josefstadt

So, is MM's rendition of the Craven 1st class correct in having seats and windows aligned?

Stephen

I'd say no Stephen. The MM model uses a regular 2 + 2 Standard Class seating insert. The prototype vehicles would have had 2 + 1 seating, with some sources quoting 37 seats and others 40. I can't remember the exact layout of the seats - i.e. if they were all arranged face to face or if the were some face to back (airline style).

Stephen, it was of course the use of a carriage with windows spaced for Standard Class along with seats spaced for First Class that resulted in the problems with seats and windows not aligning. With the Irish Mk IIIs it was a First Class bodyshell with Standard Class seating resulting in the latter not aligning properly. In the UK the Standard Class MkIIIs had/have two variations - SO (Second Open) and TSO (Tourist Second Open). The latter had a higher density seating leading to further complications with seat / window alignment.

BSGSV, I can only assume that when 1547 was converted to 1151 nobody thought to check to see if it had been a First Class coach previously and just used the next number in the series.

Broithe, no difference. All that was done was a refurbishment of the interior and the fitting of First Class seating.

In less than three hours the TGV had made it all the way from the south of France to Paris. As it rolled into Gare de Lyon, this 'La Poste' TGV set was sitting outside a running shed, ready for its next duty carrying mail and parcels to some place or other. Behind it is a Duplex set.

 

 

Great shots Garfield. Did the Cevanol myself last year and can agree that the scenery is spectacular, but that the quality of the coaching stock leaves a lot to be desired. I read in Today's Railways Europe that the French post office is to stop using the postal TGVs from June 2015 so you captured an endangered species in this image!

I think 1145/46 had what is called a 'forced air' ventilation system, with the fan blowing air into ventilation ducts. The air could possibly have been heated in the winter, but, as JHB says, it wouldn't have been 'air conditioning' as we know it today. As flange lubricator points out they were real 'First Class' vehicles, designed and built for that purpose. In addition to the ventilation system they had fluorescent lighting and seated 42 passengers in individual three-position reclining armchairs.

With respect to the 'First Class' Cravens, there were five - 1147 - 1151. These were converted from 'Standard Class coaches and as a result the seats did not line up correctly with the windows. The history of these coaches is:

1147 - Converted from Standard Class coach 1551 on 27/01/1970. Reverted to Standard Class coach 1551 in June 1973;

1148 - Converted from Standard Class coach 1547 on 16/01/1970. Reverted to Standard Class coach 1547 in December 1974;

1149 - Converted from Standard Class coach 1558 on 01/05/1970. Reverted to Standard Class coach 1558 on 31/12/1984;

1150 - Converted from Standard Class coach 1548 on 02/09/1970. Reverted to Standard Class coach 1548 on 25/10/1984;

1151 - Converted from Standard Class coach 1547 in March 1980. Reverted to Standard Class coach 1547 on 04/03/1985.

Thanks, not seen that link before, likewise I wish I could have been around for that (all before my time unfortunately!). But whilst I know we don't have a time machine;), there's enjoyment and good memories still to be had on some contemporary railtours and those who travelled on the recent IRRS diesel railtour will confirm this. True the motive power isn't an A Class and we didn't go via South Wexford and see any beet (the sprayer/DFDS being the only interest outside the tour's!), but it was still a privilege to enter Waterford on-board the wonderful Craven stock behind a growling 071 locomotive (three being used throughout the trip), before heading leisurely (with photo-stops) cross country to Limerick following by an evening jaunt up the Nenagh/Ballybrophy branch.

I'd certainly agree with those sentiments. I travelled on the 'Bell Viewer' (and on many of the other ITG organised / operated tours around that time) as well as on the recent IRRS diesel tour. The earlier tours had their attractions in the variety of motive power or rare trackage, the recent tours were no less attractive, having their own charm in harking back to an era of more interesting (for the enthusiast) travel on the railways. Thumbs up to the ITG for the tours they ran back in the 90s and most definitely to the IRRS for organising the fantastic tour to Waterford and Limerick a couple of weeks ago (and of course for the Cobh/Midleton one last year).

Stephen,

 

Have you been standing on that station for thirty years waiting for that set to return? Your lunch will be cold by now if that is the case. Home now, immediately. Otherwise I'll send the Aunt's ghost down the road to chase you home.

