Old Blarney

I have two of these sets, their cost, £45.00 each. Admittedly, this they were purchased about ten years ago? One of the Locomotives is on my home railway as I type this post and is used to pull a thirty wagon Goods Train. Alternatively, it has eight to ten passenger coaches behind her.

Kirley, "Did you ever come across the reason why the GNRI used the continental style corridor connections making all the BUT Trailers unusable with other stock?" I'm not absolutely sure of my facts on this matter. I offer the following as a possible answer to your question. The GNR, AEC, 600 Class power cars, were incapable of running as multiple units, thus they were limited to a configuration of two power cars in any set. The configuration was often strengthened by including one or two unpowered cars between the two Powered cars. Alternatively, a two car set could have a third coach added as a trailer. Bearing these facts in mind the 600 Class were therefor limited in their make-up unlike the CIE 2600s which were capable of Multiple Set working. The 700 and 900 Class railcars were designed for multiple unit running, thus they were wholly incompatible with the 600 class of railcar. I suspect the fitting of the Continental Type Gangway to the 700 and 900 was to ensure they would only be used together, and not mixed with a 600 series unit.

Irish Rail's new Station and Train Announcement! - "Mind the Doors and Band Together when Alighting and Boarding this Train please." "Mind the Gap" - Were Irish Rail to make this announcement, might they then be taken to Court by a well known Retailer? Business is fraught with difficulties is it not?

What has happened to - Common Sense - Self Preservation - Personal Observation - Awareness of your surroundings - Self Awareness - looking after, and caring for ones-self? It would appear we are no longer responsible for our own actions and our own stupidity. This person was responsible for his actions. He alighting at the wrong Station. Had he not done so, this incident would not have occurred! He and only he is responsible for his action and self-inflicted injury. The Law is more of an Ass nowadays. This individual should have been prosecuted for Trespass upon Railway Property. I can see it coming - Glass screens with protective doors. Doors that open and close in parallel with a trains door once the train has come to a complete standstill. Oh, and a retractable ramp from platform to the door of the train.

Having just returned from, The Dundee Model Railway Club Exhibition, held over the past two days, I ran my GNR(I)U Class from OO Works there without it misbehaving. As per my previous postings, many alterations were required to my U Class to ensure it ran in an acceptable manner. Whilst I would like to have a second model of this locomotive, I am somewhat loathed to commit to the purchase of a second one, because of my previous unfortunate experiences.

Old Blarney will be at DUNDEE this coming week end. Information available from this link. http://www.dundeemrc.talktalk.net/dmrc_003.htm Four of the coaches featured in Tales from the Carriage Shed will be running thanks to a certain individual from Hamilton, New Zealand. http://irishrailwaymodeller.com/showthread.php/2921-Tales-from-the-carriage-shops/page11?highlight=Carriage+Shed

John I'll have two of the six wheel Vans from you please. Ref Drawings. Richard McLachlan has/is taking photographs of drawings in the IRRS's possession. Do you have his contact details? If not,I can contact him to enquire if he can be of assistance to you with this project. He may be able to sourcing the required drawings and photograph them for you! David. AKA - Old Blarney.

Is this in a Tunnel near Downhill?If so there is a film of the first two members welcoming a real train through the West Door! Seriously,I wish you and your Society Members every success in this venture. Old Blarney.

Found these photographs - they may well help you! There are many photographs of - 071 -- 141 Etc. http://metrovick.com/

JT22CW, Your proposed Track Plan. Thunderbird Loco Stabling Siding - Like many British mainline stations, there will be a "Thunderbird" loco plonked here, on permanent standby ready to be dispatched to rescue a train at a moments noticed. This will be on the 'Mainline' side of the fence. May I suggest you consider replacing the crossover (As shown above) with a Single Slip? Alternatively, a Double Slip as either will increase your operating options. Your proposed plan limits any directly movement from your Thunderbird Loco Siding to your Cork Road. Substituting a Double Slip, where your Crossover is, would also permit you to access the up (Cork to Dublin) road for wrong line running in the Down Direction. (Dublin to Cork)

