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That's 20 miles worth of SLNCR sleepering....

Great Victoria Street should never have been closed. Belfast Central was, and remains, about as central to Belfast as the Westport Pier siding was. Here, in early 76, a view from a train approaching the old GVS station. On the right is the new track to Belfast Uncentral, which within days will be connected and the old line severed.

To paraphrase the great Homer Simpson, "Ahhhhhhhhh! Guinness....." Clonmel, 1975. The same year, a visit to the fledgling CDR preservation project in the old CDR terminus at Victoria Road in Derry. What is it about that city and ill-fated attempts to preserve its most iconic railway?

Awaiting weathering for NIR's layout, back in 1986. And, just out of the Murphy Models box.... it's 1985 now. Further back we go in time, down de Reel Capital Boyo, in de rebel city in 1975.....

That is just show-stoppingly amazing. Absolutely top class in every way! Winner of the "wow factor 2015"....

Wow! Presumably the same technology that has road vehicles moving on layouts? Under board magnets, is it? So, in truth, it could actually be done on a layout, and if the thing had plastic wheels it wouldn't interfere with the track.... Interesting. So I ordered some mini bicycles, to be delivered to me from Brosna Halt via the GSR. Looks like I need to collect my parcel.....

Just don't sit in me seat. There's an SG3 passing on the other line and I want a good view.

An 00 gauge man would have to actually cycle it........!

I have to say in truth, Minister, it had never occurred to me to wonder where they were from. I've a pic he took of one somewhere - now there's an interesting potential model!

In 1954, the GNR was considering buying another rail bicycle, as the District Engineer was aware that the GSR and CIE had used a type he considered suitable for his own needs. He wanted one for when inspecting parts of the Cavan and Dundalk - Enniskillen - Omagh lines. He wrote to a former colleague in the old GSR Drawing Office in Westland Row, and received the following reply: Chief Engineer's Office Westland Row 9th April 1954 Dear --- Sorry not to have written before re rail cycles. The last we got were from Dr. Albers & Co., HAMBURG. The Dublin agent is GERHARD SCHLOSS, LISEEN, GREENFIELD PARK, DONNYBROOK, DUBLIN. The price quoted for 2 seater bicycle was DM* 862.75 less 4 1/2% = 38.80 = 823.95. 1 DM = 1.71 shillings. DM 823.95 in ordinary money is about £70.9.0** The first quotation included free wheel and a sample bicycle was sent. The free wheel was not a success and was cut out and larger saddles and pedals supplied instead at above price. Hope this will be of some use. Personally I am very keen on the rail cycle provided it is used with reasonable care. With best wishes (Illegible) Edward D Moore ................ This, and other items relating to the activities of the GNR in general in and around Enniskillen, and those of the resident District Engineer there, will be donated for public viewing to the Headhunters Railway Museum in Enniskillen; the above item is being posted to them today!

Anyone out there able to help? I've been going through a pile of old black and white negatives, many of poor initial quality, not helped by years of fading or over and under exposure when originally taken. They'd need to have a good bit of time taken over each one, photoshopping, enhancing, and so on, but the subject matter of many is amazing - there's a full set, for example, of pics taken at Inchicore about 1922 of a loco which had been blown up on the DSER, lost its cab and centre pair of wheels, and is sitting awaiting what must have been a very optimistically planned repair. Other odds and ends too - one of Dingle in 1939, from memory.... you just never know what's going to turn up. Now - I'm trying to go through all this stuff and properly list / archive / catalogue it, so I'd need (if possible) some facility to get it all done reasonably quickly. Naturally, I'm prepared to pay whatever costs arise - though on enquiring in Dublin city centre about processing old b'n'w stuff, commercial pricesd are horrendous. If anyone has any ideas, maybe you might ping me privately. Greater Dublin area preferred, though I'm in Belfast area for a day or so every few weeks as well. The

They must have serviced an MED for you, 33lima! :-)

Knew I had it somewhere, Islandbridge; this is correct GSWR green pre-1885. For 1885-1895 period, cream and black lining, same green. Then lined black to about 1915/18; exact date unknown. GSWR then changes to grey, which lasts through GSR and up to end of steam. This model, made by Inchicore apprentices, may be seen at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in London. It's a beast of a thing about a metre high. Worth seeing. Livery may also be seen on 90 at Downpatrick.

