Lambeg man

I am sure many of you are familiar with the colour material of Irish railways that Colour Rail has put out over the years. However in case anyone is unaware, they can also supply black & white photographs taken by David Forsyth in and around the Adelaide / Balmoral / Hilden / Lisburn / Portadown areas between 1961 and 1965. The thumbnails can be viewed on their website, but having purchased a number of downloads to aid my research for a layout based around Lisburn in the 1960's, I can thoroughly recommend the purchase of the downloads for their sheer quality (not apparent in the thumbnails). Some but not many have been published before, but there are some unpublished gems in there. Have a look if you're thinking of modelling the Belfast-Portadown section in the early 1960's.

Thank f**k you've calmed down to my level. Totally agree with your appreciation of the'consumer response'. It is all a reality check for anyone looking at any aspect of the "Irish Railways" market. However the low interest factor in Irish Railways will always ensure that any TV program will be a bollocks of yet another travel log style program featuring clips from the Armagh disaster', 'Are you right there Michael' and Downhill...... Second rant over...

Despite 'Trains' and 'Railways' in the generic sense being the 2nd most popular interest/pastime in the UK after fishing, those that are responsible for commissioning programs for their respective TV channels have only one priority - ratings. These reflect the amount the channel can then charge for advertising (though clearly not the BBC). However in 1990 a police colleague and I were working on a case of a nation wide fraudster and we got the call to feature our investigation on the BBC's "Crime Watch" program. Chatting to the presenter Nick Ross before the recording I asked why certain investigations were featured and not some more important ones, where people had been seriously injured. His reply "You have to remember, this program is about providing entertainment." And so it is today. Chris Tarrant presents a program where he asks the most banal questions (which he as railway buff knows only to well the answer) because the program must reach out to those who have no interest in trains, but love a travel log, just like Portillo... No TV channel commissioner is ever going to risk a program that is only likely to reach the attention of die hard train buffs and thus exclude The Sun / The Daily Star readers... Have you not noticed how some recent broadcasts are of stuff that was initially put out on You Tube, but then got a million hits... Rant over.

Apart from the picture in Journal No. 186, in "Farewell the Derry Road" there is also one (by Des Fitzgerald) of A51 also in green livery at Beragh in 1963 working the 'Pilgrim Train'.

One also made it to Bangor in 1960... As to reaching Foyle Road station, I think they certainly made it to St. Johnston (which was a CIE station) several times with 'Hills of Donegal' excursions from Dublin.

Thank you for that GSR 800. I have struggled to satisfy myself as to why the Woolwich Mogul in pristine CIE green livery that runs on my 1960's layout was in fact the first Irish steam locomotive to be 'preserved'! Of course, easy access to spares from SR 'U' class... Saved by CIE, they of course donated to the RPSI in 1965!!!

Hi David, this makes all the more sense to me now. Hi Jon, thank you for your well considered input. My thoughts were about CIE 'green' and 'black and tan' carriages being hauled through Lisburn by black UTA steam engines. Conversely UTA & NIR 'green' carriages being hauled through Malahide by CIE diesel locomotives. I think David hits the nail on the head about such a system being purely a "guide" for those with a limited history knowledge. My question by the way was purely hypothetical. Just to clarify, NO I have not won the lottery and NO I am not about to commission a run of 'K 15's in seven different liveries!!!!!!!!

I'm not sure I've quite grasped what is being discussed here. If it is a system to classify certain models by time period, let me ask a purely hypothetical question. Having won the lottery I have commissioned a run of RTR GNR 'K 15' carriages. They will come in a selection of liveries - 1. GNR 'Mahogany' (Steam hauled carriages) 1937 - 1959 2. GNR 'Blue/Cream (Railcar trailers) 1950 - 1961 3. CIE 'Green' (Steam / DE hauled carriages and Railcar trailers) 1959 - 1963 4. CIE 'Black & Tan' (Steam / DE hauled carriages and Railcar trailers) 1962 - 1972 5. UTA / NIR 'Green' (Steam / DE hauled carriages and Railcar trailers) 1959 - 1970 6. UTA 'Blue/Cream' (Railcar trailers) 1965 - 1969 7. NIR 'Maroon/White' (Railcar trailers) 1967 - 1974 How would I as a producer classify my products within the various time spans mentioned above?

Totally agree with your comment Galteemore. I spent a few years visiting this site before signing up as a member. I enjoy the exchange of information more often about Irish railways in general, rather specifically the modelling content, though that in itself can be some times inspirational. This site is something of an excellent 'clearing house' on all manner of Irish railway topics, not just models. As to giving locations where members live, I have found over the years that on rare occasions sometimes actually meeting 'pen friends' can be a slight disappointment. One other thing is that in 20 or so "visits" to the site, only once might I actually "log in". Other members doing likewise may account for the high number of "guests".

