leslie10646

Good morning Harry. No there's no news, nor will be. Various false starts - I was looking at a SG3 - GNR Heavy Goods, but my modeller seems to have lost interest in such a project. We had hoped to do a body on a J39 chassis. Another contact was looking at a UG, 3D printed, but was having fun finding a chassis which would sit inside the Class UG profile. Then, of course, this happened - 00Works are going to produce a RTR Class U and Class UG, and at the price they're quoting, I, for one, will simply join the queue to get one of theirs! I'd love to have an SG3 - the meaty GNR goods - but you can't have everything. Now, having said that - Des, does your SG kit make suggestions for producing a SG3 from your kit of the smaller boilered engine? Maybe we could do a resin body and use that with the SG kit? Wouldn't be RTR of course and you're back in the queue for some modeller to build it (two years plus?). Sorry it's not good news, but I hope that the 00Works people get the orders and are busily making the locos now!!!! Kevin, in reply to your query about having a good job of painting a GN passenger engine blue, fully lined, I was recently quoted £250 - £300. Mind you, the guy was the best in the business! Leslie Leslie

Pre 1975, when loose coupled was the order of the day, a brake van was essential - thus a train of loose-coupled four wheeled wagons on a layout based in the pre-fitted era cannot consist of a loco and a line of wagons. Having a brake van at the end is the same as having a locomotive at the front; if it's not there, the train ain't moving anywhere. Now it's different if they are fitted - like the beet four wheelers in their later days, but four wheeled wagons were never fitted en mass in Ireland anyway, back in the day. So if modelling pre-1975, a brake van is a must. But also variety. Not only did trains not consist of a line of the same type of wagon, many trains rarely had two wagons alike. So, a goods train heading to Portadown in 1965 could have (and I saw them often) something like this: Locomotive NCC brown van CIE H GSR wooden van CIE palvan BCDR van Bullied corrugated GNR van with flying snail GNR van with UT in faded paint Three grey bubbles Flat wagon with load under tarpaulin CIE H GNR open wagon with snail GNR open wagon with "G N" Bullied corrugated NCC origin goods van in UTA markings Courtaulds (NCC) open Hhmmmmm, I'm delighted to say that over the past nine years, Provincial Wagons produced about half of the consist of this train. I'll try and post a picture on my VERY unfinished layout! Leslie

The wagons were "rebuilt" earlier in the 1960s. I can't open the file in which I have a description of the traffic. It ceased in 1966, when the contract was lost. Leslie

The manuscript exists and on the very computer I am typing from. I've had it for many years, but always was diverted from sorting it out. It's been pushed agin by another publishing exercise which will take the next year of my life. However, I can tell you that it won't help you much on the query you raise - the rolling stock chapter is sparse. Russell Currie really only took the story up to about 1965. I have done a replica Courtaulds wagon in my Provincial Wagons series. I note that there isn't a picture of one in my "previous wagons" section, so I may add that later. I did it with BROWN strapping, which was how the UTA painted them as the wagons were renewed and mine certainly has a "C" prefix to the number, as per prototype (I have photos of several so numbered. My wagon is a four plank, but there were many six plank ones as well. Leslie

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