Rush and Lusk

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, very disappointing for all concerned - many thanks Galteemore.

Locomotive 131 steaming magnificently through Booterstown Station en route to Wexford on the RPSI Sea Breeze trip this beautiful Sunday morning. Also met a couple of nice fellow train enthusiasts - a good to be alive day. George IMG_7494.MOV

Your layout looks fantastic Gabhal L

Fabulous story board and video production - very well done Patrick.

Noel, your narrative and pictures are superb, and very helpful to us all as we move to this stage of acquisition and installation - thank you.

Excellent pictures DJ D - I'm so envious of the sun kissed mountains and warmth of where you live - its like late November here (Dublin), rained all day, dark and miserable !

Excellent, informative responses to this enquiry - tremendous back story evolution by jhb171achill and excellent descriptive photographs by DJ Dangerous - we all learned something today !

Interesting article below from today's Irish Times. Notwithstanding the predictable objections from local politicians, it is encouraging to see the exploration of options to optimise existing and future rail assets. Direct rail services between Wexford and Dublin could face axe TIM O’BRIEN The National Transport Authority (NTA) is looking at plans to end direct rail services between Co Wexford and Dublin. Two separate studies into capacity on the line are considering having passengers from the Rosslare line change from intercity trains to the Dart at either Wicklow or Greystones. The move comes as passenger numbers on the line have grown in recent years, with daily boardings at Wexford station in 2022 more than twice what they were in 2013. Passenger numbers at Enniscorthy have also grown significantly, while in May 2022, Irish Rail introduced a new night-time service between Gorey and Connolly, to meet demand. Rosslare port is also being rapidly expanded post-Brexit, with a new, €170 million facility for workers including gardaí, customs, HSE and Department of Agriculture personnel under construction since last September. The port owner, Irish Rail, has said “the next five years will see historical investment and the largest ever developments at the port through a number of proposed projects” including an offshore renewable energy hub. However, in an email to Co Wexford based Senator Malcolm Byrne, seen by The Irish Times, the deputy chief executive of the NTA Hugh Creegan said: “The current proposals under development envisage that train services from Rosslare/Gorey would terminate at either Wicklow or Greystones and passengers would interchange to the Dart service at that interchange point.” Mr Creegan said “this would allow more frequent services to be provided by diesel trains operating between Rosslare and Wicklow/ Greystones, linking in with the frequent Dart services from that point northwards”. Challenging Irish Rail spokesman Barry Kenny said “delivering additional frequency on the Rosslare to Dublin line has always been challenging in the context of a high frequency Dart service from Bray to Dublin, and this challenge will increase with improvements in Greystones Dart frequency”. The proposals were criticised by Mr Byrne who said “forcing passengers to have to change trains at Wicklow or Greystones will not encourage more passengers to use rail”. The voluntary group Rail Users Ireland said changing trains would “kill” the Rosslare service. “Who is going to get off an intercity train with a nice seat, to cross at Wicklow where there is no fully accessible access at present, and wait in the rain for a Dart train?” the group’s spokesman Mark Gleeson asked.

Is that Skerries Galteemore ? - great pictures. After my super Midlander trip, I couldn't make the Trip today - even worse, I missed out on the Wexford trip, all sold out ! (only wanted 1 this time), however, I'm delighted for RPSI that these trips are so popular - I think there may be a Kilkenny trip sometime in the future ?

Hi Anders112, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading and viewing this thread - fascinating learning of the multiple activity, uses, and evolution around Drogheda Mac Bride Station. I wish you well and look forward to metaphorically joining on this journey.

Hello Stoby, I am also a relative newcomer to the world of model railways (Covid stimulus !) and can thoroughly endorse the help, advice and entertainment value of this excellent community. A few quick suggestions - (1) consider starting with a small railway based diorama on an IKEA shelf, great to experiment and learn a range of skills on a very small scale - (2) start with PECO Setrack, easy to use & widely available - (3) consider not electrifying point motors initially, use the "hand of God" method - (3) temper your ambitions, much less track than you might initially envisage/desire, less is more, (be prepared to stop and rip things up, I have done so a couple of times ! - (4) source your buildings from Metcalfe, inexpensive self build card structures which are fun and satisfying to construct - (5) go to model railway shows, you will lean so much from the displays and the mostly great folks you meet there - (6) purchase fabulous models from IRM, game changers for everyone interested in Irish railway modelling (also the good folks at Marks Models). (6) Have fun. George

Many thanks Abhann na Suire

Hello All, Just participated in another fantastic trip by the wonderful folks at the RPSI - the "Midlander" trip from Connolly to Maynooth and return, superbly well organised, tremendous compliments to all involved. Two short video clips: - (1) 131 arriving Connolly, & (2) run around reconnection at Maynooth. Regards, George IMG_7401.MOV IMG_7408 2.MOV

A truly wonderful film, capturing a complex fading rural world of hope and sadness, amongst many memorable lines - "will you come in to the field Bridie ?"

Fabulous staging, editing and sound - very well done. Actually brings back warm memories of Clogerhead from a little later time - great nights in the Aishling Ballroom in the early 80's ! (probably long since renamed and repurposed ?)

Super video with fabulous drone sequences - excellent progress, do you know the planned official opening date ?

Super tantalising glimpses of the lovely sligo landscape on this spring day.

Super - love those buses !

This whole project is fabulous - well done

Thants a great collection of classic Ford's on the railway bridge Noel - Mark 1 & Mark 2 Escorts, a Mark 1 Capri (another one just visible on the decline), Mark 2 Capri, a Mark 1 Cortina, and most special of all, an Escort XR3 the quintessential "hot hatch" of it's generation (along with the golf GTI of course) - lovely memories from my youth. Layout is fantastic as always. George

Outstanding pictures Jonathan - reminds me to revisit the Museum, and of the tremendous contribution you make to it's success and the enrichment of this forum. Well done, George

Fabulous photographs ! The images are an excellent capture of evolution and change. While we all embrace the migration to renewable energy sources, there is nonetheless a definite air of melancholy about the abandoned and decaying locomotives, rolling stock and rails, as nature reclaims and absorbs them. The night sky picture is superb (I'm assuming a time lapse sequence - how long was the shutter open ?). Excellent work, George

Very interesting Branchline121, The article refers to 8 trainset's in the tender - is that sufficient to provide regular services in both directions including some reserve capacity in the event of failures etc. ?. I took that return journey just last week, the quality of the rolling stock (1st class) is still very good, as were the staff, the 201 class locomotive was fine but showing signs of hard work. The journey time was delayed by flooding around Drogheda and by considerable speed restrictions from Malahide in to Connolly, none of which bothered me at all. However, it reinforces a major question of realistic operational capacity in the coming years when the expanded DART fleet, suburban units plus regional trains and Enterprise compete for the same track space ?

Many Thanks Broithe.

Hi Folks, Just checking if there is a WMRC exhibition this October ? - I have a date in my diary for October 8th, but have not seen any related material, plus recognising the SDMRC in Blackrock at end October, have assumed there is no October show in Wexford - I just want to be sure as I'd hate to miss the truly lovely show in Wexford. Unfortunately I'll miss the Blackrock show due to overseas travel commitments. Thanks, George