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Top: IÉ Mk3's (note slide plug doors unlike UK examples) catch the sun at Portarlington. 01.04.2008
Middle: NIR 'Castle' DEMU 454 approaches Trooperslane. 03.04.2008
Bottom: NIR '80' DEMU 69 arrives into Whiteabbey. 03.04.2008 |
I
had been warned by a friend at my Model Railway Club that I would like Ireland
and its traditional railways with locomotives, familiar British coaches, old
infrastructure and plenty of charm. I was also warned that I needed to go very
quickly before it was all gone! I had been to Ireland once before (aside from a
brief stop off on an Aer Lingus flight from London to Chicago which definitely
didn't count) for the 'Portrush Thumper' railtour using NIR's 80 class
'Thumpers' when I was young enough that I had to take my long suffering dad
along for company. 
I
had barely photographed any IÉ trains on that trip and after a bit of
research it seemed I was in the nick of time to get over to the Emerald Isle
while there was still some good action left. IÉ had started to take
delivery of its new Hyundai-Rotem 22000 class DMU's which were due to replace
almost all loco-hauled operations. It was time to plan a trip and in Easter
2008 I headed over to Ireland, this time with my friend Jon in tow. Easter was
early that year and we were just in time.
31st March 2008-
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Above: 202 shunts at Dublin Heuston in the revised IÉ livery with yellow ends. 31.03.2008.
Below: 085 leads the line of active locos outside Inchicore Depot. Small GM 167 stands spare on the depot. 31.03.2008 |
After
flying from London we arrived at Dublin's Heuston station late morning. We had
heard that today was the final day that IÉ would be using Mk2 stock- there
were two options which train the Mk2's would work in from Athlone and it turned
out to be the wrong one- the earlier train the 05:05 Athlone - Dublin Heuston
had already arrived and was long gone- Our first disappointment was ultimately
to have missed the Mk2's by a matter of hours.
Mk2's
were just the last in a string of trains we had missed in Ireland, the steam
heated Cravens coaches having finally finished in 2006 and the small GM classes
of 121, 141 and 181 having finished their passenger duties over the past few
years. The class 121 was hanging on to existence by a thread with only two
locos officially in service but doing very little work, official withdrawal
coming in June.
What we
had not missed however was a large number of loco hauled trains in the
traditional orange and black colours hauled by the 201 'River' class and a
handful of the venerable 071's. The 'small GM' classes of 141 and 181 still
worked freight and pilot duties and Northern Ireland still had a few surprises
as well.
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Above: The days two pilot locos, small GM's 173 (141 class) and 192 (181 class) shunt stock at Heuston. 31/03/2008
Middle: 173 pauses outside the carriage shed at Heuston.
Bottom: Passing the oldest locos (just) still on the roster at Inchicore, class 121's 124 and 134 built by GM from 1960. |
A
pleasant few hours were spent in the sunshine at Heuston; a building site
during my brief visit in 2005, but now a pleasant terminal station full of
locos! Almost all trains arrived behind 201's which would then be shunt
released by the two small GM's on pilot duties; 173 and 192, before disappearing
off to the shed outside the station or back to the depot at Inchicore. 
Having
seen our first 071 class, 077 arrive with a train from Athlone we then boarded
a train out to Kildare behind 213. Passing Inchicore works we sighted the last
two 121 class locomotives, 124 and 134 which were still officially running- I
don't believe they moved during our whole visit, but they were turned on on one
occasion.
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Above: 216 leads a Dublin - Cork service formed of Mk4 stock through Kildare. 31.03.2008
Below: Another Cork service at the hands of 231 this time arriving into Thurles. |
There was
about 40 minutes to wait for our next move at Kildare during which time a 201
was seen in both directions with Mk4 stock on workings to and from Cork. The
next train was the 13:25 from Heuston to Limerick Junction- a train which would
become something of a staple of this trip as it was one of the few that was now
booked for an 071. On this occasion 085 in the, at the time new colours of
black and silver, was entrusted to the train with a set of push-pull Mk3's
which we took forwards to Thurles. With the help of the European Rail Timetable
we knew there would be a good connection here back into Heuston and some 20
minutes later 219 arrived pushing a set of Mk4's from Cork. I recall we were
impressed with the coaches, particularly the LED route maps which showed where
the train was calling.
