jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 Filmed from the road, empty “K” vans await the signal for Castletown West station, 1st February 1964. A few have the brand-new “roundel” on them….. IMG_6076.mov And here it is in colour…. 7
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 Busy times at Dugort Harbour….1964. IMG_6074.mov 7
Mol_PMB Posted January 31 Posted January 31 5 hours ago, jhb171achill said: Busy times at Dugort Harbour….1964. Very nice! In this photo, the ventilated van second in line - is that from a kit? Not one I've seen before in model form. 1
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said: Very nice! In this photo, the ventilated van second in line - is that from a kit? Not one I've seen before in model form. It’s a DSER one, made by the late Ken McElhinney (formerly KMCE here). Ken had only just started making 3D wagons and carriages, all DWWR / DSER stuff when he passed away. I am delighted to have about half a dozen of his wagons and what I think was the first ever coach he did. I had ordered another of the vent vans above but it was not to be unfortunately. I’ll post pics of what I have later. 3
Mol_PMB Posted January 31 Posted January 31 1 minute ago, jhb171achill said: It’s a DSER one, made by the late Ken McElhinney (formerly KMCE here). Ken had only just started making 3D wagons and carriages, all DWWR / DSER stuff when he passed away. I am delighted to have about half a dozen of his wagons and what I think was the first ever coach he did. I had ordered another of the vent vans above but it was not to be unfortunately. I’ll post pics of what I have later. Many thanks for the info. I was thinking of converting one of Leslie's van kits to a GNR ventilated van and then saw your model and wondered whether there might be an alternative option. Sorry to hear about Ken. 2
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 Mention must be made of a large batch of weathering on most of the above by (of course) Dempsey of this community. Absolutely excellent, as always. The intention is to show things as my earliest memories are; wagons in varying stages of light weathering to absolute worn-out rust and filth. When I was a person of limited stature, many H vans and corrugated opens were new, so quite clean (maybe for their first week in service with steam locos and rain in the vicinity); palvans had yet to be built so they’d be quite clean too when I saw them. On the other hand there were still a good many older wooden wagons about, and thus in older, darker grey, often having seen heavy use but no paintbrushes in a decade or more, with markings barely visible. Hence the mix. Shown here is probably about a third of the wagon stock I have. And I’m getting three of Enda CK’s superb Ranks wagons tomorrow! 3
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 Early January 1974 at Dugort Harbour. “Is that the last of the beet for this year?” ”Yeah, these for here and another three or four up at Castletown….” ”Gimme a shout when you’re back in town, it’s gonna bucket down any minute!” 9
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 In August 1975, with weeks to go before withdrawal of passenger trains, 149 hurries across Carrowmore Bog with the 14:30 local from Castletown. 5
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 From an old colour slide dated July 1958….. ”It’s broken down. They’re sending a steam engine. They’ll hold the connection at the junction for Tralee….” 6
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 One spring morning in 1965, A55 prepares to depart from Castletown with the 08:30. It’s rare to see a new Craven on this service. 6
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 9 hours ago, Mol_PMB said: Very nice! In this photo, the ventilated van second in line - is that from a kit? Not one I've seen before in model form. These are the four vans I got from Ken. I had ordered another vent van and two goods vans with “smooth” roof instead of corrugated. Never got round to lettering….. yet! 13 1
Mol_PMB Posted January 31 Posted January 31 Very nice! Thank you for looking those out and taking the photos. 2 1
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 (edited) 3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said: Very nice! Thank you for looking those out and taking the photos. I thought I had five, so I delved; here’s the fifth, a “proper”-roofed version of the van. It’s two more of those I had been looking for. For our 3D friends, quite a few of the GSWR equivalents of these were still active until about 1960. Any takers to make some? Edited January 31 by jhb171achill 8 1
jhb171achill Posted January 31 Author Posted January 31 In 1962 C231 was a regular on the branch. On several consecutive days one week in July, it labours up to “town” with the midday local. 12
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 (edited) Life in 1968…. “Well, I tell ye, lads, the same grade as us on British Rail are getting fifteen pounds ten shillings a week. We should be asking for fourteen pounds anyway, maybe fourteen pounds ten”…. “How much tax outta that?” ”I don’t know….” ”Well, how much do they have to pay for things like rent?….” Edited February 1 by jhb171achill 5
Colonel Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Lovely to see some of Ken's stuff - and always a treat to read about what he was up to. 2 3
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 4 hours ago, Colonel said: Lovely to see some of Ken's stuff - and always a treat to read about what he was up to. This is his DSER 3rd class coach. It’s an absolutely well designed one, very solid, excellent runner. The chassis was his own design, 3D printed too. He had a composite in design stage and a brake 3rd too. I had my name set own for those too! Heres the first one I got from him. He painted it GSR maroon. I was going to paint it CIE green but might leave it. Needs glazing and door handles. A rare colour picture of the GSR era - ex-CBSCR 472 and ex-DSER third 23D at Castletown West, 1944! (Shows what GSR times might look like!) 9
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 Further to this coach, you'll notice lead weights in the end compartments. Ken recommended I use these, but it runs OK without them. I have since amended things and taken them out, and just put one in the middle compartment. Anyone any idea where I might get a set of suitable door handles? 1
Galteemore Posted February 1 Posted February 1 (edited) Slaters do nice 4mm door handles. Quite easy to make your own simple T handles from brass wire too Edited February 1 by Galteemore 2
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 Vehicles at Dugort Harbour, expertly weathered by Dempsey, of our community. 8
