jhb171achill

I see what you mean, DiveController. Several of these vans (four, I think but could be wrong) were actually used as brake vans for a while, so it isn't totally unauthentic. Naturally, in this state it should be technically only black'n'tan, while if converted to a TPO it could be silver or green. DCDR policy at the moment is to paint all coaches green, much the same shade which is close to earlier CIE, and lighter than UTA. The idea is uniformity rather than accuracy, much like the RPSI's Cravens. You know me - I think anything preserved should look the way it was, but that's just my opinion and I respect those of others....the RPSI's "Harvey" is now, I understand, being painted in Isle of Man apple green, to match a badly inaccurately painted GNR guard's van...there's "uniformity of inaccuracy" for you...but again, having been that youth with paintbrush myself forty years ago, I will never, ever criticise the work of any volunteer in any sphere. Just the colour! Rant over; back to the TPO: my understanding is that the DCDR will use it as a passenger brake, and to carry children's buggies in. A space for a wheelchair has, I think, also been considered, but I would advise against it as there are only windows on one side, and these vans were NOTORIOUSLY bad to ride in! Noisy and bumpy.....

Brake wheels are a good accessory.....

Aaarrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!! I want!!!! jhb171Senior knew it well - he was responsible for its upkeep......! His ghost would stalk the place..... Can someone lend me £190,000 brexitpounds?

In a cattle special, 25, 30, maybe 40! But you'd get small numbers like one or two fitted ones on the back of a local passenger train, or occasionally in a goods train. Empties would routinely be added into a goods train to be dropped off somewhere that might have a cattle mart the following day.

Fair enough.... just the bits on the bulkhead made me wonder.

Interesting pic - what's the source, do you know?

I can't answer, but I think that's the inside of an AEC railcar..... anyone know?

PorkyP you mention your interest in the C & L.... did you have a chance to see Flanagans book on it? .

Good decision - turkey’n’ham doesn’t look well on a layout....! (I’m in the same boat!!)

Put me down for twelve.

Superb! And the passenger shelter will be easy - I think it’s still there - standard NCC concrete box! jhb171Senior surveyed the line in 1947 for the NCC with a view to costing its conversion to Five Fut Three. Once the UTA came along, it was all scrapped!

Ireland HAS opened up. In order for the RPSI to function it has become (HAD to become) a bona fife registered railway operating company. Having said that, IE don’t publicise their theoretical “openness”. The elephant in the room is this - there isn’t the remotest hope, even in the eye of the Borissite-Thatcher Head, of any commercial company making a solitary red cent out of railway operation in this country. The directors of the GNR learned this in 1953, in my fathers time. What sort of crass idiocy might suggest otherwise sixty years later? Addendum: I accept the reality of the EU, and I support it1000%. However, I thoroughly support any spanner that might be thrown by IE and / or NIR into a pond which houses fish who advocate Thatcherite policies within our railways. Good night! Over’n’out.

Correct. One (dunno which) is now at Downpatrick and will be restored as a passenger brake vehicle, as one or two were actually briefly converted to in CIE days.

Could take a while - a wee birdy told me that the paddle steamer has got a flat tyre....

Operating a full-size public railway as a commercial entity anywhere on the island of Ireland is not going to be anywhere near economically viable. It’ll have to be subsidised. Therefore it is (a) cheaper to provide it through the nationalised service (no “fat cats” and shareholders to pay), and (b) of no interest to a commercial company - unless subsidies are paid to it - i.e. back to square one. Greece is almost certainly in the same boat.

That track really looks the business!

Indeed; fastenings irrelevant. You could have a dud and a real thing attached to a modern garden gate, by the same screws....

I'd be half inclined to sell the house and buy the other 80%!

As far as I remember there was a sliding door where the passenger area was adjacent to the guards area. Certainly in all variations I remember - with the exception of an elderly converted Bredin I was in once on the up Sligo night mail. But there were variations on many themes among the laminates by the time they were all withdrawn. I recall being in a laminate standard in 1972 with a most peculiar layout of doors, vestibule & jax at one end. Dunno what number it was, just remember the inside. It was on a midday down Cork with a newly-painted “Supertrain” Nos. 121+12?...

Weathering fixes that....

Bruce01, that's a good collection of stuff and seems in very good condition. There's a bit of money's worth there - don't let it go for a song. Apart from ebay, you might check out the Gauge 0 Guild, in whose magazine you might be able to place an ad. Before you name prices look up what each type of item - if there's an equivalent - is getting on ebay. If you decide to advertise here, the mods' rule is that you state a price here.

Even beforehand - CIE had it from the outset (1945) when as you say it was copied from the DUTC (who introduced it in 1941). The "snail" itself was based on the London Transport logo, but with "wings" added. CIE was nationalised in 1950.

Some have a weathered CIE logo on diagrams above? Is that on the models? Excellent realism!

Flying snail? Mk 2s wouldn't have carried it, as it was suoerceded some years before any Mk 2 stock came here, and it was a CIE logo, whereas NIR had the Mk 2 stock. Pre-Craven types of coaches carried it. Some models have been produced in CIE green with the "snail", by Bachmann, Silverfox and Irish Freight Models. Most are limited editions - check their websites for updated. The "flying snail" was intoduced in 1945 and discontinued after winter 1962/3.

Looking amazing, Eoin, can't wait to see finished job! Excellent finish.