minister_for_hardship

23 minutes ago, derek said:

Excellent. Wonder why the working timetables are stamped confidential in the second pic?

They are marked Confidential to this day, so are Circulars. Not for Joe Public.

1 hour ago, commerlad said:

The above posts have gone on about location and population in those areas, But I think some of you miss the point that those locations are holiday destinations or have good transport links.

Wales is only in most cases only 2 or 3 hours drive away from England.

Any thoughts that Ireland is that same 2 or 3 hours drive, A 2 hour ferry crossing plus the 1hr check in beforehand and then guess what. Another couple of hours drive to get to the location.

It's not that those in the UK are not interested in Irish historic railways, It's just the practicalities of getting there easily are not viable.  Especially as most do day trips to locations on the Mainland.

Off the top of my head I can legally get to at least 10 mainland locations within an hours drive from home (according to google maps) for only minimal fuel costs.

Anywhere in Ireland is 3 days 2 nights and a ferry fare.

 

After checking I got that number to 16

Just to add the majority of clientele on the RPSI may railtour are English, so that level of support in spite of geographical, cost and other obstacles is all the more impressive.

I've been on a few steam trips abroad, Italy where vast majority of punters were...Italian, Australia...Aussies (with a few poms), Czech Republic...surprise surprise Czechs, Germany...Germans. Here, on a May tour in Ireland, Irish people are in the minority like an endangered species!

6 hours ago, Branchline121 said:

I always thought if Inchicore was ever scaled down that it'd be neat to use one of the buildings as a museum -- like an Irish equivalent to the NRM in York. There wouldn't be running costs or anything of the sort at least but there's a good chance something else could come up I suppose.

There's a great big one with the roof falling in on it on the premises. Public access could be an issue obviously.

4 hours ago, west_clare_wanderer said:

That's a really fascinating point. It would probably take an academic paper to explain why that is the case.

Do you think the relevant late arrival and then early demise of many lines in Ireland is the reason for this? Lots of rural railways may have only be around for two generations (for instance the 1890s to 1950s or '60s), so didn't get the foothold in society and local communities as they did in England?  That's just a quick hypothesis, based on no evidence (dangerous I know). Or is something bigger at play here? Perhaps because Ireland remained a largely rural society until the 1980s? 

I have another though..... do you think the lack of preservation schemes may also to some extent mirror the relatively lower wealth, disposable income, and economic base of Ireland until the Celtic tiger revolution? Perhaps in the days when fledgling projects were getting off the ground in Britain - in the 1960s and 1970s - there was (relatively) more money available. Critically, grants. At this time, I just don't think the economics would work to support preservation schemes in Ireland. This lack of money, coupled with the far lower, and more dispersed, population base, could have been an influence.

Feel free to dimiss these thoughts are claptrap. I won't be offended if you think they are rubbish

I think there's a greater affinity in England because they did pretty much invent them so there's that. 

Here, railways may have been considered to be a little bit "foreign" in what was up to recently a largely agrarian society; they were promoted and controlled by Big House Anglo-Irish, they could speed troops to unruly areas, they were staffed by uniformed men with their own sub culture and slang, and surrounded by high walls and fences.

Stations were often scenes of emigration, people dislike being reminded about the bad old days.

As someone mentioned somewhere else, a working steam railway can be (and has been) funded and put into operation. That's the relatively easy part, the trick is to keep it going.

Contrast that with the greenway, once it's built, it's up to "someone else", council usually, to maintain. It's a crowd pleaser, the public get a leisure facility for free* just turn up with your bike or running gear. 

* yes I know it's not really free. It comes out of taxation.

I think people would love a Severn Valley type operation here, I see a lot of "wouldn't it be lovely if we had X here, it would be great for tourists" commentary. Full of good intentions but good intentions of course won't butter any parsnips.

47 minutes ago, chris said:

why would you even want a standard gauge setup in Ireland? 

 

NZ is an interesting comparison as there a lots of preserved railway all over the place even though the population is comparable to Ireland but the geography is equivalent to the UK, but there's a clear UK mindset on preserved railways that has made it over here but has not made it in Ireland to the same extent and it's in the mindset of the population to support and travel on these and the multiple mainline runnings that are done.

We run a 7km branchline out of Waitara, a tiny town on the edge of a small provincial city and can still make the numbers work running 2 runs every 2nd sunday, there's no real reason why similar should not be possible out of say Galway which is comparable population wise yet I just don't see it happening in Ireland. Don't know why though, lack of general public interest??, crippling insurance costs?? lack of volunteers??

