jhb171achill

Got a few more Bullieds at this excellent price. You can never have too many beet wagons!

I think all railways do now. If they planned to use the Antrim line any time soon, especially since it has no scheduled services over it, health and safety rules would demand that it be ensured in advance that it was safe to traverse.

Yes, but don't tell them, or they'll make me do it again....

Tis a classic case of "if you want quality, you have to pay"!

Correct, there was never a container crane here. They used containers coming into Loughrea just like ordinary goods vans - they just opened the doors and unloaded them, and sent them away empty.

Turns out, after all, this info was not correct. A loco was out'n'about yesterday; someone must have driven it!

The 1964 tour was a complete one-off. Other than that, once steam ended on CIE in early 1963, it fully ended. Several locos remained in a static position as carriage heating boilers for a short time earlier, but they didn't go anywhere, and even these were gone by 1965.

Steam HAD finished on that date, but 130 was one of the locos used on the All Ireland 1964 Steam Tour organised by the SLS & LCGB & IRRS. In the north, while the last ACTUAL steam operations were in summer 1970, it wasn't until 1971 that the very last two "Jeeps" were officially withdrawn.

So what happens when they need a ballast train?

I think they're Belfast-built NCC, as the LMS ones were lower too. I have not been able to get to the bottom of this at any stage. The only vehicles I haven't seen red on were TPOs, but that's not to say that none of them had it when in silver.

You're very welcome here, Callum!

Yes, that leading one is indeed an NCC one, as is the fourth. Rare in Dublin. You could always run them mixed with a couple of GNR designs built from kits by SSM or Worsley. I have always had an idea like Patrick Davey's Knockloughrim - a layout based on some sort of mid-Ulster line, where NCC and GNR stock would be equally common. Or a shunting terminus type of set-up, using a Jeep, old carriages like above, and of course an AEC or MPD railcar set.... Time, though, space and money mitigate otherwise.... I'd say if IRM bring out a laminate - and I hope they do - they'd have silver, green, and black'n'tan, the latter with the initial "2" on the doors, and later without. While the last of them were still in traffic 14 years after the "supertrain" livery was introduced, none of them ever got that. One detail livery issue with silver coaches is the numbers. On some, they were standerd "eau=de-nil" light green, but on others the numbers were RED. This is also reflected on Fry's models, but I do vaguely recall seeing a red number on something when I was a nipper. I have not yet been able to ascertain why some were red and some light green. By the way, no silver rolling stock ever carries the flying snail. or any type of lining. Only the coach number and class number on doors. Tin vans, of course, only had the number.

Now those REALLY look the business! Not so much these - they're NCC designs. As far as I'm aware, almost if not literally exclusively, only ex-GNR stock was used south of Lisburn, never mind the border. While some ex-GNR coaches certainly migrated north to ex-NCC lines, the NCC stock didn't tend to come over much to the GNR. Can't say it NEVER happened; quite possibly did - but a whole train of NCC stock as far away as Dublin I would very much doubt. However, the world is crying out for asveral 1960s-era UTA-based layouts of some sort anyway! But a "Jeep" is needed. For those who have them, there's the 00 Works GNR 0.6.0....

Eh? Must be SOMEONE who can drive ballast trains?

I think the moral of the story is that we need STEAM as well as diesel. Masochist!!

We’re in a modern house, so 100% electric and no open fire or oil or gas heating. Our power went off about 7 am, came back about 6pm - for five minutes - then off again. Finally back about 8pm - we were among the lucky ones. Apparently some will be without it for days….

There’s one in Omagh, at the top of a tree, another wedged in someone’s chimney in Abbeyfeale, half of one in Donegal, and the other is floating in the Atlantic off Venezuela….

Plus, in typical Silverfox style, the livery is badly incorrect on most variations.

Fast forward to another sunset winter evening in 1965. Here, the late afternoon local from Dugort has just arrived at Castletown. All the above “sunset” stuff; think power cuts & candles!

As it’s January 1963, the last six-wheelers are being withdrawn for good. The branch set has been changed - a 1924-built GSWR bogie composite has arrived, with a new tin van. The old set sits in the yard at Dugort. Tomorrow, it will be attached to the up Cork goods, and the three carriages will be scrapped in Glanmire goods yard along with many others. Tonight, the sun sets on them for the last time. A pity the Downpatrick preservation scheme is several decades away! Bottom: The “new” branch set in service last night with A12….

The connection for Tralee awaits at Castletown…

In these winter evenings, early sunset (you DO know what “sun” is? If not, see me after class), means the last trains leaving Castletown and Dugort as the last light fades. Here, A12 leaves Dugort Harbour for the short run up to Castletown West with the last passenger train on 20th January 1963…..

The up 11:40 to "town" departs on a bleak January day in 1948.... . On the same day, the afternoon mixed heads off in the same direction....

I'm not either, but I was persuaded to try by a friend and colleague!

The West Clare had several carriages with concrete blocks under some seats, as a result of a train blown on its side, plus a wind anemomenter in Quilty station. If the wind reached a certain speed, only these carriages were allowed to be used. If it rose above an even higher speed, all trains were cancelled. The anemometer is at Malahide Castle in storage - Cyril Fry somehow got hold of it. I am hoping it can be displayed at some stage. Tis getting a bit breezy out, boys'n'girls. Time to put the kettle on before a power cut.