jhb171achill

Ah! I was getting mixed up. I know SSM did them too, or perhaps first! I've seen finished examples of both, and they both look very well (SSM and Worsley).

Now the CBSCR green one is sold out, and probably only one GSR grey one left.

Love the old road bridge on the left. How did you make that up? The stone buttresses are a good detail - I know a bridge just like that on a very rural road in Co. Mayo, which is believed to be almost 300 years old. Meant to ask earlier - is there room for a DCC chip in those locos?

They've actually had them on offer for quite a few years, David - I've a few myself, not made up though. Eoin posted a build of one lately, for a customer....

This is a very good question and well timed, with the release of these things imminent. The "A"s were used on main lines entirely - they were never branch engines. When they were delivered, AEC railcars sets monopolised main line passenger trains - at the risk of giving DJDangerous a fit (!), they're as totally essential as tin vans. The AECs were the ICRs of the day, or the 80 class of 1980s NIR. Without them, a main line scene simply isn't right. So, they were used on goods trains probably somewhat more than passenger trains. (1). Goods trains So let's take that first. The "H" vans were appearing then too, so goods trains were TYPICALLY (MANY variations) composed of a mixture of "H" vans, and various older wooden vans, even a few old "soft-tops" still being seen. Open wagons were almost all wooden - with the Bullied corrugated ones beginning to appear about the same time. Cattle trucks were to be seen - the odd one in a goods train, but on fair day huge numbers of them still coming out of the woodwork. Some were fitted, some not; some were the quite-new CIE standard design, but a good few older ones (mostly ex-GSWR) were still about at first. Goods brake vans of the wooden-planked type currently being developed by Mayner of JM Design (seen on IRM) were almost universal on main lines. Nothing ex-GNR, other than a visiting van the odd time, was to be seen, as CIE had not yet absorbed the sorry rump of the GNR that Stormont had been unable to slash to pieces. A realistic goods train might have a ratio of three vans to each open wagon. Flat wagons and tank wagons appeared, but were few and far between numerically, and the latter absolutely limited to a very few routes or locations. One of our English friends once asked me what sort of milk tankers we had, presumably with visions of a GWR Devon branch line, where a Pannier trundled along with one coach, three milk tankers and a brake van. We didn't have that - our milk traffic was carried in churns in goods vans. Livery - literally everything grey. You take every model, throw them all in a bucket of grey pain, hang out to dry and apply numerals and "snails". Up to some time in the early to mid 1950s, about the time the A"s were seeing the light of day, the numbers and "flying snails" were painted on in the "eau-de-nil" light green, but were now being done in white (or off-white). Some "snails" were painted on - especially if they were painted in Limerick or Cork, by the look of it, but stencilled ones, and then stencilled numerals would have completely taken over by the turn of the 1960s. Now; (2) - passenger trains. As I said, many areas - especially ex-MGWR lines and Sligo - limerick - Tralee - Mallow, were either almost, or indeed literally, monopolised by AEC railcar sets - often with a very eclectic selection of centre cars, including one 1898 dining car. However, steam and hauled stock ruled on secondary lines. The "A"s were to be seen on some secondary routes, but main lines were where they would be seen primarily on passenger trains, thus with hauled carriages. These were a mixture. CIE had built a large number of carriages in 1951-3, outwardly (to modern eyes) similar to the later "laminates", and often incorrectly labelled as such today - but they had solid timber frames rather than "laminated wood". These were basically a continuations of Edgar Bredin's 1935-7 GSR "steel-sided" coaches, most of which were also running into the 1950s and beyond, albeit repainted green. So, first into the pot are the several types of "Bredins", plus their CIE cousins. Next, at the same time the "A"s were appearing, we have the "Park Royals" appearing. Now add them to the pot. Laminates - proper ones that is, started appearing in large numbers shortly after delivery of the "A"s. Hardly two batches were exactly the same, and as their lives wore on, many were altered, often becoming "one-offs" like 1909, the "Loughrea Coach". Now, we have four ingredients to our soup. However, these were all "modern". A very large number of bogie coaches of MGWR and especially GSWR origin were in front-line use, though not so much DSER; there seems to have been an early purge of these between 1949 and 1951. Most, though not all, were corridor stock but many GSWR non-c types remained, usually found on the Cobh and Youghal lines and DSER suburban routes. How many more "ingredients" does that make to our carriage mix? Think of a number and add a zero or two. Six-wheelers were still to be seen, though these would be more familiar to steam engines at that time, and a few years later would become well acquainted with "C"s on branch lines. main line mail trains could be guaranteed to include - yes, DJ - brand new tin vans alongside ancient six-wheel full brakes and mail coaches - one on the Galway run being an 1877 antique. And yes, it does have to be said these new 4-wheel heating and luggage vans were necessary on ALL diesel trains, unless neither heating nor lighting was needed (Youghal summer excursions perhaps). Steam engines heated their trains with steam; diesels did not. So what ran with an "A" in a passenger train in the silver or green period? Any or all of the above. Too early for cravens, too early for 6-wheel heating vans. Liveries: The older carriages would have the older green with full lining, while anything repainted from the mid-50s got the lighter green with single line. This would also apply to Bredins and 1951-3 CIE equivalents. (Around 1952 a rake of these was introduced in plain unlined green). Some secondary stock had the dark green with no lining at all, though these were more likely to be seen in the obscure recesses of Ballinascarthy than on main lines. The Park Royals and post-1955 "laminates", plus the earliest of all varieties of tin vans and mail vans started life without a livery - as they were unpainted "silver", to match the new locomotives. This was an unmitigated disaster, so all were repainted at first opportunity - like the "A" class themselves, after 1958, though some remained like that, in an exceptionally shabby state, until the mid 1950s - especially the tin vans. Most were repainted green. So, what's a typical passenger train behind an "A"? First, if typical, it's a main line train. That being the case, we might say six coaches and one or two vans. In 1955, three newer coaches are silver or light green, three older ones in dark green, and the two vans (one luggage, one heating) in already-filthy silver. If it's the main line to Cork, you're upping the number of coaches, but maybe only be one old wooden one - inevitably the dining car. Whew. Hope that helps! I can smell the dinner. I'm off downstairs.

