Mayner

Hi Harry

Track layout looks impressive!

Rotary switches mounted on a track diagram is probably the simplest and most effective if you are using more than two controllers.

I used a similar system on an N Gauge American layout in Ireland before converting to DCC about 20 years ago and on a Club HO American layout, I would recommend a separate on-off switch between the rotary switch and the track because the track could become live and a loco move if another operator was running a train while you were turning the switch changing power to another controller. The second switch corresponds roughly with a coding switch beneath a route setting switch on an old style American CTC panel. 

I used Lorin type rotary switches mounted behind the track diagram operated by a small hand knob. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/rotary-switches-guide

As you seem to be using Insulfrog points there is no need for an ancillary switch connected to the point to change frog polarity. I use "Blue Point" controllers for both to change the frog polarity and switch power to the yard between the Main Line and Yard Controller on my Keadue layout, bit only really works where there are a maximum of two controllers. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice/rotary-switches-guide

Biggest challenge was wiring up the multi connectors between the layout and control panels-track diagrams.

19 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

True, but my point was - if you look at the body design & panelling, and wheelbase.

The Ratio-type, used by a number of British railway companies, used the same type of “modern” body type & profile as main line bogies. I’ve an idea some even had toilets.

Four wheelers here in design terms belonged to an earlier era, with body design similar to 1870s. Also, wheelbases for four-wheelers were a lot shorter. The Ratio type, in having a much longer wheelbase, plus 1880s onwards body design, are thus not at all like anything 4-wheeled we ever had - they look more like our 6-wheelers.

Most Irish railways used a standard length of 30ft for 6-wheelers. The Ratio yokes are about 26ft, by the look of them.

JHB my main reason for posting the drawing of the WICR 4w Composite was to demonstrate that it was of a similar length to a GWR 4 w Composite, I reproduce the drawing in a similar style to the Metropolitan GA and did not clearly reproduce the critical dimensions.

For the record the Metropolitan GA specifies an underframe length of 24"11" a a wheelbase of 14'.  GWR 4 wheel composite 290 under restoration at Didcot is listed as 26'10". possibly over buffers) 

From memory the WDLR Brake is listed as a 24' vehicle, while photos on the IRRS Flickr site indicate that Bandon, Macroom and surprisingly GSWR 4w coaches survived into GSR and even CIE days.

While the photos of the Bandon and Macroom coaches indicate that though were basic in outline they appear to be 24-25' 4-5 compartment coaches rather than the shortie 4w coaches of the pre-1870s era.

Interestingly there are a number of  Robin Clements photos in the IRRS Fliikr site of ex-GSWR 4w 5 Compt. 3rd 933 and 4 Compt. 3rd (probably ex composite) in GSWR/-early GSR livery at the Newbridge Ballast pit in 1948.  The coaches probably ex-WLWR appear to have been built as 4 wheelers rather than 6w with the centre axle removed, the panelling is similar to the Ratio GWR coaches but without the turned in ends. 

Unable to display or post links to photos on IRRS Flickr site

5 Compt 3rd 933---IRRS Flickr site Carriages 1/2 way down Page 4----4 Compt. 3rd 382 3/4 way down Page 4.

Interestingly 933 is listed as a 6w Lavatory Tri-Composite of 1895 and 382 as a w6 4 Compartment 1st of 1886 in the 1934 diagram book

Its possible the GSWR thought these coaches were worth keeping until they required major overhaul or "renewal" and not recorded in the 1924 GSWR Diagram Book in which no 4w passenger carrying vehicles are recorded.

The basic principal of analogue control with more than 1 controller (Cab Control) is to use either a Double Throw switch or a Rotary Switch to switch control to a section between different controllers.

Some people prefer to set up the Double Throw switches (DT) in a bank on a control panel similar to a lever frame in a signal box, others prefer to locate the DT or rotary switches on a track diagram either on a control panel or a layout fascia.

Traditionally most analogue layouts were wired with a "common return" direct from the track to the controller/controllers with the "live" fed to the controller through a switch, though some modellers prefer to take both wires from a circuit through a Double Pole switch to avoid any potential problems locos bridging a section.

