jhb171achill

Whaaaaat!!! It's even got the fire extinguisher INSIDE THE DRIVER'S CAB!!!!!!! Words just don't describe this production. Absolutely superb. Lads, you'll be telling me there's real diesel in the tanks next, and a bag of taytos and an Indo on the driver's desk in cab 2!

Superb stuff, DC! Interesting pointwork. The cattle dock doesn't seem so busy by this stage - early 50s?

It looks to be within the confines of the tram depot, given the spiked track, light rail, and distance from the footbridge. But I was unaware of any platform like that within the tram depot. Hard to imagine the Howth branch without litter and high-security fencing! And there's railcar "F", which the UTA bought a few years later for the Warrenpoint branch. There's a model of it on display in Malahide now........ There was also a lovely model of it built by Brendan Kelly, which ran in the castle. Such was Brendan's great workmanship, I got it mixed up with Fry's model for a while......

Then that's it, Ernie - excellent stuff! So the pic is when that trio were taken there for scrapping. It is therefore likely that one of them is indeed no. 6.

Mid 1950s, ex-Dundalk, Newry & Greenore engines. All three numberplates are off, so we can't tell which ones. One might be No. 6, "Holyhead", which Cyril Fry got a name and numberplate off - they are now on display in Malahide. I suspect Sutton, yes, though I can't place the concrete-faced platform. Definitely a GNR footbridge, but Sutton's covered two tracks, and that footbridge does seem a bit longer. As Lambegman says, I don't recall either seeing a pic of Sutton FB being covered. The pic above of the railcar there in 1957 shows it isn't, but the DNGR closed in 1951, so it might have been then. Unless we can establish that Sutton's WAS covered in, say, 1952, but this was later removed, then it's NOT Sutton. If it is not Sutton, the only places it could possibly be are somewhere the locos would have been en route to be scrapped in Dublin. Is it possible they went for onward transit to Dublin via Goraghwood? It had a covered FB. Otherwise Dundalk, but I'm sure that's not Dundalk station. It's not Drogheda either.

That is Ballyboley Junction, yes. The pic (looking south) appears to be taken from the signal cabin, the only building left at that stage - they had removed even the platform, which was to the right of the train. A pity, as it was a very picturesque station in a scenic area - a perfect setting for a compact narrow gauge junction. The trackbed of the B & L Rly's main line is seen to the right - obviously, the train is entering what had been the Doagh branch, though by this stage it only went as far as Ballyclare. A superb and very unusual view. That looks to be the case, Old Blarney. A highly unusual view. I was aware that one of those later two-car sets became railcar intermediates for a VERY short while - I think less than two years in use, but I had never seen a picture of them. I assume that there was no gangway between each outer car and the 2-car Drumm in between, as photos of them before scrapping show the original cabs still there, albeit without drivers' gubbins inside.

Absolutely, Hexagon, I get you now; apologies for misunderstanding. While I have no records of what you are looking for, I may be able to dig something up. I’ll make a couple of phone calls tonight. Personally, though, I certainly recall catering vehicles in or near the middle of formations on at least some occasions when I travelled in the summers of 79, 80 & 81.

If we go back that far, there was absolutely no set way of making up train formations as such. Even the new Mk 2 sets, which were the first to be standard trains of only one vehicle type, could vary. The sort of standard sets of today simply weren't the thing at all. Non Mk 2 sets were a total mix, as the inclusion of off-duty dining cars illustrates. Mixtures of Cravens, Park Royals and all manner of different variations of laminates - some in original condition, others maybe rebuilt substantially more than once in only 15 years, were on all types of services. For the modeller, the good thing is that variety was the norm.

THREE!!! Wow - that was certainly scraping the barrel!

My understanding is that the green was gone before WW1. Yes. Lough Melvin remained plain black until scrapping, albeit with UTA number. Lough Erne (27) appears to have been repainted in full UTA livery about 1965-7. I remember her with the crest.....only saw her in steam once.

