Patrick Davey Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 3 hours ago, jhb171achill said: I'll dig out some more GNR photos tomorrow and then we can go NCC, or GSR...... Yum to all! Thanks again JB. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 This is the last GNR for a while. I haven’t a date but I think it’s not long after the railcars were introduced. PW work is in progress at Malahide, and a service train is being allowed across at slow speed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Man Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 although I like the GNRI I can not wait to sea what Next. Any Waterford and Tramore or Dublin and Blessington. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 3 minutes ago, Midland Man said: although I like the GNRI I can not wait to sea what Next. Any Waterford and Tramore or Dublin and Blessington. Unfortunately not, but I've a few other bits and pieces...! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) We’re up north today. A Giants Causeway tram awaits departure from Portrush station, and a strange vehicle is parked up at the depot nearby. This was a wagon for inspecting overhead wires. These pictures were taken in 1939. Edited May 1, 2020 by jhb171achill 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Man Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 what gauge are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) 10 minutes ago, Midland Man said: what gauge are they? 3ft gauge. One of the few electric narrow gauge lines. Quiz question: how many narrow-gauge electric lines were there, including tramways? I can think of six..... Edited May 1, 2020 by jhb171achill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 6 minutes ago, jhb171achill said: 3ft gauge. One of the few electric narrow gauge lines. Quiz question: how many narrow-gauge electric lines were there, including tramways? I can think of six..... Hmm... Giant's Causeway Tramway New & Bessbrook Tramway Cork Electric Tramway Belfast Corporation Tramway Dublin & Lucan Tramway Does the DUTC system count because it was 5 ft 2 3⁄16 in, not 5ft 3in? Or are you including the Luas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galteemore Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Annaghmore Turf Railway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garfield Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 1 minute ago, Galteemore said: Annaghmore Turf Railway I came back to add it, but you beat me to it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galteemore Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) Sorry Garfield ! Dimly remembered from an old book my dad had. The most intriguing system I remember in it was Bianconi’s private farm railway in Clare, which even had a full signalling system. Some of the loco wheels allegedly survive at Moyasta. Would make a fun model. Edited May 1, 2020 by Galteemore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Davey Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 (edited) Wow JB those were unexpected! The upper photo was indeed taken at the depot on the outskirts of Portrush, St. Patrick's RC church is visible in the left background. Mighty photos!!! Edited May 1, 2020 by Patrick Davey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WRENNEIRE Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 Little bit of Belfast Tramway history A Love Token from a lass in Gormanstown when the "Refugees" were billeted there during the Troubles 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhu Varren Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 4 hours ago, jhb171achill said: We’re up north today. A Giants Causeway tram awaits departure from Portrush station, and a strange vehicle is parked up at the depot nearby. This was a wagon for inspecting overhead wires. These pictures were taken in 1939. There are still quite a number of stumps of the old overhead line poles to be found by the roadside between Portrush and Bushmills, particularly between the Junction of the Ballintrae Road and Bushmills, which is where the photo was taken. The overhead line poles suffered badly from corrosion due to their close proximity to the sea, and when new poles were needed, to keep costs down, the original poles had reinforcing steel rods inserted, and then were filled with concrete. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 1, 2020 Author Share Posted May 1, 2020 3 hours ago, Galteemore said: Sorry Garfield ! Dimly remembered from an old book my dad had. The most intriguing system I remember in it was Bianconi’s private farm railway in Clare, which even had a full signalling system. Some of the loco wheels allegedly survive at Moyasta. Would make a fun model. Bianconi, Annaghmore, Cork City, Bessbrook, Giant's Causeway and Lucan were the ones I had in mind. I did not count Belfast (or Dublin, other than Lucan!) And not the LUAS either.... naturally, by Irish standards, all of these are narrow gauge too! I have an idea there was some sort of short-lived thing out in the wilds of Leitrim or Longford or somewhere - I remember reading of such a thing years and years ago. Must look it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Man Posted May 1, 2020 Share Posted May 1, 2020 The C&L was meant to extend to Roscommon via Arigna so it may have been a tram way. As for the rail link in Longford sound like a (stupid) idea that would have been done to link to manors or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 Fifty years ago to the day, today, NIR operated the last ever steam train in service with a company-owned locomotive in Ireland. I was there to see it. Over thirty years earlier, also on the NCC, Senior spotted a gleaming maroon just-out-of-the-paint shop U2 hurrying itself along. Location unknown, but would appear to be either between Belfast and Whitehead, or more likely Belfast - Ballymena, as I think his earliest spin on the NCC was on the main line. I 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick Davey Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 1 hour ago, jhb171achill said: Fifty years ago to the day, today, NIR operated the last ever steam train in service with a company-owned locomotive in Ireland. I was there to see it. Over thirty years earlier, also on the NCC, Senior spotted a gleaming maroon just-out-of-the-paint shop U2 hurrying itself along. Location unknown, but would appear to be either between Belfast and Whitehead, or more likely Belfast - Ballymena, as I think his earliest spin on the NCC was on the main line. I What a sight that must have been!! Looks like the number 80, was that a U2 number? