Branchline121

There's still some around at the GN Navan station.

The 071s are off to Brazil, then?

The current plan is for the railway to bypass west of the village, although I’m not sure what they plan to do with the roads there. I’d say they’ll bridge them instead of build new level crossings.

There's a photo of the engine shed on the IRRS archive: https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/54253416410/

Some photos do show the remains of what I assume to have been a siding into the factory.

Found this image of Larne, description says it was taken c. 1888. There’s a nice view of the town and sidings and a loco that looks ancient — even for 1888!

https://www.rte.ie/news/dublin/2026/0724/1584928-irish-rail/ Irish Rail have announced they plan to upgrade the Northern line to 4 tracks. First mention of this concept since GNRI days I presume?

O'Dea's collection has been discussed before on Wikimedia Commons, but unfortunately it seems they're very much still under copyright protection.

Consultation for the line has opened here. While it follows parts of the original alignment, Drumree is bypassed to better serve Dunshaughlin, Kilmessan is diverted to avoid development, and the line south of Navan is altered for the same reason. All in all it deviates from the original line a lot more than the Clonsilla–M3 Parkway line.

Irish Rail’s Rail2050 strategy mentions utilising the Foynes branch up to Ballingrane for a commuter service, so the station shouldn’t be a complete waste, provided they follow through.

These proposals for a new street in Navan could enroach onto the parking available at the station. If they go ahead it could really complicate opening a heritage railway.

I believe they call it the "Streisand effect".

Cool to see someone else on the forum is playing this game. I tried my hand at a Mills-inspired house but I think it needs a bit of work:

I made a livery edit for a 2900 with Arrow colours a while ago, it should fit this thread:

Not to be the bringer of bad news, but I think @GSWR 90’s comment was tongue-in-cheek. It would be nice for Moyasta to return but I think it’s too rural and too niche to really be sustainable. Realistically the best outcome would be that 5C is sent to Dromod or put on display somewhere secure.

Feels like a bit of a scam that there’s an 071 named after the GSWR, but none named after the MGWR, GNRI or DSER.

Often times when the public resolves to make something railway-related it may contain any number of inaccuracies as long as it’s “close enough”. Of course it’s unreasonable to expect someone with little interest in the railways will research everything to a T, but that doesn’t stop it from mildly annoying me (and other anoraks I presume). I’ve created this thread for people to post such examples, whether it be the “GNR Cafe” in the MGW station of Kilmainham Wood I’ve mentioned elsewhere, or this article that calls Chetwynd Viaduct on the Cork-Bandon line “a key part of the Great Southern and Western Railway network“, or even this interesting memorial in Omagh (not just the locomotives’ American-style outline but also the company’s initials):

Somewhat old but a shot of an NCC Mogul is at the beginning of this video.

Picture of a J5 passing the station in this RPSI magazine, taken in 1957.

The government’s follow-up, the Rail Project Prioritisation Strategy, came out today. Mostly just a reiteration of the AISRR but a bit more detail in some places. Reinstatement of the Mosney loop and Sligo platform 2 among some of the new proposals. Here it is for anyone who wants to give it a read. Below is a graphic from the document:

Which turntables on the network still work? I know there’s Connolly for one but how many else can still be used to turn steam locos?

I'm sure there would've been just as much litter as there is now had there been the same amount of plastic bottles/packaging.

Wikimedia Commons has a few old ones, particularly from Robert French: Same as above, but better quality; Castlebar, 1880 Aftermath of Armagh disaster, 1889 Clifden, c. 1898 Athboy, c. 1900 Achill, c. 1900 Armagh, 1909 Clifden, 1914

I would say there still is a big human aspect to the railways, but it's harder to see these days under stringent safety regulations and reduced mileage. It's a bit more obvious in places like Inchicore I'd say.