Clogherhead - A GNR(I) Seaside Terminus

Patrick Davey · April 29

Friday March 13th 1970, and A3r departs from Clogherhead with the afternoon service to Drogheda. By this stage, the meagre traffic was amply accommodated in a single Craven coach.

Patrick Davey · April 30

Having the fiddle yard now has allowed me to operate the layout to its full potential. Here's an example of the workings from a March day long ago........

Looking forward to the arrival of the Bulleid open wagons and the Park Royals.

Patrick Davey · April 30

Getting moody tonight……

Galteemore · April 30

Lovely. That last image, of the light spilling over the platform, is sublime.

jhb171achill · May 1

16 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

Getting moody tonight……

Diesel fumes and sea air; a 1975 Howth station smell….. but Guinness was 28p a pint……

Louth · May 1

Speaking of Howth, occasional freight ran to the Parsons factory up to the mid 1970s. Hard to imagine now but there was quite a mix of rolling stock on this branch up to that time, including pigeon trains to the siding at Sutton station. Then came DART!! Just in case anyone was thinking of modelling this branch.

Kevin

jhb171achill · May 1

3 hours ago, Louth said:

Speaking of Howth, occasional freight ran to the Parsons factory up to the mid 1970s. Hard to imagine now but there was quite a mix of rolling stock on this branch up to that time, including pigeon trains to the siding at Sutton station. Then came DART!! Just in case anyone was thinking of modelling this branch.

Kevin

Very good thinking, indeed! And up to 1960, anythi9ng from GNR tank engines and anciuent wooden stock to Gardner articulated railcars onj passenger - plus the tram! Was at the museum the other day with a friend and we were lamenting the fact that if only the section from Howth up to the summit had survived, what an attraction today!

Galteemore · May 1

10 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Very good thinking, indeed! And up to 1960, anythi9ng from GNR tank engines and anciuent wooden stock to Gardner articulated railcars onj passenger - plus the tram! Was at the museum the other day with a friend and we were lamenting the fact that if only the section from Howth up to the summit had survived, what an attraction today!

The Sutton tram sheds were latterly where CIE ballast tampers were serviced. Sutton also boasted Cosh siding - the longest refuge siding on the GN.

jhb171achill · May 1

52 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

The Sutton tram sheds were latterly where CIE ballast tampers were serviced. Sutton also boasted Cosh siding - the longest refuge siding on the GN.

The site of the sheds at Howth are now occupied by one of the most utterly hideous apartment developments I have ever seen in this country. More appropriate to Communist Russia in the 1950s than anything here. Ghastly looking things; hopefully they will find pyrite in them in 18 months and knock them all down again and build something somewhat pleasing on the eye.

Metrovik · May 1

On 30/4/2024 at 6:20 PM, Patrick Davey said:

Having the fiddle yard now has allowed me to operate the layout to its full potential. Here's an example of the workings from a March day long ago........

Looking forward to the arrival of the Bulleid open wagons and the Park Royals.

Thanks alot Patrick, Now I feel so sad looking at my non sound fitted models.

LNERW1 · May 8

On 1/5/2024 at 9:50 PM, jhb171achill said:

The site of the sheds at Howth are now occupied by one of the most utterly hideous apartment developments I have ever seen in this country. More appropriate to Communist Russia in the 1950s than anything here. Ghastly looking things; hopefully they will find pyrite in them in 18 months and knock them all down again and build something somewhat pleasing on the eye.

No chance you could find a photo? I'm looking for inspiration for my layout Royal Park ( see the thread literally only me and metrovik have posted on) and also for a Minecraft project myself and my cousins are working on, but that's not really relevant to the forum, so let's just say Royal Park for now.

jhb171achill · May 8

19 minutes ago, LNERW1 said:

No chance you could find a photo? I'm looking for inspiration for my layout Royal Park ( see the thread literally only me and metrovik have posted on) and also for a Minecraft project myself and my cousins are working on, but that's not really relevant to the forum, so let's just say Royal Park for now.

Where is Royal Park meant to be and what era?

LNERW1 · May 8

28 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Where is Royal Park meant to be and what era?

