35 minutes ago, Ironroad said:

Do you know if that space would facilitate a surface or underground station or both. I ask because it has always seemed to me that the least expensive means of connecting the airport to the rail network would be via a very short branch line from the northern line just north of Clongriffin.  There is little or no development to inhibit this and it could be achieved in short time.

As far as I’m aware this is underground. Probably looks like a massive underground car park, wherever it is.

Just now, Ironroad said:

 

Who knows,  but if they built an underground station box, it could only be done in co-ordination with anything that might be in the pipeline.  But I would not be surprised if they did so in anticipation of Metro North considering that before there was a change of the  routing of Metro North via Drumcondra to Glasnevin, a lot of of property was presumptuously purchased in the vicinity of the proposed Drumcondra station and there is a rumour that a station box was constructed beneath the new Mater Hospital building. 

Yes, there is space thus allocated, but no actual construction. The area is, as I understand, used for storage.

On the main lines nowadays the only steam locomotives which are feasible to opetare are those which can do all of the following:

1.  Haul a train with sufficient seats to pay the colossal cost of the operation, between IE charges, crews and coal. That instantly rules out several RPSI mainline locois, never mind shunters.

2. Haul a train at a sufficient line speed to fit into a timetable slot. This also rules out many RPSI locos which are bigger and faster than shunters.

3. Have sufficient coal and water capacity to travel longer distances than any shunter 9or 90) were built for.

Gone are the days when many rural lines here had only one or two trains - or none - on a Sunday, and perhaps only 3 or 4 each way on a weekday. The railways are (happily) getting busier by the day, and with the population predicted toi go on rising for the next 20-30 years at least, this one ain't gonna get easier, Consequently, the emphasis will increasingly be on reliable larger locos which can keep time.

Downpatrick os the place for 5'3" gauge steam long term. There really is no other likelihood of that anywhere. Plus, technically it's "main line"; the line from Downpatrick out as far as where the Inch Abbey line diverges to the right, plus North Junction to the southern limit of the line, is part of the former BCDR main line from Belfast to Newcastle! No. 90 will return to traffic as soon as finance and manpower allows there, and there are always the two Sugar Co. locos. The RPSI's two no. 3s have both worked there in the past - in fact the Guinness loco was the first steam loco to operate there in preserved days.

Bottom line: 3BG, LPHC3, CSET3, 1 & 90 will not be able to operate tours on the NIR / IE systems again.

3 hours ago, Tullygrainey said:

Thank you for those kind words about the County Down locos Jonathan. It was a pleasure to meet you. Maybe get a chance for a proper chat next time. 
 

Just to avoid any confusion, I can’t lay claim to the H&W diesel No28 in UTA black (though I wish I could). That’s a very fine example of Gareth Brennan’s work. 

Ah - thanks for that (and apologies, Gareth, if you're reading....!)

Good to meet so many familiar faces last week.

A few pics from Brookhall, and Alan’s outstandingly good BCDR models!

Easter running today - oil tank transfer.

4 hours ago, Broithe said:

Puts me in mind of the "farmers v meat factories" dispute of a few years ago.

At the local picket line, they became aware of a visit to the factory by a Chinese deputation and, so that they wouldn't be confused as to the technicalities of the issues under dispute, somebody had the superb idea of getting the lads in the nearby take-away to translate the placards properly.

And the translation reads……

”Numma eighteen on menu extra flied lice and chips”

(I’ll show meself out…..) 

On 25/3/2024 at 5:39 PM, commerlad said:

I told him.

 

I do not know what it is but it not CDR

The type is wrong they never had an 0=6-0

The Gauge is wrong it should be 12mm

The colour is wrong.

 

His reply.

New message from: atmodels18 (470)

Hi Don't need you to message thank you I know what it is!

 

 

 

I couldn't resist it - I told him too!

On 1/4/2020 at 9:24 AM, Warbonnet said:

 The Chinese; A great bunch of lads. 

Order today!

That's racist, Ted.

I like the 31s too, or indeed anything in the "BR Blue" era! I witnessed the start of this in a family holiday to North Wales at a time when steam had just ended on that line, and what went past all day was 101 class railcars (THEY call them "DMU"s), class 47s on long-distance expresses to Holyhead - often loading to about 12 bogies, as far as I remember - loose-coupled goods trains and class 24 or 25s...something like that.... most trains were a mix of blue/egrey and maroon carriages..... and I had better hearing and less years on the clock.

Senior went over to Brexitland about once a year on Permanent Way Institution jaunts, and took a few pics in various parts of Britain; thus:

On 24/3/2024 at 10:34 AM, Mayner said:

Its possible that a set of ex-MGWR 6w were in use as late as 1961.

According to Padraig O'Cuimin in Baronial Lines of the MGWR bogie coaches were introduced on the Loughrea Branch in the 1950s. A GSR built composite 2115 (Built 1935) ran with 91 an ex-GSWR 6w Brake 3rd No91.

"At other times a Midland set was used" 39m 6w lav 1st, 85m 6w second and 9m 6w BK 3rd rebuilt by the GSR without the birdcage look out.  This looks like the set in the first proto.

O'Cuimin states that the final steam set was made up of 2111 a 1925 GSR Composite and 2932 one of the recently  introduced 4w Luggage and Heating Vans.

The coach in the photo with 610 appears to be a 1920s GSR coach and likely to be 2111, the 6w Passenger Brake appears to be ex-GSWR with gas lighting possibly No 91 (the shape of the lamptops is a feature of gas light carriages).

