jhb171achill

What's this, Wanderer? You on a non-ICR? ;-)

That's absolutely divine! Another great layout in the making - we've a good few here now. Tara Junction, Arigna Road, and so many more.

This was the standard wagon grey of the day - the bluish tint is just from the photo ageing. It's always important to point out that the "H" vans and "palvans" were a lighter shade. The shade used on bubbles and their chassis would be the same as that used on open wagons, and almost all CIE wagons prior to about 1957. It's not unlike what the GNR used too.

No probs. Hope you get it ok.

I've a black'n'tan one €125/£100

It actually looks vaguely GSWR design, especially if it was shortened to scale 50ft. The tan shade is just right too. Like you, I painted full BR brakes as genny vans (and built two cardboard tin vans which didn't look too bad), back in teenage days. Really, the only option then was repainting Tri-ang Mk 1s. I did a scratch build cardboard brake laminate, which was VERY crude, but it is still operating after some 40 years on Nephew's layout. On various posts here people have reminded us of the horrors of the past in the form of French and British locomotives turned out in limited runs in a garish orange as an "Irish" train. Thanks to the likes of Murphy's, Leslie McA, the various kit manufacturers like Mayner etc., and others here we are very well served now.

I'd love to know which one it was, Mike! As you say, there can't have been much room in it - I think the internal width of a Donegal coach would only have been about 8 feet! You'd wonder at anyone using a narrow gauge coach for such a purpose! Out of curiosity, were you ever able to identify which vehicle it was?

interesting - never knew there were ones there. They'd have been privately owned, I presume - not CIE. I suspect ex GNR or CIE coach bodies though?

Every livery change takes several years to be completed. In 1960, an old passenger brake van in departmental use still had GSWR livery, 35 years after that entity ceased to exist.

Very interesting, BSGSV. I didn't realise that Dungarvan had them too.

Fane Street school! I knew someone who went to it about then....!

Incidentally, the chassis of 13M is on the DCDR now, under the GNR six wheeled third class coach.

Yes. The Midland six wheeler was indeed MGWR No. 13 (GSR / CIE 13M). The departmental livery for 1110 and others like it was red ends and a plain green side, with black or grey roof. It's faded to a salmony pink / orange shade there! It, or one much the same, was at one time in a siding at Rathmore on the south Kerry road. I saw it there between 1975 and 1978 several times. 813 is a former GSWR third, owned by several RPSI members (as opposed to the society itself). It's been incarcerated in the shed there for forty years or so. I don't know if it was ever a camping coach. There was certainly one like it at Tramore, and I think another too. 935 was always grey when I knew it, which is why I doubt if it was a camping coach. There was, however, another old GSWR third at mullingar, parked the other side of 1110, which HAD been; it wore badly faded camping coach red and cream until it was scrapped / vandalised.

The left hand one there is 935, the ex WLWR Director's Saloon. Sadly burned by vandals where it stood, though earmarked for preservation. The one on the right is ex-GSWR 1110, a former third. Both were departmental vehicles. I doubt if 935 was ever a camping coach, and I suspect those roof boards were added post-withdrawal. If it WAS ever used as a camping coach, it can't have been for long. 1110 was never a camping coach.

Wow! well done, Noel. I always liked the BR blue era. Looking at the scenery, it wouldn't be difficult to make it "Irish" too - given an accumulation of the right sort of stock. At that scale, one might better get away with repaints of BR things if pursuing that route. My first experience of BR was that very interesting period when steam was only finished some 18 months and all manner of weird types of diesel locos and railcars - as well as the odd wooden dining car - was still operating. Locos could be green or blue, carriages maroon or blue / grey. I was just turned 13; life was good..... as was a North Wales lineside holiday in an ex-LNWR camping coach!

My door is armour plated, GSR. 800's going nowhere!

If they don't sell here, Dive, I will! I had been mulling over this in terms of what layout can be fitted into a suitable application submitted to the Dept of Domestic Matters. I've had Baseboard Dave measure up, and it would seem that CIE will lose, and OBB gain. It'll be 1970s Austria, instead of a Castlegregory-like terminus! Thus, the black and tans are due to be ejected from jhb171-land. I wasn't about in 1921, so that's the best I can do.... ;-)

We'd all be poisoned.

The GSR didn't use them, Jawfin; it was only in the fifties that they came into fashion. CIE had them at various locations, including Tramore, while the UTA had 2 or 3 (based on 5'3" gauge BNCR six wheelers!) at Ballycastle. Most CIE ones were ex-GSWR non corridor thirds, though I think there was one of WLWR origin somewhere. Obviously, many older carriages - usually former 6 wheelers and usually of GSWR origin - were sold privately as holiday homes. The GNR also sold old carriages like this, as the few remaining at Giles' Quay near Dundalk bear witness to. If modelling them in any shape or form, CIE painted them Donegal-esque red and cream. They carried roof boards with "CAMPING COACH" on them. The period in which you might place them in sidings in a model station would be about 1958-68.

Maybe if I put a GSR crest on it? ;-)

B165 now sold. B141 still available.

Folks I bought the above pair with a view to having some sort of 1960s terminus, but realistically it isn't going to happen, so I'm offering both for sale. One has never even left its box, and the other was taken out twice to look at! Neither have ever run and are in all respects in ex-Inchicore, sorry, ex-Murphy Models condition. I think I paid about £100 sterling each, which is (give or take) €125. So I'll take that price in either currency. I can meet in Dublin, Lisburn or Belfast, or on the May Tour. If posting, that would be extra at whatever the cost is. Ping me if interested. I'll be away until Tuesday so I may be in a position to answer between now and then, but don't be too surprised if a reply takes a few days.

Excellent stuff. I like the farmer's trailer and cattle - a very familiar scene at most rural stations, and on account of being gone for over forty years now, rarely modelled. The "mechanical horse" also adds a nice touch. Lovely layout.

I thought that said "outrage" when I saw it! I suppose the "HP storage array" DID commit an "outrage"!

That really looks impressive - very realistic and captures atmosphere superbly.