Switches I usually use a Double Throw Centre Off so that power to a section can be turned off with Rotary Switches its a good idea to wire the section through a separate on-off switch immediately below the rotary to avoid 'conflicting movements" if a number of people are operating a layout. 

The diagram shows the basic wiring arrangements to control a crossover using cab control with common return wiring,

The main track feeds are wired through double throw (ideally centre off) switches to either cab. Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT) centre off switches are adequate for this arrangement double throw (DPDT) would be used if common return wiring is not used.

An on-off switch wired to the track section can be used to isolate locos on the siding.

As a general rule track feeds are located at the toe end of points, the double slip basically follows the rule effectively being two overlapping points.

GSR800 what are your plans for controlling points/signals on the layout?

There are other control arrangements that eliminate section switches routing power from the controller using switches operated by  points and signals but requires a lot of detailed planning.

I have a very basic version of this type of "route setting' on Keadue normally one controller controls the main line and the second the yard allowing a train to travel along the main line while a second is shunting the yard, however the yard is switched to the main line controller when a route is set up for a train to run into or out of the year using double throw switches operated by the points.

I was wondering who could possibly have commissioned such a scruffy coach when I read Eoin's thread 

You need a CIE publicity poster for the new diesel trains to wind up the unfortunate passengers that board the train at Dugort Harbour.  The poster worked at treat at Keadue and our few remaining passengers now drive or take the bus.

Funnily enough the Historic Model Railway Society have builders drawings of long wheel base 4 wheelers built for the Waterford and Central of Ireland and Waterford Dungarvan and Lismore but likely to have disappeared after the GSWR takeover of the two lines in the early 1900s.

The Waterford and Central of Ireland 4 compartment second similar length but quite different in outline to the Ratio GWR second.

The Ratio GWR 4 wheelers are not dissimilar in outline to some ex-Waterford Limerick and Western 6 wheel coaches that survived into CIE days including the turned down ends which were unusual in Ireland (the WLWR engineer was an ex-GWR man).

I  assembled a Ratio 4 wheel GWR Brake end as an ex-WLWR 6 wheeler using a brass 6w chassis kit from the UK, but probably simplest to have a go at assembling a Ratio 4 wheeler and painting it in CIE or GSR colours if your unable to get a Rails CIE 6 wheeler.

Eoin Murray has done a series of articles on assembling the Studio Scale Models GSWR 6wheelers on his ECM Model Trains in the Manufacturer's section of the Newsgroup and Popeye has a piece on assembling a GSWR 6w coach from a Worsley Works set of parts on his work bench thread if your interested in seeing what's involved.

Managed to find some time for modelling today first time since before Easter.

About to start the mechanical assembly and testing of a 650 Class 2-4-0, 1st job was to drill 0.5mm holes in the 2nd stage reduction gears in the Branchline Multibox gear box used in this loco. Usually I used to glue the two parts of the reduction gear together without any long term problems. but decided a brass pin was a more legitimate of an engineering solution. In the past I used to use Multiboxes to motorise large kit built BR steam locos like Black 5, 8F, Bullied Pacifics before using HiLevel gearboxes from the early 2000s, but picked up a number of Multiboxes and Mashima motors from Branchlines while Hi-Level was unable to source gearbox parts from suppliers during Covid lock downs.

I fitted a Mashima motor and Multibox in a GSR 52 Class for a customer a couple of years ago which was suprisingly quite despite the brass gears.

Multibox in pieces awaiting final assembly step down gears beside worm.

Drilled the holes with a 0.5mm drill in a pin chuck-slowly and carefully, especially as my hands are no longer as steady as they once were.

