Fry Model Railway

heirflick · December 19, 2012

lads, about the fry model railway...anyone any update?

Garfield · December 19, 2012

Not a sausage. And there won't be for another couple of years, from what I was told before.

BosKonay · December 19, 2012

I thought they were left money? Etc?

BabyGM · December 19, 2012

I thought they were left money? Etc?

Someone left a few million to it to be put into the casino in Malahide though there appears to be no progress

Garfield · December 19, 2012

The collection has changed hands now, so I'm not sure if that still applies. I think it was property rather than money that was left... Casino House in Malahide.

heirflick · December 20, 2012

garfield, 2 sites available.....columb or Connolly barracks perhaps?

Garfield · December 20, 2012

garfield, 2 sites available.....columb or Connolly barracks perhaps?

Cha-ching!

jhb171achill · December 20, 2012

Or my attic.............. (ok, you'd need the Tardis!)

BosKonay · December 20, 2012

Changed hands? So it was sold by Dublin Tourism?

Dave · December 20, 2012

I was talking to John Hamill from the MRSI he has been trying to find out what's happening. Its still with Dublin tourism but they are just sitting on it. 1.6 million was left to restore the casino and the renovation of the railway, on the basis it goes back to Malahide.

Looks like it going to be left mothballed. Very sad

December 20, 2012

By the look and sound of it no one wants to take responsibility and is hoping its forgotten about.

BosKonay · December 20, 2012

If the money is there........ <boggles>

Garfield · December 20, 2012

I don't know the finer details, but I do know someone who does, so I'll try and get info from them and post it here.

Garfield · December 20, 2012

OK, I received a reply.

Dublin Tourism DO still own the collection, but it's in the possession of a third party who are ensuring that it is safely stored and that the items are catalogued. Unfortunately, it seems some repair work will be required, although I've no further details on that.

Tarabuses · December 20, 2012

It was running perfectly well until they decided to dismantle it.

BosKonay · December 20, 2012

Can only imagine 'how' it was dismantled and removed

heirflick · December 20, 2012

OK, I received a reply.

Dublin Tourism DO still own the collection, but it's in the possession of a third party who are ensuring that it is safely stored and that the items are catalogued. Unfortunately, it seems some repair work will be required, although I've no further details on that.

pat, do they know if the project will go ahead as planned in malahide?

Garfield · December 20, 2012

pat, do they know if the project will go ahead as planned in malahide?

No idea, Seamus. That will depend on whether Dublin Tourism want to keep it out there. Despite the offer of a new home in Malahide, I have to say I'd much rather see it set up in a more central location.

December 29, 2012

I think some one is hoping it will be forgotten about.

NO CHANCE.

jhb171achill · December 29, 2012

I wonder (from an admittedly mischievous point of view) what their reaction would be if I told them that DCDR would take it off their hands!

December 29, 2012

I wonder (from an admittedly mischievous point of view) what their reaction would be if I told them that DCDR would take it off their hands!

You could possibly find they would jump at the chance to part with it and you could have a very large lay-out to play with at DCDR for rainy days.

Garfield · December 29, 2012

JB, Whereabouts would the DCDR put it? It takes up a few thousand square feet before even considering the room needed for visitors to walk around it...

Edited December 29, 2012 by Garfield

jhb171achill · December 29, 2012

In theory it could go into the new carriage gallery, but in reality the only thing the DCDR would be in a position to take, or would possibly want, would be any BCDR models in it - and only then if the collection was going to be broken up (which would be a terrible shame).

jhb171achill · December 29, 2012

I wonder would a more radical approach be to make a new, smaller layout (possibly also with better scenery) and rotate use of the trains. Thus, a visitor could end up seeing Enterprises of 1947 and 1970, with a Donegal train chasing a T & D one on the narrow gauge bit on one visit, and on another visit a DART, a MGWR goods train, a Causeway tram and a pair of 121s with a Craven set!

December 29, 2012

I wonder would a more radical approach be to make a new, smaller layout (possibly also with better scenery) and rotate use of the trains. Thus, a visitor could end up seeing Enterprises of 1947 and 1970, with a Donegal train chasing a T & D one on the narrow gauge bit on one visit, and on another visit a DART, a MGWR goods train, a Causeway tram and a pair of 121s with a Craven set!

Any thing would be better than the lights on and off mutter mutter set up that was used at Malahide, it was a shambles on busy days plus no pics and an attitude problem from some staff when some visitors complained they could,nt see as it was a sheep herding exercise with the playing with lights so my moan over.

Any decent set-up run by a sensible person(s) would be better than nothing even if it is a smaller lay-out compared to the original.

Garfield · December 29, 2012

I wonder would a more radical approach be to make a new, smaller layout (possibly also with better scenery) and rotate use of the trains. Thus, a visitor could end up seeing Enterprises of 1947 and 1970, with a Donegal train chasing a T & D one on the narrow gauge bit on one visit, and on another visit a DART, a MGWR goods train, a Causeway tram and a pair of 121s with a Craven set!

Better still... go all out and do something like this:

[video=youtube_share;XsfN01LbAhc]http://youtu.be/XsfN01LbAhc

All that's needed is a win in the EuroMillions...

jhb171achill · December 29, 2012

Couldn't agree more, hidden agenda. Personally I think the models would be seen to better advantage if they took it in turns to run on a smaller layout. I wonder if the actual ones originally made by Cyril Fry got a run in recent times? I remember seeing 071-hauled trains on it - they wouldn't have been made by Fry!