A miserably wet day spent chasing, and waiting for 073 on the ex-Waterford.

She was originally supposed to work the 9.30 service from Waterford, But was replaced by 214 instead, due to the previous nights shunt in Waterford.

As a result, I ended up statying for most of the morning in Kildare station, and then going to Athy to get 073 back up to Dublin.
At least while in Kildare, I managed - despite the heavens opening several times - to get a few nice shots of passing trains, Including 075 on the ex-Sligo laden Timber.

All together it wasn't too bad a day, But it is a shame to stand in Kildare for half a day and only get one 071 - hauled passenger train through!

Enjoy..

The GM 071 class,

These vehicles were built in 1976 by Gensral Motors electro-motive division at La Grange, Illinois,
Designated the JT22cw type, and fitted with 12 cylinder 645E3c engines of 2,475hp.
They entered service between May and June 1977.
Numbered 071-088 these vehicles quickly proved themselves to be the most reliable locomotives in the CIE fleet.
These vehicles were also the sight of some attention from the engineers at BREL, who used some design elements from the vehicles on their own class 58.
NIR (Northern Ireland Railways) also bought 3 examples of the type,

All are currently still in service, and an overhaul programme is currently underway on the 071 class.
Several members of the class have been repainted into the new Black & silver livery.

The 111 class,

Built by General Motors EMD in 1980, and 1983, for NIR (Northern Ireland Railays)
These vehicles were NIR's answer to the 071 class of CIE.
Built to the same standard as the 071 class, these vehicles replaced the BREL Hunslet 101 locomotives on the cross-border duties.
They were delivered in two batches the first in 1981 (111 & 112) and then a third in 1984 (8113).
111 & 112 were originallt fitted with HEP, however this is now isolated.
112 was on 'long term loan' to IÉ for 3 years, but has since been returned to NIR with the new style marker lights fitted.

All are currentlt still in service, however the locomotives don't see many passenger duties in the railcar dominated Northern system.

The original GM's,

121's,
Introduced in 1961, these single cab locomotives of 950hp really showed up the metrovickers loco's with their reliability and quiet fume free cabs.

2 currently remain in service (124 & 134), 124 returned to service, stablemate 123 remains in Inchicore. she is un-servicable...
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141 & 181's
These locomtives introduced in 1963, and 1967 respectively, had power ratings of 950hp(141), and 1100hp(181).
These locomotives were the first double cab locomotives built by EMD for CIE.

22 (141's) and 6 (181's) are currently left in service.
These are believed to be surplus to requirements after this year, and their fate is uncertain..

The 201 class were the latest additions to the IÉ fleet from GM EMD,
Unlike the rest of the GM's that are in the fleet, the 201 class were built in Canada, instead of being built in Illinois.
These 34 vehicles have a, 12 cylinder, 710 series engine, that produces 3,200hp.
They were introduced in 1994-5, their introduction saw 201 flown in by an antonov 124-100 cargo plane.
These vehicles displaced the 071's on intercity passenger duties, and the 121's from suburban duties.
Reliability problems have been strangely high, by GM standards, mostly due to the Enterprise cross-border duties where HEP is used for train heat and electricity.
All are currently still in service.

The original mainline Irish diesel-Electrics.
Introduced in 1956 these locomtives, along with the C201, were CIÉ's means to expell steam locomotives from the mainline.
The locomotives suffered from shockingly bad reliability, mainly due to their Crossley engines.
The entire fleet was re-engined with naturally aspirated EMD 645e units.
These engines gave the class a new leash on life, But the writing was on the wall for the locomtives. They had found little favour from crews, who preferred the quiet fume-free cabs of the GM product.
They were all removed from service by 1995, with A39 working its final railtour in 1999 for the ITG the 'Leitrim Leprichaun'.
Most of this gallery will include photo's of A55 (055) in her surroundings of 'Hells Kitchen' in Castlerea.

Well Cork lost to Kerry, still a good match....

Nevertheless, The motive power was brilliant in Connolly, and the sight of platforms 2, 3, & 4 being used by locomotives brought a great feeling of nostalgia to the station.
Locomotives there included, 076, 085, 087, 218, & 219 to name but a few!
Also the C3K's came in for the spin, then left.