Mock up of a CIE Bitumen Tank Wagon using a tank from the IRM Weed Killer train set and a "spare" GSR/CIE wagon chassis. I bought the IRM set mainly for the bogie flats and produce my own chassis for the tanks. The Bitumen tanks appeared to be a lagged version of the tanks used in the Weed Killer train some of which ran on GSR/CIE pre-Bulleid wagon chassis. I may 'lag' the tanks with a card or brass overlay, the lagging was 'notched' to fit around the tank supports and saddle or leave as is. Initially thinking for using the tanks for Bitumen traffic from an off scene depot on a OO Dockside shunting layout

The other job was to 'pull out" the four 3' gauge locos on Keadue not run in about 2 years and see which were capable of running. Ironically 6t that had a cosmetic and mechanical overhaul during the 2020 Covid lock down that was a non-runner , but all require some form of adjustment.  Biggest challenge will be sorting out the Kadee couplers on the two 'Dingle tanlks" which will involve modification to the front and rear frame spacers but should improve the reliability of coupling and hands-free uncoupling.

Greatest priority at the moment is finishing a 650 Class for a customer, but repair and maintenance on the narrow gauge layout can provide some diversions in the evenings.

1 hour ago, LNERW1 said:

@Mayner please adress the large amount of space below the text here. It is getting quite irritating to scroll for a solid minute to reach the bottom of the page. I'm not sure why it's happening? It seems like there were supposed to be photos or something there.

Computer threw a wobbler while sending that post.

Released a model of a MGWR Horse Box about 10 years ago. Sales were so poor (total about 6 sold) that it was not worth re-ordering the cast parts to do a repeat or hold as a stock item. 

The etched parts are available to order and sold a few down the years and even produced a 2mm version as a special order. Castings were produced by Dart castings from my masters, the castings are in the Dart catalogue with the exception of the handbrake wheel.

16 hours ago, GSR 800 said:

The long ugly concrete brick 2 road structure directly adjacent to platform 1

 

Originally the Mails Complex opened the early 70s in connection with P & T new Sherriff St mail sorting office allowing mail and parcel to be transferred directly from the sorting office to rail rather than road from the GPO to Connolly and Heuston. 

The Mails Complex also served as another pair of platforms for Connolly during busy time, remember disembarking from a train in the Mail Complex at some stage during the 80s.

The building used a combination of concrete block walls and precast columns and roof beams. popular for industrial buildings at the time being cheap and almost maintenance free. The Sherriff St mail sorting complex was unpopular with P & T Staff with dust from the adjoining coal yards causing problems and abandoned in the early 90s possibly before the Mail Trains ceased, a far cry from the Residential and Financial Service area that now occupies the Custom House Docks.

On 26/4/2024 at 7:21 AM, Patrick Davey said:

I still think the Ballymena & Larne would make a worthwhile subject.

Has anyone produced a 4mm model of the early Isle of Man 2-4-0T locos in rtr format?  The two B&L 2-4-0T are pretty close to the 1st batch of IOM locos, the Manx and Irish 3' gauge just does not appear to have a similar level of interest to OO9 although the Peco HO/m track system has been about for the best part of 20 years.

Seems to be considerable demand for OO9 locos and stock with Bachmann's large collection of OO9 locos and stock and one off items by Heljan and Peco/Kato.

LGB is probably the best long term option as much for its investment value and its robustness for use on a garden railway, though its pretty expensive.

Best to go for the R3 large radius track and points which will allow you to run larger locos and stock in the long term or decide to try live steam  https://www.maerklinshop.de/en/detail/index/sArticle/7/number/L16000?__country=28

It might be worth checking out some of the specialist Garden Railway shops in the UK to get an idea of what's potentially available Bachmann Big Haulier American narrow gauge loco and stock were good value and reasonably priced, but the highly detailed "Spectrum' locos expensive and rather fragile.

Many Garden railway modellers are tending to switch to battery radio remote control and abandon track power, there may be a battery RC kit available for the Bachmann Thomas from one of the Specialist Garden railway shops/suppliers in the UK, Canada or the States

On 29/4/2024 at 9:52 AM, Westcorkrailway said:

If I had enough money I’d buy one and paint it up like a Silver G class along with a maybe 50 meters of straight track….or is that sacreligous 

Follows in a long tradition an acquaintance in the UK was asked to choose between his private preserved railway and his wife and chose the railway but remained on good terms with his kids.

