jhb171achill

Indeed; with the rise of mid-right-wing, never mind wacko hard right in many countries, I think the age of decent properly funded public transport may be entering its last days, unfortunately - along with all manner of other public services. That would lead to an American-style model for society in general; the first significant step backwards in overall society in the history of mankind. But a big debate for another forum, another day. Regarding Irish public transport, expect to see cans kicked further and further down longer roads.

Very true. Adare at the very least. Mind you, as a regular traveller on the Killarney to Limerick road, I can see the same congestion as far back as Newcastle West. Arguably a case for reinstating it back there too. I can well see that being an excuse; but they manage it at Killarney without any difficulty..... so there IS precedent.

The place never quite recovered from the 1919 nuclear bomb, when Mission Control Kilgarvan was attacked by the Black and Tans...........! Good news is I've got a grass applicator now....

Darius, your output is amazing, as are your models. I'm assuming you've found the secret of how to include 32 hours in a day, nine days in one week, and 18 months in a year!

At exhibitions I've seen the concept of a small shunting layout - coupled with a double-ended railcar or railbus going back and forth on an automatic shuttle - deployed very successfully. So, shunt away with the loco and a few trucks, while continuous interest is shown by an arriving and departing short passenger train - railbus, 2-car railcar set, or some sort of push-pull contraption. A CIE era one - easy. 2-car AEC goes back and forth - call it a "mini-Bantry" while a shunter potters about with vans. I'm actually considering one of the above shunters for Dugort Harbour, on the basis that its owned by the harbour commissioners, not CIE. Another option is to have it pottering about Castletown West, on the basis that there's an Allmans-type brewery somewhere in the fiddle yard, and this thing appears once a day to meet the (CIE) goods, to swop vans for the distillery, then it toddles off into the background. Mind you, a "G" is probably a better option, though Silverfox apparently don't make them any more. Question - are these locos suitable for DCC?

Excellent idea. And - being originally an industrial, it was delivered looking as above, i.e. in manufacturers livery, not a railway livery. And it stayed that way - the GSR just put numberplates on it and never painted it grey - it wasn’t “important” enough! Mind you, it seems never to have been cleaned either - spent its life so filthy it could have been pink for all anyone knew! Perfect loco, in terms of both affordability, practicality and authenticity, for a small Albert Quay-to-dockside shunting layout. One of these and a dozen Provincial Leslie goods vans, and away ye go!

You can do pre-immigration checks quite conveniently online at Www.Murphys.ie True

NOW ye're talking!

....and theirein lies the problem. Modern governments have every incentive to think short-term, and no incentive to think long-term; and even that's assuming that the gobdaws and gombeen men we elect are even capable of rational, intelligent thought.

2042???? Are they seriously having a laugh? Any other country would have built 200km of track between now and then. Well, any that the (UK) Conservatives weren't involved with, anyway - or Fine Gael Fail. TWENTY YEARS to deliver a few miles of track largely along an existing alignment!!!

Very good thinking!

Probably depends what era you want. For the modern era, various British railcars re-liveried to resemble something Irish. A British 66 repainted as a 201. Some sort of generic railcar iof it can be got cheap, reliveried in ICR livery. Just about any container flats painted brown. For the black'n'tan era, old BR Mk 1 or Mk 2 repainted black'n'tan. A locomotive would be a challenge, as nothing outside Ireland that's available at all, let alone cheap, even begins to resemble an Irish diesel loco - but there are always old Tri-ang 101 class British railcars which can be repainted - these were common on omain lines in the 60s (and before, but we'll come to that). Again, various BR box vans and open wagons, remove decals, paint chassis and body grey or brown, and away ye go. Container flats too. For the grey'n'green (steam) era, there are now repaints of British steam locos available. There's a common and inexpensive 0.6.oT which bears a good resemblance to a MGWR "E" / GSR J26; and any amount of old British 4.4.0s or 0.6.0s which given a lick of paint can pass for Irish. If repainting a British one to look Irish, essential the livery is right, as if it isn't, becvause the original thing isn't Irish, it won't look Irish! If grey, dark grey not light, and grey smokebox and chimney too; green flying snail on tender, yellow cabside number. Tank engines never had snails. Anything bigger than a 2.6.0 maybe in lined green or unlined black. Snails always green - never yellow or white! For coaching stock, the good news is that the hattons six wheelers are on their way and they won't be expensive. But if even cheaper is wanted, go for old BR Mk 1s or LMS stock and repaint them green to resemble then-new laminates. Wagons - easy - any old opens or vans or cattle trucks - all grey prior to 1970. Hopefully that's a brief summary. Always good to start off small, and no two of us have the same level of budget, so there has to be something for everyone! Good luck!

Never knew of LNER connection! Any more details? I've a vague recollction of seeing it derelict somewhere......

…..and the answer there would be yes, but very rarely, and probably one-offs. As I mentioned, Loughrea saw one at least once being used to strengthen the branch set (of one coach!), plus on mystery trains occasionally. Normally, strengthening that set meant an old laminate.

..... Now I need my smelling salts!

Not the right shade of blue, and the lining isn't quite right.................................. nicely weathered, though........

GM's are always a pleasure. Not like Crossleys.

One of the very many works in progress, Mike!! The weathering, expertly done as always, is by Dempsey, of this forum...........

In 1961, the Dugort Harbour goods rarely loads to more than half a dozen vans. But the July Fair Day is different. Here, J15 No. 150 arrives early on 20th July with empty cattle wagons for the Mart.

Between 1962 and about 1964/5 it was possible to see the thankfully short-lived “silver” livery, green and black’n’tan alongside each other. I think the very last green coach became black’n’tan about 1968. Here, it’s summer 1963. Castletown Fair Day is on, so a number of spare carriages and vans off excursions from Cork and Tralee have been shunted down to the harbour to make room up in “town”…..

Dugort Harbour only survived the 1947 closures due to the local CIE bus and road freight garage needing fuel supplies. About once a fortnight a fuel tank arrived with the goods. Here, in 1958, the Castletown delivery lorry has arrived for a top-up. Meanwhile, A30 shunts the stock for the 9.30 up mixed.

Very occasionally, but rare. I’ve photos of them at Loughrea on several occasions, but you’d wait a long time to see another. I’ve seen a photo of a mystery train excursion also in Loughrea, in which maybe half the train are Cravens. I never saw one on the Limerick-Ballina, though, and I only recall seeing one on Limerick-Rosslare once - it was a set like I’ve depicted, come to think of it - a laminate, Craven and genny van.

"Me back's killin' me.... I was up at PJ's last night diggin' turf for his oul lad..." “Look - one o’them new carriages!”

Very nice weathering! Welcome home!

“….Well, ye see, she’s related to the O’Sheas out at Tubber gates. An’ there’s the problem, because of Mick and the girl. The O’Sheas told Father Moran, and sure ye know how that went, ‘cos he’s a first cousin of Timmy Dan at the junction. Now the young wan’s off to England and she won’t be back. So the whole thing’s about who’s gonna look after poor oul Martha!….”