jhb171achill

What to do on a rainy Sunday....but browse the October 1896 W L W R working timetable, which I came across while sorting some sort of vague order into the chaos that stalks this room forever..... Three through goods trains per day traversed Limerick to Waterford, along with various short workings to the Junction. Passengers were catered for by trains leaving Limerick at 9.00am, 3.10pm and 5.45pm, with a mixed leaving at 11.00pm and arriving (passenger accommodation included) at 3.15 am. All four carried mails as well, apart from the 5.45pm; passenger services took typically three and a half hours, with 13 intermediate stops. Thurles - Clonmel had two passenger trains, a mixed and a goods; journey time was an hour and ten minutes. Limerick to Sligo had numerous short services such as a Tuam - Claremorris short passenger working, but the through trains were interesting. The day started with a goods trains departing for the whole length of the line at 2.30am. It had passenger accommodation as far as Ennis; one wonders how much patronage a train leaving at 2.30am from Limerick and dropping the drowsy passenger at Ennis at 4am might have had; all six intermediate stations were catered for too. Next, the 6.45am through passenger. Then came the down day mail at 10.40, which took until 7.15pm to reach Sligo, having (agonisingly?) called at all 29 intermediate stations, including a stop of an hour and 25 minutes at Athenry! Remember, this was mostly in six-wheelers with neither corridor or toilet. The 3.20pm mixed Limerick - Tuam was last. Reverse workings were much the same. Limerick - Killaloe was a WLWR line - it was only from Birdhill to Ballybrophy that was GSWR. Two passenger trains and one mixed comprised the service on this line, the journey taking fifty minutes. Foynes had one mixed and one passenger train per day. Both were connections from Limerick - Tralee trains. The Fenit line had a similar service, also with connections off the incoming trains from Limerick. The Limerick - Tralee line itself was the least busy of the WLWR's three main routes, with two passenger trains, a mixed and a goods in each direction. The journey took 2 hours and 17 minutes by the best service. On all WLWR lines, all trains stopped at all stations. Just picture those elegant 4.4.0s with their immaculately kept, but even then basic accommodation. For livery nerds (like me), locomotives and coaches were lined burgundy maroon, and goods stock was dark grey with white lettering. After only a few years, the GSWR would take over, though little would change until GSR days, when gradual neglect would see the system reduced to what it is today: ghost lines from Waterford to Limerick Junction, and Limerick - Ballybrophy, with the only bits used to any effect being Junction - Limerick and Limerick - Athenry. Hope that's of interest. (Mods: would a "historical" section on IRM be useful?)

No, never on the GNR lines at all, let alone south of Dundalk. Their only function was round Belfast docks. As far as I am aware, neither of the pair ever even pulled a train on the NCC! The NCC livery was black with single maroon lining and shaded lettering "N C C" on the tank sides, as was the norm then.

Downpatrick is the future for that! By degrees, Park Royal No. 1944 is under restoration, though as always manpower and money is short.....

Never a truer word, Noel. Let's hope that Midland six-wheelers and "D" class 4.4.0s replace the ICRs once the internal temperature melts them entirely...... and that the entire Mk 4 and 29000 fleet disappears into Lecarrow ballast pit, having been "accidentally" shunted by 800 on its trial run after restoration....

Yes, the originals were to the limitis of the loading gauge. A "narrow gauge" version would be a pity. Having said that, great to see anything Irish and r.t.r.

And railcars are supposed to be light!

They cost €1.15 each, John-r. You can show her this post.........!

'Tis true, Snapper. At my vintage, neither an ICR, nor a Mk 3 train nor a container train or yellow machine would pass any interest test, if some sort of 2.4.0 came along in charge of a mixed train of a couple of six-wheelers and a few cattle trucks!

Railtours Ireland Cobh-Killarney special train (3x ICR) will run again on Wednesday coming. Leaves Cobh 08:40, one of extremely few trains to operate non stop through Cork. Ex Killarney 14:25 from memory.

