Fry Model Railway

[WRENNEIRE]

Just wondering if anyone has any new news on the Fry?

Heard in hushed circles in Malahide that there may be some good news fortcoming

Over to you Eoin

[Blaine]

Believe it when it happens - as in when the ribbon is cut and it is declared officially open

[Garfield]

Believe it when it happens - as in when the ribbon is cut and it is declared officially open

 

So you're optimistic, then?

[murrayec]

Hi All

 

Myles met with Nora Owen at a government breakfast about 2 weeks ago, he discussed the Fry Model with her and she told him design consultants had been employed and a design was in the mix. What design stage they are at was unclear, I checked the Fingal Co Co planning register- no planning application to build the extension has been made!

 

I check this on a weekly basis, because we can voice our opinions & observations in the planning application stage of the project, which this seems to be the only avenue of influence open to us at the moment!

 

Eoin

[Blaine]

So you're optimistic, then?

 

If it it happens great is my outlook. Im just not wholly convinced. More important things for local government to fix first

[Garfield]

If it it happens great is my outlook. Im just not wholly convinced. More important things for local government to fix first

 

Local government is a multi-faceted operation, Ed. No reason why they can't progress the project while tackling other issues. </politics>

 

Edit: Especially as private funding is already set aside for it.

 

Hi All

 

Myles met with Nora Owen at a government breakfast about 2 weeks ago, he discussed the Fry Model with her and she told him design consultants had been employed and a design was in the mix. What design stage they are at was unclear, I checked the Fingal Co Co planning register- no planning application to build the extension has been made!

 

I check this on a weekly basis, because we can voice our opinions & observations in the planning application stage of the project, which this seems to be the only avenue of influence open to us at the moment!

 

Eoin

 

Cheers for that, Eoin!

Edited December 4, 2015 by Garfield

[murrayec]

Hi

 

The Fry Model project is headed by Fingal Co Co, but a separate group runs the show as far as I understand it. The group is made up of FCC counsellors and business operators in the area, and now I'm sure friends of the Casino restoration project are involved...

 

Maybe someone local to Malahide may have more, or more correct info?

 

Eoin

[jhb171achill]

Local Government / railways......

 

Tralee......

 

There's no money and there are no votes in full size heritage railways, let alone models. I would be very surprised, I am afraid to say, if anything good, sensible or long term sustainable appears out of the unfortunate ashes of this railway. I sincerely hope I end up being proved completely wrong.....

[Garfield]

Local Government / railways......

 

Tralee......

 

There's no money and there are no votes in full size heritage railways, let alone models. I would be very surprised, I am afraid to say, if anything good, sensible or long term sustainable appears out of the unfortunate ashes of this railway. I sincerely hope I end up being proved completely wrong.....

 

JB... funding secured via a legacy and site identified. The council's involvement mainly centres around the planning application. Everything else is being handled by a steering group, not directly by the council itself, as Eoin says above.

[jhb171achill]

Hmmm.

 

Here's hoping.

[murrayec]

Hi

 

This appeared in the press a month ago, its the usual press release stuff

 

but interesting to see dates given- if they plan to start in summer 2016 a planning application for an extension should go in around now or after Christmas- planning takes 3 months and longer if there are objections;-

 

 

 

 

Eoin

[Blaine]

Local government is a multi-faceted operation, Ed. No reason why they can't progress the project while tackling other issues. </politics>

 

Wait until something happens - still. Im sure when my local TD knocks on the door they will be unaware of it. Its another one to be filed under 'Only in Ireland'. Sometimes its hard to be a realist but read a comment of mine earlier in this thread and you will see that I got an inside view of the previous operation

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers for that, Eoin!

[Garfield]

Wait until something happens - still. Im sure when my local TD knocks on the door they will be unaware of it. Its another one to be filed under 'Only in Ireland'. Sometimes its hard to be a realist but read a comment of mine earlier in this thread and you will see that I got an inside view of the previous operation

 

Is this the comment you're referring to?

 

To be fair I really couldnt give a rats anymore about the Fry collection, given that I came close to being employed by the council to be involved in running and maintaining the layout and its models. The message I got very quickly, especially from the dope who worked there already (I was to work alongside him) was that this was entirely commercial, anyone who showed a valid interest in the models or railways in general should not be employed, lest they give a damn about anything, be it the quality of models on display, or their running. Its like holding expos, people just want to see trains run - no emphasis on detail,accuracy etc

 

Ah jaysus... a job interview doesn't constitute an 'inside view', Ed! And besides, your last line about people just wanting to see trains run would actually justify the the "entirey commercial" attitude of the operation you complained about. Of course it was more important for them to have staff who were good with such visitors and could show them around, and maybe flog a few bits and pieces in the souvenir shop, rather than have someone who would spend their time rusting the tinplate on Fry's handbuilt locos with their drool! (A lesson they quite possibly learned through experience.)

