jhb171achill

Plus the beet.....

If you look at some of the 21mm layouts about, the extra effort is very, very well worth if; that said, it's not for an amateur like I would be myself! David Holman's SLNCR is inspirational, and others on both 4mm and 7mm scales with correct gauge track are truly superb. Ian, you'll find no shortage among those here of advice, tips and shared skills. You've privately pinged me already; please feel free to do so via my private email which I gave you and I will provide what assistance I can. Look at the links on this site to manufacturers like SSM models and others. Kits are available, as Mayner mentioned, of a number of things suitable for you, and a recent post showed a truly superb six-wheeler made out of a couple of Hornby "Thomas" four wheelers, so alterations of manufactured stuff is also an option if you go for ordinary 00 scale.

Some, or most, ended up in lined green in CIE days, and I think at least one might have been black (rather than grey) towards the end. Obviously, before the late 40s, all grey.

Indeed, Leslie — that was an excellent little volume, as was its GNR companion. Looking forward to seeing you on the tour - got the seating plan finished last night so your ticket should wing its way imminently! To anyone else travelling on the RPSI May Tour, that applies to you too......

jhb171senior always had a soft spot for the 400s... Much ignored by modellers, they were the mainstay of Dublin - Cork services for many years - probably the most ignored express locomotives in Ireland!

Oh yes.................. I meant to say. I have a sample of MGWR red station paint, and of GSR green for the same purpose. I can also arrange for you to see both MGWR brown and the "Tourist Express" blue at Downpatrick, if you're ever in a position to visit there. So, colour wise, in Midland days you're looking at a livery for stations of almost British Post Office red and cream; the red would be on footbridges too, and the cream on wooden fencing. Carriages were a mid brown all over with (initially) white roofs, which didn't stay white, so weathering is a must on all but maybe one roof! Chassis black, carriage ends brown like body sides. Lettering and lining were gold, though for a while in later days (approximately 1910-8) yellow was used for lining for economy. In 1918 (or possibly 1915 - haven't been able to establish exactly) the MGWR changed to a very deep maroon, probably not unlike the dark crimson lake the GSWR used. Lining and lettering remained the same. If you follow matters DCDR, look at the (accurate GSWR) paint of coaches 836 and 1097, and maybe go a slight shade lighter. Locomotives were a shade of green, the details of which I got from the late Bob Clements. This was darker than Isle of Man green, but considerably lighter than CIE loco green. So if you look ta an Isle of Man green "Ailsa" period loco, and go a shade darker, you're about right. Clements offered to give me a sample of it had some twenty five years ago or so, but he died before I was able to call with him and it was thrown out! Around 1905-10, a few locos appeared in royal blue with black and white lining, and some coaches (by no means all - only a few) were repainted this blue on lower panels, with white on upper; ends plain blue, lining in gold, lettering in shaded gold. Must have looked amazing. The MGWR painted wagons a dark grey, darker than latter-day CIE by some margin. Not quite the slate grey / black of the GSWR, though. One of Henry Casserley's pictures taken at Achill in 1934 shows a DSER wagon, still in that company's livery and lettering; the grey on it is dark too. I would go for a shade in between GSR locomotive grey and LMS wagon grey. Unfortunately, the exact details of the shade haven't survived. Now I'd better go and have me lunch. Do PM me if you've any questions.

