jhb171achill

WOW!! Was considering that myself, with an opportunity presented by a recent house move, but went for the attic instead, due to prior claims on garden space by the Dept. of Domestic Matters following a prior, and successful application to the DoDM by Mr. Dog to have use of the space...... Looks amazing - what size is it?

It's a tie! GNR & MGWR! When I were a mere nipper, back in the day, I had a summer job on the Festiniog Railway on a track gang - I think it was 1975 or 6. There were two somewhat arrogant cockney types in amongst the gang of us, which had a crazy guy from Glasgow, me, someone else from Belfast who I never heard from again, and people from both Wales and all over the rest of England. On hearing where myself, the Scotsman and the Belfast fella were from, they proceeded to run down Irish railways, insisting that if it was British it was best, or if it was English it was best. (They were beginning to irritate the whole lot of the rest of us). One of them insisted that the LMS, or was it the GWR, was the "best railway there ever was", after wittering on about it for ages; by this stage I had had enough and broke my silence to just say "Nonsense, it's not!". Yer man, who was in northern terminology a bit of a "buck eejit", says in his cockney accent "Oh! So what is?", followed by, in a sarcastic tone, "I suppose you'd say the Tralee and Dingle!". Instantly, I retorted "That's one of them, yes"....and walked off. For the first time that evening, he was silenced...................

The "Quiet Man" was filmed (as far as the railway scenes were concerned) in Ballyglunin station in. eastern Co. Galway, between Athenry and Tuam. The train was the regular Sligo - Limerick set, and some of the "extras" in the cab are the actual CIE locomotive crew. The loco is an ex-GSWR 4.4.0, then common on this line along with J15s and all sorts of other relics, and the carriages are ex-GSWR six-wheelers as was also the norm. This in itself is of interest, with the possibility of a JM Design 4.4.0 and the carriages available in kit form from Studio Scale Models and also Worsley. Even more so, the forthcoming Hattons "Genesis" project for RTR 6-wheelers bear more than a passing resemblance to these 1880s-era GSWR vehicles. The black and white one was filmed on the Dublin (Harcourt Street) to Bray line in 1959, some months after the line closed, and featured regular CIE stock and a silver "C" class diesel from Bray. It was filmed in and around Carrickmines station. The "First Great Train Robbery" used the RPSI's two J15s, 184 & 186. While the latter had already clocked up big mileages in RPSI terms by that stage, 184 hadn't turned a wheel and was in very ropey order indeed. the film company paid for its restoration and the repaint of both into a fictitious livery, which they would carry for some time afterwards. The coaches used were built on the chassis of scrapped CIE "tin vans", laid aside after the deliveries of the "Dutch" and "BR" genny vans 1969-72. As mentioned elsewhere, they were shoved into a siding at bray afterwards until scrapped. Only one of these had an actual interior! I'm aware of the West Clare one, but can't remember the details. Yes, one locomotive was still there and serviceable, and would certainly have been scrapped otherwise, as the three "F" class diesels had already been delivered, as had all four railcars.

For a "big birthday", now over a DECADE ago (!), I decided to have a little "Happy Birthday to me!" time, and got one of the then-just-released SSM kits of 800. Having had this built for me, it has a pride of place in my collection. With my own interests in things Midland, and the Achill branch in particular - a beastie like this would be very much alongside it! Absolutely superb work all round, and it'll look great in Midland livery too.

Looks like it - though it’s certainly one of the stations on the South Wexford line, I think.

They were used in the late 1940s, and just about into the early 1950s. All were withdrawn stock, all 6-wheelers, and being withdrawn were all still in (by now) very badly faded GSR maroon - faded to a dirty brownish pink colour; but this was liberally punctuated with unpainted boarded up windows, unpainted planks nailed across wobbly bits, and so on. Some had several old doors in a row used as side panelling where perhaps the original side was unstable or rotten. Basically, they looked like as bad a mess as you can possibly make them! Naturally they needed brakes, so an old GSR brake van (like Provincial Leslie's GSWR van) was needed. The load.......All Bran?

Indeed - Anthony, yes (RIP). A great guy, always very exceptionally helpful and knowledgable.

That CD contains the very information in the book I mentioned. It was largely done (and in highly painstaking and accurate detail) by IRRS member Richard McLachlan. It is a fantastic resource, especially for a carriage nerd like me.

I may have some tickets, but there seem to be loads of these available........any use?

The gombeen men are alive and well! Thank you, FF.............

That was a damp cold day - last ever passenger run of a B101. It was the only run I ever had in the cab of a 101.... there seemed to be more people crammed into the cab than in the train!

