Broithe

Tunnel vs bridge? Why not have both? This tunnel/bridge in Prague always amuses me - the 'underground' runs inside the tube, with the road on top - unless you look closely around you when you get out at the next station, there's no indication that you've actually been up in the sky, not underground...

I see what you did there....

From what I hear, the problem is more with the management than the underlings.. I know quite a few on the tracks, some of whom used to work with me and are well used to dealing with management that has no idea, but there are limits to even their capacity to get round such things. The only person that I've known who worked in a management capacity for Network Rail came to the job from his previous career as a primary school headmaster.

40 minutes of depression, if you've got the spare time - http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b060zvnd . It's radio, so should be available to all, in whatever location.

One has to wonder how close the barrier got to connecting with the overheads.....?

It's one of those things that gets talked of regularly - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23672538 - etc....

Sandymount crossing obliterated by Careline..!! Just clearing it away, should all be going again shortly....

And most Irish industry is in coastal areas - in the UK, you have places like Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Sheffield, even Manchester these days, all without harbour facilities close at hand.

Indeed, most of these start-ups do fall by the wayside, of course - but I can remember dealing with John Goddard-Watts when he used to sell boxes of screws in Exchange & Mart from the stock he kept in the garage of his house in Yeovil - I know have the luxury of just nipping down to the Screwfix counter at the bottom of my road. Every now and then, somebody will hit it right - whether this is the one or not, time will tell - the answer often comes quickly, though, as Ed says.

26 seems a common number over here - we get a few through Stafford.

A friend of mine, knowing my interests, sent me this link - http://www.emrbelfast.co.uk/ - the other day. People might be interested. For the Facebookers - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Enterprise-Model-Railways-Belfast/486441301506130 Has anybody had any dealings there yet?

Indeed, that's what I thought, but I was told, as "fact", that at least two railcars were built there, and no amount of doubt from me could shake the strength of this statement.. I suggested that there could, perhaps, have been some of their stuff on BnM tracks, but the railcar statement was upheld strongly. Anyway, the factory is flattened and gone now, even though it hadn't had any railway use for some decades.

Did the Bagnall's works in Stafford ever build any stuff for the Irish market? The works has just been demolished for the inevitable housing project and, during a discussion about it, I was informed that railcars for Ireland were built there - is this true?

Ha - he wasn't that brave...

Excellent. A few years ago, a now-retired guard decided to stop people using one outside the local supermarket - rather than book loads of people, he just waited for the "right person" to park in it, booked her and sat back whilst she spent the next two days ringing round and telling everybody what a bastard he was - job done!

Indeed, it's good (in a way) to see these signs appearing on the network, they might have some effect. Many years ago, I was put on the spot by a chap who was the only other person on the platform with me at midnight. He was foreign and very agitated, he kept making angry-sounding statements, waving his arms and was continually looking into the distance for the approaching train whilst pacing up and down the edge of the platform. I managed to attract the attention of station staff and we apprehended him just as the train was coming into view. It turned out that he was wearing one of the then-new phone ear-pieces and was getting grief from his wife for being late home. What I had seen was just his side of the argument... Fair put the wind up me, though.

http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/the-naked-man-the-dart-and-me-1.2272335

Broithe was on a mission over there, tapping the bush telegraph for info on this (possible) event and keeping an eye on the Train Man...

You could try Alan Gibson - http://www.alangibsonworkshop.com/Catalogue.pdf - see page 17 part no. 4M123 and just use the 22 + 22 pieces - there is a risk the hole size may not suit, though.

Oxford say it's not released - http://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/eras/1_76_0__Current.htm TMC have it for pre-order - http://www.themodelcentre.com/76FTC003/ So, just keep your eyes open. I would say.....

If you find that you've bought more "water" than you need, you could have a go at this....

Could be - he's been quiet lately......

Great stuff - this picture just needs Heirflick peeping over the wall...

Maybe there are regulatory deadlines approaching?