Old Blarney

Thank you.  So obvious. 

I should have remembered the CIÉ emblem, "Speed on Wheels" was irrelevantly referred to as "The Flying Snail" hence (FS).

It's the excitement that gets one at my years. Will I be alive when this model is delivered? Having recently ordered rolling stock from the Lads, am I concerned? Yes.  "The Department for Finance (The War Office) noticed that transaction within five minutes of my placing my order.  She is more than likely to Murder me after I place this forthcoming Order. Any betting on my survival  to take delivery 50/1 against?

Seriously. Thank you IRM.

Good evening  Gentlemen,

Question.  

GSR800 - 800 Maedb - CIE (FS) - DCC Sound.

 Can you tell this aged fellow what (FS)  is?

I run a DCC layout at home and have Old Blarney, (an exhibition layout, presently in storage) 

Help Please!

Old Blarney.

1 hour ago, minister_for_hardship said:

Kind of disappointing a newly produced piece of rolling stock won't take the tighter curves.

Is it all of your tight curves and all of the new rolling stock that won't take the tight curves? My reason for posing these question is this.  One of my sixteen  Hattons six wheelers has wee vagaries on two of my tight curves. It is perfect in one direction, turn it around, then run it in the same direction, off the track she pops. Time after time, in the same place irrespective of speed. I removed the centre set of wheels. Problem solved. the coach ran in either direction without any problem.  I have replaced the centre wheels, and run the offending coach in one direction only. 

Suggestions.

1) Check the back-to-back measurement of the Centre wheels. I found mine to be very slightly out of measurement.

2) Check the wheel assembly for sticking in one direction be it Left to Right or visa versa.

3) Check the piping that runs under the coach and over the wheels. You may find this to be bent, it was on one of my coaches, thus it caught on points and curves.

4) Try applying a small amount of lubricating material on the centre sliding assembly  - Graphite, Dry Lubricating material or perhaps a light oil, (safe on Plastic)

Ah the tasks for the day. 

Might your checklist be as follows - Pen, Reins, Leads!  Choosing leads; could this be a walk for the four legged team? Reins, perhaps a walk with the apple of my eye?  Pen to hand,  putting thought and facts onto paper?  Silly me, we use keyboard devices nowadays. What a train of thought That's it.  A train. A train journey! A wee trip to Belfast.  That what I shall do, i'll spend a day remembering the past, viewing the present, contemplating what would have remained  had it not been for the railway closures of 1957 and  1965. 

Have an enjoyable journey, hopefully one without incident.  

On 13/10/2024 at 8:25 PM, jhb171achill said:

 

Great to see the place finally open, though. I plan to make a flying visit some day soon.

A few familiar faces on the platform - at least three I know....

 

 "I plan to make a flying visit some day soon."  Now then, Mr Beaumont. If my aged memory servers me correctly, and at my advanced years, there has to be doubt about my aged recollections! 

Your turn of phrase - "I plan to make a flying visit some day soon." .  Is  this not the reason  for the introduction of - The Enterprise?

The Non Stop, Customs Examination at Termini, -  Enterprise  - was to thwart the commencement of Aer Lingus direct flights between -  Dublin - Belfast - Dublin.

Wishing you happy travelling.

White.

2 hours ago, irishrailways52 said:

i was recently at farmleigh bridge in palmerstown and i found a peace of old tram track beside the bridge. i don't think the tram line crossed this bridge though it did get me thinking where exactly did the lines run and what is left of them. does anybody have any old photographs or maps that show the tramway or where it was

May I suggest you  go to this link - GeoHive Map Viewer  - There you can access the 25" Map. This shows  Tramway Lines, Railway Lines etc. I assume your reference to 'Farmleigh' is to the Foot Bridge over the Liffey to the North of Palmerstown!  This was a Pedestrian Bridge, recently refurbished. Might you be asking about the Tramway that ran from O'Connell Bridge to Chapelizod and on to Lucan?

 Zooming into the 25" Inch may you can clearly follow the line although, I believe it is the 1913, or thereabouts version.  The final tramline was reopened by Dublin United Tramways (1896) Ltd in 1928 and closed on April 1940.   Route 25 ran to Lucan with Route 26 running to Chapelizod where it crossed the bridge over the Liffey. 

I can recall various sections of the old tram lines still being discovered when the new sewerage system was installed in the late 1940 to early 1950s. I also believe a section of the former Tram Lines was uncovered when resurfacing of the bridge over the Liffey in Chapelizod took place some years ago.

9 hours ago, Branchline121 said:

Um, the GNRI didn’t build the Armagh-Castleblayney but operated its services and acquired it in 1911, and the INWR was already there, so that couldn’t have blocked the line; might you be referring to the Carrickmacross branch opened by the GNRI in 1886? I will take into consideration your book.

Branchline 121

Thank you for your rebuke.  My wording was clumsy.  Perhaps I should have written - The building of the railway line from Armagh to Castleblainey put a stop to any future expansion of this line by the Midland. 

Mayner

Thank you for your  explanation on the politics behind extending the Dublin and Meath to Armagh and further north. 