You answered your own question; the insurance thing can be overcome, but lack of interest and linked to that lack of volunteers are where these things founder again and again.

People can find loads of spare time and energy to volunteer for all sorts from tidy towns, charities to GAA because those things interest them. Granted there are things on an operating railway that will need special training but most anyone can wield a paintbrush. Culturally, Irish people are not as connected to railways as their counterparts in the UK, and specifically England.

2 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

two wealthy non-enthusiast businessmen who thought that a line of 10 miles with 2 locos (steam) could be financially self supporting and make them a fortune.

Their naivety is delightful.

1 hour ago, GSR 800 said:

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.

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

1 hour ago, Noel said:

It’s s pity the Youghal line was not restored to service and instead sacrificed to another useless greenway instead of a busy commuter rail extension to Cork city, OR it could have been a preserved heritage railway line out to Youghal for weekend excursion close to a large population centre (ie Cork). The only other candidate I can think of is if they close the Ballybrophy to Nenagh line the RPA could hand it over under license to a heritage railway operator, then the line at least could be accessed by main line rail instead of driving a long way up to NI. Wonderful and all as they are, Downpatrick and Whitegate are just far away and too awkward to access for most rail enthusiasts down south.  Personally narrow guage doesn’t float my boat like the UK standard guage preserved railway lines do. I guess in Ireland we just don’t have the tradition or population density to support such. So for now model form does the trick.

Youghal branch as a preserved line was proposed on multiple occasions from the 80s to 00s. I vaguely recall a letter to the Examiner from a "colourful local character" in legal circles threatening to clear the line himself.

24 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

The model is. 

But:

"WARTIME GREY"!!!!????

"Economic stagnation grey"

He's treating the office of president as if it was a reality tv show, every day it's a "what the actual *expletive* has he done now?" The "ratings" are through the roof and that and money is all he cares about.

3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

 

 

* It was more of a crash in a bog, but still...

Any landing you can walk away from is a good landing.

A (sort of) airport rail service.

http://www.lucannewsletter.ie/history/frailway.html

3 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Maybe some people in more rect times, like people involved in the 1998 peace treaty, or maybe some President who had broad popularity and cross-party support?

The Mary McAleese bridge is the only thing to my knowledge named recently after a non deceased person here. 

It's probably prudent to allow a number of years to pass after a person dies before naming things after them, if say it was discovered subsequently the person did unsavoury things.

The '66 namings were of their time, the choice of dead leaders everyone could get behind, papering over the cracks of the Civil War. I doubt we'll see further Rising/WOI namings on a large scale.

Interesting to note the names that stuck in regular use (Kent, Heuston, Colbert) with the rarely used (O'Hanrahan, Casement, MacBride)

Trends these days are naming things after people in the usual sports, literary and arts fields. But also formerly ignored Irish people in ww2 (helping Allied side obvs!), social issues, peace process, and much more of an emphasis on women.

In the grounds of a B and B, H van like, but perhaps older.

55 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

I'm totally stealing Mango Mussolini.

8 hours ago, LNERW1 said:

the half-hearted hi-vis jacket 

IE had those up to the 1990s aka The Bra.

13 hours ago, James Regan said:

Just so we aren't all depressed, Working on the display of various things. Unfortunately, when I upload it appears to be low resolution. 

Better not be anything made in China in there. 

Don't forget, different batches of what are supposed to be the same shade of painted product will appear dissimilar when placed side by side. Learnt that in a previous life in the construction industry! It is the case in real life and models.

10 minutes ago, Newtoncork said:

It's going to be interesting how it will get up Churchyard Lane (18, 19)  after crossing Blackrock Road. Steep enough and narrow hill. I'll be in the nursing home before this is even started!

Lisbon's fairly hilly with old narrow streets and trams aren't fazed by it.

Is "Commuter" the navy/white/snot green livery?

On 2/4/2025 at 1:19 PM, Mol_PMB said:

Some foxy locos...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226676877681

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226676869002

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/226676871357

Surprisingly decent prices for locos since overtaken by IRM's offerings.

On 2/3/2025 at 12:21 PM, Westcorkrailway said:

 

Was gunning for a Kent sign. They aged well for some reason 

Depending on where placed, the vinyl bleaches in sunlight. The Killarney one has lost its gloss and faded a little, it was only up for a couple of years before being replaced by the current green striped ones.

54 minutes ago, Westcorkrailway said:

Again, ask Ray Good tommorow, im Sure he said to me one time he actually slept in one of these in Bantry

He's probably still scratching himself on account of it.

Ah the lesser spotted Wuhan, Detroit and Limerick Rly notice.