It's morning. I've calmed down. Right. Where do we start. Mulrany (or Mallaranny) has a lot going for it as a layout for a number of reasons. 1. Scenic setting 2. Ease of operation 3. Simple track plan. but with enough to provide interesting through traffic and station shunting 4. Original building - or most of it - still accessible to photograph 5. Sufficient photographic evidence to assist the modeller 6. Throughout its (short) life, the station didn't change, therefore you can set it in MGWR or GSR times without changing the track layout or buildings. The one and only significant change in the station's appearance in all of its life was the GSR repaint of station woodwork from MGWR pillar-box red and cream to GSR dark green and dark cream. If there could be said to be any "cons" as opposed to "pros", that would be locomotives and rolling stock, of which nothing at all is available as RTR. If the accuracy of locomotives, carriages and wagons isn't an issue, then no problem. If it is, then what you would need to consider is conversions or scratchbuilds of MGWR six-wheelers, as these constituted virtually the entire passenger stock until GSR days. Prior to 1925, bogies were almost unknown and would only have appeared once or twice a year - if that - on a harvestman's emigration special, some of which loaded to 6 coaches. Locomotives were all J26 type 0.6.0T prior to 1905, and D16 4.4.0 "Achill Bogie" afterwards. The D16 was quite a small 4.4.0 and I'm sure there is some proprietary model which might be altered to look close enough. (The black and white lining on the green livery might be fiddly, though many on these boards would be able to prove me well wrong on that count). For the modeller, GSR days provide a little more variety in the form of an occasional ex-GSWR D17 4.4.0, but overall on account of lightweight trackwork, very few loco classes were allowed. Also, all locos would be plain all-over grey. A layout set in about 1927 might be interesting, as some locos would still be in MGWR green, others in new plain grey. Perhaps one might carry the short lived lined "royal blue". With a typical train service then consisting of two sets, which tended to cross in Newport though facilities always existed at Mulrany, two locomotives would be a minimum. Depending on space, fiddle yard or cash and modelling reserves, half a dozen might be good. A D16 in MGWR green, one in blue and one in all-grey. Plus a grey (GSWR) D17, and two J26 tanks, one each in green and grey. Carriages would have a standard first, second and third plus a full brake or brake third in each train set - all six wheeled. After the mid 1910s, it tended to be two six-wheelers and a brake instead of the aforementioned: a three coach set instead of four. All would be brown, unless you're setting it in the mid 1910s where for a brief time, some (maybe just one on the layout) would be blue and white (not cream) with gold lining. While the "Tourist Express" never went to Achill, coaches painted thus appeared now and again all over the Midland system, a bit like an "Enterprise" liveried 201 turning up on a timber train in Waterford. (Belmond 201 on the weedspray in Navan, anyone?) Modeller's Licence could have the Tourist Train travelling to Achill. Had it done so, a destination might well have been Mulrany itself, due to the railway company's hotel there, rather than Achill, so turning it and stabling it would be a possibility, as would the use of modeller's licence to allow larger MGWR express engines to arrive, e.g. the big "Mail Engines" (drooling recommences). Freight traffic in Mulrany was by far the lightest on the line, with barely a wagon a day in GSR days. Yet, the place retained both its sidings until the end. The goods shed was of interesting construction too, as was the signal box, with a large store attached. At the time the line was opened, cattle traffic was initially buoyant on fair days but this declined soon after, as the emphasis moved away from the small cattle fair there to those at Achill Sound and, above all, Newport; the latter remaining very busy until closure. In fact, goods traffic was so busy at closure time that serious consideration was given to retaining Westport - Newport as a good-only line, as much incoming mixed goods was apparent as well as outgoing cattle. On a model, why not Mulrany instead? Another "might-have-been" for Mulrany was turf traffic, which was being proposed just as closure was being planned. A Bord na Mona style operation was proposed a few miles on the Newport side, though it never even began to provide enough to fill a few wagons a week at most. Could a 3ft gauge turf line, on a model, feed turf to Mulrany's goods siding? A few thoughts and ideas off the top of my head. If I think of more I'll post accordingly. I often thought of doing a layout based on Achill as if it had survived into the 70s, allowing me to run a branch train of a 141, a Park Royal and a tin van - or the like.

Good work all round!

Michael McMahon's detailed tome on GSR locos is a good place to start.

A layout based on Mallaranny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't answer this post at all, as I am drowning in drooling at the prospect..... There are huge possibilities in modelling. D16 4.4.0's, six wheeled Midland coaches, and as for the wagons!! Ian, PM me and I'll answer in detail when I calm down....... ......and, I can show you actual MGWR brown paint, which was a shade darker than LNER or GNR (I).

If that is the case it would be interesting to see if 111,2 or 3 remain blue!

That would terrify the wits out of me. I wonder how long their commute takes, or how someone not near a door gets out?

Maybe it'll switch to a "Jeep" at Dundalk! (Runs for cover.....)

A new freight operator could easily appear, as could a new freight contract for IE. I'm not sure how the overnight Belmond accommodation will work! In theory, if Belmond paid, a new siding could be laid somewhere....

Imagine if 800 hauled it! Just dreaming.....

I really look forward to seeing this take shape. Excellent concept.

Correct, Burnthebox, though the "north" (= six counties) is not "Ulster"; it's but two thirds of it..... Anyway, it'll be interesting to see this book. I'll reserve all judgement until I see it.....

I remember serving him and his entourage on that RPSI train. His production assistant gratefully accepted a pint of Guinness but he was exhausted and all he wanted was tea and a rest!

Hopefully, that's a howler committed by a reviewer, rather than the author! Any student of even the most rudimentary or simple elements of Irish railway history will see maps of Ireland on early railway publicity and should realise that the "north" isn't even a hundred years old, even if taught little history at school, and no sign of "GSR" exists anywhere!

Just for info - point of clarification - the maroon had grey with it, rather than the silver currently used with the blue.

Quite a few of Jimmy O'Dea's photos are incorrectly captioned. I've been through the lot in the Temple Bar photo archives. Generally, like this, you get the impression that it's due to misinterpretation of someone's poor handwriting. Also, with the best will in the world, the National Photographic Archives staff are not well versed in railways.

Absolutely top class - love it!

That may be works grey undercoat. The numbers are temporary, as chalk lines can be seen under them. They definitely all entered traffic in black. The earlier trio (G601-3) entered service in silver, and before being repainted black all three were green. Livery details for G601-3 were all green, including frames. Large numerals on cab sides, cab end, and (unlike 611-7) on front too, under the radiator grille. No flying snails on either silver or green G livery.

I've only seen evidence of two in BnT and I can't recall which two; that's not to say that others weren't in that livery too. As Mayner said, they were "camera-shy". Initial painting in the early 60s from green, was often BnT, but all black would follow on many later, remaining on D, E & G classes until the late 60s / early 70s. It's interesting to think that if the West Clare had survived, the F class would have been included too...

Both may be heard (and recorded) first-hand today on the DCDR, courtesy of 146 and A39. C, G and (hopefully again some time) E sounds too.