A fantastic day all round!

I've finally found a chance to compile a collection to Mourne the passing of Mk.2d's on The Sligo Line.

This Unfortunate chop was the beginning of the end , in a sense, for the Mk.2's across the network.
In the final few weeks of operating on the Sligo line, the Loco-Hauled set did many excellent miles and, unfortunatly, made the news for all the wrong reason's when 073 failed with the set in Killucan.

This Gallery is some of 'The Best Bits' from that period,
No Need for 'rose tinted glasses' in this album, These trains were, and will always remain to be, the Best Rail Bourne Vehicles to be seen west of Connolly Station.

With loco-Haulage getting to be 'a bit thin on the ground',
When I heard that 085 had worked the Morning Ennis service from Portlaoise (due to KRP engineering work) I grabbed my Camera and went running for Thurles, Getting the 18.00 Cork (224) and 085 Back to Dublin.

It Turned into quiet a trip, good evening weather, a great driver, and inredibly quick timings!
We in fact arrived into Heuston 27 minutes EARLY!!!
"I'd love to see a poxy 22k do that!"

Since the scrapping of the Mk.2d's, and 22k's taking over many of thier routes, The Mk.3's have become more common on what once were Mk.2d mainstays.

In this collection I Folowed 086 on the Saturday 17.05 service to Athlone as far as Kildare,
Then From Athlone the following morning for the run to Westport and return to Dublin Heuston.

On Both occasions she made great time, and even had to oppertunity to 'show up' the new kid 22k's in Heuston when they failed on the evening run to Limerick.
With that particular train being cancelled.

What a great day,
The noise of 071 could, i'm sure, be heard from miles around, both from Athlone to Westport and back to Dublin Heuston.

She looks great, sounds great, is great.

Also the day featured 2 freshly painted GM giants in Westport, 071 & 075.

Enjoy,

All of the evening services from and to Dublin Heuston.

I departed Heuston on the 16:25 Waterford, with 072 at the helm.
Nice run out, and arrived into Kildare with 3 minutes to spare.
Some of the traction through Kildare included 075, 076, 201, and 225 with a single timber wagon!

A nice evening with nice Locomotive traction,

One thing I noticed though, is that the re-painted 071's numbers on the cab fronts can be difficult to read with the light directly on that 'sunset yellow'.........

Two days of Locomotion!

The first day I was supposed to travel to Waterford, but due to a 201 taking the 16:25 service, I decided to do the 16:15 (FO) Ballina, as far as Athlone.
075 hauled the service.
The following Tuesday, on very short notice, I went out on the 18:05 service, to get 076 back from Portarlington.
Unfortunatly I missed 166 hauling the UP Cork cement by minutes, but got it later in the Guinness transfer yard at Dublin Heuston.

These are photo's of the work currently underway along the rail-reserve from Clonsilla, running to Navan.
This line closed in the 1960's, but after alot of local interest and the group 'Meath on Track', the line will finally be opened as far as Pace (Dunboyne) near Clonee on the Meath - Dublin border.

In its entirety the line from Clonsilla to Navan measured 23.5miles.
If the line were re-opened to Navan then the Tara mines ore trains would probably use the branch saving over 20miles off the journey via Drogheda.

Part two of the previous collection.

This collection shows the work, now further along, on the branch.
The collection includes photographs of the 'stub line' and buffer stop now in situ.

It also includes photo's of the bridges along the line towards Navan, from many of the shots you can see Farm and business access across the trackbed.

Recently myself and another enthusiast travelled up to Sligo on the 17:05 servrvice on Sunday evening ,the 24th of June, and then came back the next morning on the 6:55,

The trip went extreamely well, and a Driver who we were taking to on the way down told us that the Mk.2's were doing the 6:55, thankfully he did.
I really wouldn't be able to stand the scrap plastic 2900's for 137 miles!!!!

The First Proper Irish Railtour In Ireland Of The Year.