He set up 1/2 mile or so of 2' narrow gauge along an abandoned BR line that adjoined his home and filled it with rare industrial narrow gauge locos and stock, the whole lot became derelict and overgrown as he did not have the time of resources to restore his "collection'.

Nearer to home in its early days of preservation preserved railways used freelance liveries as they were not allowed use current BR, CIE logos or livery styles. E428 originally carried BR arrows before Westrail developed its own distinct logo and red livery, the loco and stock were re-painted in CIE livery (E428 1960s Black with white, coaches 50s flying snail green livery) after CIE was split into 3 operating companies that no longer used CIE branding.

Neil Spink's SLNCR Book was one of the 1st books I borrowed from the library in my late mid-teens a treasured read and I have the 1980 re-print in my collection.

His relationship with the SLNCR made him not quite the companies official historian.

His book and a photo of Lough Gill in a Union Publications Iain Allen style spotters book on Irish locos inspired my as a teenage to build a model of the loco with a tinplate body on a very second hand Triang Princes chassis. A real beginners effort but it ran!

It might be worth checking out if the ex-BNM staff that were involved in setting up the Clonmacnoise and West Offaly railway, Visitor Centre and turf harvesting Machinery Museum at Boora on the Blackwater system are still about and the machinery collection still exists. 

The attraction was established by redundant BNM staff in the early 1990s and appeared to be successful commercially focusing on the Coach Tour trade than casual visitors and enthusiasts. Coaches were purpose built airconditioned modern coaches as opposed to "heritage' style vehicles, system closed during the late 2000s the BNM Blackwater system became to busy serving the recently opened West Offaly Power station.

https://www.familyfun.ie/clonmacnoise-and-west-offaly-railway/

https://www.offalyindependent.ie/2008/10/25/anger-at-proposed-closure-of-offaly-bog-rail-tourism-attraction/

2 hours ago, GSR 800 said:

To take a more conservative approach, one could perhaps build larger numbers of something akin to the DSER moguls and the GSWR J4 class 0-6-0s as competent, relatively modern designs.

The purchase cost of the parts for the 26 Moguls averaged out at £2,000 each which would be hard to beat and a better option than more DSER Moguls and J4 0-6-0

In a way the GSR had a surplus of medium and high power locos as a result of the post WW1 builds. The GSR had a surplus of 4-6-0s and large 4-4-0s allowing 3 of the 10 400 Class and 5 large 4-4-0s and large MGWR B Class 0-6-0s to be withdrawn, the really pressing need was to replace Civil War damaged DSER locos. The fact that the GSR could afford to spend 10 years re-building the 400 Class 4-6-0s into useful 2 cylinder locos says a lot about traffic demands.

The arrival of the 22 MGWR Cattle Engines followed by the 26 Woolwich Moguls without a corresponding  large scale withdrawl of smaller locos would have left the GSR with a surplus of small-medium powered locos at a time passenger and cattle traffic was in decline as a result of a combination of the Great Depression and Dev's Economic War.

One of the things I find strange is that no one seems to have thought of re-building the 3 remaining DSER 2-4-0T locos to bring them into line with the F2 2-4-2T most of which were re-builds of the 2-4-0Ts effectively the same class mechanically. Rebuilding the 2-4-0Ts into 2-4-2T  would have increased their range to cover the majority of South Eastern suburban diagrams rather than being restricted to Pier Trains and shunting.  Whatever their perceived shortcomings by Inchacore the Southeastern 2-4-0T and 2-4-2T had an excellent reputation on their own line.

Despite the perceived suburban loco shortage on the South Eastern  2 of the 2-4-0T and 1 2-4-2T ended up in Cork and a 2-4-2T was loaded to the County Down during a War Time loco shortage. I guess the Drumm Battery Trains and 670 Class 0-6-2T filled a gap.

In a way the GSR was not unlike the LNER or SR  with large/modern locos concentrated on long distance main line services, while pre-group locos continued to soldier on the less prestigious work that paid the Dividends.

