LNERW1

The general layout of the plant hasn't changed much despite a big fire in the early 2000s, so for an idea of the track layout I just use OpenStreetMap, as it shows the track layout in detail. Having been to the plant in person, a lot of the point levers look like they could be from the 80's at least, so I'd assume not much has changed, apart from there no longer being any track by the former broad gauge alignment. However basically all the track layout I need is in this photo: I'm only working with 18" depth so I couldn't model the whole plant unfortunately! The broad gauge was just a siding and a run round, so only needs two turnouts and could have fixed uncouplers, whereas the narrow gauge I'd like to have run in with wagons full of peat and run back out with empties. This could probably be done with a hidden traverser inside the shed.

Well, I have found a new prototype to throw my energy at instead of working on my actual layouts (There are, I think, 4): Coolnamona! As it's my local BnM line, I've always had some interest in it, but a few days ago I was shocked when photos were sent to a WhatsApp group I'm in of a main line siding that served the works along the old Portlaoise-Kilkenny alignment. These photos are shared here, thanks to Seán Cain and @Hawkerhellfire for sending them, and of course their owners! Peat trains ran to Waterford, New Ross and North Wall until the 1980s. Now, I'm sure it's clear, from being a genuinely good prototype, to being very local, to being so unique, this has captured my imagination, so I have started a process I'm calling the feasability study, basically seeing, can I make this, not just do I want to, and while this is still underway, the relatively simple track layout, added to the fact I already have several baseboards to build it on, bumps it a little higher than all the other projects I've "proposed". As always I would advise not to get any hopes up, as I am frankly irresponsibly erratic, but watch this space.

What did I tell you about never underestimating how autistic I am? Well that certainly sort of explains it.

Archive Wednesday An artefact from the SLR's archive to brighten up the hump day. Here we see "Brisbane" the side tank bought from the NCC upon closure of the Ballymena and Larne in 1950, to try relieve pressure on the rapidly deteriorating fleet of steam trams, and numbered 8. However, it derailed at Ivy Road in 1952, taking it out of service for two years as the railway underwent bankruptcy. It was finally returned to service in 1954 to haul the heavy trains dragging the final peat harvests from Sheehaunmona, which relied on the railway and was attempting to stockpile as much peat as possible in Sheehaunmore so as to not run low while roadworks were completed between the town and the bog to allow peat to move by road. After these duties were finished in summer '55, number 8 languished in Knockadeen shed, only running to haul the 1956 Goodbye Special a week before closure. It remained at Knockadeen until sold to a planned museum in Cork in 1960, however this scheme fell through and she instead went to the Hutton Steam Railway in rural South Australia. This is where this photo was taken of the locomotive, in fresh NCC livery to honour its history. This footplate view, taken by Frank Scott of nearby Peterborough, shows the loco a few months after she arrived in 1961, and also shows one of the railway's regauged, ex-3ft 6 bogie coaches. However, it was not to be and the HLR went out of business in 1970. Number 8 sat in a shed in Australia for a decade until she was bought for a pittance by a private collector in Victoria, and was moved to a back garden in Altona, Melbourne in 1983. Here she was at least cared for and had some of her more dilapidated parts repaired, but only visually, so that she looked remarkably good but was far from running order. This was an unpleasant surprise for his children, when, after he passed in 2007, failed to sell the engine to a railway in Victoria or NSW, and had to resort to sending her home- to be displayed in the Ulster Transport Museum in Cultra. However, before she was put on display, the newly formed SLR group purchased her and brought her "home" to Ivy Road, naming her in honour of, well, the capital of the state she worked in- Jackie was left to name her and sure you know what he's like with geography. Anyway, here she now is, in running order and due for fitting of new control and safety systems within the next year. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this bit of backstory- I plan on doing this every Wednesday, staging photos around my garden and dipping into old collections from their previous home, Model World in Wicklow, and maing little stories for each picture. I'm not quite sure why the semi-mushroom pun but the line will ideally pass behind the shed, through a "tunnel", sharing space with an access area that can also be used to store bikes. This allows for Knockadeen and Botanical Gardens to be either end of a tunnel, which I hope will add a bit of interest and simulated distance to the line.

