Tractionman

just checked again for my trip on Aug 26 from Bangor to Dublin, and Translink inf is now updated to say Enterprise Line Closure between Belfast Lanyon Place and Newry Priority: normal From Monday 26 August Enterprise will operate a new 2 hourly service Bus Substitution services will continue to operate between: • Belfast Lanyon Place to Newry • Return trains from Dublin will connect with bus substitution services at Newry for Belfast Lanyon Place • Enterprise Rail services will operate between Portadown and Dublin Connolly

There's more now listed folks including narrow gauge, see https://clarkrailworks.com/collections/new-arrivals Eg https://clarkrailworks.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/kit-built-21mm-1-88

meanwhile the Hornby 4/6 wheelers can be picked up for peanuts... https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/c/1786/Coaches eg https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/70011/R40132A-WSL-Hornby-SR-6-Wheel-3rd-Class-Coach-number-1909 https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/70026/R40077-WSL-Hornby-BR-6-Wheel-1st-Class-Coach-number-E41373 and some appropriate paint and transfers would be a good alternative?

Looking yesterday at the Translink web-site there is a blank for Enterprise times after Aug 25, which is just a couple of weeks away!

Interesting stuff ^^^ With the planned new lines, there's an opportunity surely to see entirely new alignments, rather than having to stick to the older/original ones, partly because of the barriers caused by post-closure development as @Darrmanpoints out, but also because the settlement/population/economic geography of Ireland has changed since those 19th cent lines were built, so new areas of demand/need, centres of population/industry etc, are surely what the new lines should link up? Plus the engineering requirements/differences between constructing a steam-hauled passenger railway in the 1850s compared to an electric(?)/ emu-based line in the 2050s, surely means we will have different route grades/alignments--look at how the TGV in France just ploughs across the landscape rather than following the old sinuous lines of the 19th cent! A third point is the old lines here were closed long long ago (many in the early 1950s) and since then have been sold off piecemeal, lost to agriculture etc, so effectively are gone--not like the situation in GB with many Beeching closed routes still reasonably visible and largely intact, especially where protected by being repurposed as trails for walking and cycling, like the old Midland route through Monsal Dale. So here there is no real practical or cost advantage trying to recreate the older/former routes/alignments, and as with new road developments (look at how quickly the new motorway network was created in the south here in the 2000s) the cost is probably going to be less taking a new route across the landscape rather than trying to negotiate the complex landownership/developed routes of the past, that ship has sailed (to mix metaphors!)... cheers, Keith

the doc can be accessed here https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/cc8fc-all-island-strategic-rail-review/ 'salient' points will probably differ between us all, but I find the duplication of the Belfast-Newry route odd, unless it is part of a new 'high speed' alignment for Belfast-Dublin? (edit: ok I see it is about increasing N-S capacity) more capacity for rail freight would be good to see, and better rail-ferry links at ports.

There's still some HSTs up for sale, https://www.romicgroup.com/Rolling-Stock/Locomotives-Multiple-Units/InterCity-High-Speed-Diesel-Locomotives-For-Sale/ I wouldn't mind seeing them regauged and on the Enterprise service one day!

Are we getting HSTs!?

How about a Shark? https://tonystrainsofrugby.com/collections/carriages-wagons/products/hornby-r60078-zua-shark-ballast-plough-db993826

I'm watching progress and updates pretty closely as I have 3 trips to Dublin from Belfast to make that week, and would rather not have to drive to Portadown each time and take the Enterprise from there--but will do in preference to taking the bus substitution!

these look great, I nearly managed to get some the other day but by the time I was putting in the address details on the order page the last 2 packs disappeared! oh well, there'll be another run... won't there?

it's interesting to see what parts of this lot gets sold more quickly, some items disappeared very quickly, esp the coaching stock and steam locos, but the diesel units and locos are sitting including the 141/181s...

a whole collection including some hard to find stuff listed: https://clarkrailworks.com/collections/new-arrivals including https://clarkrailworks.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/silver-fox-oo-nir-hunslet-dl-maroon-103 https://clarkrailworks.com/collections/new-arrivals/products/accurascale-irish-railway-models-cie-irish-rail-ballast-plough-van-set-b

could be handy https://news.bachmann.co.uk/2024/03/bachmann-reveal-oo-scale-palvans-at-the-palace/

This just popped up on my email so I thought it might be of interest, various pre-owned MM stock at Rails of Sheffield: https://railsofsheffield.com/collections/pre-owned?tags_brand_td93xydblb7cxukrqni65zsz=Murphy-Models

I have rejoined ITG, I had planned to go to the January gala but not yet booked--so sad to see so much devastation

I bought a copy too, the book's a delight, great photography and informative captions, all beautifully produced by the folks at Colourpoint, definitely recommended!

Broken wheel versions for me too please and €18 would get me buying at least a couple

something to look forward to in the NY: https://www.downrail.co.uk/event/dieselgala/ "We are seeing in the new year in style with a mini diesel gala, to give all you diesel enthusiasts a bit of a treat to kick off 2024. Trains will be running on Saturday 6th January, with the day starting at 11am and expected to run until around 4pm. Ticket prices: To be confirmed Planned traction for the event is: A class A39R B class 146 G class shunter G617 450 class Railcar 458 Anything else we have!"

same here unfortunately, my local exhibition and sadly unable to attend, next year all being well

I went for Gold on rmweb, it's a place I spend a lot of time (as well as here!), and I just had to get rid of the ads, plus I cancelled my print sub of Traction and Gold gives me digital access to Traction as well as Narrow Gauge World which is a good read but impossible to buy in NI now Eason's has gone . So yes it's a fair bit of dosh, but still less than a pint a month.... cheers, Keith

https://www.kitwoodhillmodels.com/on30-9-pit-turntable/ 0n30 will work with 00 gauge track? all the best, Keith

excellent, that's good to know, I was wondering that when I saw the announcement cheers, Keith

OSI Geohive has OS 25" sheets online and free to view https://webapps.geohive.ie/mapviewer/index.html but coverage at this scale is for ROI only, not NI, as observed above, PRONI historical map viewer has 6" sheets which have less detail compared to the 25" scale, especially noticable looking at railways. Here's Tooban Junction by way of example cheers, Keith

spotted on Thursday (19 05 22), just like the good old days!