West Clare

[jhb171achill]

It’s 64 years to the day since the West Clare closed.

Last public narrow gauge railway in the country and the only one ever to be completely dieselised.

An absolutely perfect subject for a detailed layout, but authentic Irish narrow gauge layout lines seem very scarce!

[Mayner]

7 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

An absolutely perfect subject for a detailed layout, but authentic Irish narrow gauge layout lines seem very scarce!

 Authentically modelled Irish narrow gauge layouts appear relatively plentiful judging by the content of New Irish Lines over the past 10-15 years, though relatively few of the builders of these layouts post content about their modelling on social media.

A high standard in all aspects of modelling is a common tread with finely detailed (often scratch or kit built) locos stock, buildings, structures, pw, signaling and scenic modelling. Irish narrow gauge layouts have been featured in a variety of scales from 16mm (live steam) down to 3mm with 4 mm predominating.

Chris Romain's 10mm Scale Killybegs layout featured Nov 2016 NIL is particularly fine & realistic.

The Donegal appears to be the most popular, possibly followed by the C&L and Dingle.

Andy who posts on this Newsgroup is a prolific Irish Narrow Gauge modeller who exhibits a number of Donegal Layouts, Castlederg (CVBT) Arigna (C&L)

Alan Gee's layouts include BurtonPort and Ballyshannon and has scratchbuilt locos from various lines including the CDR, CVR, Swilly and the original West Clare Bagnall 0-6-0T

Simon de Souza produced a very fine model of Dromad station on the C&L and comissioned high quality kits of a no of different C&L wagons (Foxrock Models)

The Chester Model Railway Society produced and exhibited the Dingle Layout currently on loan to the Blennerville visitor center, while Paul Titmuss produced a very fine model of Annascaul and Lispool before turning his attention to the CVR with a model of Clogher.

A 4mm model of Schull also appeared at one time but I am unsure of the identity of the builder.

On this Group Patrick produced a 3mm diorama of Capecastle on the Ballycastle line, David a CVR layout that's morphed into a CDR-Swilly layout, Galtymore produced a 3mm layout based on Kiltubrid on the C&L , meanwhile my 4mm Keadue C&L layout continues to atrophy in my home office to be dusted off occasionally

No Irish narrow gauge layouts are not exactly scarce

 

Edited Saturday at 09:07 by Mayner

[StevieB]

There is a story that IOMR tried to buy the four railcars and three diesel locos from CIE to go with the two CDRJC railcars so as to modernise the Manx railway system. What a thought.

Stephen

[Galteemore]

Yes that’s most interesting. Wonder if it would have been enough to save - what to me anyway - are the most interesting parts of the system - the lines to Peel and Ramsey. The former perhaps, the latter almost certainly not.

[David Holman]

Andy Cundick has done loads in 4mm - all to scale too. Castlederg, Donegal Town and Arigna all spring to mind, though wouldn't be surprised if there are others! 

[Mayner]

5 minutes ago, David Holman said:

Andy Cundick has done loads in 4mm - all to scale too. Castlederg, Donegal Town and Arigna all spring to mind, though wouldn't be surprised if there are others! 

Andy done Bruckless recently mentioned on this site, Letterkenny?

There seems to be a lot more Irish Narrow gauge as opposed to Broad (OO or 21mm) gauge layouts on the UK exhibition circuit and featured in New Irish Lines.

In a way the West Clare seems to be one of the less interesting of the narrow gauge lines, more of a long secondary main line that branches in two near one end, similar operating pattern to the Broad Gauge one-two daily passenger, a daily goods a bit like the Further North Line in Scotland

[Galteemore]

Interesting that NG dominates the Irish modelling scene when fidelity to gauge is the criterion. Possibly due to fact that it requires less space and stock, and has always been easier to acquire RTR mechs and chassis (12mm for 4mm modellers and 16.5 for those who model in 5.5mm). The WCR has never grabbed me either for some reason.

Edited Saturday at 11:21 by Galteemore

[Andy Cundick]

AS far as my Irish narrow gauge layouts are concerned so far i have done Donegal Town,Castlefinn,Letterkenny,Strabane, and Brucklees for the County Donegal as well as Castlederg and Arigna.For the standard gauge the list at the moment is only Valencia and Courtmacsherry. However there are plans ahead for Newmarket,Ballybehob and a yet to be decided Clogher,it depends which one reaches critical mass regarding stock etc,the problem is mainly getting side tracked.My Devils Bridge layout is just about finished and out on the circuit and the boards for a Broad gauge layout (GW 7')have just been built.with the added possibility of a Snailbeach layout as well as i seem to have most of the stock for one.The West Clare may be a possibility in the future as theres a certain amount of stock built so who knows. Andy

[David Holman]

See folks, this is what you can do if you don't have a TV!

Prolific is only half a description, especially when all Andy's projects are such good quality too.

 As for the Clare, have often thought it offer possibilities - nice 4-6-0Ts, those 0-6-2Ts with the big trailing wheels, plus the railcars and interesting centre cab diesel locos. Needs more space than I have available though!

[Mol_PMB]

6 minutes ago, David Holman said:

See folks, this is what you can do if you don't have a TV!

Prolific is only half a description, especially when all Andy's projects are such good quality too.

 As for the Clare, have often thought it offer possibilities - nice 4-6-0Ts, those 0-6-2Ts with the big trailing wheels, plus the railcars and interesting centre cab diesel locos. Needs more space than I have available though!

Not to mention the 6-wheel tourist coaches with peculiar styling and stained glass windows in the clerestories, later replaced with various bus-based vehicles which didn't quite have the same character.

 

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, StevieB said:

There is a story that IOMR tried to buy the four railcars and three diesel locos from CIE to go with the two CDRJC railcars so as to modernise the Manx railway system. What a thought.

Stephen

They did try to buy the locomotives, but I never heard any story about the railcars. CIE wanted ridiculous money for the three locomotives which the IOMR wasn't going to pay. So they sat at Inchicore. A few years later, rather than climb down and even sell them for scrap value to give something back to the public purse, they were scrapped at Inchicore.

I often think a layout based on a CIE system in the 60s, with the West Clare stuf having been joined by Donegal 19 & 20 might have been a nice idea too!

2 hours ago, David Holman said:

See folks, this is what you can do if you don't have a TV!

 

2 hours ago, Andy Cundick said:

AS far as my Irish narrow gauge layouts are concerned so far i have done Donegal Town,Castlefinn,Letterkenny,Strabane, and Brucklees for the County Donegal as well as Castlederg and Arigna.

 

2 hours ago, Galteemore said:

Interesting that NG dominates the Irish modelling scene when fidelity to gauge is the criterion.

 

3 hours ago, Mayner said:

There seems to be a lot more Irish Narrow gauge as opposed to Broad (OO or 21mm) gauge layouts on the UK exhibition circuit and featured in New Irish Lines.

Indeed; to all above; my amnesia dictates.....