jhb171achill

Glenderg, that 107's a mighty fine piece! Weathering's just right - looks so realistic.

What sort of idiot would think they can get €1000 for that!! 1000 anything, except Italian lire....

That's some railcar!!!!! Eight wheeled bogies! Imagine that on the Bundoran branch or the Harcourt St line.... or the Portadown to Carrickfergus all stops....

Volunteer at Downpatrick. Junctionmad, and you'll be able to drive an A, C, E, G, and 141..... plus of course, steam!

Yes, and there was another (one of their few bogies) until about 20 years ago when vandals burned it despite bring earmarked for the RPSI. It was 934, the W & L Director's Saloon. When I came upon it in the late 80s, I had just taken over the RPSI's finances and I vowed there and then to try to set aside a budget to restore it. It was measured (I think I still have the drawing somewhere) with a view to doing this, next thing it's burnt.....

That would be a problem, Garfield, as it probably impacts on the cantrail and the end roof support members. Such a thing IS restorable, but obscenely expensive as it would almost certainly require complete rebuilding of the end concerned....

Ive never seen pictures of either of the No. 2's, Airfix - any ideas?

That's a very bright looking lorry!

Curiously, I couldn't find 900 (the WLWR family saloon which rest at claremorris for years and whose rotting remains are now in a shed at Belturbet) in the 1924 book at all....

Nor was I. Imagine - the GNR, under that scheme, would have acquired the remaining LLSR, CDR (which it already owned half of), the DNGR (which to all intents and purposes it operated in later years anyway), and the SLNCR. Result: not much on the narrow gauge apart from black locos and brown carriages, but imagine the CDR railcars in navy and cream! The DNGR wouldn't have changed, but the SLNCR would likely have been relaid and P or PP class 4.4.0s would have ruled the roost, with Railcar B possibly taken away to do Omagh-Derry locals....

A 400 class? Not sure - probably some British 4.6.0 which might be suitable for a change rough alteration? But I'm not sure that this is the right way. Models suitable for "amendment" ("re-education"?) are expensive and it's a pity to cut them up unless a very realistic Irish model will result. Scratchbuilding may be better in many, if not most cases.

The LMS "Jinty" can be made into an NCC Y class - same engine! Belfast had two of them, but they'd be only of use on a layout based on the Belfast docks area... "Ordinary" four wheeled open wagons and some LMS or BR covered vans are close enough to many Irish equivalents, NCC, GNR or CIE. Certain tank ways so, likewise. Guards vans are another matter - few British ones looked much like any standard Irish ones. Forget about railcars too!

Various Hornby / Bachmann 0.6.0 tender engines can be botched up to look like passable GSR / CIE types, usually by simply doctoring the cab! A coat of grey paint and they'd look quite convincing. Many British coaches can be repainted to look vaguely Irish, particularly more modern ones like Mk 2 and Mk 3. BR Mk 1 brakes can be very easily converted to genny vans.

Listowel, Kildare, Carlow, Ballinasloe, Downpatrick and Kilgobbin (Co. Limerick) were among the many places that attracted huge amounts of horse traffic on appropriate days.

Luggage compartment in the middle... yes, the 1924 original GSWR book I have shows neither side elevation nor seat plan. I wondered if it had had a toilet, given that from the seat numbers quoted, it obviously only had 4 compartments. While carriages with this configuration did exist (though probably more so on the Midland, cone to think of it), GSWR ones often had a loo or luggage area. Clearly, this one had a luggage area. I suspect that a few like this were subsequently altered with a loo (or two) placed where the luggage compartment was, though this would have lost a seat in each first class compartment....

Jawfin, 907 is listed as a 30ft 1st / 2nd composite, built in 1889 by the Waterford & Limerick, and obviously absorbed into the GSWR in 1901. However, there's no drawing. It was gas lit and had 16 first class seats and 20 second class. That would be two first class compartments and two second. There's no mention of a loo in between. Being of W & L origin, it probably had curved in ends - the W & L was the only Irish company to do this, though such features were a lot more common in Britain. This coach is listed among 42 of the type. 906, 907 and 909 were ex-W & L, whereas the rest were GSWR built (in Inchicore, of course). All were gas lit except 517, 518 & 520 (GSWR type) which were oil lit. They were all built between 1879 and 1893.

I've yet to do that one, Weshty, though Barry's done it. I did the Achill line a couple of times.

As far as I know, there was an unwritten rule not to mix stock. Maybe there was some sort of mishap many moons ago!

It was indeed, Broithe. You may now be released with no criminal record.....

The picture with LPHC No. 1 probably is posed all right - they could pull a rake of either gauge, but not a rake of MIXED gauge, because the wagons didn't have couplings compatible with each other! If that picture isn't posed, then the loco has probably just backed the narrow gauge truck up close to (but not against) the broad gauge one behind, maybe to set back before changing tracks, or to avoid road traffic.

I'll have a look, Jawfin.

Only after eating oysters, strawberries and cabbage with mars bars, GSR....

All looks very well kept, in contrast with the ghastly graffiti-strewn trains and stations in Greece and Italy.

I have to say I always thought the "tippex" livery was the best on most IE diesels..

My numbers plates, Broithe, are the right way up. It's just the car that's upside down....