jhb171achill

Excellent, David! My late aunt used to work as kitchen manager in a convent in Dublin. The Sister Superior, a tiny little English woman, Sister veronica, was a real character with a zany sense of humour. My aunt used to take her and Sister Frances, who was a little more conservative, out occasionally for a summer picnic. They were out one time, probably above Rathfarnham when it was semi-rural, and a man flashed them. Both the nuns burst into hysterical laughter, pointing at his flashing equipment. He retreated, deep red* in the face..... (* probably accurate GSR pre-1933 maroon....)

It'll be the Full Moon Party - with a difference!

Everybody "moon" at Thurles! Driver included! :-)

It wouldn't - even CIE didn't "RTR" it!

It's the Ho Chi Min al-Jong Panadol factory! Copyright! Copyright!

Hmmm... looking at this; I might go.

The "freight hub" or whatever they called it, at Listowel, never materialised at all. However, a long wheelbase four wheeled "sundries van" with retractable sides and roof was built as an experiment at Inchicore. I've seen photos of it.

The "no shunt railway" concept dates back to the Rail Modernisation project, conceived in - I think - 1973, and thus probably reported about then. Unfortunately, its main achievement was the entire closure, on the one day (3.11.75) of the entire Burma Road, Loughrea and Ardee branches, and the North Kerry between Listowel (which wouldn't last much longer) and Ballingrane.....

In terms of accurate operation, that makes both very limited indeed, and possibly of greater interest to a collector rather than layout operator. There are other examples - De Dietrichs only for Dublin - Belfast line (albeit over a way longer period), and the light green Belmond 201 being another short lived loco livery. NIR briefly ran a Mk 2 still in BR livery in the 1990s, and some CIE locos acquired the IE "set of points" logo before they got a full repaint in tippex stripes. In one of my books there's a pic showing a loco in filthy Supertrain livery, complete with CIE roundel on the FRONT. On the SIDE there's a "set of points"! I understand that this was extremely short lived as the loco was fully repainted in IE Tippex shortly afterwards.

1509, yes, not 1507. I stand corrected!

.....in a black'n'white photo! And this common obsession with entirely incorrect Hornby-compatible black chassis! I'm going to get my smelling salts.

I saw one in a goods train parked in Limerick station once....

Red paint!!!!!!! Aaarrrrrgggghhhhh my eyes hurt.....

Not a corrugated one - unless it's arrived very recently indeed. There are, between Downpatrick & Whitehead, a couple of wooden ones of NCC origin.

18th is a Wednesday.... fine for me. Anyone else? Garfield - maybe stick up a post under "events" if anyone's interested?

I had thought of getting a couple to the DCDR at one time, but money for transport was tight!

No Cravens were ever kitchen or bar cars until the RPSI converted two standards. Belatedly, CIE put small food serverys in 1508 / 9. That was all. 1508 saw somewhat more use and the RPSI now has it. 1509 was scrapped.

Ok, Ryan's, 18th? Will check diary.

Glenderg, there will be many suggestions, so you decide date and time!

Brilliant! I can confirm that examples existed with black and white lettering / badge, as in the photo, and all-black as on the model. An absolutely essential addition to the mid-1970s scene.

I'd be happy with that...anyone else?

Might I tentatively suggest somewhere central and appropriate, like Harcourt Street Station Concourse (aka Odeon Bar)? Gets a bit loud though, so other suggestions?

After you, dear boy!

What about an IRM autumn gathering before the Xmas party season kicks off? Night out, nibbles, a few jars....? Garfield?

Always thought a model version of the North Wall goods yards and shunting / transfer freights there would be fascinating, though a lot of compromise in space would be needed. Such a thing would be an ideal home for B113 and B114 in the early 1960s, and would also allow both CIE and some GNR steam, as well as various CIE diesels.