GSWR 90

I don't think wealth, i.e. people not being in a financial position to donate to heritage railways, is a major issue for preservation in Ireland. Ireland is a well-off place, not to the same extent as Switzerland but it's roughly on par with the UK, which has 100+ heritage railways/museums which tens of thousands of people regularly donate to to keep them running. Of course, there aren't multi-millionaire railway benefactors in this country to the same extent as in Switzerland or Britain, but the vast majority of railways in the UK are run without huge cash injections like that. I can't get behind the idea that people in Britain and Switzerland are able to afford to donate to heritage railways in their respective countries, but people in Ireland are unable to do so here. Even before the housing and cost of living crises, people in Ireland were reluctant to donate – case in point, there's only one standard gauge heritage railway in Ireland compared to many dozens in Britain. If there was a willingness to donate, there would be a large number of small donations, and I don't believe that that's the case. As others have pointed out, I'd say it's a cultural issue of people thinking that someone else will take care of it, leaving the burden on the shoulders of the very small group who do donate or volunteer. Heritage railways (including those in Ireland) have charity status because they are museums, i.e. they have a charitable purpose of education. This means that they have special tax statuses and eligibility for funding that many railways would be unable to survive without. I'm going to guess that you are not particularly experienced in the heritage railway industry, especially in Ireland where there is an impressive and ever-increasing cohort of young volunteers. Without the work of people "playing trains" or the charitable status that heritage railways have, many aspects of our shared culture, history, and ways of life would be lost forever – never mind employment opportunities for young people, the social aspect for elderly people, and the tourism that railways can bring to an area. It is hard to run a railway: looking after a fleet of locomotives and carriages well past their sell-by date, maintaining miles of track, complying with increasingly demanding regulations, dealing with customers, applying for funding, negotiating with local governments, managing a volunteer workforce, planning events, making personal sacrifices. Volunteers give time/money/labour for the benefit of a whole community, rather than just themselves. You've just said that people should donate to charities other than heritage railways, and then you say that we should support our existing heritage railways. Which is it? I think your attitude sums up the Irish approach quite perfectly: I want to have a nice steam railway, but I won't give up any of my time or money to make it happen, because that's someone else's job. One moment you said that you're envious of heritage railways in Britain, and the next you say that you won't donate to heritage railways in Ireland The situation would be different if even a small percentage of Irish enthusiasts put their hands in their pockets every once in a while. https://www.downrail.co.uk/join/ https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/join https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/membership/joinrenew

The long and the short of it is that people in Britain put their hands in their pockets, got up off their armchairs, or both. In general, people in Ireland did not. If you want to know why the preservation scene in Ireland is so small, simply ask yourself “Why am I still in my armchair?” or “Why is my hand not in my pocket?”. You might have good answers to those questions, you might not. If everyone on this thread donated a few quid a year, it would make a big difference.

I was a UK heritage railway event last year, and not a single British group that I spoke to had fewer than 400 volunteers. One railway even “sacked” a few hundred volunteers who turned up infrequently or only came in for a jolly etc. For context, Downpatrick only has around 40 volunteers…

A certain power car has also pulled around a variety of things in recent years

There are too many people interested in the pie-in-the-sky heritage railways in their heads, rather than the ones in real life that need support. Since manpower/funding/trains/parts are so limited in Ireland compared to Britain, the reality is that preserving our shared railway heritage should be the responsibility of everyone who wants to see it happen, even if it's a few hours' drive away. The three 5'3" heritage groups in Ireland are all undergoing huge challenges – the ITG has just forked over around €70k to move its locos out of Moyasta, DCDR is still recovering from €3mn worth of damage caused by flooding, and the RPSI hasn't been able to run trains in the North for several years. If you don't care, then you might as well be the reason why there are no 10-mile steam railways sitting on your doorstep. https://www.downrail.co.uk/join/ https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/join https://steamtrainsireland.com/membership/joinrenew