The following information is copied from a post by a member of this Forum who is a well known authority on the details of the Railways of Ireland as were, his Father and Grandfather:- The GSWR crest lasted three quarters of a century. The GNR crest lasted from 1876 to 1958. The GSR crest, 20 years. BCDR - longer. Flying snail - almost 20 years. UTA crests - about 10 years each. NIR logo as was - in various forms 1967-1996 or so. Broken wheel - 1962-87. IE Set of points - 1987 - maybe early 90s, getting shorter. Three-pin-plug - over 15 years. I hope this information is of help to you! However, it is worth noting the various colour schemes used by Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE), Irish Rail and its successor, Iarnrod Eireann have all overlapped one-and-other, often by a significant number of years. Thus, one may legitimately use rolling stock from previous incarnations with that of the successor or even successors. Green with Black-and Tan, oh sorry, Golden Brown. CIE Greens, there were various shades over the years. Grey (121) Locomotives as well Green Locomotives were to be seen pulling Green Rolling Stock mixed with Golden Brown and Black, coaches and Steam Heating Vans. The 071 class have overlapped in colour schemes too. The original Black and Gold was not immediately replaced when Irish rail was formed from CIE in 1987. Likewise the replacement livery of IR was not immediately replaced by the IE incarnation using the Plug and Socket emblem. When the first IE, Freight Livery was introduced, there was a considerable overlap in years before that colour scheme was applied to all of the 071 Locomotives. Thus, for a short time it was possible that one could see three different liveries on 071 locomotives. I hope this is of help to you. Happy modelling and welcome to Irish railways. Old Blarney.

I am a few days late - as some may say - But then it is better to be late than never arrive! Found this on YouTube this evening. Short film, but it certainly shows our Trams, apologies "Cars", and they were; Proud, as was I, to have had the opportunity to travel on them. Do hope you fine this brief film useful to you?

May I be cheeky and suggest! A) For maximum flexibility paint one side to match your CIE early Cravens and the opposite side to match the IR/IE Cravens! B) If you find the above unacceptable, you could opt for the IR twin white lines and still run with CIE Cravens. There were a number of Cravens that remained in CIE livery for quite some time after the formation of IR. Excellent photographs to be found on these links. http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/ie/car/IE/ie_mk1_3183tla_cd.jpg http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/ie/car/IE/pix.html

Lovely photographs of past years and the railways as they were. Unfortunately, it is the past, and our yesterdays cannot be compared with today. Gort has a reinstated railway line and service, along with a modern station. (If one wishes to use such a term) Unfortunately, Youghal has neither of these, and I doubt I'll be around to see a reinstatement of the line from Middleton to Youghal, should it ever happen! I hold happy memories of travelling on these two railway lines. I remember with fondness a wonderful Sunrise as the train I travelled on approached Cobh Junction in the year we celebrated Cork 800. I was travelling on The RPSI Tour that year, and got wind of a special from Youghal to Claremorris on the Sunday morning. No sleep that night. The Knock Special was due to depart for Youghal at 04.30 Hrs. Travelled on the Locomotive and watched with interest as the rust rose off the rails in clouds of dust as we passed along the line. I was not the only person to have heard of this train movement as I, and our Crew, were joined by others of our fraternity that morning. Oh happy days and lovely memories. As already mentioned by Dez, Gort as depicted in the photograph relating to this topic would make a wonderful Model Railway scene.