Sea Breezer Posted February 1 Posted February 1 On 31/1/2026 at 7:06 PM, jhb171achill said: I thought I had five, so I delved; here’s the fifth, a “proper”-roofed version of the van. It’s two more of those I had been looking for. For our 3D friends, quite a few of the GSWR equivalents of these were still active until about 1960. Any takers to make some? Ken’s stuff is truly fantastic. I wish I had a full fleet of his stock. Great that his legacy lives on at Dugort Harbour. 1 1
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Sea Breezer said: Ken’s stuff is truly fantastic. I wish I had a full fleet of his stock. Great that his legacy lives on at Dugort Harbour. Yes, I'm likewise delighted! While 3D printing is opening up all sorts of possibilities now, when I bought the above from him, there was no other way of getting anything authentically Irish from this period, with the sole exception of Provincial's GSWR brake van which, of course fits perfectly with these yokes for GSR era. While Dugort Harbour is based on the 1955-70 period (and a sole supertrain-liveried 141 will push that out to 1972!), if I ever live to be a zillion, it's my long term intention to also build up a collection from GSR era. If IRM brought out the J15, I'd be down for half a dozen, as a line like Dugort, had it existed, would almost certainly have been exclusively worked by J15s. Cue a run of Hattons (IRM??) Genesis coaches in GSR maroon.....................! Edited February 1 by jhb171achill 2
Patrick Davey Posted February 1 Posted February 1 1 hour ago, jhb171achill said: Cue a run of Hattons (IRM??) Genesis coaches in GSR maroon.....................! I've gone off my Hatton's Genesis coaches - beautifully finished etc. but they just look too small to me. Can't imagine what they are going to look like next to a Park Royal 1
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 1 hour ago, Patrick Davey said: I've gone off my Hatton's Genesis coaches - beautifully finished etc. but they just look too small to me. Can't imagine what they are going to look like next to a Park Royal They WERE considerably smaller, though, same width but MUCH lower roof, like most bogie coaches pre-1910….. 1 1
Galteemore Posted February 1 Posted February 1 2 hours ago, Patrick Davey said: I've gone off my Hatton's Genesis coaches - beautifully finished etc. but they just look too small to me. Can't imagine what they are going to look like next to a Park Royal Just don’t run them at same time….JHBs pics on another thread show that it’s only from up above that the difference is really obvious anyway 5 3
Patrick Davey Posted February 1 Posted February 1 Yes I've been only running them together but they even look dwarfed by the locos pulling them, and running them together means not enjoying a key feature of 1950s & 1960s CIE, namely the running of trains with an insane variety of passenger and goods stock. I tried assembling such a train and the Genesis coaches just looked too small to me. It's a pity, because they are lovely models and very high quality. Admittedly I only have CIE diesel locos so am guessing the size issue wouldn't be as prominent if they were being pulled by a J15 for example. 2 1
jhb171achill Posted February 1 Author Posted February 1 12 minutes ago, Patrick Davey said: Yes I've been only running them together but they even look dwarfed by the locos pulling them, and running them together means not enjoying a key feature of 1950s & 1960s CIE, namely the running of trains with an insane variety of passenger and goods stock. I tried assembling such a train and the Genesis coaches just looked too small to me. It's a pity, because they are lovely models and very high quality. Admittedly I only have CIE diesel locos so am guessing the size issue wouldn't be as prominent if they were being pulled by a J15 for example. I find the best way is the Park Royal or laminate behind the loco, and six-wheeler at the back.. 3
Colonel Posted February 2 Posted February 2 In one of H. C. Casserley's albums there is a picture of a train made up of a six wheeler and a more 'modern' bogie. The difference in size is very noticeable. Seem to remember he wanted to travel in the six wheeler, though the crew suggested he'd be more comfortable in the saloon! 3 1 1
jhb171achill Posted February 2 Author Posted February 2 39 minutes ago, Colonel said: In one of H. C. Casserley's albums there is a picture of a train made up of a six wheeler and a more 'modern' bogie. The difference in size is very noticeable. Seem to remember he wanted to travel in the six wheeler, though the crew suggested he'd be more comfortable in the saloon! I remember reading that, yes! The late J I C Boyd once told me of hopping into a six-wheeler somewhere (knowing him, probably narrow gauge, which suggests West Clare) and the weather was awful - it was absolutely hammering down heavy rain. He sat himself down and made himself comfortable. Then the drips started from above onto his head….. 1 1
Mol_PMB Posted February 2 Posted February 2 1 minute ago, jhb171achill said: I remember reading that, yes! The late J I C Boyd once told me of hopping into a six-wheeler somewhere (knowing him, probably narrow gauge, which suggests West Clare) and the weather was awful - it was absolutely hammering down heavy rain. He sat himself down and made himself comfortable. Then the drips started from above onto his head….. Not so long ago that was a common experience in the 4-wheelers I had to endure on my commute into Manchester. If you were lucky it was rain, but sometimes it was engine coolant which was even less pleasant! 1
jhb171achill Posted February 2 Author Posted February 2 3 hours ago, Mol_PMB said: Not so long ago that was a common experience in the 4-wheelers I had to endure on my commute into Manchester. If you were lucky it was rain, but sometimes it was engine coolant which was even less pleasant! You mean those railbus things?
Mol_PMB Posted February 2 Posted February 2 3 minutes ago, jhb171achill said: You mean those railbus things? Yes, horrible vehicles. I'm very glad they've gone! My journey is now upgraded to a 150 (much like an NIR 450 but with the noise and heat more evenly distributed along the train, and now with slightly better seats). 2
jhb171achill Posted February 4 Author Posted February 4 Main line set stables at Castletown West tonight…. Hoping to make a start on scenery here soon. 8
jhb171achill Posted February 4 Author Posted February 4 Got three of Enda Byrne’s SUPERB grain wagons the other day. Here, A42 shunts the empties from Castletown Mill into a siding to get them out of the way of an incoming cattle special one day in 1965….. the loco is about to go to Inchicore, from where it will emerge in black! 15 1
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