Mayner

Had an interesting conversation with a Kiwi Asian call centre agent yesterday as we struggled to understand each others accents dailects, but being a pragmatic Asian he quickly figured out and solved the problem while while I was trying to longwindly explain what was wrong! Reminded me of the girl in a Sallynoggin chip shop asking a Kerryman to interpet of a Meath Man about 40 years ago. The two boys were working on a construction site and decided to order fish and chips for lunch or a friday the girl could not understand what Noel from Rathmaloyn was saying and asked his friend who was from Killorglin to explain with similar results. Interesting Dairy Farm Managersand Stockmen/women from the Philippines are much sought after in New Zealand alomg with trained medical staff having an excellent work ethic.

Some locos retained their Santa Fe freight scheme into the 2000s both in BNSF ownership or on lease to Shortlines/Regional Railroads. 6202 in use as a remotely controlled switcher at Moorhead Yard MN 2004 (one of the main yards on the BNSF northern transcontinental route from Chicago to the Pacific. The RR worker in the photo is wearing a harness with the radio controller for the loco. 3043 is a ATSF rebuilt GP20 on lease to regional Dakota Missouri Valley and Western in 2004, at the time the DMVWR used a motley collection of 2nd Generation EMD Bo Bos including ex-CN, SP and ATSF power to work freights over its undulating trackage. These days Regionals in the grain growing regions are increasingly using 6 axle units like SD40s and even SD70 to move unit grain trains between the Elevators and the Interchange with Class 1 Roads such as the BNSF, UP, CN & CP

These days I tend to build models for my own use using CAD work and a producttion process like etching, laser cutting or 3D printing, my hands are not as steady as they once were. PPD are basically geared up to produce one off/small orders with a 4-6 week turn round basically looking at approx £28.00 tooling and £12.00 production cost for a 290X135mm sheet of 0.4mm brass, there is quite a learning curve in volved in preparing artwork /CAD work) for an etched model inparticular allowing for the impact of the etch process and material characteristics in designing a model. Re-sizing the MGWR vans to 2mm for Angus was relatively straightforward basically reducing the artwork and metal thickness by 50% though I think it was necessary to carry out some re-design work to the chassis. I would be reluctant to 'blow up" one of my existing 4mm models to a larger scale without first reviewing the esting CAD work and building a test etch.

I don't know about Ireland or the UK, but our largest bus company runs a bi-annual competition for the best Bus Driver in New Zealand. https://gobus.co.nz/page/36/go-bus-drivers-compete-for-the-crown Private event basically a Bus Drivers convention hosted several years ago at the local showgrounds, buses and drivers from all parts of the country. Trucking industry runs similar competition with international recognition and decent prizes! https://www.nztruckingassn.co.nz/driving-championships

The big question is whether the Irish voters would elect a Government that would raise taxes (income, rates and road user charges) to a level required to provide a Scandanavian standard of infrastructure, public services and maintain its heritage. Ireland has currently one of the lowest effective rates of income tax in the OECD at 15% compared with the 30+% rate in the early 1990s when IE still carried a fair amount of rail freight. One of the biggest shocks I experienced after moving to New Zealand that although the tax rates (income & vat) were lower I ended up paying more tax than when I lived in Ireland or the UK. Tax was charged at a flat rate without a tax free allowance or Credits, Pension contributions, Mortgage Interest and Medical insurance contributions were not tax deductile. These days I pay more in rates on our family home (including subsidies for local bus and rail services) than I pay in income tax on a moderate income. Again there seems to be an expectation that central government or 'someone else" should take responsibility for redundant rail structures rather than the local community getting involved and raising the funds. Local communities on the Central Wales Line took ownership of maintaining stations and halts on the line the community of Dolores Colorado on the trackbed of the Rio Grande Southern built a replica of the old (ornate) railroad Depot and restored a Galloping Goose railcar largely out of their own resources with some state assistance https://www.gallopinggoose5.org/. Is there anything to stop communities in Waterford, Foynes and Mullingar getting involved in the restoration of redunt buildings. Restoring the station and train shed would be small change to the Limerick-Foynes Port Company perhaps a local community heritage history group could get involved and estanbish a museum like the community of Kiltimagh did 30 odd years ago?

