jhb171achill

Done the survey

I don't ever recall seeing them on trains, but trucks - loads of'em! Also, that livery for Jacobs is probably late 70s / early 80s; thus decades later than the likes of Inglis - and thus inappropriate for the Derry Road area if that's an issue.

Indeed. I need my smelling salts every time I see this superbly atmospheric layout. More!!!

I think it's the ONLY time I saw one so clean! It obviously is newly done. In traffic, like the UTA's spoil wagons, aft a single run they were filthy - permanently!

Yes, it was Bill Bedford Models, many years ago now! I have seen many conversions of British locos which look very convincing. But it's a fiddly business to get exactly the right look. Overall, much the same, but many, many detail differences.

Eoin - that would be great, especially with the distinctive MGWR footstep brackets. Andy - do you have details of the brassmasters ones?

I don't know of an exact colour, I'm afraid - possibly blending different things as the overall effect wouldn't be quite uniform.

One word - jail.

Coal is a more economic option. Apart from the practical issues mentioned above, the cost of conversion, maintenance if the apparatus, greater maintenance requirements and so on, the running costs of a diesel would be less.

So am I. They cover a lot of layout possibilities.

You're absolutely right, Colin. "Lough Erne" and, appropriately, BCDR No. 30, would be operationally suitable, but would eat more than a smaller loco, and would thus be uneconomic on all but the St Pats & Santa trains. A Jinty or J26 would be better, if available. There is one very severe gradient in the cutting just south of Downpatrick - in fact, short as it is, one of Ireland's most severe, as the line south of DP was very cheaply built. However, given a decent run, its shortness is such that even a Sugar loco can get three bogies over it.

That's absolutely spot on!

If a new-build was to be a likelihood, like the RPSI's talk of another Jeep -v- a mogul, practicality would have to not just be more important than emotional preferences, but would have to oblitarate such thoughts. In practical terms, the best options for a new build would be just about big enough to take the DCDR's maximum likely load (three to four bogies) over a distance of maybe 6 miles (9km), with least coal consumption. We're looking at a Jinty perhaps, a GNR 2.4.2T, a MGWR J26 (ideally; simple reliable machines), or the West Cork "Argadeen" 2.6.0T. Pretty much all else else either would eat too much coal or would be too light (e.g. 90!). 90, of course, or the sugar locos, are perfect for current operation, the shortness of which makes even a Jinty of a J16 an unnecessary extravangance. The RPSI's No. 3 "R H Smyth" was also an absolutely ideal locomotive for Downpatrick.

A shade lighter, perhaps? - to blend in with the local mud washed off the beet!

Welcome, Colin. As you will know, kits of various CDRJC stuff is available. It's pricey and time consuming to make, but so is much else. For Strabane's main line, recent ready to run models of the GNR "U" and "UG" classes are already "out of print", but might crop up 2nd hand. The line through Ballyglunin was populated in post-1921 times almost entirely by the GSWR "60" class 4.4.0s on passenger trains, and the standard J15 on goods, mixed and oddball other stuff. Kits of J15s can be had from Studio Scale Models, though it's pricey to get them made up if like me you don't have the skills. You'll find all the help and encouragement you want here.

In reality, with the border, it is likely that Enniskillen would have ended up cut off anyway. My own prediction on what would be left if the UTA had been more pro-rail would simply be the derry Road operated exactly like the NCC; 70 and 80 class railcars, then eventually CAFs. Goods would have been probably routed via Omagh instead of coleraine, and would probably have suffered the same fate as today in almost all 32 counties; gone. If there was any likelihood of goods today, it would be timber from Derry or Strabane. This would probably be worked by NIR's trio of 071s to Portadown, with 00-887665543-009.071 taking over after that. As to the station, I'd be thinking the buildings much the same, with modern NIR signage and the goods yard long gone, possibly one remaining siding occasionally housing a yellow machine. And the whole surrounded by modern fencing.

I think they sound more shrill when painted black'n'tan..... :-) (I'll just get me coat...)

I know this is off topic..... I never discerned much difference between the old and later 121 engines, but I remember A & C well, and the unique-sounding "whistle" of the NIR Hunslets. What I DON'T remember, but would love to hear, is the B101 sound, which I have no recollection of although I footplated one! And the old Bollinder engines of CIE's Grand Canal barges....

That 184 plate is interesting, in that it's one of the ones specially cast for her to appear in a special livery for filming about 1959/60-ish. It is thus unique. Naturally, she had carried a painted number for some years before, and the original Inchicore plate would have disappeared some time in the late 49s / early 50s. I'm presuming the DSER one is off a wagon. No coach or loco had anything like that. As far as I am aware, full lists of DSER wagons haven't survived, so finding out exactly what it came off might be difficult.

Indeed.....and as I often tell tourists, when explaining the implications of actually seeing, rather than just hearing, the banshee, "most Irishmen meet her in person when we get home from the pub on a Saturday night"......

Wow!!!!

Outstanding. One of my favourite layouts. More please!

For a model J15, there were a number of variations, not to mention different tenders used at various times. With the SSM kit showing one variation, perhaps the larger (later) boilered variety, like 186, would be best. If modelling the grey/green era, a decent RTR six wheeler is a must. I'd be in the market for a good few.

With a liberal coating of South Wexford mud from the beet, they weathered to a greyish brown colour, to such an extent that the original brown (and yes, that's way too red) was completely obscured. So much so, that operating them in a pristine state would be akin to a "wrong livery", same as an all silver A or C class loco, or tin van! So the solution is to very heavily weather them, and all will look good.

"Costs"? €136 to the auctioneer? !!!!!!! No way I would have paid that.