So, 42 and 43 were repainted AFTER the line closed? Interesting - shows they must have been having second thoughts. Senior surveyed the line in 1947 as they were wondering what it would cost to make it 5'3" gauge! Patterson's book shows UTA livery on 41 & 44 (26.6.1950), 44 in NCC black (4.1.49).

That one seems to have never acquired UTA livery, unlike 44 (which looked very well with the UTA lining; latterly, the NCC painted narrow gauge engines plain black with no lining, but still an LMS crest...). Very handsome engines......

Yes, absolutely - it shows the light fittings even! I assume the upholstery colour is right, though I have no information on NCC upholstery ever being grey - but who knows!

This is a watercolour painting of the interior of one of the Ballymena & Larne bogies, done when it was on the NCC’s Ballycastle line. I remember travelling in main line ex-NCC stock which still had the exact same shaped wooden seat ends and panelling.....so this was very much as standard NCC fare internally as it was externally. I might add that I do not know the identity of the artist - nor did Senior; someone gave it to him years ago. Having travelled in those things himself, he said it was accurate.

The passenger trains ended in 1930, and even when it opened it had initially been goods-only. There was only a full service some 25-30 years. When Senior travelled on it, I believe he said that it was lifted beyond Rathkenny or Cargan, and while I cannot remember i got the impression he was on one of the older, smaller locomotives. he said the track was, by that stage, very bad and very overgrown. Even between 1930 and closure, it seems that traffic was not regular, and certainly not frequent. The NCC seems to have operated it more or less as a siding from Ballymena, with little traffic other than occasional visits to a dairy up there somewhere to collect a wagon full of churns. Senior got the impression that what little remaining iron ore traffic there was had ended years earlier. Technically the line closed in 1937, but he was there a few years later at which time the dairy traffic was (a) probably unofficial, and (b) very rare.

Price-wise that would seem about right. Weren't they something like £295 new? I think eBay have some sort of follow-up policy, like dispute resolution or something......... ghastly to hear of your misfortune with them, Tony.

At that time, catering vehicles with serving hatches locked up were even regular features on Dundalk - Dublin locals. I travelled in one such - not exactly sure of when, but I'd say about 1987/9. And yes, lack of availability of anything with seats in it was the reason.

Just seeing this now - yes, spiked flat-bottom on half-round sleepers to start with. During 1900-05, extensive relaying took place and the half-round sleepers were only to be found in sidings afterwards. Also, rails directly spiked to sleepers were gradually soleplated by degrees from now on, except on lightly used sidings. I can remember seeing spiked FB rail on remoter sidings well into the 1970s,

Well, I finished the port last night! Must get more tomorrow!

Droooooooool..........................it's been a while.............................

I'm not sure. From what I recall, this system of classification only came in during CIE times in the 1950s. This would have been after any soft-tops had been built new. As far as I remember, the classifications only applied to standard CIE types of wagon. I will try to find where I have the list. Failing that, I know who I can ask!

Correct, that's exactly what the codes were for. I think I posted a list of them all in the distant past. The uniquely Irish "convertible vans" with the tarpaulin over a central roof opening - virtually all railways on this island had them - were known to railway men as "soft-tops".

Absolutely superb stuff, Flange! many thanks. Must look and see what other Irish stuff they have! One of jhb171Snrx2's horizontal-planked goods vans to the left of it.........

Noticed this in a 1939 GSR public timetable (I normally look up WTTs!). Does anyone know anything about it? I was unaware of this system. When did it start or finish?

Three at least were painted green with grey roof and black chassis, specifically for use carrying mail between Cork and Tralee. They were tagged onto the back of passenger trains. This seems to have been reasonably short-lived, as they were repainted grey later, and must have been built that way. Somewhere in the back of my mind is an idea that four were so treated, but certainly three anyway. I have a note of at least one of their numbers somewhere, must search.