GSR 800

3003+3002 on 14.50 ex Connolly 

Maedbh has had her wheels painted. Needs a little bit of weathering!

Might make up some brake cylinders for her at some point.

1 hour ago, Killian Keane said:

I ran off a quick test print of the new smokebox door last night, Id consider that a success, it really does change the look of the loco (donor N class kindly loaned by @GSR 800)

Excellent work Killian, as always!

Really is transformative.

14.50 was NIR CAF 3003+3002

206 still on shed.

39 minutes ago, Blaine said:

Not really - how much are other things like Nintendo DS's, Playstations and Xboxes for 'younger buyers' these days? 

Easy enough for manufacturers to judge and in many cases buyers too - example cant see the announced Murphy Models Dart Plus selling many, hence the IRM Hunslet is a 'one-off' and despite this being made very very clear there will be people in the future who regret not buying them at the time, or never even heard of them

How many people are buying several Playstations, Xbox, etc? Not really a good comparison. A PlayStation is more like buying a layout, ready to go. The games would be more akin to purchasing locos and rolling stock. From that POV the PlayStation looks like a very good deal indeed!

3 hours ago, Ironroad said:

I think you missed me. I confirmed an interest with Killian last Dec and have a D16 waiting.

Hi Ironroad, not to worry, you haven't been forgotten!

The MGWR A class has been commissioned and is in the design stage. 

The A class require smaller Hornby Princess Royal 6'6 driving wheels, which I purchased off Peters Spares and slot easily into place. Initially, I tried B1 driving wheels, which were more accurate, but these caused slipping.

This is a thread to gauge interest on the 400s, which would come after the MGWR loco is completed.

206 is spare in Connolly 

.

1 hour ago, DoctorPan said:

Likewise, a yes for me.

2 hours ago, Flying Snail said:

It's a yes for me (one).

Four confirmed then with my two, halfway there.

On 10/12/2024 at 11:50 PM, GSR 800 said:

John,

Your plans and advice have been invaluable, I'm happy to have one of your 650s, and my plans would stay plans without Killian's wizardry! The talent lies with him, and he puts up with my mad ideas!

I'm hoping my 650 will be complete shortly.  Markits seem to be on hiatus. Other sources seem to be drying up also, quite difficult getting wheels for the 650. 

D16/3 is indeed Hornby. The B1 drivers slot straight in, and have the same bearings and gear. The only thing that needs to be changed out is the crankpin, the geared set on the B1s has crankpins for walschearts, so Killian had the idea to pop them out and the ones from the old wheels were popped in. 

Pickups were persuaded into place easily, was just a matter of trimming length off the brake shoes and the sand pipe.

Will have to change out that C for an A!

 

Using the B1 drivers unfortunately caused the loco to be a poorer puller than she had been. I replaced these with a Princess Royals 6'6 wheelset, which while less accurate, solved the issue.

With the Woolwich door complete, the A class is now next up.

After the MGWR A class, I'm considering commissioning a 400 class. This would be the split footplate version, meaning 401 (after 1949) 403, 405, 407 and 409 could be modelled.

402 had a flush footplate and 500 cab, whereas 406 had caprotti valve gear. 401 also had this until fitted with walschearts in 1949. So these two would be the only two the model wouldn't cover in the 1950s. 401 survived until 1961.

In terms of chassis, I may look to see if the Hornby Royal Scot would work with these. Alternatives would probably be B17s or King Arthurs. The Scot would be ideal as Killian has the chassis block modelled for it. They can also still be found for under 100 quid.

You would receive the loco body and tender, and the smokebox door handle. Killian offers to print the buffers AFAIK. Killian supplied nuts and bolts to fit the shells to chassis. Handrail fittings, handrails, whistle, safety valves, would likely be separate parts though some of these could probably be printed if necessary.

My intention for these would be to purchase two, possibly three. To justify making Killian endure the torture of designing something absolutely littered with snaphead rivets again, I'd be looking for a minimal order of 8 before going ahead and commissioning these. 

With my two that'd be six other required before going ahead with these after the MGWR A class.

So if you're interested in a 400, do let us know!

"Those of us who saw the last agonies of steam felt deeply with Charlie Maguire, when, his voice breaking with emotion, bewailed the passing of many 'fine engines'

Charlie was thinking primarily of the 400 class, and of all engines I personally miss them the most."

Drew Donaldson, A Decade of Steam.

15 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Infairness. Modern stations and stock don’t allow much for variety. For instance how many places had large and interesting layouts for them not to even have a loop in 2025. Equally how many of those places are exclusively served by an ICR and not much else. Even now, the days of 2 car railcar formations is coming to and end in the short/medium term
 

the late 50s-early 60s is the best era. Change my mind

Certainly the modern era is horrendously boring and sterile. For a bit of interest, you'd need a dcc sound decoder of some yahoo shouting abuse at security guards before buggering off on a scooter with the gear.

My interest is early 1950s CIE. Dieselisation is already making inroads through the AEC railcars, but steam still dominates, with the Enterprise connecting Cork, Dublin, and Belfast hauled by the apogees of CIE and GNRI steam. Within a few years, it would all be gone forever.

