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Here is a press release regarding the reinstatement of the railway in Donegal. It was released sometime ago when Shane Ross had the reins. No progress yet. Issued on 1st April......

Hope to be able to attend this

The whole article is printed above.

A Scooby Doo mystery? No this is serious stuff. Don't know how there have been no accidents with these unscheduled trains running about.

Freight operator investigates whether ghost trains are haunting its network | News | Railway Gazette International

SOUTH AFRICA: Transnet has started investigating allegations of ‘ghost trains’ on its network, following reports that services may be operating which are not formally scheduled, with the revenue not flowing back to the national freight operator.

In a statement on March 27, Transnet emphasised that ‘these serious allegations have not yet been accompanied by supporting evidence’. It had therefore referred them for independent investigation.

Whistle-blowers are to be approached for further details, and statements sought from any implicated staff and customers. Transnet said that ‘to the extent that the allegations are proven correct’, it intends to ‘act swiftly’. 

Bayern battery trains technically possible but expensive, study finds | News | Railway Gazette International

GERMANY: Replacing diesel trains in the Bayerischen Wald with battery traction would be technically possible but require infrastructure investment of up to €32m and have a lead time of at least 10 years, according to a study undertaken by Technische Universität Dresden for Bayern railway agency BEG.

The study looked at the Bayerwald network which comprises services RB35 Plattling – Deggendorf – Zwiesel – Bayerisch Eisenstein, RB36 Zwiesel – Grafenau, and RB 37 Zwiesel – Bodenmais. Trains are currently operated by Die Länderbahn under the Waldbahn brand.

The Land intends to require the use of CO₂-neutral vehicles from the start of the next operating contract in December 2034. ‘We want all regional transport in Bayern to be emission-free by 2040 at the latest, including in the Bayerischen Wald’, said Bayern’s Minister of Transport Christian Bernreiter on April 4.

‘Since the routes there can certainly not be completely electrified in the medium term, we are looking around for alternatives in good time. The results of the study are an important first basis for decision making. To be honest, they are also a bit sobering in terms of time and cost.’

The high cost would mainly be down to a need for ‘electrification islands’ where the batteries could be recharged; Plattling station is currently the only place on the Bayerwald network which is electrified.

BEG has commissioned TU Dresden to undertake a second study which will look at hydrogen and hybrid traction, as well as the potential impact of proposed electrification of the Czech line from Klatovy to the border station at Bayerisch Eisenstein which would reduce the need for electrification islands in Bayern. The report is expected later this year.

The Land and DB Netz are also discussing how axleloads could be increased to permit the use of modern rolling stock.

‘In terms of climate protection, rail travel is already vastly superior to the car’, said BEG board member Thomas Prechtl. ‘Nevertheless, we would like to further expand this advantage and make regional transport completely climate-neutral. Which traction technology is most suitable depends to a large extent on the rail infrastructure; there is no one-size-fits-all solution. That’s why we are taking a very close look at each individual route.’

• Deutsche Bahn has put forward plans to electrify the route from Nürnberg to Amberg and Furth im Wald, raise the maximum speed of sections to 160 km/h, and enable long freight trains to pass at Hiltersdorf and Freihöls.

Some more on this

DART+ train mock-up unveiled in Dublin | News | Railway Gazette International

No doubt things have changed slightly with the latest diesels but very interesting short film.

Driving The Train 1959 | Documentary | Talking Pictures TV (tptvencore.co.uk)

The best way the 071 class could be upgraded for a new release is to fit metal hand rails. It is very difficult to remove and replace the loco in the packaging without doing some damage to the side rails.  Many years ago I was given a TYCO US diesel and rudimentary as it was it came with metal hand rails and was very robust. 

Funnily enough my other half has never worn make up....

I think the marriage vows need to be updated. They should read

"For better or for worse

For richer or poorer

In sickness and in health

And for ever increasing cellulite"

Do Irish Rail buy their Peco Powerlube in bulk or just order in from Marks Models or Hattons?

These are from my daughter from this morning,

Today

The graphic artist must have imbibed some of the product to garner some inspiration...

There is no denying that, but it is how they are getting the "green" stuff was the point I was making.

Made with parts produced in China who are lashing out the pollution so we can buy "green" stuff made there... 

No. The point being that even though it has been a while since the last ViTrains class 37 was produced, I could still get spares for it.

Regarding spares. I got buffers with springs from ViTrains for one of their class 37s this week.