The LMS was really the only one of the Big-Four to invest heavily in standard classes of modern low maintenance locos for medium and light duties with the Ivatt era locos during the immediate post War era but most had short working lives made redundant by DMUs or as a result of line closures.

In a way the 670s 0-6-2T, 700 & 710 0-6-0s and 342 Class D4s were not unlike the updated pre-group designs introduced by the LNER for similar duties, despite the 'modern standard designs small pre-amalgamation 0-6-0 and 0-4-4T locos continued to soldier on on the London Midland Region and parts of Scotland.

Cannot check for cab photo as IRRS Flickr site is closed for editing at the moment.

Richards Chown's model on WLWR No 2 (later 222) in its original conditions is fitted with a screw reverser.

There is a photo of the cab interior on 5 Nov 2020 posting on David's thread. Its likely that Richard's model is based on a Kitson builders drawing obtained from Leeds or NRM York

4 hours ago, flange lubricator said:

Now that we have nailed the oats don't suppose we could have a tank for the milk ?

 

Possibly Industrial Alcohol from the Chemici Teo Plant at Corry in Mayo shipped through Ballina, traffic survived into the 80s possibly 90s in 10' ISO containers.

The LL Flat particularly with 3 Guinness container or an Aluminium pre ISO CIE container would be a nice 60s era model at home on CIE and UTA and there is even a PWD version of the flat that survived into the 80s!.

The GSR in the 1930s in a way was a bit like the UTA wanting to replace loss making rail services with buses with no real long term need for a fleet of 'modern' steam locos for branch and secondary duties. The GSR proposed a series of closures in the mid-late 1930s that would have closed most branch and secondary lines such as the West Cork.

In a way the GSR had a surplus of 4-6-0s for the Cork Line and the 27 Woolwich filled the bill in terms of a modern mixed traffic loco for main line work. The GSWR 333 Class supplemented by the 1930s built 342s (both classed as D4) were a useful mixed traffic design which proved themselves capable of working passenger trains on the South Eastern, Rosslare Route and popular locos for working excursion trains.

The superheating of the smaller goods and passenger locos could be justified by reduction in operating costs as a result of reduced fuel consumption without going to the expense of building new locos for passenger services the GSR hoped to replace with busses. Many of the short feeder branches had lost their passenger services by the Mid-30s but traffic from cattle fairs justified retaining the lines for goods traffic. The GSR had already gone for the jugular by closing the Clifden, Achill and Killala Branches by the Mid-30s as the building of the lines were financed by Government grants and closure did not result in a major write off of capital.

The Drumm Battery trains appear to have been forced on the GSR possibly a quid-pro quo for passing of the Transport Act that gave the GSR similar monopoly powers to the Northern Ireland Transport Board and dependent of the supply of electricity from the Shannon scheme at a discounted rate. The system was surely capable of development but the Government  "was not prepared to subsidise inventions" when Drumm and the GSR applied to funding for new batteries during the  late 30? or 40s.

This was at an age when railways were still expected to stand on their own feet fund improvements from their own resources or borrowing and operate without subsidy, after all immediately before WWI the GSR and Midland were efficient and reasonable profitable companies.

The main issue with the Drumm Trains appears to have been the high capital cost compared to steam and short battery life. Two car Drumm Unit similar capital cost to a new steam loco and a 5 coach train. My father at the time subscribed to a conspiratory theory that "the Drumm Trains were driven off the rails" (possibly the mid 30 Sandycove derailment or perhaps 'brown envelopes" from AEC and the oil companies.

Certainly something to be said about a train that 90 years ago was capable of a trial trip from Amiens St to Gorey and back with minimal topping up and a battery life of 5 years before needing refurbishment (not replacement!)

Definitely left a favourable impression on my father though at the time the family lived in Ballinascorney in the Dublin mountains, their transport was a Ford V8 and pony and trap!

Have they retained the original seating?

There was a lot of criticism of the original seating.

The Sunday Cork-Heuston Arrow (stock transfer) had the reputation of being something of an endurance test.

Possibly a rail equivalent of enduring the privations of Lough Derg.

