The May 2015 issue of New Irish Lines is currently winging its way to subscribers. Some of the highlights include ‘LMS Coaches Transferred to the NCC’ by Mervyn Kidd, ‘Beet Special to Mountmellick’ by John Langford, ‘Something Completely Different: the Harlandic No. 28’ by Colm Flanagan, and much more. Plus, there are also more GSR steam locomotive drawings bundled with the newsletter.
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The delayed may 2014 edition of New Irish Lines has now been dispatched to subscribers. We hope you enjoy the newsletter’s updated design:
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This new book provides a detailed history of the construction and operation of the lines from Limerick to Tralee, Foynes and Fenit from the 1850s to the current day. Based on ten years of original research, it includes 275 pages, over 30 maps and diagrams and over 70 photographs, very few ever published before. The book has been produced with the generous support of the Great Southern Trail (www.southerntrail.net), which has saved the track bed from Rathkeale to Abbeyfeale as a long distance walking and cycling route. The book can be ordered by post as follows:
For payment in Euros or US dollars (€20/US$30, including postage worldwide) cheques and postal orders payable to “Great Southern Trail,” from:
Liam O’Mahony,
9 Bishop Street,
Newcastle West,
Co. Limerick,
Ireland
For payment in sterling (£18 including postage worldwide) cheques and postal orders payable to “Alan O’Rourke,” from:
Alan O’Rourke,
72 Sandford Grove Road,
Nether Edge,
Sheffield S7 1RR,
England
Alternatively, click here to pay by PayPal for £18.50 (includes 50p PayPal fee).
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The November 2012 edition of New Irish Lines has now been added to the archive section of the website.
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Studio Scale Models have added two new kits to their range in time for the Christmas season.
The first is a CIÉ/Iarnród Éireann Wickham inspection car kit in etched brass. Three of these units were supplied to CIÉ in 1962 and remained in use until the 1990s.
The kit is designed to fit a Black Beetle 35mm power unit and includes wheels, transfers, underframe, handrail wire, and acetate for windows and amber lighting. It also features a fully detailed interior, complete with seating and control wheel, and doors can be modelled either opened or shut. Cost: €22 + €3 P&P.
Also available now from SSM is this Irish P&T telephone box, also in etched brass, which features interior detail and ‘Telefón’ signage. Cost: €9 + €1 P&P.
To order, contact Studio Scale Models directly.
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At present I am busy finalising the text for my book on the North Kerry line (Limerick to Tralee, and the Foynes and Fenit branches) and preparing for two book launches in Ireland as follows:
7pm, Sunday, 24th November: Lartigue Museum, Listowel, Co Kerry:
http://www.lartiguemonorail.com/museum.php
(Introduced by Jimmy Deenihan TD, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht)
8pm, Tuesday, 26th November: Newcastle West Library, Gortboy, Co Limerick:
http://www.lcc.ie/Library/Branches/Newcastle.htm
(Introduced by Éamon Ó Cuív TD, former Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government)
The book is the result of 10 years of research and ground work. It provides a comprehensive history of the construction and operation of these lines from the 1850s to the current day. It is illustrated with maps, station track plans and over 70 previously unpublished photographs.
The down side is that the November New Irish Lines is going to be a bit late, but I hope to send it out before Christmas.
Alan O’Rourke
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D&M Models have unveiled two new additions to their range; four-wheel curtain-sided pallet cement wagon and beet wagon kits.
The kits, which feature pre-formed cast resin bodies, etched brass detailing parts and whitemetal buffers, are designed to fit on a Dapol Prestwin chassis (supplied). Decals are also included.
Both kits are available now. For orders and enquiries, email dmmodelmakers[at]gmail.com.
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Despite the recent increase in our subscription rates, several members included donations with their renewals, and some people said they still consider New Irish Lines as very good value for money. I’d like to thank all those who sent a bit extra, and some of you were very generous. As with all donations, these sums will go to the newsletter’s general funds. Several folks also commended the quality of the articles in the issues last year, and how they have used some of the information given for their own modelling project, so I would like to pass on these complements to our authors. Please keep the articles coming. We now have about 150 paid up members, but there is always room for more!
Bill Scott has pointed out that the caption on p.31 of the May 2008 issue should of course refer to GNR loco 177.
