jhb171achill

It's yet to be released, so Ken will doubtless outline that once he's ready. I was purchasing other stuff too, so I paid for it all together...........

It's an extremely clean, crisp job.

Some of you will have seen this beauty on "Dugort Harbour" this afternoon. It is a trial 3D print from KMCE Models, which Ken has kindly asked to me to test and trial. I was aware that this has been in development for some time, and the finished result represents the first purpose-made, ready-to-run Irish 6-wheeler evfer in 00 scale (or any, for that matter). It runs on a 3D-printed articuloated chassis which Ken has developed and which runs very well. It was suggested that a very light drop of oil on the central moving part of the chassis might aid operation, so I initially decided to test it without, just to see what happened. The print is extremely well executed, very sharp indeed, and hardly surprisingly it performed perfectly - without oil. I have both hauled it and pushed it, over medium radius curves and points. I don't have anything short-radius right now, though I will eventually have one quite sharp curve, so I will take it to visit a friend's layout in the next week or so, and I will report back here how it goes. This is a truly excellent model (not just because it has correct GSR maroon!), and far exceeds my expectations. The first two wagons behind it are also KMCE products - DWWR vans of two of the different varieties offered. I already had some of these - again, early pioneers - and excellent ones too - of genuine Irish pre-GSR types. The sort of turn-of-the-20th-century scenes so ably captured by the late Richard Chown, much discussed here; and our own Galteemore, Mayner and David Holman, may now be played out in 00. Add to that the Provincial Wagons models of earlier prototypes, like the GSWR guard's van and his older convertible and cattle vans, and we now have the start of a credible range of 1910-1950 stuff - and not before time! I am delighted to hear that Ken is considering some other variations on the theme - a DSER first class coach, for example, and others. These will be complementary, rather than "in competition with" the Hattons CIE coaches. I had requested the above in GSR maroon, but there is no reason why it should not have been finished in the older (darker) CIE green, as some of this type lasted until the late 1940s. As an aside, there seems to have been a pogrom of DSER stock in 1949-50, so I'm pretty sure no DSER six-wheelers lasted long enough to have the lighter green; but a layout based in the 1945-50 period can have a mix of GSR maroon and dark lined green, and including both GSWR (Hattons) types, and DSER types. The background is quite simple - passenger trains in these times scarcely ever had even two coaches the same type. Quite prototypically, a typical train on the DSER might have one of these, a DSER bogie, a GSWR six-wheeler, a Bredin and a MGWR bogie. (jhb171Senior recalled large numbers of MGWR & GSWR six-wheelers being drafted onto the Bray - Harcourt St., and Bray - Amiens St. routes very soon after the GSR came into being. He recalled going to school (on the Harcourt St line) in "unusual" coaches instead of this one above....). One of the above in CIE green will add this very type of variety to a train of the Hattons ones; both complement each other perfectly. Should KMCE produce other variations, this will absolutely add to the variety, as well as the authenticity. (Now all we need is the then-plentiful MGWR types!) These models are by far the best news I have heard in a long time. Irish railway modelling has just taken a great leap forwards; I have no hesitation in thoroughly recommending all of the above-mentioned. I should aded, it comes with seats inside, and just needs glazing and door handles to complete.

I'll put up a post about this coach, under "DSER 6 Wheeler" on the section about "Irish Railway Models" rather than Dugort Harbour, as such.

They've hidden the other side, as they are camera-shy.

It’s not often we get very early colour shots from GSR days; but here in 1943, ex-CBSCR 472 leads the midday mixed into Dugort Harbour. More of the carriage, currently being trialled, in due course!

Those Donegal images are absolutely outstanding in quality! Excellent stuff, Ernie, very much appreciated - keep 'em coming!

Indeed - purist as he was in all things GSR & CIE, he particularly liked the lined green of main line passenger locos so much, that he painted ALL his CIE locos like this, even though the vast majority would never have been anything but dark grey!

That’s a nice tribute from Joe, who would have known him extremely well.

S O L D

I find that I have a surplus Woolwich tender that I picked up somewhere. It's in the "Rosslare" black livery that a single member of the class carried for about 18 months for the "Rosslare Express" in the late 1950s; flying snail (in correct light green) on tender. If anyone here wants it, ping me privately, as otherwise I'll put it up on fleabay for, I suppose, about €30 which seems to be the going rate, more or less; plus postage.

Cans available in lined green, lined blue or lined black.

So Fanta is an MGWR brand…..

Maybe do a cheap version and make it an 0.3.0…….. ? (Ah, here’s me bus)

Absolutely T O P class!!!!

Yes, in 7mm it IS dear, but to be fair, very do-able, as you correctly assess; the scumble finish assists. However, in 00, seems a big “no-no”?

Warning: Environmentally conscious people - please skip to the next chapter.... When I was involved in steam-raising at Whitehead years ago, and loco crew in Downpatrick, the amount of polystyrene containers, plastic drink bottles, at least one old Argus catalogue, empty plastic coal sacks, plastic bags and other random rubbish that ended up in loco fireboxes - you'd hardly believe!! (This afternoon, I would have happily consigned two cyclists and one snail-pace driver to the same location...........................!!!)

He's ordering the deliveroo for the crew and they've put him on hold.

The site’s there still…..! Amazing collection of layouts.

You’d think that was a reasonable idea, indeed. By the time that Jeffrey & The Abominable No Men have grown up and decided to do their job, any info in this report will either be out of date, or deemed to be out of date by those within governmental circles whose apathy (or hostility) to railways is well entrenched; both sides of the border.

For those who knew Drew, or his reputation, the idea of his reaction to those plastic Americans would be worth ten dollars a box…….

Ah, ok, didn’t know that.

Looking this up now!

I presume that’s a wartime livery…. Its near enough the right colour for GSR / CIE, though if you wanted to go that route all you need is a number on the cabside instead of the tender, and a grey smokebox. Certainly does look “Irish-ish”….. Presumably you removed the smoke deflectors that the British versions had?

Looks a bit young for Drew in the 1970s? Could be an old photo? It does look very like him when younger, perhaps.