 

Great to see your posts,

 

Regards,

 

David.

Thanks David. It's a tough job but somebody has to do it! Blink and you'll miss 8106. Not the aunts ghost!!! I'm on my way running down the road!

Great to see your posts too. Keep up the good work with 'Old Blarney'.

Stephen

8106 leads a 6-car setinto Killiney at lunch time today. This unit had worked the first service out of Bray, the 07:00 to Howth, 30 years ago.

Artificial reefs to encourage marine life.

And then there were the dreadful plastic seats on the old AEC railcars in their end-days as dilapidated push-pull trailers.....

Agreed, but at least in those days there seemed to be a 'can do' attitude in CIÉ - or at least the railway section. And of course there was one advantage with the push-pulls - they couldn't be 'robbed' on a Friday to provide extra capacity on the main line as the hauled stock was every week! Nowadays IÉ would cite H&S concerns and would cancel services rather than inovate.

They, unfortunately, are correct Ben. At one stage Dublin City Services (which was the division of CIÉ that ran Dublin's buses before the 1987 break up) fitted a number of buses with wooden bench seats upstairs in am attempt to curb vandalism. They were the most uncomfortable seats I ever encountered and, as the base was perfectly flat, one had the tendency to slide off the seat when the bus went round a corner at speed. The experiment fortunately didn't last too long and, along with piped music, was one of CIÉ's less successful ideas. I'm sure someone will have more details.

Nice work with the Park Royal and steam heating van Noel.What's the story with the steam heating van,the series number suggests there were only 5,is this correct?If so,did they get about the system or were they confined to a a particular area?

There were two types of ex-BR MkI GSVs - 3171 to 3176 which were converted from brake composite coaches and 3177 to 3192 which were converted from brake second coaches (see Wrenneire's post #11 in the Mk1 Generator Van thread in Questions & Answers). The only real difference (certainly from a modelling point of view) between the two types was the positioning. of the guards and boiler compartmets. Operationally CIÉ / IÉ treated the two types as a single fleet and they were to be found in use on all parts of the network.

What amazes me is that there were 33 passengers from Greystones on the train - the 23:10 from the town. Was there a festival or something on down there (a Garth Brooks concert perhaps)?

I'm not sure why the 071s don't have the country or owner codes. Possibly something to do with issues if crossing the border, same as with the black & white logo on some vehicles. If they did the codes would be IRL-IÉ. NIR codes would be UK-NIR.

HF, do you know how long it will be there?

The revised layout as shown in 'The Wanderer's' photos is to be permanent.

Italy 0 - 1 Costa Rica. To paraphrase Kenneth Wolstenholme's commentary during the 1966 final 'they think it's all over....it is now!'

They are going to have to convert the brakes to vacuum on 7607 for the weed spray train.

I don't think that this is correct. AFIK the EGV is to be converted to become the spray van. This will probably entail the removal of one of the generator sets and its replacement with the spray equipment. The restaurant car is to be used to provide more suitable accommodation for the staff (at present they travel in the spray coach) and that the train will be air-braked.

Anyone know whose layout is in the Spar supermarket advert transmitted on RTE 1 this evening at about 20:00? It's only a short segment of the ad and features a 001-class hauling a freight train.

It was the old overhead line inspection vehicle. It was converted from (I think) one of the 32xx type Brake Standard GSV carriages. In your friend's picture the pantograph, which was used to check the alignment of the OHLE, can just be seen. By the time Paul Bigland took his picture the vehicle had been withdrawn and all the roof mounted equipment had been removed

Are these images of any use?

Brilliant workmanship!

I presume that Connolly-Howth will be diesel hauled tomorrow and then 461 will take over for the trip to Wicklow and back.

Stephen, I think you are spot on when you say that the loco is 'standing on the Ballina branch loop at the Ballina end of the island platform'. I'd suggest that the photo is back to front and that the line diverging neatest the camera is the siding leading to the turntable shown on the 1947 O.S. map included by Glenderg in post #2. I can't figure out where the caption writer saw the bridge but assume it is the end of the canopy that they are referring to.

A small voice in the other corner says: 'Oh yes! And what about in 1950s green with eau de nil numbers'.

And there was me thinking that Walshisland wanted to secede from Offaly and join the Moscow GAA league!