jhb171achill

I almost burned my hand on the steering wheel of a hired car in Spain once, and the internal temperature was "only" forty something..... I had made the mistake of NOT parking it in the shade!!!!

Wagons all old style - this photo is probably pre-1910. The last time I went in there by train, the main platform was the only one in use. It was a record society excursion about 1975/6/7 - would have to look up date.

Mr Holman, your scenic and atmospheric genius never ceases to amaze. May you win multitudinous awards with your latest project! I know you like unusual projects - we need more like this!

Fifty plus degrees!!!!! I'm struggling to cope with 28-30 in Portugal. Guess I won't be visiting Kenya!

That child on the platform is me; I recall that day well, because my grandfather got sent off in 1909....

Excellent, Eoin.... there's a light blue one in Spain, would ye believe, and at least one yellow one in Majorca....! What about a tartan roof? :-)

The codes weren't in existence when those were published. Instead of a crossing being "OCD1234", it was "Mulligans No. 2", "Drumnagortihacket Gates" or "O'Hanlons Crossing"!

For my nerdy mind, the white roof & black chassis would have to go! (DCDR's G611 green livery is entirely fictitious...!)

Silverfox it is! Interesting concept, though, the idea of altering the above.....

I'd have to say I would prefer to just get the Silverfox one - less work - this one would take a good bit of kitbashing.

Absolutely superb work!

Ask the IRRS in Dublin - make enquiries through Norman Gamble or Tony O'Shaughnessy. They should be able to help.

Aha! I said "had"......!! :-)

Interesting..... I note also the ex-GNR coach in that formation you mentioned from the IRN. AEC sets could turn up many variations as already seen, although the GNR generally kept them quite uniform. As on CIE, the UTA could manage some fascinating combinations of ex-loco-hauled stock along with their inherited AEC sets - also, of course, MPD and MED sets had old carriages converted to run in them too. All in all, a fascinating period in Irish railway history.

I remember seeing that once or twice in the 1960s, but no more. I was told at the time that it was "probably carrying newspapers". Of course, if correct, that may even have simply been a one-off. Certainly, while it did occur, it wasn't common. Other trains shown in that vid have a GSWR bogie with a tin van at EACH end. I often wondered about that too, having seen examples elsewhere of trains, sometimes quite short, with a van at either end. I recall seeing what would have been one of the last Limerick - Ballina trains consisting of two laminates, with a bogie van at one end and a tin van at the other. I think it was the last time I saw a tin four-wheeler in traffic.

Interesting, BSGSV! Goes to show what exceptions occur. I will now inform two different very learned sources of mine, who also took the view I did - and in even more definite terms! Such a thing, however, must have been very short lived, hence lack of knowledge of it. Glad I initially answered "as far as I know"! :-)

Apologies, Noel, I didn't make that very clear.... They only ever ran with loco-hauled suburban trains - as well as main line - and usually mixed with other stock. The RPSI info is certainly incorrect: they never ran with anything AEC at all, whether with or without engines, and never with anything which was push-pull.

From any info I have, it's as good as certain that the train is not so much double headed; it is more a case of rescuing a breakdown. As Mayner says, B101s were well suited to this line and indeed were generally more closely associated with the southern end of the CIE system.

So they couldn't even get an exhibition hall without a leaky roof! Terrible - I'm going to write to the papers......... :-)

Initial feedback from my three best Inchicore historical contacts indicate what I thought: Cravens absolutely did NOT run with AEC cars, I am told. I will update this information as and when I get more feedback. Some confusion might arise in that Cravens DID appear among mixed consists of loco hauled suburban trains in the 1980s on the Connolly routes, when they were indiscriminately mixed up with other carriages. As John says, spare parts were the demise of AEC cars on both NIR and CIE.

The grey and yellow for 121s appeared with their delivery in 1961/2 and the last example repainted black'n'tan was, I think, very early 1967. The unpainted "silver" (in reality worn and filthy greyish) was still to be seen on the occasional tin van as late as 1963/4. Black'n'tan started appearing on a widespread basis from early 1963. The late green livery appeared in 1955 (with the Park Royals) and green carriages could still be seen 1965/66. The very last GNR coach to lose its GNR brown livery was brake 3rd no. 114 (now at Whitehead) which was only repainted into black'n'tan in 1967, having skipped the green era entirely. Coaches in GNR brown were still to be seen on the UTA at least as late as 1964. GNR navy & cream could still be seen on the UTA in 1963, and on CIE about the same time. Beware: the GNR livery is NOT what's on the RPSI Cravens - GNR blue in carriages was darker, almost navy. The RPSI's livery is its own. If we draw out a chart of the above, to illustrate overlaps, quite some variety is possible. With both steam and diesel, and loads of varied goods traffic, and most stations still handling most traffics, we probably have the single most interesting and varied period in recent railway history.

News to me, Eoin; hence my comment I'm "nearly" sure. I will investigate this as it is of critical importance to anybody striving for accuracy!

I'm pretty sure Cravens were never used in railcar sets. Centre or trailer cars were Park Royals or various varieties of laminate, not Cravens. In the 1950s some old ex-GSWR wooden-bodied bogies were used as centre cars. Occasionally, even older stock was used as being towed behind them - even (I've seen photographic evidence!) a 1890-something vintage MGWR six-wheeler being towed by an AEC set on the Harcourt St line as late as 1957. It is possible that some Bredins were used in railcar sets too, though I'm unaware of any personally.

Aaarrrrrgggghhhhhhh It's only NOW that I'm seeing the photos of Bantry at Sleaford, and some of the locos etc there. Fantastic stuff and as others have said, an absolute gem in the making. Great stuff - keep it coming!!

Exactly, that was indeed the plan. In another attempt at modernisation / standardisation, five 820 class were planned - tank versions of the 800s, and huge brutes at that. Jhb171Seniorx2 did the design which I think I gave to Nephew some time ago; must enquire. They were 4.6.2 tank engines with a quite considerable coal and water capacity. Needless to say, financial constraints didn't allow them off the drawing board. They would have made a fine sight, though. 850 never went anywhere near West Cork, unfortunately.