Flying Snail

Very tasty indeed!

@Mayner is correct. It's held in autumn as that means its main target market is less busy with farm work. In the same vein, because it's held on tillage land it has to wait until the harvest is over and the land becomes available.

Plenty of lads here into ploughing I see. Not a surprise really when you think about it ...

I was due to head to it today, but didn't fancy getting stuck in the ocean of mud that the carpark would become.

Welcome to the forum @ninjast. Looking forward to seeking how this develops!

@BosKonay would Mousa Models be another candidate for manufacturer or shop? From looking at their site they also do sides (resin printed or etched brass) for some CIE/IR generator vans Edit: ... and of course, Worsley Works as mentioned by @David Holman above

Its a fabulous scene, and the Peckett really looks at home there!

A very nice engine indeed - it just oozes character!

She's a beauty! Lovely looking loco.

Exciting times - I'll be following along with interest and I'll keep my eyes open for your fundraisers.

Appreciate these things are subject to change (and availability of people and funding), but what kind of timeframe are you hoping to complete the works in?

Agree - its killed trade alright. But to be fair to An Post, there's a shocking lack of understanding amongst UK sellers on what's required. Leaving aside the VAT for a minute - Royal Mail do nothing, absolutely nothing, to ensure the parcels they receive are correctly labelled. Then when they inevitably get stopped and returned to the sender because nobody can figure out if they're subject to duty, Royal Mail just shrug their shoulders and the retailer is none the wiser as to why. Personally, I've stopped purchasing anything dispatched via Royal Mail until it gets its house in order on labelling. Delivery via DHL is more expensive, but at least they know how to label a parcel - and they make sure their customers do too. So while I'll end up getting charged Irish VAT (plus an admin fee) by DHL, I know the parcel will get through.

@Murph, I've a quick question about the Cheeky Bugger (I mean your pub, not any of the esteemed forum members contributing to this thread ). How did you do the window surrounds on the first floor? They look very ornate.

They look excellent Murph - There's probably a nice pint in Nancy Blake's but I'd say Murphy's bar on the quay is the place to watch the football on telly

Walk on DJ, walk on ...

Looking forward to seeing some of your scratch builds! YNWA

The unsinkable HST just keeps going! A quirky epilogue to the iconic HST as they sail into the sunset (pun very much intended)

Enjoyed watching the video of Paul on the GCR going through the history of these wagons - another big project in terms of the variations!

I look forward to (hopefully) purchasing some of these in October!

Well, in that spirit, you might enjoy humming along to this: I am the very model of an Irish rail historian, I've researched all the timetables, both modern and Victorian, From steam to diesel engines, through history I'm delving deep, With every kind of locomotive, my knowledge is a treasure heap. I know the routes of yesteryears, the stations closed and lines removed, From Dublin down to Cork I've tracked, no railway fact I've disapproved, In tunnels, viaducts, and yards, I find stories that enthrall, I am the very model of a railway historian, after all. I've memorized each engine type, their numbers and their histories, From Great Southern Railways to CIE, with all their mysteries, I know the tales of navvies, who laid the tracks through rain and shine, Their sweat and toil, their triumphs told in every rail that curves and winds. I've cataloged old photographs, preserved the stories in my heart, Of rail workers and travelers, who played their role in this grand art, Though some lines may have faded, and stations long gone from view, I keep their memory alive, through books, museums, and interviews. So when you seek a tale of rails, with dates and lore quite historical, From Belfast to Limerick Junction, my knowledge is categorical, In Irish rail history, I'm a passionate and learned soul, I am the very model of a railway historian, on a roll! .. all credit/blame goes to ChatGPT for the rewrite of the original Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics. As an aside, I'm not sure if we should be impressed or scared by how quickly AI is moving. Who knows how long before it's writing timetables or government railway strategies? (maybe it is already?!!)

Not just model railways of course, but the real thing too. Perhaps they meant to say that you are the very model of a modern railway expert?* The museum, and the wider railway enthusiast community (and this forum in particular) are lucky to have you apologies to Gilbert & Sullivan fans, but I couldn't resist

This is a good anecdote to show why we need to test layouts with all our stock. Thats also interesting re buffer lock on the SLNCR ... in my innocence I had assumed it was primarily an issue encountered on model railways.

This looks like it'll be a very nice layout - like the name too!

Wow! It looks fabulous and very realistic!!

You'll also find an article on all the Royal trains used for the 1903 visit in the Locomotive magazine - this is the one GSWR 351 (the state coach) was built for. Can't remember which issue (its one of the 1903/04 ones), but back issues of the Locomotive are available online for a subscription.