Peter Swift has reminded me, following on from the article on ballast wagons in the November issue, that Hurst, Nelson [sorry, my typo] and Company of Motherwell, the rolling stock manufacturers, had no connection with Neilson Reid, the locomotive builders in Glasgow, which later became part of the North British Locomotive Company.
Desmond Coakham writes:
The article by “A Moyner” in the Nov issue is a masterpiece of nostalgia. My family moved to Rathmines in 1930, and Ranelagh became our nearest railway station, mostly used for summer trips to Bray, where the council soon prohibited sea-bathing from the sea front and sent prospective bathers on a long walk to a place called Naylor’s Cove. You will know of course that LUAS is driving towards Bride’s Glen and on to Bray eventually*. It deviated from the old DSER line to its terminus and depot at Sandyford, which turned out to be only yards from Stillorgan station on the old line. Denis Bates’ model of poor old D1 looks splendid, but I must tell him they tried it to Ardglass when new and the gradients were too much for it. I am currently sorting out the woeful performance of the Ardglass DE number 28, which they eventually gave back to Harlands and were given a few quid back.
*See Railway Bylines, Annual no 5 for an article by Desmond on this area.
Francis Shuttleworth, who kindly allowed me to reproduce some of his photographs of the GNR drovers’ vans in the May 2008 issue, asks me to clear up any potential confusion, from the note at the end of the article in which I attributed the collection to “Tim Shuttleworth.” as This implies, that F.W Shuttleworth collected the photographs, rather than took them, and secondly that “FW” may now have passed on and that someone called Tim (possibly his son) is in charge of the collection! F.W. and Tim, are, of course, one and the same, and very much alive and well!
While browsing recently, I discovered that there is even a short clip of the Cork & Muskerry Railway in the now quite celebrated Mitchell and Kenyon collection of early films. I haven’t been able to view it yet, but the details are:
British Film Institute archive: http://www.bfi.org.uk/about/
Use the search option at: http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/searches.php and search under “Muskerry”:
Mitchell and Kenyon, 243 ride from Blarney to Cork on Cork and Muskerry Light Railway (1902): Leemount station (fenced, creepers growing up the trellis, a gaslight). To the right is a single rail track and a hill beyond. The camera is at the rear of the unseen train. The train pulls away from the station and passes heavily wooded scenery. There is snow [sic] on the ground (00.34). A uniformed station worker walking along the track, which is now no longer single. The train passes a truck on the line and two horse-drawn carts on the road at the side of the track (00.50). A wide road with buildings to the right with signs on the walls, which include `Sunlight Soap’ and `Sutton’s Coal’ [adverts]. Train passes a horse-drawn cart, a tram (marked W.S.10), a bridge and the backs of gardens or allotments (1.20mins).
The following link takes you to some archival footage of B156 on one of the last regular passenger trains from Cork to Youghal, just at the time that the green “flying snail” livery was giving way to the early “black and tan” finish. It’s wonderfully atmospheric, with a “mixed” train, staff exchange at Cobh Junction and footage of some of the intermediate stations. Even that late, Youghal services seem to have offered first-class accommodation: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=z4U5MWhTpnM
Another interesting Youtube link deals with the Waterford & Tramore Railway: no cine film, but a fascinating collection of still shots all the same: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=p8HoJnffb98&feature=related
David Chambers ( davidchambers082@eircom.net ) would be interested to hear from anyone with any further information on the four CIE 30’ six-wheel heating /luggage vans no. 3153-6, introduced in 1964. The only references to come to light on these vehicles are in the Doyle and Hirsch booklets on Locomotives & Rolling Stock of CIE and NIR, a photograph in Des Coakham’s coaching stock book and a short note in Modern CIE Coaching Stock (paper by D Kennedy, IRRS Journal no. 37, p. 159), saying that they were intended for larger winter trains. They were fitted with two Spanner boilers each capable of producing 1,000lb of steam per hour, with 500 gallon water tanks and batteries (which no doubt accounted for their weight of 28tons 5cwts), but which were mounted inside the bodies rather than underneath as on the better known four-wheelers to allow space for the centre axleguards. Each van also had two 160 gallon oil tanks, one under each headstock, Timken roller-bearing axleboxes and a width of 10’ 2”, The body profile, large windows and grab rails seem uniform with the contemporary Craven’s stock, and they had roof hatches at either end. They seem to have been withdrawn sometime between 1982 and 1987. I only came across two specimens, one at Inchicore on a visit in 1982, one on a Sunday morning Dun Laoghaire-Heuston boat train in May 1980, when I think CIE was suffering a rolling stock shortage and such a service had to make do with whatever was available.
