Niles

Over on the Irish Railways Present, Past & Other Interesting Railways Facebook Group, we're holding a Donegal-themed Zoom night on Tuesday 25th Jan (you don't have to be on Facebook to view, actually fair play if you're not on it ). Kick off is at 19:45, but we might open the doors early if people want to have a chat. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3040263673 https://www.facebook.com/events/436147631524188 Jim McBride of Donegal Railway Heritage Centre will discuss the recent renovation of original Donegal loco "Drumboe" and tell us about their exciting plans for the future. Richard Logue, Transport Consultant, will discuss the All-Ireland Strategic Rail Review. David Walsh will give a round up of the latest news from the Irish railway scene. Bring your own beer/tea/cake. All welcome very welcome to join in! Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3040263673 Meeting ID: 304 026 3673 One tap mobile +35361639031,,3040263673# Ireland +35312408941,,3040263673# Ireland Dial by your location +353 6 163 9031 Ireland +353 1 240 8941 Ireland +353 1 536 9320 Ireland +353 1 653 3895 Ireland +353 1 653 3897 Ireland +353 1 653 3898 Ireland Meeting ID: 304 026 3673 Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kZF472fpc

There is a small Zephir LOK 1400 loco in Inchicore, only there a few years. Can't remember what the power source is, might be diesel. I believe it's very much restricted in use but powerful for its size.

Wow. You've certainly captured the atmosphere of Heuston quite nicely. Well done.

And a very hard working if unsung one too.

I'm not sure what the situation is now having left a few years ago. I do remember at the time there being hesitation as there's still an association in the public's mind with black and orange as being "diesel" distinct from the steam image. I would guess IÉ no longer have an issue though as it's no longer their own brand.

I agree, from memory it was just one of those things we never got around to. I and other brush/sprayer wielders actually considered the idea of early 50s two tone green way down the road when the blues came round for repaint. Sadly those who didn't wield the brushes imposed otherwise. C'est la vie. An interesting speculative model though...

Yep. History repeated itself when we got the first Cravens in 2006, and 1529 and 1539 received lime green below the waist (as IÉ still had Cravens in service). 1539 later got a darker shade (snaps of both below should they be of use to anyone). Tony, the late Carriage Officer who oversaw the Cravens set renovation, used to joke that he made up the requirement with a (now retired) IÉ officer but based on meetings I was in there was definitely some weight to it. The "blue and yella" came about via discussion of the stewards and volunteers working on the bodywork, a vote was had and then did it went to board. Idea was to give a contrast with the green liveried heritage set. The blue and cream later came from some others outside the carriage department (incidentally the cream is the same as used by Bord na Móna). I actually quite like the weird and wonderful preservation era liveries; a model of a laminate set in Westrail livery would look the business. At this stage they're as part of Irish railway history as anything. Actually, it occurs to me that the GSRPS had their own brown & cream livery too, pity it never got out on the mainline.

It's not a Spielberg production, but the some camcorder footage of 124 at Rosslare and Waterford on the Waterford 150 special, 25th September 2004. Sound from about 6:50 is worth putting up the volume up for. 1262080668_124Rosslare-1.mp4

226's restoration over the decades is an inspiring tale of perseverance in Irish preservation. Well worth supporting https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/join

If we're applying Rule 1, I might repaint a Woolwich in 'might have been' MGWR tourist train livery (had they arrived a few decades earlier) - any excuse for a bitta blue & yella stripe.

There's a photo in Ernie Sheperd's book on the Midland Great Western of the first one in MGWR livery (complete with MGWR number) - it's a works photo so probably never left Broadstone like that with the GSR takeover.

Interesting - I've seen pics of Cravens and/or BR vans transferred on the back of mkII sets but not with pax. It would also suggest that the train changed from screw link to buckeyed couplings midway.

Just a stock transfer from Heuston/Inchicore to rotate the mk2s on the Sligo set.

Excuse the photo quality (I'd borrowed the family digital camera for the day but it wasn't the most advanced, nor was I ), but the stock formation might be interesting to some. 184 on a stock transfer at Connolly, consisting of: mkIId Restaurant, mkIId standard, BR van and another mkIId standard. 29th October 2005.

In furtherance to this, I actually remember the black ones being available in Marks into the mid 2000s (and I think they came out 2000?). They must have been there a good 3/4 years before selling out. That said, I'd love a J15 or K2, but with there only being 2 of the latter I appreciate that mightn't be a runner... Anyway, my layout-to-be will be set in a corner of the multiverse were a Woolwich was saved and runs with preserved coaching stock.

There's a few threads on these at the moment, here's 5233 in the consist of the morning Sligo-Connolly at Enfield, 23rd July 2005. I've another somewhere of such a coach added to the back of a Rosslare prior to a big GAA day, must dig out.

After a period they could end up mixed in with standard sets, I've a pic somewhere of 5233 attached to the back of a Rosslare to stengthen the regular 6+van set for a hurling match. Seen them mixed into Sligo sets too. The upholstery had a sort of lilac hue (very briefly considered retrieving the seats when we stripping parts for preserved Cravens back in the day as @mphoeymight recall). I quite liked them.

Hmmm... I've been looking for an excuse to get one.

The NOHAB is inspired... quite possibly what they should have gone with back in the 50s.

There's definitely footage of a 121 and and AEC pushpull set at Greystones on the Markle Irish Rail Archive - South East video.

There's a Westlife video featuring a mkIII pushpull at Limerick, can't remember which song off the top my head.

I see a Dark Stranger (1946) features a GSR liveried 800 arriving at Kingsbridge; rare enough to see moving footage of a loco in the livery of Ireland's finest railway company. (Whereas say the GNR survived as an entity long enough for the cine enthusiasts to capture it).

Received today. It struck me that many (bigger and with more resources) companies I've worked for or bought from wouldn't bother, a simple but lovely touch.

Mine arrived sain et sauf today - nothing says festive like Saturday post!