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| GM (071 class) 085 prepares to depart from Thurles while working the 13:25 Heuston - Limerick Junction on 31st March 2008. The silver/black livery had recently replaced the traditional Orange and Black on several 071's. |
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| 201 'River' Class 213 'River Moy' pauses at Kildare with a rake of Mk3's. 31.03.2008 |
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| 181 class 192 is pictured outside Heuston waiting its next pilot duties. 31.03.2008. |
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| 078 leads in to Heuston with a full orange and black Mk3 rake- this could have been the last Mk2 working in the country however this stock was used on an earlier train much to our disappointment! 31.03.2008 |
1st April 2008-
Another
part of the Irish network to explore today as we headed south from Heuston
bound for Waterford. While keen initially to cover the route to Rosslare for
the coastal scenery locos had already finished here so it was left to 223 to
take us south via a reversal at Killkenny- these trains being formed of
push-pull Mk3's to avoid the need to run round here.
After admiring the impressive signal box we boarded our next train, which we always knew would be a DMU- 2708 working one of the sparse services from Waterford to Limerick Junction, which is actually nowhere near the town of Limerick but is on the main line!
Here we spotted our only freight train of the trip, a train of 4 wheeled cement 'bubbles' which themselves did not have long left in service before the cement traffic was lost by IÉ.
Completing the circle back to Dublin Heuston was 216 with another train of Mk4's from Cork. Well, it would have got us back to Dublin had we not had a hair brain scheme to get a few more locos and photos in the book! We took 216 back to Thurles where there was an opportunity to photograph 075 working the 13:25 Heuston - Limerick Junction. We then took our first 22000 DMU, 22015 to Kildare (where the Cork trains did not stop). From here ther ewere other options into Dubline and we dropped back a train to pick up some Mk3's with 205.
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Top: Mk3 control car 6104 has led a Mk3 rake and 201 into Waterford after reversing at Killkenny. Unlike the UK DVT's these coaches consisted of not just a cab, but also full seating as well as a generator to provide train supply. 01.04.2008
Middle: The impressive signalbox at Waterford. 01.04.2008
Above: 205 brings a Mk3 rake into Kildare. 01.04.2008 |
From my
lack of photos I would assume it was then a quick dash to take 204 back out to
Kildare before another positioning move, this time with 22014 (the DMU's being quite
light and comfortable despite our negative thoughts towards them for killing
off the loco haulage!) to Portarlington. We arrived here in perfect time to see
the evening 'peak' trains from Dublin pass through on their way out to the
country. In perfect light we captured several 201's (including 201, the leader
of the class) with their striking orange and black formations.
The
reason we were here however wasn't for photos- it was to pick up 075 on its run
back from Limerick Junction to Heuston, our longest run yet behind the class.
Having seen the train earlier with the loco leading a push-pull rake we were
pleasantly surprised to see 075 on the front of the driving trailer heading
back to Dublin.
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Top: The new order, Hyundai - Rotem 22000 DMU 14 at Kildare which we would take forward to Portarlington. The new DMU's had already ousted some of the more interesting loco hauled workings and by September 2009 all Mk3's had also been replaced. 01.04.2008
Middle: Another Mk3 control car, 6013 leads into Portarlington. 02.04.2008 |
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| In perfect lighting conditions 212 leads a long rake of Mk3's on an evening commuter service from Dublin seen arriving at Portarlington. 01.04.2008 |
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The sun just shone as 075 is pictured in a fresh coat of the new silver and black livery approaching Thurles with the 13:25 Heuston - Limerick Junction. 01.04.2008
|
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225 leads a push-pull rake into the terminal station at Killkenny from Waterford where it will pass our train, also in the process of reversing at Killkenny, and brought in by 223 which will now push to Waterford. 01.04.2008
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| Another victim of withdrawal in recent years are the 2700 DMU's built from 1997, which were all stored in 2012 despite being overhauled just a few years earlier. All remain in store with IÉ and consideration has been given to returning a number to service. 2702 would be our train from Waterford to Limerick Junction, seen at Waterford on 1nd April 2008. |
2nd April 2008-
Our last
day in the Republic of Ireland and a morning appointment at the Guinness
Storehouse (Afterall Jon wasn't here for the trains- he was here for the
Guinness). It wasn't easy to drag him out of the gift shop in time for the
13:25 Heuston - Limerick but we did just about both make it. 077 was in charge
today, finally netting us an 071 in the original colours. This was enjoyed to
Portarlington where we had a little wait for a move back into Dublin which
arrived in the form of 225 pushing a push-pull set. We didn't have time to go
through to Limerick Junction today as we had a hotel booked across the border
and couldn't afford to miss the Dublin - Belfast enterprise train.