I am also grateful to David for the following website, which gives details of the extension of the Interconnector from Heuston to Inchicore, and includes a map of the proposed Dublin integrated transport network:
http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/pdf/0904%20DART%20Underground%20route%20maps.pdf
The Irish National Inventory of Architectural Heritage: http://www.buildingsofireland.ie/ includes details of a number of railway structures. In each of the counties surveyed, use the “Advanced Search” option and look under the categories “Locomotive Sheds” and “Railway Stations.”
Following the demise of the MSN site, Irish Railway Modelling has been
re-launched at: http://irishrailwaymodelling.yuku.com/
The following link from the NI Transport Holding Co may be of interest to those who study civil engineering. Scroll down to the fourth message in the string for a spreadsheet listing bridge information on the company’s railway network: http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/bridge_numbers_on_nir_network
Neil Ramsay’s live steam CVR Atkinson Walker built around the Worsley etch features as the Model of the Month for August 2008 on the 16mm Society website: http://www.16mm.org.uk/
David Thom from Ontario in Canada has drawn my attention to the website: http://www.geograph.org.uk/ which includes many photos from Ireland including some of current railway locations.
For anyone having difficulties locating Kinder eggs to make cement bubble tanks from, I am grateful to Jim Hughes of Belfast who has identified an alternative source for the tanks: the covers of toys called Flash Pop Rings (i.e. plastic children’s finger rings with flashing lights). The two main sources appear to be:
Shelton Distributors, Unit 17 Greenogue Industrial Estate, Rathcoole, Co Dublin Tel: +353 1 4018455(1) or
JTS (International) Ltd, Candy House, Crystal Drive, Smethwick, West Midlands B66 1QG Tel: 0121 5521661.
Recent writings on Irish railways include:
Berkeley T (2008) Ireland needs a dose of competition [short article on rail freight] Modern Railways 65 (772): 14-15 (Nov)
Anonymous (2008) New Luas routing at Red Cow [news paragraph] Tramways & Urban Transit 71 (851): 412 (Nov)
Anonymous (2008) Galway lobbies for light rail [news paragraph] Tramways & Urban Transit 71(851): 413 (Nov)
Anonymous (2008) Dublin co-ordinates projects [news paragraph new rail and light rail connections] Tramways & Urban Transit 71 (851): 414 (Nov)
Ferris C (2008) Irish News [Nenagh, Dunboyne and Middleton commuter
services; rail-freight; Dublin smartcard; Interconnector; WRC; new cement wagons and maintenance vehicles; DART fleet; Ulster funding; rail funding] Today’s Railways UK 83: 24-6 (Nov)
Jackson P (2008) Light Rail News [Luas Red Line reopens; weather hits Luas; Galway light rail] Today’s Railways UK 83: 30(Nov)
Gray A (2008) Donegal [0-16.5 scale model railway] Railway Modeller 59: 766-7 (Nov)
Pritchard R (2008) Swansong for Irish Rail loco-hauled Today’s Railways UK 83:46-53 (Nov)
O’Rourke A (2008) Two Irish Models Historical Model Railway Society Journal 19(12): 387-9 (Oct-Dec) [WCIR four-wheel coach; MGWR loco coal hopper wagon]
Anonymous (2008) Metro North moves ahead; Dublin unveils potential 15km LUAS routes to Lucan [news paragraphs] Tramways & Urban Transit 71 (852): 455; 457 (Dec)
Anonymous (2008) Rail escapes budget cuts Railway Gazette International 164 (11): 864 (Nov)
Anonymous (2009) Dunboyne work starts; More trams for Dublin Modern Railways 66 (724): 71 (Jan) [news paragraphs and photo]
Anonymous (2009) Details for Dublin’s new Luas line to Grangegorman unveiled Tramways & Urban Transit 72(855): 85 (March 2009) [news paragraph and photo]
Anonymous (2009) It’s ‘go’….work to start on Luas extension to Saggart village Tramways & Urban Transit 12(856): 124 (April) [news paragraph]
