Patrick Davey

More memories of Noel: Back in February 2016 I attended the funeral of a neighbour and ex-GNR driver Ned O’Hara. I met Noel Playfair there and although I had only chatted to Noel online by that stage he recognised me and came over for a chat about Ned. He described Ned as a total gentleman, very professional and helpful to everyone he met and particularly so to the upcoming generation of railway employees, giving encouragement and advice freely and always with a smile. Familiar words over these past few days. On May 15th 2018, newly-restored GNR Q class locomotive No. 131 was doing a run up the Antrim branch and I was following the working that day, and of course Noel was driving. Here are a few screen grabs from video clips I made that day: Noel giving his customary wave to this enthusiast, as he brings 131 through Finaghy on the outward leg of the trip. 131 and train approaching the Largy Road bridge near Crumlin with the return working. Noel doing what he did best - driving a steam loco at speed along the GN mainline, again at Finaghy on the return working that day. Paul Hoy, NIR driver trainer, is the other gentleman on the footplate. RIP Noel

@Rebekah Cunningham like so many, I was absolutely gutted to learn of your Dad's passing, a truly exceptional railwayman and a genuinely nice person, I met Noel a few times and corresponded with him too and he was only ever charming, kind and very very helpful. It has been said that he was equally at home talking to his professional colleagues and also the enthusiast community and I can certainly vouch for the latter, a passionate railwayman to whom we all owe a huge debt of gratitude for his years of work keeping the steam locos running to perfection. But the biggest loss is of course to you and your family - my sincerest condolences to you all on the loss of such a wonderful person, taken far too soon. You can all be extremely proud of Noel. May he rest in peace xx

Very impressive - well done!!!

Very sad news for a great many people throughout Ireland. May he rest in peace. Very very sorry to hear this.

Truly exceptional!!!

Insanely good - I know that part of Fermanagh very well and everything, particularly the back scene, conveys a strong sense of location. Beautiful loco and, it certainly IS exquisite!!!

Updated the platform lights today, hopefully that’s all the lighting completed. Lovely old fashioned lamps from layouts4u

Speechless......

Ever since Paddy Murphy released his fantastic 121 models I have been searching for this photo: here’s my younger self, aged five, beside 121 class loco No. 132 at Killarney, in 1976 I think, having just arrived from Dublin on the Radio Train. Photo posed beside the same locomotive as produced in OO scale by Murphy Models. I wonder can anyone tell me the name of the CIÉ driver? I remember he and his colleague were very kind to me and showed me around the cab. I also remember the return journey that day was quite eventful because we were stopped at Ballybrophy due to a fire on the line beyond the station, eventually reaching Houston in the small hours.....

Almost - there is one with a whistle which I missed!!!! The photos on the Modelu website show stunningly amazingly painted figures, my attempts are very embarrassing in comparison, hence the B&W photo of the musicians on the platform.....

Ha! Not quite! https://www.modelu3d.co.uk/product-category/finescale-figures/town-and-country/1948-1968-tc/musicians-1948-1968-tc/

Some new characters at the mill...... Mr. Weaver was an ardent animal lover - here he is deep in conversation with his two cats, Merlin & Peregrine: During their lunch break, Bertie Bellows and Sammy Screech would often entertain the other mill workers with their legendary duet of concertina and fiddle. Mr. Weaver wasn't a fan though and they were generally banished to the end of the platform, where their mischievous melodies and horrible harmonies would drown out everything, even the drone of the newly-re-engined diesel locomotives:

@DAVID WILSON thank you for sharing that link, I had been looking for it for a while, fantastic footage, am guessing very early 1960s? Shows the subway in great detail, not to mention the trolleybuses and all the other now vanished sights of bygone Belfast. The Queen's Bridge station area was gone by this stage, replaced by Oxford Street UTA bus station - love the buses in the footage too - although the link through the subway was retained for a good few years. The line ran down from East Bridge Street Junction along the back wall of the bus station along Laganbank Road, and into the tunnel. A short fragment of this line remained until as late as the 1990s, I have a photograph of it somewhere - looking now. Enjoying this thread very much @Lambeg man!

Fascinating - enjoying this!

Oh how nice is that! Echo @murphaph's praise for the blending of the back scene, just beautiful!!

I was about to say Ramsey looks very Irish!

This will be a fascinating project, featuring as it does one of the less frequently mentioned lines. I have been having some further 'micro musings' recently and this location did cross my mind, it's local to me, and like Capecastle, it has the perfect scenic break in the tunnel. Really looking forward to watching this one!

JB you helped me get the first one and I can say without fear of contradiction that one is very much enough!!!

Regrettably not...... I shall be on wedding duties on the Saturday........ gutted!!!!

Fully confident that you will rectify the situation Alan and I am very relieved that you did not discard the model! Wishing you a happy 2023 - it will be a pleasure to see the completed model in due course.

A little post-Christmas present to myself, for being a good boy this year. Acquired from the nice folk at Layouts4u. Highly recommended.

Many thanks - you too! Very kind thank you! Thanks David!

Happy Christmas from me to everyone, must say this forum is a great oasis away from the mayhem throughout the year, thanks to you all - and the IRM team - for making it a great place to drop in on! Not railway-themed but here's a little winter scene I put together a few weeks back. Something bigger, better and more forum-appropriate planned for this time next year!!

You too!!

Thanks GM - much appreciated. Happy Christmas!