jhb171achill

VERY nice!

Help! I can access IRM on this iPhone as it’s always logged in. However, my desktop won’t accept a log-in now, and won’t let me change my password. Any ideas?

That's a very good point! My understanding is that we don't have to do anything, but I've an order in for one example of each type of coach and each number, so I certainly don't want to lose it (Dempsey; that'll be another light weathering job!). Plus, on Hattons site, it says (or said) that all in this range are "sold out on pre-order".

I'd say that's right.

The CIE green used was the standard lighter shade used on any coaches painted after 1955, and any green diesels after the D class. The Phoenix Donegal red as shown in that ad is definitely not quite right - it was very slightly darker. Probably it's their advertisement rather than the paint - I hope so!

Seen from the field across the road, on a cold January morning in 1959. With the resident J15 away for a boiler washout, A30 shunts the morning passenger set at Dugort Harbour. The silver loco and tin van will look better once they get a new coat of green paint. They are joined by a Park Royal and an old six-wheeler which is ekeing out its last days on the local.

Let me know by PM. I'm involved with this museum. We are trying to look at ways of having new events this year - and that would be an excellent one. He used tinplate and he used shaped wooden blocks to bend things round. he was an excellent tinsmith. One or two of the wooden blocks have survived - I think there's one on that table. I was in yesterday at one stage - pity I missed you! Bogies, wheels, etc., were a mix of bought ones and ones he cast hyimself. The self-cast ones are generally very brittle nowadays and must be handled with extreme care. Worth pointing out that as of now, while the museum is open today for the bank holiday, on an ongoing basis it is closed Mondays and Tuesdays for maintenance etc. Opening is 10:00 - 17:00 (last admission 16:30), Wednesdays to Sundays inclusive.

Sadly, yes - pity those who set these fires don't forget to leave the premises when they torch them!

I just KNEW it!

Pictured at Lansdowne Rd some years ago. What is it, when was it built, what does it do, and is it still in use, and if so, where - or, was it withdrawn, and when?

W O W W O W

This is precisely what we lack. If its related to 1690 or 1916 we'll mark it. If it's cultural we probably will. Industrial heritage - per head of the population here - nope. Your New Zealand comparison puts us to shame, and we've 7 million on this island nowadays!

Sounds interesting - can we have more details - what sizes, what prices, etc...... Excellent project. I must look and see if I can send you anything I have. I think I've some Donegal carriage drawings somewhere.

I do know that Jackie (West Clare) applied for several grants to develop Moyasta further. The waste ground upon which the ITG equipment currently lies would have been developed as a railway museum, and a couple of proper West Clare carriages would have been built. Major upgrades to the station building would have been also required. I saw the grant application, which was professionally prepared for Jackie. Unfortunately, though, it was ultimately unsuccessful. These grants can be given to voluntary bodies too. Private individuals won't have any luck, and businesses have a whole pile more hurdles to jump. In order to access these grants - most of them anyway - a properly run body like a preservation society or some other type of heritage body with a committee, constitution, etc., is usually necessary. As an aside, possibly uniquely, in Ireland - several of the heritage-type railway schemes are privately owned by one (or maybe two) individuals. While this does not officially bar them from grants, as such, it makes eligibility more difficult. I've had personal experience of preparing applications for a number of projects. One - relating to Downpatrick some 25 years ago - came up aganist this issue. At the time, the DCDR was not operated as it is now, as a democratically run society with elected officers, but it was in the course of changing to that. Once this was the case, and the Downpatrick & Ardglass Rly Co (privately owned by about half a dozen founder members) had been dissolved and the assets placed in the hands of the new registered charity, Downpatrick & Co Down Railway, both local authority and other grants were instantly available.

Let’s hope so!

Jayyyyysus

Like the Giant's Causeway Tramway did in the 1880s! Or the White House if trump reappears! Indeed - many governments, and many company boardrooms...................

As one who was involved in the financial "cleaning up" after the fire years ago at Whitehead, when the local walking sewage burned out half a dozen carriages, I would say it most certainly IS the biggest disaster to hit preservation here, ever, and by a factor of maybe ten times the second worst. Again, great sympathy for those closer to the action than i am these days, and we must all direct our wallets this way as far as we can.

Well, the UTA did shred the railways under their control........

Yes, in GSR times and CIE up to about 1960, stations were painted what might be called a dark brunswick green and cream. The green often ended up badly faded, giving an impression of a lighter shade at worst.

Very good and valid point, indeed.

On the basis of the above, I'd say closest to 3003. Nos. 3000-2 are defini8tely too light, and 05 is too dark. The rest are irrelevantly different.

EXACTLY. Spot on. By any standard, even the most optimistic, or the most staunchly pro-rail, could never justify spending money on a new (or essentially new) railway, just to redirect traffic from a perfectly adequate existing one, or to duplicate an existing facility. My fears of white coloured elephants and inane politicians remain. One wonders if the Foynes money would have been better spent on Navan or Athenry to Claremorris.

Six MONTHS - many a wan doesn't get this far in six YEARS..............

Today is the 63rd anniversary of the closure of the West Clare - Ireland's only narrow gauge line which was fully dieselised, and the last public narrow gauge line (unless you count the new Dublin trams!) 1st February 1961; RIP.