dave182 Posted October 28, 2014 Posted October 28, 2014 Hi guys, Just looking for some information on the Wickham Insection Cars. I picked up one from Des over the weekend. When were the introduced? Were they all yellow? Any livery variations? How many? Did they carry running numbers? Any info or pictures appreciated as always! Quote
0 DERAILED Posted October 28, 2014 Posted October 28, 2014 All the info is available in the 4th edition of Irish Rlys Traction & Travel. There were at least 4 built by Wickham's of Ware, England - a firm that also built garden sheds. They were built in 1962 and supplied to CIE. CIE No - Builders No 710 - 8918 - was damaged in a collision on the Wexford line and subsequently dumped with the remains of another in Enniscorthy - both now gone. 711 - 8917 713 - 8916 714 - 8920 Two are now preserved at Downpatrick - one of which belonged to the Irish Narrow Gauge Trust at Dromod. They were all painted yellow and only one (711) ? had the running number painted on the outside. Quote
0 DERAILED Posted October 28, 2014 Posted October 28, 2014 One of the Downpatrick Wickhams en route from Portlaoise PW Depot to Dromod in 199x - at Tyrellspass. Photo: Joe St.Leger Quote
0 dave182 Posted October 29, 2014 Author Posted October 29, 2014 Brilliant! Thanks for that info and the picture! Quote
0 heirflick Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 [ATTACH=CONFIG]15639[/ATTACH] One of the Downpatrick Wickhams en route from Portlaoise PW Depot to Dromod in 199x - at Tyrellspass. Photo: Joe St.Leger excellent pic:tumbsup: Quote
0 Jawfin Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 1962 Ford Zephyr (?) engine in them, not too sure. There's a little information sheet about them on the Wickham at Downpatrick under overhaul, "Rosie," I'll get a picture of it for you soon. 9 seats, it appears, and the driver's seat looks to be in a funny position. The one in the, "New," shed at Downpatrick carries numbers, so it's probably 8917, as previosuly said. Interestingly, at least part of it's currently in a very worn undercoat-y pink... I have heard that another one of them is at Moyasta, anyone able to confirm this? Quote
0 Blaine Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 (edited) Thought it was a Cortina engine, the driver sits to one side in the middle of the car, the front row seats being for engineers,managers, inspectors etc. There was also a 'floor window' for inspecting the track, at least on some of them Edited October 29, 2014 by Blaine Quote
0 aclass007 Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 Did they carry any track inspection/recording equipment, or was it just a number of people inside inspecting the track by looking out the windows? Quote
0 Glenderg Posted October 29, 2014 Posted October 29, 2014 One of the stories i heard was that the most important thing they carried was pillows........ Quote
0 jhb171achill Posted October 30, 2014 Posted October 30, 2014 Engines can vary - I think one at least one had a Volkswagen beetle engine. Quote
0 WRENNEIRE Posted October 30, 2014 Posted October 30, 2014 Thought it was a Cortina engine, the driver sits to one side in the middle of the car, the front row seats being for engineers,managers, inspectors etc. There was also a 'floor window' for inspecting the track, at least on some of them Spent some time in them in the mid 70's We travelled from Amiens St to Dundalk and back to Gormanstown There was a perspex floor in it, as we were inspecting the track for "suspect devices" ! What we would have done had we found one, God only knows I would say the sight of a fully laden Wickham thundering down the track at a mighy 25MPH would have put the fear of God into any terrorists Quote
0 Broithe Posted October 30, 2014 Posted October 30, 2014 There was a perspex floor in it, as we were inspecting the track for "suspect devices" !What we would have done had we found one, God only knows ..possibly been picking slivers of Perspex out for a couple of weeks..? Quote
0 DERAILED Posted October 30, 2014 Posted October 30, 2014 This issue of Irish Railfans News http://www.steamtrainsireland.com/IRFN/IRFN0803.pdf from 1962 shows 5 Wickhams being supplied and their depot allocations. I was lucky enough to travel over the Burma Road from Collooney to Claremorris in a Wickham in 1981 and over the Tralee/Fenit branch in 1988. I am searching for pictures of same and will post if they turn up. Quote
0 heirflick Posted October 30, 2014 Posted October 30, 2014 One of the stories i heard was that the most important thing they carried was pillows........ ....for heads or asses? Quote
0 DERAILED Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 Here's a shot of 711 at Ballinasloe (?) in the mid 1990s - sorry for the poor quality pic. Quote
0 Noel Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 Here's a shot of 711 at Ballinasloe (?) in the mid 1990s - sorry for the poor quality pic. [ATTACH=CONFIG]15839[/ATTACH] That railway car looks more like something from the script of Fr Ted A bit Noddy sized. Quote
0 Broithe Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 It's not really that small, it's just far away. Quote
0 heirflick Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 Here's a shot of 711 at Ballinasloe (?) in the mid 1990s - sorry for the poor quality pic. [ATTACH=CONFIG]15839[/ATTACH] great pic - nothing wrong with the quality:tumbsup: Quote
0 aclass007 Posted November 12, 2014 Posted November 12, 2014 It's not really that small, it's just far away. Quote
0 DERAILED Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Limerick Junction is the setting for this one. Joe St.Leger the photographer. As an aside, the Waterford inspection car had a hamper with a complete set of GSWR crockery which was used for special occasions (visits of the CCE) - I was given a soup plate from it many years ago. Quote
0 enniscorthyman Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 Great shots of the Wickham inspection car David. Quote
0 Noel Posted November 17, 2014 Posted November 17, 2014 It's not really that small, it's just far away. Quote
0 NIR Posted October 28, 2019 Posted October 28, 2019 (edited) Did these buggers ever go north? I'm looking for an excuse... Edited October 28, 2019 by NIR Quote
0 Sea Breezer Posted December 2 Posted December 2 Wondering where exactly the antenna is mounted on the Wickham, if anyone knows? 3 Quote
0 Weshty Posted December 3 Posted December 3 (edited) Lovely job done. The antenna is in the centre of the roof. I'll confirm when I get access to my archive this evening. Edited December 3 by Weshty 1 1 Quote
0 Sea Breezer Posted December 4 Posted December 4 On 3/12/2024 at 12:17 PM, Weshty said: Lovely job done. The antenna is in the centre of the roof. I'll confirm when I get access to my archive this evening. Thanks Des Quote
0 Weshty Posted December 5 Posted December 5 The Downpatrick car has the antenna shown as here. 2 Quote
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Question
dave182
Hi guys,
Just looking for some information on the Wickham Insection Cars. I picked up one from Des over the weekend.
When were the introduced?
Were they all yellow? Any livery variations?
How many?
Did they carry running numbers?
Any info or pictures appreciated as always!
28 answers to this question
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