Mayner

Well weather was fine this afternoon with cold weather forecast during the next few days before the beginning of Metrological Spring, so decided to finish installing the trackbase on the "Pacific Extension" or tail track of the wye I removed several years ago. The Trackbase for plain track on the garden railway is best described as a T Girder in CCA treated timber supported on timber piles, while track in station yard areas are supported on what's best described as open framed or solid topped baseboards framed in 4X2 treated timber. While some repair/replacement of the track base has been required after 16 years, most should be good for another 10 or so years. The original intention back in 2017-8 was to extend the "Pacific Extension" as a branch line into further into the garden possibly to serve a mine or logging camp, but ended up as a temporary 'tail track" to a Wye for reversing/turningtrains with one end of the T girder supported on wooden packers before making a 'final decision" on the 'extension". In the end I decided to replace the temporary packing with a (timber) pile and reinstate the tail track to its original length. I usually use 4X2 treated framing timber used in decking and outdoor structure as the vertical element of the T and 4X4 treated again used for piling in decking & light outdoor structures. Top of the pile is notched to support the vertical element and pile is supported (clamped) a minimum of 100mm before the bottom of the foundation pad (on firm subsoil). Bagged quick set concrete (just pour in water) makes life a lot easier than hand mixing! The end of the existing wye originally installed 2018. Trackbase reinstated for some unknown reason I had two pieces of 6X2 that fitted without the need to cut, that once had been used for a trackbase with one end cut at a matching angle! The green is a wood preservative. Green off cut on the right is a Kauri (native hardwood) offcut from an old pergola of which I have some more in stock to replace some short(ish) sections of trackbase that have decayed during the past 17-18 years. Tailtrack reinstated to its original length. I snookered myself by planting an apple (supposedly plum) tree on the line of the original extension, only suitable place left in our garden for planting a fruit tree! First train to test the reinstated tailtrack, now long enough for a large loco plus 10 cars. I changed from using brass to aluminium rail for new work when I originally installed the tail track with some interesting reprecussions cropping up this year. Serious problems at rail joints as a result of the aluminium rail reacting with brass rail joints and in one case causing rail joiners to fail as they could no longer hold the rails in alignment This time round I lifted the affected track panels ran the rails through a railbender (rolls) and lubricated the new railjoiners with graphite paste (LGB). Despite this the re-laid joints on the curve still require attention the K27 2-8-2 loco tends to de-rail its leading driver on the curve when running forward, though no problems when propelling its train around the curve.

There was a piece in one of the IRRS Journals on the incident. A Killarney or Trelee bound goods was wrecked at the Mill, apparrently the points were set for the siding rather than the Main Line.

I There is an IRRS Journal Article (possibly early 1980s) on CIEs First Diesel Programme in 1945 which included a proposal for a "Luxury Tourist Train" and diesel locos. The original expectation appears to be that Bush and other potential suppliers would supply the Tourist Train and locos complete, but were unable to supply a complete tourist train or locos because of material shortages and the lack of workshop capacity as Britain was recovering from the War The Tourist Train and proposed single cabbed diesel loco may have been inspired by American rather the British practice as the first CIE Chairman and proponent of dieselisation A P Reynolds visited the States on a fact-finding mission on diesel traction during WW2 while in a similar role with DUTC. Interestingly CIE shifted to Sulzer engines in combination with Metrovickers Electrical equipment for the two Mixed Traffic locomotives and the six proposed twin engined Express Locos before being forced to cancel the dieselisation policy following a change of Government and Nationalisation of CIE

The main difference between the D Class and the contemporary LMS, GWR & SR diesel shunters seems to be that the Irish locos used a Mirrless engine and Brush electrical equipment (2 traction motors) unlike the British locos that mainly used English Electric engines and electrical equipment. Versions of the "standard" 2 motor LMS/BR diesel shunter were built by outside contractors with different engine-electrical equipment combinations but not apparrently a Mirrless-Brush combo.

It may be feasible to custom/home etch to your own designs, etchant and resist may be available through electronic hobby or component stores. Some hobby electronic suppliers produced home etching kits. Resist (thats used to protect the area to remain after etching) drawn on with a pen or an iron on film and etchant (usually ferric chloride) for etching. Stewart Hine published an article on the home etching of number plates and other custom etching in Model Railways magazine during the early 70s. Still relevant for home etching if the edition with the article can be located.

