jhb171achill

Answer to first: yes, there was even a double headed Hunslet working of a fert out of Derry one time. It wasn't common, though, for them to do fert at all, but it did happen at the time they were in blue, not maroon afaik. Regarding the reinstatement of 102; confined to Adelaide yard shunting.

Never CIE, Heirflick. I've an idea they werent allowed past Dundalk. They very rarely strayed onto the GNR at all, though it have seen at least one photo of one in a ballast train at Portadown.

I suspect it was only a very few, Hunslet, as such conversions were deemed unsatisfactory due to the inherent instability of those wagons. They were only ever intended as a stop gap measure anyway.

Railways do not make money, nor have they for decades, nor will they. They must be seen as a social service, not a corner shop business. That type of reasoning went out of the window ninety years ago. Governments throughout the western world would do well to bear in mind that while a railway will always COST money, not make it, the alternatives will often cost as much, and in a few cases more, both for environmental and other social reasons. So, we play Leo's game and shut the lot. We do indeed have good motorways. They could indeed cope. But Leo isn't taking into account the redundancy and dole payments for several thousand workers, the greater cost of motorway maintenance, the possible greater environmental charges from Europe, and so on etc. Privatise Bus Eireann - same scenario. If all that politicians can see is the stark yes or no: does it make money or not; can you imagine how they might view the gardai, Coastguards, health service, courts, prisons, social services? None of them "make money", Leo. So here's a way to get us all out of the recession and rid us of costs. Let's abolish the defence forces and gardai to start with. Then, we close all the schools and hospitals. Surely we could save if we abolished courts and prisons - think of all the fat legal fees we would save. And then - paradise! All tax intake can be spent on roads and politician's expenses! (I should be elected. I really should.)

Of course, Garfield! I was referring to Irish stock (not narrow gauge LNER). ;-)

Absolutely top class, Popeye. The weathering on the metal strapping looks particularly realistic - beginning to rust in most places, and dirty. The unpainted planks on the UTA van bring back memories too! Just one thing - could you drop me off one of those kegs?

Great to see such a varied (and superbly made) selection of goods stock.

I should have added - Nelson - that is an absolutely superb job you've done - excellent stuff, keep it coming!

A few comments.... the lime wash used was deemed to have antiseptic properties, hence it's use. As Leslie says, it's use ceased - I'm not sure when in Ireland, but later than 1927 anyway. In latter times, wagons were hosed out. For. A modeller, a light whitish wash round the lower body sides, perhaps showing as leaking out through the doors as well, and the same whitish stuff splattered all over the chassis as well. Regarding the wagon grey, the LNER shade is not unlike what the GNR used, but perhaps a little light for LMS or GSR, or early CIE. For those, LMS grey is better. Later, post-1960 CIE tended to use a much lighter shade on newer wagons like the then-production-lined "H" vans. While a little off topic, recollection suggests that the cement bubbles when brand new were a shade not unlike the LNER grey above. It was certainly very slightly darker than the then current "H" vans. Don't forget, in all cases, grey chassis, not "Hornby" black. Mainstream Irish standard wagons never had black chassis or body ironwork although certain specialised types had exceptions. Example - some bubbles had black chassis (while ammonia bogies had dark green, and acrylonitrile four wheelers had red!). Proprietary model manufacturers brought up three generations of us modellers on standard black chassis for all goods stock, just like passenger stock, and this seems to have become the single (and, I suppose, given circumstances) understandable error in model liveries.....

I'd paint the chassis grey, Riversuir.... It would just take the "Hornby" look off it (I know it's not Hornby!)... and increase existing very good realism....

At least its easier to track than the many variations of railcar intermediates and trailers, some one-offs, which ran with both UTA and CIE AEC sets, with 70 class cars, MPDs and MEDs!

For some reason, most models of 80 class cars never seem to look quite right.... But there's the proof that there's an exception to every rule! Absolutely superb job....

Josefstadt, one at least was used, I think; possibly the other wasn't. One was in steam, though not doing anything, at Inchicore one time.... I think it was the 1996 open day. The DCDR wouldn't have been in a position to take another steam crane at the time they were being scrapped due to severe space constraints - thankfully somewhat eased these days! In preservation, as both DCDR and RPSI have found, it's hard to justify exoenditure on steam cranes when apart from money always being tight, the day to day issues of loco, coach and track maintenance must always take priority.... Unfortunately, in over a quarter century of dealing with finances of both outfits, I can't recall a single occasion when it might have been possible to allow a budget for anything other than a quick lick of paint for a crane!

Exactly, Mayner....

Saw one yesterday on the DSER. Looks better in the flesh, though still somewhat dark....

It really looks very well! Do I imagine that I see my good colleague Barry standing at the end of the platform with his trusty camera? Future pic for a caption in a book..... "Rails Through Patrick's Layout"...... :-)

Of course, Warbonnet! They sit in the same siding as the remaining MGWR steam locos.......

Even as railway enthusiasts, I suppose we have to face reality. Nobody on anything like the necessary scale uses Waterford - Limerick, Limerick - Ballybrophy or Ennis - Athenry. We may say all we like, and correctly so, that this is as much due to CIE's wilful neglect of these routes over half a century, but there it is nonetheless. Individual stations like Ballybrophy, Attymon, Woodlawn, or a few others on the DSER, Kerry road, or possibly Thomastown... probably don't warrant stops for the same reasons, and using Varadkarnomics. Collooney.... Dromod..... Mostrim..... The "M3 Parkway" branch.... Docklands..... Hmm...?? So watch that space.........??

Interesting, Wrenn... thanks for that. All three liveries carried by the "bubbles" were non standard. All, equally, got covered in cement dust, though recollection suggests that in "orange" days they tended to be a lot cleaner than latterly.......

Couldn't agree more with last few posts.... a STRONG corporate image is very important. Since "black'n'tan" days, there hasn't been one.

What is the difference between a duck?

Quite possibly... I'm not familiar with the area. It's a good few years since I've been north of Ballina itself..

I doubt if it carried a livery like that. Coloured upper panels like that were not the norm in those days. It might have had some panels picked out in a lighter shade, but almost certainly not a broad "band" of lighter colour. I agree with you that as far as possible, accuracy is far more important than what some of us might think "looks well" in this day and age.....

It would have been unlikely to have had a toilet when first built, but it appears to have been rebuilt, probably with one, later. Gas lighting indeed. It's not possible at this stage to ascertain whether it would have ended its days as a first. It very likely did remain 1st, but we couldn't be certain. It appears to have been withdrawn about 110 years ago, thus unless it had spent many years in store, would have probably worn GNR livery. Very careful analysis of oldest panels on it may reveal livery. PM me about next time you're in Downpatrick and if I am up north and free I will join you and we can examine it in detail.

David, you need to get down to Glenfarne these summer nights and start laying a few miles of track!