Big international names with exoerience in similar projects involved in the design of Grand Central https://www.mcaslan.co.uk/work/belfast-grand-central , so not exactly unfamiliar with rail work. Interestingly although Irish Rail was often the Government's whipping boy for waste and in-efficiency during the late 1990s-early 2000s, IE found that it could carry out major projects such as the Heuston re-modelling of the early 2000s, Mini-CTC and PW upgrades at a lower cost and more efficienty than by using external consultants and contractors.

Finally got 664 to the test running and running in stage. Even managed to pose a couple of wagons in GSR condition with the loco! Need to try and chemically blacken the front vac pipe, paint wore off as I fitted it to the loco, and give the loco some additional coats of clear as paintwork is quite easily damaged.

Portadown-Cavan-Navan-Dublin would make more sense is would be more direct linking up large (by Irish standards) towns, the Portadown-Inny Junction was alignment was abandoned and sold over 60 years ago. As a modeller I imagined Virginia County Cavan as an important intermediate station on a direct joint GN/MGWR line from Kells to Cavan, Enniskillen and the North West. would have been an excuse to run my GN and CIE (ex-Midland) trains on the one line. The Baronial Lines remind me of a 19th Century version of todays Public-Private partnerships used in some countries to provide essential infrastructure such as roads, water and sewrage systems. Financed by private capital (todays equivalent of the Landed Gentry and Merchant Families) with Local and Central Government taking on the financial risk if project goes over budget and does not achieve the expected rate of return.