Decided to run freight this afternoon although heavy rail forecast The train consist was fairly typical of the as-required freights that ran out of Ridgeway on the Northern end of the Rio Grande Southern druing its final years, a pair of usully leased DRGW K27 Mudhen locos Stockcars for seasonal livestock (mainly sheep) movements, boxcars for ore (usually zinc) loading and the occasional tankcar. I have both volumes of Sunset of the Rio Grande Southern which includes a detailed account of train working in the roads final years with abstracts from Crew Call sheets which include the numbers of the actual locos used, train cosist (freight cars & traffic) and estimated time on the road usually 2-3 days for a return trip over the more heavily trafficed section of the road between Rico and Ridgeway including the Telluride branch. Anyways to my version of reality! Train set out from Ridgeway behind DRGW K27 No 463 & 464 cut in as mid train helper with a train made up of Stock Cars, Tank and Box Cars. Mid-train helper usually cut in behind laden Stock Cars marshalled behind loco at head of train. Possibly an early Spring move of stock to higher pasture, its early Spring here camellias beginning to flower, maybe should re-name the Jackson County the Camellia Line. Both locos use on board battery radio remote control using NiMh batteries with radio receivers power controller & sound system mounted in the tender. Everything appeared to be normal at this stage, not realising the train had lost a Stock Car since leaving the staging in the garage! Photo should give a clearer impression of the overall length of the train, the max that would fit in the camera frame at this distance, there are another two boxcars and a caboose out of frame in this photo! Keeping point loading down on the RGS many bridges & trestles probabably the main reason for the use of mid-train helpers with larger locos like the K27s. But there is also a series of photos from the early 40s of a train double headed with a smaller loco a 4-6-0 No 20 double heading with a K27. I am hoping at some stage this year to install cosmetic trestle bents to this raised section to resemble the famed RGS Ophir loop https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10231497641718482&set=gm.1114868626949908&idorvanity=297689325334513 It started raining as I took this photo, so time to back the train up the High Line (along the fence in the background) to the staging in the garage, trains approx 30' long at this stage. This spot called Arboles after the dwarf conifers we planted 15 or so years ago which are no longer dwarf! Arboles is the usual 'loading/unloading" place for livestock a remote spot not unlike some of the stock yards on the RGS & DRGW. I amde the mistake of using re-cycled ballast at Arboles, without thoroughly drying/roasting the ballast to kill off any organic material in the mix. In partial shade the moss takes over during Autumn-Winter months, currently dying off as a result of a combination of residual weedkiller and drying out as a result of slightly brighter/longer days. Like the story of an ore-hopper disappearing out of a Ballymena bound train on the Cushendall Line, I only discovered that I had lost a Stock Car on the outward bound trip by accident! The car was originally coupled to 464 at the rear of the 1st cut of Stock Cars at the front of the train as it left the staging, thankfully a bed of leaf mulch is very soft and no harm done, though will need to check coupler alignment when 464 or other locos cut in as mid train helper are departing the staging, there is a reverse curve on the approach/departure from the garage. The Ballymena incident re-counted by EM Patterson in the Ballymena Lines was of a laden ore train arriving in Ballymena with one less car than in the Guards Journal when it set out. It appears a milesman found the car the following day upside down in a field at a lower level beside the lineside. Being unfitted and having chopper couplers it was thought that the wagon left the rails (possible track or wagon defect) and overturned as the train was running down grade and the wagons on either side re-coupled.

What a dilemma Accurascale have three Irish locos/'powered units" at the tooling/production stage and Irish modellers are concerned that Accurascale may not release a rtr model of a C Class (the only remaining gap in the CIE mixed traffic diesel fleet) within the next 5 years. Interestingly Accurascales production of prestigious one off or small classes of express passenger locos restricted to particular routes like the Class 89, Hunslet and the GSR 800 Class idicate that modellers/collectors may be guided by emotion rather than practicality in buying locos and producing relatively rare prestigious locos may potentially be more profitable than the more hundrum examples, though Accurascale seem to be doing nicely producing large runs of locos like the Class 37 & 31 duplicate by other manufacturers, but may not apply to the much smaller Irish market. While I had already pre-ordered an ICR and was mighty tempted by a Hunslet (got that Wow factor when I first saw the new NIR Enterprise set at Amiens St about 56 years ago) I am in my late 60s & not getting any younger and decided to cut back on my collecting, passing go on a Hunslet and cancel the IRC. While I purged my collection of British Outline and American Outline On30 & HO about 15 years ago I still have to make a decision on the future of my collection of American N though could come in useful if/when we have to downsize to a smaller home or God fogive a "Retirement Village"

