Mayner

Its been a long term in the planning and construction  I first heard about plans for a Westland Row-Grand Canal Dock layout nearly 20 years ago. 

Its nice to see the Sparrow and Arrow Railcars again, the single unit railcar was surveyed within days of its arrival (1997?) in Inchacore and the scratchbuilt model completed and in service on the Greystones layout a lot quicker than it took IE to commission the prototype.

The late Padraig Ó'Cuimín a recognised authority on the Midland wrote about the traffic and rolling stock on the Loughrea and Ballinrobe Lines during the pre-amalgamation era  in his book The Baronial Lines of the MGWR Transport Research Associates 1972. 

Traffic on both lines was broadly similar, in pre-amalgamation days cattle and timber were the most important sources of outward traffic (6 Fair Specials Loughrea & 4 Ballinrobe lines in 1923 WTT), Loughtrea had cattle fairs in February (largest) March and May, sheep August. Pig traffic was most important after cattle from Ballinrobe, building stone was also shipped from Ballinrobe. Horsebox specials also ran in connection with the Ballinrobe Fair and Racemeetings.

Inward traffic included domestic and locomotive coal, flour, bran, Guinness, bran, corn and sundries, domestic coal traffic.

The Convertible or MGWR "Standard Covered Goods Wagon" was the standard wagon for livestock and general goods traffic up to the Amalgamation, the next most common were Swivel Timber Trucks (short trucks with single bolsters) usually used in pairs or threes to carry round or unsawn timber. Ó'Cuimín writes of a Martin Flood who used to work cutting timber for dispatch from Dunsandle, ending up unloading the same Dunsandle timber in Liverpool.

The "Open Box" wagon used for domestic and loco coal was the third most common form of wagon.

The MGWR had a small number of hard topped and open cattle wagons, but the short 14' "Convertible" was the predominant type up to the Amalgamation. 

The MGWR began building longer 17'6" covered and open wagons to an Irish Railway Clearing House design during and and after WW1,  150 or half of the IRCH Standard Covered Wagons ware built as "convertibles" to carry livestock or general goods traffic.

Wagon Livery is described as:

Standard colour for wagons: Dark Slate Grey

Loco & Traffic coal trucks:  Black

P.W.D Wagons: Sand Beige (Yellow Clay)

Passenger Train wagons: Brown

Brake Vans: Generally Brown, 1874 Type Mid Green (1922-24)

In summary (pre-Amalgamation) MGWR goods trains were mainly made up of the Companies 14' "Standard Convertible Wagon", Single Bolster Flats funning in pairs or trios, Open Box Wagons

Going back to Jb1911s original question there are no OO Scale ready to run models of MGWR locos or rolling stock.

The Bachmann N or Murphy Models CIE version both discontinued appear on the second hand market.

The Lima "Cattle Engine" is best avoided, part of Lima's first excursion into British Outline the loco was a HO/OO hybrid European HO viewed from the side OO head on as the loco and tender body were widened to clear the wheels and motor, best left as a collectors item not a running loco.

A number of people have converted the original Mainline J72 into both the S (Small) and P (Large) 0-6-0 tank locomotives, the new Bachmann re-tooled version https://www.bachmann.co.uk/product/category/152/lner-j72-tank-68733-br-black-(early-emblem)/31-061  is probably a better option than a second hand Mainline version as the chassis is likely to be past its use by date and require replacement.  MurrayEMC thread covers the conversion of an original Mainline J72 into a Midland Tank and problems with the original chassis. 

I produced brass kits of the MGWR K Class 2-4-0 in its post 1917 superheated form, the MGWR Meath and Fish Van and MGWR Horsebox which are really only suitable for experienced kit or scratch builders. I have no plans to re-release these kits, however the etched metals kits are available to special order.

Studio Scale models produce a kit for the E Class in its original condition and a highly detailed whitemetal kit of the MGWR Standard Convertible Wagon http://www.studio-scale-models.com/img/k14.jpg, another supplier Jeremy Suter produced a similar high quality kit of the MGWR Standard Loco Coal wagon about 20 years ago but appears to have discontinued his Irish kits.

If you want to get something running fairly quickly an option may be to focus on building the layout while using available ready to run locos and rolling stock while you develop skills and gain experience converting rtr models, kit or scratch building. Irish railway infrastructure and operating practices changed very little between the early 1900 and mid 1970s when freight handling was rationalised and CIE began upgrading track and signalling. 

