Hunslet 102

Nice start,look forward to following this for tips when I get round to making a start on mine.

Thanks Wiggy,but that is the version that replaced the version I am hoping to model,which is the early 70s,that version started service around 1978.

Thanks garfield,that photo along with a couple behind an NIR DH class are my main reference points.From the angles,there is a 30 ton brake van,a closed van,the weedspray coach which looks like a bogie type wagon that actually looks like a cut down steam engine!,if that makes sense.There appears to be a couple of other wagons,which are out of focus,one could be an open type and one looks like an ancient wagon of some sort.

Hi all Looking for some more information,photo's if possible,of the CIE weedkiller train from the early 70s.This is the one in use before replacement in 1978,I am wanting to do a model of it for my layout as it made regular visits every year to the NIR system.I have a couple of photo references of it in action,but as most of these are of the loco's mainly,the wagons are more background shots.Any help greatly appreciated.

Another top class piece of modelling,the scene looks totally realistic and the weed killer train looks fantastic.Great shots again thanks for sharing

great scene Kirley,the cattle dock and cattle wagons look great as does the Jeep,great work

Stephen,your progress is amazing,your space available is amazing,your stock on show is amazing,your layout is just totally amazing,well done,thanks for sharing

The loco works at York Road have always been a main works in NIR days,but when the Central line was reopened to the then new Central station and Queens Quay and Great Victoria St stations were closed,a new works was built at the former County Down loco works beside Queens Quay station.This was in 1976 and thus the Hunslets were serviced here as it was closer to Central station and as York Road was still not directly linked to Central,this would not happen for another 20 years!,it made sense as the only way to access York Road from Central was via Antrim,a bit of a trek giving as the crow flies the distance between the two was only a couple of miles!!

Thanks Sulzer201.The PW gangs back then put in a shift for scant reward.The Hunslets had a max speed of 80mph and I would doubt if they were ever overhauled at Inchicore as they were owned by NIR solely who had their own loco works.

Thanks Glenderg.The Guinness containers are from the Provincial Wagons range,nice items they are too!Freight operations are probably my favourite operation on the layout,maybe because I would wile away most of the day watching the freight operations at Adelaide freight yard,although it was always great to see either the NIR Hunslet or the CIE 141 or A class powering through with the Enterprise.Happy days!!

Thanks again for the positive replies guys The 70s was a great era for the vast amount of various stock that was in use and the GNR section of NIR seen most of what was around at the time.Within the space of 4 short years between 1970-1974,NIR had no fewer than 6 different types of railcars that could all be found on the GNR section,with only the AEC railcars which were withdrawn in 1972 and the 80 class that arrived in 1974 not being seen together.For the record,the other railcars were BUTs,MPDs,MEDs and the 70 class.NIR also introduced the Hunslets in 1970 with the DH shunters arriving the year before.CIE also had a varied amount of stock that came North,with regular visitors being A and C class loco's,B121s,141s and 181s and also CIE railcars.Add to all these the varied coaching stock for both companies,from Cravens,Park Royals and Laminates to AC supertrain mk2s,with similar vintage stock to MK2s on NIR and then all the different types of freight,modelling this era at this time is just a joy

Thanks guys for your comments.Heirflick you are right,the maroon was the best livery ever worn by the Hunslet's.Well spotted 201bhoy,the crane is removable and has gone away for repairs and painting.

Nice video Kirley,the layout is looking brilliant,keep up the good work.

A couple more shots of scenes from the 70s from my layout.The photo below is as per a request from heirflick,which shows a top and tailed maroon Hunslet Enterprise with 102 Falcon leading and a tiny glimpse of 103 Merlin pushing.Sister loco 101 Eagle is heading in the opposite direction with a PW train.A couple of 141s can be seen in the yard,B181 waiting to take a freight to Dundalk while sister loco 165 shunts wagons for her return trip south later. The photo below shows something not often seen on NIR,all 3 Hunslets working individually.101 Eagle is still on PW duties,102 Eagle is in charge of the Enterprise and 103 Merlin is in the head shunt awaiting its next turn of duty.It will probably idle most of the day,as the CIE locos that brought the freight into the yard generally done their own shunting.

Ahh well,looks like I have missed out on the q kits C class.I had put in a request for one of these in the wanted pages back in November if anyone had one,pity you had'nt seen it then! The quest goes on!

Thats right jhb,I dont remember the GNR works,too young,been wanting to say that one for ages,but I remember the whole area being the bog meadows which stretched from Lislea Drive area to near enough the Park centre.I dont know how much of that was railway land though.Used to cross the lines to play in the bog meadows when I was a youngster,but dont tell my mother!!

The original Adelaide freight yard was built to replace the old freight yard at Grosvenor Road,which was beside the old Great Victoria Street station.This was around 73/74 and the freight was still mostly made up of loose coupled wagons.The crane only arrived when CIE moved away from this type of freight to the then more modern container traffic.I would need to check my records for the date it arrived. I was back home last May visiting my mother and popped down to Adelaide,I hardly recognized the place.

It is a shame about Adelaide freight yard,sign of the times unfortunately.When I was growing up,before the freight yard was built in the early 70s,the area was known as the bog meadows and it still had some old wagons kicking about from when it was home to the GNR engine sheds.A bit ironic that it is now back to a similar role,50 years later.

With funding from Europe,NIR will open a new line from Central to Belfast port,to tap into much needed freight revenue,which with a reverse from years gone by they hope to move containers to all parts of Ireland.A new station will also be built beside the ferry terminal to meet the booming tourist trade and will be served by modern railcars on a regularly basis to move passengers to their destinations quickly and efficiently,with connections to all cross border services. Fact or fiction,its all in the mind,but you have the power to decide!

Sounds like you have had a ball and a great time on your work experience with NIR.I also had my weeks work experience with NIR way back in 1978,although the only thing available was in the Red Star parcels office at Belfast Central.It was brilliant with great craic with the guys and free rail travel from Adelaide to Central.I got a guided tour of Central,which was only 2 years old then,but the highlight was a cab ride on the Hunslet, which had just come in with the Enterprise from Dublin,when it made its way round to the servicing depot beside the original Queens Quay station.I can assure you,your memories of the time you have just had will live long in your memory,I can remember my time at Central as if it was yesterday

Superb historical information,a very enjoyable read and a mass of information to digest,thanks for sharing

Great work with the fertilizer wagon,it looks the part

Thanks heirflick and gm171 kk,the cement bubbles are original vacuum formed MIR( Model Irish Railway ) kits from many years ago.

Great video,love the loose coupled freight,a time period long since lost but well worth remembering.The painted backscene looks terrific.

A few more pics of scenes from the 70s. The above 2 photo's show a 141 heading to Grosvenor Road goods yard with Guinness containers,passing a PW gang carring out maintenance on the up line. The above photo is the gang themselves,doing a real man's day of work,none of your tampers or high viz vests here One of the Markle DVDs has some great footage of a PW gang at work on the relaying of the old Central line,well worth a look to remember how the railway was once worked.