No 278 failed in service earlier this week requiring a visit to the shops for some urgentish repairs. First sign of trouble was the loco was unable to build up raise steam/build up pressure with (a lot) of water apparrently leaking into the cab, traced the source of the problem to the boiler filler valve wasn't seating properly resulting in water leaking out of the boiler when I lit up the loco (gasfired). Normally hand-tightened with a socket, the threads in the boiler filler hole had become worn and the filler (Goodall Valve) was no longer steam/water tight once the boiler began to warm up. Contact Accucraft in the States who revealed that 278 was at least 25 years old and suggested chasing out the existing threads by a 10x1mm tap, Accucraft manufacture in China (in their own factory) and use metric rather than imperial threads. Sourced a suitable tap in a local engineering/tool supplier so problem at the boiler filler solved. There were also some steam leaks around the seating of the banjo fittings that connect the sight glass and pressure gauge to the boiler. In close up a visible split in the fibre washer on one side, the washer on the other side although still steam tight disintegrated when I removed the banjo valve! Replaced the sight glass which had become obscurred with oil condensate after several years use. Its something of a challenge to avoid breaking the sight glass as everything has to be in alignment before tightening the banjo connection to the boiler. I used some fibre washers I had in stock for seating the banjo fittings to the boiler & hex nut above the sight gauge (I need to replace the washer with something smaller/neater, but works for test purposes. There are 3m sealing rings between the sight glass and brass fittings at top and bottom of glass. Drill was to fill the boiler to water level (approx 75% of gauge) check for leaks, then gradually raise steam checking for leaks, fittings are 7 & 8mm I use open end and ring spanners. Photo is after steam test and stationary test run on rollers. Tender is actually used to carry water, stops the gas tank freezing and can potentially be used to top up boiler if loco is fitted with a 'blow down valve". 279 can be topped up on the road while in steam using a 'Goodall Valve" & a water bottle. I use water collected from our household de-humidifiers as tap water would potentially be damaging to a loco boiler! Next locos to take 279 place are likely to be 4mm J15 started several years ago!

Came across a large number of Kiwirail curtainside containers finished with artwork of native New Zealand flora and fauna (fancy name plants and animals) in one of the local railyards yesterday. I saw a solid train of these containers passing through Hamilton following their arrival late in the Country last year, but hadn't seen any in regular service. I initially thought that the artworks was intended to deter graffiti, (the majority of Kiwirail wagons and containers tend to be heavily tagged) which appears to be correct https://www.nzherald.co.nz/hawkes-bay-today/news/napier-kiwirails-new-containers-feature-native-new-zealand-art-to-combat-graffiti/W4OKQRUTSNBNZA73FBYIQNTRWY/ Will be interesting to see whether the local taggers can resist the temptation? The Herald article indicates that the new containers were funded by the State to replace "aged box wagons" i.e. bogie curtain sided and sliding door pallet vans once to transport export forestry products and inter-Island freight traffic. New ish containers possibly going into storage as a result of fall off in rail traffic as a result of a number of North Island paper, pulp and saw mill closures and the temporary? closure of railferry services between North and South Island.

The tooling for the coach sides was prepared for a production order which resulted in some toolings produce multiple sets of coach sides which unfortunately results in some anomolies in our pricing! (a) Buffet Car -------------------------1 Set of sides-----------$60NZ---------- approx £25.00 Buffet Galley side Buffet Bar side (b) 1339055 Series Side Corridor Third/Second/Standard-----------Standard fret produces sides for 2 coaches!------------------$72.55------------------approx £30.00 1904-8 Brake Second Overlay & set BSSGV sides -----------Standard fret produces sides for 2 coaches!------------------$72.55------------------approx £30.00 For some reason several years ago the etchers paired sides for these coaches on a single tooling! Note the BSSGV Roof and Door details are on a separate fret-----1 Set of sides-----------$60NZ---------- approx £25.00 The 1356-1371 Open Seconds/Standards, 1904-1908 Brake Seconds/Standards and 3201-3212BSSGV overlays were originally mamufactured as sets of sides for 3 coaches! Price for a fret with 3 sets of sides for identical coaches would work out at $85.00 nz------------------approx £35.00 Price for 1 or 2 sets of sides for identical coaches would work out at $72.55 nz------------------approx £30.00 All prices exclude shipping. Note Prices for the coach side are indicitive only and based on supplying from NZ rather than direct from our supplier in the UK. I expect to issue quotes to prospective customers for Van Kits and Coach Sides by the end of the Month to place an order with our engraver during September for delivery to customers Jan0Feb 2026.