Another option is to try something small in O Gauge Alphagraphix/Tyrconnell produce kits of 2-2-2T Fairy, the GSR version of the E Class, MGWR 6 Wheel coaches and card kits of the Horsebox and Convertible wagon.

The colorful buildings are largely as a result of the "Tidy Towns" competition a 1958s Irish Government initiative to improve community spirit and promote tourism. 

The main objective was to improve the local environment with tree and flower planting and painting building https://www.tidytowns.ie/about-us/history/ .

Cement rendering often tended to be weathered and unpainted, its main purpose was to protect the fabric of the building after the brick or stonework became porous as a result of driving rain

Lead based paints used on wood and metalwork tended to be limited to white, cream, brown or dark green.

Green often appears as an undercoat or primer when you strip back old woodwork.

Red or grey oxide, black or unpainted zinc on corrugated iron on farm and industrial buildings.

Tom Rolts  has interesting cometary and photos on Irish villages and towns in the Midlands during the 1940s in "Green and Silver" when he explored the Shannon and Southern Canal Network in a converted life boat.

Ballywilliam County Wexford about the minimum in terms of double ended terminus stations.

The Bagenalstown and Wexford started building southwards towards the Wexford border in the early 1850s until the money ran out and the company went bankrupt upon reaching Ballywilliam in 1864, additional finance appears to have been arranged and the line extended eastwards to connect with the DWWR at Macmine Junction in 1870. 

The GSWR and DWWR divided the line at Ballywilliam each company buying its respective section, this arrangement effectively prevented the GSWR from competing with the DWWR for Dublin-Wexford traffic. The DWWR built a branch from Palace East to New Ross but continued to operate Palace East to Ballywilliam until the GSWR agreed to take over that section of line possibly as part of the horsetrading in connection construction of the Waterford-Rosslare Line, (DSER access to Waterford & running powers to Limerick).

JHBs comments about short workings between New Ross-Palace East and Ballywilliam in the 1894 DWWR timetable prompted me to look at the station layout and timetable to try and figure out the actual workings of the timetable.

Although there were two return passenger trains daily between Bagenalstown and Palace East in the 1894 timetable the GSWR and DWWR appear to have operated the line as two separate branch lines with passengers changing trains with a wait of between 5 and 44 minutes between connections at Ballywilliam. The GSWR worked its section of the line with two out and back workings from Bagenalstown that could be worked comfortably with a single trains set and crew (Pre-8hr day!)

The DWWR worked its section of the line with a loco based at New Ross which started the day with a New Ross-Palace East Mixed before working a shuttle service of passenger and mixed trains between Palace East and Ballywilliam before returning to New Ross on a late afternoon mixed again likely to have been worked by a single train crew, the DWWR crew likely spending more of their time shunting, running round and coupling up than actually running.

Operating a double ended terminus with a single platform, single run-round loop and very limited siding space would have been challenging especially at times when both GSWR and DWWR trains were scheduled to be in the station

The station layout with the crossover (with diamond crossing) from the Loop to the Goods Yard appears to be a GSWR feature also used at Ferbane on the Clara Banagher Branch.

The MGWR and GNR(I) considered taking over the SLNCR (when the company was bankrupt) ceasing to operate it as a through route and  operating Enniskillen-Manorhamilton and Manorhamilton-Carrignagat Junction as two separate branchline.

The SLNCR was bailed out by local interests to prevent the Midland establishing a monopoly in Sligo.

7 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Very true, with, for variety a “stray” MGWR, GNR & WLWR goods van in amongst everything……

I believe J15s ruled the roost in that area, including the whole Waterford - Macmine route after the amalgamation.

I was thinking of Ballywilliam as an interesting inspiration for a model in terms of the 1890s or earlier when it operated as a double ended terminus operated by the GSWR and the DWWR before the GSWR started running through to Palace East. The run round loop turntable and loco spur removed in later years, with a single ended siding remaining for goods traffic/sugar beet.

I was thinking mainly in terms of an achievable project using handlaid track, scratchbuilt building, structures locos and stock, not unlike a contemporary Castle Rackrent which started out as a small branch line terminus, two locos, 2 coaches and several wagons before growing into a large system layout.

The GSWR appears to have operated the Bagenalstown-Ballywilliam line with its Aspinall 0-4-4T tank locos with No75 the regular branch loco, the DWWR is likely to have used its 0-4-2 Goods locos on the Macmine Junction-Ballywilliam-New Ross Line on account of the lines roller coaster gradient profile.  

