StevieB

Looking very good. Stephen

That's precisely why we need a review section, so you and others can tell us what was wrong with the models. You haven't told us anything apart from the fact that they were only fit for the bin. Were they the wrong length, wrong wheelbase, wrong body…..? If you've got the time, skill and money, you can produce very lifelike models but not everyone has. A glance at Model Railway Journal shows what can be achieved. We compromise on the likes of track gauge, 16.5/21mm, so why not with other aspects. Imagination is a wonderful thing. To go back to an earlier question of mine, what has happened to James Mackey and his Model Irish Scale Rail? His models showed great promise but then he disappeared, apparently off the face of the earth, towards the end of last year. Stephen

I don't believe anyone has mentioned Irish Freight Models 20' and 22' flats - is that because they are not held in very high esteem by some of the members of this forum? Maybe we should have a review section where there would only be two criteria - what was good and what could be better - always look positive with no words like what was bad - encouragement for the small band of manufacturers of Irish models. Stephen

I can recommend a rake of magnesite wagons. However, as the prototype was actually oil and magnesite, you might need to consider running separate trains - the consist might look a little silly being so short - lack of space affects us all. Stephen

You can't include Docklands in your list because it's on the line of Dart Underground. I think we'll find that Docklands only has a limited life from a planning point of view - it's meant to disappear when DU gets built. However, with the project being deferred, IE might have to do some paperwork... Stephen

You guys are nothing if not perpetual optimists when it comes to your railways. It would, indeed, be lovely to see new freight flows on new routes, but it all takes time and I mean time. We are talking here of public money, and it doesn't matter if it's British, Irish or any other country's money, you have to show value for money. You have to tick every box, jump over hurdle and than do it again and again. After all, it's our money that the state is spending and we all pay more than enough in the way of taxes, etc. It was very sad when the beet traffic from Wellington Bridge stopped but it was probably going to stop anyway. Eventually someone in authority would have realised that it was only for three months of the year, with the wagons standing idle for the remaining nine. So much better to have them used for the whole year! Stephen Stephen

One of the photos of Abbeyfeale shows a second crossover from the through line to the shunting neck. Some interesting shunting to be had. Stephen

I can remember seeing Malahide and Dromin Junction in the flesh, maybe the old MRC exhibition at the Central Hall, Westminster. The portrayal of Irish trains was very good, even in those far off days. Stephen

John Thanks for that. The first photo actually seems to show both long and short brake handles, so were the brakes on one axle only, quite different to the UK? Stephen

In Great Britain there were two standard forms of wagon brake: RCH where the brake lever operated the brakes on that side of the wagon, but usually with brakes on each side of the wagon, and Morton where the brake lever on either side would operate the brakes which were one sided only. Can anyone explain the equivalent Irish system, please? Stephen

Surely there is a very simple reason why Ballina is the freight capital of Ireland, namely the road network. On the western side of the country, the limit of the motorway network is a line from Dublin to Galway. That's why Sligo should also be on the freight network. All the infrastructure is there, the line is cleared for 201 operation, we just need an operator bold enough to take the step…. Stephen

Lovely piece of work.

There is another video featuring both the Waterford & Dungarvan and Waterford & Tramore lines, which is narrated by the former driver who appears towards the end of this video. Both are excellent viewing. Stephen

Every year about this time Model Railroader publishes its annual Model Railroad Planning magazine. Not that I am into railways across the pond, but there is always some good stuff in it, once you get used to the differences between them and us e.g. railways, language, etc. Once there was a piece about the design of pointwork to get rid of buffer locking, etc, not that American rolling stock has any, and I have applied its principles in the design of my layout which is slowly beginning to emerge. Unfortunately, we are only at the baseboard stage! Stephen

The freight 071 looked just like the real thing - only one thing brought it down to earth, the brakes are in line with the bogie frames rather the wheels - can't help that, it's the way they are made - otherwise brilliant. Stephen

I am a great fan of model railways having a 'history', thereby setting the scene for what is modelled. It must come form reading so many articles by Iain Rice. Your revised history is very convincing - a post 1957 scenario would be most interesting. Stephen

Manulla Junction was closed to all traffic in 1963. It ceased to be a block post in 1964, at which time the loop on the Westport line was converted to ground frame operation so that the locos of Knock specials could run round their trains. However, with the increasing use of railcars, it was dispensed with in 1966. The timespan of the photo is, therefore, 1964-66. Stephen

My original point got a lot of people going, producing lots of interesting detail about railed served industry, but it remains a fact that Ireland had very little heavy industry served by rail, only sugar! Stephen

They were variously stopped between 1960 and 1972. There are photos of some of them in the black and white livery, albeit being scrapped, but none so far in black and tan. Stephen

Two more photos of Manulla Junction have come to light: Southern Yard's recent photo of the western end showing a railcar set approaching, together with a steam loco and coach waiting in the connection between the Westport and Ballina lines. A photo by Father Brown, held by Mayo County library, showing the island platform looking in the direction of Claremorris in GS days. The platform is thronging with passengers making the connection between trains. Stephen

One of the things that sets the railways of Ireland apart from those in Great Britain, apart from the obvious gauge difference, is the lack of heavy industry providing traffic for the railways. However, it wasn't until a copy of Rails Through the West landed on my lap, that I realised just how big Irish Sugar was and just how much traffic it produced for the railways…. this was more like I was used to. And because of the lack of heavy industry, there was also a lack of industrial diesel locomotives. Irish Sugar had its Rustons, Guinness had a Hudswell Clarke and Irish Shell had a Hibberd, but was there anything else? Stephen

Yes, I agree, it's Manulla Junction. Who is the photographer, please? Stephen

Can anyone tell me what tender is currently attached to 186 and what is the best model to produce it from? I think it is a GSWR type C, but I may be mistaken, and the Wainwright C class tender looks close. Many thanks. Stephen

I'm surprised no-one has said anything before as the new models were announced just before Christmas - also being produced this year is the 4w heating van. I keep reading what might be termed derogatory comments about Tom's models - I got a pair of magnesite wagons for Christmas - very pleased with them. Stephen

In 1972 BREL at Derby rebuilt 22 BR mk1 coaches (6xBCK and 16xBSK) into GSVs for CIE. Silver Fox do a very nice ready to run version of the BSK conversion, but no-one appears to do a similar version of the BCK conversion. So, if you want to produce a model of this, you have either got to chop up a Silver Fox body or use etched sides. Bill Bedford does them this version and RedRich showed some trial etches for both versions on the previous forum. What are people's thoughts on the matter? Stephen