Anonymous (2009) Dublin to ban cars from centre to make way for Metro? Tramways & Urban Transit 12(856): 127 (April) [news paragraph]
Anonymous (2009)Northern Ireland academy opens Railway Gazette International 165 (4): 57(April) [short report and photograph, Translink driver and signalling simulation training facility]
Anonymous (2009) Four bids in Dublin Railway Gazette International 165 (4): 18(April) [news paragraph on tenders for Metro North]
Anonymous (2009) Luas Cherrywood line completed Tramways & Urban Transit 72(855): 87 (March 2009) [news paragraph]
Anonymous (2009) Interconnector still ‘as planned’ Tramways & Urban Transit 72(855): 88 (March 2009) [news paragraph]
Anonymous (2009)Construction work has started on Dublin’s Docklands commuter line; Cuts may affect Irish [Transport 21] schemes; Dublin [LUAS] cars to gain advertising; new Metro West route announced; late [Christmas] LUAS Tramways & Urban Transit 72 (854): 45, 47, 48 (Feb) [news paragraphs]
Anonymous (2009) Construction work has started on Dublin’s Dockland
commuter line; Galway accesses light rail; Cuts may affect Irish scheme; Dublin cars to gain advertising; New Metro West route announced Tramways & Urban Transit 72 (854): 45; 47 [news paragraphs](Feb)
Allan Doherty has been busy adding to his range of etchings, and recent releases include:
The four GSR built Pullman coaches (see New Irish Lines May 2003):
* Pullman coach (sides and ends only) 62’4″ £20-00
* Pullman coach (sides, ends, floor, battery boxes, fold down trussing) 62’4″ £30-00.
Schull and Skibbereen Railway:
* Passenger brake vans nos. 53 and 54 £15-00
* Goods brake van no. 46 £13-50
* Vans 36-45 (body including riveted strapping, chassis with brake gear) £9-00
Castlederg and Victoria Bridge
* No 28 three-plank wagon (later CDR 228) £13-00
County Donegal Railway
§ Wagon no. 6 (ex-CVBT) £13-00
Payment by sterling cheques drawn on a UK clearing bank only, payable to “A Doherty,” to: A Doherty, 19 Douglas Road, Worsley M28 2SR. See the website for details of the full Worsley range of kits: http://www.worsleyworks.co.uk/index.htm Allen Doherty allendoherty@worsleyworks.co.uk
Studio Scale Models has gone on-line since the last edition of New Irish Lines at http://homepage.eircom.net/~studioscale/index.html The site provides full details of the kits with drawings and photos and also order codes for suitable gearboxes, motors and wheels (OO gauge only), which can also be ordered at time of purchase. Various contributors have provided photographs of SSM kits they have built: you may recognize some of them from Alan and Stephen’s Modelling Irish Railways. Thanks to Harry, Eric, Alan and Eamon! SSM are delighted to announce the availability of several new kits. Pride of place goes to the mighty V-Class Compound 4-4-0 Merlin and modellers of the CIE era will be delighted with the trio of Bredin designed first class coach, composite and mail van (all formerly of the TMD stable). The Victorian six-wheel coaches are also now available separately, good news for those who may want the third class brake with ducket and birdcage roof! All coaches come complete with appropriate seating and transfers. New transfers include the IR/IE Arrow, 2700, 2800 and 29000 IE Commuters, Intercity Mark 4 sets and the DART. Finally, proposed items for development include a Mark 3 EGV etch and transfer pack, and the distinctive Aspinall GSWR D17 4-4-0 loco (as seen
dropping John Wayne off in The Quiet Man). Watch for updates on the new wishlist section on the website and feel free to email or write to: Des Sullivan, Radharc na hInse, Ballybeg, Ennis, Ireland to make your suggestions for a particular loco, coach, detailing kit or transfer pack.