Finally managed to find some time this week to almost finish the Tin Vans one or more of which started over 10 years ago, though still have to replace the glazing on one van and fit door handles to several! Silver Vans finished in Tamiya "Bare Metal Silver" aerosol, the Heating Van was assembled fro the 1st batch of kits released 10 or so years ago, the Luggage Van from the 2021 batch. Both vans are 21mm gauge, I haven't gotten round to fitting couplers to the Heating Van, I am thinking of replacing the Kadees on my 21mm stock with B&B couplers reliable delayed uncoupling and less obtrusive than Kadee. I was inspited to finish these two vans in silver by a series of FW Shuttleworth photo of the Night Mail being made up at Sligo in 57 the consist included a pair of almost brand new Bulleid Vans, a an ex-MGW Meat Van and a ex-MGW 6w TPO dating from the 1880s, a an ex-MGW 2-4-0 shunted the train but likely to have been worked to Mullingar by an A Class. d Consist of the Sligo Night Mail about 15 years later based on photos of Bulleid Vans supplied by David Malone, a UK based modeller who did some pioneering work to promote Irish Broad Gauge modelling in P4 during the 80s & 90s. David assembled a couple of my Vans with fully detailed interiors including a boiler in the heating van and parcels/luggage in the luggage sections. Luggage Van finished from the original test build of around 10 years ago decals supplied by Des or SSM Luggage Van in original condition. Luggage Van with 4 window panels on both side replaced by solid panels. Heating & Luggage Van with a 3 window panels replaced with solid panels. G617 had a spruce up after replacing worn decals before return to service. I masked the black paintwork and re-coated the white areas with a Tamiya "Pearl White" (gloss) aerosol, before finishing the loco body with a satin aerosol clear coat, unfortunately the orange on the SSM broken wheel logo does not show up too well aganst a black background! Having almost cleared my workbench I thought this was a good time to do some urgent repair work on a Large Scale loco before, resuming work on the next unfinished 4mm loco/s project.

Fran wrote a piece on RM Web about the 1st batch of new RTR models usually selling out and the 2nd batch ending up on clearance, and the significantly higher level of demand (3 times) for the Accurascale Class 37 (despite being duplicated by other manufacturers) compared with both the Class 89 and the ex-GE Buck. So would not exactly hold my breath for IRM or MM to release a C Class/B201 From a loco to haul a Park Royal perspective the Cs/201 Class had largely ceased to haul passenger trains following the commissioning on the DART in 84?, single 141/181s largely taking their place on Dublin Outer Suburban services, the remaining 201s largely restricted to shunting duties at North Wall. The Park-Royals were banned from fast Cork Line passenger services during the late 80s, I last travelled in trains made up of refurbished Park Royal Ciaches (interior spruced up) between Mallow & Killarney (possibly a Cork Tralee service) and Connolly and Drogheda in 88-89, Cork-Tralee possibly 001 or a 141/181 Connolly-Drogheda 141/181 When all is said and done the old Q kits A & C Class could be assembled into quite presentable models! I picked up mine in finished in early 80s condition second hand from the Belfast Caboose about 30 years ago and re-gauged its Athearn mech to run on 21mm gauge for use on the MRSI Loughrea layout and hasn't been run in about 20 years like most of my locos! The original builder did a nice job including flush glazed windows and windscreen wipers, I passed up on a MIR 071 finished to a similar standard too large and modern for my tastes and would have severley stretched the budget.

Very nice! the "Streamline" look of the Peco Code 75 track with its HO sleeper spacing helps to disguise the narrow gauge look of OO gauge, point rodding modelled complete with a facing point lock (fpl) seldom modelled adds to the overal impression of realism.

