jhb171achill

Just as the GSWR's grey loco livery lasted beyond the GSWR, and its GSR successor, and to the end of CIE steam in 1963, so did the GSR station livery. I believe this may also have originated with the GSWR in later days, but I could be wrong on that. Green lower, standard CIE dark green that is, cream above with a one inch black line separating them. Those who watch the LUAS green line being built a few years ago will have seen this exposed on the pillars at Dundrum old station building as it was being refurbished. Here's the platform shelter on the down side at Collooney (south) station (W L & W R) in 1975, twelve years after the last passenger train called. The green is a bit faded, and the colour in the photo is no longer up to much. Needs to be photoshopped within an inch of its life. The wooden seats are green. So, think CIE preserved green, CIE preserved 800 green. [ATTACH=CONFIG]23046[/ATTACH]

When modelling the 1970/80s period, we are seeing ever better and more detailed models of trains, mainly thanks to people on this website, but all too often stations are neglected. Recently I commented on the absence of cattle docks in so many layouts, probably because it's now over forty years since any we used! So, the following to guide on colour schemes. Today, the is a degree of uniformity in station colour schemes, though exceptions occur. This was the case in the fifties and sixties, when most CIE (and UTA) stations carried green schemes, but occasionally red and cream. In the 70s and early 80s it was a great deal more uniform, with three or four (not fifty) shades of grey. A lighter shade is evident at Moate, with the darker shade in the background, while at Ardrahan the dark shade is more evident. The lighter shade was almost universal on platform awnings (though I've a notion Bray might have been dark... Craughwell first, 1976. At Attymon and Moate were the last two MGWR original enamel signs, both on the back of station platform seats. It's 1976 again. Around them is the standard CIE grey shades for stations. The MGWR used white lettering on navy enamel backgrounds for most station signs, but occasionally on smaller ones navy on white enamel. Moate cabin. Totally MGWR still. Athlone Midland (or might I suggest Athlone Proper!) Ardrahan, showing colour scheme and also the standard CIE signage of the day (plastic). Ballingrane Junction Newcastle West - recently closed, as this picture is from 1978. And Claremorris. The footbridge carries a GSR sign, as many did then , especially on the DSER. Like the MGWR, these were enamel. Almost always they had white lettering on black backgrounds, but occasionally black on white enamel.

Doesn't look impressive. No contact details, prices, talks about what they release and when; basically an entry level website with a few drawings of things..... Work in progress? Hmm, quite.

D16 time:

I'd say, though, there have been quite a few changes ("rationalisations") in this tine, which is over ten years, after all - e.g. the replacement of Waterford station by Waterford Halt!

That's got to be the best (in terms of painting skill and grey shade accuracy) GSR / CIE paint finish I've ever seen!

Absolutely stunning stuff! I love that "Castle Rackrent" layout - saw it in RM probably forty years ago when Irish stuff, let alone scratch built and to the correct gauge, was unheard of. The pre-1925 era is rarely modelled.

Brilliant actor, nice gentleman. May he rest in peace.

There was a mention on this site some time back of a (perhaps slight?) possibility of a D16 loco kit... Was it Mayners?

Can we suggest Claire Byrne for Taoiseach? A Mayo layout with D16s, and based on an Achill terminus, actually gives excellent scope for a club layout. If anyone ever does get such a thing off the ground in that neck of the woods, please do publicise it here!

That would make perfect sense.

It's highly unlikely to be Whitehead, as there's no room. Wherever it is, it would need to be indoors and we'll look after. If they were to move the 3000 sets to Adelaide, they might put it in fortwilliam tin shed. I don't see any possibility whatever for it to be stabled in the north anywhere else.

I'd say it would have to be Inchicore....

You'd have a job interrupting Vincent. When he isn't interrupting people himself or shouting over them, he's loudly coughing and creating his throat. Worst interviewer in history, though in his favour he won't take any waffle from anyone. To model railway clubs; good to see not one but potentially two new start ups above.

Throw in a few wide hand gestures....

If whingers aren't allowed, count Enda out! ;-) Very best of luck with it. Maybe a huge Achill or Clifden based layout will ensue! Drool drool drool

Absolutely. The reason it has been given a window so small is the design of the body. The inclusion of a proper observation-car-sized all round window would weaken the structure beyond acceptable H & S limits, which is why it's been done the way it is. With such design issues, it is reminiscent of the inherent design weaknesses in Mk 2 non-a/c stock, which results in these being prone to rusting more than other vehicles of their age. It's a real pity that more Cravens didn't survive - they have always appeared to be a much better carriage design than anything BR(EL) ever produced.

I'm afraid I don't, Divecontroller. The RPSI got diners 2421 and 2422, and 2419 is at the DCDR.

Correct, Garfield, that was the Melbourne - Alice Springs beet special....!

Of course - Lough Erne - I forgot you were with me! As an aside, I'm surprised nobody has taken me to task for describing those railcars as "ugly"...... ;-)

I'm sure the Health & Safety Police would find a reason to object, Popeye! There was a lovely youtube clip somewhere of an RPSI train in motion, filmed by a drone.

I don't think so, Jason, though obviously the Mk 2's did. Apart from this coach shown, I never saw any other Craven with any form of markings at all, nor am I aware of any. Naturally, this is the best forum for someone else to provide a photo like you describe. The coach shown did not carry these logos for long. I understand they were removed - possibly they were only applied as an experiment.

Thanks, Harry!

Firstly, from the darkest cupboards of the Catacombs, "Galway" liveried Mk 2's at Cherryville. Next, one of the extremely few - possibly the ONLY - Cravens.............which was given IR "set-of-points" logos. They weren't there for long, either. Withdrawn dining car, recently acquired by the RPSI at the time. Next to it is ex-UTA diner No. 87, wearing nicely applied, but totally incorrect NCC livery. The vehicle was built in 1950, a couple of years after the NCC had ceased to exist, and in traffic never wore anything other than UTA green, and latterly NIR maroon and grey. It's often referred to as an NCC vehicle - it isn't. Shows how an incorrect myth can arise even within an organisation devoted to preserving the past - hence my interest in correct liveries.... In case anyone accuses me of criticising those volunteers who painted it thus, I was one of them! And the NCC window guards inside if aren't original, but perpetuate further the idea that it was an NCC vehicle.... I have to accept responsibility for that too. Jhb171senior designed them based on memory of actual NCC equivalents, and at the time they were needed to protect the bar stocks from unwanted attention while stabled overnight as Whitehead or (worse) the old Belfast Central Services Depot... These caravan things were common on the CIE system in the 70s and 80s, but were normally painted, somewhat inexplicably, in the Dublin bus navy and cream scheme. This little beast was maroon. Maybe someone wanted to pass it off as NCC! Unusually, the flat wagon is BLACK. 80 class and Castle class sets were a mixture of colours in 1989 just like 20 years earlier in the dying days of the UTA. Hilden Halt produced this... And finally, correct liveries! Correct blue etc on 85, correct post-1955 green on the carriages. May 1989, Farranfore.