Dugort Harbour

[jhb171achill]

Well into the 1960s it was still possible to see wagons with “G N” markings on them, though with a small stencilled “CIE” or “UT” somewhere on the sides or ends.

Here, on a summer day in 1965, two GNR goods vans can be seen in the morning goods returning from Dugort Harbour. 

[Patrick Davey]

A long way from home!!  Cracking scene JB.

[Westcorkrailway]

34 minutes ago, Patrick Davey said:

A long way from home!!  Cracking scene JB.

For what it’s worth I’m pretty sure GNR liveried coaches have been to Bantry post 1958. Although there was some done Pre-1958 too for the pigeon train. This tradition continued with a few UTA liveried coaches being hundreds of miles from home 

 

plenty of GNR wagons out west too. As far as I know mostly open wagons and flats for ford cars

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, Westcorkrailway said:

For what it’s worth I’m pretty sure GNR liveried coaches have been to Bantry post 1958. Although there was some done Pre-1958 too for the pigeon train. This tradition continued with a few UTA liveried coaches being hundreds of miles from home 

 

plenty of GNR wagons out west too. As far as I know mostly open wagons and flats for ford cars

Yes, they have. If you discount the odd pigeon special, there was a clerestorey-roofed coach which went walkabout in 1959. It was seen at Loughrea and on the Wisht Caark main line.

It was customary in railcar days that on one day a week (or month; can't remember); (I think a Tuesday or a Wednesday) instead of the railcar making two return trips, it did one and a steam train did the other. This led to a Bandon tank or a GSWR 2.4.2T taking the midday train down to Bantry and going back to Cork later, while the railcar did the forst up and last down train. It was on one of these occasions that this GNR relic - in brown livery - was to be seen along with (I presume) a GSWR bogie as well.

On the DSER, being served from Amiens St., ex-GNR stock of all sorts was moch more common, with GNR railcars as well as CIE ones, and GNR coaches either in navy & cream, brown, CIE green or black'n'tan. Blue 4.4.0s were also often to be seen on Dun Laoghaire pier shuttles.

[jhb171achill]

“……..yes, I knew your father well, when he was station master in Knocklong… give him my regards, tell him I’m sorry I missed him…”

 

.

 

”I can’t get the boot opened…”

”You’d have been better bringing your uncle’s Fordson and that turf trailer he has….”

.

 

162 prepares to leave with the midday mixed in July 1960, and A55 leaves Castletown with the morning down passenger in April 1964.

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

“Just as well Johnny Mac isn’t on this morning, this thing would wreck his back…”

“Ye hear he’s being moved to the buses in Tralee next month?”

 

 

.

 

”…..well, it says so in the paper here. Abandonment order, it says. Listowel, Newcastle West, the lot. At least we’re safe here coz’ the buses and lorries can’t get past Sheehan’s Bridge without reversing….”

 

Edited April 18, 2023 by jhb171achill

[Patrick Davey]

Fabulous!

[Patrick Davey]

The head-on shot of A55 is superb JB!

[DJ Dangerous]

The weathering on A30 and A42 is brilliant. Really picks out the detail.

[jhb171achill]

It’s the big cattle fair tomorrow, so 162 brings in the goods, then departs with a Woolwich as well, which is on its way to Castletown - superpower on the branch, but there are 43 wagons of beasts estimated in the morning. The drovers start loading at 04:45.

Market Day a few years later, and an early morning scene before anyone turns up, at (what will become) Castletown West. There’s a third coach on today, and it’s one of those brand new Cravens….

[jhb171achill]

It’s been a busy market day. At least ten wagons of cattle for North Wall amongst this 25-wagon train….

[Noel]

2 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

It’s been a busy market day. At least ten wagons of cattle for North Wall amongst this 25-wagon train….

Drool, I nearly fell off my perch looking at those wonderfully crafted scenes. Stunning in the extreme, atmosphere, reality and nostalgia for the pinnacle of a bygone era.

