BSGSV

Something along the same line in this link, for those who are group members of Irish Railways Past & Present on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=938113889924658&set=gm.1574808962672456&type=3&theater&ifg=1

Meh. Straffan. Strabane. Just down the road from each other. As JHB says, we all make mistakes, and I am very grateful for James O'Dea for taking the photographs and NLI for getting them visible to the rest of us.

A rare one to see, many thanks. 2559 to 61 converted from 2115, 2120, 2121 corridor compos in early 1971. 2115 was 1935, the other pair 1937, so a change in width between the first and the other pair, the bulge at the waist is easy to see. All 60' long. The later conversions, 2562 etc., were CIE 1950's composite conversions, some of the composites having been downgraded to all third in the interim, starting in mid-1973. The four wheel tin vans were going fast in the early 70's.

Another great spot. Another of the same type behind 2554 as well. They were new then, and still with the Guard's ducket. James O'Dea did write on the back of his prints, but sometimes the translation to the NLI title can go a bit astray.

Thank you for clarifying which photo. As you have surmised, the issue is that the second coach is in green, but is a 2549 series luggage van, not a TPO. I will be following up on JHB's comments re the preserved examples in due course.

Can you clarify if this is the photo you mean, please? http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305576 I'm seeing a dirty aluminium TPO in that.

A narrow side fixed window too, and footsteps on the bogie. Great spot.

None of the photos above shows a CIE built TPO in green in CIE service. Has anyone any evidence that such existed?

I suspect none of the CIE bogie TPO's were green. The O'Dea photos look like they are still in the original silver, and would have gone to black/tan/white next, while the 1968 conversions would have been painted in that from the start.

Mechanical exchange of mails ceased in 1968, and 2979-81 appeared in Nov. 1968, so didn't get nets. They were converted from 2114 (of 1935), 2116/9 (of 1936) so originated under Arthur Harty's time as CME. I suspect some of the sorting frames of 4-wheel TPO's 2962-7 may have been used in the bogie conversions, as 2962-71 were stored out of use at that repository for redundant stock, Sallins, by 1968. 1297 at DCDR today still has one of those GSR bogies with Hoffmann roller bearings.

The cooling systems in the Crossleys had separate engine water and engine oil cooling sections. When rebuilt, an EMD oil cooler was put in (heat exchanger between engine oil and water), so the radiators became all water. With the increase in engine size, the number of radiator elements on the C class was increased. The C class retained its load regulator, but got EMD motor field shunt contactors, and various EMD electrical relays, pressure switches and air brake valves. The A got an EMD load regulator.

I would understand a comment about a lack of power regarding the original C class, but anything I've seen suggests the Crossley A's were able to shift a good load. If they were working! That said, I have no personal experience of the original A's.

A nice job, indeed. I believe the cabin had a fire, sometime in the mid-1960's to early 1970's, and the roof was changed from the normal curved one.

The short answer is I don't have measurements of the signals - the cabin was still there when I was rambling about, long after the signals themselves had gone. The platform bracket signal seems to possibly be an older one, with new arms, given the "parachute" finials. A photo I have seen indicates that the top of an 80-class passing the signal is about level with the bottom of the shunt signal posts bracketed out lower than the two main signals. You could estimate from that, perhaps?

Sorry, I missed this enquiry earlier. Notes I have say the length of the cabin is 17 feet 9 inches long, by 10 feet 5 inches wide. The extension at the station end under the stairs was 3 feet 9 inches. The operating floor was 8 feet approximately above ground level and 6 feet 6 inches high. Timber front to the operating floor and most of each sides, with brick rear wall. No windows in the base. The odd diagonal "hole" accommodates the end of the girder on which the lever frame is mounted, the girder being supported by the end walls. The lever frame was a Westinghouse A2, 32 levers, 4 inches lever centre to lever centre, mounted at the rear of the cabin. The cabin probably dates from 1932 when the station was resignalled with LMS upper quadrant semaphores, becoming the only location on the island of Ireland with a large number of upper quadrant signals. In latter years, the cabin worked short section to Magheramorne with No.6 Tyer's Tablet and long section to Whitehead with Railway Signal Company key token.

Courtney & Stephens (Courtney, Stephens & Bailey) made signals, interlocking frames and cabins on their own account, probably the only Irish contractor to do so. They seem to have later become agents for the Gloucester Wagon Co. (who expanded into signalling to supplement rolling stock construction income) in Ireland. The Railway Signal Co. was a later creation of George Edwards who left the GWCo., along with his patents, and set up on his own account, leading RSCo. material and GWCo. material to have a similar appearance.

The GNR(I) converted all distants to yellow on a line by line basis (in the early 1940's if memory serves), including those south of the border. CIE repainted some back to red! NCC and BCDR also used yellow distants.

It depends on the time period of the model. Timber square post signals would have been very common, all over, 100 years ago. There was a fair amount of lattice post signals, particularly on the DSE. The GNR seem to have used the telegraph pole in their later years, as an economy measure, as they don't seem to feature in earlier photos (but someone's bound to prove me wrong on that now). There was a small number of concrete post signals. The GSR introduced tubular metal signals and CIE continued, so with renewals, these became most common on CIE lines.

Glover, I'm not old enough to remember seeing them in the flesh, I'm afraid. I rely on old photos and documents. Mr. McQuail's photo was in colour, which was handy, and 779N had a black end, the golden brown and white were just on the sides. I had another look at the photo of 786N, and the white definitely isn't taken across the end anyway. What I didn't spot first time around was the bloke in the background. What was he standing on?

I have seen a photograph by Pat McQuail of 779N in freshly applied B&T. Photo says Inchicore, but it looks like Limerick to me. The IRRS may have Pat McQuail's photos now.

I think it may be from the starting signal release key mechanism attached to an ETS staff instrument. When you get a release from the signalman in advance to take a staff from the instrument, you can also take the key out, and use it to release the lock on the starting signal lever in the lever frame.

For the several minutes of pleasure it has given me, just gazing at that lovely picture, thank you.

Nice. Looks like Up and Down Sligo's crossing at Longford.

I would suspect it is one of 2952-4, converted from GSW 45' non-corridor, gas lit carriages in 1950. They retained the gas lighting and lack of corridors. These were allocated to the Galway Night Mails in the 1950's, two working, one spare, which also probably covered for 1M on the Day Mail. Like you, I am surprised to see one still about with a 121 class., given the 17 "Silver" CIE built TPO's were about by this time. Apologies if I have distracted from the 121 thread again!

Not 133. 123 and 131 were the pair other than 124 and 134 to get refurbished. 131 was the first and differed in some details from the others. A fire put paid to 131 and 123 seems to have had electrical issues and ended up as the inchicore Works Pilot for a long while.