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Top: 192 shunting at Dublin Heuston 31.03.2008.
Above: 209 stands at Dublin Connolly ready to work the 'Enterprise' service to Belfast Central. 02.04.2008.
Below: Small GM's 167 and 184 sit within Inchicore works seen from a passing train. The small Bo-Bo GM's would all be withdrawn by 2011 replaced by the larger Co-Co 071's and 201's displaced from passenger work. |
We made
our way from Heuston to Connolley by the Luas tram to board the Enterprise with
209 at the helm and making plenty of noise even while stationary, the locos
using their Head End Power on these trains rather than the generator vans used
elsewhere. Loco hauled trains to Sligo had finished before our visit so the
Enterprise to Belfast was now the only 'interesting' train to grace Connolly.
These trains operate with De Dietrich stock which replaced Mk2a's in 1997 and
run several times a day between the two capitals.
We took
the train to Portadown where we would change to a local unit- there was a good
reason we were not spending the night in Belfast and with limited accommodation
options we had a room booked near the station at Moira- since the 'Enterprise'
did not stop here it was a local CAF unit which would complete our journey for
the day.
3rd April 2008-
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| NIR's 8113 rolls into Moira with the 'Gatwicks' on the 07:50 Portadown - Belfast Central. 03.04.2008 |
A lot
rested on the move this morning working- the only train hauled by NIR's 111
class was the 07:50 Portadown - Belfast Central and this was our only shot at
it. Despite leaving in good time we were nearly thwarted by the level crossing
which lowered just as we had crossed it and would have marooned us on the wrong
platform. Fortunately everything worked as planned and 8113 duly showed up
pulling the 'Gatwick' Mk2 stock. These locos are based on the Irish 071 and
were a follow on order for 3 locos originally to work Enterprise services as
well as infrastructure trains. The 'Gatwick' coaches were, as the nickname
suggests class 488 vehicles imported from Gatwick Express operation in England
in 2001 and used by NIR until 2009, latterly working just this one daily train.
Despite NIR taking deliver (and spending a lot of money) on a Mk2 DBSO in 2009
it never saw service and the 'Gatwicks' were instead disbanded.
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Above: The last pair of unrefurbished '80' class DEMU's 69 + 89 cross River Lagan with a service from Larne Harbour to Belfast Central. 03.04.2008
Below: Castle DEMU 452 at Belfast Central. These trains looked very much like the BR class 150 and while having a very similar bodyshell stood effectively on Mk1 style chassis with an above floor engine. 03.04.2008 |
'Gatwicks'
out of the way interest turned to the important issue of 'Thumper' bashing.
Those familiar with the SR DEMU's would have no difficulty recognising the
sound of the 4SRKT engines which powered the Mk2 based '80' class and the more
modern looking 450 'Castle' DEMU's.
The '80's
by this point were very much on their last legs in original form (indeed I had
been on their farewell tour three years previously!) though some were being
overhauled in England and would continue for a few more years. The 450's were
not seen as threatened at this point but would also ultimately be withdrawn in
2012, just a year after the remaining slam-door '80' class.
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Above: 69 catches a brief moment of sun at Whitehead on the Larne line. 03.04.2008
Middle: 456 approaches Troopersland- the 'engine' end of the Castle units did not have a gangway due to restricted room to walk past the engineroom. 03.04.2008
Bottom: My last sighting of a DEMU in regular service- 069 dissapears into the tunnel at Belfast Central heading back to Larne. 03.04.2008 |
Armed
with the diagrams we set about making up some moves, firstly taking one of the
CAF 3000 units to Trooperslane in order to pick up our first 'Castle', 57
'Bangor Castle' back in to Belfast. The opportunity arose to amass a little
more 201 mileage with an 'Enterprise' move to Portadown and back netting 207
and 206 before a lunch and a few more DEMU moves. Lunch was taken overlooking
the River Lagan where we could also sit and enjoy the Thumpers crossing the
river bridge and make sure that the sole '80' in operation turned up as we
expected - which it did formed a 4 car with 69 and 89.
We took a
full run over the Larne line with the '80' and then a short move back to
Trooperslane. 54 'Carrickfergus Castle' was then taken back into Belfast and
then to Whiteabbey putting us in place for one final run with the '80' back to
Belfast Central.
All that
was left was a fill in move on a couple of CAF DMU's to Bangor West before
heading back to Sydenham and Belfast City airport to fly home- a successful
trip to Ireland completed!
