jhb171achill

Good to see the loco plasticene is blue, Ernie!!

Mighty stuff, Galteemore! And, of course, Ernie!!

I have spent from before 10 this morning until 8 this evening writing lengthy captions for a selection of photos like this! Here’s how realistic this layout is; I open this post, see the first picture and without thinking, my mind starts saying: ”OK, what date, what loco, where’s he going, anything interesting among the wagons, what time did he leave Waterford, anything unusual?” ......then onto the keyboard and me eyes are cross-eyed as I type: ”On 3rd December 1986, Locomotive no. 142 approaches Glenmore with empty beet wagons for Wellington Bridge. Later that day this loco was seen passing in the other direction, paired with 188 and with a maximum load of 43 laden wagons for Mallow.....” I’m even still scanning the train of vans to see if there’s one worth commenting on specifically..... Yes, lockdown has me scribbling again. Keeps me off the streets. ”Rails Through Glenmore”!!!!

They changed the painting method around then. The idea was that the colour would be the same. No change was planned, but the new method resulted in a brighter, more “orangey” finish! Thus, for a while, both could be seen.

No, quite normal for the time! Priceless stuff, Ernie, keep 'em coming!

Looking at the design, the closest relative they would have here would be GSWR. For the several of modelling the Mayo - Leitrim - Sligo area, that would fit, as they'd have come up the WLWR line! What they are entirely unlike are GNR, DNGR (sorry!), BCDR or WLWR types. With a VAGUE but very satisfactory GSWR feel about them, the good news is that they'll do everywhere south of a line from Ballyshannon to Dublin!

Ah! Now THAT is nice. However, thinking in particular of Shapeways, often the computerised mock-ups are way better than the real thing... but i think that for any of us wanting to model the pre-1963 "green and grey" era, a few of these would be a godsend. I will accordingly order one now. If I like it, I'll order more...........

That would be an ecumenical matter.

Those will look good enough in "2-foot" rule, as others have commented, however: 1. A convincing paint and weathering job would be essential - I would be concerned about them looking a bit toy-like otherwise. 2. More importantly - is the panelling detail PRINTED on or embossed / raised / 3-dimensional? If the former, not much use in any paint scheme. I emailed Hattons to see if the detail was raised. No answer, came the loud reply.............. While in ranting mode, despite the Covid situation and the attendant necessary shortage of staff to answer queries, it just beggars belief that so many businesses that one emails these days don't bother replying at all. This has happened to me so often in recent times, that I was actually surprised to get an answer to an email I sent to a crowd about a new garden shed, the other day. Do they WANT business? Rant over.

There will be a publication coming down the line showing some weird shunting moves, that included, a wee birdy tells me...... To model Wellington Bridge fully, three trains would be needed; in single-deck wagon days, that would entail up to 3 x 43 wagons! (129), maybe four "A" class (I hope I'm on commission from IRM Towers & Provincial Wagons for mentioning that!) - and, of course, a 141 toddling through with one or two trains a day of two Park Royals and a genny van......

Priceless! Love the "back to back" wagon - can we see it closer?

Innovative! Well done..... If it’s self contained like that, you could have it as something inside a factory complex....

Will the whole thing be self-contained, or is it your intention to have one track go off to a fiddle yard?

Could be wrong, Ken, but I think I've seen a pic somewhere in the IRRS, from the days there were drawers of old b&w prints that one could browse to pick up historical details. Were they externally wooden framed with two passenger compartments at one end?

I would love to have a Sulzer! For a producer, seven options would be there - silver, green, black, black'n'tan with full height tan, and with low band, and a few ended up in "Supertrain" livery, though most assuredly never pulled any "supertrain" - nor, probably any passenger train in that livery, apart from the IRRS special in 1978. Also, of course, with and without tablet snatchers.

Anyone know (this is admittedly off-tangent a bit) if any ex-GSR white collar staff are still "to the good"? I think jhb171Senior may have been the last.

The black border round the "snail" and the numerals did actually exist. It was, however, exceptionally fine and only clearly visible when the locos were pristine brand new - it was a very think line. The MIR version is too coarse - not, of course, to take away from your excellent model of that loco! Just two had that red buffer beam, rest grey. I have never been able to conform this, but I am nearly sure that many moons ago I saw a pic of one of these in grey with WHITE surrounds to the yellow numerals and "snail" - but I have never been able to find even the slightest verification of it. Either I am completely mistaken, or whatever loco had it was extremely short-lived.

Will do. I am currently in the throes of a house move, and they're in storage but I can get at them on Saturday (tomorrow). As a member you can go to the society clubrooms / archives / library in Heuston station (old hoods office between the car park at the back and the river) any Tuesday night. Among other things, you can browse the journals going back to 1946/7. PLUS other goodies. Because of the Pox, the place is shut right now but once things ease you'll doubtless be able to get in. Personally, I've a long list of things I need to gather up!

Looks like it - I have one like that, and I'm noticing - also a Morris Minor like that! Must fix the loco fuel tank which has come apart..... I've a green one too, but it needs livery alterations as the "snail" on it is white!

As always, PURE magic!

Having had many a mainline run in the cabs of 141s, I can confirm that they were most uncomfortable at speed. Even on good track they were bouncy. Nowhere were they smooth and steady. In the 1970s track wasn’t as uniform as today - some sections were very much better or worse than others. The Kerry and Sligo roads I remember as much rougher, and the Ballina branch was like a rough sea. I did all in 141s. Even at 30 mph and in a carriage (not the engine), the Loughrea branch was, I think, the roughest track I ever covered anywhere in the world! And if anyone here did Indonesia in the 1980s or Myanmar in more recent times, you’ll know that really is saying something!

CIE to IR "tippex" livery ("set of points" logo) 1987 onwards IR to IE logo change on "tippex" livery not sure - late 1990s? Modern liveries ar not my area of expertise date wise, but the change for 071s to silver, black and yellow was about 2005, I think? It was in hogue for about a decade, so 2016 for the all-grey fits.

They had started repainting them in black'n'tan as early as 1964, and therefore before they were all fitted with full-length handrails. Thus, it was possible to find black'n'tan ones both with and without full handrails. Same with the little sand-filler jobbies on the nose ends.

The supervisor in Conyngham Road bus garage didn't like it and ordered it to be repainted back into the old livery, as he felt that it didn't reflect the "modern" image of CIE's buses. A second bus was almost finished but was also repainted before leaving the paint shop. I saw it - I came in from somewhere by train to Heuston on my wandering days, and it and another navy & cream one were sitting under the canopy (where taxis go now) adjacent to platform 5. Thought it looked interesting but it was late, fading light, and I had run out of film, so no photo! It was operating the No. 90 service to Connolly Station that night. The inside back platform was a dark grey, which I believe, since, might have been still undercoat because there was a story that they hadn't quite decided what colour the stairwell ought to be.

That pic puzzled me too. A “C” would indeed be a strange choice for a goods on that line, but who knows. My best shot is that it’s broken down somewhere else and it’s being towed elsewhere to be fixed,