Travelling Post Office

[dave182]

Hi All. I see an RTR model of the Irish Travelling Post Office is available over on Irish Freight Models. Has anyone seen one in the flesh? I know there was some initial criticism of some of the earlier models released, but I know lot's of you were impressed by the park royals released earlier in the year. Any thoughts on this model? Is it a reasonable representation of the real thing?

http://www.irishfreightmodels.com/index.php/shop.html#!/CIE-TPO-Travelling-Post-Office/p/74126961/category=6789991

[Glenderg]

The coach depicted is missing the beauty board strapping and the 6" white band is wobbly, but nothing that can't be fixed.

 

R.

[DiveController]

It's not perfect. Mine needs a touch up and the weathering is not on guru level but I like it and it easily passes the 2 foot rule

Edited February 7, 2020 by DiveController

[Noel]

Great to have but the white lining looked less than perfect even on the website as well as Kevin's pic.

 

A few years ago I got the smaller two axle TPO which I was happy enough with. Its not fine scale by any means, but a decent model all the same even with the white lining flaws above the doors and semi gloss black paint on the roof. Glad to have it though.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Noel

[Irishrailwayman]

Great to have but the white lining looked less than perfect even on the website as well as Kevin's pic.

 

A few years ago I got the smaller two axle TPO which I was happy enough with. Its not fine scale by any means, but a decent model all the same even with the white lining flaws above the doors and semi gloss black paint on the roof. Glad to have it though.

 

I used matt varnish (acrylic water based) on the roof and satin varnish on the sides to provide a suitable finish.

[dave182]

Thanks for the feedback guys. The prototype appeals to me so this would be a nice addition to the fleet! As an aside, how many bogie TPOs did CIE have?

[jhb171achill]

Both the 4 wheeler and the bogie versions look really well. As mentioned already, anything minor can be altered. The only thing I might add is the oval "P & T" sign which would be green with pale yellow lettering.

 

Excellent additions, and as mentioned an integral part of the scene for so many years.

Edited December 7, 2016 by jhb171achill

[flange lubricator]

As an aside, how many bogie TPOs did CIE have?

 

They had 10 in total 2972-2978 built 1958 and 2979-2981 which were converted in the late sixties from GSR coaches built 1934/36

[dave182]

Thank you Flange Lubricator! 10 in total, did they ever run in multiples? I can't recall ever seeing more than 1 on it's own. Would the have run Dublin to Rosslare at all?

[jhb171achill]

Mail trains right up to 1990 could have had a good few on, and several different types. There was at least one ex-GSR one, and one or two of CIE (1950/1) build but GSR design, rattling around well into the 1980s.

[Glenderg]

I have some more I can post tomorrow when I get to the big rig. R

 

 

[DiveController]

Great Pictures, Richie. Please post if you have more.

[jhb171achill]

Now there's something I didn't know. I was not aware, livery-wise, that any of them got the lower white stripe....!

[DiveController]

They are fitted with Train Line lighting and, although vacuum braked, have an air pipe to run with what?

[Mayner]

They are fitted with Train Line lighting and, although vacuum braked, have an air pipe to run with what?

 

62'9" Bogie Container flats on the Dublin-Galway Liner-Mail in the late 1980s early 1990s. The Night Mail lost its passenger accommodation and Liner & Night Mail altered to run as one train in the late 1980s

 

The wagons were converted to carry logs after the ending of the mail trains. Galway was served by a trip working from Galway which connected into the Claremorris Liner in Athlone.

Edited December 8, 2016 by Mayner

[BSGSV]

Thank you Flange Lubricator! 10 in total, did they ever run in multiples? I can't recall ever seeing more than 1 on it's own. Would the have run Dublin to Rosslare at all?

 

CIE had many more TPO's than that, but over a long period. What era are you thinking of?

The mail only ran to Wexford from Westland Row, I believe, and was taken off in the early 1970's.

 

A couple of other comments. It's nice to see a photo of the Galway Day Mail (leaving Clara?) with BR Van and TPO at the front of the Mk.2AC set.

Aside from the Galway trains, I thought all the mails had gone to combined GSV+TPO+air braked liner flats by the end, already sorted mail being carried on (10'?) containers on the flats?

[jhb171achill]

I remember seeing mail trains loading in the evenings in Connolly Station in the mid 90s - I think these were the last. These particular ones were composed typically of a BR van and 3 or 4 TPOs.