The phosphur bronze pick up strip has two holes in it. These holes slot over the two protruding lugs between the wheels. The outside of the chassis frame has two holes that these lugs slot into, holding the bogie side frame in place. As your phosphur bronze strip is askew, one end could be hitting an axle thus shorting out. It will be o.k. when fixed properly in place. Here are some photos 0f 210. They show the protruding lugs and the phosphur bronze strip in place.

I have told the Mrs that from now on I will be funding any future locos and rolling stock for my layout from my own resources. I told her  I intend to raise the necessary funds by using my looks....

20 hours ago, BosKonay said:

We did say ‘in the next month’ but Frans been taken out by a nasty flu from Glasgow so we’ll do something next week hopefully. Sorry about that!

There's some locally produced "medicine" you can get up here. Does not come with a fancy label or lots of EU stuff on the label. Come to think of it, it does not have a label. Anyway when you get some, you undo the top, put a lighted match to the top of the "medicine" bottle. If you get a nice blue flame you know you have some top quality "medicine". Not really sure how it works but when you imbibe some, your brain forgets that your body is sick.

Below are photos showing the new Dapol class 59 204 in National Power livery and a Lima class 59 201 in National Power livery. I bought the new Dapol model because it was 59 204 and I did not have 59 204 in my class 59 fleet. All of the other liveries issued by Dapol of the class 59 fleet I have so none of these were on my radar. I did not buy the Dapol loco as an "upgrade" or a replacement of my existing Lima class 59s as they have served me well over the years and I still regard them as good locos. The new Dapol loco will run along side my existing fleet.

The new Dapol class 59 has a moulded on front hand rail whereas the Lima class 59 has a separately fitted hand rail. The bogie detail on the Lima 59 has three holes that go right through the bogie frame whereas on the Dapol class 59 they stop half way through. The sand pipes on the Dapol model are in line with the wheels . On the inner most wheel set on each bogie on the Dapol 59 the sand pipes are touching the wheels. These could be cut but I will leave them as they will wear down with use. The colour scheme on both the Dapol and the Lima look fine to me. If either of them has a better 59 "face" is beyond me to tell.

When taking the Dapol 59 from it's packaging I checked the doors and they do indeed open. That will be the first and last time I will ever open a door on the class 59. So it is not a deal breaker for me.

I put the Dapol class 59 on the track, put on my glasses, squinted and started it up. Yep the axle box covers do indeed rotate. Again that will be the first and last time I will ever see these rotating. So not a deal breaker for me.

It takes a short time for the Dapol 59 to get up speed. "Speed" being relative as it travels along at a nice steady pace.

The Dapol loco has directional lights and interior cab lights which light up on taking power. Whether Dapol have the correct scale wattage bulb in the cab, I will let the experts decide.

  The Dapol loco weighs more than the Lima loco and for the average size layout both will haul similar length trains. As I do not have the space and more importantly the funds to buy 25 JHA wagons to run in a consist both will cope with the wagon  consists I can run.

Has anything fallen off the Dapol you ask? Well yes it has, namely the coupling hooks! One came off while I was taking the loco from it's packaging and another came off while it was running on the track. They are a very loose fit. I lost one and contacted Dapol. Those nice people at Dapol sent me an accessory pack which contained two complete couplings and the usual buffer beam pipes etc.

When running coupled up  to Bachmann or Dapol bogey wagons, the loco coupling which is attached to the bogie swings very wide causing wagons to derail. If I fit a Lima tippler to the loco then the hopper wagons on to it, things will run fine. So in use the Dapol 59 has some bogie tipplers then the Freightliner limestone wagons in tow. Looks very well.

Anyway like I said I regard the Dapol as an addition to my existing fleet to run along side the Lima class 59. Once on the track or on shed they mesh together very well. You can look at the photos of the Dapol and Lima models together and make whatever judgements you want.

Got a phone call yesterday. It was an unknown woman. "This is it , I thought. It's the Mammy of one of that Accurascale crowd going to hammer me for the out of hours communications. Actually I was wrong. It turned out to be an "Eir" scam. Relief is not the word....

Once again I lashed off a query to Accurascale in the wee hours of the morning. It  concerned the forth coming class 66. Sure enough I got a prompt reply. They seem to be open all hours, despite the site saying they would be away until Monday. This is all good and dandy for people like me with queries being sent in at ungodly hours. There is one thing I dread when I send one in at unsociable hours, namely what happens if "The Mammy" of one of the IRM/Accurascale people takes umbrage at this and goes on the warpath?