plus ca change .................

[brianmcs]

 

[DiveController]

The hope that we'll be able to pop into town for a few pence instead of a few pounds seems not to have realized. Still the Drumm railcars were ahead of their time but probably limited by the accumulators of the time

[Mayner]

10 hours ago, DiveController said:

The hope that we'll be able to pop into town for a few pence instead of a few pounds seems not to have realized. Still the Drumm railcars were ahead of their time but probably limited by the accumulators of the time

My father was quite impressed by the Drumm Railcars and claimed that they were "sabotaged" off the line possibly the 1935 Sandycove derailment or more likely the Free State Governments 1941 decision that it could no longer support the Drumm Battery Company and could not justify further expenditure on new battery research during the Emergency.  https://brakebetter.com/drumm-battery-train/ .

The main problems appears to have been the high capital cost and relatively short life of the batteries compared to steam  and later diesel traction, scarcity of materials during the Emergency would not have helped.

The GSR claimed that a set of batteries (with an un-known service life) for a 2 car train had the same capital cost as a Main Line  Express (steam) Locomotive capable of hauling 10 coaches.

In the 1950s BR tried battery traction for several years on the Ballater Branch in Scotland with not dis-simular results https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_BEMU

The Drumm batteries seem to have had a 7-8 year service life Trains A&B received new batteries in 1938 which kept them running through to the end of Drumm Battery service (1948?), Train C (int. 1939) received new batteries while Train D received rebuilt batteries which appear to have only lasted for four years.

The 7-8 year service life of Drumm Batteries compares reasonably well with many First Generation diesel railcars that required engine-transmission transmission replacement or refurbishment within a similar time frame.

 

 

 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Mayner

[jhb171achill]

Someone told me that the GSR's "Bri Cualann"* is a tragically incorrect translation, but CIE's "Bré" is even worse!

(* excuse missing fadas etc)

[Mayner]

10 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Someone told me that the GSR's "Bri Cualann"* is a tragically incorrect translation, but CIE's "Bré" is even worse!

(* excuse missing fadas etc)

A bit like the native speakers in the Gaeltacht being unable to understand the Montrose RP Irish on the wireless or TV.

The classic one was the GSR "Drumbsambo" got both the Irish and English versions incorrect, its unlikely anyone from Kingsbridge asked a local to spell or explain the meaning of the name.

Its no different from a stranger trying to figure out a local or national pronunciation from reading a book or map.

It took me a long time to pronounce some Welsh, English and New Zealand place names.

A bit like the old joke about the English language that the capital was pronounced as London and spelt as Liverpool or vice versa.

[DiveController]

On 21/12/2021 at 10:44 AM, jhb171achill said:

Someone told me that the GSR's "Bri Cualann"* is a tragically incorrect translation, but CIE's "Bré" is even worse!

(* excuse missing fadas etc)

Not a scholar on the derivation Of Irish place names or anything but to be fair to the GSR, the term Bri Cualann was in usage by a Irish scholars of the time for several decades prior to this, the term Cuala being an ancient regional territory added to Bri in an attempt to counter the anglicization of local place names. Seemingly Bre, Bree or Brea can be traced back to at least the 13th century in state and church records so CIE’s bilingual place names may not have been too far off the rails after all 

Edited December 29, 2021 by DiveController

[jhb171achill]

10 hours ago, DiveController said:

Not a scholar on the derivation Of Irish place names or anything but to be fair to the GSR, the term Bri Cualann was in usage by a Irish scholars of the time for several decades prior to this, the term Cuala being an ancient regional territory added to Bri in an attempt to counter the anglicization of local place names. Seemingly Bre, Bree or Brea can be trace back to at least the 13th century in state and church records so CIE’s bilingual place names may not have been too far off the rails after all 

Me too - far from being an expert on Irish in any shape or form. A former neighbour, though, was - and he used to absolutely get his knickers in a serious twist at CIE’s spellings!

[seagoebox]

Tim Moriarty in the IRRS Journal Vol 23, no 162, February 2007 has a 19 page article "The Irish language on the Railway" or.. "An Ghaeilge 'sna Boithre Iarainn" which details the rationale for the adoption of the spelling of place-names.

If you need a copy I can send it, Michael