What scale is it? "0"?

I would guess that over a period, once six-wheelers are to be had, tin vans and more of Leslie's wagons (there are actually more than enough already), and maybe a RTR wooden bogie coach, that might change - hope so, anyway. We had nothing from the "black'n'tnan" era a few years ago, now we've a good bit; roll on an expansion of the "grey'n'green" era!

Not trying to be funny, but I accidentally came across some sort of FB page for scale model bus enthusiasts somewhere online. Would it be worth doing a search of FB pages using obvious key words? I have lately started searching for groups interested in South African railway modelling, and it's surprising how many I've gathered up......

B145 approaching Sligo and mail vans at Galway, both 1976.

It's pretty close enough to evade criticism by livery-bean-counters! Seriously, I think it varied slightly anyway. Looks very convincing to me. As always, truly excellent work. Your efforts continue to be a great inspiration to us all.

Could that one be the old GNR goods yard at Amiens St., where the car park now is? There was a big goods shed in there.......

By T Rex, Donny Osmond, or Wizzard?

Imagine..... getting a nice parcel in the post and opening it up...... then setting off to the local for a feed’o’pints to celebrate...... Seems like another planet now....

Everything I have is green, grey or black’n’tan!

It’s actually my end, I think. I’ll give it another go! IMG_7709.MOV

The oul “2ft rule” is our best modelling resource of all, I think! Reminds me of my black’n’tan painted Mk.1 coach fifty years ago, hauled by a BR 4MT 2.6.4T which, despite a BR crest, was supposed to be a UTA “Jeep”!

Have to say I always used meths too.... seemed to work ok....

........? (Maybe I'm a bit slow!)

Could happen - the price differential then was not what it was in recent years. On at least one occasion I saw a brand new car on a flat wagon in a northbound goods going through lisburn - though arguably it could have been loaded in Portadown. For weathering enthusiasts; that guards van is GREY; a shade only slightly darker than CIE used on those vans, the adjacent one being a GSR example. Shows what neglect and brake dust can do.

H0 scale, with more authentic 12mm gauge (H0m / TT) gauge track. Its close to scale, and while I did have 009 in the past, I find that just a bit small now. I think that to me, H0 scale on H0 track, to represent "Cape" gauge, looks even worse than Irish 00 stuff on 00 gauge track instead of 21mm! The SAR stuff will be Scalecraft, Precision / DJH, and SARM stuff. For a branch, all I need is a 6J, maybe two, a brake composite and a V brake van, a handful of bogie opens, and vans to carry grain, cattle and fruit traffic. Maybe a water tanker or two. Long term a DJH 19D if the money's ok.....

It's been three years since me last confession...... Dugort Harbour has remained in Baseboard Dave's pending completion of this attic; this also following a house move. This has caused a rethink. The initial layout was designed to be nothing more than a small shunting terminus, with a track plan loosely based on Westport Quay, albeit with a passenger service. It would be operated by two 00 Works J15s, a "Mayner" G2, and as things progressed, other steam engines in 1950s mode, with some nasty diseasels appearing in the form of a couple of "C"s and "A"s, and if ever a high-quality B101 appears, mayyyyyybe. In 1960s mode it would be operated, as such a prototype would in real life, almost totally with 141s, the odd 121 appearing. However, now it has a larger room following a house move over the winter, but a sharp curve at one end which was necessary to fit into its old house in Dublin south, but unnecessary here, so extension is possible as will be seen from attached video. The carpet went in today, so I can tell Dave that it's all systems go now! I had devised a design which would have had the original (already built) terminus, with a second station, then a larger fiddle yard; thus two trains could cross at the interim place. However, elements elsewhere have revived my long-standing interest in things 3'6" gauge, be they Indonesian or South African, and a very nice kit of a SAR 6J may be had; my colleague in things South African is putting this together for me now. Thus, I am tempted to have two smaller layouts instead of one bigger one. One would be Dugort Harbour, the other being somethings-Dorp or somethings-Fontein! Like Dugort, it would be a small rural terminus and fiddle yard. The jury's out; meantime I look forward to the arrival of Dugort Harbour! I will post more in due course. Meanwhile, here's the "man-cave": IMG_7709.MOV

Those cars are 1950/1 Ford Prefects, which dates THAT picture. Yes, car transport by rail actually lasted (just about) into the 1970s!

Dublin - Cork initially. The GSWR's No. 343 was built in 1898, and very probably DID operate the WDLR route at times; it survived into the early 1960s, even running with AEC railcars as a catering-car intermediate, despite its very antiquated appearance. The MGWR had their first dining car, No. 1, in 1902. The GNR(I) were also early off the mark. Not so sure about the BNCR. Neither the CBSCR or BCDR ever had any dining cars.

No, though it was early enough. The GSWR had several earlier.

The green? Spare a thought for the many GSWR wooden bogies (and a small handful of MGWR ones) which ended up in black’n’tan....