Excellent idea. I was looking in recent weeks at the boundaries on both the erstwhile Achill and Clifden branches - stone walls for the most parts - that browny-red stained stone so common in "turfy" areas in the west. With gorse and bog in the background, this would give a really uniquely Irish look to a scenic stretch of any layout.

I have to say I like the grey 071s too - in a way that's retro too as it is reminiscent in appearance and concept, of the "workaday" functionality of the GSWR / GSR / CIE in just dousing locomotives in plain grey paint!

Many thanks, hurricane!

That's a mighty job! Front numbers a bit big as you said, but overall looks great.

Excellent, Wanderer. You and I had that conversation, remember?

Do I detect, Garfield, that you were somewhat underwhelmed by them?

I was just leafing through another which advises the reader that the new diesels are going to be built in America, by a firm called "General Motors" in La Grange, Illinois....

I wonder if anyone has a photo of one to show how smooth / rough they are? Presumably very fine rubbing down does the trick? I looked at their site and for "N" they appear to have the following diesels - A, C, 421, (unusually) 401, 121 and 141. One wonders what chassis would do the two "E" classes. They do a Bullied open and a Craven plus quite a few more modern yokes.

Superb stuff. It's about time N gauge got a look into the Irish scene. Many of us have limited room. I live in a town house and I am currently considering whether to have a fairly interesting 009 gauge set up, or a much restricted 00 gauge one. Right now, 00 is winning; shortly I will commence the most difficult part of anything top do with a layout: applying to the Dept. of Domestic matters for funding and planning permission. The most difficult brass kit is child's play in comparison.... At "N" scale, an approximate loco of British 0.6.0 parentage painted plain grey and given a number of a J15 or J18 would be a lot more forgiveable than in 00. The one thing that might sway me in that direction would be an "N" gauge 141, A or C body, plus a suitable chassis to put it on. Like steam locos, SOME British coaches might suit for botching or repainting - the accuracy wouldn't be 100% but with care it might look right. Any ideas on earlier Irish diesels in N scale?

So it's a "flag of convenience" thing...

Or an ICR in lined 1950s CIE green? Retro Aer Lingus style?

Wow! The greeny hue on the timber looks very realistic. Presumably thin strips of "timber" between the rails and on sleeper ends? I'm not sure what sort of buffer stop they had - probably an old rail one, and doubtless very rusty!

So you just stick them onto BR type carriage sides? Ingenious. Doubtless scope for other inexpensive conversions - a BR Van, for example.

Tis a ghastly immorality. Im going to write to Joe Duffy. Maybe Tubridy gan give one to everyone in the audience.

I suppose it shows how much "big finance" is global now......