New release from Alphagraphix include the following 7mm card kits:
Ballyconnell station (CLR) £12 CC73 GNR Butter van £2
Florencecourt station (SLNCR) £10 CC74 CIE standard box van (grey) £2
CC70 Ranks grain hopper wagon (red livery) £2
CC71 Ranks grain hopper wagon (grey livery) £2
CC72 GNR Guinness bogie van £4 CC75 CIE standard box van (brown) £2
CC76 SLNCR horsebox no. 1 (ex-WLWR) £2
Most of these kits are or will shortly be available in 4mm versions. In 7mm, Roger is also working on an etched brass kit for the MGWR Fairbairn 2-2-2WTs (Elf, Fairy, Bee), with castings to finish. Alphagraphix, 23, Darris Road Selly Park Birmingham B29 7QY E-mail: sirberkeley@tiscali.co.uk
I gather that a company called ‘Transcale Trains’ have advertised IÉ railcar kits in 4mm scale on the internet at: http://transcaletrains.blog.co.uk/ However, it appears that this maybe a scam: I have heard from some of our members that having accepted some payments, the owner of the website has now stopped replying to messages, and it seems that the models were never actually made.
Marks Models now offer several Irish railway buildings, from the Bachman Scenecraft range: GNR(I) style signal cabin, based on Donnabate, with green woodwork, code: BA44250
Single track loco shed (based on Westport), pale stone finish, with a good deal of soot / oil weathering, code: BA44251
Single storey stone station building, described as based on Clonmel, code: BA44252. This one appears closer to one the smaller WLWR stations, like Carrick-on-Suir, but it may be the single-storey section of the main building at Clonmel immediately next to the road overbridge, although the stone finish is also much paler than Clonmel. See: http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/C/Clonmel/slides/DSC02248.html
Marks Models: http://www.marksmodels.com/?cid=51 or shops at: 14 Hawkins St., Dublin 2, Tel 01 6715809; 339 Dun Laoghaire Shopping Centre, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin,, Tel: 01 2845855; 136 Oliver Plunkett St., Cork, Tel: 021 4277100
Paul Taylor sent this picture of GSWR 12-t goods brake, built to HO scale, from plasticard and various items from the “bits box” It runs on Gibson open-spoke wheels and is standing on SMP EM gauge flexible track, which is quite a good match for 5’ 3” in 3.5mm scale (do the maths!). Paul has also built a GSR bogie rail truck from a Rivarosi FS flat wagon and a two-plank ballast wagon using Slater’s 4mm body sections on a Lima HO chassis.
HO scale GSWR 12t brake van by Paul Taylor
Following on from the article on GNR double-decked sheep vans, it seems that in 1942 the company built ramps for loading and unloading these vehicles at Antrim, Armagh, Ballyroney, Banbridge, Crumlin, Castlewellan, Dromore, Markethill, Poyntzpass, Strabane, Derry, Newry and Maysfields.
From 'Railways' February 1951 12 (2): 29. I haven't been able to check the original reference. Could it have been some sort of April Fool's?
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Peter Swift writes from Derby, with more information following last time’s editorial:
You suggest that Bonds had moved out of London during the war. They were certainly still in Euston Road when I was at University in London in the early 1960s, on the south side of Euston Road near the top of Tottenham Court Road. They may have started the Midhurst premises during the war and then retreated to it again in the 1970’s when London prices drove them out. Re the “oldest model making company” title, I think Bassett Lowke win the British title but there were certainly earlier ones in Germany. As Historical Model Railway Society (HMRS) Archivist, I have access to a wide collection of material including model company catalogues* in the HMRS collection, and also working and public timetables, as well as many other working instructions etc for the railways, which are listed in the open access part of the HMRS website hmrs.org.uk. Unfortunately, there are not many Irish items.
