StevieB

They’ll be on my shopping list as well. Stephen

There is some good news for the stretch to Midleton. In the transport plan for Cork, it is proposed for doubling. I do agree, though, that once an alternative use has been found for a closed railway, re-opening is fraught with difficulties. The Bodmin and Wenford are finding just this with their proposal to re-open from Boscarne Junction to Wadebridge. Stephen

I am trying to put together a representative Bell Line container train. Unfortunately, the c-rail 20’ 0” version is in very short supply in the UK. Does anyone have any that they don’t need anymore? Many thanks. Stephen

Just found this https://www.imdb.com/videoplayer/vi1542102297. What a gem. Stephen

I thought it might be something like that. It is interesting that here is a home signal at the Bandon end of the branch, which would allow for trains from the branch to run towards Bandon without going onto the main line. Many thanks. Stephen

At the Bandon end of the former station there was a loop on the down side. Can anyone say what this was used for, as it was not signalled as a running line? Many thanks. Stephen

The demand is there so how are we going to get Roderick Bruce to do a second run? Stephen

You’ve been very unlucky to get caught so many times by this scam. You poor thing. Stephen

Thanks for that Noel. Some interesting results there. Stephen

The Roger Joanes collection is rather fine, both Ireland and the UK Stephen

My attempt to view the results were met with a request to join the group! What’s the next step? Stephen

Can’t wait to get my hands on one, or four. Stephen

As one of a famous duo would say to the other, that’s another fine mess you’ve gotten me into. Our politicians do like to make life difficult for us, the ones who voted them in. Stephen

So 7 is not quite a 2 upside down. Stephen

Were the photos taken at Westport? Stephen

Looking good . Stephen

The resale value has just plummeted because both of mine are gray. Stephen

The latest issue of RM includes a copy of Railway Times, a special publication dedicated to the history of railways, from the archives of Railway Magazine. On the back page is a half page photo entitled August 1930: Cork-Dublin Pullman Car Express, Great Southern Railways, Ireland. G.& S.W.R. 4-6-0 No. 408. From a photograph by Rex Murphy. Apart from the spelling mistake, quite delightful. Stephen

I believe in the principle ‘you never quite get what you pay for”, and this applies especially to the modern way of delivering railway passenger services If you take the UK as an example, and a very bad example in many people’s eyes, the tendering process is done with government, not the public, and everything is for the government’s benefit, not the public’s. Rail passenger travel may have doubled in the past 20 years but have things really got any better? Investment is still driven by government, because they are by far the biggest payer. On all main routes there is no competition, the operator having agreed to pay the government the largest fee, or conversely require the smallest subsidy. The only competition is by way of open access, and that is severely restricted in what it can provide on the main operator’s route. Surely Ireland, even considering the two parts together, is too small for the EU directive to be effectively delivered. Good regulation will get the best out of the system. Stephen

Without getting political, the EU seems to have trouble seeing reason on occasions. Stephen

Coaches from the BR international set that IR bought to make up the numbers, so to speak. Stephen

You have to order them off the RPSI website. Stephen

I raised the use of brake vans on liner trains some four years ago, since it makes the running of freight trains all the more interesting. In the mid 1970s, we had the last of the traditional loose coupled freights plus BELL liner trains with a brake van but others, like the dolomite and oil/magnesite trains, running without brake vans. Stephen

I used to see such as these in my late father’s collection of a pre war Meccano Magazines. You’re very fortunate to have been given them, even if only to sell on. Stephen

Wow, you just keep on producing such beautiful pieces of miniature engineering. Must get mine ordered. Stephen