There is a great J P O'Dea article on the history and operation of the Bagenalstown-Palace East Line in the Carlow Historic Society 1973 Annual, including the saga of 0-4-4T No 75 and her train snowed in by drifts in January 1917 and rescue with two breakdown trains

http://carlowhistorical.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Carloviana-No-22-1973.pdf

10 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Forgot to add, note also the short workings Palace East - Ballywilliam (wonder if passenger numbers ever exceeded single figures?) and Palace East - Bagenalstown.

Another example of an "old" company's trains operating over the lines of a different company, as per a recent discussion in a separate thread.

It looks like Ballywiliam was the frontier station between the GSWR & DWWR systems at least up to the mid 1890s as Bagenalstown-Ballywilliam is shown as GSWR and Ballywilliam-Palace East as DWWR in the Timetable. 

Through passengers may have been required to change trains with a wait of between 5 and 44 minutes between arrival and departure at Ballywilliam.

The timetable works in comfortably with a single loco and train set from Bagenalstown working the 09:22-10:06 & 12:00-12:55 services to Ballywilliam and 10:45-11:31 and 3:26-4:03 return workings.

The DWWR appears to have operated its connection with a New Ross based loco which started its day with an 09:55 mixed to Palace East before connecting with the 09:55 Macmine Junction-New Ross before working the 10:20-10:30 Palace East (PE)-Ballywilliam (BW)Pass, 10:50-11:10 BW-PE Pass, 12:10-12:20 PE-BW Mxd, 1-1:10 BW-PE Pass, 3:16-3:26 PE-BW Pass-3:40-3:50 BW-PE Mxd. 4:00-4:20 PE-New Ross Mxd.

It looks like the New Ross loco crew would have had a busy day shunting at Ballywilliam and Palace East and shuttling up and down between the two stations, Ballywillian was the sole interchange between the DWWR and the rest of the Irish Railway system up to the opening of the Loop Line in 1891 potentially with a reasonable level of interchange traffic from Mills and other industries in Wexford, Enniscorthy and New Ross.

It looks like the GSWR and DWWR/DSER later came to an agreement for the GSWR to work through to Palace East, the Bagenalstown-Palace East line having lost any strategic importance (keeping the GSWR out of Wexford) with he opening of the South Wexford Line and the DSER having completed it line to Waterford and acquired running powers over the GSWR to Limerick.

Still an 1890s Ballywilliam would make an interesting model small station, two competing companies, small locos short trains and distinctive liveries.

On 3/4/2022 at 2:03 AM, Mayner said:

Another attempt at a compact mainly scenic 'watching trains go bye" layout Thomastown and the Nore Viaduct in a 12X8 space.

 

The 12X8 layout and fiddle/staging is designed to accommodate 10 42' wagons and single or double headed locos. The Kilkenny end of the station is in a shallow cutting before the section of line between Station Road and the Nore Bridge is on a high embankment before reaching higher ground on the east side of the river. 

The scheme would work well in N in a 12X8 space with scale length freight and passenger trains

 

 

Mainly intended for watching trains go bye with IRM 001 on the Bell Liners and MM141s/181s on the Dolomite, if I ever have to give up on kit or scratch building

Another look at Thomastown, I don't seem to have any photos of the station and couldn't figure out how to open Google Earth when I was preparing the drafting the scheme.

The embankments are lower than I first thought, but still works visually with the embankment forming the horizon as the railway crosses a wide river valley, backscene very much 'Big Sky" with pastureland and trees on the horizon.

In certain respects modelling a railway on the Central Plain is not unlike the American Prairie or East Anglia in the main feature is sky in the absence of hills or mountains.

The station on a gentle curve is partially in a cutting and on embankment.

The goods siding appears to have been on the station side of the loading bank (at one time included a goods shed), the driveway on the left may have been the cart road.

The Waterford and Kilkenny station building has some interesting stone features, the valley gutter and gable between the two sections of the roof appears unusual.

Some interesting features at the Railway Road underbridge, the gateway appears to be intended for railway workers accessing the embankment, the field on the station side (possibly used for the Station Masters horse in GSWR/GSR days!)  is accessed by a normal wrought iron gate

5 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Great info, thanks!

The "cutting down" of sides was done in early NIR days to assist track gangs in shovelling ballast out of them onto the track. Primitive methods back then!

