jhb171achill

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?

On its way, Riversuir. PM me your address.

Not all locos had numerals picked out in pale yellow - quite a few were just sheep-dip grey all over. Note for modellers: numberplate backgrounds were always grey on grey locos, black on the few black locos in late CIE days. GSR never painted anything black. DNGR station - I think this was taken at Greenore. With the growing interest these days in "yellow machines", because - I suppose - there's not a lot else to see on the railways! - I thought this little gem might interest you. One at least survived well into CIE times, possibly the early 1960s. It still had its faded maroon with yellow lining. A potentially very interesting little project for a layout.

Accompanying the above, two posters. Post free to anywhere.

I think that the erstwhile "Bundoran Express" was the slowest named train in Europe.

The van picture was taken in the mid 1930s, thus that van is still, therefore, carrying green paint because that certainly isn't GSR style lettering. Very interesting indeed, well spotted Mayner. The picture of the West Cork coaches is a bit later, probably about 1938. The GNR coach you refer to which was trailed around by that railcar was the last surviving wooden GNR bogie coach other than Saloon No. 50 at Whitehead. It lay at Mallow for years and eventually fell apart, with some assistance from vandals.

What next..... Interesting rolling stock. The short lived Enniskillen to Belfast express (BUT) railcar service. Carriages in Albert Quay - ancient CBSCR design - look at the patchwork maroon paint! And, with fresher paint, Ballinamore - where freshly painted anything was a rarity. Now, here's a puzzler - until I find the accompanying notes anyway. At first glance, possibly SLNCR, but I think it was taken somewhere in Dublin. If so, the lack of a letter suffix to the number suggests GSWR ancestry, but neither the GSWR or GSR put "No." in front of a number. Thoughts?

A jaunt on the Lough Swilly, the Cavan & Leitrim and the Giant's Causeway now...

Castlegregory, summer 1939.