jhb171achill

Senior said he timed just under 30 mph once with a class five with three or four carriages behind it, going downhill over Barnesmore. But the coach was jolting and crashing over the joints and swaying like a cork in a rough sea….

Virtually every single announcement made in recent years has either not been delivered, delivered way later than suggested, or delivered in a different way; or still in planniong, but with variatioons from the original. The debate over what will replace the 26 class in Cork, and when, and as a result of what precise movements in the Dublin or Limerick areas, has had more variations than I've had hot dinners. An announcement that Youghal will receive J15s and 6-wheel coaches again, and Limerick - Galway a couple of D17s would barely surprise me now; though to such extent as it might be a surprise, it would be a most pleasant one!

I’ve a log of one heading through Omagh at 87.26 mph….

As I posted on one of the bookface pages, it shows just how utterly dull the modern railway scene is, when excitement is caused by a light engine trundling a few miles down a commuter line, or (worse) some sort of yellow contraption is out'n'about.....! IE's bad enough, but NIR is a diet of two very slight variants of a soiltary basic type of railcar.............and zero goods trains!

Apparently these yokes were the flying machines of the Irish narrow gauge, with speeds of 50mph easily attainable. Just imagine that sight - and the CBPR track was very well maintained.

Personally, despite my aversion to historical inaccuracy in liveries, and ongoping frustration at the fact that the majority of preserved items in Ireland are not correct in this regard; I actually thought that looked quite well! Even if they HAD been blue in traffic, this blue is a bit too light, plus the "G" and the "N" on the tender were way too close together, but there ye go! I confess, as a teen, to painting a model green BR railbus in BR corporate blue with yellow ends, a livery they never carried. To railbus fans, I apologise and prostrate myself accordingly. The things teens get up to.... My only steam recollections were black GNR locos, either in GNR livery or UTA black; and dim recollections of a filthy dark grey CIE loco, probably an old J15.... and withdrawn CDR locos, yes, with RED domes, NOT black!

Operations yesterday…. IMG_1008.mov IMG_1008.mov IMG_1006.mov

July 1957, the day before the sheep fair. All is quiet this afternoon, as the 2 o’clock local drifts into Dugort Harbour. Tomorrow, of course, will be chaos. More to follow….

On fair day, whatever elderly stock Cork and Tralee can dig up, will end up on the extra trains for cattle drovers and dealers. In addition, trains between Dugort and “town” are very busy that day. Here, in 1956, the last DSER six-wheeler in traffic, still in GSR maroon, has made what will probably be its last appearance ever. It is joined by a GSWR equivalent - note the different designs. The 1888-built GSWR brake third was the regular passenger brake on the branch then, and could be companion to a six-wheeler of similar vintage - or a two-month-old silver “Park Royal”… Shunting at Dugort Harbour, 1959, with the then regular branch engine, the last of its kind. The brand-new supposedly “silver” tin van is filthy; the ancient van behind it, dating from 1902, somewhat better looking!

A23R is caught shunting in the fuel road, Dugort Harbour, summer 1974. On the same day, empty wagons are seen in the cattle loop awaiting departure tomorrow morning on the back of the Tralee goods.

Summer 1964…. “That’s one of Aggie Molloy’s beasts. Anyone gone to get Michael?”

Worth pointing out too, for those too young to remember, far from a perhaps modern impression that GNR locos were blue, the vast majority were black. Only certain passenger classes were blue. Even preserved 85 "Merlin" and her classmates were black when first in traffic, only later repainted blue. None of the P or PP class were ever blue.

0 scale version in Malahide Model Railway Museum of a whole Lartigue train, made by Cyril Fry!

Outstandingly good!

N E A T !!!!!!

MCWR = Monserrat, Calcutta and Wolsztyn Railroad. Surely you’re aware ‘twas the gem of the colonies….

Got it! I do remember, as a small citizen, seeing pigeon boxes in Lisburn, Great Vic St & Amiens St at the very least.

Can only find hundreds of gaa function pics here?

Until the 1970s, pigeon societies used to transport racing pigeons by rail to furthest-away points, to see which got home first. Latterly, they could be seen being loaded into “tin vans”. Here, in summer 1964, the Dugort local is augmented by two extra vans which were sent from Omagh by the Newtownstewart & District Homing Pigeon Society for release there on this morning. The vans, with empty pigeon baskets, are leaving here. The baskets will travel back to Amiens St., from where they’ll be attached to tomorrow’s newspaper train as far as Portadown. Here, they’ll be put in a goods van attached to the down Foyle Road goods, while the vans will go back to Dublin with mailbags in them.

They’ve lots of them in Porteedown, Sandy Row, Korrikfergus and Bollameena, if you’re running short…..

I blame Elon.

Callum, you had asked me in recent days about where the drawings might be - they've been posted on another thread here in the last 24 hours. Hoping you saw them. It seems CIE have them now. To others here; I've seen the frames for 800 which Callum has made already. Ooooh boy, this locomotive when finished will be a real BEAST!! Can't wait!

Wouldn’t surprise me in this day and age!!

Gawwwwwd I hope not!!!! (reaches for smelling salts.....) Well, he's bought it. And Kerry is paying for it.

Thankfully not! But he might buy it and build a wall round it, and make Kerry pay........