The train and railway looks like a nice set up and worth visiting/checking out. The loco appears to be a Ruston nicely restired in almost original condition, the coaches likely to have been built by the current owners. The Platform on the drivers side was a BNM feature, BNM drivers preferred to drive the loco standing on the platform outside the cab rather than from inside the cramped interior, I drove a similar Ruston in the UK and much more comfortable and better visability standing than sitting inside the cab! I rode the BNM Bellacorick Tourist Train the sole passenger in 1996 the coach was the passenger portion of an ex-West Clare Walker Railcar hauled by a Ruston diesel rebuilt with a Gardiner engine, torque convertor transmission and a new cab possibly a prototype. The Tourist train ceased shortly afterwards didn't seem to be capable of attraction similar numbers of (mainly coach tour) visitors as the much more successful Clonmacnoise & West Offaly operation at Boora Probabably best to contact the Mayo North Old Engine and Tractor Club who restored the train https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064767783932 or the North Mayo Heritage Centre https://northmayoheritagecentre.ie/

Galley side of Buffet Car 2409 as restored by GSRPS at Mallow 1984. Some or possibly all of the original batch of Buffet Cars had their original pattern GSR bogies replaced with B4 bogies to run with Craven stock on loco hauled services during the 60s, the majority of older CIE stock (51-54) including 1st batch of Buffet Cars on conventional underframes were withdrawn shortly after the introduction of the 1st of the MK3 Intercity stock and the commissioning of the DART in 1984. Side Corridor coach on Triangulated Underframe on Commonwealth bogies apparrently in the GSRPs interpretation of the GSR brown and cream livery of the late 20s-early 30s. The 1953 batch of Side Corridor (3rd/2nd/Strandard Class) coaches 1356-1371 were built on a traditional steel underframe with GSR pattern bogies similar to those used under the original batch of Buffet Cars.

I hadn't realised that #268 was on display in a park in Gunnison and missed it when we visited the area in 2016. #278 & its caboose had been removed from its usual display place on the bridge in the Black Canyon near Cimerron to a National Park compound for some cosmetic restoration work

Interestingly the Ballycastle appears to have been originally laid with quite light track and the cost of replacing the track in later days a drain on finances that contributed to close the line in 1924! (Irish Narrow Gauge V2 Tom Ferris 1993) Its likely the track was upgraded with heavier rails before the large Kitson 4-4-2T appeared on the scene in 1908. I wouldn't over do it on weathering the track, and would keep weeds/foliage under control, the origional light track would have required a lot of attention from the p.w gang to keep in order and with low wages of the pre-WW1 era weeds and line side foliage would have been kept under control by gangs of men, (manual weed removal & possibly backpacks) Having worked in a p.w. gang for several years, reasonably well maintained track tends to weather fairly uniform tones especially on plain running lines, apart from polished railhead rail & fixings to a brown rust colour, sleepers a creosote brown (unless turning to a silvery grey bleached out needing replacement) ballast depending on the coilour of the stone/gravel used. Graphite grease used applied on slide chairs of switches (part of point blades that move) and to fishplates at railjoints (usually once a year!, angle cranks/pullies in point rodding regularly oiled. The Fry model is actually based on one of the Ballymena locos same maker similar outline but a 0-4-2 rather than an 0-6-0, ran for a short while on theC&L I been threatening to build one for the best part of 50 years!