Overloading particularly spent ballast is likely to be a reason, ballast were traditionally 2-3 plank as much as a result of the high density of the material as making life easy for the gangers.

British Rail cut slots in the sides of 27Ton Ore Tippler Wagons to avoid overloading when they were converted to "Spoil Wagons" to transport spent ballast during the 1980s.

Reminds me of an incident on a construction site for a large factory in the Mid-West during the 1990s, the engineers were getting dragged over the coals for having used too much crushed stone fill,  the bean counters having seriously underestimated the density of the material.

Its Ok Dave.

I took the 1006-1 & 2 wagons off the website , your not hallucinating!

1 hour ago, Irishswissernie said:

More Alex Ford/Transport Library views today.

Finally 27 June 1950 Dublin Harcourt Street, G2 657

 

The coach on the right appears to have been converted from Drumm Train A. 

The Drumm Trains were withdrawn and some converted to hauled stock when the batteries required replacement in the late 1940s

Another attempt at a compact mainly scenic 'watching trains go bye" layout Thomastown and the Nore Viaduct in a 12X8 space.

The 12X8 layout and fiddle/staging is designed to accommodate 10 42' wagons and single or double headed locos. The Kilkenny end of the station is in a shallow cutting before the section of line between Station Road and the Nore Bridge is on a high embankment before reaching higher ground on the east side of the river. 

The scheme would work well in N in a 12X8 space with scale length freight and passenger trains

Visually the layout is best viewed at eye level with the railway is on the horizon, the raising ground and fascia disguising the approaches to the staging at both ends.

The layout is designed around Peco Streamline track the Code 75 Bullhead would look very effective for a late 90s and the advent of CTC layout when the original GSWR bullhead track was replaced with CWR and Thomastown was closed as a blockpost. I used a minimum radius of 750mm in the fiddle yard and shallow cutting at the Kilkenny end of the station with a minimum 1m radius on the embankment/viaduct section. The trackwork in the fiddle yard and cutting is designed around Peco Code 75 (Flatbottom) Streamline track, the crossover in the cutting is based on using left hand curved points, the pointwork in the fiddle yard is based on using Medium Radius points.

The siding behind the station building was laid in light flatbottom rail on wooden sleepers a good 1st exercise in laying handlaid track either with Peco Code 75 or IL1 Code 60 Rail either glued or pinned to ply or stripwood sleepers of soldered to copper clad. The siding was in place until the station was closed as a Block Post in the late 1990s, the sidings at the south end of the station appear to have been removed at an earlier stage.

Open topped baseboard construction using either ply or the American L Girder construction is the only realistic for of baseboard construction for the section of layout that's mainly on an embankment, I have used 9,13 and 19mm ply for baseboard construction, using 19mm that was surplus to requirements from work.

I don't know if Thomastown closed to good traffic during the 1960s or 70s round of closures, but the siding seems to have been used for stabling P.W. machines and the occasional crippled wagon into the 1990s.

Train Services Locos and Stock.

The Waterford-Kilkenny is one of Irelands oldest Railway Line opened by the Waterford and Kilkenny in the 1840s, the original company was later incorporated in the the Waterford and Central of Ireland extended its line to Portloise and Mountmellick with the expectation of connecting with the Midland at Mullingar to feed cattle traffic to the GNR (I) at Cavan. The company was not very prosperous and had the reputation of having the worst 3rd Class coaches in Ireland when the company was absorbed by the GSWR in the early 1900s.

The line became an integral part of the GSWR after the GSWR takeover, the WCIR locomotives and stock quickly replaced by standard GSWR locos and stock and signalling and track upgraded to GSWR standards. In steam days main line trains appear to have been largely worked by Coey 4-4-0s introduced in the 1900s until replaced by diesel railcars in the early 1950s, goods by Woolwich Moguls, the GSWR 0-6-0 types and the humble J15.

The line via Portlaoise seems to have been considered the main line and Carlow considered the "Branch" until an austerity drive in 1963 when Portlaoise-Kilkenny was closed completely and Dublin-Waterford train frequency reduced form four to two trains each way daily!

Kingsbridge-Portlaoise-Waterford was one of the first lines to switch to diesel operating with the introduction of AEC Railcars in 1953?, the railcars initially operated with early 1900 GSWR Clerestory Dining Cars while Inchacore complete its first batch of 1950s Buffet Cars and Trailer stock. The B101 Sulzer locomotives appear to have been concentrated on Waterford during the 1960s working both passenger and goods trains on the Kilkenny line.

