Hornby Ruston DS88- Irish Compatible?

[dave182]

I see Hattons have confirmed the arrival of the Hornby Ruston & Hornsby DS88 in June/July. Is this a reasonably close model of the Irish Sugar locomotives?

[jhb171achill]

26 minutes ago, dave182 said:

I see Hattons have confirmed the arrival of the Hornby Ruston & Hornsby DS88 in June/July. Is this a reasonably close model of the Irish Sugar locomotives?

Not a million miles off it, indeed; here's to a shunting layout of a sugar factory, with this, a "G" class, and an O & K 0.4.0T!

[Galteemore]

Bit of work on a Fleischmann Anna might give you something passable …plasticard tanks and paint the wheels…even if it is HO, might pass 3’ rule….

Edited March 24, 2023 by Galteemore

[Westcorkrailway]

 

Previously covered in this thread

[Tullygrainey]

I've had one of these on pre-order with Hornby since it was first announced - June 2021. I despaired of ever seeing it so I built the Judith Edge kit in the meantime 

Alan

 

[MD220]

Nice job

[Mayner]

CSE had RH 88DS shunters at the Carlow, Mallow and Thurles factories, Tuam had one of the larger more powerful 165DH locos.

The 88DS at the various plants appear to have been supplied in an all plain green livery with red buffers, the individual plants developed their own variations of the livery as locos were re-painted/overhauled.

There is a 1960 in photo of the Carlow DS and Sugar Puff No3 in service at the factory in Irish Railways in Colour a Second Glance. The 88DS is in overall green (including chassis) with red buffers (including head) but no running number or cabside RH makers plate. The photo is interesting showing the diesel coupled to an Bulleid open and H Vans loaded/waiting loading outside the plant. Besides receiving beet, coal and limestone, beet pulp and the finished product was sent out by rail during the wagon load era for both the domestic and export markets. IRRS journals from the early 70s indicate that Carlow and other factories regularly shipped train loads of export sugar in 8'6" Containers on (20' Flats) as out of gauge loads.

When acquired from CSE the RPSI 88DS had green cab and engine housing on a black chassis with red buffer shanks and "Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann" in gold lettering immediately above the access panels on engine housing.

My 88DS a long discontinued Impetus kit is based on a 1980 photo of the loco at Whitehead, my unsuccessful attempt at Cómhlucht using dry print lettering is just about visible on the side of the bonnet.

My locos was built to 21mm gauge hence the wheels outside the track

 

[BosKonay]

Cómhlucht Siúicre Éireann (Mallow) had one 

[Flying Snail]

20 hours ago, dave182 said:

I see Hattons have confirmed the arrival of the Hornby Ruston & Hornsby DS88 in June/July. Is this a reasonably close model of the Irish Sugar locomotives?

Looking at the pictures of the real things in @Westcorkrailway's thread from '21, it would seem to me that Hornby R3896 with its large buffers and small rear windows is probably the closest of the current 4 Hornby variations to a CSE RH 88DS. Would that be correct?

[Westcorkrailway]

Yes that’s right (and you wouldn’t have to paint the buffers ) 

 

While the rowntree one is closest to RPSI spec livery. It ufortunately has big windows on the back so wouldn’t have worn that livery

 

there is a picture somehere on the RPSI website of Carlow no.1 in CSE condition. Light green with yellow lining and CSE initials between the windows roughly 

[Westcorkrailway]

Btw here is the belturbet Ruston 

 

and the one that eventually ended up as a steam train in Clonakilty 

[dave182]

Thank you all for the input and pictures. I'm sure I think that's enough reason to get one!