Who'd like to help me fund a new-build for the DCDR! This is a little beauty, which would be ideal for such things; well, one must dream. The straight sides are a giveaway to its Belfast & Northern Counties Rly. origin. Pictured at Ballyclare, Co. Antrim about 1942, it was already withdrawn. Note the boarded up window and very badly faded paintwork. Meanwhile, up in Donegal hi

The Giant's Causeway tram in the mid thirties. Here a three coach train awaits departure at Portrush. Meanwhile, at Ballinamore, we see this very rare phenomenon in the thirties; a locomotive not in plain grey! C & L No. 1 remained in lined green even at this stage. The Cavan & Leitrim painted engines a shade of green not unlike vie green, and lining was red and white. In this example the C & L livery is by thus stage understandably very dishevelled, as it's well over ten years since a paintbrush was seen near the locomotive.

Haha excellent..... But is it a dartboard or a DART board?

I always thought a sleepy GSWR branch terminus with just 2 or 3 J15s, a couple of six-wheelers and a dozen or two vans and cattle wagons would make a nice simple but interesting project. Personally, I'd base it in the 1950s so that an occasional "C" or "G" could appear, but that's just my own preference. Your GSWR plan is a superbly original one.

I've one or two more somewhere, Mayner. Will post when I can. This was taken two days before the line closed. Apparently there was a respectable number of people on the Dingle train that day, but not too many on the branch. The branch train was hauled by No. 6 as you can see, and consisted of a single coach, a bogie van and a couple of goods vans. The loco shed was out of the picture on the left, way down behind the carriage you can just see the end of. There was a turntable there too. The loco has just turned and had a drink and is running round. The two sidings either side of the goods shed were the only other sidings or track in the place. A very small compact station which would therefore make an ideal prototype even for quite a large scale layout. There was no signal box - just the ground frame on the left.

And we're off to Castlegregory again, and it's summer 1939.

Can't wait to see this develop, Islandbridge... I had a look at pictures of that layout just now - it's easily accessible online - and the GSWR wagons are indeed accurate, as is everything else as far as I can see even down to the station paintwork. I'm not sure about the blue coach - if it's meant to be a stray MGWR one it ought to have white upper panels. However, it may be a representation of some other company's livery which I'm unaware of, but it certainly isn't MGWR or GSWR in origin. Given the very close attention given to every other single aspect of historical details, I'd be surprised if it wasn't a true representation of some prototype.

It hasn't ben used even for engineering trains for quite a few years no, as it is impassable in several places. The level crossing in Limerick is tarred over, for example, and farm gates are across it. It's also tarred over in Foynes.

I'd say, based on things I've heard from people who ought to know, that this is a distinct possibility. I'm afraid that the possibility of a daily mixed with a J15 and a six wheel coach is somewhat less likely......

I think, Mayner, that many GSR rebuilds did little to improve the appearance of their subject matter! I would agree re the 4.4.0s you mention. Unfortunately, an ancestor of mine who was in their drawing office then could well have had something to do with some of them!

£99.99 plus £7.15 postage; that is to say £107.14, or about €145. For one used wagon. Can someone explain to a simpleton like me, what exactly is supposed to be going on here? Is this "payday loan" stuff, where you can borrow one cheap looking toy wagon, provided you pay back 500 brand new Murphy Models 201s in pristine condition? Does anyone at all actually pay money like this for an item like this? If so, I'll go through my neighbour's dustbin, sell the contents at €1000 an item, and retire. On another note, looking at the above picture, when did the SLNCR paint wagons brown and black, or CIE paint wagon chassis black? Answer: not during their entire history......

Best ferts I've seen!