minister_for_hardship

Been on one for a brief spin. No springs or anything so best to sit on a bag of rice or something soft as the jolts at the rail joints were hard on the spine! Seen one catch up to a 'proper' train and the bamboo train 'driver' threw a rope up to the train guard (no gangway door at rear!) as if it was a boat coming up to be moored. Guard then ties rope to fixture inside gangway and a fee was negotiated for towing the bamboo train. No Health and Safety there.

Happened esp. when a loco ventured down places that hadn't seen traffic for a while, a horn would get a battering from overhanging branches. Ballast and other debris could hit them too. Have seen a horn, allegedly removed from an A Class, still had layers of silver/black and orange paint and was of Swedish manufacture. The last 4'' or so of the copper 'trumpet' was pared back and replaced rather crudely with mild steel braised onto it. Plenty of bashes and bumps on it.

Is that UTA red/cream? How did CIE end up scrapping it?

I think that might be the 'internal user' fitted Bulleid open for drawing stuff around the Works. AFAIK it's still there.

It's not. Saw a pic of a real one, dark green with narrow stripe.

Or the SRNI* * 'Oh Mr Porter' reference.

Ever so slightly OT but why did GS&WR express locos carry a pair of smokebox mounted lamp irons into early GSR days? I've never seen a pic of them carrying lamps or a headboard of any description! Also they carried TWO whistles, one regular and one 'bass' toned one for the emergency cord. When was the second dispensed with?

An interesting interpretation on the CIE green livery http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M-B-HORNBY-No-R469-PULLMAN-PARLOUR-CAR-CIE-IRISH-LIVERY-PROFESSIONAL-REPAINT-/370775622769?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item5653f30471

The Midland 1F has a passing resemblance to a GSWR J11, apart from the cab and belpaire boiler.

The first (LMS) Stanier mogul was turned out with a GW-style safety valve bonnet, the story goes, to see if Stanier had a sense of humour. The offending piece of hardware was ordered to be removed pretty quickly!

An operation in Camp/Castlegregory would be too far removed from a large centre of population for both visitors and volunteers and somehow I doubt Kerry Co Co would be very receptive to re-instatement of a roadside tramway, H & S being what it is. I'd stick with Tralee. Having a static collection is fine, but needs to be covered and protected from the elements. And lots of metal around in the open attracts unwanted visitors.

I was thinking from the point of view of a tourist who knew nothing about Ireland being under the impression they could travel to/from Dingle, that is all. The DCDR/WCR are both fine, i.e. the names do not suggest an actual journey from point A to point B, whatever about the C&L, leave them off.

I'd only go about repatriation if the loco is actually under threat. Otherwise it's just a horrendous cost that would be impossible to recoup. Add to that, purchase price if not donated FOC, cosmetic restoration and covered accomodation for same. By and large people come to steam railways to pay and see something that actually moves and can ride behind. Steer clear of collecting sundry broad gauge stuff of little use or relevance to a ng line, grounded modern coach bodies are a particular bugbear of mine. A wee bit misleading calling it the Tralee & Dingle steam railway, seeing as it's never going to extend to Dingle.

The rumour mill has it that they may be Lynton & Barnstaple locos. Might suit a T&DLR no 5 or lop off the pony truck for the 2-6-0 sisters. Don't know how they'd compare dimensions-wise. .

Ireland is in 'Europe', last time I looked... Item location: Waterford, Waterford, Ireland Post to: Europe, United States, Canada

Some rtr LMS coaches may do, they did regauge and send some over from Derby back in the day. Get some photos and go compare.

If the tank was still on it, you could have a handy (cold) shower in the morning.

http://www.property.ie/property-for-sale/The-Water-Tower-Old-Railway-Station-Trim-Road-Athboy-Co-Meath/568216/

Norn Iron branches of B&Q had Mole repellers in stock a few years back....moles are not native to the island of Ireland.

Is is simply IR/IE (or whatever it calls itself now) reasserting its right of way as opposed to a crackpot preservation scheme?

Getting information as to what goes on in Inchicore is like trying to get Cold War intel on the Soviet Union.

Must be B&NCR 'invisible green'

There was an admittance that at the time of the C&L record attempt, there was 'drink taken'....The locos at the time were definitely not in great shape, in the article the driving wheels were noted as wearing holes into the boiler cladding! Different times indeed.

I read a piece about a cab ride on the Cavan & Leitrim before it closed, the driver confided with the author that he had taken a Passage loco up to 50 mph.

Thought it was turned out first in dark grey with no identification, then red 'CC1' added and finally turned out in mid green, eau de nil 'CC1' and waistband and, oddly, eau de nil wasp stripes on the ends.