It's complicated-see thread (for some reason pc isnt letting me add links, just click on my profile and then select "activity". The topic should be near the top)

jhb171achill · May 8

1 hour ago, LNERW1 said:

It's complicated-see thread (for some reason pc isnt letting me add links, just click on my profile and then select "activity". The topic should be near the top)

OK, so largely freelance - in which case, anything at all can go!

If it is meant to be semi-suburban-ish, AEC railcars for 1950s / 60s (Silverfox); if 2000s, the much awaited IRM ICRs!

Patrick Davey · May 8

One afternoon, Mr. Sandy Castles, the Clogherhead stationmaster, was getting totally fed up with the incessant chatter of the seagulls around his station. But Sandy was a quick thinker, and soon the reinforcements were arriving......

Edited May 8 by Patrick Davey

Flying Snail · May 8

11 minutes ago, Patrick Davey said:

One afternoon, Mr. Sandy Castles, the Clogherhead stationmaster, was getting totally fed up with the incessant chatter of the seagulls around his station. But Sandy was a quick thinker, and soon the reinforcements were arriving......

Nice collection ... great to see and (hear) the A's flocking to Clogherhead as well as the 121 swooping in at the end

Gabhal Luimnigh · May 8

Lovely collection.

Patrick Davey · May 9

11 hours ago, Gabhal Luimnigh said:

Lovely collection.

Sadly, the other members of the flock do not have a voice

LNERW1 · May 9

On 1/5/2024 at 10:51 PM, Metrovik said:

Thanks alot Patrick, Now I feel so sad looking at my non sound fitted models.

21 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

One afternoon, Mr. Sandy Castles, the Clogherhead stationmaster, was getting totally fed up with the incessant chatter of the seagulls around his station. But Sandy was a quick thinker, and soon the reinforcements were arriving......

Ah Patrick, stop trying to upset Metrovik.

Tullygrainey · May 18

Unexpected arrival at Clogherhead earlier today. Patrick will explain imminently

jhb171achill · May 18

He's lost.

He got to Ardglass, ran through the buffers, down the pier and into the sea. The train floated up at Greenore, was winched ashore, but someomne had left the brakes off, so - boom! She's off to Amiens Street. It seems that a quick-thinking signalman at Clogherhead Junction switched the points, thus avoiding a little bit of a mess at Amiens Street.

Edited May 18 by jhb171achill

Patrick Davey · May 18

THE BCDR COMES TO CLOGHERHEAD

Extremely rare footage has just emerged of a BCDR train at Clogherhead. Apparently the holy man St. Donard of the Mourne Mountains was a follower of Gannet the Great of Clogherhead and this inspired the two communities to work together to create stronger bonds between them. During the morning of Saturday July 23rd 1949, a special BCDR pilgrim train left Newcastle, Co. Down, heading for Banbridge. The train was hauled by 442t No. 30 and consisted of three BCDR six-wheel carriages - this is now the first and only recorded time that a BCDR train worked to Ballyroney and beyond. Upon arrival at Banbridge, a GNR carriage and Y van were due to be added to accommodate additional pilgrims and their provisions, but due to unexpected issues with coupling the GNR stock to the BCDR stock, this took a lot longer than expected and the Y van ended up being placed between two of the BCDR carriages. The train then proceeded towards Laurencetown to join the GN main line at Scarva, before running non-stop to Drogheda. The BCDR locomotive caused quite a stir there as it ran around the pilgrim train, prior to heading north again and taking the branch to Clogherhead. Despite the late arrival, the day was a huge success and strong community bonds were created that fine summer's day long ago.

Some pics from the above! With special thanks to Alan @Tullygrainey for bringing his stunning BCDR stock to Clogherhead today.

Edited May 18 by Patrick Davey

Gabhal Luimnigh · May 18

Absolutely stunning

Tullygrainey · May 19

A grand day out. Thanks Patrick

Tullygrainey · May 19

The Clogherhead stationmaster/traffic controller on a rare visit to Donaghadee station. Seen here propping up (being propped up by?) a fine Mourne granite pillar, one of three surviving which once supported the gates of the accommodation crossing at the old station throat.