jhb171achill

Also, some photos will show them still in unlined GNR black.

Leslie, a CIE cattle wagon might be another idea....? They were as integral a part of the railway scene until 1975 as "H" vans and Bullied opens were..... Just a thought.

That would have been amazing, Leslie! Such a different railway then. Fond memories.

I would ring Joe Duffy on that one, Broithe. That'll sort 'em out.

Absolutely! It featured in every episode, and quite right it was too! I love these mushrooms.

Certainly, Tony, both 49 and any of its sisters would have been regulars on that line in both GNR & UTA days - a model of one of those locos would be ideal for your layout. The "U" class was also a common one on passenger trains from Derry through Omagh towards Enniskillen, though I don't think they'd have figured so much in the area after the 1957 closures. Reading your posts and plans for Omagh North, it had occurred to me that a couple of those locos would be the ideal thing for that layout.

Human nature never changes; always there will be some "Disgusted, Dunsandle" types whinging about something which isn't even unimportant - it's not even an issue!

Yes, Limerick, Inchicore and Cork - and even Albert Quay - managed to paint some steam locos as late as about 1961..... most of the few which ended their days in black were painted like this at such a late stage.

That would be Jackie "Ming" Ray-Healy, the King'o'the Culchies, boyo. Scandlas, boy.

And, an interesting name, as they were maroon initially, the UTA green (most green from new), then maroon with NIR! But always, it seems, so badly weathered they LOOKED brown with brake dust all over them! It seems that they were never brown! They are suitable not only for ex-NCC lines right into the 70s, a common sight tagged onto railcar sets, but also on the GNR section between 1958 (UTA division) and 1965, but occasionally behind railcars to Portadown after that. They were usually on the back of passenger trains, rather than being in goods trains, but would have made occasional appearances thus. Appearances on the Derry Road were possible but rare and short lived. I'm unaware of any heading south at any time. There are quite a few knocking about at both Whitehead (where there is a beautifully restored one) and Downpatrick - of both types.

Absolutely ridiculous, especially from a so-called postal person! I have to say the post office near me (yes, we still have one) is very good, but if a post office can't tell the difference between a British postcode an eircode; and don't know where Co. Laois is, hmmm...... They'd know where Normandy or Alabama were, without ever necessarily having set foot in France or the USA!

Arrrrggghhh!!!! Wish I was there. 49 was itself one of the clean ones I saw, in Lisburn, probably round that time. I think - but can't be sure - that the other clean UTA loco I saw was another of the same class, or maybe a "D" class 0.6.0. I never once saw a clean "Jeep"; to this day it seems odd to me to see No. 4 in pristine state at the start of a Railtours! And the only J15 I ever saw in steam was in Amiens St, and was filthy on the same level, the only paint surface showing under the rust and gunge being the drably faded grey paint on the cabsides......

Those coaches look really well.

I agree too!

It's an absolute gem of a layout, Noel. A layout which really captures a moment, an atmosphere, is art as well as, and as much as, technical skill.

I hope it's genuine Dundalk superglue, Patrick. Don't be putting York Road or Inchicore stuff on it, or it'll fall apart completely.

This captures exactly the atmosphere of the period. Rakes of carriages with no two alike, and no two in the same state of wear and tear, were absolutely the norm throughout the black'n'tan era. Our "two foot rule" (the meaning of the expression only being explained to me the other day!) applies here perfectly. The carriage may be far from authentic but it certainly looks right, especially with the other with it. It actually bears a vague resemblance to the most recently built MGWR bogie stock just before GSR times. Some of these lasted into CIE days, though probably not black'n'tan times - but they could have, and it certainly looks right for its environment. And it's a very fine paint job indeed for a 12 year old. Brilliant stuff. (Now all ye need is brown chassis on those goods vans!) ;-)

Excellent wanderings. Love the BnM stuff. A good main line there! Question: what's the longest continuous BnM line now, and do any trains traverse its entire length?

Get well soon! (I hope that's a 12" to the foot scale model.........)

I repainted some BR Mk 3's about 1990. To add the "tippex" lines, I just used a commercially available "letraset" lining of the right scale width, that you'd get in any stationery shop and varnished over it.

Thanks, Railer, for clarifying that. That's a good use for it indeed.

Tis a fine looking model indeed. And they were to be seen all over the GNR system, with the occasional foray onto the NCC in UTA days. At the far end of the GNR's territory, they were to be seen about Dublin briefly in the early 60s. I am sure I've seen a pic of one out on the Cork line doing something. So, on a layout, those locos are extremely versatile. My only memory of them is of seeing two at Adelaide. No. 49 itself was shunting and the other was dead - dunno which it was.

In the latest ITG magazine, among the usual roundup of what the current state of the rolling stock fleets is, there is a reference to a vehicle no. 7161 "preserved" in Inchicore. What is this?

Patrick, on the basis of your original post, I'd say a yellow felt tip will do the trick.

It's a good shade too light (looks totally white in top pic) but at least it's not white!