslie