jhb171achill

For those planning to go this weekend, this event is delayed (books not yet back from printers). Will update in due course. I had been hoping to have the launch this Saturday, as this will be the exact 50th anniversary of the last public trains.

One of these was not on the IRM stand….

If anyone’s about on 7th November I’m doing a talk in New Ross on the North Wexford line that evening. All welcome! And they tell me they’ll have choccy bikkies….

Probably the laziest and most hideous, unartistic livery ever applied to anything in history!

How ON EARTH do they get working motors into stuff that tiny? If extremely small scales like this, or Z, gain much traction, what about a 5mm gauge track to represent 5'3", and Irish models at a scale of 1mm = 1ft!

Correct. Like all such paintings, it was for official photo purposes only. Before any locomotive went into traffic, it was painted in its "proper" livery. The IRM grey model certainly has novelty value, which will make it very7 popular with collectors, I would imagine. I am unaware of any manufacturer ever making any model of anything in "photographic grey". Especially for a beast THIS size!

Unfortunately, apart from the “wannabe”-CIE-era aspect, the livery on that thing is is utterly wrong on several counts!

I’m clearing a quantity of surplus of my own, plus some bits I’ve been asked to sell for a non-internet friend who has gone into a nursing home. First, these; carriage (the first of many) €10 and two container flats €5 each. Postage €8-€12 depending where you live.

Sold

Having seen the prototype today, I would VERY highly recommend this. Put me down for a few!

Selling this as surplus to requirements, for same price I paid for it, €100 / £90. Will have it at Blackrock on Monday at the Tailte Tours / Downpatrick & Co Down Railway stand.

Ask and thou shalt receive. Bundoran and other places GNR. Barrack St included - for Dempsey! This is the autumn 1955 WTT.

These were particular gems;

Yup - will delve.

Correct; and as a result he was arrested the next morning! So; while browsing the 1928 timetable, a few other interesting branches…..

GSR maroon was identical to that used by the NCC in the north and the LMS in Britain. Thus, any model supplier across the pond that does LMS matched maroon paint is fine for post-1933 GSR maroon. Unaware of Pullman sideframes.... As for CIE green, while I do not have the exact RAL code to hand, some of our other folks here will know it!

At the SDMRC exhibition I was asked about the Birr branch. Here is the 1959 working timetable, by which time the branch set was usually on old GSWR composite bogie and a tin van, hauled by a “C”. For good measure the Thurles & Clonmel branch is in there too. And here’s the branch in 1928; at which time it’s steam, of course, most likely with a Limerick-based J15, and the branch train (as Senior remembered it) consisting of a six-wheel brake third and a six-wheel 1st / 3rd composite.

Forgot the superglue?

Interesting! Livery details - when delivered they appear to have been in the standard Pullman brown and cream livery. At the same time, the GSR started painting main-line bogie corridor stock in a brown and cream scheme, possibly imitating this livery (though secondary stock and six-wheelers remained dark maroon). By the late 1930s the Pullmans were in standard GSR maroon. Senior recalled seeing at least one in maroon with "GREAT SOUTHERN PULLMAN" on it, but this may have been short-lived as I have never seen any photo of it. In early CIE days they gained the normal green livery. Black roofs, not silver, for GSR & CIE liveries.

The gods have been officially informed!

It is worth pointing out too, that "photographic" grey liveries (on all things) were not to be confused at all with the then standard locomotive grey livery. Firstly, the shade used as loco livery was very dark - several shades darker than this. Secondly, numberplates had the same grey backgrounds, with rims and numerals picked out variously in cream or sometimes polished bare whitemetal. Sometimes the number plates were just painted all over grey with no detail picked out. A couple of senior's photos show this oin newly painted locos at Inchicore in the 1930s. For those modelling the GSR, the standard "bought" model numberplates usually have a black background - this is only accurate on locos which are black in late CIE period; also, being little brass plates, the detail is a brassy colour - best painted over in a cream colour and grey background to look accurate. Finally, and most importantly, the dark grey GSR / CIE livery extended over the smokebox - these were never black-painted on grey locos, with two exceptions - a pair of locos painted almost at the end of steam, about 1961 - these were J15 No. 193 and (as far as I recall) an ex-Midland J18. Both got all over grey but with black somkebox. Otherwise, the whole thing was grey! Photos often show what appears to be a darker smokebox - this is due to paint buring on the surface of it, but they were painted the same grey. This "phenomenon" may be seen on the RPSI's 186 at Whitehead.

No. It was common practice, since the 1870s anyway, for new exmples o locos to be painted up like this to emphasise detail in official photos. They would then be repainted in theor "proper" livery before going into traffic. You'll note also that while grey, 800 had not yet been given her nameplates. The reason for this was that there was a delay producing them. This was because originally they were to have nameplates with Roman characters and the English-language spelling "MAEVE". But upon seeing the plates, officialdom decreed that the Irish version and gaelic script be used instead, so the English-language ones were melted down. Senior was there to see it, though (typically!) he did not take any pictures himself. After the photo shoot - and several different views were taken - it was painted in the unique GSR green livery before entering traffic.

Saw that T & D yoke yesterday - very well built. It was a great day there yesterday and I was delighted to meet some of the newer names on here in person (and admire their layouts, in many cases), as well; as catching up with old colleagues like "Provincial" Leslie. Dempsey's Dundalk (Barrack St) goods yard and the compact but excellent Beaghnach End were particular delights, as were the larger ones - Dundalk featured strongly with the huge DDK Works layout a major attraction too. Now - someone I was talking to yesterday told me they were plnning a layout based on Birr, and I promised I would fishout some material that might be relevant; but I can't recall who it was. If you're reading this, ping me at jhb171@gmail.com. I'm not there today, but will be tomorrow. Need to buy a few bits! Massive congrats to SDMRC in setting this up. Absolutely superb show.

Saw this at the show yesterday. STUNNING!!!!

I’d be wary of ladies like that…..