 

At the current juncture I don't know what you expect your TD to do about it because it's a local authority matter and judging by the article Eoin posted above and the feedback he has received, Fingal County Council have a plan in place for Casino House which is due to begin next summer. The project is already funded, so barring some unforeseen fiasco, the height of a TD's involvement is likely to be not much more than making a submission voicing support for the project once the planning application is lodged.

 

You've contributed several posts to this thread with each one basically boiling down to 'I'll believe it when I see it and anyway I don't care about it' and not much else. Having made that point the first time round, there's no need to repeat it ad nauseam because it's not advancing any argument for or against. On the contrary, it smacks of sour grapes.

[Blaine]

Is this the comment you're referring to?

 

 

 

Ah jaysus... a job interview doesn't constitute an 'inside view', Ed! And besides, your last line about people just wanting to see trains run would actually justify the the "entirey commercial" attitude of the operation you complained about. Of course it was more important for them to have staff who were good with such visitors and could show them around, and maybe flog a few bits and pieces in the souvenir shop, rather than have someone who would spend their time rusting the tinplate on Fry's handbuilt locos with their drool! (A lesson they quite possibly learned through experience.)

 

At the current juncture I don't know what you expect your TD to do about it because it's a local authority matter and judging by the article Eoin posted above and the feedback he has received, Fingal County Council have a plan in place for Casino House which is due to begin next summer. The project is already funded, so barring some unforeseen fiasco, the height of a TD's involvement is likely to be not much more than making a submission voicing support for the project once the planning application is lodged.

 

You've contributed several posts to this thread with each one basically boiling down to 'I'll believe it when I see it and anyway I don't care about it' and not much else. Having made that point the first time round, there's no need to repeat it ad nauseam because it's not advancing any argument for or against. On the contrary, it smacks of sour grapes.

 

Patrick - stop getting your knickers in a twist over anything/everything I say about the Fry Model Railway. To bring back an old saying of mine on the previous forums - if you dont like what I have to say dont read it. Your status as the moral guardian on here is starting to grate a little. It obviously meant that much to you that you had to type out the above.

 

So what if I dont follow the line on here, its been revealed that it never made a profit - ever so the fact it lasted so long where it was says a little about the bean counters, a bit of concern (or luck) ensured the collection was safely stored away.

 

Thats about all and I typed in a few paragraphs too. Why not open up the toolbox and do a little modelling. Its why we are all here ultimately. Its the main reason Ive typed this in the small hours

[Garfield]

Patrick - stop getting your knickers in a twist over anything/everything I say about the Fry Model Railway. To bring back an old saying of mine on the previous forums - if you dont like what I have to say dont read it. Your status as the moral guardian on here is starting to grate a little. It obviously meant that much to you that you had to type out the above.

 

So what if I dont follow the line on here, its been revealed that it never made a profit - ever so the fact it lasted so long where it was says a little about the bean counters, a bit of concern (or luck) ensured the collection was safely stored away.

 

Thats about all and I typed in a few paragraphs too. Why not open up the toolbox and do a little modelling. Its why we are all here ultimately. Its the main reason Ive typed this in the small hours

 

Ah here. Your hackneyed oul' "if you don't like what I have to say, don't read it" line is nothing more than a childish attempt to get away with saying whatever you want without being checked on it. That's not how it works in the real world, though, and if that grates with you then it's your problem alone. In the previous post you claimed to have inside knowledge of workings at Malahide Castle and referenced an earlier contribution to back this up. However, all it proved was that you were spoofing, so I called you on it. That's a world away from me getting my knickers in a twist, believe me. But you are right in saying it meant a lot to me to post about it... because I'm not going to let someone assume an authoritative voice when they have absolutely zero grounds for doing so. Again, if you don't like that, it's your problem.

 

As for the last part of your post... a sure sign someone is losing an argument is when they go off-point altogether and attempt a few cheap shots.

 

We're now way off course here. If you have any follow-up, do so by PM and leave the thread free for further discussion about the plans for the Fry Model Railway (which, by the way, you're still free to contribute to as long as you have something worthwhile to add).

[tonybonneyba]

I remember visiting the model railway when I was younger with my nana & granda back in 2006/7. Best model railway I had ever seen & it was al, Irish based trains

 

It was also my first time riding a tram.

[Weshty]

Had the pleasure of getting to it shortly before it closed. Had to wait for 40 minutes before going into the working version, which was all to the good, as it gave me the chance to fully appreciate the static exhibition.

 

 

What struck me was that while some of the fine detail wasn't there in some models, the shape and general presentation was just so "on". Kind of like the old Q kits, a little bit basic, but they just look so right.

