jhb171achill

That looks stunning!

Head's ok, Heirflick, thanks! Will do another paint job tonight if I get a chance.

Is this the way they're delivered... If so, lettering should be green, not black. Bogies and buffers silver. I think the buffer beams were red when in traffic, though not in makers photo.

Absolutely superb stuff, padmack! Don't forget grey chassis for the palvans though!

Of the MGWR, the county donegal.... Oh, wait, it's not five foot three... Daylight has come.

I wore my handbag out many eons ago while arguing that the castle class railcars, MEDs and MPDs, were the most miserable things ever to disgrace the five foot three. I lost the argument: my opponent argued that they were the least comfortable things on or off rails. More Zambuca? There are still 8 tins of stout in the fridge. Toast?

Glenderg, it's too late. I have accepted an invitation to become acquainted with a bottle of Zambuca. On top of Guinness, it's just as well this thing corrects my spelling. PM me your email address and I'll send it to you tomorrow - it I can remember where I filed it! I also think a UTA liveried castle class isn't too bad looking. Uncomfortable as those dire apologies for yellow-pack trains were, they weren't as bad as the happily departed MEDs! And that's REALLY saying something. I have just re-read this post. It actually makes about as much sense as any of my posts (ok, I hear ye); despite the manner in which this evening, and it's imbibulatory activities, has unfolded....

Mr. H Flick, your perception and intelligence are way out in front, as are your intuitive and predictive powers; as we speak, I am on my fifth of many Guinnii tonight. Tomorrow, more mushrooms; depending on my abilities after that, a De Dietrich in GNR navy and cream is not by any means beyond the bounds of possibility.

They are lovely mushrooms, Burnthebox. I'm just finishing them off now while an A4 pacific in GWR cherry red charges past me with GNR tartan liveried De Dietrichs, en route to Burtonport...

The driver was frustrated as he still hadn't had his Christmas cards delivered....

Mods might choose to move this somewhere else, as it isn't yet 1st April! Guess what I saw when I was out and about today, taking photos and eating mushrooms. Dunno if this will work.

Detailed differences by BSGSV there, very valuable for modellers. One final livery detail. If you're modelling a G601, don't base the livery on G611 in Downpatrick. Apart from the fact that none of the 611 class ever carried green, the livery itself is wrong. When the initial trio carried green, the frames were green as well, not black. The cabsides carried a large number and no "snail", not the small numbers with small "snails" as depicted. Rumours abounded in some circles that G611 was delivered in green and repainted black before entering traffic. This is not correct: I have seen a photo of all seven lined up outside Inchicore on delivery, with cardboard covers on the windows and no numerals on any of them; all in grey undercoat awaiting painting. G611 was never green, still less the ITG version it carries.

Correct! The G611 class travelled as far as Ballina, Dundalk, Shelton Abbey, Tralee, Cork, and Galway. They covered beet shunting duties at Mallow, Thurles and Tuam from time to time, the Loughrea branch, and even PW duties on said branch. There was talk of trying them on the Ballinrobe branch before it closed but this never happened. Had it done so, there would have been two lines using them on passenger and mixed services/ G601s were less versatile due to slightly lower power and no vacuum brake. Initially, they had been tried on the Fermoy - Mitchelstown line as well as Banagher and Newmarket. The closure of all three of these lines by 1963 reduced the 601's duties. I think they might have been used to push things about inside Inchicore works the odd time. Naturally, on a layout, there's no reason why they couldn't power a De Dietrich set!!!

Looking closely at the "G", it seems an accurate enough model, though there us possibly slightly to great a curve on top of the front of the bonnet. But with the windows of that design, it's a G611 he has modelled, not a G601. Thus, as stated above, both the silver and green liveries don't apply. On a more positive note, I'd say the G611 type, as modelled, is of more use to the modeller as there were more if them, and they were used Ina wider sense, including, of course, passenger workings on the Loughrea branch. Apart from the Newmarket and Banagher goods for a short time only, the G601 trio were only used for shunting, and very little at that.

Bear in mind, though - for accuracy - only G601-3 were ever silver or green. Those painted thus had chassis of the same colour, not black. And green ones had large cabside numeral, but never a "snail". G601-3 were, in black days, the only ones with the number painted of the radiator front. These three were always black - I am 99% sure only the later G611-7 ever had tan as well. The model is of the later ones, thus silver or green is inaccurate for them, as is operation on a pre-1962 scenario layout. Are those prototypes shown in the photos above grey or silver? Maybe just the photo...... Absolutely excellent looking models though.

Bear in mind, though - for accuracy - only G601-3 were ever silver or green. Those painted thus had chassis of the same colour, not black. And green ones had large cabside numeral, but never a "snail". G601-3 were, in black days, the only ones with the number painted of the radiator front. These three were always black - I am 99% sure only the later G611-7 ever had tan too. The model is of the later ones, thus silver or green is inaccurate for them, as is operation on a pre-1962 scenario layout. Absolutely excellent looking models though.

Or a smart cat....

After today, and this winter, you'd need models of blown down ones!

Dog Brilliant! Master and mistress took me for a walk. I smelled a new neighbouring dog today. Brilliant! Then they got me a fresh bone, brilliant! The furry creature just sits on the window ledge, that would bore me. But I can run round the garden, which is absolutely brilliant! I rolled on the carpet and they tickled my tum and bought me a new bouncy ball. Excellent life! Cat Day 1453 of my captivity. The four legged one is obviously in cahoots with both the two legged ones. They attach him to a lead every day and take him somewhere. They are obviously plotting how to keep me captive. They bought him a round thing which seems to fly all over the place when they throw it. The four legged one runs after it and brings it back to them, despite their evident efforts to throw it away. This can only draw me to conclude that the four legged one and both the two legged ones are equally stupid. Yet they conspire to keep me here. Day 1454 of my captivity. I awoke, had a drink, and a lengthy cat nap. The four legged one is running about the garden. This appears to me to be further proof of its intellectual deficit, as there is nowhere for it to go. It appears to have no concept whatsoever of the freedom to be gained by climbing trees. Clearly, the two legged ones don't either, as every time I climb the tree they pull me down and bring me indoors. The two legged ones have bought me some sort of plastic device which they call a "toy". I have no idea what they intend me to do with it. It's enough to drive me to more catnip. I use this to dull the realities of life in such surroundings.

Wrenn, Alfie's just gone from the shed roof......... you see, they KNOW what we're posting here....

Careful what you say on this forum, lads. As I read these posts and reply, I am being very carefully watched by neighbouring Alfie (who is a female feline) from the roof of the shed outside the window. She misses nothing.

A quantity of moons ago, a stray cat was seen around Whitehead and was fed by then-volunteer Jim Bromfield, before he relocated to England in the late 90s. Overnight, the loco shed's significant rat problem was solved. Fast forward ten years, and a family of strays moved into the environs of Downpatrick loco shed. Ditto. These creatures have their uses. Just in case of need, I have lent a quantity of detailed railway history books to the cat who currently owns my eldest daughter.

Glenderg; that's a masterpiece!

They should write it in full in Arial size ten on the roof, and a normal number elsewhere...

If they have a REALLY good look round Limerick yard or Inchicore, maybe there's one still about.... (Hoping...)