jhb171achill

I'm en route behind an old NCC 4.4.0 to Dungiven, Weshty.

Now, THAT would be something. Which Christmas, though, A4!

I'd say your assumptions are likely correct, Andy - though - there was one goods van (No. 5, I think) which remained on the line right until the end. Asyou'll have gathered, Colm Creedon is incorrect when talking about six wheelers. In reality, the bogie stock LOOKED like six wheelers, because they were that sort of size. One was six inches shorter than a typical six wheeler, and another was a whopping 7 ft shorter! Short bogies (45ft) of GSWR origin were also allowed over the line and appeared regularly in the 1950s on excursions.

addition...... The reason they built, and retained, those very short bogie carriages was that anything and everything six-wheeled wasn't allowed on the branch because of the very sharp curves.... but I'm sure you knew that!

Correct, Craven. Ed, I know your kettle gives you much pleasure, but that's maybe not what the public want.... :-) Yours, etc., Disgruntled, Rathgar

Don't go by the windows alone... if you look at the pic above, the extreme left corner has no window - but it did in the earlier two versions! There was one door each side, at opposite corners. This is evident from the above photo too.

Can we post people we don't like to Antarctica by buying them a single ticket on it?

I have delved into the Catcombs and the best I can come up with is a view through the window which shows, in blurred form, that at least in later days, upholstery was brown on tram style seats. Not slatted wood. The original photo above shows curtains on the windows of this unique contraption. This would suggest a somewhat more luxurious interior than the locals were hitherto used to, and would strongly suggest upholstery from the start. I think it's reasonable to assume it was always brown. Even if it was upholstered, this was a very common colour for vehicles of this type, or trams, in these times. The photo I am looking at - sorry, I can't post it up at the moment - appears to only show seats in normal positions, not parallel with tram sides. However, what was in the corners is NOT clear from the picture, so that's not definite.

In selecting photos for my next published offering, I have come across two quite nice shots of 121s taken about 1963 / 4. In both, the grey livery is obviously the one worn by the locos. I had always thought in the past that the yellow "snails" (the ONLY instance of yellow snails; loco tenders had eau-de-nil ones, not yellow!) had white lining round them. One photo I saw some years ago tended to support this theory. And yet in a handful of photographs, one might be forgiven for seeing the lining as black. Old photos can play tricks. The tired old myths* about the GNR using any old blue paint it could get, or CIE using forty one shades of green, often originate in old photos, where differing photo techniques, weather, lighting, sun, shadows, dirt and wear and tear on the loco, and many another factor, can show two vehicles in exactly the same livery in reality as very different indeed in photos. Rust, on wagon ironwork, shows in black and white photos as much darker than in real life, thus creating the myth that wagon ironwork was often black - it never was on any Irish railway bar a few very unique exceptions. But photos of 121s shouldn't, I would have though, show such a difference. We're not talking about slightly different shades of green, blue or grey here, we're talking LITERALLY about BLACK and WHITE! My own dim recollections suggest white, and this is backed up by the clearest photos I've ever seen, including the two I have in mind for the next book. One will, if I can get it enhanced enough from a very indifferent original, be on the cover. I am aware that some models have appeared with black outlines to these. So, I have two things to say. First, a question. Does anyobody (of my generation or older!) CLEARLY recall which colour the lining was on these snails and numerals on grey 121s? Or, is it possible both were used? That latter, I would think unlikely; but who knows? Secondly, from a modelling point of view, one thing is clear. The lining was so very narrow that in 00 scale it would probably be better to just apply plain yellow numerals and "snails" to model locos, as at that size neither black nor white lining would be that visible. Any lining applied would be so grossly overscale as to spoil the appearance of the model. Thoughts......? (* Both Inchicore and Dundalk had paint-mixing and matching laboratories; I knew the last living man from the Dundalk one. They took great pride in replicating corporate colours when new batches of paint were needed).

