Broithe

I found this short off-cut at Ballybrophy, at a time and in a location which would suggest that it may be from the branch, rather than the main line. The grid is 10mm squares. So it is 160mm high - that is 6¼ inches - a very small touch over 2mm in 00 scale - around 0.079 inches - giving a code 80 rail in the system in use, if that exists. Code 75 should look quite plausible.

He does have a 'smaller than average' look about him, and the viewpoint of the camera, if it is being held by a photographer standing on ground at the same level and using a viewfinder, would tend to agree him being somewhat below six feet - so an H0 figure would be about right. It might be possible to determine the model of loudhailer that he's using, but the perspective makes that of dubious use in scaling things a couple of feet behind the front of it. Maybe the BHS will come up with some more directly obtained data.

Congrats, indeed! I assume she is sound-equipped?

. This has reminded me of an event in the mid 80s, just as China was starting to really modernise and open up. We were due a visit from a delegation interested in power station equipment and, on the day they arrived, I was a bit late myself, so witnessed their actual arrival. There was a lot of them - two coach-loads. in fact. I arrived just as the coaches were disembarking, having passed the really quite pleasant Main Office building, a nice Edwardian-style edifice (now demolished). Having passed the end of that, the coaches stopped and 70 or 80 Chinese engineers got off, able to see the actual factory for the first time. We knew that the place was not very futuristic or well-maintained, but, seeing it every day did rather make us immune to the actual state of the place. The Chinese were clearly shocked, stunned and amused at what they saw, lining up for pictures in front of the apparent devastation that was the reality of what had been promoted to them as a world-renowned factory. They were also amazed to see that we still had air raid shelters. When you looked it it with fresh eyes, it did look like the end scenes of a war film. In fact, it was still camouflaged, having been last painted in the 1940s with the free left-over paint from the war. 'They' did have the arrival area cleaned up and painted a little bit less embarrassingly after that, but the rest of it was left to decay steadily. It's a housing estate now.

There may even be some existing military figures that could be adapted?

Excellent. We'll see what turns up - they do seem a keen bunch. You may have to incorporate a figure, as well?

You might get a response from Bantry Historical Society. https://www.facebook.com/Bantryhistoricalsociety/posts/make-it-a-date-make-it-a-holiday-in-bantry-tonight-was-one-of-the-many-memorable/4096743770441076/ They are certainly aware of Austin Twomey.

Don't panic! Let them practise with these and get your ones even better...

So, when's the next announcement due?

Whilst sounding a bit 'Buzz Lightyear', this is the title of this year's West Cork Chamber Music Festival programme. With the current situation, they are having virtual events from many locations around Europe - see the list below. https://www.westcorkmusic.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Bantry-and-Beyond-Programme_updated-31-July.pdf However, they appear to have omitted an event in Sleaford. Perhaps @Mike 84C and @banntry failed the audition?

We live in strange times. Frostbit Boy has been rescued by dolphins. Anything at all is actually possible now.

Ah, the battery train..?

A friend has to do the odd day back in the Birmingham office now and today was one of them. This is New Street Station, pretending to be an airport for the next Mission: Impossible film.

When on the western island, if I check the time on time.is, I get this as my location - exact, but 90 years out of date... I have mentioned it to them, but they don't seem bothered.

Part of it can be seen on Street View - https://www.google.com/maps/@53.2687789,-7.8168261,3a,15y,278.28h,88.7t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1shnc6cmnWNGFRQM98BBTnfg!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fpanoid%3Dhnc6cmnWNGFRQM98BBTnfg%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D353.99185%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656 - and it looks fairly complete. And it looks very sound in other pictures. Some details on page 88 here, at the bottom of the page - https://www.offaly.ie/eng/Services/Heritage/Documents/Offaly_Bridges_Part_1.pdf

Priming us for the next announcement..?

I would be fairly confident of Portarlington - I just don't remember seeing that track still there in '76.

A few weeks ago, in a pub in Errill, I was convinced* to put some blinds up in a house in Lisduff. The house turned out to be next to the quarry, backing onto the line, about 200m away. The first two windows were facing the road and they were done about a week ago. I finished the job last night, as the remaining three blinds had been procured. These windows allowed a view of the track and I was treated to a few trains during my struggles with the blinds. The current warmth, plus my heated exchanges with the blinds, meant that I also had to have the windows open, to avoid expiring. It was very noticeable just how smooth and solid everything sounded as it drifted past. * It is possible that the location had weakened my defences.

That is beyond my remit, but it must be around 1950, I would think - that track may not have been there for long after the construction phase.* I was there in 1976 and I don't recall there still being a connection. More competent people may be along shortly. *Having said that, the tower looks well weathered...

Portarlington?

I think there are some obvious security issues that require a degree of secrecy about specific details.

Islas Canarias.. Get back behind us!

When your world is falling apart around you, in an accelerating manner, it can be easy to lose track of all that is going on. I'm really glad that this part of it has been resolved in the end.

For me, the Golden Age of Irish Railways was from 1995 to when the Mk 4s arrived. 95% of my experience was four journeys annually from Heuston to Ballybrophy and return. Clearly, this is not a huge sample of what was available, but the relief of getting on a train which, for me, was 100% reliable, clean, pleasant and comfortable, was a massive step up from the Stafford-Holyhead journey on the Big Island. that was never the same twice - utter chaos and unreliability. I don't think the Mk 4s were a great step down, but they didn't seem to be a great improvement either. In the orange days everything was just so pleasant and civilised, it was a shock every time after the struggles on the Big Island.