Photographs of a model of a Dublin 'Luxury Car' in The National Railway Museum, York. http://dewi.ca/trains/2004/york/index.html

Dave, I'm sorry to disagree with you, but you incorrect with your statement. Yes, The Hill of Howth Trams ran until March 1959. The Dublin Trams finished in July, 1949. The last routes being the 6 Blackrock - 7 Dun Laoghaire and 8 Dalkey. I remember them finishing, and I'll take you on any amount of money that the City Trams did not run into the 50s. There was a Festival, An Tostal, from 1953 to 1958 held to boost Dublin Tourism - in its first year a Dublin Luxuary Car was used as a Publicity Office on the North Side of The Pillar. Perhaps it is this Tramcar that your sister was photographed at? Also see Wikipedia. Dublin tramways was a system of trams in Dublin, Ireland which commenced line-laying in ... of the system went out of service from the mid-1920s, in part overtaken by the bus. The decline of the trams accelerated in the 1940s and the last trams ran on 9 July 1949 in Dublin city and in 1959 on Howth Head, near Dublin [/color] [/Old Blarney

Talking of Second Class Passengers travelling in First Class Coaches, this subject was discussed at our Model Railway Club last Thursday. A Club member,retired British Rail Guard, told me that when, or where, a Second Class Passenger is given permission to travel in a First Class Coach, on a Second Class Ticket, the Guard must firstly seek the permission of each First Class Passenger by asking them, if they have any objections to a non First Class Ticket holder joining them. Should any-one of the First Class passengers raise an objection, the Guard must then refuse permission for the Second Class Ticket holder to travel in First Class. Where no objection/s is raised by the First Class Passenger/s to the occupation of a seat by a Second Class Ticket holder, each first Class Passenger must then be issued with a notice provided by the train Guard. That notice entitles the First Class Passenger/s to travel on their next train journey using a Second Class Ticket; provided they, present the aforementioned notice when purchasing their ticket, and that they retaining the notice they were provided with.

I suggest you purchase this book, Dublin's Trams - Through Streets Broad and Narrow. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Through-Streets-Broad-Narrow-History/dp/0711033366 Much as I dislike Amazon, they are advertising it for sale. Old Blarney.

Could you please be specific regarding your enquiry of Dublin Trams. Are you wanting information on the Tramcars that were withdrawn from the Streets of Dublin in July, 1949 The Hill of Howth tramcars The modern things that are called LUAS. I may be able to assist with the first two but not the latter. Old Blarney. The Hill of Howth tramcars, ,

John, from your comment, I take it the Maroon RPSI Generating Van has both Air Brakes and Vacuum Brakes! Is this correct?

The Decoder used by my expert fitter is the TCS KAM4P, eight pin decoder. I have included a link to the supplier's page - http://www.digitrains.co.uk/ecommerce/locomotive-decoders/standard-oo-ho/kam4p-mh-decoder-4-function.aspx Excellent service from them, far superior to that from DCC Supplies who I no longer use. Oh the cost - EXPENSIVE - however the locomotive runs now that this decoder is installed in it.

Improved the running of my U by fitting a Decoder with "Stay-alive power" in the Tender and also adding additional weight to the inside of the tender. It now houses two tyre weight of 10 Tg each. The Locomotive cab also has a 10Tg tyre weight fitted to the underneath of the cab roof. These alterations (which should not be necessary in a locomotive of this price)have improved its performance beyond recognition. No nodding-donkey and no stalling on Double-Slips or Crossovers. David White.

Might this photograph be of use? Variety galore in rolling stock types and liveries - Vans too. Source Ernie's' Irish Railway Photographs

This situation should certainly not arise on my home Layout as the track has been cleaned thoroughly, as have the Locomotive's wheels. Yet, there are deposits of track-dirt on the wheels of the Tender and Bogie. This occurs after a short period of operation. These deposits may be caused by the lack of weight in the tender, and having rebalanced the Locomotive by putting additional weight in the Driving Cab. The front bogie too may be lacking weight, although I've placed a dollop of Blue Tack there to add weight to it. A "Lack of Weight" can, I'm told, be a cause for dirt collecting on wheels in a very short time. Oh, the joys of problems with Model Railways!!!!

Cattle babysitting for one-and-other. http://windowontheprairie.com/tag/cow-babysitting/ Well worth watching. I'm fortunate and reside in the country where my neighbours are Cattle and Sheep.