DiveController

Standard Open 1449-1496 (1958) No. 1465 at Tralee, 1984 ( a large of class of 64s open coaches with different roof vents)

Silver A Classes A27 & A38 double heading straight out of the box ... but why? http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305551 The Patrician Year, 1961, was marked by 12 months of religious celebration in recognition of 1,500 years of devotion to St Patrick in Ireland. The Papal Legate Cardinal Gregorio Pietro Agagianian, the pope's envoy visited Ireland and he and Cardinal John Charles McQuaid traveled on the special papal legate's train drawn by 2 A classes in June 1961 http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000305550

1097 replaced 346 in 1957 as an ambulance coach and was renumbered AM12 in 1965 hence is not mentioned in Pender & Richards book of 1975. Credit to @BSGSV on another tread on this forum ( I just spotted the info and remembered this)

You would not believe the amount of work that goes into preparing a vessel or disused rig for sinking as an artificial reef, yet God knows what is in these 10,000 containers. Presumably they do not sink for a while so imagine the potential dangers to shipping. I suspect that the containers themselves that have much structural integrity apart from the main frame and that likely doesn't;t do well with torsional stress especially for 40 containers or outsize container which can be 60' or more

Thanks, George. A useful post

I understand that, Minister and I hope that that was understood from my previous comments. As for the a regional museum taking a voluntary interest, that would seem unlikely from what I've seen. The IRRS might have to bequeath them to the NLI with stipulations of course to enlist such help. It is up to the society to make membership attractive or useful in some way in order to attract membership. For overseas members who cannot walk in on a Tuesday an online resource makes the most sense. @h gricer I am certain that there have been many contributions to the survival of and acquisitions made by the IRRS due to its volunteers. I actually agree with many of your points but it is frequently very difficult to comment constructively on this forum without someone waiting to be indignant and defensive about a great many matters. I must assume from your rhetoric that I am included among the slanderous. Failing to gauge or react to the general perceptions regarding any institution or society may not necessarily a recipe for failure but certainly will do little to advance its mission. I'm sorry if you have perceived all of this as offensive after so much time spent at the IRRS and I want to get it off this thread so please PM me if necessary.

I was looking at that shot earlier, Balsa I think

HI Leslie, Not unreasonable at all to make it available to members but right now it is not available to many at all. I'm not sure what the mission(s) of the IRRS is but I'm sure that probably includes supporting Irish railways, their history, modelers historians etc. It is wonderful that so much information has been amassed and preserved and I know it takes a substantial effort from the custodians to get it online, but that being said, the custodians of these photographs also have a responsibility to act to ensure that this information is preserved and available. There have been many iterations on this forum regarding railway history being squirreled away in private collections. While this may not be the intent at present it seems de facto to be the effect. With present technology it has become easier to digitize, preserve and make these available to those with an interest in them. You do not even have to entrust it to Flickr if you so choose. It could be on its own server (backed up remotely) to safeguard it in the event of another loss of an online photo repository. This would be paid for by subscription as you suggest or it could be on a free or nearly free online on Flickr etc. It is not for me as a non-member to advise the IRRS on the best way to do this but if it is not done then interest in the field will dwindle. Several Irish preservation efforts have failed for various reasons and it is sensible to safeguard what we have now for the future. My interests in Irish railways extends well before I was even on this planet, through exposure to many books written and photos taken before I was even born. Although many other members of this forum are much more knowledgeable than I, I try to contribute what I learn to share and stimulation interest from others. Ernie's railway achieve on Flickr is an amazing achievement (a one man show I think) and several other online collections are hugely interesting and informative. In my opinion high res prints available to buy are a waste of time to me. I would prefer to pay whatever I need to paid (if subscription it is) and browse what is of interest like the O Dea collection. The details are import, coach details, numbers, line side & background details not the main focus of the photographer etc. Right now there is no way to see what is available that I might want to subscribe to. This are just my opinions and they are intended to be constructive to your good self and the society. Regards, K

One on eBay a week or two ago went for a reasonable price. I have one (maybe both) so was of no interest. ,They come up from time to time if you're patient

@IANGThat video would drive anyone crazy (well, me anyway). There is a lot on the DCC thread on this forum but I haven't been there in ages so I cannot remember what. @Noelhardwired a split chassis loco a few years ago and although some issues in his own words iirc, it will pretty much show you a lot. I'm sure he can post a link. Firstly make sure that the loco itself is running as well as it can be in DC. You only need to connect the decoder to the motor wires for basic functionality . I don't recall if that Lima 201s have any cab or marker/headlights ( I have #201 somewhere in a box myself). If they do then you need a decoder with a few more functions to control directional lighting and an appropriate resistor in the circuit so you don't blow everything. Decoders are much cheaper now and forget any Hornby stuff and get yourself a basic ESU or other similar model and reliable decoder.

Is there any possibility you could post up the pages on the parcel vans and the TPOs &tenders from that era please? @jhb171achill

Get that 121!

