GSR 800

It is, of course, possible that it was a case of the same colouring wearing differently, i.e., the tender wearing into a yellowish green, the loco into a bluish green, but I digress. The difference is very stark, and lasted a full decade! AFAIK, there were four tenders for the three locos; Maedbh carried the last one, IIRC.

Might be a different now, what with a Minister in Mullingar, rather than a Minister for Athlone

May send some emails..

I wonder if there had been a plan in the 1990s to run steam along the Mullingar-Athlone route when the plan for the railway museum was taking shape. All came to nought due to the interference of a certain politician who was loath to see Mullingar get tuppence for anything. I'd like to do something with the buildings and infrastructure in Mullingar, before it is condemned to be destroyed.

Great shot of a BUT leaving Connolly. Shows the change in the last 60 years! One thing I wish was retained was the old footbridge. The station lost a lot of its old GNRI character with its demolition. It'd save a lot of running around too!

All three were painted in the dark green initially, AFAIK, contrary to the IRM blog (open to correction ofc). I believe these photos in 1953 show Tailte in the light green (looking very fresh indeed) with single chimney (note the apparent lighter shade, the black chassis + wheels and the lack of lining on splashers, etc other than the black overline) Note that the IRM Tailte in light green has a smokebox dart rather than smokebox wheel in her light green livery. I'm unsure of the accuracy of this. Here's a photo of Tailte, apparently dated to the early 1950s. (Must be IRRS member to access) https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53511646188/in/photolist-2pwEo2r-2qE3ho8-2pwDb6s-2pwDXcF-2pwocf4-2pwCjhY-2pwr81F-2pwDJzH-2pvxfo5-2pwq2HM Single chimney, lacking any modifications to her smokebox door at all! Photos from Tailte tours show 802 in her prime, with the Enterprise at Amiens street. This can be dated therefore between 1950 and 53, shows her with 2 handrails, single chimney, no vertical brackets and a dart instead of a wheel. The site says 51 was when she received her single chimney, this certainly appears to be the case. Quite possible that the heavy overhaul in 1952 is when she received her experimental light green also. @Niles may have further insight. https://www.tailtetours.com/post/ta-ilte-dublins-last-express-steam-locomotive She certainly had a smokebox wheel by her last few years; she did not retain the dart until withdrawal. v this photo of her earlier in the late 40s (need to be an IRRS member to access) https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53508723371/in/photolist-2pwEo2r-2qE3ho8-2pwDb6s-2pwDXcF-2pwocf4-2pwCjhY-2pwr81F-2pwDJzH-2pvxfo5-2pwq2HM Undated photo of her, with single chimney and smokebox wheel, lacking(!) the ugly brackets on the smokebox door. Difficult to tell what her livery is here. Photo of her at Inchicore, apparently in 1955. This looks like she's in the lighter shade still, but really it's impossible to tell. Regardless, this is Tailte at the end. In terms of liveries GS green for all three first CIE (FS) dark green for all three with double chimeys (Maedbh until 1958 at least, Tailte until 1951, Macha apparently a good bit later, at least 1953 if the date of this photo of her at Inchicore is accurate (have to be an IRRS member to access) All three would've initially had intact smokebox doors from the GSR days, so really the FS models are most accurate to the early 1950s, when they would've hauled the Enterprise. My guess is the upper horizontal handrail was added so those fitting the upper Belfast-Dublin-Cork Headboard had something to hold onto. The timeline for it certainly lines up. https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishrailwayarchive/53507111189/in/photolist-2py3qti-2psSqf4-2qUT9q6-2pww8RF-2pwByN5-2pwD4Sa-2qEaXBZ-2pwxCpW-2pwD4Ry-2pwDR8b-2pwocgX-2pwEqtW-2qEaTMP-2pwBqBU-2pwfvPU-2pww552-2pwEqXS-2pwEqXm-2pw8Mso-2pwEqXb-2pwEqXG-2pwxCpa-2pwhz5z-2pwEqu2-2pwDQDa-2pwdkNB-2pweVZJ-2pweVZP-2pwDR81-2pvFDkH-2pwCd6K-2pwp3t1-2pwD4RZ-2pwDR7z-2pvxfov-2pwCm5t-2pwoch3-2pvqy2T-2pvxfoq-2pwxCpR-2pwCd83-2pwCd7X-2pwD47J-2pwCNtw-2pwqA3u Quite possible she would receive her single chimney while at Inchicore at the time. My guess for Macha therefore, would be 1953/54. Following this, single chimney, red numberplates are accurate until withdrawal. IRM states that both she and Tailte only had red number and namplates before reverting to blue. Macha though, definitely had red in her last years of service. Tailte in experimental light green is likely accurate from 1952 or so, although she gained a smokebox wheel at some point. The vertical brackets came on and off from what I've seen in photos. I do not know when she received red numberpleates and when (or if) they were reverted back to blue. I'm unsure if she carried the light green until withdrawal. Maedbh as preserved is only accurate after her move to Cultra, prior to that she lacked the completely inaccurate G S on her tender sides. She was spruced up for the official handover of the A class diesels in 1958, and may have been repainted again in the early 60s prior to being sent up North. Certainly by the time she was laid up at Thurles she lacked a flying snail. So if one wants to model Maedbh from 1958 until her move up to Cultra in the 1990s (for whatever reason), both the FS and Preserved versions will required snail or G S removed. Otherwise accurate. I have a hunch that Macha started hauling around Tailte's tender at some point. Several photos of her with a tender that looks considerably lighter than the locomotive. https://www.accurascale.com/en-ie/blogs/irish-railway-news/the-gaelic-goddesses-of-the-great-southern-railway https://www.historicalpicturearchive.com/shop/pictures/the-macha-at-inchicore-dublin-co-dublin-ireland-old-irish-photograph-il-01218/

