BSGSV

It's the entrance to the locking room.

B123 and B127 apparently had the red bufferbeams added by Grand Canal Street in 1961 and 1962 for Wexford Opera trains.

Just saw a photo of 125 which also had the small front window.

The boxes contained brake valves certainly, maybe CAWS/Radio equipment too - my memory is vague on the latter. Size on both sides varied between periods - original, when fitted for multi, air brakes, push pull.

I had a look through some of my photos, and CAWS was fitted while the larger middle window was still there. The smaller window seems to be more late-80's and, aside from 126, the photos I found so far all have the IR points logo and white stripes. 126 had a small window by Auguest 1988 and was still in Supertrain livery. Aside from it, I have seen no photos where the grills on the solebar co-exist with the small middle window. I have no proof, but the small window may co-incide with mods for working Mk.3 push-pulls? One of the side boxes, beside the cabs, also seems to have got taller about the same time.

I have to say sorry to you too. I'm afraid the comment re the missing "3" and signal arm was intended to be jokey, but clearly didn't work.

Oh goodness, no! I meant no slight on your work and I'm very sorry if that's how it appeared.

My original comment was somewhat tongue in cheek, but still, only one digit readable. Aside from the plate you mention, the bottom of the tank also looks like it has been patched too. JHB's comments on the West Cork track suggest the seeds of closure were sown a long time before it happened.

I think the golden brown/black/white livery dates from mid-1961, while the CIE "corporate image" based on the new "broken wheel" emblem and the colours white, light grey, dark grey, golden brown and black dates from late-1963.

There appears to be nameplates on the carriages, suggesting it is one of the two Cork named trains, which may also be why the carriages are so tidy.

I would have thought oil gas, but I can't see a reservoir under the solebar, but it is dark. Some thief seems to have been at work too. A "3" is missing from the loco and the left most signal appears to have no arm. Seems a surprising amount of weeds about too, for 1953.

Refilling lamps would depend on the type of burner, some did last a week, especially in more recent times. Earlier, the Lampman's task would be a daily one or every few days. The rear facing white lamp is for the signalman to be able to check the lamp is still burning at night, and as the back blinder (as seen on the Rathdrum signals) co-acted with the arm, it also showed the whether the arm was off or on. Many signals latterly were converted to electric bulbs, as can be seen in the Cork view.

Thanks to you and Dive Controller for the information. I suspect if 125 didn't get changed, it was possibly a result of body overhauls in the 90's.

Looks like a 141 centre window on its side. Are there photos of any with the narrow centre window that aren't one of the refurbished examples (123, 124, 131, 134)?

124 and 134 both have 567 engine blocks originally on 141's.

Sand box filler

I'm afraid the article does not include the specific vehicles involved.

The modern carriage is CIE built with Commonwealth bogies, a compo by the looks of it.

When Morton became General Manager of the GSR in 1932, he was succeeded as CME by Arthur Harty. Apart from the early Drumm cars, no coaching stock appeared until 1935, however 32 bogie carriages were then produced within the next three years. These coaches showed some change from what had gone before, and while Harty has been criticised for his locomotive designs, the coaches produced under his tenure as CME were certainly a step forward in passenger amenity. The coaches would not have been much out of place on the LMS at the time, which was probably producing the best general service stock of the period, in these islands. The coaches were easily recognisable in having flush steel sides and metal skinned roof, although they still retained the somewhat old-fashioned rod and turnbuckle underframe trussing. The policy of having individual external doors to each compartment was abandoned, and access to compartments was now from the corridor only. Access to the coach was by external doors to internal vestibules, from which the corridor and toilets were accessed, and compartments were of decent size. They were all 60ft long over headstocks. 1935 saw the production of one all-first, two composites, eight thirds and one bogie van. These were all 9ft wide, and had relatively flat sides from roof down to waist level, below which was a slight tumblehome. In addition, two 1931-built dining vehicles and two 1919-built GSWR TPO’s were re-panelled to match the new coaches. Some of these carriages were used to form a new Dublin – Cork “Day Mail” set: bogie TPO, first, composite, the two diners, three thirds and the bogie van. And very nice it must have looked too, in the new crimson lake livery, when it went into service on Monday 5th August 1935. This “flagship” train, just like the 800 class later on, became a focus for publicity, but was not really representative of the general run of rolling stock to be found at the time, or for that matter, some time thereafter. Dublin suburban services received attention in 1936, with the construction of two 6-coach sets, each formed of brake/third, third, two composites, third and brake/third. While full access was possible within each coach, they were not gangwayed, but did have the same flush-sided appearance of the 1935 coaches. Unlike the 1935 vehicles, which were relatively flat-sided, these had a slight “bulge”, being 9ft 3in at waist level and 9ft at roof level. Unfortunately, these relatively comfortable coaches had too few seats compared to older non-gangwayed stock, and passenger compaints grew, as people preferred to have a seat of some description rather than stand. The coaches were therefore soon dispersed among sets, rather than being kept together. In later days, CIE gave them gangways and occasionally used them on main line service, like the later Park Royals, despite their lack of toilets! 1937 saw the appearance of further main line carriages, four composites and four thirds. It would be 1951 before Inchicore produced any more such coaches. The general layout of the 1937 coaches was similar to the 1935 versions, except that the “bulge” was even more pronounced, the coaches being 9ft 6in at waist level, 9ft at roof level and 8ft 10in at floor level. One composite was fitted with pressure ventilation, the first such application on GSR stock. Apart from the later Drumm sets C and D, these proved the last GSR coaching stock to be produced.

