mgwr preserved railway Connemara Railway project.

[Galteemore]

Must be something about how they were used - longish runs instead of the short shunts such locos usually did? This was a standard EE class, some of which are still in industrial usage. So it can’t have been a dud design.

The notes on this photo tell the whole story of the NIR DHs to date : click on it and read….

 

Edited February 9, 2023 by Galteemore

[ttc0169]

Another productive day at the Maam Cross Connemara Railway Project,

Work continues inside the shed on building workshop facilities,

Outside some members of the team constructed timber fencing on the down Clifden platform while other members concentrated on the power washing of the wagons on site. 

Ballast plough van 24853 also got the power washing and degreasing treatment.

Point rodding was also put in place and will be connected to the lever frame in the cabin over the next few weeks. 

[228RiverOwenboy]

Oh how I love to see an update on the Maam Cross project! Great work so far. I must wonder, how did the brake van catch fire... And when? 

[DJ Dangerous]

Those oil tankers need to be scanned and measured ASAP...

[ttc0169]

1 hour ago, 228RiverOwenboy said:

Oh how I love to see an update on the Maam Cross project! Great work so far. I must wonder, how did the brake van catch fire... And when? 

 Vandalism in North wall caused the fire when the wagon was stored there-2014/15 I think.  

[Branchline121]

Wow, if there was that kind of dedication on the Navan line it would have been finished years ago! Good job!

[Bob229]

Great progress been made, well done

[ttc0169]

Another weekend of work at Maam cross,

Volunteers worked on several projects,

Work started on the deep cleaning of two axle tank wagon 607A,and it really looked well afterwards in comparison to 633A

After that work was completed I turned my attention to the interior of ballast plough van 24853-removing fire damaged and rotten timbers from around the window areas. 
Other staff were working on the extension of the timber fence on the down Clifden platform,

Work started on the preparation of the track bed on the up Galway platform for the installation of the first 5’3” panel-the first standard gauge to be laid in 85 years-the spoil being used to fill around the down platform,

The interior of the signal cabin was being fitted out by our experienced signal engineer. 
I’ll let the photos do the talking. 

[228RiverOwenboy]

Fair play to all members involved; great work!

[Colin R]

Absolutely excellent work guys you are doing a fantastic job. 

[Mike Beckett]

It’s coming on well there. The point rodding has my interest pricked, as a signalling nerd (through necessity), is there going to be a run round /engine release turnout in the platform?

[Rush and Lusk]

I am in awe at all this recent work by you and the volunteer colleagues - this is truly magnificent - everyone must be heartily congratulated. Excellent pictures also. I'm constantly drawn to that beautifully restored signal box, just so much to admire. 

George 

[ttc0169]

7 hours ago, Mike Beckett said:

It’s coming on well there. The point rodding has my interest pricked, as a signalling nerd (through necessity), is there going to be a run round /engine release turnout in the platform?

Yes Mike, there will be, we are currently finalising the track plan with our signal engineer and we will share here when it is completed. 

[ttc0169]

Former Caledonian  Mk3 sleeper coach has now arrived at Maam cross and will be followed by some more former CIE coaches today and tomorrow,

The coach will be used for staff accommodation and is the first of its type to be preseeved in the Republic of Ireland. 
More exciting updates over the weekend.
 

[Flying Snail]

Oh, thats very interesting! Nice bit of lateral thinking on the accommodation front too.

I was just looking at the Wanderer's pictures of the former Grand Hibernian Mk 3 sleepers now in Scotland, and now there's Caledonian sleeper after making the reverse journey from the UK to Ireland

I've the following line from Christy Moore's Lisdoonvarna now stuck in my head ...

"Summer comes around each year,
We go there and they come here."

.... I'll be humming that all morning. Anyone for the last few choc-ices now?

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

Great idea

[murphaph]

Wow that's cool. Where did the bogies come from I wonder?

[Sean]

Any chance its a belmond bogie?

 

wrong colour for that

Edited April 28, 2023 by Sean

[ttc0169]

1 hour ago, murphaph said:

Wow that's cool. Where did the bogies come from I wonder?

Spare former DART bogies. 

48 minutes ago, Sean said:

Any chance its a belmond bogie?

