From the Catacombs

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, Galteemore said:

This was the handover in 1980. £5k it cost the RPSI then. Equivalent of £21k now. The planned (never happened) restoration was estimated to cost £15k in 2021 prices! 

And there's Galteemore Senior, the man who would written the cheque!  1980, though - surely it was earlier than that?

[Galteemore]

Yes - that’s him! 
 

 Roy Grayson purchased 27 from NIR in 1970 and then sold it to the RPSI in 1980. Here’s the relevant magazine. - complete with a letter from one JHB Snr....https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/38423919/five-foot-three-number-25-railway-preservation-society-of-ireland

Over 40 years since that photo was taken - and in 1980 Lough Erne was barely thirty years old.....

Edited March 7, 2021 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

The summer of 1977 saw the two B113s in the “barrier” siding at Inchicore.

Once CIE started painting wagons brown in 1970, you’d still see the odd grey door (replacements during repairs) or even wooden planked doors off older wagons on “H” vans. This was in the goods yard in Kilkenny in July ‘75 or ‘76, I think. Loose coupled goods ended just after that.

Note how much higher the “palvans” were than other vans - there’s one to the right. Also note the “hybrid” end of it.

 

[minister_for_hardship]

On 04/03/2021 at 9:54 PM, jhb171achill said:

That is correct. Within a week, she was to be steamed for her boiler test.

She was lit up, and after many hours couldn't raise enough steam to complete the test.

Thus, she failed it and that was that.

She is evidently so far beyond restoration that a total rebuild would be necessary - and THAT verdict was made thirty years ago! So it's now almost half a century since she was steamed - and then only as described above.

How was it that such a recently built loco was that knackered?

[Galteemore]

Because it was thrashed. The 1951 IRRS journal shows that SLNC engines took an absolute hammering from operating over such an undulating and curved PW, not to mention other issues such as water. Immense strain was put on loco underpinnings and the gradients meant that boiler water could be surging all over the place - the gauge glasses were not always comforting to look at ! A careful examination of SLNC photos towards the end shows that the locos, once sparkling clean, were filthy - even on the ceremonial ‘last train’. IE there was little spare capacity available to do anything more than maintain the basics as the line ran down. Between 1951 and 1957 the three ‘large tanks’ all went to Dundalk for overhaul, leaving the 2 Loughs in almost constant use. The UTA doesn’t seem to have done much to them - they don’t even seem to have been cleaned before being put into use. 27 was beautifully painted up in the late 60s as seen here but I don’t think much mechanical work was done. The SLNC’s best loco at the end (which worked the very last steam empty stock positioning run  in Oct 1957)was apparently ‘Enniskillen’ which was overhauled in 56 - although you wouldn’t think it from her external state at the end. 27 pics from David Cooke on Flickr.

Edited March 20, 2021 by Galteemore

[jhb171achill]

1 hour ago, minister_for_hardship said:

How was it that such a recently built loco was that knackered?

The “UTA factor”!

Run into the ground, with little maintenance! If you were to look beyond the varnish and Mr Sheen on BCDR No 30 & NCC No 74 in Cultra, you’ll find that both of them are in a very bad state mechanically and boiler-wise too!

[jhb171achill]

52 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Because it was thrashed. The 1951 IRRS journal shows that SLNC engines took an absolute hammering from operating over such an undulating and curved PW, not to mention other issues such as water. Immense strain was put on loco underpinnings and the gradients meant that boiler water could be surging all over the place - the gauge glasses were not always comforting to look at ! A careful examination of SLNC photos towards the end shows that the locos, once sparkling clean, were filthy - even on the ceremonial ‘last train’. IE there was little spare capacity available to do anything more than maintain the basics as the line ran down. Between 1951 and 1957 the three ‘large tanks’ all went to Dundalk for overhaul, leaving the 2 Loughs in almost constant use. The UTA doesn’t seem to have done much to them - they don’t even seem to have cleaned before being put into use. 27 was painted up in the late 60s but I don’t think much mechanical work was done. The SLNC’s best loco at the end (which worked the very last steam empty stock positioning run  in Oct 1957)was apparently ‘Enniskillen’ which was overhauled in 56 - although you wouldn’t think it from the photos ! 