Haha I didn’t want to mention you as I always get a bit iffy talking about private conversations without the other conversee’s consent. Oh yeah of course basically nothing happening but they were on the network at the same time as the ICRs, which have been (I think) on every currently open passenger line on the network, and sure they’d be going along the Cork line. There’s also a possibility, now I say it, they could have been photographed on the quad track as well, as far as I know it only opened in 2009, the year they were retired, but surely it was under construction for a few years beforehand?

In a phone conversation with a friend around my age, we were discussing withdrawal dates and whether we were alive to see certain loco types on the IÉ network (as all cool young people do). In the process we stumbled across the fact that some 121s were in service until 2009, and so for two years or so could have been seen beside an ICR. Now, in my mind these two are worlds apart and seperate the "good" (121) and "meh" (ICR) eras of IÉ, but represent two whole different eras nonetheless. As such, I wondered whether anyone on here has a photo of the two side-by-side, as my curiosity is piqued- I have to see this now! I'm sure given the vast photo collections from members on here that this is almost certainly recorded somewhere. Bonus points for 121s beside MKIVs or 2800 and 2600s. Please help me fulfil my incredibly specific curiosity- what else is this forum for? All the best, LNERW1

Unfortunately not. I've discussed it with d'parents and they seem to agree there isn't much way of doing that without defeating the point of insulating the cabin. Mainly painting fences on work days at Stradbally, but I've also become reasonably proficient in the brake van and, more excitingly, had some experience on the footplate! And I've met some great people in the process, and it's inspired me to bring in some human aspects of characters around the railway. I'm very lucky to live so close by. As for the SLR notice, well, I like doing things like that, simply put. Well I love dogs and like cars (If it doesn't run on rails and isn't powered by steam, it may as well be a UFO to me but they're still class)! Thanks for the support lads. Without this forum I would never get anything done (as it is I barely do anyway, but I might be on ADHD meds soon so that'll hopefully change)

A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE SHEEHAUN LIGHT RAILWAY We’d like to apologise for yet another long gap, as large planned development along our alignment has forced a rethink of our plan and drawn resources away from our restoration project. However this development will ultimately allow us new facilities and provide for another project in the area, so we consider it a net benefit. A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE BORING B*****D BEHIND THE SHEEHAUN LIGHT RAILWAY Well who could have foreseen another months-long break like this? At least I have at least some reason this time. Explaining myself: After Christmas a huge amount happened. Long story short I started getting overwhelmed and stressed and doing poorly in school, and it had a huge knock-on effect on everything until the end of the school year, but things started easing up at Easter as I’ve started volunteering at the Stradbally Woodland Railway and it’s done wonders for my wellbeing- I’m doing very well now. However this took up a lot of the time between Easter and leaving to holiday in the West in June. Since returning, a plan has emerged for a shed/“garden room” at the end of the garden allowing for a large railway room. However this has thrown another spanner in the works of the SLR as it occupies the space meant to be occupied by the town and faux-bog spud patch. As such the progression of the line around the back of the garden has had to be hugely modified, requiring a reshuffling and pushback of the whole line. As such, it’s clear no huge progress with the whole line will be made until installation of the shed, which could be in less than two month’s time! Hopefully this provides new opportunities and an uncluttered space where I can decompress and work uninterrupted on projects. This is a huge step and I hope it goes some way to explaining why I’ve been a bit gone for a while. Now, why am I choosing to bring this up now? Well, although the whole line cant be worked on for a while, the line along the south side of the garden can indeed be worked on now (the north side of the garden is also slated for “redevelopment”), and the SLR is also planning to start the overhaul of several locomotives to work on RC control, with the whole fleet planned to be converted. Until then a new smaller loco is planned to be sourced for RC operation during construction, until the rest of the fleet can be converted. I’d like to apologise for being away, and I hope this time I don’t disappoint anyone- I know im good at it… All the best, LNERW1

The poor man. As many late figures in our community, I only learnt who he was too late, but he seems like a wonderful person. May he rest in peace.

I thought only 8501 and 8405 still existed?

I asked him the same day and he had no idea it was even there.

More than a million trips a day- fair impressive, I’d say thats about 10x LUAS isn’t it? But then I’d use a rail line if it was built by my house so fair enough.

