jhb171achill

I've delved a bit further in Senior's (and my!) "stuff". Alan Newham wrote in 1963, when describing this vehicle, that "the motors...protruded through the floor of the saloon, and were cased in with timber*, so forming rather an obstruction".... (* probably varnished wood). It would appear also that Drewry's built the entire thing, body and all. It originally seated 40 on delivery. Apparently, hooks were fitted to the "central pillars" which actually means on the ends of the tram - the pillars either side of the end windows. The hooks were to enable bicycles to be carried. I'm sure the driver loved that! In Donegal the engine was removed in 1943, at which time it was made into a trailer.

:-)

Black'n'tan was long gone when ivory bubbles appeared. Black and tan locos would have pulled ordinary wagon grey ones (original livery) mostly. As they started painting 141s in "supertrain" livery, they were concurrently painting bubbles in orange; in fact, the bubbles were probably repainted first. Thus, it's fair to say that the following liveries match fairly tidily: Black'n'tan or black locos - grey bubbles in ordinary standard wagon grey Supertrain liveried locos - orange bubbles Tippex livery - cream / ivory colour bubbles with Irish Cement logo or "all-cement" livery! Ivory cement wagon would certainly never have been with any black and tan loco; these were separated by some twenty years.

Were they semaphore or electric cygnets?

Leslie's "H" vans really ARE the business. Outstandingly realistic - absolutely superb! Beware of roundels though - on these vans in this era they't be tan rim and white letters, rather than all white; not sure if anyone does those.... Confusingly, wooden open wagons all white! I know it's only a detail, but that whole scene is straight out of a photo of 1967 otherwise!

The upper plank is the "real deal" shade, common instead of white in earlier CIE days. The grey shade is standard for 9a0 the GSR period - for ALL goods and PW stock - and CIE up to the late 1950s. Light green started being replaced by white for logos and numerals probably in the early 50s, and "snails" were initially painted, as above. The stencilled "snails" were from the late 50s but became absolutely universal with some still to be seen well into the 70s when loose coupled goods ended. FOR THE BENEFIT of anyone interested, I had a flick through several hundred photos purely on impulse yesterday (yes, in the winter season I really am that sad!), and looked at goods stock between 1972 and the end of loose coupled, late 70s. Roughly half, or perhaps slightly over half, of palvans and H vans were BROWN, the rest still (weathered) light grey. This would be relevant to many of the very excellent layouts we see which are based in this period.

I presume this version has a place in the centre to stand, as it would be too far to reach across?

I'll be interested to hear your findings, Rich. If I get a chance I'll go through Senior's stuff again. He took a good few photos in Donegal in the 30s and 40s, though knowing him, mostly of steam! His disdain of all things infernal combustion knew no bounds......! (Any time he travelled on the CDR or LLSR he went on the footplate normally, despite having an all-lines 1st class free pass).

I remember seeing mail trains loading in the evenings in Connolly Station in the mid 90s - I think these were the last. These particular ones were composed typically of a BR van and 3 or 4 TPOs.

Happy Christmas, Leslie, and I hope the "H" vans are likewise flying off the shelves!

Now there's something I didn't know. I was not aware, livery-wise, that any of them got the lower white stripe....!

I hope that kettle is in the right shade of green.

In 7mm scale, less often is more, as (like Arigna Road), the "divil's in the detail". 0 scale can include all sorts of detail which can't be as realistically reproduced in 00, let alone N. Lettering and lining on vehicles is one good example, weeds and hedges are another. Had I space, I would do an Achill terminus in 0. But I haven't!

Mail trains right up to 1990 could have had a good few on, and several different types. There was at least one ex-GSR one, and one or two of CIE (1950/1) build but GSR design, rattling around well into the 1980s.

Interesting..... I had a further delve but I am unable to add any more information, unfortunately!

Well! Life's not a rehearsal - go for it! I think that Arigna Road has most definitely taken its place among the all time greats like Castle Rackrent or Adavoyle....!

Beautiful pic!

Both the 4 wheeler and the bogie versions look really well. As mentioned already, anything minor can be altered. The only thing I might add is the oval "P & T" sign which would be green with pale yellow lettering. Excellent additions, and as mentioned an integral part of the scene for so many years.

Is this layout EVER going to stop getting EVEN better!!!!!!!!!!!

The door on the original has simply been blocked off to create that other window, I see. And, obviously, the window blocked in. You can sort of make out the drivers half-width compartment, which poses another question; WHERE was the engine compartment! Other end??? Hmmm. I'm still not sure any mysteries have been solved; the more we look, the more questions!

If built in 1918, it would still be T & C stock, so that's maybe it. There was that GSWR one too.

Then that fairly proves that the engine was inside the passenger compartment under a hood. Good detective work!

Postscript: Just been perusing a B & W photo of B126 with what looks like black edging to the yellow number and snail. It was taken around the same time that the same loco is shown in a COLOUR pic with clearly white. I suspect I have a solution. Could it be that whatever paint or lining medium they used, was prone to collecting more dirt than the yellow or grey paint? If so, they would have looked black before long, when in reality they were painted white. I know this is only a tiny detail in the grand scheme of things, but many a good model has been spoiled by the wrong finish, I'm sure most will agree.

Just been delving....there was an ancient GSWR goods brake van on the T & C in the 50s. It was no. 8508 and still retained very badly weathered "G S" markings.

Even a half size one will be the size of a typical Asian country, and will cost twice its GDP.