jhb171achill

Unfortunately, this is another case of the heart ruling the head. Neither the northern or southern administrations have the money for these schemes. The fact that the trackbed of a former route exists undisturbed is zero reason to put it back. There would have to be a sound business case. Freight will simply not just appear, nor passengers in Luas-style numbers which would make the thing self supporting. The trend in western societies for the last fifty years, and likely to remain, is to lighten the load on public purses to reduce tax. The capital costs of these schemes would be cheaper per mile than motorways by a long way, but that's not the way the public and their elected reps will look at it. Scemes have been suggested to reopen the Valentia line, on the basis that if you just buy an "old steam train" and run it, sure it'll make a fortune, so it will. Same for Buncrana, and the various manifestations of a Great Derry, Barnesmore & Sligo Railway. Nice to think of, and who knows, a model railway based on Sligo to Derry via the SLNCR would make a truly fascinating project, but that's about it. Therefore, it's probably most appropriate to discuss such a new railway to Enniskillen on these model railway based boards, as opposed to public meetings or even the IRN!

That Galway livery on the genny looks superb. Pity it was always filthy (well,any time I saw it) in real life! I agree with others about the weathering and track - excellent stuff.

I remember that place well. Got 00 gauge hornby wagons thereabouts 1971....... It was in one of those former MGWR workers cottages adjacent to Broadstone Station. Wonder was it up and running some 7 years earlier while the loco depot was still open?

Nelson, you go from strength to strength! If you want to check out actual BCDR lettering, the recently recovered van body at Downpatrick still has very faded original lettering on it. It's on display in the Carriage Gallery, so you can readily view it.

Burnthebox, if you want to go to Downpatrick some time you can arrange to inspect a G and an E at close quarters.

No..... The closest would be a G class, but it's the vaguest possible resemblance; they didn't really look like this at all.

I've a bit of old silent colour cine film of an E bumbling about Heuston station in 1977....must look for it!

And triangular would impress the health and safety police even more.

You'd think that after all this time, some bridge somewhere would say "enough!", and strike a truck....

Very often retired ex-mainline stock was used. Even in the early days, former main line 2-2-2's ended their days thus. However, in steam days there were indeed numerous classes of shutters on the big companies lines. In diesel days there were fewer, and after the demise of the E class almost thirty years ago, it's been "normal" locos. I suppose it depends on the location or era that you are modelling. Shutters have fared well in preservation. Downpatrick has two ex-sugar company steam locos and two CIE "E" class, as well as a "G". Two other "G" class are there two, courtesy of the ITG. Whitehead has the Derry shutter "Harvey", the Guinness engine and the rare Planet shutter from Irish Shell. Cultra has the Donegal narrow gauge "Phoenix", Derry no. 1, and an even narrower gauge Guinness diesel. Several 1ft 10 in gauge Guinness steam locos have survived too....

That really is the very best modelling you'll get! Very well done sir! Would love to see a beast like that running!

Probably something the same as a sign in a fast food joint I used to know, which was run by two ladies. It said "women's faults are many, but men have only two. Everything they say and everything they do"...... I never dared ask them what it meant, but a decent burger with extra onions and a portion of chips was 36p........

Leslie, your sins must be few; to own a collection like that strikes me as more akin to entry into heaven than hell........!

Top class stuff, Leslie - and yes, the mahogany does look the business all right!

Was hoping to make the launch myself, but I'll be in Germany! I know Alan put a huge lot of work into it. I hope it is a great success.

Meant to add, I very much like 33lima's models.

I saw the initial draft of it pre publishing and it is a work of art. Very detailed and complete, it will certainly be the definitive academic history of this line.

The Silverfox one.... The GNR version is entirely the wrong colour too, and the numerals and crests are also out of proportion and the wrong font.... A little research would have helped, whether it was an accurate model or an approximation.

Murrayec, you'd be ahead of me on that, as I said earlier the exact painting techniques and methods of diluting or mixing paint wouldn't be my thing. The exact references you would have are of benefit to modellers. My contributions would be to point people in the direction of information, or of examples I know to be accurate. If you are able to provide paint number references, i.e. the equivalent of an actual "menu", then that's the job done.

Excellent stuff

The manufacturer described it as a Craven? Or have I got that wrong?

BSGSV - yes, to answer your question, my point re weathering / matt finish / watering down initially - was that if watering down gives this effect, then that's the way to do it. I would have quite a bit of info about liveries, but actual painting techniques wouldn't be my forte, I'm afraid. To answer re the actual shade of the brilliant green, the RPSI set in Dublin is very much as I remember it, but also very much as old photos of good colour quality would indicate.

That's superb! Weathering looks very well, as does your brown van... Keep it coming!

Excellent stuff Richard!