jhb171achill

Going back to the very original post on this, about the Dapol Sentinel. I note the model is black. Since it was ordered by the GSR, it will certainly have been grey if THEY painted it, unless it was delivered by Sentinel in black and left that way for a while. However, there is another possibility. Often, on other railways, contraptions like this copuld end up with a carriage livery, or something similar. At least one old picture of one of these quite new - or clean - appears to chow a shiny black chassis, but a slightly greyer colour above, though no lining. I just wonder if it could have been the dark purple lake colour above (as on Downpatrick's coach 836)? Certainly, the number was applied in carriage-like shaded style.

Just checked up on a few details; A Clayton was trialled for a short period on the Macroom branch, and (probably the same one) on the Clonakilty branch - so dey did go down to Wisht Caark, boy!

When they say "Cork", that triggers something in the back of my mind to the effect that it was not IN Cork, as such, that one of these things was tried out, but on the Fermoy - Mitchelstown branch in COUNTY Cork. Must check that. Never heard of a Clayton going onto the CBSCR - I wouln't have thought that it would be seen as remotely suitable.

I think they did little in Cork, prob only shunting in Glanmire Road. But Albert Quay transfers are certainly a possibility, as might be shunting within the CBSCR terminus.

Then a team of Lycra cyclists would appear to push it……

Good point. I’d forgotten about that.

A fleet of twenty Maedbs, replacing the 29s on Drogheda - Dublin locals, and a wholesale return to steam across the system…. But we’d build one new Drumm train for Eamonn Ryan to travel about in.

Yes, I’d say so!

With literally "all the money in the world", that could work - but perhaps also building a brand new railway line Whitehead to Cork would be easier..........

It WAS technically open until the last regular passenger service stopped, but as you say there wouldn’t have been much business. The several times I travelled on night mail trains (once as the only passenger) I don’t remember much activity at Moate….

These fellas are waaaay down in “de Kingdom”, boy! Wisht Kerry!

. Meanwhile our friends discuss tomorrow’s cattle fair alongside the empty cattle wagons which came in today….. ”Has anyone heard from the Dalys, how many beasts they’ll have?” ”Depends how many they sell! That dealer fella from Athlone was in O’Donoghues last night. He bought about twenty milch cows the last time he was here!”

On a pleasant spring morning in 1965, the goods ambles into Dugort Harbour…

I wonder did anyone ever actually get put in prison for smoking on a train...................... or, indeed, fined £400? Let alone both.......

OK, here we go. This is 13.1.1986 until further notice; turns out I don't have 1987, but it's likely exactly the same. Trains in BOLD run every day; others are just paths and may or may not run. Down trains: 00:25 Shelton - Abbey - Galway fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 05:50, arr. Athlone 06:46 Loco: 001 09:35 Shelton Abbey - Ballinasloe fertiliser PATH dep. Mullingar 15:30, arr. Athlone 16:41 (Stop scheduled moate 16:07-16:230; reason not apparent, probably to fit in with paths west of Athlone) Loco: 001 18:50 North Wall - Ballina Asahi Liner Pass Mullingar 20:43, arr. Athlone 21:36 Loco: 001 21:45 Connolly - Galway Mail Dep. Athlone 23:07, Moate 23:36-23:51 (Crosses up train), Athlone 00:16. Loco: 121 On Saturdays, this runs earlier, dep. Connolly 19:50, dep. Mullingar 21:14, arr. Athlone 22:15 Up trains: 22:35 Ballina - Shelton Abbey Empty Fertiliser PATH dep. Athlone 00:40, arr. Mullingar 01:30. leaves at 02:25. Loco: 001 02:25 Ballina - North Wall Asahi Liner (Tues - Sat) dep. Athlone 05:27, pass Mullingar 06:19. Loco: 001 22:00 Galway - Connolly Mail dep. Athlone 23:20, Moate 23:45-23:48 (crosses down train), arr. Mullingar 00:18 Loco: 141 SUNDAYS No regular trains, but three DOWN paths and two UP paths for Knock specials from PEARSE, motive power not specified for any of them. Note: Two down paths for ferts, butn only one up; the other obviously going via Portarlington when it runs. Also, the WTT shows a 121 for the down mail and a 141 for the up working. Of course, these could be interchangeable. These two mail trains, which crossed at Moate between 23:36 and 23:51, were the only trains on the line by then (and for quite a few years earlier), which carried passengers. Hope this helps. JB

A most interesting vehicle!

Correct, as Mayner points out the date of the last REGULAR services. But also, there were indeed many one-offs, excursions, diversions and the like; RPSI, Knock & GAA specials. These would be in weekly circulars rather than timetables, and sometimes at a moments notice so not even in them! I’ll post 1987 WTT details later.

I want 1880s six wheelers….. and 4.4.0s in front….. guess I’m an oul relic!

On the turf loco? Tis Michael the driver (right) and me sister (left)!

I have to say I don't mind ICRs.... they're less noisy than 29s or 26s, though I agree with them being airless, which always leads to the toilets being less than pleasant. We can't blame the ICR itself for the lack of catering.... In terms of comfort, the AECs back in the day (before the survivors got plastic seats) were by FAR the most comfortable railcrs ever to run here - but they were noisy too - like a 29 full of marbles in an echo chamber, going down a tin staircase...... AEC railcar seats in the 1950s, with yours truly in it, on the Harkitstreet Line...........

You've the patience of a saint! But the results are always worth it................

Given the chassis, might some sort of 0.6.0 tender engine be a bit longer?

Notwithstanding all that, since this is an "Enterprise" thread, here are some Enterprises, between 1962 and the early 1990s. One picture is not an Enterprise. Can anyone guess which? (Pics 2, 3 & 5; jhbSenior)

I told the lizard in the pizza shop all about it. I think he caused some consequences. I walked into that one, didn't I...............

In the 1990s, I was on a local NIR train, when a walking tracksuit type started smoking. Two passengers reported him. The conductor appeared. This was the LAST train out of Belfast for Portadown. The train happened to be slowing for Finaghy stop. Smoker wouldn't stop and was giving conductor a mouthful of abuse. Conductor opens the door for people getting out, grabs yer man and tried to push him out onto the platform. Smoker attempts to resist, whereupon conductor physically KICKS him out onto the platform, slams the door, and gives the driver the green. Being the last service, about 23:30, there were none following, and it may have been too late for a following bus. In all reality, one can invoke human rights, and respect-for-the-person and so on, but like it or not, if railway staff and security men on board trains were able to do that now, the quality of life for the many who increasingly feel unsafe on public transport would be much better; also, the junkies and pond life who causes scenes like this would learn fast. Personally, I would have no problem with it.