Perhaps no refreshments on Saturdays leg or the IRRS Railtour and "black tea" only on Sunday's return to the 'Real Capital" 

The saga of the hotel project and the Gombeen Man did some good as I was headhunted and offered a role as a manager with a company that had impressed me for some time.

First project was Project/Site Manager on a large North West Dublin Logistics/Warehousing project where my role was largely co-ordinating things with the designers nd specialist contractors while John our senior engineer and something of a Claude Greengrass character was in day to day charge of the sub-structure works with a team of engineers, direct labour, and specialist contractors. I looked after superstructure works (steel work, cladding, mechanical and electrical services) with a Finishing Foreman in charge of the Office Fit out.

John was extremely enterprising individual along with his day job, he provided a taxi service for our team of directly employed workers from Westmeath, installed part of the project's rainwater system on a piece-work rate during weekends and indulged his Greengrass instincts by trapping game and vermin.

Setting and checking out the traps did no go down to well with his passengers going to and coming home from work.  John would take a diversion to set or check out his traps and some of the lads were a bit squeamish about the dead animals in the back of the van.

John got into a spot one day installing a downpipe  inside a warehouse at a height of about 12m using a knuckle boom and managed to trap himself between the structure and the cage of the boom, was unable to reach the controls but somehow managed to find a way out despite being the only one on a very large site before the days of reliable cell-phone coverage.

I did not acquit myself to well with possibly the same boom after successfully replacing a defective double glazing unit in the project Office Block some time after handover and the Office Block was occupied, I managed to strike and damage the remotely controlled entrance gate to the Office car park with the knuckle boom.

One of the clients Directors rang my boss in panic and was told not to worry that I would sort out the problem.  Apart from telling me that he received the call my boss never said another word about the incident. We carried out a temporary repair job and operated the gates manually for a couple of weeks before carrying out the permanent repair.

During the Final Phase of the project a serious problem arose for the firm of Architect in charge of the project issued a Certificate of Practical Completion to our firm and the Client refused to accept the Final Phase of the project. At literally the last minute the Clients representative identified that one of the staircases in the Office Block breached fire/building regs..

Spent an interesting afternoon walking the Office Block with one of the Architectural Firms senior partners and a copy of the Building/Fire Regs trouble shooting the offending stair case, changing the direction of opening of some fire doors and closing off general access from the staircase to a plant room  (chain and a small sign) so it was not classed as part of an escape route. We completed the alterations in a day or so and the client occupied the Final Phase of the project. I guess the Clients Rep could justifiably claim that he had done something to justify his fee.

Never found out if we invoiced the firm of architects for the alterations or simply treated as a goodwill gesture to avoid embarrassing the firm and remain on their list of preferred contractors a days wages for a couple of carpenters was small change on a  £12m project during the late 90s

Unfortunately I did not really appreciate that I was working for a really good company until I jumped ship in pursuit of higher pay 2-3 years later and found myself in a far worse situation, though I guess I would not be where I am today if I did not make that move so there are no regrets.

On 25/4/2024 at 2:30 AM, jhb171achill said:

Or wagons on a loose-coupled goods train coming into the North Wall from rural places…….

Possibly a watching trains go-by N scale model of the GNR Main Line across the Border or Craigmore Viaduct as a next project if Patrick has the space. Kids used to start counting wagons on goods trains as they emerged from a tunnel/from under a bridge when we exhibited a 13' x 2'6" N Gauge club layout about 40 years ago!

Alternatively watching/trying to count cars on American freight trains can help you sleep. Spent a week chasing/photographing trains on Donner in 2001 before we were all abruptly brought back to reality by the 9/11 attacks.

6 hours ago, GSR 800 said:

How was loading achieved, lobbed under a grain silo and filled?

Likely to have been initially loaded under the large Elevators at Dublin, Waterford and Cork ports and unloaded by gravity at mills around the country, apparently wagons were unloaded through a hole in a road bridge in Limerick and the grain then transhipped by road to Ranks Mill in the Docks.

