Glover

I managed to make it to the exhibition in Blackrock last October and bought 5 Provincial Wagons CIE cattle wagons. With these plus three GNR wagons plus some others, including a rework of the old Mainline LMS wagons, I can now assemble a ten wagon cattle special. I’m sure some of you know that Leslie McAlister of Provincial Wagons has named his home Pettigo Fair. Leslie, wagons will be delivered in time for the Fair! Others have done a better job than me on these lovely little wagons but I can only offer the excuse that my energy levels are, and have been somewhat depleted . One thing I am lucky with is reasonably generous curves; circa 27 inches. That has allowed me to close up the gap somewhat between wagons. Some photos to finish. Glover And maybe a few more snaps. Glover

It’s been a long time, over a year, since I updated these notes. I don’t want to go all maudlin but it might just help others to deal with the issues which have affected me. At about this time last year, I was hit with health issues; esophageal cancer. Having been a smoker for almost fifty years, I can hardly complain or ask ‘why me?’ I received chemo and radiation treatment right through quarter 3 of last year and it was successful. But I accept that you never get a completely clean of health. In the past month, the cancer has returned and I’m now on palliative care. So, my model of Pettigo station on the Bundoran branch will close. I’ll do some separate notes on the last project undertaken but can I just take this opportunity to thank all who took an interest in my modelling. I’ve always been a ‘lone-wolf’ modeller but sharing the work with you other good people has enhanced my enjoyment of this great hobby. I would hope to listen in for just a little time yet and enjoy the work of others. My sincerest thanks to all, Glover

Well done; enjoy! Glover

It's published by Alan O'Rourke from Sheffield in England. It's very much a part time non-commercial operation, so 'no reply' might simply mean that he's busy/away/digging the garden..... Full details below in this photo from the current issue. Well worth subscribing too, in my view. Cheers, Glover

Very good issue. David Holman's 'Fintonagh' layout on the front cover with a full article inside. Another layout is covered by photos, this being Kilkenny using 21mm track, modified it seems from Roco track. This layout was built by a German man. Clogher, on the Clogher Valley Railway is also featured. Ballyglunin (alias ' Castletown' in the Quiet Man movie) is the Station Survey, which also includes an insert with plans of the station building. The GSR loco drawings have now moved on from steam; this time they cover the Sentinel Railcar, two versions of the Clayton railcars, the Drewry passenger railcars (inspection saloons?) and the Turf Burner; can we not just let that contraption go?! There are also plans for Belfast & Northern Counties (later NCC and then UTA) goods vans. Colm Flanagan covers a conversion of a Bachmann J11 to Belfast & County Down loco No4 while Jonathan Beaumont details the use of grey by the GSR and later CIE on their steam locos. A couple of interesting photos: Magherafelt in or abouts on the old, and to me mysterious , Derry Central plus GSWR restaurant car number 343: very tempting to model! There are some other pieces plus some news items but overall, a very enjoyable and useful issue. Glover

I've just found a reference to AEC railcars having tablet snatchers...........yea, can't sleep! Its in the November 1969 edition of the Irish Railfans News (really serious sleep problem tonight....). An article describes a Sligo to Dublin journey on August 5 1969, in a 3 piece AEC railcar set. To cut a long storey short, the train failed at Ballymote and was eventually rescued by B125 which pulled the railcar train to Dublin. Here's the relevant bit: after stopping at Mullingar, the guard joined the driver in the cab of B125, in order to operate the tablet snatcher. I quote:" ordinarily the guard would operate the staff snatchers located in the van of one or other of the railcars, using the bell system to communicate with the driver". This seems to support Mayners point about the system operating on the Dublin-Galway line ( issue only seems to have arisen after Mullingar) plus Mayner/Lambeg Mans' reports that the snatcher would only have been visible at the time of actual usage. Who needs bedtime stories? Glover

I know this is diverting away from the 121 topic but it does relate to tablet snatchers. I believe that some AEC railcars used this equipment, especially on the Sligo road but I don't think I've ever seen a photo with them. Could they perhaps have been fitted around the guards van area? Glover

"Rolled forty or fifty times in total". Merciful hour! No wonder there are marks on the rolling pin. I did buy one of these roofs some years ago with the intention of widening it, as per recommendations from various sources. Theory was; cut it down the middle and widen using filler. Yea, right........ I think the rolling pin might be the way forward. Cheers, Glover

Many thanks Ernie, and Leslie. Leslie's information is correct, as I would expect. The GNR built three of this type; two went to CIE and the other to the UTA, on the dissolution of the GNR. And, I've built models of two of them! This is my model of 47N, in CIE green. It's painted in black 'n tan on the other side and numbered 105N. I note that, in Ernie's photo, there are sliding vents in the large window, next to the smaller one and door. My only photographic reference was of the UTA coach, in Norman Johnstons "Parting Shot" book. It may be that either CIE or the UTA made a change to the original but I don't think we can stress ourselves too much over that at this stage! Again, many thanks to all who are helping to preserve photographic records and memories of days long gone. Cheers, Glover

NIR, I think you might be the first to use (or own up to!) a rolling pin in modelling! Serious question: did you just roll the centre section of the roof? It certainly seems to have achieved a good result. Cheers, Glover

Marks Models also have them on their site but no price quoted. As I understand it, Hattons show a 'possible' price but it may not be realistic. Cheers, Glover

Brilliant photos Ernie! And useful front end detail for modellers. I bought a copy of Railway World which covered this tour, detailing all of the challenges. (Cover photo below). I often wondered what the GNR coach was in the train; any info or photos? Cheers, Glover

Thanks for that BSGSV. I too spotted our friend in the background. He appears to be wearing a duffle coat, which I gather was the height of fashion amount enthusiasts in those days; was there a rail tour to Limerick in 1969? This is perhaps getting (more than) a little off topic, so perhaps we should all go back to playing with our trains! Cheers, Glover

Again, thanks to you Lambeg. I know I'm a bit like a dog with a bone on this photo of 786N but would anyone agree with me that the end MAY be painted tan? Does your memory stretch to that level of detail BSGSV? Woof!! Glover