jhb171achill

These were particular gems;

Yup - will delve.

Correct; and as a result he was arrested the next morning! So; while browsing the 1928 timetable, a few other interesting branches…..

GSR maroon was identical to that used by the NCC in the north and the LMS in Britain. Thus, any model supplier across the pond that does LMS matched maroon paint is fine for post-1933 GSR maroon. Unaware of Pullman sideframes.... As for CIE green, while I do not have the exact RAL code to hand, some of our other folks here will know it!

At the SDMRC exhibition I was asked about the Birr branch. Here is the 1959 working timetable, by which time the branch set was usually on old GSWR composite bogie and a tin van, hauled by a “C”. For good measure the Thurles & Clonmel branch is in there too. And here’s the branch in 1928; at which time it’s steam, of course, most likely with a Limerick-based J15, and the branch train (as Senior remembered it) consisting of a six-wheel brake third and a six-wheel 1st / 3rd composite.

Forgot the superglue?

Interesting! Livery details - when delivered they appear to have been in the standard Pullman brown and cream livery. At the same time, the GSR started painting main-line bogie corridor stock in a brown and cream scheme, possibly imitating this livery (though secondary stock and six-wheelers remained dark maroon). By the late 1930s the Pullmans were in standard GSR maroon. Senior recalled seeing at least one in maroon with "GREAT SOUTHERN PULLMAN" on it, but this may have been short-lived as I have never seen any photo of it. In early CIE days they gained the normal green livery. Black roofs, not silver, for GSR & CIE liveries.

The gods have been officially informed!

It is worth pointing out too, that "photographic" grey liveries (on all things) were not to be confused at all with the then standard locomotive grey livery. Firstly, the shade used as loco livery was very dark - several shades darker than this. Secondly, numberplates had the same grey backgrounds, with rims and numerals picked out variously in cream or sometimes polished bare whitemetal. Sometimes the number plates were just painted all over grey with no detail picked out. A couple of senior's photos show this oin newly painted locos at Inchicore in the 1930s. For those modelling the GSR, the standard "bought" model numberplates usually have a black background - this is only accurate on locos which are black in late CIE period; also, being little brass plates, the detail is a brassy colour - best painted over in a cream colour and grey background to look accurate. Finally, and most importantly, the dark grey GSR / CIE livery extended over the smokebox - these were never black-painted on grey locos, with two exceptions - a pair of locos painted almost at the end of steam, about 1961 - these were J15 No. 193 and (as far as I recall) an ex-Midland J18. Both got all over grey but with black somkebox. Otherwise, the whole thing was grey! Photos often show what appears to be a darker smokebox - this is due to paint buring on the surface of it, but they were painted the same grey. This "phenomenon" may be seen on the RPSI's 186 at Whitehead.

No. It was common practice, since the 1870s anyway, for new exmples o locos to be painted up like this to emphasise detail in official photos. They would then be repainted in theor "proper" livery before going into traffic. You'll note also that while grey, 800 had not yet been given her nameplates. The reason for this was that there was a delay producing them. This was because originally they were to have nameplates with Roman characters and the English-language spelling "MAEVE". But upon seeing the plates, officialdom decreed that the Irish version and gaelic script be used instead, so the English-language ones were melted down. Senior was there to see it, though (typically!) he did not take any pictures himself. After the photo shoot - and several different views were taken - it was painted in the unique GSR green livery before entering traffic.

Saw that T & D yoke yesterday - very well built. It was a great day there yesterday and I was delighted to meet some of the newer names on here in person (and admire their layouts, in many cases), as well; as catching up with old colleagues like "Provincial" Leslie. Dempsey's Dundalk (Barrack St) goods yard and the compact but excellent Beaghnach End were particular delights, as were the larger ones - Dundalk featured strongly with the huge DDK Works layout a major attraction too. Now - someone I was talking to yesterday told me they were plnning a layout based on Birr, and I promised I would fishout some material that might be relevant; but I can't recall who it was. If you're reading this, ping me at jhb171@gmail.com. I'm not there today, but will be tomorrow. Need to buy a few bits! Massive congrats to SDMRC in setting this up. Absolutely superb show.

Saw this at the show yesterday. STUNNING!!!!

I’d be wary of ladies like that…..

Unbelievably superb! Over half a century out of my era but this is something I absolutely MUST have!

"For display purposes only"?

My understanding is that this was experimental, very short lived, and applied maybe to one or two of several types of wagons. A but like green “H” vans, very few, and re-done in “normal” livery pretty quickly (by wagon standards!). I do know that later, some cattle wagons, flats and opens (probably VERY few in the latter case) had small one-plank-height WHITE snails too - the cattle wagons shown is probably one of those. The “light green” referred to was the standard “eau-de-nil” used with green liveries. Since this EdN was long gone (from new paint jobs) before the early 1960s lighter grey wagon livery appeared, you won’t get light grey wagons with anything other than white numerals and snails (no matter what size).

This was very sudden, quite a shock - I knew him many years ago. RIP.

The Sweeney brothers watch the afternoon mixed amble across Carrowmore Bog one winter’s afternoon. Looks like snow in the sky… ”Y’know, Pat, the times I’ve sat here and watched that train go by, an’ not a blade of grass round the place. I wish yer man would stop talkin’ about scenery, and get it DONE!”

Yes, mad as a bag'o'frogs..... but so was the original! Cyril Fry made a model of it, of course. While the original is in the Malahide Model Railway Museum for all to see, I have somewhere a Fry photo of his model under construction. Will try to find it and post it.

Bredin third and one laminate now sold.

SALE OF SURPLUS ITEMS Studio Scale Models & Worsley Works 00 scale coach kits, cost price. Worsley - two Laminate standards, 2 Park Royals, 1 Bredin 3rd all £31 / €36 each. SSM: 1 Bredin full parcels / brake £79 / €90. Postage included to anywhere in UK or Ireland. Can post beyond that at cost.

Exactly! Warts’n’all!

G whizz, what a thread!

I think you're right on that. I recall seeing flats in the mid-1970s at Port Laoise PW depot which i thought were old carriage underframes. I didn't take any pics though, and I wouldn't be 100% sure what they were. Among them, though, was an ex-MGWR bogie flat wagon, 3???M.

The morning local, ten years apart; 1960 and 1970. Todd Andrews has retired now, but strangely he overlooked the Castletown West to Dugort Harbour branch, despite it only seeing twenty or so passengers per day, except fair days. Nothing, of course, to do with who the local TD is……