A 548

[boater sam]

Yes, Portadyne A 548 and that is all the info I could find so far.

The side mounted boosters are solid fuel rockets which are approximately the same diameter as the width of 2 horses, in harness, arses , I will leave you with that to work out why.

[ppppenguin]

Transport problems. Probably rail loading gauge. Pork Barrel politics ensured they were made far from the launch site, inland. Bad design with O rings that failed spectacularly when too cold.

[boater sam]

The rail gauge was determined originally by the ruts left in the road by carts and chariots pulled by 2 horses. And it persisted until the present day.
The rockets had to fit the trucks and tunnels on the railway.
Hence the diameter was determined by the width of the horses buttocks!

Sam.

[Mike Watterson]

The rail gauge was determined originally by the ruts left in the road by carts and chariots pulled by 2 horses. And it persisted until the present day.
The rockets had to fit the trucks and tunnels on the railway.
Hence the diameter was determined by the width of the horses buttocks!

Sam.

I'm not sure about that.
UK had three gauges. Ireland is still different. Finland is a different gauge to Norway and Sweden. Sweden may have had two in the past.

I count 32 gauges here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Track_gauge

[boater sam]

Er, different sizes of horses!  And carts!  Its only a joke suggestion but does have substantial support world wide. The size of the rockets was certainly due to transport considerations.

[Mike Watterson]

British influence on rail. Hence Russia was different.
Most British controlled places that could have made train engines etc forced to import.
Curiously the USA mostly adopted the UK standard gauge. I don't know why Ireland has a wider gauge.

[PerdioPal]

We should have stuck to 7' 1/4" gauge, just think how smooth and fast "normal" trains would be, let alone specials. All to do with lower centre of gravity and frontal area.

[DrStrangelove]

British influence on rail. Hence Russia was different.
Most British controlled places that could have made train engines etc forced to import.
Curiously the USA mostly adopted the UK standard gauge. I don't know why Ireland has a wider gauge.

https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/irish-railway-gauge

Whilst I knew there were originally two gauges, I didn't realise one of them was over 6 feet.

[Mike Watterson]

The West Clare Railway was 3ft. Percy French's "Are you Right There Michael?" I think that's the title.
https://trips.ie/west-clare-railway/

There used to be a Steam Engine in the car park at Ennis station. I don't know if it was from the regular rail or West Clare line.

EDIT
The engine I photographed in the car park in mid 1980s was from the West Clare line.

This group succeeded in acquiring Moyasta station, and 5 km (3.1 mi) of track bed. On 5 July 2009 the West Clare Railway’s original steam locomotive No 5 Slieve Callan was returned to the West Clare Railway at Moyasta Junction following restoration in England. This engine had previously been a static exhibit at the mainline railway station in Ennis.

— https://irelandmade.ie/historic-west-cla...pisode-99/

[boater sam]

British influence on rail. Hence Russia was different.
Most British controlled places that could have made train engines etc forced to import.
Curiously the USA mostly adopted the UK standard gauge. I don't know why Ireland has a wider gauge.

https://www.steamtrainsireland.com/irish-railway-gauge

Whilst I knew there were originally two gauges, I didn't realise one of them was over 6 feet.

I K Brunel's GWR gauge at 7 feet and 1/4 inch.

How did we get to here from my original post?

Sam.