Well over two years later. I found my stash of Kadee HOn3 couplers so I can finally fit uniform couplers to my Irish narrow gauge locos and stock. Just posed some different trains since the last set of photos, though haven't actually run anything in several years! 3 (T) arriving with the Daily Mixed. Apart from Dromad-Ballinamore the Cavan & Leitrim was mixed train daily territory in CIE days with daily return mixed trains on the "main line" from Ballinamore to Belturbet and a return Ballinamore-Arigna mixed on the "Tramway" Keadue is theoretically on proposed never built Arigna-Boyle or Arigna-Sligo extensions of the Tramway with a mixed arriving from Arigna. There was an acute shortage of usable carriage stock on the C&L in CIE days due to the run down state of the original carriage stock & CIE transferred a T&D Coach and a Bogie van for use on the 'main line" during the early 50s & another ex-T&D train appears to have found its way to Keadue!. The coach is a Branchline's kit a model of "Bristol C&W" coaches supplied to the T&D in 1890, rather than the longer Midland C&W Composite 18T that was transferred to the C&L, the Van is a Backwoods Miniatures model of the ex-TD Van transferred to the C&L along with Composite 18T re numbered as 21 & 22L. The lady has been waiting faithfully on a train for several years at this stage, though Staff seem to have gone home or possibly emigrated. 6T with a laden coal train inward bound towards Ballinamore on the Tramway. Photos indicate that coal specials loaded to 10 wagons plus Van which could be marshalled at the rear of the train or next to the loco, the majority of C&L wagons were vacuum fitted, mixed and goods trains ran with a continuous brake. Usually laden coal trains run in the opposite direction on the layout as the train is theoretically running towards Arigna & Ballinamore! Also located "Edward" a common beast of burden in Leitrim and Roscommon. The cars are likely to be a railway enthusiasts/photographers cavalcade, I have some suitablish figures somewhere! I trided to stage a line up of photographers for a UTube video but one of the figures fell over when the train appeared in the scene The bridge and crossing was inspired by Kiltubrid but I made the baseboard too narrow to include the Crossing/Halt keepers house. Managed to find enough empty wagons to stage a train of empty wagons behind 2 (L) a Backwoods Miniatures model of the loco assembled as running in the late 50s (possiby spare engine on account of reasonable cosmetic condition!) 1st pair of wagons are Foxrock Models C&L opens (highly detailed resing body on Iain Rice chassis still awaiting couplings) followed by a pair of ex-Passage opens (resin body from my master on Backwoods miniatures chassis) followed by a Parkside T&D/West Clare! open. 2L about to enter fiddle yard/end of scenic section, Sawns are theoretically in continuation of stream/river waterway that railway passes under in earlier photo. Scene is inspired by the way the Tramway, Road and Ballinamore and Ballyconnel Canal run parralel between Kiltubrid and Ballyduff

Really like the station JHB really places the station in the Kingdom, tell us more! Edna's vans look the part right down to the friction axleboxes later replaced with roller bearing following problems with 'hot boxes" I wen't down a rabbit hole with the RTR 20T vans and ended up with 4 body variations and several livery/number iterations. I did produce a ply bodied version with modified duckets all my versions had planked balconies, came across one poor quality photo of a van with all ply body and balcony, the 30T vans had an all welded steel body.

Hi Paul Insufficient interest at this stage to complete complete sets of parts for the 51-53 Inchacore built coaches. The 60' etched sides can be supplied to order direct from PPD, I expect to have prices for sides only later in August. Sides produced were: (a) Buffet Car (b) 1372-78 Side Corridor Standard (c) 1356-1371 Open Standard (d) 1904-8 Brake Standard (e)3201-12 Brake Standard Steam Generator Van

Conyngham Road Depot used to be a regular stop on City/Ballybough bound No 23 bus services in the 60s & 70s while travelling with my Mum as a kid to visit her Aunts in Nth Richmond St and on my own as a teenager on visits to model(railway!) shops and the MRSI Clubroom also in Nth Richmond St!. The Conyngham Road Depot has a long history as a public transport depot, initially the Dublin & Lucan 3' gauge steam tramway Dublin Depot & works, the 3'6" gauge Lucan Electric Tramway absorbed by the DUTC and converted to Broad Gauge and integrated into Dublin's electric tramway system in the 1920s before the Lucan tramway services were replaced by buses in 1940s. The main concrete/masonry depot buildings likely to date from the DUTC era. Wasn't interested in the Busses or Conyngham Rd Depot but the top deck of the No 23 Bus most of the way from the Colbert Rd bridge to Conyngham Rd depot was a great for trainspotting (mainly shunting) Islandbridge Junction and Heuston Goods

"Tail Traffic" on AEC worked passenger trains on the Waterford-Limerick line into the late 60s. An IRRS Paper "A Day at the Junction" by Herman Sherman in one of the 1969 Journals details passenger and freight working on a day spent at the 'Junction" both the daily East and Westbound passenger trains between Waterford and Limerick were worked by 3 Car AEC railcar sets (2 powered+ intermediate coach) hauling 1-2 4w Flats carrying containers (possibly pre-ISO) most likely meat traffic from Limerick (possibly Rathkeale or Limerick) for export through Waterford. In the late 60s CIE transferred the majority of its AEC cars to Dublin to work the newly intergrated Howth-Bray suburban services over the newly installed North-South connections between the ex-GNR main line and the North Dublin Loop line in the East Wall Junction area. "A Day at the Junction" is well worth seeking out as along with info on locos, stock and train workings it includes railway (mainly) men's nicknames for various trains incl. "The Soup" prestigious express with dining car and others, I donated my collection of IRRS Journals when I left Ireland over 20 years ago, but have since run out of space to store them!