Great photos of the PRs as new!

Good news then?

I'd be interested in two + a horsebox van

I wasn't fooled. No SKEM graffiti on that coach anywhere; clearly, fake news. And it's not absolutely lashing rain? So much for artificial intelligence. Jokes aside, good to see these locos being taken somewhere safe. That could certainly be a bit of a drag..

Far too consistent and accurate for AI atm, good as its getting. Just some weird zoom effect or something with that camera. There is unfortunately a huge uptick in AI and AI scripted crap going around, but that's beside the point

Maedbh preserved is the specific model you're looking for. https://www.accurascale.com/en-ie/collections/gsr-cie-800-class/products/gsr800-800-maeve-preserved No model of Maedbh IRM is selling has the vertical brackets AFAIK, as she did not wear these in service outside of when necessary (if at all). You can see in the drawings she lacks them, compared to https://www.accurascale.com/en-ie/collections/gsr-cie-800-class/products/gsr800-801-maca-cie-green where the brackets are visible in the drawing.

As built, they only had the single (lower) handrail on the smokebox door, with a dart-type handle. In CIE days, this began to change. Maedbh initially got a handle wheel replacing the dart. Then all three got the second (upper) handrail. Macha and Tailte received smokebox wheel handles after gaining their upper handrail. Maedbh never carried the mounting brackets after the specials, to the best of my knowledge. The closest I've seen is the headboards for the centenary in 1949 trains, but whether the brackets were fitted or not, I do not know. They were certainly not carried around on her throughout her service after the centenary trains. Macha seemingly only received them (again) later on; Tailte had them on and off throughout the 1950s. She was seen most consistently with them during that period. It is entirely possible they were 'easily' removable. I cannot understand why Macha lacked them throughout the early 50s, then seemingly gained them sometime in the late 50s.

payment due in september

@Warbonnet Two questions regarding the model. The mechanical lubricator linkage is attached to the lubricator itself on the footplate. How will it be detached if the body is separated from the chassis? And a cheeky one, have we any rough ETA on decorated samples?