13 minutes ago, Killian Keane said:

Ive legitimately had a request for Dublin and Kingstown coaches recently so that shows you the mental space Im in  lol

It is truly fascinating that many of our generation of modellers have turned toward a much earlier period to model after.

In many ways it makes sense, locomotives and rolling stock are smaller, making layout building somewhat more manageable. Many very obscure prototypes with all the elegance of victorian and edwardian design, and in some cases absolutely no elegance whatsoever!

I must confess I'm very partial indeed to the GNR Park J class 4-4-0s and JS singles of 1885, some of the most handsome locomotives to have ever run in this country.

2 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

I meant the GSWR 4.6.0........

I think anything post-1914 is modern!

I've considered commissioning 400s or 500s, but I'm sure Killian hopes I will start looking towards something like the old MGWR Grendon engine instead! 

With the Woolwich smokebox door complete, the MGWR A class is now next in line. 

8 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

I was looking at the 29k from my first class seat nervously….

what apeared to happen was they waited for the up Enteprise to arrive and nabbed the wiper off that since they had none spare in drogheada 

Makes sense, surprised they didn't have it in Drogheda. They've a few in Connolly iirc, almost certainly in Belfast also.

5 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

To those who care about this sort of thing. My enterprise is currently on drogheada (we should have left Dundalk by now) due to a wiper blade coming off 

 Edit: We left at about 5 past 12. 

 

at least the front didn't fall off

On 25/6/2025 at 11:38 AM, jhb171achill said:

Indeed; I share that concern. Despite good noises being made, freight facilities in Dublin have again been reduced, Taras have gone, and there’s even less left now.

And still not a syllable about Foynes.

 

Idk what the longterm plan is for North Wall but at least Dublin ports rail link will be reinstated after improvement works. I'm not very optimistic, but considering the likes of the foynes and the purchase of new wagons upcoming there must be something. 

What I did not consider when I wrote that post is that they could always run freight at night on busier sections to avoid clashing with the commuter services. That'd be a return to form! I recall looking at the WTT for Mullingar back in the early to mid 20th century, the earliest train landed in at about 3am!

PM sent

4 hours ago, Mayner said:

Just received an e-mail that 4D Model Shop the firm that produced the etch parts for Paul's E401 Class is closing on 30 June. 

I guess final chance for anyone to place an order for a CIE E401 Class shunter

Very unfortunate news, they were an excellent service. Will be gone in less than a week!

17 minutes ago, IrishTrainScenes said:

4 x 29000s (unconfirmed) worked 09.50 ex Dublin & 13.00 ex Belfast today. Possibly 11.50 & 15.00 also due to DD set AND an ICR Failure.

If ever the 29ks were given a nickname,maybe other than 'cheap as fuck' I think donkeys or mules would be apt

Workhorses of the railway, do everything and anything. Not at all 'glamorous' like the Mark 4s, DDs or ICRs, but usually show up when one of the latter two fails.

And of course they roar like donkeys!

A bit smelly too, just to add.

30 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

The site should show prices in Euro with ‘inc. vat’ appended. Where are you browsing from ? If the site can’t tell if you’re in the EU it will just show ex Vat and then add it on when you confirm your location. 

Usually I see it like this, initially the price minus vat shows up then after a few seconds refreshes to full price 

19 minutes ago, Mayner said:

I am planning to supply Coaching Stock etches to order direct from our photo engravers in the UK beginning with our CIE 4w Van and MGWR Horse Box and Meat Fish Van etches and expect to have an updated price list during the next two weeks.

I am considering producing sets of etched parts for 1951-53 Inchacore built coaches previously supplied as overlays for converting Dapol/Airfix 60' Stanier coaches to CIE stock. The proposed sets of parts similar in principal to Worsley Works/Comet coaches, supplied with an etched roof to be formed to profile by the builder.

At this stage I am looking at producing Buffet Car, Brake Second and will produce further sets of parts if there is sufficient interest based on enquiries for a minimum of 10 of each type of coach.

Put me down for one of each type of coach, one of each horsebox, fish/meat and two tin vans John.

1 hour ago, Niles said:

I've read varying sources suggesting that 802 (a)received the experimental livery in the late 40s and later was repainted into the regular green, (b) that she was painted in the regular green, then experimental, then back to regular, and (c) that we she was painted regular green and then experimental for the rest of existence. Doesn't answer your question at all I know. 

The 800s can be confounding. As iconic and well known as they are, there's actually quite a bit about them that doesn't seem clear, with a healthy dose of typical Irish yarns woven into the canon. 

That theory on 801 running with 802's tender is interesting, hard to tell but that photo does give the appearance of being different shade. Mind you, I recall from my RPSI days there were occasions when 461's tender appeared to be a slightly different shade to the loco itself, the simple reason being when stabled in Connolly yard it was easier to clean one end than the other while lighting up.. maybe something similar is going on here, it's hard to tell...

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. 

14 minutes ago, minister_for_hardship said:

A combined road rail and canal museum, but small town politics fecked it up.

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

13 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

That was indeed one of the potential schemes proposed.

May send some emails..