The majority of the Main-Lines/Trunk Routes were financed by private companies mainly with Irish raised capital with the primary intention of making a profit. Some early schemes like the Londerry and Enniskillen and were London owned struggled to raise capital in the City, which largely resulted in the majority of lines being financed by Irish Capital, 'incentive schemes" such as the Baronial Guarantees and Government Grants. Interestingly the highly Festiniog Railway in North Wales was orignially financed by 'Dublin Capital" enticed by a monopoly in slate traffic between the mines in Bleanau Festiniog and Portmadoc 14 miles away. Both the Great Southern and Western and Midland Great Western demonstrated an aversion to building (financing) branch and secondary lines after completing their Main Lines or Trunk Routes. The Great Southern and Western showed little interest in extending its Carlow Branch (the original main line) to Kilkenny or Wexford. The Irish South Eastern linked Carlow with Kilkenny and was eventually absorbed by the GSWR. The Bagnallstown and Wexford intended to build a main line linking the two towns using locally raised finance (Landowner and Merchant families) and £50k from the GSWR, but ran out of money and went bankrupt shortly after opening the line to Ballywilliam. The Dublin Wicklow and Wexford acquired the powers to complete the line to Wexford, the physical junction between the Bagnallstown & Wexford and DWWR was in the Townland of Sparrowsland between Ballywilliam and Palace East. For a time Ballywilliam was a end on terminus for trains running from Bagnallstown and Macmine Junction, before Macmine-New Ross (and eventually Waterford) became the 'main line" and Macmine Junction became the terminus for trains from Bagnallstown. The Dublin Wicklow and Wexford shareholders would not have wanted the GSWR abstracting traffic and revenue from its coastal route. The Irish companies tended to fiercely defend their territory from competition, Lord Lucan the promoter of the Mayo Line played the GSWR & MGWR off against each other to no doubt his personal and companies financial benefit when it came to negotiating a long term lease to the Midland for the operating and eventual sale of the line. The MGWR attempted to obtain powers to build a Streamstown-Tullamore line in an unsuccessful attempt to block the GSWR entering Athlone to link with the Mayo Line and instead was forced to build to Clara. In GSR days Streamstown-Clara-Clara-Banagher were operated as a single branch with passenger trains operating Mullingar-Banagher until passenger services were discontinued in the late 1940s, Clara was quite an important railcentre with rail served Jute and Flour mills with its own pilot (shunting loco) up to the mid 60s. Likewise the GNR Carrickmacross branch blocked the Kingscourt, Castleblaney and Armagh building a line linking Kingscourt and Castleblaney. The intention appears to have been to build a line linking Armagh with the NCC at Cookstown with the potential for the MGWR to tap into the Tyrone coalfield and operate excursions over the NCC to Portrush! The Baronial Guarantees were a good investment for local investors (landowners and merchants) some guaranteeing a 5% return on capital in pertuity any shortfall funded 50/50 by the local ratepayers and the Treasury in Westminister. If the railway continued to loose money for several years ownership passed to the council, though the shareholders continued to receive their dividends. Baronial Guarantees became so controversial in County Leitrim that the ratepayers effectively blocked a Baronial Guarantee and Tresury Grant for extending the Cavan and Leitrim from Dromad to Roskery with a quay on the Shannon. Baronial Guarantees ceased in the Irish Free State under the 1924 Railway Act, the Government compensating the GSR for loss making services for 10 years after which no public subsidy would be paid. Its interesting the GSR closed the Muskerry including the Baronial Guaranted "Donoughmore Extension" in 1934 10 years after the passing of the Act. The case of the Clogher Valley Railway was an interesting one in 1928 the Government of Northern Ireland appointed a "Comittee of Management" with appointees of Tyrome and Fermanagh County Councils and two Government appointees (both practical railway men) to run the line, the Clogher Valley shareholders continuing to receive their dividend. The shareholders may have continued to receive their dividend until the winding up of the company was completed in April 1944 over three years after the last train ran on 1st Jan 1942. 1939 Select Committe on Rail and Road Transport in 1939 concluded that the continued existance of the railway was due to the extremely complicated legal and financial problems the abandonment would present chiefly the 5% guarantee on capital given by the two councils to the shareholders. Interestingly some of the shareholdings were held by the families of prominent members of the Northern Ireland's political establishment who were not exactly known to be pro-rail but had a soft spot for the Clogher Valley. While I am passionate about branch lines as a modeller and enthusiast, I believe its better to start with a 'clean sheet" in assessing mid-21st Century needs than re-opening railways that ceased to fulfil a useful function over 60 years ago, population centres, industries, trade routes and ways of doing business has changed in the 190 years since Ireland's 1st railway opened. The majority of the main lines were built to transport the mails from regional cities and towns to cross channel ports and livestock from the hinterland to the ports for export a function that largely ceased almost 60 years ago as personal travel patterns and mode ceased and Ireland diversified its economic base with agriculture playing a smaller role. During the past 20 years Ireland developed a modern roading network to suit the countries needs from scratch a similar approach needs to be considered for rail, but the question also needs to be asked is mass transportation such as heavy rail relevant to Irelands future needs.

Long establised Railway (and other Complex Organisations) of the various departments functions not talking or listening to each outher. One of the best examples was the Highland Railway River Class locos which were rejected by the Civil Engineer (in the middle of WW1) for being too heavy and then sold to the Calledonian, only to be used on the Highland Main line in LMS days. The Highland Chief Mechanical engineer Smith was forced to resign/sacked although he appears to have believed the Civil Engineer had agreed to the use of the new locos. Experienced a similar problem with a 'communications breakdown" as main contractor on a construction project for Dublin Corporation about 20 years ago, found out an early stage that the Drainage Department had refused to sign off on the project as a result of a dispute/disagreement with the development arm of the Corporation our client. The Drainage Department agreed to inspect the drainage works as they progressed on a 'without predjudice" basis as work progressed, eventually the Corporation as client and developer agreed to the Drainage Departments requirements and as main contractor carried out the additional works as a variation and received an extension of time to complete. Possibly a disagreement on "who" was expected to fund the additional cost of the infrastructure required to allow the Enterprise to run into Grand Central vs the CAF stock within NI, or possibly a disagreement on who was going to pay for upgrading Belfast Council owned infrastructure.

