jhb171achill

The day before the fair; empty wagons arriving for loading from early the next day, summer 1961…. Only six years later, steam has gone, but a newly repainted “A” brings a spare brake van in…

We will all have seen Mol_PMB's truly outstanding brass etch model of a GSWR third, similar to Downpatrick's 836, on a separate thread. This etch is now available to purchase. I believe Paul (Mol) is finalising the assembly instructions as we speak. Purchase is from the ETCH MANUFACTURER, not Paul. I have ordered two, but it occurs to me that if anyone else in the greater Belfast or Dublin area wants one, we can combine orders to reduce the doubtless ridiculous postage charges per kit. If anyone is interested in getting one of these, please ping me privately or at jhb171@gmail.com and I will include yours in the order.

Can we start a preservation society?

In other news, as Mol will know from his impressively extensive research, in the 1955-63 period, six-wheelers could be seen with what might seem the most unlikely companions. In loco-hauled trains their comparatively diminutive form could be seen with the most modern laminates and Park Royals as companions, as well as tin vans, older vans, older wooden-bodied bogies and Bredins. They just missed the first Cravens, though about half a dozen six-wheeled full van brakes did last into the Craven era. But as well as loco-hauled trains, six-wheelers could be seen tagged on to the back of AEC railcar sets (though never as intermediates). I’ve seen pics of this happening both on the South Kerry and the Harcourt Street line. J15s were common on Cobh at that time too, possibly more d sad on than anything else.

Correct - they weren’t that common on Cobh or Youghal, but that set of carriages is typical for the period. As the disappearance of six-wheelers rapidly accelerated in the very early 60s, Cork still retained a significant stock of them right until the last ones were withdrawn in 1963. Cork had the last operational ones, and many were still kicking about after withdrawal. As such, the IRRS utilised one for an “outing” over the Cork City Railway in (I think) early 1964…..

A fairly common type of formation for trains on this line in the late 1950s and very early 60s.

I wonder how it will look beside its connecting train of an 1889 J15 and 1892-5 six-wheelers….

Me too. Rule 1 states that among other things, time machines are possible. Thus, one will operate on the Castletown Junction to Dugort Harbour line in Wisht Kerry in 1957……! It might even be hauling a green tin van…..

Centre coach on the second set looks - as far as can be made out - like a 1920-25 era GSWR main line coach. I think the van at the back is a silver tin van??

That would be an ecumenical matter.

He says he can post to NI or the south. He’s investigating prices.

I’ve emailed them. I’ll post here what he says.

I’ll quiz them on that! If they don’t, they’ll have trouble selling them….

Great to sea the latest goings-on at Clogherhead!

This is very welcome news. I will be ordering two, with delivery to an address in the north. I will be up there to collect them in about three weeks, so I won’t have them overnight. IF ANYONE ELSE IN GREATER DUBLIN AREA wants one let me know and I will order yours too. The postage will be cheaper to the north, and no nonsense about EU / non-EU charges. Let me know either here or privately and once I have them I will contact you. Mol - excellent work. Quite a few here owe you a few pints!

Absolutely outstanding.

Awaiting with anticipation!

That’s it! I’d be interested in one of those, depending on cost.

Thanks for that. Pity his family are being so awkward. Is it your intention to sell them? Before he passed away, he told me he was developing a brake third six-wheeler to go with his 3rd, one of which I have. His 3D printed six-wheel chassis arrangement was excellent. He told me he would shortly have a test print. Any idea how far that went?

Ken’s stuff was state of the art, even by today’s standards, let alone when he made them.

Those are absolutely amazing! I thought I recognised the designs as I have some of Ken's equivalemnts in 00 scale. I had several more on order when he sadlt passed away, but it was not to be. Howver, the above begs the question - does someone have these moulds or whatever design tech is needed to produce more? If so, or if possible, I would like to get two more of the vans you have in the middle (in 00, of course).

Which of these is small, and which is far away? I ate all of those.

I got all mine in the post on Tuesday….

They would!

I’ll commit sacrilege by suggesting a Q would have looked very well in blue!