jhb171achill

Wow! Those pics show some serious potential for a fascinating layout, Davy; and welcome to here. There are many with superb skills and knowledge who can help you. Regarding liveries, the main livery by far was battleship grey, perhaps marginally darker than your illustration. It is important to note that chimneys and smoke boxes were grey as well, as were most can interiors, and motion inside and out. Numerals were in a dark cream or light yellow, and "snails" were in the "Eau-de-nil" colour, which was a very pale yellowy green. Snails were never yellow or cream, always eau de nil. Some tenders were in service without snails, either because they hadn't been reprinted from late GSR days, or they just hadn't had any transfers handy. Very very few locos were black, and those that were would have been painted that way from about the mid fifties on. There is a list in Bob Clements book about CIE steam of what engines were green or black. These were with probably a single exception the only locos with black chimneys and smoke boxes, though Cork turned out a solitary J15 as late as about 1960 in grey, but with black smoke box. All green locos were fully lined in black and white, and the exact details can be seen on 800 in Cultra. One 800, I think 802 from memory, got a somewhat lighter shade of green in the early 50s, and at the same time became the only CIE loco to carry a red background on its number and nameplates - the other two had blue, again as on 800.

Even puddles on the path. And those hens are making me hungry. This is as good as modelling ever gets - outstanding - can't wait to see it some day if it's at a show.

Lines of goods vans like that... A necessary but often missing detail in some layouts... Well done for capturing the atmosphere so well.

It's just dawned on me...... I think.....

Little goods ran after 1947 even.

Wow wow wow! Excellent stuff......!

Ah sure we allow the culchies in the odd time, horsetan! :-)

Sounds excellent, Phil; best of luck.

That's actually an interesting point. BnM track almost always looks as it it's (a) three quarters submerged in weeds and mud, and (b) extremely uneven to an extent that in model form would just put locos off the track. I wonder how you would reproduce it - probably best smooth track with lots of grass growing round it?

What's going to happen in the Spring Series? Predictions? And - do we have an IRM sub-group who are known to inhabit Croke Park and partake of light refreshments afterwards?

Not in colour, though, Horsetan! ;-)

Four of the four wheeled TPOs were later converted into heating vans....

A Bord na Mona model would be a very unusual and interesting subject. Looking forward to seeing how it develops. Looking great so far! I like the old shed...

Looks incredibly real, and busy! Wish there was still a location lime it! It's better layout-watching these days than actual train-watching.....

Possibly have it running on a shelf-like layout around the walls of wherever you have your collection? That way you could make it out out of narrower boards end to end rather than a large rectangular baseboard... maybe that would do?

Superb stuff. Just reminded me that NIR had no less than four classes of locos in their all-blue - Hunslet, C, 071 (GM) and 201....

Would a D16 be feasible? Or maybe you ned a certain number to justify a production run? (Serious question)

It'll cost him fifteen shillings, though.....

Stunning!

That would look great, RedRich. You could get away with 461 in lined green in that scenario, instead of the less colourful plain dark grey of CIE days!

Maybe celebrate with a pint of make-up! ;-)

461 as built had a different boiler and chimney. What she carries is as a result of the GSR´s rebuilding of both 461 and her sister 462. Thus, a model "as is" would be appropriate for the GSR or CIE era.

Thats right, Mayner. I recently gave the IRRS several brochures that Dundalk works had basically sent away for. These were being considered at the time. one of then was from North British, one from another British firm (can't remember which) and the other German.

The Gothic style stations at places like Tynan, Glaslough and Lisnaskea would add even more interest! One can just imagine an 80 class calling at one of them - or a 141 with a couple of laminates - thirty years ago….!

David - if you have a look at the preserved Walker railcar in Australia, its probably similar. Cant remember details but you can't get clips of it on youtube…..