jhb171achill

Seal of the Dublin & Meath Railway Company, 1858.

Those grain wagons were originally grey, Burnthebox. In fact, when I took that picture at Rock Street it was the first and only time I saw one in orange.

Above and the following: Heuston Goods. Neither a 747 bus, roundabout, portakabin or "park-by-text" machine in sight. In those days, text was in books and newspapers, believe it or not! And that dog WANTED my ankles. Badly. Nearby, an E plays with coaches. Meanwhile in Connolly.... And meanwhile in de rebel shtate boy I know, I know.... but a 450 has been preserved. Same comfort levels. Ghastly, ghastly things to travel in. Lisburn, 08:35 all stops to Central, 1977.

The NCC breakdown crane in NIR maroon about 1972. I think I took this at Ballymena. Maroon paint, NIR logo; no gaudy bright yellow then, thank goodness. With all my wittering on about the importance of the availability of accurate historical livery information, and the ongoing failure of the preservation organisations to take it seriously, I have to hold my hands up and confess here. This is the RPSI's iconic, and fascinating, "Rosslare Express" relic, GSWR 861 of 1906. It never wore a livery remotely like that and nor did anything else here.... but.... yes, it was I who played a hand in painting it; my first ever job in the overall preservation world. As I've said here and there in defence of those who do the same - it's often a case of the person who can be bothered to turn up and slave away is the man who decides - or, a case of just get it painted because it's needed for a tour, and maroon is what's there.... Guilty, m'lud. Headford Junction, Co Kerry, June 1978, from loco cab.

These are the ones which wouldn't post earlier plus a few more. First one's for Nelson! I think it was taken either during a 1938 visit, or about 1942/3. Again, I should be able to establish exact dates and locations once I have gone through various lists. Port Laoise, 1977. Demolished very soon afterwards. The next few are Ballynahinch Junction, 1978. All obliterated now. Ballynahinch Station, June 1978. Old UTA (or possibly BCDR) signs still above bricked-up doors. They are in faded UTA green as far as I can see, probably not BCDR green - though I wouldn't rule it out. It's interesting to see "freight office" instead of "goods office" on a sign dating from at least the 1960s.

No problem, Colm, your detective work is appreciated. I've a few more, including this one of the H & W diesel towing an NCC railcar, as a passenger train apparently; presumably it had failed somewhere. I don't know the location but may be able to find out.

I'd say that on that morning, wanderer, they would have needed a ballast-thawing machine instead of a ballast cleaning machine!

It was indeed the only one, Kevin; it was an unsuccessful experiment. I'm not sure how long it took to raise steam, but I would guesstimate 5 hours. It ran on turf alone.

I'll try those ones again .... need to re-scan them.

Hard to believe this was Heuston Station goods yard in 1978. [ATTACH=CONFIG]17266[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17267[/ATTACH] E434 plays with a Mk. 2 [ATTACH=CONFIG]17268[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17269[/ATTACH] Ballynahinch Junction, 1976. Despite oft-repeated theories about how it would become a huge preservation centre, forty years later the site is, sadly, obliterated. [ATTACH=CONFIG]17270[/ATTACH]

The following were taken between 1976 and 1978. First, two ex-GNR vans (of standard Dundalk 1954 ancestry) in the former Rock Street goods yard, Tralee. The one on the right is in CIE 1960s light grey, the left hand one despite having been repainted brown, still shows signs of its original "G N" lettering. This phenomenon was common in UTA repaints, which were very cheaply and badly done, but not CIE. Silver container, on silver-painted flat, as a barrier wagon. Possibly Asahi origin, though not used as such when photographed. Next, grain. Rest in Piece (s) A GSWR relic: by no means the only one forty years ago. Standard. No 1960-80 layout is complete without one - and pristine ones were rare! Draperstown (I think), 1947.

The first is blurred; with good reason. It's a case of "now you see it, now you don't"! Whhooooosssshhhhhhhh! It's 1939, and 800 goes charging down the main line near (a very rural) Clondalkin on one of its test runs. Next up, an NCC narrow gauge tank at Larne about 1938. The rest - these bring back more recent memories.... mostly 1978.

Note to moderator: I'm not exactly sure where best to post this, but I'll leave it in your capable hands. To the modelling community: these are rough scans. If you PM me I can get you decent copies.

They certainly do look grey, BSGSV. I think the leading one is just weathered, and thus did make prime black look greyish. But as you say, the next one and the van look grey. It's possible a few were done like that, but also possible it's weathering. Certainly, black was the official version. In model making, roofs can take on all manner of weathered characteristics. Look at how many CDRJC and GNR locos appear to have black domes; all were painted red! (or blue). In recent timed, orange-painted loco and coach roofs often looked dirty. Equally, nice shiny black hot dumbed down pretty quick. Green CIE roofs - no. Above black / grey - for me, I'd say the jury's out! Interesting.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]17238[/ATTACH] There's Bessbrook & Newry in the midst of this lot. [ATTACH=CONFIG]17239[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17240[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17241[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17242[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17242[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17243[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17244[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]17245[/ATTACH]

Top two from CIE 1972 WTT. Below from 1935 GSR Appendix to WTT. UTA 1965 WTT below.....

Interesting, Broithe.....! Here's more..... CIE stuff is 1972 WTT if I remember correctly - maybe '73.

Clifden line timetable above from the MGWR 1920 working time table. More from this source:

Anyone ever hear of the Cleator & Workington Junction Railway? I have a large collection of the tops of headed paper, the logos and railway names off envelopes, and suchlike. This is but one example.

The further meanderings through the shelves..... The CIE timetable of Ballinacourty is 1973.

That's back when pussy was a kitten........!

True. My father, aunt and grandparents spent many years going back and forth to that area here they had relatives, and spent many summer holidays there. Senior was taken to see the "stolen remains" in the 1920s, at which time much was still visible. Here's more stuff. GSR crest on later (post 1933) GSR maroon paint, and an old railway letter seal of ancient parentage...

The "green-roofed" items were confined entirely to the railcar world, and the description is actually misleading. It was just the front part of the roof, ie the curved bit, which was green, and in at least one example which I saw photographed in West Cork, there were stripes on this green patch which looked to me to possibly be pale yellow. I would be extremely doubtful if any dining car had any green on its roof. West Clare railcars were an exception to normal rules. Both the dark green and the later lighter green were carried; in neither case was there either "snail" or lining of any kind. In some cases these had all-black roofs, in others all-green. If any 5' 3" gauge vehicle ever had a completely green roof, it would have been an extremely short lived one-off experiment, a bit like the one "A" class which for a very short time had an orange, instead of red, buffer beam. In such a case, they were possibly vehicles included in a railcar set. In 1959, some railcars still wore the dark green, and would have been undergoing repainting into the lighter green. This is when the amendments you mention would have taken place.

I know..... no matter what I do, either they, me, my iPad, or you the reader - are upside down. To prove the point, here we go again:

A few more odds and ends....