[Noel]

18 hours ago, jhb171achill said:

It’s been a busy market day. At least ten wagons of cattle for North Wall amongst this 25-wagon train….

That country side is so evocative and so like Co Galway the wonderful goods train above from Du”Gort” harbour could be on route to pass through Gort ending up in Claremorris. 

[Patrick Davey]

On 21/4/2023 at 2:00 AM, jhb171achill said:

It’s been a busy market day. At least ten wagons of cattle for North Wall amongst this 25-wagon train….

Brilliant shot JB! Are the trains running now from the harbour round to Castletown?

[jhb171achill]

8 hours ago, Patrick Davey said:

Brilliant shot JB! Are the trains running now from the harbour round to Castletown?

Not yet, Patrick, but soon, I hope!

[jhb171achill]

“Ye hear all that stuff about Dan?”

”Ah, listen. He’s the biggest bluffer in Kerry. Not one word of it’s true”

”Well Patsy Mike says he heard him in O’Donoghues…..”

”Sure don’t ye know he’s an even BIGGER bluffer….”

[jhb171achill]

When you’ve a fair day and a large consignment of wagons for the mill, an “A” is yer only man. Here, one very busy day in 1964, A55 is doing honours. There hasn’t been a goods this long on the branch for years.

Here, A55 slows from a breakneck 20 mph to little more than walking pace as it comes into Castletown off Carrowmore Bog.

[jhb171achill]

“Let’s get the rest of these loaded an’ then get the kettle on…..”

”Did ye get the Rich Teas?”

”Paddy’s got Mikado biscuits - ever tasted those?”

[Noel]

Brilliant Jonathan. Were you at Wexford by any chance?

[jhb171achill]

59 minutes ago, Noel said:

Brilliant Jonathan. Were you at Wexford by any chance?

Sadly not...babysitting all weekend! Looks like I missed an excellent one.........

[Noel]

16 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Sadly not...babysitting all weekend! Looks like I missed an excellent one.........

Ah but baby sitting a special little one is a treasured gift.

[jhb171achill]

2 minutes ago, Noel said:

Ah but baby sitting a special little one is a treasured gift.

I have to agree with you 100% on that! He's like a bagful of monkeys at 13 months old - but give him time - he'll soon have his first train journey and he's already got Thomas the Tank toys (in the correct livery, of course...............................!)

[JasonB]

On 28/3/2023 at 2:46 AM, jhb171achill said:

Here, on a summer day in 1965, two GNR goods vans can be seen in the morning goods returning from Dugort Harbour. 

Way outside my era of interest. But there's something about this livery on the A class, that I just find really attractive. 

Edited May 6, 2023 by JasonB

[JasonB]

On 18/4/2023 at 2:17 PM, jhb171achill said:

A55 leaves Castletown with the morning down passenger in April 1964.

 

And this. What's happening to me! 

[jhb171achill]

3 minutes ago, JasonB said:

And this. What's happening to me! 

I got a grass applicator the other day, so that scene will soon have scrawny turf bog type vegetation..........

[jhb171achill]

I came all the way down to Castletown West one day in 1968, because someone told me at the start of April that the Steam Dreams will be going there.

And what do I get - an oul local with a “yank” up front…..

 

[jhb171achill]

One of the scenic features I’m trying to create halfway between Dugort Harbour and Castletown West is a section of line like the Achill line, or large stretches of the Ballina branch or between Athenry & Ballinasloe; of course, many other places too!

I got this bag of “turf” from some German supplier on fleabay, whose name escapes me. I have formed the sort of rectangular pit that can be seen in bogs where they’ve been digging it up. I used DAS clay for the entire topography, DEAD easy to just put into place with a rough surface which will be eventually covered in vegetation - scrawny short grass, weeds, the odd cowpat on firmer ground, an abandoned rusted Fordson tractor stuck in the bog and covered in brambles, etc. 