[Garfield]

This thread reminded me of this documentary:

 

 

[craven1508]

the 15 10 ex galway in the mid to late 1980,s always had the t.p.o + br

e.g.v attached to the front of a mark 2 set. it usually travelled attached to the

07.50 ex hueston to galway, back in the day. the golden days!

great photo and memories.

[BSGSV]

the 15 10 ex galway in the mid to late 1980,s always had the t.p.o + br

e.g.v attached to the front of a mark 2 set. it usually travelled attached to the

07.50 ex hueston to galway, back in the day. the golden days!

great photo and memories.

 

I think the Day Mail was the 11:10 Down. The Mk.2AC set started on the 05:20 ex-Cork, went down to Galway on the 11:10, Up on the 15:10 and back down to Cork on the 20:35 Heuston-Cork, ready to start again next day. Times could vary from year to year, but it was like that for several.

[DiveController]

62'9" Bogie Container flats on the Dublin-Galway Liner-Mail in the late 1980s early 1990s. The Night Mail lost its passenger accommodation and Liner & Night Mail altered to run as one train in the late 1980s

 

The wagons were converted to carry logs after the ending of the mail trains. Galway was served by a trip working from Galway which connected into the Claremorris Liner in Athlone.

Thanks, John

 

 

Excellent documentary, Patrick. Thanks for posting that.

Edited December 9, 2016 by DiveController

[Weshty]

That 4-wheeler shot looks very well.

[DiveController]

Only about three years late to this thread but some nice photos of TPOs still in service in 1986 so I thought I'd post

CIE TPO 2972-2978 (1958) 2973 on standard 61'6" post 1953 chassis with commonwealth bogies (10' 5.5" wide)

)

 

CIE TPO 2979-2981series (1968) converted from 60' GSR coaching stock from 1935 and still on GSR bogies, Dublin (Connolly), 1986 (only 9' wide and no evidence of the redundant mail exchange doors)

 

 

Offside of the 2972 series TPO (where the work happened, but note that it could exchange mail bags on BOTH sides the in use originally)

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by DiveController

[Noel]

Yummie. Fab pics Kevin (DC)

I was fortunate to win this kit at WMRC easter exhibition raffle a few years ago. Take me right back in tome

 

[jhb171achill]

Do the “p & t” logos come from the manufacturer?

[DiveController]

I hear you @jhb171achill. Should be more like this. I don't know if it the photograph, this appears yellow on almost black but usually was more of a grey or dark green maybe?

EDIT:

 Another view, both would be 2972-8 series TPOs

Still a decent model in the absence of anything else @Noel I must have a look at mine. I don't recall the red/white logos.

ReEDIT: Yes, they're there but not as conspicuous as the model is moderately weathered.

Edited February 5, 2020 by DiveController

[Noel]

6 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

Do the “p & t” logos come from the manufacturer?

Yes the decals came with the Resin kit from Irish Freight models. I made a few cosmetic changes.

[DiveController]

Incidentally it must have been unusual to see two TPOs as opposed to a TPO and an adjacent luggage brake van

15.00 Cork - Dublin Heuston mail with two TPOs and passenger coach , 1989 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/152343870@N07/27007784518/in/photolist-G7JqUX-dWH5WT-2g7pGZX-2g7pH5r-2gkPYUH-Q8PzsB-2hRQ8bd-oHYbdU-7eTrcU-9ujJnW-kuukAn-dHnJXx-DdRxvb-8nrYmi-EyDfZ6-eWSTkJ-9xFsRd-WKyVBY-nK4B47-H9zXpd-24cFmo7-25o55NT-2and6uS-2hFtuDg-CCXnAi-7GRxp2-bsonac/

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by DiveController

[jhb171achill]

8 hours ago, Noel said:

Yes the decals came with the Resin kit from Irish Freight models. I made a few cosmetic changes.

Ah. OK.

Relating to the various posts above, and in a spirit of helpfulness:

1. Dunno where IFM got red and white. They were never that, in any livery. They were as shown in the pics.

2. The upper pic shows a newly painted one - post office green with lettering in a pale creamy-greenish colour. The lower pic shows the same thing, badly faded as they usually were.

