Cie cattle wagons

[Past-Avenue]

CIE Cattle Wagons – Ready to Run!
I’m delighted to offer a range of 3D printed CIE cattle wagons, covering the early 1950s through to the 1970s.

These are ready-to-run models, each featuring an individual running number and fitted with NEM coupling pockets.
Please note: couplings are not supplied.

Available in four different liveries:

 Dark Grey – Flying Snail -€45
 Light Grey – Flying Snail -€45
 Light Grey – CIE (vacuum brake fitted)-€45
 Brown – CIE (vacuum brake fitted)-€45

With a selection of unique running numbers from the 1950s through to the 1970s available in four liveries, you can create a varied and realistic rake for your Irish railway layout or simply add some distinctive Irish stock to your collection.

I’ll have a small number available in the Bray fair tomorrow, so if you’re interested, be sure to call in and have a look.

The full range will be available on the website from next week.

Enda
www.ckprints.ie

Edited Saturday at 08:34 by Past-Avenue
Forgot the price

[Mol_PMB]

These look great! 

[jhb171achill]

Absolutely superb! If I hadn’t already got them from Leslie I’d buy thirty! 

On any pre-1970 Irish layout you can never have enough cattle wagons…..

On a historical note, from researching the Loughrea and Kenmare lines among other things, I have gleaned a few facts relating to cattle traffic. 

Volumes carried were still huge into the late 1950s, but between about 1957 and 65, overall volumes more or less halved. By the early 70s even that had halved. By 1971/2, few places were still handling “bastes”. Other than Loughrea, a few were still being loaded at Athenry and Ennis at least, unsure of other places. They ceased carrying cattle in 1974, by which time volumes were way, way down on even 1971 levels. 

As late as the mid 50s, Loughrea could have your extra locomotives and crews, an inspector, a cattle mart representative and a sleeping van (or two!) brought in. 

Wagons started arriving from 02:00. Loading commenced about 04:00 and went on all day. The two passenger trains and one mixed were in amongst it all. Several passenger specials had arrived the day before carrying dealers from as far afield as Cork or Tyrone. 

Operations went on until 01:00 the next morning, 23 hours. 

One station master was known to stay on duty the whole time! 

All in all, several hundred wagons would arrive and depart, on top of normal traffic.

By the time the last cattle left Loughrea by rail, there was but one train, of five wagons. 

Kenmare was similar, though not quite as busy as that (Loughrea was one of the biggest in the country in the past). In the 1950s, Kenmare cattle was handled by the two daily mixed trains (think a J15, GSWR bogie compo, tin van, two ordinary goods vans and maybe 15 or 20 cattle trucks behind that!) plus a special train, maybe 35 or 40 cattle trucks, often double-headed by two J15s.

Barry Carse went to Ennis one day when there was a fair on, about 1972/3. A SINGLE cattle wagon was loaded - at the southbound passenger platform! That was the last cattle he ever saw. That picture is in one of our books. 

Around that time I was in Cork one day, wandering about the tracks as one did with impunity, and without dayglo clothes! I wandered around the goods yard. A 141 was shunting wagons. At the former cattle bank there, lines of withdrawn cattle wagons were parked up, awaiting the torch. One or two still had flying snails. 

Edited Saturday at 19:39 by jhb171achill

[Mol_PMB]

It’s also worth noting that cattle wagons could carry loads other than livestock. I’ve seen photos of them loaded with empty beer kegs/barrels, for example. 
 

Enda, @Past-Avenue do you plan to have a stand at the Dublin exhibition in October? 

[Past-Avenue]

I'd like to thank both Mol_PMB and jhb171achill for all there help and endless amounts of knowledge that helped with this project. 

Also Leslie from Provincial Wagons had a part to play in getting it of the ground. 

Yes I'll be at the 3 day show in October. 

Thanks again 

Enda 

Edited yesterday at 06:17 by Past-Avenue
Forgot the price

[DJ Dangerous]

Great to see another RTR wagon out there for the overworked and underpaid to enjoy. Thanks, @Past-Avenue!

Are the chassis 21mm-friendly or strictly 16,5mm?

[Darren.d]

Iv 2 of endas 30 ton brake vans and 2 corrugated wagons in 0 gauge and they are  fantastic items.highly recommended.

[Past-Avenue]

On 8/8/2026 at 10:05 PM, DJ Dangerous said:

Great to see another RTR wagon out there for the overworked and underpaid to enjoy. Thanks, @Past-Avenue!

Are the chassis 21mm-friendly or strictly 16,5mm?

Hi DJ

They are to a certain extent in that the axle boxes are far enough apart that they don't have to be moved. You would have to lengthen the axles and move the brake gear out but I'm told that the 21mm people would be happy enough to make them modifications. 

I done a 21mm version of the Ranks grain wagons and only sold a handful so we have to have a happy medium. 

There will be a O gauge version of all 4 cattle wagons available in a week or so and the 00 one's are up on the website now. 

Enda