*Peter has kindly provided me with a list of these, some undated, but going back to 1912, and including other pioneers such as the Leeds Model Co and Mills Brothers. If anyone wants more details, they can contact Peter at: archivist@hmrs.org
Amsies Models have recently added vinyl overlays for Irish mark 2 coaches to their N and 00 ranges. More designs will follow if sales show there is a demand for these products. Amsies Models, 1 Burgundy Gardens, Burnt Mills, Basildon, Essex SS13 1NP Tel: 01268 470712 Mobile: 07534 211694 E-mail: paul.amestoy@blueyonder.co.uk Website: http://www.amsiesmodels.co.uk/index.htm
Patrick O’Sullivan sends the following notes on these overlays:
These are a new venture into the world of model railway for Paul and Victoria Amsie, and cover coaches in 4mm, 3.5mm and N-Gauge/2mm. with various liveries to suit ready-to-run vehicles. The overlays can be produced in any livery regardles of how complicated it is, and made to suit the customer’s donor coach. The finished colours are in good, strong colours and look superb. Any Irish coach livery can be provided to suit the customer’s requirements, in any of the standard scales, i.e. 4mm, 3.5mm, 2mm, and N-Gauge, and with the required livery, and running numbers etc. The vinyl overlays are best suited to modern flat sided vehicles, having said that there is no reason that they could not be adopted for raised sided coaches, if one is prepared to file off the raised detail, stick on the self-adhesive vinyl overlay and then glue on pre-painted strips. This seems to be a big break through in the world of model railways, especially for those of us who model Irish rolling stock. I have no doubt that, while this is a new product, it will transform railway modelling. Having seen this product first hand, I have no doubt that with a bit of forward thinking that overlays for Irish private owner wagons could be produced. Paul is going to forward me some samples to review, and once I have done this I will post my findings and include a copy for the next editon of New Irish Lines. A full demonstration of the technique of vinyl overlays with photographs is available on Paul’s website at http://www.amsiesmodels.co.uk
Patrick has also come across a new photographic collection, and is at present sifting through the Irish section: Transport Treasury, Logie Shannoch, Drumrossie, Insch, Aberdeenshire AB52 6LJ Tel: 01464-820717 Mobile: 07867 645410 E-mail: info@transporttreasury.co.uk Website: http://www.transporttreasury.co.uk/
David White (Whiteeno@aol.com) writes from Scotland:
Perth Model Railway Club to go Irish: The members of Perth Model Railway Club (Scotland) have decided to commission two new model railway layouts. One of the two new layouts to be built by the members of Club will be an Irish model railway. The Club made their decision to have something different after they viewed a range of Irish rolling stock owned by David White who lives in nearby Newburgh, Fife. David owns a variety of Irish rolling stock allowing him to run trains from 1945 through to today. The building of this new layout will commence in July 2008, its first showing is expected to be at the Perth 2009 Exhibition. Would any Irish Club be interested in exhibiting at Perth in 2009?
Ciarán Cooney (e-mail: harcourtstation@gmail.com) writes:
I was photographing some West Clare Railway stations a few weeks ago, and I photographed one at Blackweir, which strangely featured some pre-1950s style road signs. I recall in the newsletter you sent me a while ago an article written by a modeller, Doncha Cronin, regarding these type of road signs, and whether any were in existence today. I just thought I should inform you as he and possibly others may find the photos of use which I took. You can view them on this link on the website: http://eiretrains.com/Photo_Gallery/B/Blackweir/A&Bindex.html
These two pictures from Tony Hewitt (hewittht@tiscali.co.uk) show a model of Schull & Skibereen Railway no. 4 which he has built from various woods, ranging from 1mm plywood upwards. The wheels are made from ash, two varieties of mahogany and cocktail sticks Smaller components are turned on a lathe, and there are some brass parts for the cow-catcher and smoke-box fittings. The builder tells me he became a grandfather while building the model, and the latest addition to his family also rejoices in the name Erin!
Recent writings on Irish railways include:Anonymous (2008) Red Line: longer trams, shorter line Tramways & Urban Transit 71(848): 294, 295 [news paragraph and photograph]
Anonymous (2008) TRAM Power proposes trams for Galway Tramways & Urban Transit 71(848): 296 [news paragraph]
Pulling N (2008) LUAS gets to The Point Tramways & Urban Transit 71(846); 216-7 (June) [includes photos of work at Sandyford]
Pulling N (2008) Dublin Expansion Tramways & Urban Transit 71(850): 376 [LUAS extension]Heritage Rail May-June 2008 CDR goes for Barnesmore
Jones B, Fearn D (2008) Ireland on the move. Rail no. 596: 46-52 (July 16-29
Flanagan C (2008) The Green Pullman Railway Modeller 59: 489 (July) [00 gauge model]For any one trying to find items listed in the IRRS bibliographies from Linkline magazine, try the following website: http://www.businessandfinance.ie/client-publishing/ClientPublishingNewsletter.htm
For any N-gauge Irish modellers, there are now alternative and complementary group on MSN and Yahoo, so you can join in the debate whatever your preference for on-line groups:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/irish_n
http://groups.msn.com/IrishNGaugeModellers
Other potentially useful websites are:Ernie’s Irish Railway Photos: http://erniesirishrailwayphotos.fotopic.net/Irish station photographs: http://eiretrains.com/Stations_index.htmIrish Model Railways: http://www.irishrailwaymodels.com/
Following Doncha Cronin’s picture of an Italian version of the CIE G-class (May issue, p.26 ), it seems that there may have been an Iberian branch of the family as well. I took the above photo at the railway museum at Gijon, in Northern Spain earlier this year: the museum has a fascinating collection of broad and narrow gauge and industrial equipment and is well worth a visit. This machine is Deutz no. 57706, built 1964, type B, DH, 140HP 20tons weight, eight cylinders, and it shunted private sidings in the nearby Trubia armaments factories. It runs on the Spanish broad gauge of 5’ 6” (1670mm).