There is also a photo (possibly O'Dea collection) of grain being transhipped from a grain wagon to a truck at Fermoy during the 60s using a portable conveyor

The GSR originally built 10 hoppers for its own use and 8 for Ranks traffic during the 1930s, the increase in traffic that lead to CIE converting H Vans to grain wagons likely to be tied up with large scale mechanisation of agriculture in Ireland during the 50s leading to increased grain growing and use of grain as stock feed (Anglo-Irish Free Trade Agreement?

Ferns County Wexford seems to have become a significant originating point in the 50 with Ferns-Ballysodare possibly Ardee traffic flows.

Grain seems to have been stored for loading in a typical Irish curved roofed agricultural/industrial building as opposed to a silo/elevator at Ferns and loaded through covered conveyors that projected out of the building.

Some photos of arrangements for loading/unloading at Clara. 

Built 1930s quite a contrast with stone mills built during 19th Century

Ranks Mill Clara 1990s Elevator on left, drystore? on right, seems to have been 2 siding in this area.

Mill Elevator on left smaller building may have been for storing finished product animal feed?  before dispatch

Close up of loading chutes and discharge point.

Looks like the discharge point was set up for unloading trucks after rail traffic ceased during the Mid 70s.

Clara an industrial town once relatively busy with freight traffic mainly tied up with the Goodbody family.

Jute mill served by a long siding west of the station and Goodbodys later Ranks Mill at the rear of the station and two goods yards with its own pilot loco laterly a G Class

Interesting seeing IRM announcing the release of the Bulk Grain wagon before announcing the H Van from which its derived. The Bulk Grain variant of the H Van was a relatively rare and camera shy type. Apart from the Wicklow photo accessible on the IRRS Flickr site, there is a photo of two distinct variants of the wagon at Ballysodare Mill in JHBs and Barry Carse's Rails through the West.

Stephen's comment of the wagons in a 3 pack retailing in Ireland at €26 each (incl Vat) is an interesting one , it currently costs me €25 (excl vat) to produce 3D printed versions of the GSWR & early CIE versions of the H Van in undecorated-kit form, and illustrates the impossibility of producing kits or quality 3D printed models at a similar price point to plastic injection models.

I am not complaining I was aware for several years that IRM were planning to release "Bulleid Wagons" and went down the 3D printed road seeing a narrow window of opportunity to produce a range of pre-Bulleid era wagons before IRM released its range of Bulleid era wagons. 

On 15/3/2024 at 4:29 AM, Westcorkrailway said:

 

On many of the Late 1960s Railtours organised by the Munster area, a basic headboard was used. not sure what became of this one, if any one has any idea please feel free to comment. 

 

 

Possibly "Webbs Mill" Mallow private siding at Quarterstown off the Mallow-Killarney line. Originally a flour mill later used for handling bitumen traffic closed 1977.

There is a Joe St Ledger of a B141 stunting bitumen tanks at the Mill in IRRS Journal 198 Feb 2019

Coach seems to be an ex-GSWR early GSR coach some of which survived into the early 70s.

Would make a nice compact shunting module possibly forthcoming IRM Fuel Oil Wagons posing as Bitumen wagons or even H Van or Bulk Grain wagons.

On 23/4/2024 at 7:39 PM, DERAILED said:

The most depressing part about the state of 467a - if it is that carriage - is that it was in running order when delivered by rail to Mallow. It was either the Cork or Limerick breakdown van - I forget which without digging out my notes - but it is a sorry indictment of preservation in the Republic.

The ironical thing is that the Clifden Station is no struggling preservation group but a  profitable business that made €437,000 profit last year on a turnover of €6.2m , or returned a 13% profit margin, that could have funded the restoration of the coach from its own resources.

The cost of restoring the carriage over the past 20 years would have been quite small change in terms of the cost of operating and maintaining the hotel and tax deductible, quite different from a preservation group attempting to restore a carriage from its own resources or donations.

The restored carriage could have been treated an integral part of the hotel in a similar manner to other parts of the hotel such as the swimming pool that don't directly generate revenue or generate revenue rather than an eyesore in the carpark.  Applying a bit of lateral thinking the interior of the restored carriage could have been used for storage or even a room for guests.