leslie10646

I got an e-mail today which told me (frightful price!) - Greetings from all of us at Rails! We wanted to give you a heads up that all outstanding pre-orders for the second batch of Hattons Originals Genesis 4 & 6 wheel coaches have now been processed and despatched. With these orders now completed, we have VERY LIMITED NUMBERS of these sought after models available for general sale. As you have indicated interest in them previously, we wanted to give you priority notice ahead of them being made available for sale on our website. Unfortunately due to the number of requests we have had, we cannot respond to each customer individually - but we still wanted to offer you advance notice. The coaches will be available from 9AM on Wednesday 15th January 2025 and will be publicly advertised from 11AM onwards. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you are able to make a purchase when the coaches are listed, we do hope you enjoy running them for years to come. The coaches will be available from £49.95 each. Use the button below to view the coaches we have available (please note, these will not be visible until Wednesday at 9AM) View Genesis Coaches →

AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT..... When the Blessed Oliver heard that The Leader prototype was going to be broken up, he contacted Roland Bond about acquiring it at scrap value. He knew that he was going to be obliged to produce a Turf Burner and thought that he could make use of his earlier prototype, if only to learn lessons from it. Inchicore regauged it and after she had been run in "Down South", Bulleid got the loan of the NER Dynamometer Car (regauging it for the duration) and sent it off on gauging trials. For it's runs on the GNR(I), their management obliged with a set of mahogany coaches to match the Dino. This is one beautiful loco - I'm doing the twenty minutes forwards and then backwards, but thought I'd take a few photies of her arriving at Portadown. Then alongside the brand new A Class which Oliver had sent up top rescue it if it broke down! And in motion - turn the SOUND UP - it really is this quiet! IMG_1272.MOV I got the idea that the lads at IRM had a low opinoi0n of Kr Models - well this loco will take a bit of beating when you bring out your Turf Burner! Now off to do the rest of the running in! First impressions - DELIGHTED!

First of all I need one of @WRENNEIRE's videos about getting things out of the box! This was just the outer wraps! Now off to the loft and try it out!

I've done a talk to the RPSI about Ron Pocklington (pictured above) who was seconded to Inchicore with John Click. They both were employed at the Rugby Testing Station. at the time. Oliver Bulleid asked Roland Bond (then CME of BR) for a couple of guys to test the Turf Burner. He sent Ron and John. They arrived to find that the locomotive DID NOT EXIST! There were water tanks, a boiler (which the boiler inspectors were unimpressed with) and that was about that. Ron who was an engineering graduate and John, whose practical steam knowledge was of the top rank. Together they sat down and did all the detailed design using the Leader as a basis. Oliver and the Inchicore Drawing Office took little notice as they were up to their eyes with getting the "A" Class to work. The Blessed Oliver did ride "his" engine, but I don't think it was in steam - this was a "riding trial. This the team which did the erecting on a Saturday afternoon! More follows, but a bit more like one of JB's tall tales. I have to get something out of a box.

I don't know why he was fussed criticism of "That Thing", as this man (and another) did the detailed design! More later, I'm doing housework and sat down for a rest!

Folks Something to do next Friday evening? I'll be Chairing the meeting as JB expounds on the subject of his next book. I'll put the Zoom info up later in the week. Leslie ZOOM : 18.00 Friday 17 January 2025 “Loughrea – The Last Branch Line” by Jonathan Beaumont Railway historian and author, Jonathan Beaumont, describes the origins, construction and history of the Attymon Junction to Loughrea branch, closed in November 1975, the last traditionally-worked branch line in Ireland – or, indeed, much further afield. The Loughrea branch was one of the last locations where steam was in regular daily use before CIE steam finished in early 1963. Early dieselisation saw the diminutive “G” class locomotives used until the line closed, usually with the “C” class (in both Crossley and GM form) as companions. The talk should hopefully coincide with the launch of the author’s latest book on the subject.

Hi IRM, I've been billed for my grain wagons in DOLLARS! Any reason? Or is it a typo, or is it SPAM!!!! From: irishrailwaymodels@email.preproduct.io Looks fishy. Hope it's not!

A perusal of my IRRS Journal index produced no hits on "Locomotive testing" and only a dozen on testing bridges, clearances etc. There were the famous exchanges in 1911 which is covered by Bob Clements article in Volume 12, pages 281 - 301 (it's not as long as that as there is a considerable photo feature of GN locos in the middle of the piece). A lot of interesting detail, but apparently the GSWR took less interest in the exchange than the GNR. JB's Dad's recollection regarding coal consumption seems to be borne out by Bob's article - there was little in it between the QL and 321.

Our absence at Warley was my fault. The new "professional" organisers did not make any effort to advise Club stands that they would be welcome and I understood them to be Society-unfriendly. I was wrong, it appears. Coming within a month of the annual Dublin shows meant that the two between them just wrecked us, so not going to Warley was a plus and as I returned from Clontarf and promptly caught a virus, I wouldn't have got there anyway! Age has caught up and we're having to be circumspect about the (otherwise enjoyable) round of events which we used to fill our years with! Great while it lasted and thankful to have been blessed with the fitness to do it while we could. Of course, there's no reason why some other members of the IRRs should not offer to run a stand!

Thanks, SP, WE'LL BE THERE (DV)!!! Now planned as the "Last Show" (in the "South") for Provincial Wagons. We're booking our hotel at Blackrock as I type this - we found a good rate which runs out tomorrow and we're grabbing it with both hands! If nothing else, (like me having no stock!) we'll have a holiday meeting pals of long-standing. Leslie and Richard

I'm waiting for Royal Mail to deliver the loco which is going to be tested!

