jhb171achill

Well said. I couldn't agree more. I papered - yes, paper, BR Mk 1s, with felt-tip-coloured paper "wrappings" in orange and black - and stuck them behind a BR class 31 - to approximate CIE, in 1970 or so, as a young teenager. It served what was then the best purpose possible.

Both available as kits - though €€€€€€

Dunnit....

I have an old DSER appendix somewhere and some MGWR stuff. Will look.

Having seen it in the flesh, I can attest that it's even better in real life! It even has a model of "The Wanderer" taking photos out of a window in a Craven!

There definitely lamp codes in steam days, though I can't recall offhand the details. Must look about...

That one illustrates the different sized yellow patches well also.

Best pics I've seen of that trio for a long time if not ever!

Further update on livery. Interior walls varied in colour under GNR, UTA and CIE. I'm just realising that the model is in GNR days - details earlier related to UTA / NIR / cIE. In GNR days I THINK - but can't be CERTAIN - that interior walls were a light browny colour. Other variants - UTA started using their own standard dark green mottled upholstery by degrees, though I remember original GNR grey / green first class upholstery remaining in some. CIE also used standard CIE seat coverings. But in GNR days, as above. The

An excellent project - looking forward to seeing it. Exterior blue was very dark - almost navy, and much darker than the royal blue shade used by the RPSI. It is often assumed that the RPSI Cravens are in GNR livery - they're not, nor was that intended to be the case. Intentions had white ceilings and from what I remember the inside walls were a creamy or light grey colour, though it's possible the grey was added in NIR days. Floors were of a light blown Lino. First class seats were patterned with mid green and greys being prevalent, while second class accommodation had light grey upholstery with red patterns through it. Coach ends were blue and cream, with gangways black.

If you have room for a Castlegregory terminus in O scale, I'd go for it as it would make a very unique model with ample opportunity for increased level of detail. The branch train was usually a single brake third with one or two goods vans at most, so it's easy to model. One loco, a couple of carriages, and maybe two each of vans, cattle trucks and open wagons would be enough to make an interesting and authentic operating layout. The 009 and 00 gauge stuff will all sell easily in the http://www.interweb.ebay, I would think.

Depends what room you have available. Smaller the scale the more activity and track can be crammed in....

We had (Dublin registered) ZL 4196 and later Co. Down's 8175 SZ.

A38 used to visit Dublin all the time..........................!

The letters "WV" would be British. All old Irish registrations (plus, to this day, Northern Irish ones) had either an "I" or a "Z", or, as in IZ (Mayo) both. Typically, the two letters were first, followed by a four digit number, e.g. ZL4196. (ZL was one of Dublin's combinations). I have a full list somewhere....

That hardware store is exactly like the shoe shop my mother and grandmother lived in / above during the 1920s and 30s.............. truly superb, atmospheric, realistic modelling.

The late Billy Lohan (Galway driver) recalled one of them being temporarily stationed in Athlone shortly after the Achill line closed. With a shortage of locos one day of the Ballinasloe cattle fair, they hitched one onto a cattle train. Despite just being empties from Athlone to Ballinasloe, Billy recalled it slipping like mad, being hopelessly underpowered for such work. By the time it arrived in Ballinasloe, common sense prevailed and it was recalled to shed, travelling light. He didn't remember what was sent out to take the loaded train, let alone where they got the replacement engine from! His overall analysis was as might be expected: suitable for a two or three coach local, with maybe half a dozen wagons; maybe a heavier load on an all-level line (which Achill most certainly wasn't!)

The "Achill Bogie" D16s were to be seen on the Ballina branch from the closure of the Achill line (1937) until mid 40s quite often.

Had to do a double take there..... a wagon with "Kieran Marshall" written on its side!

Another truly outstanding bit of work! SLNCR, then CVR, whither next? Carndonagh......Blessington.......Courtmacsherry.......Fenit........Killaloe.......Ardglass pier....?

I remember seeing it in a Railway Modeller about 477 years ago..... it was way, way, ahead of its time - a true masterpiece.

Very well done indeed!

How many stations did it have at maximum extent?

I do very much agree with Colin R. I have seen disgraceful examples of the relatives of a deceased person going totally against their wishes and disposing of their possessions in a way they didn't want. Moral of the story: do what Seniorjhb did, and what I plan to do and have already made preliminary arrangements for: give stuff away as you grow old so that its new owner has it before you snuff it. I have already disposed of a very considerable amount of archive stuff which was either superfluous to my needs or interests, or duplicated material. I would (personally) only give material to archives or organisations which would make it freely available to researchers or display it, or both. I would not let it near any organisation which would secrete it away, never to be seen again - and, unfortunately, such bodies exist.

That is a work on an absolutely amazing scale. How often gave things of that magnitude happened in the past?