[DiveController]

Offside of the 2979 series for completeness (no evidence of mail exchange doors/nets, GSR style bogies and bosca litreach pretty much to one end of the coach, both sides)

 

Edited February 6, 2020 by DiveController

[Mayner]

1 hour ago, DiveController said:

Offside of the 2979 series for completeness (no evidence of mail exchange doors/nets, GSR style bogies and bosca litreach pretty much to one end of the coach, both sides)

 

The 2979 series TPOs were converted from GSR Bredin coaches, probably converted after CIE stopped non-stopped mail bag exchange at speed. The underframe truss arrangement is the main spotting difference between GSR & CIE Bredin coaches. The GSR used the traditional arrangement with a riveted underframe with  truss rods and adjustable turnbuckle tensioners while CIE used a welded underframe with angle trusses. Interestingly CIE have fitted roller bearing axle boxes to the GSR bogies.

[DiveController]

A wealth of information as always John. When you say CIE Bredins you are referring to the early 1950s CIE traditional build wooden coaches versus the original GSR Bredins of the mid 1930s? So for the 2979- series depicted above the original GSR chassis has been retained in addition to the (modified) bogies?  2980 has that riveted under frame and turnbuckle tensioners or this was changed during the modifications? Sorry triangulated underframes etc. is still a bit of an enigma! 

[Mayner]

On 2/6/2020 at 5:05 PM, DiveController said:

 When you say CIE Bredins you are referring to the early 1950s CIE traditional build wooden coaches versus the original GSR Bredins of the mid 1930s? So for the 2979- series depicted above the original GSR chassis has been retained in addition to the (modified) bogies?  2980 has that riveted under frame and turnbuckle tensioners or this was changed during the modifications? Sorry triangulated underframes etc. is still a bit of an enigma! 

The GSR wooden and Bredin coaches shared a standard 60' steel underframe  both types of coaches were of traditional timber frame construction. 2980 basically is a Bredin coach with some of the doors and windows blanked out and mail van doors added, traditional timber frame stock was much simpler to modify for different uses compared with more modern steel or aluminium bodied stock.

The 1st couple of batches of CIE built coaches were similar in design and construction to the 1930s Bredin stock on a welded steel underframe with GSR pattern bogies an included Open Thirds, Buffet Cars to run with the AEC railcar sets, together with side corridor , Composite and Third Class coaches which were based on the pre-War stock. The situation gets a little complicated as the latter batches of these coaches including Buffet cars and Side Corridor Thirds were built on Bulleid Triangulated underframes and Commonwealth Bogies. To complicate things further early Buffet Cars & the remaining pair of GSWR Buffet cars received B4 bogies following the introduction of the Craven coaches in the 1960s!

 

[Noel]

On 2/6/2020 at 12:18 AM, jhb171achill said:

Ah. OK.

Relating to the various posts above, and in a spirit of helpfulness:

1. Dunno where IFM got red and white. They were never that, in any livery. They were as shown in the pics.

2. The upper pic shows a newly painted one - post office green with lettering in a pale creamy-greenish colour. The lower pic shows the same thing, badly faded as they usually were.

Yea I was hoping to use the grey decals with green writing but could not source same

On 2/5/2020 at 6:50 PM, DiveController said:

Incidentally it must have been unusual to see two TPOs as opposed to a TPO and an adjacent luggage brake van

15.00 Cork - Dublin Heuston mail with two TPOs and passenger coach , 1989 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/152343870@N07/27007784518/in/photolist-G7JqUX-dWH5WT-2g7pGZX-2g7pH5r-2gkPYUH-Q8PzsB-2hRQ8bd-oHYbdU-7eTrcU-9ujJnW-kuukAn-dHnJXx-DdRxvb-8nrYmi-EyDfZ6-eWSTkJ-9xFsRd-WKyVBY-nK4B47-H9zXpd-24cFmo7-25o55NT-2and6uS-2hFtuDg-CCXnAi-7GRxp2-bsonac/

 

There you go a Mail train at woodvale junction. Bogie parcel coach + TPO + GSV all kit bashed 

 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2020 by Noel

[BSGSV]

Mechanical exchange of mails ceased in 1968, and 2979-81 appeared in Nov. 1968, so didn't get nets. They were converted from 2114 (of 1935), 2116/9 (of 1936) so originated under Arthur Harty's time as CME. I suspect some of the sorting frames of 4-wheel TPO's 2962-7 may have been used in the bogie conversions, as 2962-71 were stored out of use at that repository for redundant stock, Sallins, by 1968.

1297 at DCDR today still has one of those GSR bogies with Hoffmann roller bearings.

Edited February 7, 2020 by BSGSV
Typos!