jhb171achill

This is an interesting one. Both in recent times and over the years of this website, the debate often recurs regarding the extent to which a suggested production run of an 00 scale model would be viable or not, based on how "specialised" it was in some way or another - maybe only in existence a short time, only operating in certain areas, or only used for one purpose. The argument goes that such a thing isn't viable, because not every modeller wants to model the Glenties branch in exactly 1931. These "Jintys" were common as the commonest thing in Commonland - in Brexitstan. But HERE, there were but TWO of them, and one only operated a decade or so, the other little longer. More than that, theire sole function was to shunt a single terminus - York Road - and its associated dock lines. Even under "Rule 1", to have one operating on a main line train or anything else would be stretching credibility. In other words, it scarely possible to have a prototype with a MORE restricted background - or, to translate the logic to model production, a more limited market - in theory, anyway. How many of us are modelling Dock Street in Belfast in 1959, in "0" gauge? Now THERE is a "limited market", if ever there was one; as it is in this, and only this, environment that such a locomotive looks anywhere near appropriate. Yet there it is; and not even 00 scale. In 0 gauge, as above posts point out, there's almost NOTHING Irish KIT-wise, never mind RTR. So, either we're looking at a fortunate one-off (and for once in UTA modelling, with correct coloured lining) - or a sign that supports the opinion of many, in that you start providing stuff and the market will grow. As the Leaving Cert exam paper might say, "Discuss"!

Why? What percentage of alcohol do they have in them?

Still a MGWR enamel sign at Mullingar in the bottom pic - plus a black rather than grey 0.6.0. Few of the locos which were repainted black from the mid-50s on, and including this one, had the "snail" on the tender - only some of them. A tender which is so grubby that it's impossible to tell whether it was actually painted black or dark grey - WITH a snail - would have a greater chance of being originally grey. With a realistic layer of weathering, a steam loco seen in 1959-62 might as well be painted lime green, tartan and fluorescent pink, such was the layer of soot, oil, brake dust, rust and general gunk......

The extra charge is for Das Oktoberfest Surcharge.

I don't think they're supposed to be doing that - although - for many years, while A Post treats the north as local post, Royal Mail treats the south as "international". That's bad enough, but comparing like with like, Royal Mail charges (even internally) are well above those of An Post to start with!

In terms of the "high capacity" ones, will the seating plan internally be different in any of them?

You can contact Leslie here on this forum - he will see your message - or PM him via here?

Well, this stuff is now well-recorded and blindly obvious fact, so fair game........!

If I may be forgiven an unashamed plug.......... "Rails Through Connemara" by self, still available. We did the book launch last year at Maam Cross - in the middle of Connemara, the pandemic, and a washout rainy day - outdoors! Ping me privately for signed copies p;osted within Irealnd or the UK. An amazing journey, yes - though built with government assistance as the MGWR wouldn't touch the project - they knew the inevitable, which was that (sadly) like so many other similar routes, it never came close to covering operational costs in a single year of its 40-year life. West of Maam Cross, especially, some of the most amazing railway wscenery to be had anywhere in Ireland. But as emigrants from the west often said in post-famine times, "you can't eat scenery"!

For those who only have a few ferts, or only want a few, don't be put off by a "need" to buy a dozen! You could see them in smaller numbers as part of a mixed goods train along with cement and Guinness, as often the case on the North Wall - Dundalk - Belfast (Adelaide), and Dundalk - Derry goods back in the day. There were times when that train might only have 3 or 4 fertiliser wagons, with a few 4-wheeled Guinness flats in two. So if you've just one pack of bubbles and one of ferts, thats fine for a goods train within the realms of accuracy!

Certainly was! Doubtless one loco had rescued the other after it failed - they didn’t double-head in traffic ever. So that was a nice catch for you! A single 121 could certainly handle ten empties. Ten laden might have been a different story, though.

I suppose there's "Rule 1" which would allow a JM Design G2 2.4.0 or an 00 Works J15 in front of a rake of 'em!

Aaarrrghghg me too........ Stuck as I am in the 1950s and 60s on Dugort Harbour, I might be tempted this time! I always liked the look of those ferts. I'd need something in "supertrain" livery, though, to haul them, and everything I have is silver, green, black or black'n'tan; the latter would, of course, do OK.

Conversion of an old 1956-59 type laminate brake standard, I believe.

Indeed - on several counts. So many Irish layouts with superb (and Irish) locos and coaches, but BR wagons repainted. Undeerstandable at one time, pre-SSM, pre-Provincial and pre-JM Design - but there are many Irish wagons available now. On the subject of AEC railcars and their intermediates - yes, very many variations, but there are valuable multi-purpose crossovers. For example, a GNR K15 open third could be a loco-hauled option in six liveries (2 x GNR, 2 x CIE, 2 x UTA and 1 x NIR), and thus suitable for, say, a loco-hauled train on a layout based on the Derry Road. In black'n'tan, as some suvived to be coated in, ALL over CIE! A laminate is equally versatile, as is a Park Royal - RTR versions of all three badly needed. My point is that while no laminate was ever seen in a GNR, UTA or NIR set, nor some GN types in CIE sets, there is enough alternative use for all of these vehicles as loco-hauled stock, thus fulfilling many purposes and thus boosting sales.

The breeding programme for live 4mm scale Fintona horses has been successful?

AEC cars have, in total, eight basic liveries, with a ninth and tenth as variations of two of them. Add the de-engined ones as NIR secondary stock in the mid-70s and you’ve ten variations. I am led to understand that when commissioning a new model, the more liveries there are, the more viable the thing is.

That looks like a design that could be related to a British prototype, as you suggest. I wonder is there a “near-enough” RTR British loco which could be made to look like one with little more than dark grey paint and GSR-style numberplates?

Very well said indeed. Rest in peace.

I would absolutely agree. The “A” class were VERY much worth the wait. Between those and the Accurascale stuff, they’ve brought both Irish AND British models to a whole new level.

I should add that as far as I’m aware, all the locos used on the last beet campaign with steam (winter 1962/3) were J15s, and the last locos used on a CIE passenger service which was all steam (Loughrea, Ballinrobe, Ballaghaderreen) were the similar ex-MGWR J18 0.6.0s. Loughrea went diesel in April 1963. A couple of G2 2.4.0 tender locos were still on the Sligo line until almost the end of steam.

Agreed - a “C” fits well into the steam / diesel changeover period. Thr last steam engines in use anywhere in Ireland were N I Railways’ “WT” class 2.6.4Ts, known as “Jeeps”. No. 4, one of the very last two (withdrawn 1970), is preserved at Whitehead. The last in use in CIE (April 1963) were a mixed bag, mostly elderly 0.6.0 tender engines of GSWR (J15), and MGWR (J18/J19) origin, but a couple of “Woolwich” 2.6.0s and several old 4.4.0s of various origins also lasted to about 1962. Notable among the others were the last few 400 class 4.6.0s and a couple of the useful MGWR J26 0.6.0Ts. The last GNR locos, two 0.6.0 goods engines, lasted until about 1965 or 1966, under the UTA. I saw them often.

Joe put a huge lot of work into that. It shows! Awaiting my own copy.

DCC fitted or not?

How many are they getting? And what for? (Will the jax, as a revolutionary alteration to the design, have air (ideally fresh), ventilation, dry floors and toilet paper?)