jhb171achill

Phil Yes, you're exactly right. The narrow gauge lines tended to have exceptions to the normal rules in lacking lining, "flying snails" and the like, but the standard colours always applied. From the day the GSR took over, the C & L became increasingly unfamiliar with paintbrushes of any kind; as late as 1956 one carriage in traffic still bore the badly faded and peeling browny pink (originally rich burgundy maroon!) of the GSR. Former C & L original carriages all got the original (darker) CIE green from 1946, other than the above example. Instead of the light "eau-de-nil" band above and below window level, they had it above only, with two e-de-n "snails" and large class number on the sides. No. 1 was in appalling state by the mid fifties; no light, no heat, and a roof that liberally let in rainwater. It was taken to Inchicore and rebuilt, this time being turned out in the post-1955 lighter green as seen, for example, on laminates or A or C class locos. It was unlined and had no "snails". Ex-T & D stock brought into the C & L section was also thus treated. On both the West Clare and the C & L, former T & D coaches were thus turned out, minus any lining, but with a single eau-de-nil "snail" mid-side. The ex-CVR luggage trailers (old goods vans) on the WCR were also painted light green, but this weathered to what actually looks brown! They were never cleaned. The former "bus-coach" on the C & L - a 1940s Inchicore invention of two bus bodies on an old C & L chassis was plain dark green, unlined, no snails. It was never repainted the lighter green. Needless to say, all C & L locos were all-over grey, though towards the end, they could have been painted pink and tartan as far as anyone knew, as the REAL livery on them was a heavy coating of soot, brake dust, coal dust and general filth! I digress here: for some reason, while the Donegal system always took pride in turning things out well, as far as steam locos were concerned, this extended only to the tanks and cabs. Many photos show the iconic "Meenglas", "Drumboe" and "Erne" and their stablemates in beautiful cherry red, but with what looks like black boilers and domes. The boilers and domes were actually red! The preserved one in Cultra has its dome painted black (incorrect) as this has clearly just been influenced by photos..... I have a long-term interest in the railways of Majorca. When steam ended in 1964, they technically had two liveries. The older British built engines were dark green, while the later Manquinista (Spanish-built) 2.6.0Ts were always painted black. Even from colour photos, it is impossible to see any green at all on any of the former, bar a single photo about 1960 where faded green traces can be seen on a tank side of, I think, one of the older 4.4.0Ts. Steam locos get dirty very quickly, and in fact when operating one on a layout in pristine condition, it might be remembered that if strict accuracy is aspired to, this will only apply to a loco literally straight out of the paint shop and on its first run since! And, by journey's end, it will be as smutty as Sidney James.

I'm intrigued..... I am aware of other suggestions that have been made to IE at high levels too...........!

I have a toothache right now from reading this.......!

Serious!!! And for good measure, "doesn't post to Ireland"!!

In reality, for anyone modelling UTA steam, weathering is as good as obligatory! In the case of the last few years, extreme weathering!

Still there? Tried to PM....

I wonder have any of our number ever given serious thought to what should line the hedges and walls and fences of modelled railway lines? Driving back to Dublin today from Westport I took the long way round in order to take photos of the old Ballaghaderreen station and the museum at Kiltimagh station. I noticed, driving miles through today's pleasantly sunny country, the vibrant gorse and turf bog areas, the light brownish reeds contrasting with the surprisingly rich green grass, and the stone walls covered in multiple shades of mottled lichens and moss. Brambles abounded too; later, of course, the rich red of fuschia and purple heather will make an appearance. It struck me that accurate reproduction of these would very much enhance any layout. Any thoughts?

Very nice! Re decals, I think the white letters / tan broken wheel version* is available now? (* correct for locomotives, desert sand buses, and "H" and "Palvan" type goods stock when painted grey. (white on others!)). Excellent work....

That is most certainly a rarity! Thanks for sharing, Ernie!

PM sent

....or a K1? ;-) Excellent series of pics. I travel on it regularly and there's surprisingly much still to be seen. Pity it's not DSER steam locos, though, as it was when my father went to school in the line.....

More likely a member of staff in it. As stated above, a whole host of incompatibility issues (as well as H & S re. gangways) would have prevented such things. In the "olden days", no such restrictions applied, which is why it's becoming so popular with modellers. ANY wooden coach from any company, Cravens, laminates of all varieties, Bredins and Park Royals could all be in the same train. BR and Dutch vans interchangeable, along with the various types of "tin van".

Fascinating! A great way to show how the hobby develops. Wish I had photos of mine going back to age 12 but I have NONE of the first, its extension, the second, third and fourth. Hopefully soon No. 5 May feature. Plans in hand.

That's what Donald said about a wall. Think I'd rather have the ballast wagons!

Pm sent

Fri 5th - I'll keep that free.

I've seen a pic of an AEC set somewhere - from memory either Wisht Caark or the DSER - trailing two "H" vans.

That's the Saturday that some of us will be in Limerick on the RPSI tour - what about Friday 5th?

So - a "meetup"? Suitable dates - anyone?

Interesting, John, I didn't know that. The markings below the number look like (possibly) the weight markings of tons, hundredweights and quarters: "T C Q" (Was it "quarters"? The "Q" doesn't seem to download into the grey memory....)

Yes, Dive, it was the post-1955 green (as seen on A & C class locos, laminates, etc). The lettering below the number I am not sure about - but it may be something like "only to run between Mallow (or Cork?) and Tralee" or "7 tons" or something like that. The P&T logo or initials would probably be more likely to appear on an actual TPO.

Those look absolutely fantastic! Good to see the (absolutely) correct shade of brown rather than the oft-seen unrealistically reddish which seems to appear quite often these days. When I started modelling (about 1969!) in order to achieve anything Irish simply meant repainting a BR class 33 in orange and black, or a "Hymek" in NIR maroon; and repainting BR Mk. 1's in orange / black or maroon / blue. Wagons....forget it. Now, we see purpose built locomotives and carriages forst and foremost. But freight vehicles on so many otherwise excellent layouts are still in 1970s mode, with (what seems to be) most goods trains on most layouts consisting of repainted (or not even repainted) standard BR stuff from messrs Hornby, Dapol or Bachmann. This is partly due to a lesser level of knowledge among most enthusiasts about non passenger vehicles, but mostly to the almost total lack of anything prototypical until very recent years. Now we have Leslie's stiff as well as the above; we have Irish Freight Models and many others who are producing absolutely superb stuff, and it has to be said at financial risk to themselves in covering costs. We see the result: greater accuracy. In the past, a purist might have scoffed at a crudely repainted BR "33" hauling BR Mk 1's in hand-painted CIE livery - but there were no other options. Now we see Mayner's carriages, those of Worsley and others, as well as the mighty Murphy stuff, with scale UGs, 141s, 121s, 201s, etc etc etc, but in the adjacent siding British Rail banana vans with CIE logos, "sharks", "walruses" and whatever sit awaiting their 141. No other options until now, but here we go! Hats off to Glenderg & Co, but not forgetting those others who are pioneering the final stage in a process which will make reversion to non-Irish types unnecessary. You all deserve our fullest support.

No probs, John - it's the tin van (luggage van) I'm primarily interested in. Maybe you might PM me in due course.

If the forum wants to do a "meetup" type table at some event in the Dublin area, I would be delighted to attend and meet some of our expert modellers here...it would also serve to bring more people on here, in order to increase the "pool of expertise"; and who might learn from the existing top-class modellers already here.