jhb171achill

Have a look at the photos of the line held in the Dungarvan museum.

I'll see about the second lot. Believe it or not I deleted them, so I'll have to take them again! Pints it is then.

For "control" or comparison purposes, the same engine in artifical light. Sometimes the GSWR and GSR painted the cab interior a dull mid-brown. This is shown here too. Also, for good measure, a GSR crest on genuine post-1933 GSR (LMS!) maroon. CH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]22397[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]22396[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]22398[/ATTACH]

Now. Daylight has risen. This thing was built by my granddad while he was an apprentice draughtsman. To paint it, he just nipped over to the paint shop..... obviously, this was in GSWR times, but the shade was the same until CIE abandoned steam in 1963. I pray your forebearance; for what I'm about to upload, the chances are that they'll all be upside down. If I get even one the right way up, I'm sure josefstadt and garfieldsghost will buy me a few pints of black stuff, and sing "Hallelujah"! Now here's a thing. You'll notice how much darker it looks in areas in shade. Thus, from a modeller's perspective, looking down from above, it looks lighter - more true, in fact. At ground level, some bits look dark, and this on a "clean" loco. Add poor light on a dull day, or a little over exposure in photographs, and it's easy to see why many photos of GSR / CIE locos actually look black. The slight "bluish tint" on a newly painted loco is evident. The grey painted con-rods are sometimes prototypical, though many were bare metal. Wheels were always grey.

How many trams are there?

Yes, Courtmacsherry is an ideal small terminus. In the Achill book, I have a diagram of where the original Belmullet station was supposed to have been situated. My understanding is that the original one planned as late as 1909 would have been not at all unlike your "Arigna Road" terminus in layout, albeit somewhat larger. Others I have considered over the years were Draperstown, Co Derry, Dungiven, Fenit, Castleisland, Courtmac or even a scaled-down Youghal. As well as Westport Quay, Sligo Quay would make an interesting small terminus layout if the emphasis was on goods traffic.

Such a shame. If one can be preserved somewhere, maybe in Port Erin museum, or as an exhibit on a piece of track in Douglas station, it'd be better than nothing. I wonder, actually, how many of those trams there are? In this day and age, I can't imagine them scrapping them - but, at 3ft gauge, there are not too many places that could have a practical use for them. Perhaps the Crich Tram Museum in Derbyshire might take a couple - though - who pays to ship them! (The eternal dampener or "good ideas" in preservation...)

That is absolutely top class - very atmospheric! Well done to all. Hope to see it some time!

When its daylight tomorrow, I'll photo my grandfather's model, which is painted in actual GSWR paint (same shade, GSWR / GSR / CIE) and post it here. Tis 1am now, and I'm nearly finished a chapter....

Looks like I may be able to go, ttc. If so, looking forward to seeing you and the folks there.

The grey was uniform all over, smokebox and chimney included. However, occasionally the effects of smoke could cause this area to look a bit darker than it actually was. A single J15 which was repainted in Cork as late as about 1960, had the normal grey treatment, but with a black smokebox and chimney.

We'll talk about it nearer the time. I'll try to establish what's happening. tried to ring today - no answer.

When new, the grey looked very shiny and had, according to eyewitnesses, a "bluish tinge". When the RPSI (accurately) turned 186 out like that some years ago, this was evident. The shade of grey on that beasy is correct. When weathered, it often looked darker, possibly due to being cleaned with dirty rags, and coal dust getting ground in. Numerals pale yellow, snails (if used on tender) light green.....

I think that looks more like 12ins = 1ft scale, Dive.....

That's a real shame. Even a reduced service with one track would have been worth retaining. It can't cost much to run. What, I wonder, will become of the unique collection of trams they have? For the record, they have a withdrawn motive power depot outside Douglas, where retired tram horses live out their lives. All the horses ever used were 0.4.0s...

We could all just share cars where appropriate and plan to turn up.... I think the best way woulf be to pick one day when behind-the-scenes visits could be arranged if possible.

Folks Over on IRN, there are posts regarding the apparent run-down of the Finntown Railway which has been hit by two seasons of low passenger numbers, and is fast running out of money, as well as a chronic shortage of people to run it. They've lost their funding for the necessary paid staff too. Overall, like the Foyle Valley museum (and Tralee!) the whole thing looks as if it's breathing its last, if it hasn't already. It didn't open for Halloween and even Santa trains. I know from 25 years of doing their finances, that both the RPSI and DCDR derive in excess of 40% of their entire annual income from these events, as do other organisations who do Santa experiences. For Finntown to lose this, financial suicide is the only way to describe it. IF the thing opens up this summer, it may be the last time to travel on it. For any Donegal / narrow gauge modellers out there, it might be the last chance - at least for a very long time - to have a run in a Donegal railcar. If there is enough interest, I'll organise a tour there. I think we'd be looking at an overnight or else a very early start in Dublin. I'll mull over the possibilities - maybe via Belfast so that northern persons could jump on there, and we'd get the train to Derry / Londonwaterside. Or, train to Sligo and minibus from there, with connection from Derry. Point is, would anyone be genuinely interested in such a trip? And if so, would you prefer an overnight in somewhere like Glenties or Letterkenny, or a (long) day trip?

She was repainted the standard way (and is thus the "go-to" reference for proper CIE green) but the snails omitted as (a) it was the currently-used logo, and (b) it was leaving CIE ownership. It remained like that in Witham Street, and is snail-less when moved in 1993 or thereabouts to Cultra. The UFTM added the G S lettering and crest when it arrived there, which (like virtually everything else they painted) is incorrect. In that green, with that lining, it should have a snail. If they wanted GSR style, a lighter green with the lining in black and yellow, not black and white, is what's required.

GSR used a shade of maroon and lining style after 1933, with the introduction of the first batch of "Bredin" coaches, which was indistinguishable from the LMS (and by extension, the NCC!). So, removal of LMS style lettering and crest, and replacement with GSR, is all that's needed. I've seen that before - but there's another interesting point. Grey tenders sometime had light green snails, sometimes unmarked. But green ones always had snails and lining - except this one! It's just plain green, one of those occasional livery "aberrations"! I've seen a picture of a 400 somewhere in green, and no lining is visible, though it's quite probably there but can't be seen because the engine is absolutely filthy, and it's a poor photograph. I'll see if I can find it.

As this technology disappears from the national railway, the DCDR is reviving it (in the nick of time!). Once completed, the DCDR signalling project will see full mechanical signalling at Downpatrick, controlled by Downpatrick East Cabin (the former NCC Kingsbog Junction cabin), and Downpatrick West (former Bundoran Junction). The Loop Platform will also be covered. Examples of NCC signals, including at least one "somersault" will be in one location, GNR in another, and GSR / CIE elsewhere. The terminus at Inch Abbey will have a ground frame, as will Ballydugan, if and when that extension is built.

In case anyone's interested. If necessary I'll photo it properly if anyone wants to scan it. Good for an 800 tender, or any coaches in either early dark Crimson lake, brown and cream, or LMS-shade maroon GSR liveries.

Freight..... ah yes, I remember that......!

If it wasn't powered by D16 4.4.0s, I would thcweam and thcweam until I was sick.....

Incidentally, if you look at that photo, you'll see at the far end of the coach the mid brown (lower) and cream (upper) which the GSR and CIE painted inside wooden-boarded third class coaches. Not unlike the inside of cabs of locos painted green. Off thread I know, but the insides of the cabs of grey locos were - guess what - plain grey - or occasionally brown, no upper cream bit.

I absolutely love this layout. It really captures the atmosphere superbly well. The scenic backdrops make it really feel as if it's IN the countryside, where a railway should be.