Anything for good public transport. It's long past time we got a proper European metro system, never mind rail. Hopefully this leads to more development of the Luas and new rail lines in cities around Ireland.

Headed to Stradbally to volunteer at the railway this morning, and as we were approaching on the road in from Ballyroan, I was shocked to see a driving car of a DART 8200, in a field to the left of us as we drove in. Two other volunteers, one in the IÉ CME department and one in timetable management, had no clue what was going on. Even stranger, it appears to be gone as of a few minutes ago, headed home the same way. Can anyone help shed light on this? The working theory is it’s for the Electric Picnic, as it’s held on the Cosby Estate.

Just started playing the NIR game, has better in-train physics than SCR as far as I can tell, which is a nice quality of life improvement.

As everyone adores and is deeply emotionally invested in this, let me just drop a bit of lore that will seismically change the lives of all who read it. Been working out the route and lore of the Ardree line for a bit, so here's the general overview, as of right now anyway: The line initially ended at Salthill, with a roadside tramway being established north of the city (at the time) in 1887, and in 1893 a more direct line was built, connecting with the Clifden line north of where the hospital stands today, west of the Corrib, crossing the viaduct along with its sister Connemara line- meaning the short section after the junction was open until 1974. After Salthill the line had stops at the following: Knocknacarra: 2-platform passing station that had the line's eastern locomotive facilities (a 40ft turntable behind a 2-road shed) until absorbed by the GSR in 1925, after which the shed roads were used as wagon storage until demolition in 1966. The turntable bridge was removed in 1927 but the pit was only filled in upon tearing up of the line in 1981. Silverstrand: Single-platform halt. Closed 1942. Barna (Bearna under CIÉ): two-platform passing station with goods siding (siding torn up 1970) Garrynagry passing loop is believed to have had short wooden platforms between 1879 and 1884, when two trains collided at the loop and caused a fire, killing 2. Furbough (also spelt Furbogh and Furbo in printed material): 2-platform passing station with 1-road carriage shed and two goods sidings. Closed to passengers 1967 and to goods in 1969 Ballynahown: Single-platform halt with one goods siding (torn up 1936). Closed to passengers in 1942. Doorath sidings: a 200m loop off the main line to allow transfer with a short-lived 18in gauge line that ran to a fishery (closed 1930) and a small sand quarry (closed 1931) on the coast nearby. The line was ripped up almost immediately and everything was sold off to try make a tiny bit of money. The loop was no longer used after except very occasionally to allow trains to pass. This practice ended when a minor derailment occured in 1946, when CIÉ removed the points at both ends of the loop. However, the loop itself, and the wooden transfer platform, stuck around until well after the line's closure, rotting away until removal in 2013. Spiddal: 2-platform passing station, with a short branch to the pier that opened in 1882 and was last used in 1906, being removed as part of road renewal sometime in the late 40s. Station closed to passengers with the line in 1967. Beyond the pier line the town never had goods facilities. Inverin: opened as a 2-platform station on Inverin loop in 1889, rationalised with the removal of the loop in 1936, and closed in 1945 with CIÉ takeover. (note: this served one of two communites named Inverin, this one being east of Loughaunbeg) Loughaunbeg: actually located in Cornaron, single-platform station with a goods siding, however this siding was so rarely used it was thought to have been abandoned from construction until a photo of a train using the siding and an oral account from a driver on the line surfaced in 2009. The siding was built with the station in 1894, but was torn up around the 30s, likely 1936 as much rationalisation took place then, and the station closed in 1960. Creggan: 2-platform passing station serving Creggan, Baile na hAbhain and West Inverin. Opened and closed with the line, no goods facilities. Ardree Town (coloquially Ardree McKenna after the 1916 renamings in 1966, nicknamed after a local poet): 3-platform station (2 bay, one through) with a wooden overall roof akin to Foynes or Tramore and a 3-road goods yard with a goods shed covering the two roads nearest the station, and a 2-road engine shed with 60ft turntable. The through platform was for the Ardree Quay branch, one goods road (outside the shed) was removed in 1936, the shed was demolished in 1960, and the turntable was left in situ until 1990, when the bridge was removed and destroyed for scrap and firewood, and the pit was used for bonfires by local youth. The station closed to passengers with the line in 1967, but several IRRS specials visited in 1967, 69, 70, 72, 73, 74 and 77, after closure. The goods yard closed in 1974 and was torn up in 1981. However, the station was left largely intact, with the two bay platforms being repurposed to display four carriages preserved by local enthusiasts (two Cravens and two Park Royals), with the roof being refurbished and the bay platform used by the Ardree Heritage Railway in 2000 (see below) Ardree Quay: 1-platform terminus station with a loop and goods shed, opened in 1882 on a short (1.6-mile) extension from the original terminus. Between 1882 and 1936, the line extended onto Pier A of the harbour, but this section closed after Pier A was struck by a ship and required rebuilding. The station was otherwise kept largely the same until a bridge was built over the station throat in 1962, allowing road access to a new ferry terminal, built to allow better access to Aran and Sheehaun. The station closed to passengers in 1967, and to freight in 1974, but the line between Town and Quay was not torn up with the rest of the line in 1981 as the cranes could not fit under a road bridge in Ardree. This allowed the Ardree Heritage Railway to reopen this section in 2000, operating with a CIÉ G class and a Mk2. This operation closed in 2009, but all stock was moved to Downpatrick and Whitehead, and was returned to the site in 2021, with operation recommencing February 12th 2024. Obviously nobody cares but I needed something creative to do and I like worldbuilding. If there is anything particularly unrealistic about this please do point it out- I am far from the smartest person on this forum and so welcome any constructive criticism. I do hope someone finds this at least a little interesting. Thanks. All the best, LNERW1

