jhb171achill

I’ve been reading this with great interest, some very valid and interesting points being made. Having a lifelong interest in liveries and how weathering affects them, I’ll post in more detail in a while. I’m up to me eyes for the next three weeks but I’ll keep an eye here in the meantime….

Two old photos have turned up of a goods leaving Dugort Harbour way back in 1927. The loco is ex-CBSCR 472, then recently transferred to west Kerry….. Happy Easter to all….

I well remember seeing them mixed in with all sorts of other stuff on the Dundalk to Grosvenor Road goods in the 1960s. From recollection, maybe only one or two in the mix, the rest of which was of course loose-coupled. The maximum number of wagons on that seemed always to be 32 to 34 - I don't think I ever saw more than that. Somethines there was a brake van at each end, i.e. one behind the loco as well as at the end of the train. The vast bulk of the wagons were four-wheel goods vans, mostly "H"s, but quite a few old wooden vans too, including the odd horizontal-planked GSR van. But the "bubble" (mostly grey then) would stand out amongst vans.....

That's awful. The very best oif luck with your ongoing treatment and health. I know it's an awful thing. For what it's worth we're all on your side here.

Many thanks! Contact made!

What are Enda's contact details? I thought I had them but can't find. Methinks I need a few of those....

We've been told the Rosslare trip is now diesel. Presuymably this is a cautionary measure after the Bray Head fires. However, given the weather in the last 48 hours and likely for the next 24, I wonder is there any chance of that being revisited - or is the substitution for a different reason?

Another variant would be (like the A class), some black locos had a big number in the middle (on the side), and no logo. Others had a roundel in the middle, and a smaller number under cab windows at ends.

Excellent job

Barry and I discussed this at length when selecting pictures for that book. I was completely unfamiliar with them at the time. Haven't seen much about them since, and that book is now out of print!

It will be the standard CIE green, as on buses, trucks, station paintwork, steam locos which got green, and carriages up to circa 1955. Basically there were two greens. The one I've just described, and thelighter one shown on D303 above, this latter being applied ONLY to carriages, railcars and diesel locos. While in the original green, they would be in the 1000 series. Since silver was only ever applied to "new-build" things (e.g. the "E401"class, these D's never were silver. As you say, green to black. I would tend to agree that D303 was the only one to get light green. The amount of photos I've trawled over fifty years have not, as far as I recall, ever produced an image of the others in light green. The top is, of course, black. That's interesting! While I remember seeing yelloow poking through, I never saw a loco with orange handrails. probably a one-off? Note the GSWR full parcels brake. I think it lasted to about 1973.

What monsters have I let into my house!!!!

I have reached another milestone today. I uttered a gratuitously and purposefully offensive word in the direction of a tiny ventilation which fell into the floor, landing in an inaccessible location….

I’ve ordered a copy of “Rude Words for Modellers (00 Scale Edition)” from Hattons. £7.60 + £19 postage + £26.34 brexit charges + £8.09 customs.

Yes, that’s what I did in the end. It worked well - albeit eventually!

I fell foul of that this morning, and tried to solder a tiny door vent, and made a mess of it. Much fibre brushing must follow - but - I didn’t burn my fingers yet!

Thank you, I am sure it will test me, plus my patience!

I will definitely take this on board!

Following my first tentative foray into brass, I’m going for something a bit more ambitious now. The GSWR had a small number of coach-type-panelled short-wheelbase four wheel vans which were variously used as mobile tool vans, hearse vans of parcel vans. Several variations. The MGWR had several vans similar in concept, but the Midland being the Midland, the design was about as similar as an ICR is to a grandfather clock. This Roxey kit, a native of Narrow Gauge Island back in the day, is as similar as can be had. Without windows, I thought it might be a reasonable next step. If I don’t make an unholy pigs ear of it (and my expert tutor should hopefully stop me) maybe a carriage next…. So, the kit arrived…. The prototype, by the way, ran on the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, ultimately the Southern Railway. It’ll end up either in CIE dark lined green, or if I make it into a departmental tool van, it’ll either be wagon grey or dark lined green with red ends. Another possibility is very badly faded GSR maroon, for when I’m in early 50s running mode….

“Did ye see that fella in the Ford Anglia out by Paddy O’Sullivan’s this afternoon? He must have been going at thirty miles an hour. He’s up in Eddie an’ Bernie’s now all scratched and blood, but the car’s wrecked….” “Ye’ll never lift a thing that big with a hand barrow!” ”Yer man with the Anglia….” ”Never mind the man with the damn Anglia, get this loaded before PJ starts givin’ out!”

June 1965. The evening train being loaded, by hand. The ramp and the barrow were left in the van of the afternoon train to the junction, so they’ll be passing through the Carrowmore boglands by now….

“Maura, I can do this on me own. Just open the van door. An’ would ye ever nip into Sarah on your way past an’ tell her to boil up the water, coz I want a bath tonight!”

Following my post on 24th March, the gap is finally filled. Track connected; all again thanks great assistance from jhbJnr and my Expert Learned Friends (you know who you are). Now, a yella machine takes a spin into Dugort Harbour. Once all declared good, the crew hit the bus back to Castletown West. “Footplate Pass? Nah, don’t worry if you’ve lost it. C’mon up. What part of England did ye say ye were from?”

I have been informed by the Peers that you are hereby commanded to start this project at 08:00 tomorrow, and continue until complete.............

Lovely little layout