airfixfan

Update from Whitehead over the weekend major progress made. Bogie and pony truck shunted into position. Cab and side tanks added to the frames. Will be finished by end of this month before returning to Donegal Railway Heritage Centre in about 6 weeks time.

The only Irish Railway with 4-6-2T engines was the Lough Swilly. From 3 different builders, 4 different designs of just two locos per class! The Swilly never believed in standardisation!

Know that the story of the Narrow Gauge koco at Boness well. The steam engine was restored and even passed a boiler test about 10 years ago. When it came to paying the Bill's and arranging transport costs and creating required facilities. The response was Oh Dear how much? We cannot afford that so the loco stayed in Scotland. That is what happened to the plans for steam at Fintown whose entire rolling stock is a failed shunter plus Railcar 18 as observed a few days ago in person.

Love the Pennyburn photo of course. The CDR photo of Blanche is definitely a works type photograph. These have been seen for some other Donegal.locos and have a good photo myself of Class 5 No 16 later Meenglas. Work on sister loco Drumboe well advanced at RPSI Whitehead. Will return to Donegal Railway Heritage Centre by end of September. All support most welcome!

Railcar 18 was not in great shape yesterday At present Tuesdays till Friday plus Sundays for the time being.

Photo of failed shunter inside shed yesterday at Fintown Train ready to depart from station at Fintown going past the photographer in reverse for over 2 miles!

Photo of arrival from yesterday at Fintown

Photo on page 38 in County Donegal Railway Companion showing Railcar 12 in August 1937 at Killybegs with vacuum brakes. In regards to question regarding CDR wagon No 2 will check CDR Diagram book next Thursday.

Need to check through my archives/notes later this evening.

Following up on Railcar 12 and well spotted by Andy. Have been distracted by future of Railcar 18 today.

Photo 3 shows NCC coach 353 at Ballymoney. This coach ended up at Ballycastle along with NCC 350. When the other 3 coaches sold to the CDR in 1951/2 they were not sold due apparently to the cost of moving them to Ballymoney where the 3 coaches sold were located. Photo 4 Strabane and agree with date as I have many photos of same location from about 1948

Went to see line today and was surprised to see Railcar 18 arrive in station on it's own. Shunter was noted in shed out of order with engine problems. Service operated with Railcar in reverse from non cab end first and then cab first on return towards Fintown. Line was quiet during our visit.

Photo of CDR Red Van 19 at Foyle Road os from about 1989. Have some similar colour photos when the Foyle Valley Museum was being prepared for official.opening in May 1989. Used some in my article on the CDR 1960 to 1989 for current issue of Narrow Gauge Steam 3 by Kelsey Publishing

Well my second copy arrived today. Must be in the post? Give it a few days next week.

Thanks they do look very similar from when I was there regularly in the early 1980s! Did you get Narrow Gauge Steam 3 yet?

The BR Green Class 26 is at Wick

Will exclude Donegal.and the North Weat as usual!

Miniature railway looks like the Ravenglass Line. Was at the RHDR line 10 days ago and still an unique experience today.

Loco appears to be an LNWR Coal Tank

The CSR lasted until 1960 and tried to run a railway until the end. Unlike the Lough Swillya lot of former CDR rolling stock survived more by accident than design. Have written an article on the CDR from 1960 to 1989 in Narrow Gauge Steam 3 by Kelsey Publishing just out this month.

Agree with David that the Swilly was an incredible railway. That model loco is at the High Legh Minarture Railway in Cheshire. Loco is 7 and a quarter inch and photos do not do it justice!

Must be worth 10 pound in Northern Bank notes at least for a job lot?

Simular to this model.of a North London Railway tank loco?

The real thing at the NRM today

Soon!