The 201s may be 'trash' now given how much things have moved on (in terms of running quality, DCC, sound etc). People have a tendency to forget the era in which things became available. The iPhone has only been around for a decade but it feels like they have always been there. Nope, remember that junk flip phone or PDAs that were the ultimate thing at the time (versus the call box and rolodex). The fetched very high prices at one time for that reason. As for the prices, once again, no one here very likely to be interested in this auction and if so I'm sure they have a search saved on eBay

That's a shame to have a repository that large that's only available to those within reasonable geographical striking distance. The online folder is restricted to IRRS members only

The author appears to be Michael Patterson, although the book does not have an ISBN and seems to be a print and publish as indicated above. Any new material on the closed railways is better in print than lost and although the photos are a little small and the book is maybe not of a completely similar standard to that produced by a larger professional printer, it has merit especially to those who might be familiar with that area. There is nothing wrong with my copy. One could argue that Colm Creedon's books are kind of a mess but it doesn't mean I don't have a copy of those too. Its a collection of reminiscences of the locals near the end of the railway https://beneathesummergrowth.wordpress.com I don't know if it is still in stock. This may be where I go try copy at some point ( I don't recall) https://www.modelvillage.ie/product/the-railways-of-west-cork-reflections-reminiscences/ The NLI has copy http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000735162

I should have posted this in Photos & Videos of the prototype: If it could be moved easily by a moderator that would be appreciated: When CIE began its coaching stock replacement program in the early 1950s, it continued the traditional wooden coach building employed by the GSR and its predecessors. Over the decades, the length of coaches built by these companies had gradually increased from 4w to 6w coaches, then bogie stock on 45', 50', 57' and eventually 60' underframes by the 1940s. Other than the earliest composites built in 1951, the standard length chassis was then increased to 61'6" and remained at that length for decades to follow. The GSR style under frame and bogies were still used, until Bulleid's triangulated underframe and laminated panel construction began with the construction of a large fleet of Park Royal coaches in 1955. This continued with the Cravens fleet that followed. For years compartment/corridor coaches had dominated coach building until 1953 when the first centre open coaches for half a century were built as intermediates for the AEC railcars introduced in 1951. These 64 seat centre aisle open coaches had tables and a window shared by 4 seats. This is a nice 3/4 shot from a Flickr member whom photographed a fair number of important CIE coaches in the early 80s near the end of their working lives. 1356-71 series CIE Open Standard No. 1361 (1953) originally turned out by Inchicore in pre-1955 CIE green but after 30 years of service is seen in post 1963 BnT with single white stripe below the cantrail, Cork 1982 CIE 1356-71 series Standard Class Open (1953) No. 1368, Tralee, 1984 (note vertically extended lap window arrangement)

Another lovely view of 2550 but no help with regards to the dimensional issues 2549-58 series luggage van 2550 at Thurles Feb 1960, I think this is the one attached to the rear of 2554 above http://catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000304885

I like your logic, John, regarding the lookout and the doors. What were the actual maximum dimensions of the Irish loading gauge? Regardless of the discrepancy, thanks to all who replied. I realize that your contributions take time to research and post.

I would be most interested in two of a full kit for the 2549-2558 series vans which were the widest vans at 10' wide the others being 9'6" or less at 9'3" @Mayner. This profile best represent the 1950s prototypical look. Interestingly when I looked at Doyle and Hirsch's book on rolling stock I was surprised to find the the 2549 series are on 60' frame even though we had talked about the new 616 vans above! Can anyone confirm from another source(s)

Full Luggage/Parcel van (rtr needed) Cravens (available (ish)) Side Corridor Composite (desperately needed, one of my favorites!) 1950s 64s open Standard (also desperately needed) Another laminate (but running out of pixels) Fewer pixels but with with running boards A freaking CAD geeks paradise if you're running short of inspiration ( I know you're probably short of time) PS there's a separate thread for luggage parcel brakes above, any more info on TPOS? (Yes, I know I introduced the subject above)

You need to be careful when you're using The (Parcel) Force. Had you used The Force correctly you would have know how to e-Vader

Apparently it's a freebie when you purchase 2 or more rolling stock in an orange livery

Took me a few minutes to figure out why it referred to them as the new 616 vans in the O' Dea collection, the new 61'6" chassis length 2562-2591 series (1973) bogie full Luggage/Brake Van 2583 at Dublin Connolly in 1986. Twenty-three were built from earlier passenger coaches (maybe 1449 laminates looking the window configuration and rebuild required but that's just a guess). Introduced in 1973 presumably to carry the Fastrak traffic referred to by John (above)

Amazing job, @flange lubricator, it's the same van! And here's another, the 2559-2561 trio were modified from GSR built coaches of the 1930s and put into traffic in 1971, same capacity as the others "6 tons evenly distributed", GSR boxes (cf. the O' Dea photo with Commonwealth bogies) 2560, Cork 1982