StevieB

Dick Fearn, the much-maligned and recently retired CEO of IE, has got himself a new job, Chairman of Bluebell Railway PLC. Must have done something right. Stephen

There was also an American OO scale, which ran on 19mm gauge track but never really caught on. It still has a very small following. It's a shame, really, because with OO19, would have been there any call for EM in the 1950s? Stephen

Dapol actually more ready to run wagon underframes, namely 2x9', 10', 11' and 2x12'. In the case of the latter, one of these is for the grampus but they don't actually advertise the fact. However, as a grampus body will not fit on a normal 12' underframe, which I found to my cost, they will sell you the right one, you just have to be persistent. Stephen

Waterford & Limerick Railway. Stephen

Page 27 of Glenderg's Projects I presume. Stephen

Can't say fairer than that. Anyway, the spray coach is a beauty - your handiwork or a third party's? Stephen

I have to agree with the comments about the spray coach. The obvious question is why didn't you opt for the 4w spray wagons to go with this coach instead? Stephen

So, it was the type of traffic that dictated the size of container, not they got bigger simply for reasons of economy. As far as I know I've never seen any photos of Cork-Waterford Bell Line trains, so I wonder what kind of traffic there was between Cork and Waterford - 20' on 4w flats or 40' on bogie flats? Stephen

There is a very good article entitled The Bellferry Trains in IRRS Journal No 92 October 1983. But then you can't beat the knowledge of the likes of Mayner, who fills in all the gaps in our knowledge. I was interested to know when they went over from 20' containers on 4w flats to 40' containers on 42' 9" bogie flats. I guess that means that I can run either on my Bell Line trains between Waterford and Cork. When space is an issue, a long line of 4w wagons looks more impressive than the same length, but half the number, of bogie flats. PM me if you would like a copy of the article referred to above. Stephen

John, thanks for both your explanation of train workings at Manulla Junction and the copies of the 1960 WTT - wonderful reading. It has allowed me to put together my own WTT for Manulla Junction. Stephen

I've also thought that DART underground was at fault for not offering more through routes. Instead of allowing Northern and Midland line trains to run to both the South Eastern and South Western lines, there would only be two, Northern-South Western and Midland-South Eastern. The Phoenix Park tunnel route would open up South Western-South Eastern route as well. Let's not forget that DART underground is not dead, just delayed!!! Stephen

The advantage of routing Kildare line services via Phoenix Park tunnel is that passengers do not have to change trains/trams/buses to reach their destination, and people do not like change! Now if Luas had been laid to the Irish standard rather than the European standard gauge, then there would have been the possibility of running both heavy rail and light rail trains on the same track i.e. Tyne & Wear Metro and Sheffield Supertram. Just think how different things could be if main line trains could return to Broadstone and Harcourt Street. Returning to my first point about change, transport planners do not seem to have caught on to this fact. In the UK there is a huge debate going on about HS2 but people are missing the point that, if you want to travel from Birmingham to Paris, then you will have to change trains, not least because they don't run to/from the same station. St Pancras and Euston may be next door, but you will still have to physically get out of one train, go from one station to then next and then board the second train. But I digress, we were talking about Dublin suburban services! Stephen

The Irish Railfan's News of July 1960 carries an interesting article about Manulla Junction in its Station Survey. Apparently the Ballina branch train connected with the first up passenger train, the up and down Limited Mails, which crossed at Manulla, and the up Night Mail and second down passenger train which also crossed at Manulla. However, the down Night Mail did not have a connection to Ballina. I make this nine passenger trains arriving and departing Manulla, three up, three down and three branch. However, the article refers to thirteen passenger arrivals and departures. Were there four ghost trains in this part of County Mayo? Stephen

I didn't realise quite how much the track layout had been rationalised - thanks for the photos. Stephen

The post that has just closed on the topic of the forum's name could just as easily have been on the topic of realistic modelling - the forum covers all standards of modelling and there is some that would have its place with the best. Just to mention two, Mayner and Patrick have produced some of the most realistic scenes that I have come across in a long time. I love reading Model Railway Journal but sometimes the standard can be just too high! I'm all for realism but sometimes the detail can be too detailed to no real end, other than personal preference. Stephen

My original idea was to model the period late 80s/90s just after the creation of Irish Rail. Then there would have been a mixture of original and re-engined 121/141/181 classes in a mix of CIE and IR liveries, with some in CIE livery but carrying IR branding. This was carried through onto the Cravens with some carrying the two white stripes but of different widths! But then I was given Rails Through The West for my birthday earlier this year and my ideas went out the window. Going back a decade to the 70s/80s, I've got a mixture of black and tan and supertrain liveries, together with unfitted pick-up freights and the beginnings of the 'new' railway - liner trains! Stephen

The layout that Mayner alludes to is Hornsey Broadway by Kier Hardy. I've seen sections of it twice on display at local exhibitions and it is stunning. Stephen

Londonderry & Lough Swilly Railway, Finn Valley Railway and Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway. Stephen

There are some lovely photos of Ballyhaise Junction on pages 63-65 of Tom Ferris's Irish Railways in Colour. It looked a delightful spot where the peace of the Irish countryside was broken just a handful of times each day as mainline and branch trains arrived and departed over a relatively short period of time. Stephen

The only other railway that I know that has carriages with doors on only one side is the Talyllyn - note the present tense, since it is still open! Stephen

Waterford & Tramore? Stephen

A few years ago at the Warley Show at the NEC, Birmingham, the layout Greystones featured a loco in the fictitious IEWS livery - I believe the loco was a 201. It looked most effective. Stephen

Just to return to the car for a moment, my first motor was the Ford Angela, and it most definitely isn't that. No, it is the Ford Popular 100E. Stephen

Weshty I've seen your review of the same book on Amazon - must get a copy. Stephen

There are two interesting news items currently in Irish Railway News: IR pushing to begin DART Underground, including an airport link, when the next review of capital spending come along, and A new draft transport plan for the Dublin area, which doesn't specifically mention progressing DART Underground, rather the interim measure of re-opening the Phoenix Park tunnel line to passenger traffic. You would hope that different arms of government sing from the same hymn sheet! Stephen