Hate to be pestering with all the questions, but will TIC be freeplay or have set routes?

Odd thing to object to, a Roblox game.

when is the game planned to go public?

I should have noted that the loop is shared with my younger brother- it’d be more accurate to say it’s his layout, in fact. He does most of the running trains!

About a year ago(probably embarrassingly less) I went through a phase of complete confidence in my modelling ability and went posting any idea that flew into my brain, touting them as definite projects when I had never done any modelling whatsoever before. On an unrelated note I may have just done an ADHD assessment… but that’s beside the point. Anyway I thought I’d find a more useful outlet for those ideas and ramblings with a dedicated thread (yes I know I made one a while ago but that’s beside the point, it was shite ignore it). Anyway, at the moment I actually do have a functioning layout but it’s one I’ve been quite clandestine about for no real reason other than I’ve learnt my lesson. It’s a 00 double-track loop, I'm not sure of the exact dimensions but a loop of 3rd radius curves with two short straights (Hornby) fits nicely enough with maybe an inch on each side and at the apex of the curves. It was just an old board found in a relatives shed and I’ve never measured it. Here’s a photo- nice and neat and tidy as ever. I also have a tiny layout that represents a preserved railway in early spring 1970, somewhere in the English Midlands. This is a layout inspired by obsessive reading of the Micro Model Railway dispatch and is as such tiny. Sorry about the focus! To the right of the platform seen, I plan on adding another abandoned line, with overgrown tracks and one of the double tracks removed, leaving only sleepers behind. Other than that there are some details I have planned but I shan’t say more, for it will spoil the next story. As it’s a small, fairly manageable project I have quite a lot of confidence in it and may even set aside Ardree Quay temporarily while I build it. I am very much desperate for some semblance of achievement so may have to settle for the dopamine boost rather than the serotonin. But that is all a moot point if I get nothing done, so now I must go to the kitchen table (God forbid I have a workbench) to build a Metcalfe kit because of the aforementioned dopamine. Best Regards, LNERW1

Can I have an 071 pin if I drag one of the turf wagons out of the bushes for the group's entertainment?

Plenty of progress up ahead so. Well I look forward to it.

I gave Dundalk the interim name MacMahon, after my mams old hairdresser who hailed from there and who, somewhat ironically, referred to it as Fun-dalk.

For something like that I plan on using something akin to Manchester Metrolink, where the vehicles can run as both trams and mainline vehicles. Luckily I was too lazy to use accurate 1600mm gauge track, so interchangeability shouldn't be a practical issue, though it may draw some logical concerns!