DERAILED

Here's a crude effort that I came across on Done Deal today. Only €30 and the seller was not making any claims for its authenticity. Vaguely similar to one that used to be adjacent to the road overbridge at Claremorris station. It's a long time since I last saw that sign and I think that it has disappeared in the intervening years but I doubt it had as many spelling mistakes.

Sorry, who are you some sort trainspotter who thinks he should be on the stage? I'll explain what I mean, It's quite simple really. Back in the 1980s, CIE/IE got passengers from A to B in a good deal more comfort than they do today and in the process, tried to break even. They failed to do so then and there's no sign that by making rail travel an endurance test rather than a pleasure, they are any nearer to breaking even. I'll put your patronising bad manners down to the fact that you're probably not old enough to remember the 1980s yourself. As an aside, do you ever take the train or are you one of the camera swinging brigade that swan around the country in their car taking photographs . I suspect if you were a regular rail user you might have stronger views on the range of facilities available.

It's not 1984 anymore - what does this even mean? In a great many ways the railway has gone backwards since 1984 something as basic as catering cannot even be provided anymore, neither can parcels be carried, stations be manned or passengers be protected from assorted types of pond-life...Yes, it's not 1984 anymore.

Wouldn't it be nice if IE gave the Mk IV's a bold new, serviceable livery too - something simple like, or identical to, that used by Belmond? Incidentally, no word when they are going to upgrade 1st class on the Rosslare line?

We already have a fairly jumbled up thread on fake signs and I thought it might be nice to have one on genuine items that still pop up from time to time. This DNGR boundary marker sold on eBay today for £131 - quite a bargain for a fairly rare item. It came with a good provenance from a reliable seller - I think he's on here. Initially I was sceptical as a number of these have sold at auction over the years and there can't have been that many but the wear, paint etc. corresponds with other examples sold and added to the details the seller provided me with I was happy - to £66. I only wanted it to sell on and at £131 things were definitely too risky - a nice item.

The 2200s are a horrible experience to travel on - airless, noisy internally from underfloor engines, noisy from lack of any internal partitions, tiny toilets apart from the wheelchair ones, no buffet car and no catering at all.. Having got rid of loco haulage and the associated vans they are now reinventing the wheel. Train travel is now an endurance which I partake of as infrequently as possible.

According to IE's latest Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/iarnrodeireann Inter-city trains are to become even ridiculous - see image. Hot on the heels of this comes more speculation about terminating Rosslare trains at Wicklow or Greystones....and it's not even April 1st. https://m.independent.ie/regionals/wexford/news/works-to-help-improve-rosslare-to-dublin-railway-service-are-ongoing/a2134218808.html

Malranny was indeed examined in the early nineties but considered too remote and we mistakenly settled on the other place. At the time the station and GS hotel at Mulrany were on the market with 80 acres for IR£120,000 - how times have changed! EDIT: My memory fails - it was IR£175,000 but still a bargain.

Over the years I have put numerous proposals to politicians of all colours, and others, on the need for a National Transport Museum and I might as well have been talking to the wall. I have nothing further to say on the matter but as the saying goes, a picture paints a thousand words and this recent photo of the 'preserved ' MV Naomh Éanna (CIE's Aran Island Ferry) says it all. https://www.facebook.com/MVNaomhEanna

You need to have been involved in it to understand and there's no way it can be explained adequately to an outsider. As for Moyasta, I won't mourn its passing - it was always going to end this way run by an arrogant SOB. I know from first-hand experience of dealing with the individual concerned. Blennerville was hijacked by a coterie of local business interests and Tralee UDC and was always doomed to fail once they drove off the enthusiasts. As for the other well known project...what goes around comes around and I won't be shedding any tears.

The 2007/09 volume is now sold. The other two volumes are still available.

Hard to believe - well over 1,000 views and no enquiries. Do people not read anymore?

Normally, but at this time of year I don't want to tie myself down being available at times/dates. Sorry.

Detailed fleet listing with photos of Bord na Mona narrow gauge fleet as it was in 1996. 48 pages, soft cover. In excellent condition save for two dents to front cover see images. Scarce volume. €10 plus postage. I still have loads of IRRS Journals, RPSI 5ft 3" and Donegal "Phoenix" mags, and various other Irish titles - message me with your wants.