Indeed; and their carriages were mostly unserviceable. Had they survived, you would have seen wholesale scrapping of much of everything they had by mid 60s, and the probable purchase of second hand items from CIE and the UTA. The entire track, every yard, would have need complete replacement. The management were deeply embarrassed by the state of the three bogie coaches, one of which was only used in the most dire emergency. I think that all of their museum-piece six-wheelers were done.

jhbSenior did some of their civil engineering work for no charge in his own time, as they couldn’t afford a civil engineer, even part-time.

The two railbuses were worn out and only one was in use at the end. 

The Walker railcar was in good enough order, but with a low-maintenance regime and the rough track, it would have started giving trouble before too long.

Senior watched a loco couple up to a train of cattle trucks in Enniskillen station one day in 1955/6. As the loco went to move off, it simply yanked the whole coupling assembly out of the buffer beam of the leading wagon. An SLNCR one.....

The buses were worn out too. None ended up with CIE! They were all scrapped.

The whole enterprise looked very tatty, with almost nothing having seen a paintbrush in years - locos, rolling stock or stations.

[jhb171achill]

Rock Street goods yard, Tralee, mid 70s.

 

[Lambeg man]

On 20/3/2021 at 8:33 AM, jhb171achill said:

The whole enterprise looked very tatty, with almost nothing having seen a paintbrush in years - locos, rolling stock or stations.

You have to remember that from about 1953 the writing was on the wall and closure considered. In the years that followed the succession of reprieves tended to come at the 11th hour. So it was always a sort of "stagger on for one more year" operation.

[Lambeg man]

Rock Street yard looking south, 1989...

[Galteemore]

59 minutes ago, Lambeg man said:

You have to remember that from about 1953 the writing was on the wall and closure considered. In the years that followed the succession of reprieves tended to come at the 11th hour. So it was always a sort of "stagger on for one more year" operation.

And indeed it almost looked like that in  the days before the closure, when serious consideration was given to keeping EKN to Omagh open as a long siding for cattle trains.....

[patrick]

44 minutes ago, Lambeg man said:

Rock Street yard looking south, 1989...

Thanks for posting this photo though I can't bring myself to click the like button. My first foot plate ride was from Tralee  station to the North Kerry yard in the early seventies and I must have explored every inch of it back in the day you could still do such things without getting arrested! By 1989 I had been living in Berlin for five years and was spared the heartbreak of seeing the yard in this state. The next time I returned was to buy socks in the Dunnes Stores which now occupies the site!

[Lambeg man]

34 minutes ago, patrick said:

Thanks for posting this photo though I can't bring myself to click the like button.

A wee story about that photograph. We were in a hire car doing a 'fly/drive' holiday. I stopped the car just off the former level crossing and walked back to take the photo. About 2 seconds after I clicked the shutter button, that little group on the left all began to run towards me. As they were obviously 'hostile', I legged it back to the car and drove away. I think it may have been the camera they were after. 30 years on I wonder where they are all now!  

[Mayner]

2 hours ago, Lambeg man said:

You have to remember that from about 1953 the writing was on the wall and closure considered. In the years that followed the succession of reprieves tended to come at the 11th hour. So it was always a sort of "stagger on for one more year" operation.

The SLNCR always operated on a shoestring as it was not very profitable, the Midland & GNR considered taking over the line in the late 19th Century, but it continued to operate as an independent company because of opposition to MGWR involvement by Sligo merchant interests.

The lined depended on "Grant in Aid" from Stormont to make up its operating losses following partition which would have left very little for renewals, line made a small profit during the Emergency/WW11 which appears to have paid for the railcar. The SLNCR ordered Lough Erne and Lough Melvin because no suitable second hand locos were available, the locos were eventually delivered  after the Northern Ireland Government paid 2/3 of the initial  £3,000 hire purchase installment. Stormont cut back its grant in aid to £1,500 a year in the early 1950s with the balance of the losses made up of payments from the GNR and surcharges on cattle shipments which would not have helped traffic.

In a way the SLNCR was like a person in poor health who lived a long and eventful life and almost outlived a strong and healthy relative or friend as its demise came about as a result of the closure of the GNR lines through Enniskillen.

[minister_for_hardship]

8 hours ago, Lambeg man said:

A wee story about that photograph. We were in a hire car doing a 'fly/drive' holiday. I stopped the car just off the former level crossing and walked back to take the photo. About 2 seconds after I clicked the shutter button, that little group on the left all began to run towards me. As they were obviously 'hostile', I legged it back to the car and drove away. I think it may have been the camera they were after. 30 years on I wonder where they are all now!  

