Auto-Train Original

Ireland does not have a super low population density at all (over 7 million on this island now) and Dublin has the same population density as Amsterdam and Copenhagen and no, Ireland is not smaller than Manchester just because Jack Charlton said it 40 years ago. These off the cuffs 'low density' assumptions are not as relevant as they are made out to be. England has one of the highest pop density on the planet. They are the exception, not the rule. This is not whom we compare ourselves too when talking rail investment. New Zealand is VERY different geograpically than Ireland. Again, not the same. We have a government and civil service who wear onesies watching the Late Late Toy Show while giggling. There is no leadership and foresight in this country. That's the problem not our population density.

why have nearly all the sidings been removed in the last few days?

I have long admired the N-Trak or Freemo concept of people building their own modules at home and then bringing them to clubs and exhibitions for them to be joined up. The concept is simple yet an excellent way for just about anyone to make a module. I was wondering has anyone ever thought of the idea for an I-Track network. Whereby hobbyists could build an Irish themed module to a specific set of specs. Then join them them together at meet ups or public events? I think it would be fantastic and would have great potential for creating the 'wow' factor for both active hobbyists and entice newcommers while promoting Irish OO gauge railway modelling as a whole.

Good work.

I know it is too late and the horse has bolted but I felt from the start this was a poor choice for IRM. Too big, ambitious and limted run. The RTE livery was a strange choice it has to be said. But here we are, and fair play to IRM for being fortright. I hope everything works out for all parties in the end. PS: I can think of at least a dozen example of Irish rolling stock off the top of my head that would have gained more interest.

these lads https://directoryproductimages.blob.core.windows.net/mediaimages/hornbylmssuburbanrakes_header1.jpg

Are the surburban stock similar to the Airfix models?

Thank you very much jhb171achill. I could not find prototype photos anywhere.

I have a pair I want to paint into the loco-hauled green livery. They problem is I can't find photos of the location of the straw coloured line below the windows. Was this line directly below the carriage window frames or was there a gap? Many thanks in advance.

Great photo. How on earth am I ever going to mask that 1 inch line in 4mm!

Fantastic and thanks. Especially regarding the roof colour being grey and not black.

Hi all, I will be embarking on painting a rake of NCC coaches that I know operated into the UTA era. I would like to paint them into the early UTA livery and does anyone have any information pertaining to this this. Also did any of the NCC Maroon coaches operate into the UTA era or were all repainted as soon as UTA took over? Thanks in advance

On a recent NCC thread someone posted about a 'Standard' LMS Brake Van of the LMS which had wandered into GNR rails at Omagh. Can anyone provide me more information on NCC Brake Vans after the war. Can any UK models be converted and what livery did these Irish version wear? Thanks in advance

yes that is more sensible than a direct link to Derry. Most passengers would be going south from Letterkenny anyway.

I honestly can't see the Derry to Letterkenny thing as just talk. The Derry Road is the only game in town for serious reopening and would technically, provide rail service to 'Donegal'.

This is not a political post, and I hope I am posting this in the correct forum. Over the Christmas I met a gentleman who was in government (as a senior civil servant) in the 1980s and is now retired. Turned out he is a railfan and we had a great chat. Anyway, during the course of the discussion he told me how close the country came to having no railways left after 1990. It was literally unofficial policy to dismantle the network. Worst of all CIE management were actually enthusiastic to the point of literally lobbying for this to happen. The initial stage was to terminate all lines west of the Shannon. The station in Athlone was moved to the Leinster side to deliberately sabotage the Mullingar to Athlone route. After a while, all Intercity services were to be terminated. Including Cork and Belfast. CIE management tried to bamboozle ministers with replacing these with a 'state of the art inter-city bus guideway'. All that was to be left was the DART between Howth and Bray. That was it. He described the CIE managers as 'headcases'. If it were not for the community groups in Sligo who started to fight back against the closure all this may well have happened. At one point a government press release in 1987 categorically stated that no further investment of any significance was to be made. Ostensibly allowing it to die naturally. It is almost terrifying to think that we would have lost just about everything. Now I am not saying he was spoofing me, but I was actually in shock by what he told me. Can anyone here confirm this. Was the anti-rail faction literally that out of control?

Early 1970s my father took me to the shop on Monck Place in Phisborough and told me to pick out a carriage. I picked a Hornby/Triang Mk1. A few days later for Christmas I got a Hornby starter set with an O8 and some wagons. Still with the hobby now.

I have seen the CIE Roundel on both brown and grey painted goods vans. But was there ever brown painted goods vans with the Flying Snail logo on it? Thanks in advance.

This is a useful site. Loads of photos of factories with rail sidings. This is Ballyshannon. https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/en/search?country=ireland&year=all&view=grid&page=2

They come in hard envelopes and are a quality product at an excellent price. Huge fan here.

Just listening to the radio the other day. As sure as rain some of the people along the line are predicted genocide, the wrath of Jehovah and tempests if a few gates are closed.. I suppose this being Ireland it is to be expected. Still great to see this line coming back.

Wow! I am simply blown away by everyone graciously sharing their information. Thank you all indeed. Delighted I joined this forum.

Did any Irish operator have coaches with two axles and four wheels? If so, are there any photos or drawings on line. Thanks.

Waste of time, West on Track already exists in 1/1 scale.

Has to be the most interesting train I have seen on Irish railways. Has anyone every tried to model one? Apparently they had some tractive effort and could haul a surprising amount of wagons. Freight train at Downhill - 1979 Built by the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA) 1966-68, the eight 70-class DEMUs were used by the UTA and its successor Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) for both passenger and freight haulage. Their most notable working was the evening Monday - Friday freight service from Londonderry (Waterside) to Lisburn, operated on behalf of CIE whose own locomotives would then take the train on to Dublin. Headed by No. 71 "River Bush", the train is about to enter Downhill tunnel on its way to Lisburn via Antrim and Knockmore Junction. With improved roads in Donegal and Sligo, this service simply petered-out in the 1980s. For a 1977 view of this working, see: C7436 : Freight train at Downhill - 1977. © Copyright The Carlisle Kid and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.