1960/70s developments.

The Cherryville-Waterford line became increasingly busy during the late 60s and early 70s with new freight flows and improvements in passenger traffic.

Bennettsbridge-Ballinacourthy Dolomite Trains. (1972-82?)

2--Trains Daily-----2 GMs (small)-----4w Hopper Wagons (similar to IRM Ballast) these were Ireland heaviest freight trains before the Tara-Alexandra Rd Zinc ore trains began operation.

Bell Lines Late 60s-1997)

CIE began operating Container Trains for Bell Lines during the late 1960s.

4w wagons were used before the introduction of the 42' wagons from 1973 onwards----IRM 4w Hopper Chassis?

1-2 Dublin-Waterford Bell line train plus "Specials' during weekend (2-3) specials sometimes operated North Wall-Waterford on Saturdays during the 1990s.

Liner-Operation replaced loose coupled goods trains  North Wall-Waterford 1977/78

Back to Back and Bogie Fertiliser Trains late 1960s onwards.

Palletised Cement Trains---------1976? onwards

Passenger:

Staff Snatchers installed for non-stop operation Cherryville Junction- Waterford West late 60s early 70s

Passenger train frequency increased from three to four daily with the introduction of Déise Express one of CIEs named trains of the 1960s/70s.

The Déise a "Supertrain" was short lived withdrawn as an economy measure following the 1973 oil crisis, the Waterford Line lost its Supertrain accommodation and a 4th passenger train (ironically a 001 hauled Supertrain) was not reinstated on the Waterford line until the late 1980s

1 hour ago, Robert Shrives said:

This is great work and I am  sure bound to get the good gents and IRM towers to create an rtr version which will be announced as yours leave the paint shop....  

I really look forward to seeing updates as these are icons of the Northern scene.

Robert   

I went through a similar phase about 20 years ago assembling kits of several British Railways steam locos only for Hornby or Bachmann to announce or release a rtr version 6-12 months later, though I think the odds of IRM producing a rtr model of a Mogul or Jeep are somewhat longer than a BR steam loco.

I get the odd Facebook message from people (usually in the States) claiming to have JM Design Freight Cars and asking for a valuation.

21 hours ago, StevieB said:

A very good representation of a large station in a relatively small space. Has anyone done something similar for Waterford North, either its early, complex layout or the smaller, simpler version?

Stephen

I looked at Waterford North but did not get too far about 10 years ago, although over a mile and a quarter long Waterford breaks down into four distinct areas that could be modeled as self contained or part of a larger layout for someone that has the space. 

While the freight yard is very large and would take up a lot of space Waterford North, the Wharf Cabin and Abbey Junction are reasonably compact and could be modelled as individual self contained models.

Waterford North as a 4mm pointless cameo on an 8X2 Baseboard the platform at 1700mm should be capable of handling a 5 coach Mk3 set or 6 MK2 coaches.

The model could be used with cassette or traverser staging at one or both ends or as part of an oval.

Visually the Mount Misery rockface and gantry signal cabins are signature features. The Station Building is based on the present 1960s structure, the section of the Newrath Road in front of the platforms could be removed to improve the view of the trains or modelled as a 'cutway" showing the bridge structure.

Widening the baseboard to 2'6 would and opting for an earlier era open up the opportunity of modelling the river and Newrath Road as a single carriageway with the bridge structure cantilevered over the river. 

22 hours ago, David Holman said:

Nice one.

At the other end of the scale have just been reading the excellent Rails Through Tipperary, which has made me wonder how much space you'd need to model Limerick Junction? A Google search suggests the platform is 260 metres, about 800 feet in old money, but that is only 13x 60' coaches, so feel sure it must have been longer at some point?

  Add in the siding and the Limerick - Waterford line and you'd need a very large shed to do it in 4mm scale!

Now "The Junction" got me thinking Roy Jackson's Retford with its flat crossing of the ECML would be an excellent inspiration for a large 4mm Irish layout https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/model-railways/retford-in-em-gauge/#:~:text=Retford is a large EM,)%3A East Coast main line

The Limerick Junction Island platform capable of handling Up and Down Mainline trains was/is? 1589' long. (Railway Lines of CIE & NIR Doyle and Hirsch 85) 12-14 trains of conventional (60') stock was once common at peak time, excursions and specials)

I could not resist doing an  Limerick Junction scheme based on Iain Rice's Carbon Crystal Crossing an American N gauge scheme in a 12X8' space which features a flat crossing between two railroads in the Mid West. The platforms scale out at 550mm just about long enough for a 4 coach train and loco. A OO gauge version of the scheme would take up a space of 24' X 16'

The main challenge with this type of layout is incorporating the 4 legs of the junction into the available space, I followed the Carbon Crystal Crossing example by treating the Dublin-Cork and Limerick Waterford lines as two self contained ovals with the Waterford Line crossing over or below the Cork Line in the hidden staging.