OB.

"The line was supposed to have made it to Kingscourt, if that had came to fruition that part of the railway probably would have lasted a bit longer.

The Dublin and Meath  Railway Company way back in 1865 had reported an increase in their traffic of 19%. At that time they had plans to extend their line from Navan  to Kingscourt and even for an extension to Castleblaney, where it was hoped to join the Irish North Western Railway. The Navan and Kingscourt  Railway Act was passed in July (1865)  to run from a junction with The Dublin and Meath at Navan to Kingscourt.   Move forward to November 1887 when the Dublin and Meath sold their company to the Midland Great Western who purchased it provided there was also an agreement to purchase the Navan and Kingscourt railway.

The Great Northern built the Armagh to Castleblainey to stop the midland gaining access to Armagh. 

For a detailed history I recommend reading -- The Midland Great Western railway of Ireland  --An Illustrated History -- Ernie Shepherd 

DSER Sections of Double Track

Harcourt Street - Shanganah Junction.

Newcastle to Wicklow - 19th July 1887

A very good question.  My excitement had got the better of me!  I discovered that which did not exist! 

Having looked at the photograph again, I should have observed the wheel position. Had I done so, your explanation would have become apparent to me. 

Thank you. 

ERNIE'S PHOTOGRAPHS

Perusing Ernie's photographs today, I found this image of GNR No800 at Dundalk.  Whilst she certainly caught my attention -  there is something else in this photograph, that caught my eye and my attention. What might this be? 

Look to the right-hand -side of the photograph and to the rear of the shed.  There sits Cattle Wagon 4872.

What is unusual about Cattle Wagon 4872?  The loading ramp is at the end of this Cattle Wagon. Was this a one off?  Our Font of knowledge, young Mr Beaumont may well have the answer?  Jonathan, can you or others on our Forum provide further information? Why is this wagon or any companions different to the standard Cattle Wagon; the ones with their doors in the centre! 

IMAGE (Copied from Ernie's massive collection of Railway Photographs)

Athlone, Great Southern and Western Station and Yard? 

Looking to the right-hand-side of the signal, between the two sets of Telegraph Poles there is a Railway Line.  The Midland Great Western line from Mullingar met the Great Southern and Western Line from Portarlington East of the Shannon Railway Bridge. This junction was a short distance West of the Great Southern and Western's Station on the East Bank of the Shannon River.

22 hours ago, mfjoc said:

I love the picture of the G&SWR Baltic tank at "Inchicore"

I know it's Christmas and that we are supposed top believe in Miracles!  Well that picture has to be a Miracle if it were taken in Inchicore or, anywhere in Ireland!  Why?  The picture is showing a Glasgow and South Western Railway Locomotive.  The location,  St Enoch Station, Glasgow.  This was a location I knew well as I travelled to it on a daily basis prior to its closure.  It was demolished after its closure and replaced by a Shopping Centre. 

A Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our members of this forum.

Dear Mr Holman,

Please see attached. This is a Quay building in Rathmelton. It has a plaque - L&LSRWayCo -  1864.  I have viewed it whilst visiting relations, resident in the area. So, you have the building. Just need to get tracking, eh!

Thank you for your interesting posts, excellent modelling.  Image from Google Maps.

White. 

CIE Dark green. 1st and 3rd Class

CIE Lighter Green. 1st and 2nd Class.

Mr Beaumont,

CIE Liveried Coaches

Thank you, yet again, for your contributions on the vagaries of our Irish rolling stock, and for covering so thoroughly - the variety of consists, the era in which they ran, the locomotives that they were paired with, as well as the geographical lines they ended their days upon.

I placed my order this afternoon for these. I chose the four pack, individual 3rd, 2nd Class, composite, 3rd and 2nd Brake Vans in both liveries, and to finish things off, a couple of B&T Vans too.  All to remind me of my days when I watched and travelled on 1950s CIÉ, in a coach that had six wheels, a half compartment partition, and bounced its merry way from Sydney Parade to Killiney, without stopping at Booterstown Station.  Even better, a train from Harcourt Street to Bray and sighting GSR Maroon six-wheel coaches at Foxrock.  Perhaps, Hattons may consider a Great Southern version of these too.  Would this be unlikely as it is too far in the past?

I just hope I'm still alive and able to run my Model Railways when deliver of these coaches takes place. This is really a comment for you young McAllister!!

Oh, coach numbers and possible duplication. I believe, unless I misunderstood the conversation, I held with Hattons, the four pack numbers are not duplicated by any of the other coaches. 

Jonathan, again, thank you for all your contribution and time on this matter and others too.

White.

Not the best image of a U Class. 

On 30/7/2022 at 9:48 PM, jhb171achill said:

While the whole idea of the Dugort Harbour layout is to recreate, albeit in a fictitious location, as true-to-life a 1950s-1970 CIE setting as possible, with as much attention as possible to strict accuracy in locos and rolling stock for the relevant period, every layout has to have a "Rule 1".