The story goes that all the US cavalry men at the Battle of the Little Big Horn were all killed. Not true actually. One officer and a corporal escaped. To avoid detection by the native people, they traveled by night and slept by day for three days as they headed east. Finally, starving and exhausted, they reached a stretch of railway line. "We're saved." said the officer. "Not quite yet sir." said the corporal. "It could be a week before a train comes past. But look, there is a railway hut over there where we can shelter." Making their way inside the hut they found emergency rations left for the track workers. "Let's light a fire and cook these sausages." said the officer. "Not a good idea sir. If we light a fire passing Indians might see the light and we'll be done for." "I suppose you're right." said the officer. "Hang on sir," said the corporal. "I've an idea. There are several chocolate bars in the bottom of the ration box. If we rub the chocolate in our hands and smear it over the windows, then the light of fire should not be seen." "Great idea." said the officer. So they did this and smeared chocolate over the windows of the hut and cooked a meal. However the smoke from the fire was seen by a passing Sioux scout, who approached the hut to see what was going on. Having seen the situation in the hut, he rode straight back to Chief Sitting Bull's camp. The chief asked him what he had seen and in a loud voice the Sioux scout sang - HUTS OOOOH RAILWAY HUTS!.. UH!.. CAVALRY TAKE THEM AND THEY COVER THEM IN CHOCOLATE!

A guy suspects his wife is having an affair while he is at work. So one morning, having arrived at work several hours earlier he picks up the phone to call home. A very young girl answers. "Hello darling, it's Daddy" "Hello Daddy." comes the reply. "Darling, I want you to do something special for Daddy. To play a special game I want you to go upstairs and tell Mummy that Daddy has just driven into the front drive. When you've done that, come back to the phone and tell me what happens." "Okay Daddy." comes the reply. The guy waits a few minutes and finally the little girl returns to the phone. "Hello Daddy." "Hello darling. So what happened when you told Mummy that Daddy was outside the house?" "Well, Mummy was in bed and when I told her you were outside she jumped out of the bed. Then a man with no clothes on jumped out of the bed as well. He ran over to the window and jumped out." "What happened then darling?" He ran across the back garden, past the swimming pool and jumped over the back fence. Then there was a screech of brakes and a bus came through the back fence. There are loads of people hurt and bleeding. What shall I do Daddy?" "Sorry, did you say swimming pool?" "Yes Daddy" "I'm sorry, it appears I've dialed a wrong number."

Ambitious Jon. Good luck with your efforts.

I can only presume the series was originally broadcast in Northern Ireland only, as I have never seen any of these programmes before now. For anyone else in mainland Britain who has not seen them, previous editions are on the BBC I-player. The subject matter is abandoned railway lines in Northern Ireland.

Sorry boys to read of your frustration at a TV show that I understand can not be received in the UK. Does not sound as if we in the UK are missing much. I do not know if it has been noted on this site, but BBC 4 are currently repeating a BBC Northern Ireland production from 2015 called "Walk The Line". Nice little series. No pictures of A4's yet seen!

Definitely Dundalk. The Wagon shops are in the background and the Running Shed (out of picture) is to the right. Nice photo Ernie.

So am I....

The following is a Robert Hendry photo taken at Strabane in September 1964. It is probably a 'trip' working to St. Johnston and features what appears to be two car carrying flats. It is to all intents and purposes a CIE goods train powered and braked by a UTA locomotive (an 'S' class still in GNR livery) and van!

The first proper Dining Car in Ireland was a GNR(I) vehicle of 1895. Later altered to a 1st/2nd composite, it survived until 1960 becoming a UTA vehicle.

Er, no Popeye. Check the 'relisting'... It was eventually sold for £425... I hope I will not have to drop £65 to get shot of my OO Works model!!!

Fair do to the seller for finding someone with that amount of disposable income. I only hope I can receive a similar level of remuneration when I put my OO Works 'U' class (in GNR livery) up to the highest bidder!

A 'SPAD' is a Signal Passed At Danger.

Hi Jon, These two pictures seem familiar. Have you posted them before or may I have seen them published somewhere? The first is notable for the 'Brown Van' and then what appears to be a fitted goods wagon immediately behind the engine. The second I am sure I've seen before, it is a down train that has just passed under the 'new' Monkstown overbridge seen in the background. Given the difficult conditions of the time I would not class them as 'rejects'. Many thanks for posting. LM

But he has relisted and dropped to £425. When he is down to under £200 I'll be placing a bid! What's that dear? What am I doing? Oh just replying to an e-mail someone sent me......................

A wee story about that photograph. We were in a hire car doing a 'fly/drive' holiday. I stopped the car just off the former level crossing and walked back to take the photo. About 2 seconds after I clicked the shutter button, that little group on the left all began to run towards me. As they were obviously 'hostile', I legged it back to the car and drove away. I think it may have been the camera they were after. 30 years on I wonder where they are all now!