1. It looks like an Operator is required to Register with the IAA if they own a drone over 250kg or if it has a camera. https://www.iaa.ie/general-aviation/drones/drone-register. The requirement to register on the MySRS site triggers a requirement to complete on-line training and additionally; 2. even recreational use of a camera drone may be subject to privacy legislation as it may potentially be used to identify a 'natural person. 3. An important point 'Line of Sight' (VLOS) flight for drones that don't trigger a requirement for a "Remote Pilot Competency' cert is defined as the pilot being able to see the drone and its surroundings with their own eyes, i.e. without visual aids such as bionoculars, a monitor (I Phone, Android or other device) or headset. In this part of the world there is a requirement to obtain the owner/occupiers permission before flying a drone over private property. A drone operator could be potentially committing trespass if they enter private property in Ireland without the owners permission (incl IE's rail corridor or privately owned adjoining land)

Saturday late afternoon was cold and sunny after a busy morning and a good opportunity to test how No 268s recently repainted smokebox door would stand up to the heat! Live steamDRGW C16 No 278 waits top take over Stock Train hauled from garden shed by battery powered No 348. Gas fired 278 scorched her smokebox door and front as a result of a "flare-up" in the smoke box several years ago, recently re-painted with a heat resistant auto aerosol silver and finished with a gloss lacquer, waiting light up for a test run. Steam raised safety valve blowing off at 60psi. Hoping to dress this section up as one of the famed RGS trestles atsome stage during the next couple of years, earlier this section had become quite overgrown, fallen leaves to be covered with mulch as annual weed control! Storage tracks in garage in background connect to the main circuit by the High Line on a 4% (1:25) grade. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10231966944890768&set=gm.1143872954049475&idorvanity=297689325334513 The railroad descends at 2% from the last photo highest part of the oval over a distance of 40' to the lowest point before climbing to the summit at a similar grade. Driving technique is to run down-grade with the steam almost shut off before opening up at full throttle to gain sufficient momentum to climb the curving 2% grade section towards the tunnel which begins by the timber retaining wall in the distance. Train has just about cleared the curving section to the tunnel and beginning to accellerate on the straightish section to the main yard. The train is crossing what was once a water feature fed from above the tunnel, but too much hassle to maintain because of leaf fall. Almost back at the starting point after 3 whole laps of the circuit 278 out of gas and low in water, no sign of scorching of smokebox door/front. I'll probabably give the loco a few more runs before deciding whether to give the smokebox and funnel a fresh coat of silver! Photo nicely shows up kink in rail on left, probably caused from walking over track! 278 had dropped her train at the end of the single line section outside of the year for 348 to collect. Both locos tend to struggle with 4 cars and a caboose on the final section of the circuit into the loop and 278 was too low in gas (boiler pressure) to make it into the loop with its train. Finished run after 5pm and put trains away by 5:30, topped up 278 boiler with water, drained condensate and topped up lubricator reservoir still light but bitter cold. 278 throttle (regulator) and reverser are manually controlled (scorched fingers) though I have parts to convert throttle to RC and the arthritis in my knees is beginning tp play up!!

Only set foot in Nenagh as a 16-17 year old in 73-4 with my parents on the drive from Dublin to two weeks summer holiday in a caravan park in Kilkee, main recollection was the local skinheads with their cropped hair and 'bovver boot' wore standard cut jeans and denim jackets unlike our neighborhood skins and bootboys who wore half mast high cut jeans. To make the long story short we could not find anywhere to eat lunch in Nenagh or Limerick City all cafes/resturants were full on a busy Holiday Saturday and ended up with a very late lunch in Ennis. My father sometimes talked about into Dublin City Centre on a weekend to watch the fights (often with women) in the streets late at night in the 1940s and the street fights (knives and razors) between rival gangs.