The whole thing when dried cracked in a number of places and shrunk slightly, so I had already filled the cracks in and painted it a dark “turfy” colour, semi-gloss to look wet. Left as it is, it doesn’t look at all right, but it was never intended to remain as it is.

The “grit” is real, from the side of a boggy area on Achill Island. I just scattered it where it is now - loose - with the intention of spraying it with glue, but this might have been a mistake, as I’m concerned about it all getting sucked into a hoover when I scoop up stray fibres after grass is out down. 

If anyone has any thoughts on the right way to do this, I’m all ears.

The VW vehicle is slightly weathered though could do with more. It will sit beside the bog, or on a nearby track, with a small figure (shown) apparently pitchforking turf into it. The figure is obviously a loco fireman in loco overalls; a little tweaking will fix this, to make him look like a rural gent.

I will leave the inside of the turf hole as it is, to look damp, but with a few odds and ends of turf scattered inside it too.

[DJ Dangerous]

How do you fix the DAS clay in place? With some kind of glue? Or does it bond to the boards itself?

[jhb171achill]

Just now, DJ Dangerous said:

How do you fix the DAS clay in place? With some kind of glue? Or does it bond to the boards itself?

I thought it did, when put down.

But when I saw the cracks, I suspected that the cause, shrinkage, would inevitably have mde it becom detached, and it had. So I just lifted each piece, threw a pile of UHU glue down on the board, and set it back in place, and that worked. Once that was dry and set, I used more DAS clay to fill in the cracks, some of which were maybe 2mm wide. Once all of that was in place, and it looked as if it was solid for good, then I slapped that dark paint over it.

[Flying Snail]

Make sure you give your ex-fireman a proper turf fork instead of a pitch fork anyhow, or you'll have his heart broke and he'll be bad mouthing you to the lads on the platform in Dugort. They're pretty much the same as a potato or beet fork -  wider than your standard fork with six thines, each of which has a rounded tip.

[jhb171achill]

18 minutes ago, Flying Snail said:

Make sure you give your ex-fireman a proper turf fork instead of a pitch fork anyhow, or you'll have his heart broke and he'll be bad mouthing you to the lads on the platform in Dugort. They're pretty much the same as a potato or beet fork -  wider than your standard fork with six thines, each of which has a rounded tip.

Was thinking that even as I typed it! A bit too fiddly for my eyesight, though - he'll have to just whinge about me to the two eejits who are always on the platform............!

There's another thing; I have yet to start the station building at Dugort Harbour, which will be of the Kenmare / West Cork / Valencia school of corrugated iron sheeting architecture........... so those lads at Dugort, they must be out in all weathers right now........

 

Edited May 7, 2023 by jhb171achill

[David Holman]

When using DAS to cover a building (to be scribed for brick or stone later), I always put a thin smear of pva on first, which helps it stay in place.

 As JB says though, any cracks can easily be covered with more DAS and painted over. It is also easily smoothed with a wet finger, spatula or some such.

[jhb171achill]

An experiment; I waited until a late early summer bright night provided the unique sort of lingering daylight seen after 10 p.m. at this time of year, to step into my time machine to visit Dugort Harbour at 22:12 on 30th May 1965…… these are the results.

1.  Among the last Park Royals still in green, and the very last tin van still in “silver”, this neglected pair sit on a warm night at the cattle dock at Dugort Harbour along with a shut-down B141, which will form the morning train to Castletown West.

—-

2.  Looking round this deserted West Kerry outpost, an old “soft top” of DSER origin can be seen in the back siding. It’s been there for 2 years now and will soon be scrapped on site. 

—-

The only other stock on site are a wooden-bodied open and a “H” van, both empty - they’ll be tacked onto to the back of the morning train and dropped off at Castletown; plus a spare “tin van”.

Edited May 30, 2023 by jhb171achill

[jhb171achill]

And finally, to show how the nights have stretched, here’s a B121 ambling past Carrowmore with the last train of the day in early April 1965….

[DJ Dangerous]

They look like real photos!