While other contractors, including McK&H, did supply equipment to the MGWR, the most significant contractor, and certainly from the mid-1880's onwards, was the Railway Signal Company. Achill, Ballinrobe, Woodlawn, Galway, Moate etc. etc. are RSCo. design cabins, more or less altered by CIE. The War of Independence and, especially, the Civil War, produced a signficant requirement for new and rebuilt signal cabins. Where a brick base and frame were re-usable, the MGW seem to have built a new timber operating floor to a gabled roof design, but retaining external stairs. Where a completely new cabin was required, the same design, but in concrete blocks (with the base having a mock stone effect on the outside), was used, with a timber top and internal stairs. The involvement of the RSCo. was still present as several cabins featured RSCo. tread plates on the stairs and RSCo. frames were the norm. The new cabins had rear frames and stoves in the middle of the front. The McK&H frames in Multyfarnham and Hill of Down are likely to be second hand ones fitted on singling in the early 1930's. The RSCo. frames employed by the MGW had 5.5" spacing between levers, whereas the McK&H ones had 4". It is reasonable to suppose that the cost conscious GSR would have looked to re-use servicable old equipment, in preference to building a new frame of the GSWR design (which also had 4" spacing). GSWR design cabins (with hipped roof) were also built on the MGW during the time of singling, Athenry and 46th Mile being examples.

Could be the Curragh on one of the test runs?

The book "From "The North Atlantic" to the "Crackerjacks" "gives timetable information and commentary on later NCC timetables, so there's informtion there on the Derry Central. In 1948 it is mentioned that the 2.20pm Portrush-Belfast went via the Derry Central, due to lack of paths on the main line - a train to avoid for those in the know.

Thanks for the photo. The Irish Railfan's News indicates the P7T sign was originally yellow letters on a grey enamelled background, so this one looks original.

Eight sets with four standards requires 32 standards, and there were 36. I believe the compo to standard conversions were done with a view to making up 10 sets, each formed of an EGV, First or Compo, Restaurant, 3 Standards, with nine in service and one to switch as a maintenance set, but I'm not clear whether that approach was implemented. I thought, as Mayner says, that subsequent timetables led to reduced numbers of trains, prompting longer set formations, and surpluses of such as Restaurant cars. In the 1973 timetable, the eight sets would have two unused Firsts to cover for a missing Compo. If one was looking for a small train formation, before the big changes of April 1973, the 18:10 Heuston-Tralee went to an AC set from 29th January, comprising EGV, Compo, Restaurant, 2 Standards. I don't think I'd like to be trying to get on the train on Fridays...

In the hope you might know, I know Mayner and myself would be interested if you would have any information on whether the original panels used woodfibre or asbestos insulation board (or something else) between the exterior aluminium sheet and the internal veneer? Did the replacements use similar laminated panels, or did the re-builds get done in more traditional coach building manner? Did the original laminate framing also get replaced? Any information would be gratefully received.