Thanks.

I'm surprised that no-one has posted what Santa brought them, probably because the Boys haven't delivered goodies for at least a couple of weeks. Anyway, this is one of my new toys. Rails of Sheffield were doing an offer I couldn't ignore, so I had one of my loved ones buy this for me. I chose this livery as it had least lettering (and the "stumble" is really nice) but could most easily be passed of as GNR. The real reason is awaited in the post - a delayed present! But isn't this just lovely? Originally NER, of course and the fastest steam age coach in British history, as she was behind Mallard on 3 July 1938.

Wot? I hasn't sold yet?

Is it 25 - 27 October?

Mind-blowing, Patrick. Just terrific!

Gents / Ladies After the splurge of orders in the last 48 hours, this is pretty well my stock, the MINUS figures show what needs re-ordering! Speaking to the guy who took over my supplier of kits, further orders are going to be a hassle as he's so busy. I HAVE promised UTA Spoil wagons to at least one gent (they'll go nicely with the IRM "Birds of Prey", so I am prepared to chase that order up). Double beets and CIE cattle are history, except someone speaks up! IF I do BANGOR (and so Blackrock to finish up), I'm looking at another RTR Van. As Bangor is "The North", I'll do it in GNR livery (as under) but with a new number. CIE modellers can slap a bit of light grey on the "GN" and I'll suppply Snail or Wheel transfers at no extra cost. Let me know if it's of interest! £18 Sterling, or €20 The offer to do an "Open" fell on stoney ground". See: https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/17508-to-stop-the-ebay-insanity/#comment-250702 Kits left NCC Brown Vans 6 SLNCR Cattle 0 GNR Brake -1 Double Beet 0 GNR Y5 Van 3 GSWR Brake 2 CIE Cattle -3 GNR 10T Ftd 9 GNR 10T U/Ftd 4 GNR 9T U/Ftd 4 GNR Cattle -3 GNR 6 Plank 5 GNR 4Plank 5 GNR Loco Coal 3 Spoil wagon -3 Bread containers 17 BR Container 0 Sub total value of all stock 0 48 RTR 0 Grey Bagged Cement 8 Brown Bagged cement 20

Robert You were / are my Champion Double Beet Builder! And yours look great. Long may you run them! Thanks Leslie

Even though it's narrow gauge, that looks great David. Mick Rawlings of Ballyconnell Road fame - the man who models while driving an Artic - gave me a method for doing louvres. Basically to do the layers as a a little ledges at 90degrees to the side and only slope the top one. Never tried - too complex for me.. Of course, that's probably what you're going to do?

First, may I say how blown away I have been by the kind comments when I mused that the time might have come to retire! A quick comment on JB's comment above - it was the lack of Irish brake vans and the very short Irish cattle wagons (so unlike GB ones which first provoked me to dip my foot in the "Kit" water. My announcement resulted in some orders which have eaten a big hole in the stock which I might have taken to Bangor! It sent me to grabbing the phone to check that "My Man" could do more kits for me! "My Man" is no longer Michael Rayner, to whom most of the praise above should be aimed - he designed and produced the kits - I simply told him what to do! It's now a guy called "Hans". Getting back to the subject: after discussion with Richard McLachlan and a review of hotel prices in Ireland; we'll probably appear at Bangor and Blackrock and then, it'll be hang up the boots time. Requests I have had over the last 24 hours have taken up all my stock of CIE and GNR Cattle wagons, and Double Beets. I will reorder those in accordance with requests for them. Thanks again. Leslie Ah Mick, if Anthony had survived, I would have handed it to him before now. It's only a hobby business, so to do it takes someone with a pension like me?

Don't blame me, @Galteemore, when the PP is finished, you'll be happy that you did it! My PP, built by Tony Ragg and came to me via Ken Gillen, is delightful.

Dear friends I am giving serious consideration to retirement. If I get to 2026 (DV), I'll be 80, so maybe the time has come to stop? Reluctantly, I will not deny as I / we get plenty of fun out of it but the "work and getting there" bit is a lot less fun! At present, postal sales are almost nil, thanks to Brexit - and of course the excellent products from a certain bunch of youngsters in Dublin! Any sales I make are at exhibitions in Ireland and an invitation to attend the NDMRC (Bangor) exhibition in April has provoked much debate between Richard McLachlan and I whether to do "one more year" (even to the extent of checking hotel rates in Blackrock in October!). We're sleeping on it! It is no exaggeration to say that each exhibition is knackering, takes up at least two weeks of time, each time - more if I'm bringing new product as I would be chasing the producer for months before! At best I cover my costs. I don't intend to produce more kits beyond what is on order now, or in my attic. That is: NCC Brown Vans 6 SLNCR Cattle 4 GNR Brake 0 Double Beet 10 GNR Y5 Van 3 GSWR Brake 4 CIE Cattle 12 GNR 10T Ftd 9 GNR 10T U/Ftd 6 GNR 9T U/Ftd 6 GNR Cattle 4 GNR 6 Plank 7 GNR 4Plank 7 GNR Loco Coal 3 Spoil wagon 0 (but some on order) Bread containers 17 I still have about ten Grey RTR CIE van with broken wheel and 20 or so Brown vans, also with a broken wheel.

To quote another famous UK Grumpy Old Man "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT"! You're NOT an IRRS member, Ivan? Time that you corrected that! As David says above, in invaluable source of Irish Railway info!

Niles There's more ballast and scenery on your line than the whole of Portadown Jct in ten years! I'm trying to correct that at present!

Why not for the owner of Enniskillen, rather than me? Slaps wrist. Sorry, David, I know that you like building them YOURSELF? AND it's not MGWR!