Steve Johnson    Modelmaker

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Locomotives

Railcars

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Wagons

Track

Bord na Móna

As recounted in the brief history of Bord na Móna (BnM), the company moves millions of tons of peat mainly by 3ft. gauge railway. It is a fascinating and extensive system that is not often seen. Often overlooked by modellers, BnM can offer quite a different narrow gauge experience. Nothing is commercially available, so everything has to be scratch built. The nearest we can get is a Ruston & Hornsby 48DL kit produced by Brian Madge. Brian also offers a Ruston & Hornsby LBT, which is passable for types used by BnM such as the 20DL.

Wagons and service stock is fairly unique and this too requires scratch building.

Track is interesting inasmuch that the more permanent lines have rails laid on wooden sleepers. The temporary tracks however, resemble large 'set track' pieces with lighter section rail and 'pig trough' metal sleepers.

My take on BnM operations is a 'mainline' running past one of the many 'Tea Stations'. Stabling, re-fuelling and some rudimentary repair work are sometimes carried out at these 'Tea Stations'. The BnM line runs under the CIE mainline, similar to how it does just south of Portlaoise.