minister_for_hardship

They would have been originally painted according to pattern, but the paint would have worn off in service. A was red B was blue C was green http://freespace.virgin.net/david.holden4/index.htm (go to 'token configurations' and scroll down) Better to clean off the steel and laquer it to prevent any further corrosion. Wouldn't worry too much about what rattling inside them, probably loose blobs of solder.

At a guess, it might bend rails out of alignment and /or stress rail fastenings if crane moved under load?

ESB vehicles... http://europe.nxtbook.com/nxteu/zahra/em_20130607/index.php?device=accessible&pg=24 http://europe.nxtbook.com/nxteu/zahra/em_20130607/index.php?device=accessible&pg=25

Its the Bowmakers Bank logo. Probably a customer giveaway item, back around the times before hi-vis vests and those miserable armbands were thought adequate for walking at night.

Why anyone would want to buy such bizarre items is beyond me.

'Inverness once more has a friendly railway station cat.... named Hi-Vis by station staff, who have taken a liking to the ginger animal....' Unless it happens to be some weird hairless breed, they usually come pre-packaged with furry overalls.

Think there was such a thing as a stipend for food for the shed cat in BR days so they were semi-officially on the payroll. http://www.purr-n-fur.org.uk/featuring/wk-rail04a.html

You need to work on your sales pitch.

Was a flooding blackspot for years. Back in the day CIE had to temporarily reprieve a GS&WR 4-4-0 from death row to 'wade' through the floodwaters.

The lifeboat is being secured which is positive, but I don't think the plan to have it displayed outdoors on a plinth is a terribly good idea to get hammered by vandals. Smacks of typically Irish half baked preservation.

What is the damage?

From the Naomh Eanna trust. We have just been talking to Waterways Ireland about the developments that have happened in the last few months. The ship itself has become a major hazard for everyone involved as she is taking on water through her decks. The graving dock at the eastern end of the basin are being opened now and next week the Naomh Eanna will be towed into the dock to be dismantled in the next two weeks. Although she is still afloat at Charlotte Quay, both businesses have vacated the ship and she is now without power and Waterways Ireland have taken her over from her owners. For us to save her, we would need to meet the 100,000 euro costs of Waterways Ireland by next week and then get permission from NAMA who are managing the graving dock in order for her to stay in drydock until repairs can be carried out. Insurance would also need to be placed on the ship immediately and with no survey we wont get any insurance. Unfortunately it looks as if our efforts over the past nine years have failed and she will meet her end in the coming weeks. Some items will be salvaged from the ship and kept by the Nautical Trust and ourselves as a reminder of the once great ship that served so many islanders for so many years. http://www.iwai.ie/forum/read.php?1,53753

heirflick, you sure have a thing for ugly ducklings!

Tbf preservation isn't CIE or Irish Rail's bag. They can facilitate and work with groups that do that thing, their main job is to run a modern functioning rail system. Pains me to say that...as I hate (modern) railcars!

The wavy 'wasp stripes' looked eau de nil to me, same colour as body stripe and number. The grey looks to be in the same ballpark as GSR battleship grey.

They should have got your man from the Commitments, didn't he play a DB driver in the film? I'd say there was very little money spent on this promo, judging by the production value.

Bizarre. I'd be morto if I were one of the unfortunates plonked on that float although they seem to be enjoying themselves. Reminds me of the steam loco float used in Tralee, used to promote the Rose of Tralee and the Blennerville Railway. Think they also used it for Killarney 150th.

Alec Guinness as Hitler? I did 'nazi' that coming. (I'll get my coat)

I very much doubt it, Adolf didn't drink alcohol at all.

Is this a bog standard loco whistle, or did the TB have a special 'voice' I wonder?

They used have a branded road transport service, haven't seen an IE liveried lorry (apart from per way ones) for quite a while.

I'd say go and have a rummage for a pic of the loco you want to model. I would think not all of them got a snail, judging by their hit and miss application elsewhere. Battleship grey when freshly applied, prob turned to black or near black due to lack of cleaning or 'cleaning' with oily rags. Refer to JB's notes on livery.

Usually see them on light mixed trains on former Midland branches, but they could pop up randomly elsewhere.

Spotted this on fleabay a while back....something looks not quite right....

Thanks for posting those, pics of tank wagons in anything but plain black don't seem to crop up all that much. When you say 'commandeered', does that mean the wagons were property of the oil companies?