The staging on the Iain Rice scheme appears to have been intended to be accessed from the outside of the baseboard as opposed to the operating well, the secondary line included a raised section and a flyover with a byepass scenic section facing the operating well and the staging for the secondary line was at a higher level than the main staging. The reverse would work better in a restricted space, with the Limerick-Waterford staging at at a lower level than the Main Line staging

The scheme includes the main features at the Junction Keane's Points the connection between the WLWR and GSWR line the North and South Cabins, Water Tower and Loco Shed, the N24 overbridge acts as a view blocker at the south end, with the Loco Shed acting as a view blocker for the Waterford Line, exiting behind strategically placed trees at the Dublin and Limerick ends of the station. Rice used a scenic section byepass section as a view blocker 

To get back to the original topic Hazlehatch and Celbridge one of my favorite small stations ideal for just sitting back and watching trains go by.

Using selective compression the area section between the two road bridges could be modelled in a reasonably modest space, the station has a railway village atmosphere with distinctive Sancton Wood Gothic station building and stone railway cottages.

I explored the station after getting my first car around 1980 and was a favorite spot for watching the Ballina, Cork and Waterford on mid-Summer evenings in the late 90s early 20s. The station became more accessible with the introduction of the Kildare suburban services in the early 90s and transformed when the Cork Line was quadrupled between Clondalkin and Hazlehatch in 2008.

Hazlehatch was one of last stations to handle cattle traffic, the station along with Leixlip on the Galway line served a meat packing plant located between Leixlip and Celbridge. The cattle pens were modern tubular steel rather than the traditional rail or stone construction used by the railways.

The station was closed to goods traffic, sidings and mechanical signals removed during November 1975 as part of the Heuston-Ballybrophy CTC project, the former layby-goods siding west of the Celbridge-Newcastle road was extended and converted into a CTC to allow fast passenger trains to overtake goods and Liner Trains.

Until recently acquiring or building suitable locos and rolling stock would have been the main challenge in modelling a station or section of busy main line, the challenge is now financing the stock and providing adequate staging to operate the layout in a prototypical manner rather than simply relax and watch trains run bye.

Its should be reasonably achievable to stock the layout to operate a model or Hazlehatch between the early 1970s to early 2000s  as suitable locos and rolling stock to cover the majority of passenger and many of the freight diagrams are either available, have been produced or are due for release in rtr form or as kits.

The line was re-laid with CWR on concrete sleepers (points and crossings on timber!) during the 1970s as part of the Dublin-Cork Line Upgrade.

Peco Bullhead Track with Large Radius points would be a good choice for modelling Hazlehatch in pre-CTC days Peco (SL8302) Code 83 Concrete Sleeper Track and Code 83 points should give a better visual appearance with a lower profile than Code OO concrete sleeper track for modelling Irish concrete sleeper track, the Peco Code 83 points are more prototypical in appearance and design than Peco Code 75 and Code 100 points which largely eliminated the Ziz-Zag effect (end swing) that occurs running long bogie coaches and locos such as the 201 Class (GM Co Co) through crossovers.

2005 Photos!

9 hours ago, StevieB said:

You must be doing something right compared to the guys from RMweb. In particular, they seemed to have zero idea about customer service and couldn’t deal with criticism.

Stephen

RMweb and this forum were established and operate on two completely different business models. 

RMweb is controlled by Warner Publications and like the majority of social media sites its existence is dependent on selling 3rd party on line advertising content.https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/news

This forum is add free established on Stephen's initiative as a forum to promote Irish Railway modelling and is controlled by Irish Railway Models

12 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

What about the An Post boxes you can buy for outgoing postal packages - they look very good value.

I wonder if our colleagues in the Land of the Red Letter Boxes have a similar type of system?

The Royal Mail like most postal authorities sell bags, boxes and envelopes https://shop.royalmail.com/postage-and-packaging?p=2.

Locally it usually works out cheaper to send a small item by International Air Parcel in a post office pre-paid bag than supplying your own packaging.

