spudfan

As far as I know it was a CIE operation. In order to rent a camping coach you had to travel on mainline rail. It was an effort to get passengers on to rail. I remember a hedge at the back of the site behind the line of coaches and a signal was visible so it must have been near to the mainline and maybe the station. Perhaps I am misremembering a train journey to Youghal but as we had no car it was always rail we used. It would have been in the 1960's so a long time ago. At the time we thought the coaches were the height of luxury so they were well kitted out.

Youghal was the nearest train station to where the field with the camping coaches were situated. The coaches were not at the station per se. It was a long time ago. I remember getting a train from Dublin to Cork, then a train to Youghal then going to the site. Probably was not very far from the station. Sorry I cannot be more specific.

I remember staying in a CIE camping couch near Youghal when I was a youngster. There were a number of them on a track section in a field. They were well fitted out with bunkbeds and running water etc. You entered by climbing a wooden staircase to the door. You had to travel by mainline rail to be allowed rent one of them. I don't think the experiment lasted all that long but as far as I remember I really enjoyed it. Don't think too many kids of today would be enamoured by the thought of staying in a converted railway coach in a field. I remember the grass as being long as we made our way through it everytime we left the field. Can't recall whether they were "ensuite" or whether we used a common facility in the fieldy .

These are HO but I think they would look very well stacked in a terminal. Might even be o.k. to replace Hornby containers on the Railroad container wagon.http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/wra/wra8104.htm.

Some locos for sale here, not Hattons or Ebay. Sadly I don't have the space or the finances at the moment. http://www.sterlingrail.com/classifieds/Listings.php?type=Locomotive&fsw=FS

Looks like some Lima would have come up with!

There is some discussion here about CIE replacing the Crossley diesels with the GMs. Stick with it, I found it very interesting. The initial post, though regarding GE is answered and then the fun starts. Nothing new but some good technical talk! http://www.railroad.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=161921

Hattons have a MM Cravens for preorder MM 1529. Wonder if this is being released to augment the upcoming 121?

The Lima catalogue for 1985/1986 features the above locos plus steam locos and "N" gauge items. I'm rereading it now. From the items featured in that catalogue I bought the following locos. 205108MG 0-6-0 Class 09 shunter. Green 205158MG Class 20. Blue 205174MG Class 33. The Burma Star 205173 Class 37. Green 205169 Class 73.Broadlands 205128MG class 42/43 Warship. Rapid 205142MG Class 50 Eagle 205122MG Class 52. Western Renown 205105mg Class 55 The Green Howards All were still in use here until I got the Murphy Models 071 locos. Whatever is said about the much maligned Lima locos, they give years of service.

Used to walk over from Drimnagh with the dog. Kieran McGowan used to give him a bowl of water while I checked out the stock then we'd head home again! Great memories of the shop and Kieran. Always came out with my clothes smelling of pipe smoke. Happy days!!!!

There's life in the old EMD 645 yet! http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/traction-rolling-stock/single-view/view/locomotives-for-israel-on-test.html

Thanks to all. It'll be August when I hit Mullingar so I was just planning ahead. I've already told the Mrs that a trip to Kildare will be on the agenda!

Thank you.Looks like a pilgrimage will be in order this summer.!!!!!

Thanks, that's the PW yard on my summer list! Is it easy to get to? I saw it in the distance from Portlaoise station. I've never seen any freight or PW trains going through Mullingar station.

I have ten Murphy Models locos which is a fair investment in Mr Murphy's products. If Paddy is waiting until every last item in storage is sold before the next loco is released then we are in for a long wait. People will only buy a model that they want and not to help someone move stock. There can't be that much left in storage judging by the amount of locos that are out of stock with retailers. If the 121's were released they would be bound to sell very well owing to the fact that most people will buy more than one model as they frequently ran in pairs. Maybe there are just too many headaches dealing with overseas partners when you don't have eyes on the ground to supervise how things are progressing. I am happy with what Paddy has released so far and anxiously await his next loco or even locos. Maybe the locos released so far are all that we will get who knows? I had thought that another manufacturer was to enter the Irish market and piggyback the Irish rtr stuff onto their own orders to help reduce costs but that does not seem to be the case.

I'll be in Mullingar this summer can anyone suggest places to go to view freight activity? Is the permanent way yard in Portlaoise worth a visit? Is it worthwhile making the trip to Kildare station? As an aside the disused platforms and lines at Mullingar station would make an ideal stabling point for the proposed luxury touring train. It would be nice if they put that disused line back in service for freight and the touring train.

The Avengers?

Compared to the loco pictured below the underframe does seem very light. I could not see any number on it to look it up to get some details on it.. I also have no idea what the tractor body mounted on the wagon frame is for but I suspect it's a power source but I probably am wrong. I posted the photos of the track to show the underlay which was only recently put down. The track was lifted and put back on the underlay. Maybe it's to stop it sinking into the soft ground. The mainroad runs right by the site as you can see from the level crossing. I posted these photos as they seem like local designs to suit local conditions, Could'nt see Irish Rail staff using a mobile canteen like the one featured above in the original post! Here are some close ups of the loco Standard loco - if there is such a thing! It was made by Hunslet in 1984, works number 9256. It weighs 9 tons and it has a Ford 2725 6 cylinder engine. Transmission is hydraulic with Clarke 28000 series torque converter. Horse power is given as 115hp. Here is a close up of the Massey on the wagon

Yes it is.

These were taken at Coolnagun Co. Westmeath. The first two are newly relaid track. This looks like a mobile canteen Loco with side jacks. This is an odd looking wagon. It has a Massey Ferguson engine and chassis bolted to it and a trailer body on the same frame. Level crossing

yep a really good day was had by all concerned. Did Kiltimagh on way up (see earlier photo) and Foxford. Got more photos but some will not load as the files are too big. This includes a better photo of the wheel chocks on 083 and a road/rail vehicle at Foxford. Might try photobucket with these. Well worth the trip up from Galway and back. Only drawback is that the station toilets at Ballina close until a passenger train is due, so be warned!!! The site at Ballina definitely seems too small for the amount of goods traffic going in and coming out of the yard. At one time there were four container trucks queueing to get into the yard. Trucks loaded with timber were allowed to jump the queue as they were able to self discharge at the far end of the site. Anyway back home to Donegal today so no more trains for awhile!

083 chocked and turned off having deposited the DFD's through the level crossing on to the Killala branch DFD's being propelled by 083 218 prior to running round the Acryno's to the far end of the train A busy day at Ballina

kiltimagh in March 1975 and today July 2014

If I can't master the wife's camera she'll have to do the necessary for me. Imagine me shouting "Quick, get a photo of the grey 071" and the Mrs turning to me with a blank stare on her face as the aforementioned 071 trundles by in the background. Looks like it'll be a crash course in loco identification for the Mrs with Mr Murphy's finest. If I end up hitching back to Galway you'll know that the Mr and Mrs trainspotting team came off the rails.

All being well I hope to get to Ballina on Monday 7th July. I intend to spend a few hours there in the afternoon. So whatever is happening I intend to soak it up and just enjoy it.