Following Doncha Cronin’s picture of an Italian version of the CIE G-class (May issue, p.26 ), it seems that there may have been an Iberian branch of the family as well. I took the above photo at the railway museum at Gijon, in Northern Spain earlier this year: the museum has a fascinating collection of broad and narrow gauge and industrial equipment and is well worth a visit. This machine is Deutz no. 57706, built 1964, type B, DH, 140HP 20tons weight, eight cylinders, and it shunted private sidings in the nearby Trubia armaments factories. It runs on the Spanish broad gauge of 5’ 6” (1670mm). Foxrock Models first two kits for the Cork, Blackrock & Passage Railway brake van and open goods wagon are both now available (see may issue, p. 29). Both kits are also suitable for use in CIE days on the CLR section. The resin bodies and etched underframes are very well produced, and there is an excellent detailed instruction sheet including prototype information, and these should prove ideal modelling projects for the lengthening winter evenings for Irish narrow gauge modellers. The brake van kit costs £17 and the open wagon £15, both inclusive of postage there is a 10% discount on multiples of five kits. Orders should be sent to Simon de Souza at: Foxrock Models, 7 Ennerdale Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 7HH (e-mail: simon.desouza@btinternet.com), cheques payable to “Simon de Souza.” Simon has plans for future kits for the Cavan and Leitrim open wagon and milk-van/brake van, but clearly investing the time in producing these will depend on sales for the first two kits showing that this is a viable market.
A group has formed with the objective of opening a preserved 5′ 3″ gauge line in the Republic of Ireland. Some of you may recall that in a previous editorial, I posed the question of which former lines might support such a scheme. For further details see: http://www.heritagerailway.ie/index.html
Alistair Rolfe of No Nonsense Kits has re-introduced the cast ends for the GNR(I) AEC railcars (at £7-50 per pair) and cosmetic bogie sides (at £4-00 for four bogie sides i.e. enough for one vehicle, but will need an etched frame to produce a running bogie) from the old MTK moulds. The ends seem closer to the later CIE push-pull versions of these vehicles, but can be cleaned up to the original GNR form. It appears that these components complement the Worsley etches for these vehicles, and the cast ends may be easier to use than shaping the ends from the etched parts, although the inner end was (we think!) flat and may be easier to make from brass than to clean up the MTK casting, which was copied from the GW Collett suburban Bow-end (without steps). However, Alistair can supply these at £5 per pair if bought with the cab fronts. Most of the MTK Irish locos are currently being re-tooled, as a mixture of etchings and castings. They should be re-released over the next few years and NNK is developing a six-wheel mechanism which will provide the correct wheelbase for the larger locos. For four-wheel bogies they suggest Black Beetles. All kits will be suitable for 21mmgauge. The MTK Irish coach kits were usually aluminium body shells with cast ends, though the Park Royals, and Mk.II air-conditioned stock were etched. The Dart was also etched, with cast ends, though much of the tooling is a bit too rough to re-use. Unfortunately it is not practical (or viable) to produce short runs of aluminium-bodied kits, while the tooling for the etched body shells is very scruffy. It is not expensive to replace the artwork for the etchings, but if re-drawing it would make sense to get everything right. So, at present Alistair trying to gather information on the rolling stock, with a view to releasing complete kits, but there are some technical limitations to what can be done for the moment. He hopes to expand his machine-tool range to produce pre-formed body shells to the correct dimension, but this depends on a number of things, including finance and any specific demands from modellers may push specific items up the priority “to do” list!
