jhb171achill

Still no photos of her in the new livery! I believe 078 is also being painted.

Update: I am advised that the group who planned acquisition of an 80 set, to be housed on the DCDR, are very much on the ball with it. I daresay that those concerned will post here, or let it be known otherwise, once there is news to report. Bear in mind, folks, that such things can often have a very long lead-in time, following various negotiations behind the scenes. I would simply add that DCDR are not party to these discussions right now, but have agreed in principle that should they be successful, they will give the 80 class set a home. 450s - not included in above comments! Just saying....

Come to think of it, they were mormons. Black badge, 17 years old, in their dad's suits........... same difference!

I was walking along a street in a country town in southern Switzerland, near Geneva, where they all speak French rather than German. I saw 2 Jehovah's W's approaching me, and they said something to me in French. I immediately, without thinking, said "Sorry, I don't speak French" (in English!). Yes; you can see what's coming. "Gee, you speak English, sir?". In the words of that great scholar and philosopher, Homer Simpson, "DOHHH!!!!!!!!" To retrieve the situation, or more to the point, my freedom, I noticed we were within sight of a bar. "Certainly", sez I, "I'd be pleased to discuss your stuff over a few pints. In fact, I'll buy you one since we're here. Coming?" No, they weren't. Phew!!!!!!

Wow!!!! that beet train!

Presumably someone has pointed out to them that the electricity is in overhead wires, not the track! And in quantities that would fry them in 0.000001 second!

The train would have a gard, instead of a guard.

Excellent news indeed; irrespective of whether the RSPI, RPSI, PRSI or PSNI run the place! :-)

Dunno why so many newspaper articles manage to describe the RPSI as the RSPI!

Yes, that's it. No hard and fast pattern. I saw the first one painted while it was still in Inchicore and the numbers were white on the front, but they were changed to black before it was unveiled. Maybe they had already got some white numerals in stock and used them later? Earlier ones were generally black, white were generally later.

Happy paddys day all! See ye at the downs of Patrick, maybe!

I will make enquiries, Minister. I am not sure myself.

Sometimes various equipment is spontaneously called other things.....!!!

Standard corridors - yes, they were included in trains of other carriages - usually only one Pullman per train.

I'll see what I can do, Kirley. The main thrust of it is as above but there are always interesting one-offs for modellers, such as something a single loco or coach had, or that was not perpetrated long. E.g. a Craven with 1st class "1" on the doors, a loco running round for a while with no logos on it or (in at least one case) a "set of points" logo on each side, and a CIE roundel remaining on the ends! This pre-dated the "black'n'tan" era too - in "green days" there were possibly even more, though doubtless not all recorded.

In the case of 071s, there is a 121-esque issue in that they were delivered in a form of the livery not replicated on other engines, nor after their first repaint. they were in a very browny shade - not "orange" at all; this was applied in the States where GM obviously got the shade wrong. The black was the same. The CIE logo on the front was all white, instead of having white letters and a "golden brown" surround, and was somewhat larger than normal. After that, they were repainted in whatever the normal livery of the day was until their second "unique" livery of black and silver appeared. And by all accounts, they are all set now for another unique livery! A record? The various liveries used since the sixties are generally descirbed as: Black and Tan: Early 60s to mid 70s on various classes: orangey brown and black with upper white band. The orangey brown was variously full lower panel height, or a band lower down with a largely black side. Loco numbers on ends and larger on sides. 141s had no CIE roundel when delivered, though 181s did - and 141s later acquired them. All Black: No, not rugby; a variation of the above from mid to late 60s (later on a few G's, D's and E's); all black but with white flashes above window level on ends only, though G class had it right round the top of the cab, sides and ends. At various times, and on various locos, logos and lettering on the sides varied; some versions had no CIE logo at all, others had the standard with orange surround and white letters. Loco numbers on ends in large version, and either mid-side large, or both ends lower side in smaller numerals. CIE Supertrain: 1972-87: All over orange with broad black band equivalent to full depth of carriage window level, dipped or raised on ends. CIE roundel on loco ends only; white letters, orange surround. The delivery version on 071s was a corruption of this as described above. On the sides, loco numerals on both cabs at low level. IR, or "Tippex" livery: 1987 - 1990ish; same as above, but with CIE roundel replaced by IR "set of points" logo on ends, and also appearing on the sides, mid black band. Numerals in same places, but white stripes (nicknamed "tippex" by some fitters in Inchicore) added separating the black from the orange at top and bottom of black band. IE Livery: Same as above, but with "set of points" replaced by "Three Pin Plug" logo on ends, and by giant "plugs" on sides. And here endeth the Orange and Black Era; welcome Enterprise liveries, apparently no two locos having an identical version, let alone when repainted; and both the original and altered colours; the green and grey of the "flying frogs" on the Cork line, and of course the hideous orange, black and yellow, with or without various sizes of yellow ends, as used on 201s from 1995. (Yes, I know; out of order chronologically; but it's 1 a.m.) What's to be next? 077 in GSR livery? Oh... wait....

A r-t-r 121 would be amazing! Put me down for a grey and yellow one!

Kevin - dunno if you're in Dublin or an IRRS member, but they might possibly have photos.

Excellent work, and fascinating to see an online account of the gradual development of a model.

On arrival at Downpatrick, A39 has been referred to as the "Black Baby", while E421 was often known (at Downpatrick) as "The Tractor"! (And the original genny van, inside a CIE "H" van, was known as "Roaring Meg"!)

That means Downpatrick's A39 is Sinead.

Exactly, ei6jf. I was involved in costings in recent years for various things elsewhere and the info I gathered there would suggest that to provide three decent steam engines (IF they were avalaible), plus a minimum set of three decent coaches fitting all modern requirements but also looking the part, as well as wiping "Ballyard" (Ball Yard? Bally Ard?) station and the DART terminus off the earth, replacing them with something that looks like a heritage railway, would cost several million euros. No less. To run a reliable steam service, at least three good locos are needed. At any one time, one will be newly in traffic, another nearing the end of its ticket, and a third in overhaul. Thus, once the seco d one comes out of traffic the third enters traffic and the wheel goes round - literally. As a general rule you'll get 7 years use out of every 10 for a steam loco in preservation, if it is very well looked after, less if not. I would again say that i wish anyone well in trying to make something of this mess in Tralee - not one created by anoyone on here, I know; just a great pity like the same in Derry, where apart from letting it go to rack and ruin, they vandalised CDR coach No. 14 from absolutely original condition into a revoltingly botched and utterly inacurate fairground exhibit. I saw that coach before it was treated as it is, and whoever did that to it ought to be locked up. Anyway; I digress.

I love this. One gentleman has a new arrival, and someone posts up that the baby will look too new and will need weathering; and here Gareth gets advice about sound chips! Excellent stuff lads! If anyone has twins there will be talk of double heading and "pairs"!

Fantastic pic - would like to see more of the plywood-panelled GNR van next to it!

Good luck!