jhb171achill

In reality, axle load is unlikely to be that much of a problem today, but her height would be the issue. She's not in too bad mechanical condition, and though a new boiler might be necessary, it's not cracked. The chassis is OK. However, even if (by steam restoration terms) a minimum of work would be necessary, where it would be done, by whom, how long it would take and where the cash would come from - THAT is the REAL issue. It would almost certainly have to go to England. It wouldn't fit in Whitehead. Realistically, it is quite beyond the ability of any preservation group in Ireland at this time, and if done in Ireland, could only be done in Inchicore, with specialist people brought in for the duration of the project. Several years and a few million would pass before a fire was lit in her. Providing bridge and electric wires clearances were deemed OK, she could probably do Dublin - Cork and Dublin - Drogheda; but these issues probably would NOT be OK. If she was restored to full working order by a magic fairy overnight, and presented to the RPSI in the morning, she would be a Treasurer's nightmare, given her likely appetite for coal. While for her size she was very efficient and comparatively economical, she's still a big loco. When I was RPSI Treasurer, I used to groan at Operations meetings when someone suggested that a forthcoming train was to be hauled by 85 instead of 171; the bigger compound had very significantly higher coal bills. Maedb would be worse, and of little use. Then there is the issue that she is the property of a state-owned museum in the north. With the north now out of the EU, it is possible that a loan agreement for the loco to go to operate in a separate political jurisdiction within the EU, would take ages to get ready. When I was involved in the enquiries into getting Dunluce Castle out of Cultra about 20 years ago for main line restoration, the outline legal agreement took almost two years to get ready. Meanwhile, the very generous RPSI member who had offered to fund the whole thing had fallen upon ill health and was no longer in a position to do so. "Maedb" would do her ten year ticket, probably having at most half a dozen outings a year, and then go back into Cultra. What treasurer could justify allocating a budget for a mid-term overhaul for a beast like this? As always, cold hard practicalities must carry the day; not impractical enthusiast dreams and emotions - mine included! An SSM kit is the only show in town. Several of our readers here have very fine models of them, as have I.

So one for the photoshoppers, then; a DART, a Mk 4 set, an 071, a De Dietrich set, a 2600 railcar and an ICR (especially an ICR!) in fully lined CIE green, snails aplenty!

JM design is very much due great credit for investigating this project in the first place. Once the worldwide “craziness” settles, we may hope for more from the “grey’n’green” era, to complement the “black’n’tan” era models.

London Transport dreamed up the “wheel & bar” logo in the 1920s, and almost a century later it’s still in use. In 1941, the Dublin United Tramways Co. are said to have copied it, and added the “wings”. The story is possible, even probable, although no clear hard evidence exists to verify it! In tramway days it was known as the “winged wheel”, with the ubiquitous “flying snail” name, of typical Dublin wit, coming later!

Great way to drop the unemployment Q!

The bottom one is of interest to me, as jhb171Senior did the rebuilding of that bridge, along with the expansion of the one at Stockman's Lane, in the early 1960s. I had been unaware there was a little kiosk below it. So that photo is some time in the 50s, probably, in between the introduction of those railcars and the UTA green / bridge rebuilding era. I have a set of pics he took of the demolition of this bridge and rebuilding of the new one somewhere. I may have posted one out of it on my "lockdown catacombs" series last month. Most of them are of more interest to a civil engineer than a railway enthusiast - how many pics of concrete beams do we want to see!

They did, but they were repainted at Inchicore before going into traffic.

In theory, it's more likely the one in Cultra would; there's no impediment other than money and time to getting her out again. However, Cyril Fry's will stipulated an absolute condition that none of his models were ever to operate again! But, of course, in reality, pigs will fly and do algebra, Donald will behave rationally, Michelle will join the DUP and Arlene will become a Shinner before 800 will ever be steamed again!

The big girl herself (Cyril Fry’s) in Malahide.

I'd love to do Corsica - it's been a long-time interest of mine. But the good railcars are gone and they run "trains" now through modern graffiti-strewn halts (like Majorca) that look like a cheap form of Luas. Utterly uninteresting, but I'd like to see the line. (Like Italy and Greece; I refuse point blank to set foot on any train with graffiti. I detest it, and will go on record saying that I would be in favour of neutering graffiti "artists" so that they won't produce any more; and their parents!). I just about got the end of the Majorca system when it was a "real" railway, but by that stage it only went to Inca. it's been extended back to Manacor now, with the Sa Pobla line reopened too - and talk (always "talk"!) of extending the reopening to Arta, where the 3ft track remains since the 1977 closure. We won't see the Santany and Felanitx branches again, though.........

My DIESEL list of locos wouldn’t be big! 1. 141s 2. 121s 3. South African Class 91 narrow gauge 4. The four 1960s Majorcan 1100 class Bo-Bos. Almost like a 3ft gauge A class.... I don’t even have a fifth diesel!