Ian Walsh, and all involved, must be thanked greatly for pulling off a Flawless Tour.
Despite the obvious Failings of NIR To properly Fuel Vehicles, and The Ailling Van On the Gatwick set.

Itinerary:
Belfast Central,
Dublin Connolly,
Belfast Central,
Bangor,
Belfast Central,
Lisburn,
Antrim,
Belfast Central,
Ballymena,
Belfast Central*,
Dublin Connolly.

*(Due to a failing EGV The locomotive hauled set was stopped at Belfast Central.
A C3K railcar took the Dublin Bound passengers back to Connolly station, Where this train Also Terminated)

A Great day All Round, With the tour running smoothly right to the end, and time keeping was impeccable.

For every thing from signalling, to traincare depots, to trackwork, to PWD vehicles.

It's funny how many of us just don't stop and look around at the lots of little things that make up our railway system.

"How often do we just look at track or signalling?"

A day of locomotive heaven!

Met up with two other great Enthusiasts for the run from Maynooth into Dublin Connolly, then onto Alexandra Rd. for the Tara Mines ore traffic.
what a treat it was to see 173 hammering out of platform 2 creating quite a plume of exhaust.
088 made it present felt on the Alexandra tramway, soon followed by 087 moving the second set of 'Tara's' down towards the Terminal.
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...................#NOTE#.................
While on the Alexandra tramway we were wearing Hi-vis vests, and at NO point put either ourselves or anyone else in danger.
We also stayed out of the way of the Locomotive and Road vehicles.

Last Sunday, due to engineering work at Drumcondra, ALL Sligo line services had to traverse the Docklands branch, and enter Connolly station via Newcommen Junction.

The day began with 072 working the 8:55 ex-Sligo, and practically walked up the steep incline into Connolly.
I ran over for shots of the train crossing back over 'Butty bridge', some very fond memories of the Rosslare line Mk.2d's crossing the bridge.

In the evening, 088 worked the 19:05 back to Sligo from platform 7 in Connolly.

A Great day all round!!

For the modelling Enthusiasts of the Irish system, I give you my personal models.
Most of the rolling you will see here is heavily modified or entirely scratch built.

Currently I plan to build another 4 071 class locomotives, backed up by a pair of Bachmann 141's, a pair of 121's, and an A class locomotive.

At the moment My locomotive fleet is a little small, consiting of 1 071class, an LNER A4 pacific locomtive-Mallard, and a BR class 58 in EWS livery (One of the loco's I really like),

But that will all change shortly, with the fleet looking to grow from its current state, to 10 IÉ locomotives by the end of the year.

This gallery will be updated as the fleet grows and continues to evolve.....

Enjoy,

Night time pictures.

With the evenings now becoming shorter,
and the nights that little bit colder, I decided to put up a folder of recent photo's from around the network taken at night.

There is something quite fulfilling about getting the perfect shot of any locomotive even though there's little or no light.

Railways really are a labour of love!

Due to time constraints, I haven't been able to get out on the rails as much as I would've liked to.
So Here's to short Spins which were good for traction.
The first set of pictures are from a spin to Portarlington, the Winter evenings still had a choke hold, so, despite the time, the evening was bitterly cold and dark.
080 served as my locomotive home.

The second was a trip to Tulamore.
This was an afternoon departure, in serious fog, to get 086 on the return leg.

This folder is for all the current loco-hauled carriages currently in service with Iarnród Éireann,
These include, Mk.2d's, Mk.3's, Cú ná Mara, DD's, and the new Mk.4's.
Also featuring Iarnród Éireann's freight wagons, from Timber's to Tara's and all in between.

For the Steam Enthusiast in all of us,

I won't lie, I do prefer Diesel locomtives, but a soft spot for 186 and, the GEEP, No.4 will sometimes bring me out to photograph them,

Anyway here is some shots of No.4, and the oldest working locomotive in the country No.186,

Odd shots from 'here and there'.
From shots of the 8:55/17:05 Sligo services, to timber workings,
All pictures have been taken within the last week and a half,
Including one very wet and miserable day in Heuston station Dublin.

Enjoy,