minister_for_hardship

Noticed it derailing a lot, put it on a flat surface and one axle, perhaps one of the axleboxes is a bit off, maybe when I made the hole a bit bigger. Any suggestions to rectify this?

That looks like the kind of thing, after a bashing around, a few pokes with a screwdriver and a spell in a container of tea could fool the experts. Curiously missing the comma in Company's. Unlike these days, they were sticklers for correct punctuation.

Sometimes that happens with mine. Not on purpose of course.

Unless B Na M resurrect the passenger carrying bog train and operate bog heritage environmental tours after cutting ceases I can't see much else happening.

If councils were only as enthusiastic about this as they are about greenways!

Stradbally have assembled short demonstration turf train. Probably the only working demonstration goods in the country.

I believe the tunnel at Newport is not part of it due to landowner issues. I don't doubt the success of the above but let's not forget that region was already on the tourist map for many many decades, probably kick started by the MGWR, and the results may not be identical in less traditionally touristed areas. Dungarvan was an up and coming town in it's own right before the greenway appeared. There's current debate over a portion of WRC to become greenway, the scenery and towns there are, let's be honest, quite pedestrian at best, unattractive to tourists at worst.

The proposed South Kerry greenway is currently mired in a dispute between KCC and farmers over compulsory purchase orders, the land was purchased by farmers from CIE decades ago. There's a great deal of presumption that these projects are welcomed by all, and if they are a silver bullet to revitalise local economies. Unlike preserved lines, 'someone else' does all the work, and free money* is available for funding. *money may not actually be free.

Do as I say, not as I do.

At least they got the name of the railway right. Had to wince when I saw this full colour poster displayed at Mullranny MGWR advertising the so-called Great Western Railway... as it's known as now! Worse, some marketing folks thought it best to call a future greenway on a portion of the DN&GR the "Great Eastern Greenway", an obvious copying of the Achill version

They're entitled to be on it. They're cyclists don't you know?

Old Mallow line, good luck with that one. There can't be very much left of that alignment at this stage. If only there was as many interested in a rebuilt railway as greenways that mountains seem to be moved to accommodate. Witnessed an amusing incident recently at the Maam Cross project site. Picture this, heaps of these cyclists came pedalling through, two mounted the platform on their rufty tufty all terrain carbon fibre bicycles only to be forced to dismount when they encountered the water tower at the far end. One reportedly asked "is this going to be the new greenway?" despite all this railway track quite obviously in place. It's like a craze, a quasi religious cult. Everything has to revolve around my pedalling leisure activity.

I'm pretty certain it is not Muskerry. Doors at extreme ends and open saloon with longitudinal benches, not compartments, a la Tralee and Dingle, should be a dead giveaway.

If it had match strikers, these may have had initials, luggage rack brackets, or a builder's plate on the frames underneath if that's still there or accessible to see.

Compartment passenger coach. Could be anything from mid 19th to early 20th cent. Hard to tell without more photos. Is it in Ireland?

That's what you get when you leave stuff on an unsecured area in plain sight by the side of a main road. It's like you're asking for it to be interfered with.

Apart from the two tone green, there doesn't appear to be any across the board livery used by both rail and bus. The tour bus "banana boat" livery compliments the coachwork, together with the individual river names looks intentionally chosen to stand out from the sea of green buses, it was a favourite subject for publicity photos and at least one poster. Beyond some GM promotional material, the 121 in grey/yellow didn't get much of the publicity machine limelight for what was a brand new loco. The CIE bus red/white scheme may be a carry over from IOC days, perhaps the city services dark blue/cream was GNRI motor coach dept inspired. As an aside, the grey/yellow 121 does make an appearance of a few seconds in the old Soviet Union-esque RTE National Anthem reel.

It looks like an oddball placeholder livery, not matching anything on rail. Could be a grain of truth there. It's like works grey with a bit of yellow detail and wasp stripes thrown over it rather than anything a great deal of thought went into.

A decent RC vehicle or drone will cost maybe 150-200 upwards, people spend that kind of money for a child's gift without thinking these days. The IR set would be fine as a starter set, seems sturdy enough, no outside moving parts or fiddly bits to break off. It's a repaint, but so what, it's grand for what it is, a starting point. Many Hornby starter sets are some freelance loco and stock in wildly inaccurate liveries anyhow.

CIE and a bell symbol, probably a makers trade mark.

Seek and ye shall find. CIE version is identical apart from 'CIE' on firehole door.

£2 was a big fine for the time.

I would assume, judging by the state of steam towards the end, the Belfast based C & L loco is likely to be clapped out. No one is getting their hands on 5T as long as the current Blennerville stalemate persists.