[Noel]

Yes fond memories of it and glad I got my family to see it before it closed. Despite the lack of detail on some of the layout models, it didn't matter because the whole thing just looked spectacular, worked, entertained and as Tony said had genuine 'Irish' looking trains and Irish scenes. I thought the layout was very clever in terms of its story telling. Cyril Fry's models on static display were superb. I didn't realise at the time that the layout models had not been built by him, but a talented group of modellers. It was there I first saw a murphy model baby GM loco in the shop and was blown away having been out of the hobby for about 18 years. I bought it on the spot and was amazed to own a model of a real Irish diesel loco. Glad to hear the museum will reopen in the next few years.

[minister_for_hardship]

Who was it that did the pre-recorded layout self-guided tour voiceover? Some former RTE presenter putting on a stagey Irish brogue?

 

It was streets ahead of an imitation like Clonakilty in terms of genuine Irish models, even though from a child's point of view the operators were a bit on the grouchy side and a fair trek to come up the country to see it.

[Junctionmad]

Now if we could get " adavoyle" out into the public eye .... !!!

[Warbonnet]

Now if we could get " adavoyle" out into the public eye .... !!!

 

Now there's a sight to behold. Delighted I got to see it at the South Dublin show a few years back. Stunning.

[irishthump]

, even though from a child's point of view the operators were a bit on the grouchy side.

 

You see there's a justification, IMHO, of why the powers-that-be might be reluctant to allow hobbysists to look after the layout. I've seen far too much of this myslef at exhibitions.

[jhb171achill]

You could look at a broader issue, taking Tralee into it; the issue of volunteers-with-an-actual-interest running anything at all, versus local authorities.

 

One works, the other doesn't!

 

Anyway, looking forward to future Fry trains....

[WRENNEIRE]

Posted on 12 November 2015 by malahidecommunity

We have received the following update on the Casino redevelopment (currently projected to be open to the public in early 2017) and share it with you here:

In early 2015 Fingal County Council appointed a tourism advisor to make an input on the re-presentation of the Fry Model Railway Experience in the Malahide Casino. The Fry Model Railway Collection itself is now in secure storage under the care of Fingal Co Co, and itself requires curation and expert evaluation. Initial inspections have noted that it will probably require an element of specialist conservation work prior to being put back into an exhibition.

As the Casino building is a protected structure, and has many unique features, a comprehensive survey is required. To this end a tender competition was organised to appoint surveyors. These survey works have begun. Some ground clearance works have been carried out to facilitate these works. The survey works are now finished and a report pending to Fingal County Council. Sketch layouts for the restoration of the Casino to house the Fry Railway collection are in progress.

It is intended that the Casino will be restored in accordance with best conservation practice. A necessary first step in this will be the re-thatching of the roof. It is intended that the Model railway collection will be housed as exhibits on the ground floor of the house, which may require a small extension to facilitate larger exhibition area and new public toilets for visitors. An outbuilding has good possibilities to be converted to a supporting use, and the external (garden) spaces upgraded for public amenity. Based on preliminary proposals the site work is likely to take 6 months to complete on site. A full design team will be appointed shortly to progress the project including other statutory consent processes. A tender date for the construction works in Q2 2016 is anticipated with the Casino restored and the exhibition open to the public in early 2017.

 

Anything happened since November?

 

 

[Glenderg]

A tender date for Q2 2016 is never going to happen, even if the Design team have been appointed. Balderdash.

[WRENNEIRE]

You up breastfeedin?

[Glenderg]

Aye, multi-tasking. thought it was important for her to get some Bowie into her too - decent documentary on the beeb. They share the same birthday.....

[DiveController]

You up breastfeedin?

 

Aye, multi-tasking

 

Try to leave some for the baby...

[Alan564017]

This was on e-tenders this morning.

 

104974 - FCC/048/16 - Fingal County Council - Civil And Structural Engineering Consultant Services required for works at the Casino Building in Malahide in North County Dublin

 

 

Response deadline: 16-05-2016 12:00 Irish time

Procedure: 1. Open Procedure (NON OJEU)

Description: Fingal County Council, requires Civil & Structural Engineering services for significant refurbishment and new extension works at the Casino Building in Malahide in North County Dublin. The building in a high profile location will become home to the Fry model railway exhibition. The building is a protected structure and is of regional heritage significance.

[WRENNEIRE]

Good spot there Alan, maybe there some light at the end of the tunnel?

[murrayec]

At last some movement, we were told over a year ago that consultants had been employed and preparing the proposal!! I had been watching the planning application list for the year.....

 

Eoin

[Alan564017]

this maybe an e-tender issue. I know of consultants who are resigning from e-tender appointments as there fees were low and there is more lucrative work out there.

[jhb171achill]

No further news, it seems?

 

Where, incidentally, is the stuff in store?

[Noel]

I presume they are planning to build a separate new building on the grounds of the casino to host the Fry collection and layout, as the casino building is way too small to store the layout, and as a listed building they most likely would not be allowed to bolt on an extension.

[craven1508]

lets hope its all safely stored!!