The dropped platform at the barrow crossing is probably a hangover from GSWR days. The platform ends at the Cork end of the station are 'curiouser still' and just look at those signals! https://www.flickr.com/photos/10152260@N05/48097002208/in/album-72157708799760341/ At the time Mallow still had the low GSWR platforms and staff used small wooden steps, possibly the last of the major Cork line stations to retain these platforms which may have been raised when the Cork Line CTC was extended to Mallow during the late 80s

Many of the BR Class 2 & 3 diesels like the 24,25,26,31,33 and 37 would have been too heavy in axle load for general use on the CIE system, basically too heavy to work between Bray & Rosslare Strand, Cherryville Junction-Waterford, Limerick-Sligo and Tralee complete no-go. The orignial Bo Bo Sulzers 1100-1101 the precursors of the Derby Type 2 had a 20T axle load largely restricted to the Dublin-Cork line, the B101s the Irish version of the BRCW Type 2 had an A1A A1A wheel arrangement to keep the axle load down to allow general use on the CIE system. CIE & later IE had to upgrade structures and PW to allow the 071s and later 201s operate on the system.

Don't get dishearted some of us experience set backs in their modelling and like most aspects of like it takes time and practice to build up our modelling skills. Currently I have three incomplete layouts (2 indoors) I haven't had time to work on during the last 6-12 months. In my late teens early 20s I got frustrated trying to build a OO gauge Irish layout in the box bedroom, changed to N and managed to build a reasonably successful layout on my second attempt. Many of us experience setbacks in our modelling so keep plugging on and dont give up! Might be worth trying focus on taking it one step at a time complete one small area of the layout, a building, coach or loco or try Galteemores' approach and build a small diorama for a start

Several GSWR coaches remained in main line service into the early 70s including a pair of 1915 Dining Cars 2092 & 2093 which hand been retro-fitted with B4 bogies to run with Cravens on Kinsgbridge-Waterford and Limerick fast trains and at least 13 side corridor 64 seat 3rds built between 1915 & 24 which would have been useful coaches from an operating perspective in terms of seating capacity, having toilets and corridor access for the checker! Just wondering if its an Enterprise which at the time was mainly operated by BUT railcars (both CIE & NIR sets) possibly a special Rugby? on account of the loading and mix of coaches, coach coupled next to the heating van seems to be a Bredin Corridor 3rd, next two coaches appear to be Laminates, would have expected Craven's on a named express like the Enterprise by 67. Going back GSR 800s reference to to "Mouldering Branchlines" p.w. maintenance on the Banteer-Newmarket branch does not look too bad by CIE standards during the 50s hopefully Ernie will put up some photos of the Tullow Branch rails just about visible through the grass and shrubbery. Cork North (Kanturk & Macroom) must have been considered a marginal seat in the 54 general election to reinstate the branch goods service. The other G601s were alocated as Tralee and Clara Pilot locos and used to dieselise goods trains on the Castleisland and Banagher branch lines.

Newmarket make a nice model , compact track layout stone buildings, loco shed and wooded settings. Kerry Bogie for motive power or possibly a Sentinel railcar?

In my expericnce the model railway cult seemed to be a lot more Tribal, Sectarian when I lived in Ireland than in clubs in the English Home Counties. Club members in Dublin struggled to classify me as a member of a particular tribe or sect as I always seemed to be changing loyalties and beliefs, changing from OO British outline (Western Region) to N Scale Irish before turning to Irish 4mm on 21mm gauge God forgive. My English railway friends took it in their stride my running of N Gauge American, side by side with OO and EM British outline and the odd Irish 21mm gauge competition item. I guess I fit into the dissenter/heritic field in model railways as I am always questioning my beliefs/allegiences and doing my own thing, my great grandfathers on both sides were 'proper Protestants" (Scots and English) who held their beliefs despite marrying strong minded girls from old Irish families. Similarly in the preservation world during my time with the Welsh Highland (64 Company) I was simply know as the "Main Man" someone who knew what they were doing and could lead and get things done on the construction and civil engineering side.