 

wrong colour for that

They will be painted black hopefully by tomorrow 

[Sean]

10 minutes ago, ttc0169 said:

Spare former DART bogies. 

They will be painted black hopefully by tomorrow 

i mean wrong colour to be from belmond 

 

why are they yellow in the first place?

[228RiverOwenboy]

 

1 minute ago, Sean said:

 

 

why are they yellow in the first place?

I believe they are temporary bogies, which are put in place when a coach/locomotive's actual set of bogies are removed (for reconditioning, repainting, etc.) That's where the temporary bogies come to use. I remember seeing photos of 134 on temporary bogies when it was in it's early stages of restoration.

Now, I'm not entirely sure if these type of bogies will be "temporary" on this Mark 3B SLE, as they seem to be permanent on this one 

[skinner75]

7 minutes ago, 228RiverOwenboy said:

Now, I'm not entirely sure if these type of bogies will be "temporary" on this Mark 3B SLE, as they seem to be permanent on this one 

'It's only temporary unless it works' as the saying goes!

[ttc0169]

Just now, skinner75 said:

'It's only temporary unless it works' as the saying goes!

With possibly getting a BT22 5’3” set from the Belmond coaches in Scotland in the future

[murphaph]

I have never seen pics of yellow bogies under any mainline Irish coaches before. Anyone got any pics?? Would be cool to model. I always assumed the bogies were just from a pool and there were a few extras so when a coach or wagon needs a new bogie it just gets a pool set and the old set are taken off and reconditioned to go back into the pool. I didn't realise specific bogies belonged to specific vehicles.

[228RiverOwenboy]

58 minutes ago, murphaph said:

I have never seen pics of yellow bogies under any mainline Irish coaches before. Anyone got any pics?

Right here! May not be a coach, but here they are in use. This was 134 awaiting overhaul at the Inchicore Works. 7/9/2017

Credit - G. Mooney

[Westcorkrailway]

Looking forward to seeing those other CIE coaches in the flesh too!

[murphaph]

1 hour ago, 228RiverOwenboy said:

Right here! May not be a coach, but here they are in use. This was 134 awaiting overhaul at the Inchicore Works. 7/9/2017

Credit - G. Mooney

Much appreciated. It's a great pic but I really mean in revenue service  Did they leave the works at all?

[ttc0169]

13 minutes ago, murphaph said:

Much appreciated. It's a great pic but I really mean in revenue service  Did they leave the works at all?

No-confined to works use only. 

[irishrailways52]

great news. keep up the great work

[Bob229]

A fine addition for the volunteers working on site, great progress been made

[ttc0169]

Another productive day at Maam cross,

Work began to prepare the Mk3 sleeper coach for its first guests….the staff,

The first two photos are the before and after shots  

My room-and the view can be seen towards the end of the photos  

The coach is in great condition considering it is 40 years old-built in 1983, it was washed with bogies and one end painted,

The slave bogies are from a former 8100 series DART EMU-the LHB plate on the side states built also in 1983  

 

[Gabhal Luimnigh]

A real busman's holiday

[Mayner]

On 30/4/2023 at 7:16 AM, ttc0169 said:

Another productive day at Maam cross,

Work began to prepare the Mk3 sleeper coach for its first guests….the staff,

The first two photos are the before and after shots  

My room-and the view can be seen towards the end of the photos  

The coach is in great condition considering it is 40 years old-built in 1983, it was washed with bogies and one end painted,

The slave bogies are from a former 8100 series DART EMU-the LHB plate on the side states built also in 1983  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was living and working in London during the late 80s-early 90s a work colleague used to take the Sleeper on Friday evenings after work to go mountain biking in the West Highlands, often spoke about waking up and looking out over Rannoch Moor in contrast to the frantic pace of life in London, he used to return on the Sleeper Sunday evenings always arriving on time at work on Monday mornings. We were all young and wild then thought nothing of it used to drive on a 400+ round trip every other weekend to go volunteering on a Welsh narrow gauge railway it was a point of honour to arrive in our destination before pub-closing time on a Friday evening and stay up half the night, these days I don't know how I managed to survive!

 

[ttc0169]

Currently not far from its new home is former CIE / RPSI Laminate coach 1916..

 

[flange lubricator]

Looks stunning in the original Black and Tan livery .