The Majorcan diesels were, for the 3ft gauge, huge beasts indeed. Four were built about 1959 by Creusot, but when the railcars arrived to on the CFM system, there was little for them to do. They were 675hp, numbered 1101-4. they could do 70km/h but the track then would barely have allowed 45kp/h! No. 1102 shown below, with a ridiculously small load for it, en route in 1960 from Palma along the soon-to-be-closed Santany branch. The last steam locos were withdrawn about 1964 and these things were left to haul 3 or 4 coach local trains. Hardly surprisingly, by 1965 two went back to the mainland, their subsequent fate unknown; the metre gauge lines on mainland Spain had more of them, so they must have disappeared among them. When goods ended in 1967 and two long branch lines had closed, there was nothing for them to do. They were noted out of use as late as 1974, but appear top have been scrapped soon after. Regarding the Khyber Pass, with the famous Beyer, Peacock 0.6.0s, 4.4.0s and 2.8.0s, I almost did that one in 1978. I could kick myself now for passing up the opportunity!

During my RPSI Treasurer years, I remember Leslie’s “Syndicate” sending not just that ONE cheque, but quite a few! All hugely valuable and appreciated! Now, top ten JOURNEYS!! Now there’s a thing.... Overnight steam across the Montagu Pass and the Cape Town - Port Elizabeth line in South Africa in the 1970s has to top MY list! My DIESEL list of locos wouldn’t be big! 1. 141s 2. 121s 3. South African Class 91 narrow gauge 4. The four 1960s Majorcan 1100 class Bo-Bos. Almost like a 3ft gauge A class.... I don’t even have a fifth diesel!

Power output, yes, though I don’t have the details in front of me. Thus, there were five types of “B” class: the original pair, B113 & B114; the B101, B121, B141 & B181 types. With the 071s coming just a few years later, had the same system remained, they would have possible become a new class (H?) or they would have been a new type of ”A”. Had the latter been the case, the 071s would have become the A71 class; same numbers, A71-A88. The number system of 071 onwards virtually confirms this.

In no specific order: 1. GSR B1a 4.6.0 No. 800 "Maedb". I'd settle for 801/2 also! 2. London & South Western 4.4.2T "Radial" tank engine. 3. MGWR D16 4.4.0 "Achill Bogies" 4. Isle of Man Nos. 4 & 5 "Loch" & "Mona" 5. Indonesian State Railways 60-class or B50 class 2.4.0 tender engines. I would have to add a few "also-rans": 1. GSWR J15 0.6.0s for sheer hard work and availability. 2. CDRJC Class 5A 2.6.4T tank engines. 3. LLSR 4.8.4Ts, for sheer brute force. 4. Indian standard design metre gauge YP and YG classes. 5. South African 19D, 24 and 15CA classes. (OK, that's three.....) And a final special mention for the GNR's "S" class 4.4.0s.

Ah! narra gauge!

All of these will crop up now and again on Fleabay and other 2nd hand places. You can expect to pay €35 for the McMahon & Clements GSR "Bible". I may be able to find one for you. What's the GWR book you refer to? Shepherd's MGWR book - like the GSR one, 2nd hand the odd time. I expect you'd be looking at about €15-€25 there. I have a couple of contacts - I will ask if you like?

Yes, folks, I was referring to the Wrenn 2.6.4T. Apologies for any confusion....

I dunno but I have an original box in my shed. Pretty big, it is....... used to park the car in it..........

Neither book has any drawings, Midland Man. Just a basic map of where it went in each.

That’s an excellent little book. As far as I’m aware there are only that one plus the one published by Templeogue library about ten years ago - they’re the only ones I have anyway, or have ever heard of.

Wow! They do more engineering work there than the Nenagh branch - difference - IE don't seem to run many trains in between! Seriously, excellent as always; your layout always inhabits this higher plane somewhere between a model railway and living, breathing reality!

Looking great - must start on mine! Must check also if mine have tadpoles on the underneath.........................!

Now THAT is a beauty! Happy birthday! Senior had several old GNR ones years ago, which he always intended to fully restore. I only recall white and red glass in them, as one might expect. I never heard of any having blue lights. The original glass lenses tended to be big thick chunky types of glass..... I am note sure if they sealed them with putty; I don't see why not. Putty was used for many things back then. JB

What I found was that you had to run them bunker first. Chimney first meant the trailing bogie lifted and derailed. I thought it was just mine, in teenage innocence, but a school friend (who contacted me via Facebook two weeks ago, completely out of the blue, hadn’t seen or heard of him in 46 years!) had the same problem with the same engine. I tried putting a small weight on it, but with limited space it didn’t make much difference. Did anyone else have issues with these locos? Apart from that I found it ok to operate.