Flying Snail

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.

Loco is Q class 124 - there's a good shot of it all dolled up on p79, and the shot of the full train posed on the curve is on p80 of Johnson's book. I've just sent PM now.

Looks like you all had a great day! I have to say, from looking at the pictures, not only does Brookhall Mill look wonderful in its own right - but it looks to be really versatile. The variety of rolling stock that you had is incredible and must have been very entertaining for the audience!!

I find the Hatton's website is good for this sort of thing - you can filter their Products page. However, it takes a bit of fiddling as liveries, era etc. can be mis-categorised. I had a quick play with the filters and this might cover a lot of it? https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/siteresults?search/scales/OO/product-types/Coaches/brands/Murphy Models/liveries/CIE Córas Iompair Éireann%2CIrish Rail | Iarnród Éireann/stockstatus/all

The lettering is faint on the lefthand one but it appears to my eyes that it could indeed be WCIR. Although the lettering is lower down on the wagon compared to the pictures from the W&L Extension you posted a while back. The wagon design, with the two mid-height cross beams does look very similar too!

These are very nice indeed! There's some great detail in those National Library photos - especially when you consider how far away many of them were taken. I've been looking at lot at the ones the National Library has from the Waterford area too.

Just got an email today confirming that my 186 is ready for dispatch (was on standby for a cancellation) .. very excited but it'll be a while before I get my grubby paws on it though as I'm getting it delivered to my man in Blighty!

Shows what I know Every day's a school day!

I think it's too big to be a chair. It's wooden platform of some type - you can see the steps up to it on the bridge side of it. There's also what looks to be a post or pipe to the rear by the wall. I don't know whats it's for, but given that tablets/tokens could be passed just as well by the signalman from the platform, so I don't think its for that. I'd guess it could be for one of either .. Hanging mail bags for snatching by a TPO. Providing water to a loco. Those are just wild guesses - I'd say one of the more learned forum members will be able to solve the mystery. EDIT: perhaps its just a platform for engine crew to mount and dismount?? I can't actually see in the picture how a mail snatching device (don't know the technical term) or a water pipe would swing out closer to the track ... so perhaps not either of those after all

So ....... you're telling me there's a chance?

There were? Excellent!! Looking forward to getting a rake of these TBH I don't remember seeing any Mk2Ds at the show, I only remember the 141/181s ... they had my full attention

Never underestimate the fact that farmers love a good deal ... and as Mayner pointed out, its been done here before. Noel's right too, I think, about the direction of travel in the wider auto industry. Sure lets see what happens. Also, am I the only one who clicked into this thread cos I thought it was about the accurascale 37s????