minister_for_hardship

Have that model. Far too big for 00. I don't think there's a scale printed on the box, but going by UK forums on these Lledo and Lledo derived diecasts, many are an odd scale of 1:60.

I don't know about copied, it's generic looking, like all the variations of winged wheels used by numerous (usually European) transport companies.

The logo of REFER, the former Portuguese rail infrastructure company obsolete since 2015.

A number of systems had double cabbed steam trams or locos. The only other Irish example I can think of was on the T&DR, but that didn't last long in that state and had a short innings anyhow.

O scale I think, but 00 gauge as a compromise for 3'.

Might have potential as templates for building in another material or customisation. I dislike the blotchy watercolour appearance and painted-on street lighting.

Cork. Site to be occupied by a hotel that looks a bit like the monolith from 2001 A Space Odessey.

Yorkshire Engine Co?

I found them to be very delicate, I wasn't sure if that's the way they are or if they degraded in storage.

Attempted to put on decals on SSM brake van, the 30 ton brake van/vac brake lettering broke up on me repeatedly, so I've only got the lettering done acceptably on one side only. Wanted to clear laquer on the rest to seal them, had a guinea pig wagon with a decal already on it to see if that would work before proceeding, but the brake van decals started reacting to the laquer.

Henkel bubble cars.

I would expect little from the CIE Group, the Dublin Port Rally marked the 70th anniversary of CIE in 2015, plenty staff in attendance but officially a big fat nothing from the company. I think you were lucky to get a tweet off them.

Were these conversions from existing road buses or were they built as railbuses from the outset?

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/trains-hit-large-animals-three-times-a-month-on-average-1.4113597 This quote from IR spokesman: .... said none of the incidents resulted in any injury to staff or passengers. While “in most instances, without being glib, the animals do tend to come off worse” reminds me of when George Stephenson was asked what would happen if one of his locomotives encountered a cow on the track: "It would be awkward for the coo."

What the devil is a "soft" opening?

ZR is Wexford according to the table here. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicle_registration_plates_of_the_Republic_of_Ireland

Remember the days when children didn't have trampolines to keep them amused? Whatever did they do back then?

I don't see why the odd item shouldn't have no/minimal weathering applied or just the gloss toned down to represent something not long out of the paint shops.

Owned by O'Keefe Oil, Rathmore. Unsure if it's one they've had all along or something they've purchased lately as an advertising gimmick. I think it has an original Irish reg, not ZV or modern county reg.

Best I can do for now.

You may get answers here as some guys who were in the trade follow it and stick up photos. Worth a browse through the photos for inspiration. https://www.facebook.com/groups/186452771925056/

Only one C&MLR loco survived for reuse elsewhere, on the Schull & Skibbereen (ex No 6/6K "The Muskerry", renumbered 6S), another (sister loco 5/5K "Donoughmore") was supposed to go to the T&DLR section as 9T but that never happened in the end. Some goods wagons ended up on the Cavan & Leitrim, coupled together in rakes as the "hook and eye" couplings weren't compatable with "chopper" couplings, coaches were probably sold off locally and/or scrapped. Not aware any were transferred elsewhere. Edit: two open wagons went to the C&L section as their 210L, 211L in 1936 and used with ex Passage stock. Eight more C&M opens with two Clogher Valley opens arrived from the WCR section in 1957, used once for ballast work and dumped at Ballinamore until final disposal. Were to be renumbered 231L-240L in the C&L series but never carried them. A very small number of coaches survive, to this day, if you know where to look. I'm aware of a wagon somewhere else in a derelict state.

A brief spell on the Google machine found this. A camera shy location on a railway that not a lot has been published about, apart from the aforementioned Oakwood books. Photo doesn't have a source or credit, sites claiming photos of others as their own are a bugbear of mine. https://www.censusconnections.ie/muskerry-light-railway/

Cost!

Don't like the price, don't buy it. It's that simple.