I seldom order a single small item by mail as the post office charge the International Air Parcel rather than the Airmail rate if the envelope or jiffy bag is greater than ½' thick.

Apart from specialist suppliers like Markits or Alan Gibson Works, I usually order from UK suppliers such as Hattons, Gaugemaster, Rails or Kernow who usually carry a large range of models, accessories and tools in stock.

Personally Brexit is not an issue the majority of my UK suppliers are vat registered and supply at 0% Vat , the Irish Government tightening up on import VAT is part of an international trend something that was bound to happen and largely dependent on developments in Customs scanning technology.

The technology now appears to be working with most items clearing customs, the new Scanning technology is also resulting in lower customs clearance costs which are reflected in An Post and The Royal Mail 'processing fees".

Things appear to be returning to a degree of normality and I have largely cleared backorders since our suppliers re-opened after the Christmas/Summer Holidays and we are now in a position to accept orders.

A (very) small number of "flying snail" Brake Vans including a light grey version from the original (Chinese) print order are currently available.

https://jmdesignmodelrailways.com/

The Open, Covered are available in undecorated format complete with to be painted and finished by the customer.

The undecorated wagons are supplied with wheels and couplings fitted to chassis, one piece body removable for painting and removable roof. 

The Open and Covered Wagon are supplied with decal sets which include 1. CIE Snail & Wheel Logos, 2. Tare information. 3. 10 Sets Running Numbers.

A separate decal sheet is available with sufficient decals for 4 wagons (4-5 different schemes!)

1. 16404 Early GSR/CIE with GS lettering and running numbers. GS apparently painted out and grinning through paintwork.

2. 16407 & 16410 Mid-late 1950s with small snail and stencil running number

3. 16406 CIE wheel logo "Bulk Grain" and GSR? block lettering.

4. 16404 & 16406 GS

I am planning to discontinue the Ranks Ireland version of the grain wagon once we fulfil current orders.

Decals are not a viable option for the Ranks version due to the challenges in achieving a satisfactory finish over the raised rivet detail and there has been insufficient interest to date to justify tampo printing.

Being a typical Guardian reader I just had to post this.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/mar/23/im-proud-to-be-called-a-nerd-the-pop-and-rock-greats-who-love-model-railways

I seem to have spent a lot of time planning North Kerry Layouts for someone that's mainly interested in the Midland!

I explored the North Kerry Yard, Ardfert, Abbeydorney, Spa and Fenit by bicycle while on holidays in Tralee shortly after the Fenit Branch and the Tralee-Abbeydorney section of the North Kerry closed to Beet Traffic, at the time Tralee North Kerry Yard was in use for Goods Traffic as the GSWR Yard was being upgraded to handle container and palletised freight under the Rail Plan 80 Scheme.

The layout plan is based on fitting a 21mm gauge Fenit Station and Quay in the 17' x 12' garage, I originally drew up a plan for an L shaped shelf layout to fit a 7'6" X 5' space, but was unable to develop a workable plan for OO let alone 21mm gauge!

In a way Fenit is ideal for a quickie layout as the main feature is the backscene a panorama of Tralee Bay with Sliabh Mish in the background, almost an Irish Kyle of Lochalsh with little in the way of foreground features or buildings, the Station Building Engine and Goods Shes appear to have been demolished many years ago, the Warehouse on the Quay being a simple structure.

I have sketched in a possible continuous run connecting the pier and staging, alternatively the pier could be swung round to form a peninsula with access on both sides with the staging restricted to the area at the Tralee end of the station near the loco shed

Operationally it could be quite interesting a small fleet of Self Propelled Steam Cranes were used for loading and unloading cargo until rail operations ceased on the quay in the mid-1970s, when traffic was heavy CIE used a G Class loco for shunting wagons over the Causeway between Fenit Station and Quay with Main Line Diesel Locomotives or an E Class working trains to and from Tralee, with Beet Specials operating between Tuam-Tralee-Fenit and Abbeydorney during the Autumn and Winter.

The layout is mainly intended for modellers who are more interested in kit and scratchbuilding than collecting rtr-models though IRM & MM rtr locos and stock would speed up getting the railway up and running. In GSR/CIE steam days the GSWR 101 Class and ex-GSWR 6 wheel stock would have predominated, (regular passenger services ceased 1934), an ex-MGWR Small Tank redundant form the Waterford & Tramore was transferred to Tralee to work the branch in the late 1950s. Scratch building possibilities are endless with ex WLWR locos including Fenit Harbour Pier and Harbour Company"Shamrock"  later GSWR/GSR/CIE 299.

