DERAILED

The MGWR six-wheeler at Clifden is another survivor from the GSRPS (Mallow). Many of the signs and other memorabilia were 'fabricated' at Dromod in the mid-1990s. The entire development at Clifden is a horrible mess but I'm sure Failte Ireland approve.

For anyone interested, the pic of E402 in Mullingar Scrapyard was taken by Joe St.Leger and features left to right Brian 'Vortex' Greene, Bill Garrioch, Derailed and Joe St.Leger - a 50% survival rate!

Limerick Junction is the setting for this one. Joe St.Leger the photographer. As an aside, the Waterford inspection car had a hamper with a complete set of GSWR crockery which was used for special occasions (visits of the CCE) - I was given a soup plate from it many years ago.

CIE in La La Land would be a better title for the film. Freight customers were canvassed for where they would prefer the Dublin Sundries depot to be located - they chose Heuston so CIE put it in the North Wall. The proposed bogie Sundries wagons in the film were abandoned and 10ft containers chosen instead but somebody forgot to order enough of them and a huge amount of traffic was lost. Stations proposed for major freight redevelopment back then included Clonmel, Castleisland & Listowel! The beginning of the end rather than a new beginning. Interesting film all the same.

Here's a shot of 711 at Ballinasloe (?) in the mid 1990s - sorry for the poor quality pic.

There's no two ways about it, trying to shoe horn the Fry Model Railway into a totally unsuitable building, at an already proven unsuitable location is madness.

This issue of Irish Railfans News http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/IRFN/IRFN0803.pdf from 1962 shows 5 Wickhams being supplied and their depot allocations. I was lucky enough to travel over the Burma Road from Collooney to Claremorris in a Wickham in 1981 and over the Tralee/Fenit branch in 1988. I am searching for pictures of same and will post if they turn up.

One of the Downpatrick Wickhams en route from Portlaoise PW Depot to Dromod in 199x - at Tyrellspass. Photo: Joe St.Leger

All the info is available in the 4th edition of Irish Rlys Traction & Travel.

There were at least 4 built by Wickham's of Ware, England - a firm that also built garden sheds. They were built in 1962 and supplied to CIE.

CIE No - Builders No

710 - 8918 - was damaged in a collision on the Wexford line and subsequently dumped with the remains of another in Enniscorthy - both now gone.

711 - 8917

713 - 8916

714 - 8920

Two are now preserved at Downpatrick - one of which belonged to the Irish Narrow Gauge Trust at Dromod.

They were all painted yellow and only one (711) ? had the running number painted on the outside.

Another completely unserviceable livery.

The crash report is something else - cut to the chase, no pages of waffle. The lack of innovative projects like Drumm trains on Irish railways today is one of my pet annoyances. In the days of the Drumm train they recharged at night. Today, presumably, battery technology has improved, there's excess capacity in the grid at night that could be utilised but has there been any interest in the technology.

Another addition to the list of items that I'm clearing out.

Coras Iompair Eireann Public Train Services Timetable – Summer Timetable 4th July 1949.

Published for Coras Iompair Eireann by Basil Clancy Limited, 33 Bachelor’s Walk, Dublin.

72 pages + covers.

Contents:

Principal Stations and Passenger Enquiries; Index to Services; Omnibus Connections; Availability of Rail Tickets on Omnibuses; Timetables; Seat Reservations and Travel Tickets; Restaurant Car Services; General Regulations; Lost Luggage; plus some advertising.

In excellent condition. VERY RARE!!

€20 including p+p or can be collected from Enniscorthy.

That's not Dromod but I wouldn't be surprised if Mr.Trebus is involved somewhere.

Just saw this on Boards.ie tonight! C202 the loco formerly exhibited at Cahirciveen and then dumped near Grace Dieu Junction in Waterford. In company with an ex.West Clare railcar unit from Blackwater and assorted other razor blade material. Location and owner not mentioned.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057273858

Do you not think it's a bit late in the day for that? Of course in an enlightened organisation this might have happened but not in a moribund, past its sell by date, dinosaur like CIE/IE. Also a tourist type train could have been another venture but our ex.Transport & Tourism Minister was too busy jockeying for position in FG to pay much attention to his brief.

Photographer was probably Joe St.Leger. The cabin was a homemade GSWR 'style' effort built by volunteer Nicky Wakeford aka 'Bodger'. It was never used for anything other than accommodation.

Talking of wooden cabins reminded me that the cabin at Tralee (Rock Street) was one such. It was dismantled for the GSRPS by AnCO/FAS during the mid 1980s and put into storage in Tralee loco shed - could still be there, levers and all?

The elephant in the room here is Inchicore Railway Works - acres of space - close to the City Centre and with the former (listed) running sheds an obvious location. Sadly, with the useless politicians we have there's no chance. With the stroke of a pen Varadkar and Deenihan could put this thing in motion in the morning. You have my best wishes but I've no energy anymore for this kind of project.

http://archiseek.com/2010/1846-irish-rail-works-inchicore-dublin/#.U538zZRdXiU

Hill of Howth Tramway book still available.

Two limited edition, large format postcards (mint condition) €5 including p+p to UK or Ireland. See below.

and a rare (?) bird - "War on the Railways in Wexford" limited edition produced by IE to mark 150 years of the railway in Enniscorthy. Mint condition - €8 including p+p.

Don't delay if you want any of them as they are going on Adverts.ie later today.

€75 !!!! You could have brought the real thing for that price. The foreman at CIE's Mullingar Scrapyard had a grounded one for an office right up until closure - wonder what happened to it?

Yes - they are cast iron and unbroken - ready to fix onto a signal lever.

Hi,

Sorry for the delay. Here's the third one. There's a grubby mark on it which would probably clean off with some elbow grease but I've none in stock!

Can bring to Dublin next week.

Two cast iron signal lever plates looking for a new home. €20 collected from Enniscorthy or €20 collected from Dublin (opposite Connolly Station) - no offers please. Stop press: I've just discovered a third one and will throw it in for an additional €5 i.e. €25 in total.

My original point got a lot of people going, producing lots of interesting detail about railed served industry, but it remains a fact that Ireland had very little heavy industry served by rail, only sugar!

Stephen

NET (Shelton Abbey and Marino Point); Irish Cement at Platin and Mungret... The fact is that due to a lack of natural resources i.e. iron ore and coal Ireland had very little heavy industry - period.

CSE didn't hire the G-class, they purchased them. G613 at Tuam, G611, 615, 616, and 617 at Thurles. G611 was later 'lent' to CIE to shunt the wagon works at Limerick but this local arrangement caused ructions when news reached the the powers that be at Inchicore. The Rustons held sway at Carlow and Mallow CSE factories.