Interesting to note that in the silver and that particular version of the green livery, they had no red buffer beams. That was as far as I know unique among steam OR diesel until modern times.

Very long, though! Yes - Norman Johnston’s little book about the line had one. I could post it here except my stuff is in storage right now. If I remember I’ll post a copy of it here in a few weeks.

Looks like the “unboxing vid” will need to be a boxed set!

Mr Bracken, aka Wrenneire, will be able to help.

Indeed - here’s hoping!

My own comments are based on what has come from the "horse's mouth", so to speak, and thus I cannot comment further. Suffice to say, I was party to the contents of certain discussions from "within". While I personally may well fir into the mound of "yearning" for the railway of the past, this applies only to my enthusiast leanings. Obviously, modernisation is essential. Given the latest figures on our economy, it is clear that with government commitment - IF there was sufficient commitment - they might find funding for at least some of the various schemes that have been proposed in recent years by people in the haulage world, as opposed to the certainly impractical ideas of many others. Jim Meade is a good, professional, practical railwayman, but has to work within the constraints he has from above.

Your "nitpicks" are correct. I know it's not everyone's thing, but surely the least a manufacturer can do is to provide models in the right livery. If the grey 121 of Murphy's had been made with blue numerals, or red bogies, there would be uproar. Silverfox's "D" class shunters ALL have red connecting rods. None of the G or D class livery variants are correct, and "grey roof syndrome" seems to afflict much of their stuff. But credit where it is due - their production methods are well suited to supplying things the way the customer wants - red and purple "C" classes an'all - and they are to be congratulated on that. I want to emphasise that I have bought several things from them and am very happy with them. Regarding the mid-bodyside line on "C" (and, for that matter, "A") class locos in green livery, they ran both with and without the line. It goes without saying, of course, that on both green diesels and green carriages, the numerals, "flying snails" and this mid-waist lining should be light(er) green, not white.

Regrettably, I feel that this is what will happen, or probably already is. The Greens are a junior partner in government. The anti-railway credentials of FFG, the National Transport Authority, AND the management of Irish Rail are, according to people I know who are "in the know" within it, as VEHEMENTLY anti-rail as the Stormont government and the UTA were in the 1950s. I wish I could say otherwise, as I can't be bothered with negativity for the sake of it; we get this type of whinging on various message boards all the time - but: 1. The closer the greens get to reopening ANY railway, the quicker they'll turn it over to a greenway. 2. Tracks lifted as soon as they can be. 3. Infrastructure placed in the way of reopening, e.g. maybe blocking Rossbrien crossing in Limerick to stymie a Foynes line, building a customs declaration office block slap-bang in the middle of the only place where sidings could be put at Rosslare, cutting off access by rail to ports in Cork and Waterford, and possibly shrinking the North Wall facility further. 4. An announcement that rail freight is a priority, with nothing EVER done. Rehash it each election time, getting some gombeen-man local TD down in Ballygobackwards to cut a tape somewhere. 5. Pat the Greens on the head and tell them that they can include the words "substantial funding for rail!" in their next manifesto, and claim credit for the modernisation expenditure already approved for the odd bridge replacement. 6. Greenways....QUICK! Before the EU notices that we actually have any railways. Plus, sure it's healthy, all that lime green lycra. 7. Now, we need MORE motorways! More! More! Rant over.

I'm presuming you can DCC-chip them...... I will await their re-introduction. I'll need a green one - but I'll have to tell yer man not to put a light grey roof on it!

Any idea if he's still doing the tin vans in green? When I got a couple some time ago he (at that time) only had the black'n'tan ones.

Was just refreshing myself on their website - seems they still have a good few RTR 1950s CIE coaches, which are a good starter and alternative for those who don't relish making up kits..... They also do a heating van, which of course is essential for anything 1960s, especially with grey and black'n'tan 121s out now, plus forthcoming IRM "A"s.

Just when I was half-considering ordering one! Now, a "bells & whistles" one WOULD be nice. I could be wrong, but I think Silverfox models are of a type that can be produced if necessary in smaller numbers - could the reason be difficulty in sourcing a suitable chassis?

It's located where it is due to thus beingclose to the vehicular entrance to the station; incidentally, I don't know why the photographer calls it "Rosbercon" station; its New Ross, fer gawddsakes.... probably the former is the name of the townland, but I think still wasn't "Rosbercon STATION"...... The crane in this location could probably lift stuff on and off horse-drawn trailers or lorries somewhat handier than if same had to trudge down to the other end of the station.