A 7mm model of Fenit Station or Pier would make good 'stand alone' models in 7mm, Alphagraphix produce etched kits of d 1934), an ex-MGWR Small Tank redundant form the Waterford & Tramore was transferred to Tralee to work the branch in the late 1950s. Scratch building possibilities are endless with ex WLWR locos including Fenit Harbour Pier and Harbour Company" Shamrock"  299,  GSWR Ivatt 2-4-2Ts and ex-MGWR Small Tank locomotives.

1 hour ago, leslie10646 said:

 JB, As always, you're right!

With the oil shortage the Taoiseach instructed the Minister of Transport to get some of the Strategic Reserve from their storage in the Lisummon  Tunnel .........

 

This was just a trial run, next they'll try these centenarians on a block liner train - watch this space! Note the sidelined diesel in the loop!

 

Maybe the RPSI get the contract for retrieving the Strategic reserve from the Tunnel

The Swedish Lads came well prepared for the job, Scandinavian people take their fun very seriously 

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkaFe0umF7s

1 hour ago, leslie10646 said:

Never mind, David - personally, I thought England played better than all season.

Putting these trains together took me back to the excitement of a "VS" hauled special to Dublin in the very early 1960s, or, indeed with one of the NCC Moguls. Usually ten coaches on each train and only the "All-in" with dining facilities. It always had a kitchen car (rebuild from a M2 full brake, I believe - I could have sneaked one into the train. On one Rugby Saturday, even a very run-down S Class, which had a tough day.

Needless to say, we didn't go to the match - there were J15s on specials to Lansdowne Road, or once TWO S Class working Howth locals and finally, Q Class No.132 on a local to Greystones - they were more important - Ireland would be winning Rugby matches for decades afterwards!

The railway is in "relay" mode, so you'll have to wait for Down going to Croke Park for the GAA Final to get a ten coach load behind these locos.

One of my earliest railway memories is of a large blue steam locomotive with smoke defectors hauling a long passenger train crossing the Viaduct during one of our summertime trips (by car) to the seaside at Gormanstown as a small child during the 1960s.

Imagine my surprise when I years later I discovered that there were large blue steam locos in Ireland and I might have actually seen 207 on the Tourist Train or a special!

On 21/3/2022 at 8:55 AM, Sean said:

emergency alterations to the track plan must be proposed after another disastrous running session with this design.

 

It is fairly well documented that if you put a curve directly after a hornby point, theres a good chance that a full train load of rolling stock wont be able to get over it without incident, a fact largely ignored within this design. I had intended to go all peco with the pointwork, alas the one peco point in this plan is also suffering the same issue so i dont know how much of a difference such an upgrade would make in my case.

 

for the most part the pointwork is okay but to access the middle siding its literally a snake way of turnouts. what im noticing is that the narrow modern couplings seem to nearly always bind up momentarily  when going through this trio of points,  seems to effect most of my rolling stock wether its 4w or bogie based, so enough is enough, 

 

decided this is what im going to do,  experimented with making the loop larger but unfortunately that would sacrifice the turntable road and i will also have to go cutting new track to size, so for handiness sake this is the only real option to get things running smoothly.

 

is the cross over more of less prototypical? it should be more reliable in the long run so it must stay for practicality sake, plus i already own the crossover so  theres no expense involved. does it all alter the "irishness" of the track plan all that much? my gorey layout DID have somthing similar enough.

 

The challenges of building a relatively compact layout in a small space. Set track has the great advantage that you can test different track layouts before committing yourself to the final layout and fixing everything down.

I had similar problems with couplers and small radius points in the fiddle yard on my large scale garden railway when I changed from LGB (similar to an inverted tension lock) to Knuckle mounted couplers and eventually replaced the fiddle yard points.

It might be worth replacing the narrow couplings with Hornby R8267 Medium Width tension locks if you are committed to Hornby or Peco Settrack points, changing to the medium couplers should reduce problems coupling up and de-railing . https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/hornby-R8267.html

Another potential problem is a bogie stock de-railing running through conventional crossovers, the reason CJ Freezer used left and right hand points to construct crossovers on the Minnories Suburban layout in 60 Plans for small railways. You seem to have avoided this on your layout and the diamond crossing arrangement has been used on full sized railways where space was tight