124 and 190 have both been started

NIR Railbus RB3 has been removed from Downpatrick to the Gwendraeth Valley Railway in Wales for eventual restoration. It travelled on the back load of the lorry that carried 152 to Downpatrick last Sunday. DCDR has a restoration list as long as your arm, including Ireland’s largest collection of vintage carriages, a heap of diesel locos, a handful of railcars, and two steam locos. It has long been evident that the railbus is at the back of the queue, mainly because there are much more important things for the society to spend its time and money on from a historical or operational perspective – particularly in the context of a relatively small pool of volunteers and ongoing flood recovery. Attempts were made to offer it to other railway groups in Ireland, but there were no takers. The vehicle is perfect for Gwendraeth as it fits into their small loading gauge – they were the line that used 08 locos with cut-down cabs. In 1981, it worked in the Bristol area for BR, not a million miles away from Gwendraeth. After the railbus is re-gauged in England, it will no doubt see a future in Wales which is much brighter than deteriorating at the back of a siding in Ireland.

152 arrived last Sunday. It’ll be a valuable source of spare parts for the other GM locos at Downpatrick.

Presented without comment

The ITG is a small charity run by a small number of volunteers – moving these four locos, one of the most monumental steps ever taken for diesel preservation on this island, is costing around £60,000 (approx €72,000). If we want to see 190 and 124 restored to running condition at Downpatrick, any financial support will go a long way to making this happen. Donations are therefore greatly appreciated. https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/donate

Touchdown! Both locos had landed by about 6pm last night and are currently stabled outside the Maghera Shed

Ah jaysus Joe it's terrible

Per my recent post, I recently wrote a strongly-worded letter to the ITG instructing them to move their locos from Moyasta to Downpatrick. I think these photos speak for themselves. Delighted to see the ITG following up on my letter and following my advice – well done to all concerned.

I'll believe it when I see it

Not sure but those look like AI to me?

Just can’t believe that nobody will save these poor engines. I will write some strongly-worded letters and will post if I get any updates

A3 and 152 are behind the other locos so you can’t see them from the road Total discrace, someone should do something to save them

Four-wheeled TPO 698a was having its panels stripped at Downpatrick for repainting, when it was discovered underneath a layer of paint that 638a is actually 639a! Does anyone know the original TPO number that 639a would have had? In addition, any more information about the history of these coaches or when it was withdrawn from regular service would be gratefully appreciated It was rebuilt when it was put in departmental service, so now it's being rebuilt to something similar to its original configuration so it can be used as a guard's/generator van

If you cancelled your monthly donation and got a membership instead, you'd donate about €80 less to the ITG per year. The ITG needs donations, if the above posts are anything to go by. You could perhaps buy a membership and donate e.g. €7 a month instead of €10? I say this as someone who is also fairly generous to heritage groups

It’s great that the Accurascale website is available i nGaeilge, maith sibh

Yes they didn’t have any train brakes but I’m talking about loco brakes, ie the brakes which operate on the wheels of the loco rather than the wheels of the train behind Based on the fact the 601s had an in-built air horn they must have an air compressor so that suggests that the loco brakes (not train brakes like Mk3s etc) were air, but I would be interested to hear confirmation

Good to see 18864, the one in Downpatrick, represented. Will definitely be ordering that one

The new engine for G613 was bought off ebay!

G617 and G611 both have their electric horns still, G613 has it I think but it doesn't work so there's a pair of electric air horns in the bonnet. Unfortunately G617 has no whistle and I don't think G601 has it either, not sure about G616. The 601s had an air horn (originally with a cowl on top) on the front of the cab – I assume that means that they had air loco brakes, which would have been a handy addition to the 611s

I assume that this is a drawing of a G601 as it does't have recessed handrails, it has the straighter exhaust, and it doesn't have vacuum bags or marker lights. However it doesn't have the air horn which the 601s did have and the 611s didn't have (since the 611s had vac loco brakes) The below details are for G611s. If you're making a model, remember to add the exhaust whistle (video of whistle in action) and the small electric horn at the top of the front of the cab as well as the obligatory can of easy start. If you want any measurements, please let me know and I can do it in person on G617