jhb171achill

My impression was that the darker green was on the tender engines from the start (or possibly black?) - but from your info, Andy, that makes the lighter shade possible indeed. It's possible they got dirty - the earliest pics I've seen of them certainly isn't a light colour, but maybe it's under the gunk!

Two bogie wagons there - am I right? I think I read that somewhere.... perfect for a "mini-layout"!

Yes, indeed, it was extremely dark. It is quite likely that it was something similar to what the Harbour Commissioners had in Derry, and may today be seen (original paint) on the LPHC shunter No. 1 in Cultra. Even Fry's model has it wrong.... though livery errors on Fry's models are very few indeed and might - where they exist - be due to unavailability of the right shade when he was making a model......

I could well believe it. It's a monster! That is some serious feat of miniature* engineering genius (* well, not so "miniature"!). Is it privately owned or will it operate on some public line like Fairbourne?

An engineering beauty; albeit completely the wrong livery..... nothing remotely close to the colour it had in real life. (I just had to add that, didn't I!)

I don’t think they do car ferries, yet…….

Second coach there looks like 728 which is now operational at Downpatrick.

Superb!!

Thank you to all for your comments, which I passed on to Barry tonight. He also asked me to pass on his appreciation. Advance orders for this are brisk, to say the least. Yes, we did have an eye on modellers when selecting and discussing some of the views. Hopefully it will assist anyone modelling the (primarily) 1970-2000 period.

Never knew the Pullman bogies had survived that late - wonder where they are now? Presumably scrapped?

Aaaarrrrggghh me too. I was waiting for Santa Claus….

Agreed…. Personally, I never liked yellow mixed in with orange, white & black. Never liked the 201 livery which resulted….

I was holding it upside down to take the pic...........

YOU are getting it right, Skinner, indeed; a pity that many sellers or importers beyond our shores can't be bothered to read the guidelines!

There's a lot of modern-image stuff you'll like, murphaph.... containers and orange locos galore! For "A" class fans, a feast, as this was a stamping ground for that class at one time. The occasional "oddball" working too, such as an 6-car 80 class set at Clonmel on a Sunday working, and four "G"s stuffed in the loco shed at Thurles. Naturally there has to be at least a LITTLE steam in colour.....including 800!

There's a lot of modern-image stuff you'll like, murphaph.... containers and orange locos galore! For "A" class fans, a feast, as this was a stamping ground for that class at one time. The occasional "oddball" working too, such as an 6-car 80 class set at Clonmel on a Sunday working, and four "G"s stuffed in the loco shed at Thurles. Naturally there has to be at least a LITTLE steam in colour.....including 800!

There's a lot of modern-image stuff you'll like, murphaph.... containers and orange locos galore! For "A" class fans, a feast, as this was a stamping ground for that class at one time. The occasional "oddball" working too, such as an 6-car 80 class set at Clonmel on a Sunday working, and four "G"s stuffed in the loco shed at Thurles. Naturally there has to be at least a LITTLE steam in colour.....including 800!

Tis my plan indeed! I rang the Quack yesterday to find out when I can go… As of today, the publisher has got a delivery from their printer, and they’ve put it on their website and Amazon* today. (* personally I refuse to get anything from this parasitic company! Buy from publisher….!) Sure does! Borris-in-Somewhere!

Just got a text - this has arrived from the printers now. Now Barry and I can mull over what’s next…… if and when we’ve time, as if we’re not struck down by the covidpox…..

The K class was broken up years ago mostly at Oranmore, bit by bit - first there was the basic loco minus many a thing, then much of that was disposed of, then finally the basic shell of the engine block. The two surviving CSET steam locos are, of course, two-thirds of Downpatrick's steam fleet (both currently in working order, I think) with the other third of that fleet being GSWR 90.

The G & E classes.... E421 & E432 at Downpatrick, and E428 at Dunsandle. None in working order, though the pair at Downpatrick, E421 in particular, are very much restorable. E428 would require a great deal more work, as many bits are faulty, broken or missing - one major part which is beyond help and would need to be replaced was priced at £5000 sterling about 20 years ago. G611, G613 and G617 are at Downpatrick, with G617 in working order. Again, the other two could easily be fixed up; time, manpower and money permitting. G613 is owned by the DCDR, the other two by the ITG. G601 and G616 are at Carrick, neither working, both ITG-owned.

Superb stuff, westcorkrailway. Your green is more accurate than Silverfox's, as it happens! That railcar is in BR green..... but to be fair, it's not that far off, and I have to say I like their latest version of the railcar.... thinking of ordering one, actually, as they were an absolutely essential part of the passenger scene in the 1950s and early 60s - every bit as much as an ICR would be today.

Thirty years ago, while RPSI treasurer, I had a massive argument with the vat people in the north, who wanted some £30k for something backdated. Eventually, I went through their own rules and legal piffle and proved to them by quoting their own rules back to them, that they were wrong. They dropped their claim, but not before I made serious personal complaints to the highest levels about two specific individual staff, who were like mini-Hitlers on speed.

Aerial view of Dugort Harbour tonight, with tomorrow morning’s mixed ready to go; an extra coach on market day. ………… CIE have agreed to present No. 800 “Maedb” to the Belfast Transport Museum. It was stored briefly at Thurles prior to going north, but who knew it also spent a short time at Dugort Harbour? The guy whose idea it was to send it down here was committed to the Home for the Bewildered after it hit its second bridge and came off the road for the seventh time. Here, watched by locals, railwaymen, rubber-neckers and gricers alike, it is shunted down to the loco road.

Embankment collapse, Castlecaldwell, Co. Fermanagh, on the Bundoran branch in 1956. (H C A Beaumont) --------- Lisburn with Great Victoria Street - Portadown local, mid 1930s. Note coach which was once a steam railmotor. (H C A Beaumont)