Serving suspended sentences.

[jhb171achill]

On 22/3/2021 at 7:53 AM, minister_for_hardship said:

Serving suspended sentences.

I’m sure they’re still travelling about the place.......

 

——————————————

 

Some of senior’s “reject” photos over the next few days; all are from the 1940-47 period on the NCC.

First, a “W” at speed - dunno where exactly, but obviously somewhere between Belfast and Ballymena.

Edited March 23, 2021 by jhb171achill

[Mike 84C]

Over 0n RM Web just recently, I believe on the Wright Writes thread, there have been conversations about photography and ways to clean up old photos to a standard I did'nt believe. It was'nt just photoshopimg them either. I'll have a look because that photo is not beyond recovery.

[Galteemore]

It does give a nice impression of speed ! Can just picture that gleaming red

[airfixfan]

Looks like the Mogul.is approaching for Belfast downhill near Monkstown at speed.

[Galteemore]

That was my thought, Jim. Just ready to sweep across Bleach Green. In my youth I thought the NCC was simply the best, having seen photos like that. That view was educated out of me at home, where blue and and teak were the colours of choice...

 

Edited March 24, 2021 by Galteemore

[airfixfan]

The embankment behind the loco was the original main line used before Bleach Green line opened in 1934

[jhb171achill]

Same location today, different train....

Note that all of the carriages are Belfast & Northern Counties flat-sided stock.

Edited March 24, 2021 by jhb171achill

[Lambeg man]

Hi Jon,

These two pictures seem familiar. Have you posted them before or may I have seen them published somewhere? The first is notable for the 'Brown Van' and then what appears to be a fitted goods wagon immediately behind the engine. The second I am sure I've seen before, it is a down train that has just passed under the 'new' Monkstown overbridge seen in the background. Given the difficult conditions of the time I would not class them as 'rejects'. Many thanks for posting. LM 

[jhb171achill]

It's possible I've posted them before, Steve - or perhaps ones like them.

What I really need to do is catalogue and list all of his stuff. I can never remember what I've posted and what I haven't, exactly!

 

On ‎23‎/‎03‎/‎2021 at 9:43 PM, Mike 84C said:

Over 0n RM Web just recently, I believe on the Wright Writes thread, there have been conversations about photography and ways to clean up old photos to a standard I did'nt believe. It was'nt just photoshopimg them either. I'll have a look because that photo is not beyond recovery.

As long as nobody "colourises" them, which would result in a blue and yellow locomotive hauling orange and pink carriages, on yellow track, but with perfectly textured realistic green grass beside it! And of course, Donegal tank engines would be purple with lime green chimneys, while BCDR carriages would be red and turquoise.......!!!

[jhb171achill]

More NCC 

 

[jhb171achill]

B145 approaching Sligo and mail vans at Galway, both 1976.

 

[jhb171achill]

Saw this large green tube or pipe in Malahide station today. It was making bus noises and there were people in it.

I’m old enough to remember seeing trains in the same place years ago. 

 

[Galteemore]

Yes the days when you could tell a train apart from a bus in Malahide

[DJ Dangerous]

43 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Saw this large green tube or pipe in Malahide station today. It was making bus noises and there were people in it.

I’m old enough to remember seeing trains in the same place years ago. 

 

Wow, that is just gorgeous!

I have a few commissioned through Chris Dyer, and your photo has me even more excited about getting them, now!

[jhb171achill]

5 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Wow, that is just gorgeous!

I have a few commissioned through Chris Dyer, and your photo has me even more excited about getting them, now!

Eh, wow.......  enjoy them.....!

Not sure where this little grey machine was pictured - found it in Senior's stuff, but no record of it.

With several Wisht Caark, boy, and Midland fans on here, thought it might be of interest.

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by jhb171achill

[David Holman]

No offence DJ, but a lot prettier than the cuboid bus!

[DJ Dangerous]

Ugh, those steam engines all look alike!

[jhb171achill]

8 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Ugh, those steam engines all look alike!

It's time for your medicine, DJ!

[DJ Dangerous]

Just now, jhb171achill said:

It's time for your medicine, DJ!

Four hours to go until medication. I'll post a picture when it happens.

[Noel]

11 hours ago, David Holman said:

No offence DJ, but a lot prettier than the cuboid bus!

Or a 22k rollar skate yoyo