No one appears to have mentioned the option of converting a Magnesite wagon into a Container Wagon or an Oil Tank Wagon by simply removing the body, relocating the brake cylinders under the chassis, CIE basically used the same "Standard' 20ft Chassis under several types of wagon. At that level of discount worth considering. CIE built 4 Oil Tank Wagons 26628-26631 in 1967 to run with the Magnesite Wagons on Cork (Tivoli)-Ballinacourty Oil-Magnesite trains, the tanks likley to be similar to those used for ESSO & Burmah traffic rather than the anchor mounted tanks used for Irish Cement Oil traffic. CIE built 200 Skeletal Flat Wagons 27101-27300 in 1970 (Burmah tank wagons used same chassis complete with redundant container twist lock spigots!) These wagons seem to have been mainly used for carrying 20' keg & Bitumen/Tar containers. Other possible use for the chassis for 1st Avenues 3D printed Bagged Cement wagons or simply fitting a plasticard floor to represent 25436-25982 CIE's 1st generation of 20T Flat Wagons introduced 1966 Mollasses ex-Burmah Tank wagon. SSM do a conversion kit to update the Dapol ESSO tank with this form of tank mounting and finer ladder/walkway detail. Mollasses ex Irish Cement oil traffic wagon with anchor mounted tank, tank likely to be longer larger dia than Bulleid CIE Fuel Oil tank wagon. Not sure if the Nuns would have tolerated the noise and dust of a sea-water magnesite plant disturbing the peace and tranquility of Clogherhead and its beach, though come to mind the religious orders became deeply involved in property development in the 70s and 80s at the time I worked for a company bought land for housing developments in the Dublin era including in one case building a new modern convent as part of the deal. The Quigleys Magnesite operation became un-economic as a result of increasing fuel prices following the 70s oil crisis, the Ballinacourty plant produced magnesite by processing limestone (railed from a quarry near Bennettsbridge Co-Kilkenny) and sea-water from Dungarvan Bay, then railed the Magnseite to a plant in Tivoli where it was further processed into a heat resistant material used in smelting and metal processing. Interestingly a sea-water magnesite plant was established on the site of the old Boyne Road cement plant in Drogheda after Quigley Magnesite closed, no need for long distance rail transport or Magnesite Wagons limestone was sourced from nearby Irish Cement quarries and finished product exported by sea from Drogheda, saving the nuns in Clogherhead from all that dust nosie and pollution.

No shortage of religious cults in this part of the World and a few that preach Prosperity Theology common demonators are leaders (not always charasmatic) with a lust for power, control and sometimes wealth. Not that we ever had anything remotely similar in Ireland https://www.thepress.co.nz/nz-news/350306415/new-zealand-cults-hit-world-stage#:~:text=Many of the other presenters,Jehovah's Witnesses and Destiny Church.

Probably start my own fundamentalist sect (cult) on the prosperity theology model. Members chip in 10% of their earnings in the hope of eternal salvation, health and wealth in this world (1st dibs on IRM & MM new releases, all I need is a decent suit, top of the line BMW, a mansion and some slaves to build a decent layout. Wife says that these days I look like an Old Testement Prophet with my long grey hair and beard though my teenage child thinks I look more like a Rock Star though I can't play or sing .

JHB Give going teatotal and long distance bus a chance good for the health and avoids the stress of 'modern day rail travel. Been of alcohol for several years (aggravates my gout) has imporved my health and last year enjoyed a 238mile bus ride from Minneapolis to Fargo, I was tempted to drive from Chicago but wife said No! No nonesence with long distance trains in my part of the World except those aimed at foreign tourists and run at a profit Must now join some fundamentalist religious sect.