P&P to the UK is £2 for orders up to £20, 10% thereafter. P&P to Eire is a little more, and will be advised on ordering. No Nonsense Kits now has a PayPal account, and can accept on-line payments: this should save the cost of Sterling bank drafts etc. for customers in the Republic. Otherwise, payment is by cheques or Postal Orders, crossed, payable to “No Nonsense Kits.” Contact details: No Nonsense Kits, PO Box 1009, Cardiff CF23 7YB Tel. 029 2031 7212 E-mail: nnk.website@ntlworld.com Website: http://www.nnkits.co.uk/
Worsley’s latest etchings are for the Schull & Skibereen Railway: http://www.worsleyworks.com. Etched sides for the GSR Pullman cars are expected shortly.
Denis Bates writes from Aberystwyth with further information on two items in the last issue:
GNR (I) Drovers’ vans: I’ve actually made a model of No.3, using the photo of 1957, and the line drawings, which I got from Tony Miles. Interesting that the doors say “drovers” although there are no side windows, nor the pot lamps on the roof. Does the inscription mean that they were still being used for drovers at that date? The differences between the two are interesting also. No.3 has wooden frames, and the outside vertical pillars extend down over the solebars. Nos.97 and 98 have steel frames, and the bodies are wider. Tare weight is greater at 15T.
UTA rail tractor: I have vague memories of one of these. I think it was actually built on a coach bogie, and didn’t have a “cab”. I think it was also used for a “goods train” – pulling a single wagon of coal from Queen’s Quay to Hollywood for a coal merchant based in the goods yard. I was in Sullivan Upper School there at the time.
[from Bill Scott’s new book on NCC locos, p. 165, it seems that when NCC railcar no. 2, built 1934, was withdrawn in 1954, the chassis and engines were used to make two of these tractors. Ed]
Another supplier of card kits for Irish narrow gauge wagon bodies is Hamlin Industries, 79 Harlington Road, Hillingdon, Middlesex UB8 3HY
E-mail:shamlin@hamlinindustries.com
Web-site: http://www.hamlinindustries.com/
I am grateful to our member Jim Fogarty for the following more direct link to the An Post die-cast models, and specifically the Morris LD150:
http://www.irishstamps.ie/webapp/commerce/command/CategoryDisplay?cgrfnbr=9256&cgmenbr=3421&cat_name=Collectibles/Coins%20&%20Postcards
In addition to his gazetteer mentioned on p. 32 of the May issue, Ralph Rawlinson now also has produced A ‘Register of Closed Railways’ which is on line at: http://www.closedlines.free-online.co.uk/index.htm
As many will know, the very useful SSM range of kits and components has been in limbo for some time, but we now have good news from our member Des Sullivan:
SSM under New Ownership
I am delighted to formally announce that I have taken over Studio Scale Models from Paul Green as of last July. A big thank you is owed to Paul as he has been most supportive and understanding in helping to get a handle on the various elements of the business. The entire range will be re-released, with all instructions revised and updated (over time), fully sprung buffers on the larger engine kits and transfer packs comprising of numbering, lining and crests or icons as appropriate. Some of the models will not be available right away (T2, SG and brake van) as I need to get moulds remade for some of the castings, but I will be accepting pre-orders for these. Prices will be finalised in the weeks to come. The full range is as follows:
Engines
GSWR/GSR/CIE J15 0-6-0 tender engine
GNR(I) S class 4-4-0 tender engine
GNR(I) SG class 0-6-0 tender engine
GNR(I) T2 4-4-2T
MGWR E class/CIE J26 0-6-0T
Coaches
GSWR six-wheeled five coach set
GNR(I)/CIE K15 open third bogie coach
GNR(I)/CIE L12 bogie brake third coach
Freight
GNR(I)/CIE 20-ton brake van
GSWR/GSR/CIE convertible wagon
MGWR/CIE convertible wagon
Subsets
GNR(I)/CIE 57′ or 60′ coach underframe
GNR(I)/CIE elliptical coach roof
GNR(I)/CIE coach castings pack
GNR(I) fishbelly bogie sides
Etched W-irons and brake gear
Contact me on dezsullivan@eircom.net or write to me at: 5 Radharc na hInse, Ballybeg, Ennis, Co. Clare.
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New Irish Lines 