jhb171achill

Now, there's a loco. Forget yer oul identikit railcars. 2700, 2600, ICR, MED, MPD, 80 class, 70 class, 450.... All oul biscuit tins on wheels. I'm just standing back here now to see what happens. I did leave AEC and Donegal railcars out, before you ask.

How did we all get onto this from "GSWR 101"!

Herewith, proof from Mr Broithe of how devious leprechauns are. They lead you to believe that underneath a rainbow there's nothing more than an oul crock of gold. Above is the proof of the REAL treasure they guard. The man driving that lorry is either in their pay, in which case I hereby issue a fatwa against him; or he is an unselfish hero, determined to wrest his precious cargo from their grasp. Wonder if he ever drove the Guinness & Fert with a 141 for IE.

That's got the makings of an excellent layout. Plenty of room for the amazing scenery round there too.

Waterside, Derry, about 1975. York Road, April 1985. Note that the GM maker's plate on the cabside has obviously been only very recently hacked off! Lisburn, with GVS to Enniskillen train, about 1939. Claremorris, 14th June 1971..... hold on..... I don't think my bookcase was in Mayo then... One can dream.

I've found an oul moth eaten seat cushion which I think was out of one of them. When I get a chance I'll photograph it and post it - this will show original upholstery.

Broithe, that is indeed the secret formula for stacking such barrels, and also draining them via a beer tap and glass. How did you know this Great Mystery?

Ah, so now we've "round numbers". I demand triangular ones, whether of procrastinated variety or not.

A new canvas! Consider it the conversion of the Atmospheric to the DSER via the intermediate stages!

Riversuir, I posted yours today along with another few odds and ends I found which might be of interest

I have a sample of GSWR wagon grey - which is as good as black - as well as the lighter loco "battleship" grey. Based on the above samples, the best matches would probably be: GSWR wagon grey/black: a darkened version of RC414 Executive Dark Grey Matt AB2414. GSR / Early CIE wagon grey: the closest looks like 125 US Dark Grey Satin AA1376. 1960s Light Grey as applied to H vans, pal-vans and "bubbles" when built; chassis of "bubbles" once the bodies were painted orange: probably 165 Medium Sea Grey Satin AA1794. GSWR / GSR / CIE loco grey has been covered elsewhere. In all of the above, I'm going on an online colour chart in artificial light! But the above look close enough. If you trawl British modelling websites, I'm sure a decent reference can be found for LMS wagon grey. This is appropriate for the NCC, and only very marginally darker than CIE or GNR. The County Donegal used a slightly lighter grey, which can be seen in original form on the preserved CDR open wagon in Cultra. However, as often seems to be the disease in replicating original wagon liveries, the black ironwork on that is not authentic. It should also be grey.

I think we should have triple entendres and quadruple ones. That'll sort the men from the boys!

The Triffids have arrived! Neat railcar....

He's got a sword. What's the big long pole she has, to the right?

Wow!

I found one way out on the T & D in the early 70s. I kept it a few years, then sold it. I wish I'd kept it!

The NCC picture dates from the early 1940s and the Inchicore one late 30s. This transfer appears to be of late DUTC origin.

Extremely neat work!

You'll note the two different types of wheels on the ends of those.....

I totally agree, Noel, you're spot on on all counts. Mind you the most uncomfortable things ever to (dis)grace the rails here were the noisy, fume filled rattling vibrating UTA / NIR "MED" sets, and the 450 "Castle" class, especially in the equally vibrating driving car, as they switched from one of their two speeds ("stop") to the other, "go"! The BUT cars were comfortable as were the AECs, though power cars could again be noisy. To be fair to the modern railcars, as utterly soulless and bland as they are, the power cars don't rattle and vibrate like their ancestors.

Very true, Nelson. The other thing is finance. It would seem a pity to all but the bravest, to "butcher" a possibly expensive scale models something into what is in effect not a strictly accurate Irish model! Possibly a matter best decided by the individual's perception of their own scratch building skills. You - for one - would have nothing to worry about on that front! :-)

The telephoto shows the "intercity" track to be not as good as it looks.....

That's the problem with intercity trains in Ireland in general. They are all too slow to compete with road. Belfast to Derry, the Enterprise, Dublin to Tralee, Waterford, Rosslare, Westport..... Hmm.

That's a real beauty.

This is a superb job. It would worth, perhaps, a new thread to identify RTR locos or easy-to-make loco kits which could be kitbashed to represent Irish prototypes. We're all aware of, for example, numerous LMS, BR, or other 2.6.4T locos which have been turned into very credible looking NCC "Jeeps". I saw - somewhere - pictures of a brilliant looking GSWR "J15" wise origins were, I think, a Hornby loco of LNER extraction. There's the LMS "Jinty", of course, and the "Woolwich", and perhaps a Brighton "Terrier" might provide the basis for GSR Nos. 90 or 100? Any more?