jhb171achill

It will be the standard CIE green, as on buses, trucks, station paintwork, steam locos which got green, and carriages up to circa 1955. Basically there were two greens. The one I've just described, and thelighter one shown on D303 above, this latter being applied ONLY to carriages, railcars and diesel locos. While in the original green, they would be in the 1000 series. Since silver was only ever applied to "new-build" things (e.g. the "E401"class, these D's never were silver. As you say, green to black. I would tend to agree that D303 was the only one to get light green. The amount of photos I've trawled over fifty years have not, as far as I recall, ever produced an image of the others in light green. The top is, of course, black. That's interesting! While I remember seeing yelloow poking through, I never saw a loco with orange handrails. probably a one-off? Note the GSWR full parcels brake. I think it lasted to about 1973.

What monsters have I let into my house!!!!

I have reached another milestone today. I uttered a gratuitously and purposefully offensive word in the direction of a tiny ventilation which fell into the floor, landing in an inaccessible location….

I’ve ordered a copy of “Rude Words for Modellers (00 Scale Edition)” from Hattons. £7.60 + £19 postage + £26.34 brexit charges + £8.09 customs.

Yes, that’s what I did in the end. It worked well - albeit eventually!

I fell foul of that this morning, and tried to solder a tiny door vent, and made a mess of it. Much fibre brushing must follow - but - I didn’t burn my fingers yet!

Thank you, I am sure it will test me, plus my patience!

I will definitely take this on board!

Following my first tentative foray into brass, I’m going for something a bit more ambitious now. The GSWR had a small number of coach-type-panelled short-wheelbase four wheel vans which were variously used as mobile tool vans, hearse vans of parcel vans. Several variations. The MGWR had several vans similar in concept, but the Midland being the Midland, the design was about as similar as an ICR is to a grandfather clock. This Roxey kit, a native of Narrow Gauge Island back in the day, is as similar as can be had. Without windows, I thought it might be a reasonable next step. If I don’t make an unholy pigs ear of it (and my expert tutor should hopefully stop me) maybe a carriage next…. So, the kit arrived…. The prototype, by the way, ran on the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, ultimately the Southern Railway. It’ll end up either in CIE dark lined green, or if I make it into a departmental tool van, it’ll either be wagon grey or dark lined green with red ends. Another possibility is very badly faded GSR maroon, for when I’m in early 50s running mode….

“Did ye see that fella in the Ford Anglia out by Paddy O’Sullivan’s this afternoon? He must have been going at thirty miles an hour. He’s up in Eddie an’ Bernie’s now all scratched and blood, but the car’s wrecked….” “Ye’ll never lift a thing that big with a hand barrow!” ”Yer man with the Anglia….” ”Never mind the man with the damn Anglia, get this loaded before PJ starts givin’ out!”

June 1965. The evening train being loaded, by hand. The ramp and the barrow were left in the van of the afternoon train to the junction, so they’ll be passing through the Carrowmore boglands by now….

“Maura, I can do this on me own. Just open the van door. An’ would ye ever nip into Sarah on your way past an’ tell her to boil up the water, coz I want a bath tonight!”

Following my post on 24th March, the gap is finally filled. Track connected; all again thanks great assistance from jhbJnr and my Expert Learned Friends (you know who you are). Now, a yella machine takes a spin into Dugort Harbour. Once all declared good, the crew hit the bus back to Castletown West. “Footplate Pass? Nah, don’t worry if you’ve lost it. C’mon up. What part of England did ye say ye were from?”

I have been informed by the Peers that you are hereby commanded to start this project at 08:00 tomorrow, and continue until complete.............

Lovely little layout

It's basically a single circuit, so it's operationally simple. You've maximised the extent of the single round-the-room loop by maximum use of the "oeninsula". The issue now is to see where you can put stations and sidings. The long top area and the long left hand side 9seperated by a short tunnel as a scenic break) would appear to be the best with lengths or platforms and loops in mind. Maybe on one side of the peninsula wild rural landacspe, and an industrial siding or country halt on the other.

Yes, very much so. Unusually, some Irish tank wagons were actually built by British firms like Charles Roberts, whereas the vast, vast majority of non-passenger stock was built here. I’ve two of these things and they look the part.

Which particular stock?

I like this distillery idea. Can you send me samples?

Fertiliser maybe? Always liked those bogies….

I’m the same! Solid booked now to mid June with tours with Awwwsum Murrikans….!

Congratulations!

I had the great pleasure of meeting MOL-pmb on the Cork to Galway railcar tour yesterday, and the masterpiece “E”! The connection from Dublin was 220….

Derry to Letterkenny & Cork to Passage.

Hope you’re staying incognito and drinking Murphy’s. Dem oul langers down dere, boy, sure dere a mad oul lot, boy, doon in de REEL capital, boy….