Intrigued to see the Roundhouse brand appearing on the Newsgroup. Quite a historic American brand first producing loco kits before WWII, manufactured after the War by Model Die Castings until acquired in 2004 by Horizon Hobbies to owners of Athearn and production shifted to Far Eastern RTR models. https://www.invaluable.com/roundhouse-ho-scale-model-railroads-trains/sc-GECCMIIG10/#:~:text=Roundhouse model trains started as,in HO scale in 1939. In later years Roundhouse produced some very nice N scale CKD freight cars in addition to more traditional kits like their HO Shay and 2-8-0 steam loco and HO freight and passenger stock. Their freight car kits which featured a 1 piece body on a die-cast chassis were way ahead of contemoprary rtr cars with the exception of Kadee "Micro-trains N scale.

The GSR superheated version of the MGWR has been on my to-do list for several years but I am unlikely to have time to draw up artwork for an etch for another year or two. The J5 is another engine that fell by the wayside, I bought a set of wheels, gearbox, motor and boiler fittings to 'scratchbuild' a J5 about 40 years ago but got distracted assembling etched loco kits Irish and British outline. While I could rescale and modify the Z Boiler J15 etch to 2mm, someone would also need to persuade Des to reduce the TMD/SSM J15 etch to 2mm or possibly draw up 2mm J15 artwork from scratch. I am not convinced the original TMD artwork would successfully re-scale from 4mm to 2mm as some of the parts on the TMD/SSM are close to the limits of what can be successfully etched. Going back to HT question to Angus about sponsoring re-scaling the Z Boiler etch to 2mm, Angus sponsored the re-scaling of several of my etches to 2mm including MGWR 2-4-0, Horse Box & Meat Vans and GSWR 52 Class 4-4-0. My main concern is that a model designed in 4mm or 7mm may not successfully re-scale to a smaller scale without carrying out a test build and carrying out the necessary connections. Its challenging enough getting it right first time without a test build in the designed scale.

28 x2mm dia pin point axle with a width of 26mm between axleguards is the standard for 21mm mm gauge in 4mm scale I don't know if 28mm pin point axles are available commercially in the UK, some 21mm modellers turn their own axles, others produce a 28mm axle by cutting and sleeving a standard 26mm 00/EM axle with 2mm bore brass tube. Ultrascale https://www.ultrascale.uk/eshop have produced wheel sets on 28mm axles to order with an approx. 6 month wait time. I understand that IRM use OO gauge wheelsets on 28mm axles with their "Bulleid" wagons but the wheel sets do no appear to be available as a spare

Thin Lizzy Whisky in the Jar and Horslips Dearg Doom heavily influenced my taste in music in my teenage years before interest shifted to more mainstream UK and American rock groups in the 80s

The older type of Hornby 'Stanier' coaches which occasionally appear on the second hand market https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285972832947?_nkw=stanier&itmmeta=01J69MYT9SGHM8AT95CCBXYXYW&hash=item42954f22b3:g:Ak4AAOSwaV9mnjWi&amdata=enc%3AAQAJAAAA4Mxmj%2BiGvOveHXEBClPb29jgQ8oOAxj3xa%2FaEsHINxqwuTT%2BgOi8GzoeujHZCOtNKG1NDT1XUU8jFgpswGIy6PRTu8PWjqdE%2BPoWHbWhlq6T73tORpprnUGTkaSfjpttXthGFhRlquomOa07nQlHQWxbhxNA%2BsCe8pSjWhD8eJ%2B1%2Biri1dBmQloe8MwD5%2BHhEFvbUF5k1u9S74%2FLRpRkleNIdlBM2X%2BqzdhVdhsBrGg8ljFxGOsNtCLgalkGWHNAmEp4Y2Zfg1ChpKpIwmhGdvMFTss0X81V0bAVjo%2FYYEqY|tkp%3ABk9SR4Cl-7SyZA are similar in general outline to the GSR Bredin and CIE coaches introduced in the early 1950s. Good for either a simple repaint or more the more extensive sort of alteration carried out by Gibbo. Running can be improved by replacing the original plastic wheels and axle with Hornby metal coach wheels.