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Man Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I wounded whitch batch it came from the Belfast the crewe or the Scotland batch? I know Duluce castle is a Scottish engine and all the Belfast engines were once 2-4-0s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixfan Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 80 built at York Road in 1925. Looks like the Larne line from what little detail we have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIR Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 9 minutes ago, airfixfan said: 80 built at York Road in 1925. Looks like the Larne line from what little detail we have. Are those suburban carriages the ones known as 'Larne steelers'? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixfan Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Yes they look similar to coaches 238 and 241 preserved by the RPSI. 50 years since the end of the spoil trains today even though one book said May 3rd! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhu Varren Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, NIR said: Are those suburban carriages the ones known as 'Larne steelers'? No, the coach behind the loco is not a 'Larne Steeler'. The Larne Steelers were steel, flush sided coaches, the one in the picture is a wood panelled coach, probably one of the 1924 or 1935 built batches. If the 30 years quoted by JHB is correct, then this would date the picture as 1940 or before, which means that the coach could not be 238 or 241, as they did not arrive on the NCC until 1941 as replacements for stock destroyed in the Blitz of that year. Edited May 2, 2020 by Dhu Varren 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 40 minutes ago, Dhu Varren said: No, the coach behind the loco is not a 'Larne Steeler'. The Larne Steelers were steel, flush sided coaches, the one in the picture is a wood panelled coach, probably one of the 1924 or 1935 built batches. If the 30 years quoted by JHB is correct, then this would date the picture as 1940 or before, which means that the coach could not be 238 or 241, as they did not arrive on the NCC until 1941 as replacements for stock destroyed in the Blitz of that year. Correct - the pic was some time in the mid 30s - after 1940, any "shiny" engines would have been in the unlined black livery too. I would certainly think it's one of the 1924 stock. Hard to make out 100% though. I noticed a white patch on the smokebox door - anyone have any ideas as to what that might be? I don't. 52 minutes ago, airfixfan said: Yes they look similar to coaches 238 and 241 preserved by the RPSI. 50 years since the end of the spoil trains today even though one book said May 3rd! That would be a typo - very definitely 2nd! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galteemore Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 I think the patch is the door handle blurred in the exposure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 16 minutes ago, Galteemore said: I think the patch is the door handle blurred in the exposure. Actually, you're right - I see that now! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minister_for_hardship Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 On 5/1/2020 at 12:44 PM, jhb171achill said: 3ft gauge. One of the few electric narrow gauge lines. Quiz question: how many narrow-gauge electric lines were there, including tramways? I can think of six..... Another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 2 minutes ago, minister_for_hardship said: Another one. Wow!! What is that? Is it the RDS show about the turn of the last century? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minister_for_hardship Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 No, the 1889 Percival/Burke indoor electric railway, Christian Bros Exhibition, Corn Exchange, Cork. A Curtis electric motor from this should be still up in the North Mon, it was used afterwards for classroom demonstrations and, used at least once, to provide storm sound effects in a weeks run of The Tempest at the Opera House. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minister_for_hardship Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 Actually come to think of it, there were electric Siemens locos used at Ardnacrusha. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noel Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 4 minutes ago, minister_for_hardship said: Actually come to think of it, there were electric Siemens locos used at Ardnacrusha. There was a considerable railway constructed from Killaloe all the way to Ardnacrusha down the 10km head race canal and on down to limerick. It was removed after the 5 year construction project was completed on time and on budget. Germans don't you know. There was a broad gauge railway line from Limerick to the face of the dam until about 40 years ago. There are photos of a pax special B&T stock at the dam. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dhu Varren Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 8 hours ago, Midland Man said: I wounded whitch batch it came from the Belfast the crewe or the Scotland batch? I know Duluce castle is a Scottish engine and all the Belfast engines were once 2-4-0s. Three of the Class U2 Belfast built locos were built new, with eight being rebuilds of Class A and U 4-4-0s. Seven were built in Glasgow by the North British Locomotive Co.. The easy way to tell whether a U2 is a Belfast or a Glasgow engine is to look at the cab roof. All the Belfast engines have square corners to the rear of the cab roof. The Glasgow engines have a curved cutaway on each corner. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixfan Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 If is 1940 then cannot be 238/241 looks similar to 358 preserved by the RPSI. Stand corrected but still think it's the Larne line. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIR Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 6 hours ago, airfixfan said: Yes they look similar to coaches 238 and 241 preserved by the RPSI. 50 years since the end of the spoil trains today even though one book said May 3rd! Still, we have the second spoil contract to look forward to. I remember passing a spoil train in a siding at Kilroot mid-70s, there seemed to be a conveyor belt heading out to a new jetty being built. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhb171achill Posted May 2, 2020 Author Share Posted May 2, 2020 27 minutes ago, NIR said: Still, we have the second spoil contract to look forward to. I remember passing a spoil train in a siding at Kilroot mid-70s, there seemed to be a conveyor belt heading out to a new jetty being built. Now that's a good point, NIR. After the Shore Road motorway was built, with the stuff that the last few "WT" class tank engines hauled down from Magheramorne, there were further movements out of there, using diesels. I have seen a pic of a Hunslet with a string of spoil wagons behind it and while I could be mistaken, I don't think it was a ballast train. I also seem to recall being told of the little Hunslet 0.6.0 shunters hauling them about somewhere, but that probably WAS ballast. Any ideas? As Michael Caine, or Trumpty Dumpty might say, "Not a lot of people know that"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.