jhb171achill

The access to the station from the outer circuit main line seems somewhat convoluted - might it be an idea to have the station on the outside lines?

An 80 class in black'n'tan? An ICR or Mk 4 set?

Excellent stuff. Glad the three NIR locos are painted blue to celebrate.

Inspired by talk on another thread about the possibility of the Harlandic loco having been newly painted in NIR maroon before its withdrawal, and pics on IRM a couple of years ago of a 141 in "freight" silver and black, what passes for my mind began wandering into "might have been liveries"... There are many examples of where a new livery was never applied to old stock about to be withdrawn, but ran concurrently with it. An E class in "supertrain" livery An NIR AEC set in maroon and blue; likewise an MED. Being political: a Hunslet in black & tan when the "troubles" produced a United Ireland, or to be balanced, a 141 and laminates in NIR maroon/blue after the 26 counties rejoined the north in the UK! Steam lasts - a "jeep" in NIR loco maroon! And a few remaining J15s plus Maedb in CIE black'n'tan. The West Clare survives another year. Walker railcar in black'n'tan, F class diesel in all-black? And so on.......

That Harlandic was a remarkable survivor until 1972. What was even more remarkable is the lack of knowledge or sightings of it! It could have been SOO close to preservation. (Imagine it in fresh new NIR maroon! There's the year's photoshop project for someone suitably adept...)

That really brings back Belfast memories from my time working there right through the "troubles". It captures the atmosphere of the old GVS perfectly. That's what a good layout is all about - creating an atmosphere. Superb stuff - great to watch it developing.

Looks superb! Wrong line running? Just interested....?

So, "St Molaga" has at some stage been sold by CIE to the mining company? Sheer genius!

Odd looking things - never seen them! Strange buffers (model detail!)

That's why that layout isn't just a "pretty face", but is of considerable educational and historical value and interest.

Absolutely brilliant! I love to see things like that happening at shows, argh than the same train endlessly going round a circuit for hours! (Though that has its place too). What marks Arigna Road apart is the extremely detailed accuracy and realism of the ground scenery and rolling stock, including the accurate make up of trains and method of operation. Can't wait to attend an exhibition somewhere, sometime, to see it.

Looks well in GSWR / GSR / CIE livery! ;-)

UP6936 - it was repainted at Inchicore before donation to the museum. I cannot be 100% certain about accuracy of shade, but anything else painted by CIE at that time for the museum (eg no. 800) was completely accurately done. Jawfin - it was probably withdrawn about the 1910s.

Correct. As a railway enthusiast and public transport advocate, any time I have to go to Belfast my choice is: 1. Car. Quickest, cheapest, especially if more than one person. 2. Bus 3. "Enterprise" Hmmmm....

Excellent photographs. Prompts me to revisit my own just to have a look at peripheral areas out of curiosity....

My thoughts too, as what I'm putting together (extremely slowly) involves natural terrain which was in reality as "non flat" as any to be found on the planet.... Austrian alpine setting....

So, is this a steam powered submarine? I believe the fireman's job became particularly difficult under water....

Wonder what would happen if a Wexford, Annagassan or Kilkeel trawler dragged a British or Russian submarine for miles and wrecked all its equipment......

Now THAT has got to be THE craziest.

I wasn't selling it Garfield - don't want to - apologies if I misled anyone! My point with that one was if anyone was interested in seeing details on it..... (must look for it!)

Off topic, but I've found an old photo of DSER No. 20 as well. If anyone's interested in details, PM me. It shows DSER livery well.

A very interesting perspective - lineside detailing is something that many of us (me included) don't research much. I can probably speak for a good few of us in feeling suitably educated!

It is a complete and utter no-brainer, Irishrail201. They know perfectly well, but (a) they see no votes in it, especially if they are from outside the area; and (b) sure, we have to see if any of our property developing friends want the land first. Oh, it' reserved for public transport? Ahhh, well, c'mere and we'll talk about that, ok? Say nothing. Certainly don't post it on IRM or I won't get re-elected..... Think I've blown that one, haven't I? The underground system is by far the best, but the Clongriffin spur would do. The underground needs to be revived - fifteen years is a long time, though it took them FORTY long years to reopen the Harcourt Street line! The LUAS is still needed, however, northside, possibly out to Santry / Swords. But that's not all - the south west side of the city is growing very rapidly as we speak - I look out of my window right now and see two large housing estates of 4 bed family homes being built across the road and beyond that. The population in this area is probably growing more rapidly than anywhere else. Places like Terenure / Rathfarmham / Ballyboden / Kiltipper need a tram line, and if the authorities were any use, they'd be looking at building it all the way up to Stocking Wood for the (currently underway) massive expansion up there. It's going to have to happen some day. Meantime, the underground? (Oh.... this is the first time I've ever seen the Dáil bar empty....)

I did hear that rumour, Mayner, indeed - but I don't know if there was any substance in it. Tenders were certainly swopped between not only membersof the same class, but among classes, particularly when GSR standard designs were introduced. In Indonesia in the early 1980s, I noticed members of loco classes surviving in traffic with FEW examples carrying their own tenders - it was easy to tell, as the livery details had the loco number on both engine and tender. In steam days on all railways, tender swopping was the norm, as was the switching of parts. During restoration of 171, 85 184, 186 and NCC No. 4 at Whitehead over the years, things like connecting rods were often found with the number of another member of the class stamped on them.

dare one suggest, PARTICULARLY some of the "local" needs...... If they put a LUAS on the airport link, stand back and watch as the unpoliced, fare-dodger-friendly system that they operate attracts a lot of people who, themselves, are "attracted" to tourists, their wallets, cameras and handbags. It'll resemble Temple Bar but without any garda presence. Oh, wait.... Time and time again, on red and green lines, we see people hopping on and off without a care in the world, not wanting to concern ticket machines with issuing them a ticket. Maybe they are just being eco-friendly in not wanting tickets using up paper, but maybe they are tight, or scumbags. You don't get that on buses. The LUAS system of having nobody anywhere to regularly check tickets is an open invitation to the stingy, to druggies and other low life, to travel the rails for free, annoying or frightening other passengers en route. This is before we address the timing issue. How long will it really take from, say Stephen's Green to the airport? Will they at least give the thing priority at traffic lights so it actually never has to stop at them? Will they have special trams with extra luggage space, as the current ones are quite unsuitable for a large group of tourists with luggage? Northside city certainly needs a tram line out to say, Phibsborough, Glasnevin, Finglas. But the airport needs heavy rail, no doubt about it. Governmental pottering about, and wittering on about budgets, won't solve that one, especially with Dublin's population racing ahead of its current 1.25 million, and tipped to exceed that of all of Northern Ireland withing twenty years, by which time over a quarter of all the people on this island will live in greater Dublin. (It's heading that way already; and what have we got in recent years - two tram lines, more buses to choke the roads, and a few miles of reopened Dublin & Meath line!)...