Patrick Davey

Thanks Adrian! Yes simply hoovered, but some of it was a bit inaccessible after getting into the 'nooks and crannies' so a finer nozzle on the vacuum cleaner would be handy to have!

Very kind Fiacra - thank you

Thanks all - I only saw Adavoyle once, at Cultra a few years back. Beyond impressive.

Winter at Brookhall Mill - trying out Chris Nevard's idea to use bicarbonate of soda to create 'removable' snow!

Great review of the IRM A class in the December issue of Model Rail - great to see the locos getting such praise, well done IRM!

Lighting a candle for The Ballymena & Larne Railway.........

That carpet.......................

Stunning, no other word Patrick!

Great progress - looking superb!

This is incredible Colm, great to see your previous work - all of it inspirational as JB says. Thank you for sharing!

Here are a few colour views from the above video. Absolutely love that dark green livery - suits the rural setting of Brookhall Mill quite nicely I think!

Some 'Friday Fantasy'.... Over the years, Brookhall Mill earned something of a reputation as an unofficial ‘hospitality venue’ for Irish railway companies, who would regularly reward their staff with a trip to Brookhall for dinner, and occasionally an overnight stay. On Friday December 11th 1959, with the imminent closure of the Valencia Harbour branch, CIE brought most of the staff who worked the line on a long weekend trip to Brookhall to acknowledge their years of hard work and dedication to running the branch. C class C201 brought the branch train to Farranfore just before 9:00am on the Friday, where A class A46 and two carriages were waiting to make the long trip from County Kerry to County Antrim, via Killarney, Mallow and a lunch stop at Dublin Kingsbridge, arriving at Brookhall as the sun was setting on the Friday evening. By all accounts it was a memorable weekend with good food and great company, and the nightly singing and dancing into the small hours may have temporarily softened the hard realisation that possibly the most beautiful railway line in Ireland would shortly close, forever. 1649791595_A46atBrookhallMill.mp4

Cheers GM - I'd love to tell you who's performing the music but modesty prevents me.... Thanks for the kind comments - the A class locos are making themselves right at home on Brookhall Mill, it had been my plan to get the main building finished before their arrival but life got in the way Wow thanks JB! Much appreciated.

Here's a short video of A3R making herself familiar with my 'micro' layout 'Brookhall Mill' - please excuse the incomplete nature of the layout.....I'm getting there! 1931199568_IRMAClassA3R.mp4

Ha thanks GM - sadly no recent progress and nothing likely for a good while either

What a model

This is just superb and the A class locos fit in Moree than nicely! Looking forward to more photos.

Still not much to report on BHM other than some high profile arrivals to expand the rolling stock manifest. I think that's enough for me to eventually operate a wide variety of trains across a timeline of half a century or so (until the next IRM announcement that is!) I have some wagons & carriages currently in the custody of a very talented friend, who is finishing them off for me, so once they arrive back I will be ceasing the acquisitions....... So time to indulge in a bit of fantasy....... Brookhall Mill closed in 1975 and one of the highlights of the final years was the annual 'Diesel Day'. CIE sent a number of locomotives to the mill for each Diesel Day, even going so far as to repaint a few of them in discontinued 'retro' liveries. Although it was always a very popular event with the public, Brookhall Mill's Diesel Day wasn't always fully appreciated by the old GNR men, who remarked that it made the place look more like Inchicore than they would have liked.......

Jaw-dropping A15 has a slightly displaced handrail but otherwise all received safe & sound. Full marks to the IRM team

Fascinating insight - thanks all!

Always wondered why the Ardee line was relatively unsuccessful - with virtually direct access to Dublin?

Such a great layout from Kieran - what a variety of stock and particularly nice to see the MAK diesel making an appearance. Inspirational!

Quite humbled, thank you! Amazing woodwork, am keenly watching progress! Good workspace too!

Lovely John - reminding me of my current project!

Thanks - nice to have a model of it now too. Who owns it?