I was tipped off recently by a friend who pointed this out as being for sale by a friend of his. By coincidence, it was exactly something I had considered doing myself at some stage!

It is the unpowered Dapol BR railbus, with a professionally built motor in it, wired up for DCC, the lot. Working front and rear lights. It appears to be beautifully finished, and is en route by post as we speak.

So it needs a story. When BR were building these short-lived things in the late 50s, CIE got one as a demo. It was tried out here and there, just like the former Sligo railcar also was in 1960/1/2. But it ended up on the Dugort Harbour branch where it was used for a few years on passenger services, freeing up a "C" or a B141 for other duties.  We'll say it arrived in 1959 and ended up in a scrap siding at Mullingar by 1968......

 

The roof will have to be painted black, of course - nothing in black'n'tan EVER had any sort of grey roof; one must maintain standards, after all!

 

Ah well, young Beaumont.  Now there is a tale to tell, is there not!

  Look at photographs of CIÉ, Class U, single deck buses. The Country bus and Dublin City ones.  U 51 to 88. built at Spa Road, Works in 1954. The front on this batch of bused is as near as "Identical" to the front of your Railcar. I know and loathe the expression as near as identical. Something is or is not identical. 

Your story could be along these lines. CIÉ discovered they were in possession of an additional front panels for a bus, but they had no other materials available for its completion.  Thus, the Railway Works, at Inchicore were approached and asked if they may have a use for the surplus bus front. Remembering the Bus side of CIÉ had delivered a former Dublin United Tramways "A Class" bus to the Railway.  This was converted into a Rail-bus. Not very successful.  So, there is precedent!! 

I'm sure someone will be able to add a photograph of the city, or country, U Class Bus for your perusal.

Good evening young Sir,

What a pleasure it is to read your reply to my comment.

From memory, now I don't know that reliance may be placed upon it (my memory) at my advanced years; I believe the date was shortly after the commencement of the DART Services: - Bray - Howth - Bray.

If you can find the date for the commencement of that Shuttle Service. and the withdrawal of all of the former Push-Pulls sets, excluding the Shuttle Service Stock. you will be close to the date I referred to.   From memory, "My driver, that day, was to take-up duties on the Bray-Greystones-Bray shuttle the following week. I believe from memory; this was the commencement of the shuttle service between Bray and Greystones." 

I may be incorrect?  If the Push-Pull stock continued in use used on serviced out-with the area served by the newly electrified DART Services, I'm up-the creek.  However, I remember the statement made to me by my driver that day when I travelled to Maynooth and back to Connelly. (See quotation above)

Give me a "bell" and let us have a natter. Far too long since we conversed.

Kindest regards,

White.

Push-Pull to Maynooth.

I travelled on a Push-Pull train (Former AEC Railcars and a B201 Locomotive) from Connely to Maynooth to Connely.  My driver, that day, was to take-up duties on the Bray-Greystones-Bray shuttle the following week. I believe from memory; this was the commencement of the shuttle service between Bray and Greystones.

26 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

One more for tonight......

Edinburgh. Travelling through Princes Street Gardens. The direction of travel is from Waverly Station to Haymarket Station. East to West. The far end of this train is exiting the tunnel under The Mound. It has a steep incline, is heating during inclement weather to prevent it from icing during cold spells. It is one of two thoroughfares connecting the New Town to The Old Town.  

Might these sources may help provide some historical background your project! 

 https://vlex.co.uk/vid/enniskillen-bundoran-and-sligo-808242049

"The Irish North-Western Railway joined with the Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway Company to build a 36-mile line from Bundoran Junction (then called Lowtherstown) to Bundoran, which opened in 1866. Plans were made to extend the line to Sligo. The extension was authorised in 1862 but this never materialised. This would have opened up the Atlantic Corridor enabling people to travel from Derry to Limerick by rail. Many of the various private railway companies operating in the north of Ireland amalgamated in 1876 to form The Great Northern Railways Company (G.N.R.)."

https://discoverbundoran.com/historic-bundoran/railway/

Are you also an Andrew's Boy?

Teachers - Southgate, Sleath, The Bog and Spud too. Ah, just remembered, your Father's Home was in Wellington Road.

"The Enniskillen and Bundoran Railway hoped to reach Sligo via a coastal route, but they would lose out to the Sligo, Leitrim and Northern Counties Railway. I think I'd like to model this unbuilt line in GNR(I) days. Does anyone know what engine classes would have been used on this line, had it been built?

If anyone has suggestions for books or information on this proposed line, I'd be very grateful."

RaglanRoad,

Somewhere at the back of my mind I recall a visit to, The Irish Railway Record Society, Heuston Station. There I viewed Station Plans for the proposed Bundoran to Sligo Railway. If you contact the Society, I'm sure they will be happy to assist you. Perhaps, you might consider becoming a member!  I assume, from your name "Raglan Road" that you may well be a resident of Dublin. Incidentally, I attended School on a road not far from Raglan Road. Ah, the memories!!

"That happened to me once on an summer excursion and I missed my footing climbing down and fell onto the ballast!""

Might Guinnesss have been consumed?