While on the subject of IRN bulletins of times past, here's an utterly random pick from an old copy. This dates from when Pussy was a Kitten, the motorway was cobbled, Jesus was in shorts, and anyone in a dog collar was not to be questioned (unless he painted an "A" class model the wrong colour); let's cast our minds back to January 1948. The IRRS now has some 139 members, among those recently joining being Sir John Betjeman, the English writer, Mrs N Fry (Churchtown, Dublin; wife of the famous Cyril Fry), G F Egan (SLNCR Traffic Manager), R S Guinness (needs no introduction!), William Robb of Belfast, and Desmond Coakham; between them probably the greatest ever authorities on the BCDR, and well know railway enthusiasts, photographers and writers R C Ludgate, R M "Mac" Arnold, J P O'Dea, E G Maddocks, Mrs P G Robbins, Rev F R Skuse and H B Smith (of Bank of Ireland). So, to the news - the GNR has just launched a new non-stop train between Amiens Street and Belfast, called the "Enterprise". Only first and third class are provided, no second. The train consists of a brake 3rd, two 3rds, buffet car, two 1sts and a 3rd brake. All seats are bookable in advance and the thirds are open seating, with the firsts (specially built) being side corridor. These firsts have separate ladies and gents toilets, the ladies having a chair and full length mirror. The departures are twice daily at 10:30am and 5:30pm, with journey time of 2 hours and 15 minutes. On one run timed by J Macartney Robbins, they got from Dublin to almost Adavoyle in an hour and 15 seconds. Maximum speed was recorded passing Dundalk at 77 mph. The IRRS arranged a visit (to this day, quaintly called "outings", like the loonies being let out of the asylum!) to Dundalk Works and to the shortly-to-be-closed Bessbrook & Newry Tramway. This generated much enthusiasm and the Society was then inundated with requests by members for other trips - think of the scope in those days! Even the LLSR was still in operation... at the Society dinner in November, they met in the GNR restaurant in Amiens Street Station. A possible 70th anniversary could be held in the IE buffet in Connolly in November 2018? The NCC had, at time of publication, converted two locomotives to burn oil. These were "W" class nos. 100 and 101. It was reported that from next January 1st (1948), the NCC will become part of the London Midland Region of British Railways, although even before this came into effect it was reported that alternative arrangements would probably be put in place - they were, as the Stormont Government acquired it instead. CIE has built its first diesel electric locomotive at Inchicore; this has a "Mirrlees" TLDT6 type vertical 6-cylinder 4-stroke engine developing 487 bhp at 710 rpm. The weight of the loco in working order is 52 tons. It is numbered 1000, and another four under construction will be 1001-4. It is painted in the two shades of green used on passenger coaches. There are now 93 oil-burning steam locos in traffic. In recent times, some ex-GSWR locos of 333 and 342 series, as well as some of the 356 class 2.6.0s, and a few ex-MGW 573 class have been fitted. No. 185 of the J15 class has also been fitted. In West Cork, the last "Bandon Tank" with original boiler has had a new superheated one fitted. Following the wartime fuel shortages, services are getting back to normal, though the Cork line still only has two through trains a day. The GNR is taking delivery of five new engines of both the "U" and "UG" class. The passenger locos are 201-5, named, in order: Meath, Louth, Armagh, Antrim and Down. The UGs are 78-82, and are broadly similar to the earlier locos of the same class, bar a few minor amendments. 0.6.0s nos. 201 and 203 are renumbered 40 and 41, while 4.4.2T nos. 147 and 148 become 67 and 69. LQG class 0.6.0 No. 159 was converted to oil burning in September 1947. The SLNCR has taken delivery of a notable new railcar. The interior is finished with blue "leather" upholstery and a turquoise blue floor and the window ledges are exactly the right height to use as armrests. Travel is entirely free from vibration, and fold-up steps are available for stops with no platforms. The car is 54ft 11 1/2in long. Externally it is finished in deep chrome green (lower) eau-de-nil upper, separated by a narrow black line and with a white roof. The engine is Gardner 6LW diesel. It has a maximum speed of 54 mph and achieves 13.3 miles per gallon of diesel. The regular goods train on the Letterkenny-Gweedore section of the LLSR was withdrawn from 6.1.46, Certain special trains operated after that, but the whole section was finally closed in June 1947. Goods trains continue between derry and Letterkenny, and Buncrana, with passenger service to Buncrana also, though this will end once suitable buses are sourced and paid for. Regular services ceased on the CDRJC's Glenties branch in December 1947, though turf and cattle trains continue. Substitute CDR buses operate three times per day (instead of the four-times-a-day railcar service) but extend beyond Glenties to Portnoo. If anyone knows of somebody who might want to join the IRRS, it's just 3/- per year. (For today's folks, that's three shillings = 15p - say, 16.5 euro cents per year. Not bad value, especially if a perk is a run on the Bessbrook tram...) Six new locomotives have entered traffic on the NCC. These are "WT" class 2.6.4Ts, numbered 1-4, 9 & 10. They have done very well, though their hopper ashpans are creating difficulties in dropping buring coals onto wooden sleepers! (You'd think this was a no-brainer to designers!). The NCC has teamed up with the LLSR to offer excursions from various places on the NCC system to Buncrana. (No, no "Jeep" ever went there!) And there ye have it. Not a blessed ICR or Mk 3 in sight! Happy days.....................................................................