Not so, Ed, not so at all. If anything, the RPSI hides its light a little too much under the bushel. As I said, it's a statement of fact that nothing much is said (and this is a good tactful policy by the RPSI) when IE / NIR delays cause an RPSI train to be late. An RPSI customer has as much right to get what they paid for as a Christmas shopper. Far from "playing trains", the RPSI is a professional operation (by necessity, of course). It brushes nothing whatever "under the carpet", let alone "as usual". My own initial remarks were based on the attitude of some of the public complainants, rather than the substance of their complaint, though that's not the whole issue, of course. The society is also, as you know well, operated by volunteers whose annual Christmas faces a lot more disruption than Mr & Mrs Family going shopping and being delayed an hour. Not to trivialise that, especially if you have three whinging tired hungry children in tow (been there, got the t shirt!), it is these people who single handedly keep operating steam alive on the main line (along with their cousins at Downpatrick in a branch line sense). In many other countries, the state takes an involvement in preserving heritage. Here, the entire burden falls on voluntary groups, as we live on an island where the average public don't give a toss about anything heritage orientated, let along local representatives. We should be very thankful that these volunteers do so, and support them rather than witter on about compensation and slaps on wrists... Yours etc. Disgruntled, Magherafelt.

Yes...plus numerous private model makers - I certainly didn't intend to leave anyone out!

Rich, if you do plan to visit at some stage, there is much you could see railway wise, especially May to September. The railway curator of Cuktra us a lifelong friend of mine and I would be pleased to make arrangements to get you behind the scenes there. PM me if interested in planning a trip and I will offer whatever assistance I can.

The CDR did indeed avoid any expenditure when it could. While I can't be certain that the seats it has now are the original ones, it's a fair assumption that whatever it DID have on arrival in Stranorlar would have stayed put unless re-seating was necessary. the engine of the thing WAS at one end as you depict, but I am not sure about bench seating.

n a s t y !!!!!!

Aaaarrrgghhh!!! You've given me a toothache! Did the dentist put you up to it? :-)

That will actually be an amazing prototype, Andy. Loads of interesting and very unique stuff there. I will delve into Senior's stuff to see if there's a pic of that van from one of his two visits there. I'm pretty certain there isn't, as he wasn't a prolific photographer, but no harm in looking. Where did you get the carriage drawings, as a matter of interest? I will try to find out for you, if you're interested, what colours the wagons would have been. Most, obviously, would be have been of C B & S C origin. Visiting GSWR ones were either all black or very dark grey at that stage. CBSCR coach livery was olive green, possibly similar to one of the shades the English Southern Railway had at one time, though nothing like CIE green. Lining and lettering on CBSCR stock was yellow. In early GSR days, everything was a very deep maroon, with a distinct brownish tint. Within your period, chocolate and cream appeared but only for main line stock, and certainly nothing that would have gone anywhere near Courtmacsherry! "LMS"-shade maroon only appeared - again on main line only - in 1933, so that wouldn't have been about there until the late 1930s. The CBSCR painted locos the same olive green as coaches, but I have no idea if the aforementioned locos had it. Pre-1925 "St. M" & "Argadeen" may have been black, but obviously after that all was grey. The J26's were never anything other than grey in post-MGWR times. Just an aside - hope it's helpful!

The 0.6.0 is described as being "in CIE colours"...... it's black......white snail, white number..... Yes, yes, I know....... ! In truth, anything was better than nothing at that time and it ably illustrates how superbly far Irish modelling has new come. Hats off to messrs. Murphy, SSM, Provincial, JM Design, and all the rest!

552, St Molaga AND Argadeen! Wow! Talk about a symphony in grey! Those three alone, let alone the rest, will get a sight to behold. Do you have drawings / plans for the original coaches? Is it set in T & C (CBSCR), GSR or CIE era? Presumably the latter, if a "C" and 552 are involved? (Always thought Argadeen or St M would have been ideal on the DCDR!)

That's it! Excellent stuff.

Stunning realism!

Perfect for 7mm. Locos - 90, Argadeen and a "C"; a dozen wagons and two or three ancient 45ft bogies.... Off topic I know, but I always thought that Fintona or Westport Quay would make ideal track plans for a small terminus.

Best not to declare purchases to the Domestic Authorities!

....or 50cm per hour in grades like that!

A well known person of this website told me that his new copy of "Rails Through North Kerry" had been "confiscated" in lieu of a reappearance on Christmas morning. MY new copy of Joe Coleman's substantial new book on the railways of the Limerick area has similarly been "confiscated" by the Dept. of Domestic Matters, for the same purpose!

Over a season, Hurricane, the delays do work out in favour of the RPSI. However, the real issue is a combination of intelligent planning of timetable paths, crew familiarity with relevant engines, and mechanical reliability. Over the years the RPSI has built a strong and successful relationship with first the UTA, then CIE, then NIR and now IE. Long may it last - it's actually at its best in recent years. ......yours hopefully Disgruntled, Corofin.