The steam locos are both ex-MGWR L Class 0-6-0s or J19 rebuilt with superheated boilers, these engines originally ran with "Stirling" style tenders with springs hidden behind the framing, but apparently replaced with larger tenders, the first off a 2-4-0 or more modern (1890s) LM/J18 or a 2-4-0, 610 has a larger post 1900 tender possibly off a scrapped 4-4-0 or 0-6-0.

Correct on all points; as early as the early 1950s they had  1920s GSWR bopgie compo on the line, usully with an elderly MGWR 6-wheel brake 3rd. But as you say in the early 60s a traditional rake of three six-wheelers reappeared for a while, as above, before 2111 appearing for the final steam fling.

While I don't have the number, in the very last few years a modern silver "tin van" was also to be seen attached to 2111.

610 was a regular on the line in its last few years.

Absolute utter mess, presided over by the NTA - who, if murmerings from those in the know are to be believed, are as anti-rail as the 19450s UTA.

UTA / NTA.

One also hears that the car parking and provate bus lobby don't want any railways anywhere near any airport; an unfortunate relation to the idea of Dublin Port wanting all trains well away from the place.

Can we EVER get ANYTHING right? In China, this would be built in a week, with CPOs slapped on every carpark in the way.

10 minutes ago, Gabhal Luimnigh said:

Another masterpiece on the way

Looks very like it!

1 hour ago, Killian Keane said:

Lovely old flat-sided Belfast & Northern Counties six-wheeler in the middle there!

Looks superb. This should be a very interesting project. Within which period are you setting it, or will it be a bit of everything?

9 hours ago, Noel said:

 …….Moving swiftly on, my goodness the amount of new models due to ship over the next 9 months is staggering. Will layout have to grow to stable all this new stock?

 

When my attic was planned out, I deliberately included a fiddle yard which all my total stock would occupy an hour two thirds of.

Now it holds about half of what I have…..! 

7 hours ago, Horsetan said:

Standards of cleanliness weren't high, in short. 

Correct.

The railways were actually finding it hard to recruit cleaners by then.

2 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Oh…..oh yes 

 

 

Those photos were taken many years ago too ….

Sad to see; and sad to say, THAT one WOULD be better put out of its misery.

We can’t hang onto everything.

17 hours ago, TimO said:

@jhb171achill Green loco with maroon coaches, yes. Class 47, no. I believe it is either a Class 40, 44,45 or 46 but I don’t know which.

Ah - should have explained - that’s a pic that Senior took somewhere else. It’s my own memories that were of green 47s, on the North Wales line.

In all reality, that loco is a mess. Two have survived in better order - and, with a much better secure future. Both are owned by the ITG; one is operational at Downpatrock (in green livery) and another is in the later stages of restoration at the ITG's other case at Carrick-on-Suir. Any bogie swop with that yoke above will be for the benefit of one or other of those, which will both see good use on the DCDR.

I'm afraid I would scrap the one above unless someone (yes, that famous "someone" again!) could be found to give it a lick of paint and stick it on a plinth somewhere.............(West Cork?)

2 hours ago, Saint Johnstoun said:

Now with some decals.  I still have to find suitable lining.

Very nice jobs indeed! The UTA roundels look to be the right size too - many iterations of these transfers in the past are clearly far too big. You mention the lining - this could be a challenge as some UTA models end up with what looks like yellow and red lining, or even white. I think this is because these are readily available, though I'm not sure.

The correct UTA colour is a beige-straw-like colour and red, rather than yellow; the yellow and red lining was created in the 1990s specifically for RPSI Whitehead Mk 2s, with the deliberate aim of looking vaguely UTA-ish, but not actual UTA! (I know, myself and the then RPSI carriage officer had a hand in it!)

3 minutes ago, Metrovik said:

Well, time for a small, Monthly progress report. 

Not surprisingly the station roof has hit a standstill, Anyone know if it would look prototypical for this to stay unpainted but weathered to hell and back.

Small bit of landscaping, not sure if it really fits in though, might scrap it.

The Station is finally more than just a roof. Albeit not much more, detail for this to follow.

Station still needs alot of work to look presentable, but I'm getting there.

See you next month (all going well), MV

This is looking like a very nice little set-up!

13 minutes ago, airfixfan said:

Great to see interior of railcar 12 plus confirmation of my belief that Drumboe needs a red not black dome in Donegal Town where I will be tomorrow!

Not just a "belief"; it's fact! The CDR never painted domes black on red locomotives. Like many another livery faux-pas, this is a product of a lack of accurate research at Whitehead; we've TWO of these things with black domes now.....! Mind you, not just the domes, but often the tops of the water tanks, the cab front and rear, and most of the boiler ended up caked with so much soot and general gunk that it might as well have been painted black - same with bright blue GNR locos. I'd say if someone painted 171's or 85's dome black, there would be war...... Many CIE green or grey engines, similarly, ended their days so filthy that they could have been painted lime green, tartan and flourescent pink for all anyone could see.....

Rant over; to Ernie's latest pictures - absolutely SUPERB stuff.

6 hours ago, Paul 34F said:

The rear bench seat of Railcar 20 has been upholstered with a different pattern moquette.

Paul

That's standard GNR 3rd class material of the day. The C&L coach 1L has what was then standard CIE 3rd / 2nd class.

1 hour ago, minister_for_hardship said:

Tacked on to production of the identical British based locos, just a different coat of paint and number plates. If it were a stand alone Irish obscure model, it may not have fared as well.

True, indeed.

Maybe we should be scanning what British chassis might suit something Irish...........

As 00 Works showed with their CBSCR 0.6.0ST, obscurity is quite possible! There can be few prototypes more obscure than these, but it sold out I believe. As for the first IRM one, and the foregoing being the case, it could be absolutely anything under the sun. Availability and suitability of the internal gubbins may have a big say in determining what it will be.