10th - 12th May 1997

Railway Preservation Society of Ireland
Slieve Mish

Locos Used steam: 171 & 461
DEMU USed NIR class 80 ???

Route :

Date Traction Route
10/05 171 Dublin Heuston – Kildare – Portlaoise – Limerick Junction - Mallow
10/05 461 Mallow – Killarney
10/05 461 Killarney – Reversing siding (1)
10/05 461 Killarney Reversing siding – Farranfore - Tralee
11/05 461 Tralee – Farranfore – Killarney (avoiding station) – Banteer - Mallow
11/05 171 Mallow – Thurles – Portlaoise – Kildare – Islandbridge Junction – Cabra – Dublin Connolly
12/05 171 Dublin Connolly – Malahide – Drogheda - Dundalk
12/05 DEMU Dundalk – Portadown – Lisburn – Belfast Central – Holywood – Cultra
12/05 DEMU Cultra – Holywood – Belfast Central
12/05 DEMU Belfast Central – Yorkgate – Carrickfergus - Whitehead

Notes :
(1) Propelling move.
(2) Tour was booked to be hauled by 85 “Merlin” & 171. No. 85 was failed a few days before the tour started with Wheelset problems. Due to Translink-NIR not permitting steam operation on their system at the time, a class 80 DEMU was used from Dundalk. The train was also diverted to Cultra to visit the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum rather than continue to Bangor as originally specified.
(3) Chris Totty comments: On the Sunday morning for the early risers, there was a train from Tralee Ballyard to Blennerville on the Tralee & Dingle headed by loco 5. This left Tralee at 09:00. The idea was that this train would shuttle back and forth between Tralee and Blennerville until everyone who wanted a ride had had one. But on arrival at Blennerville the loco disappeared and when enquiries were made as to where it was we were told that the driver had gone for his breakfast!!! The return train to Tralee left Blennerville at 10:10 and upon arrival at Tralee Ballyard the platform was seen to be crowded with potential passengers. Unfortunately as the tour train was booked away from Tralee at 11:04 there was not time for them to travel on the T&D!

Source : Janet & John Cottrell (on train from Dublin Heuston to Belfast Central)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Janet Cottrell)

10th May

Location Booked Actual
Dublin Heuston 09.00d 09.01
Inchicore 09/06 ?
Hazelhatch 09/18 ?
Sallins 09/30 09/37
Droiched Nua 09/42 09/45
Kildare 09/49 09/52
Cherryville Jn 09/53 ?
Portarlington 10/07 10/07
Porlaoise 10w22a ~ 11w00d 10.18 ~ 10.56
Ballybrophy 11/25 11/19
Templemore 11/43 11/31
Thurles 11/55 11w40a ~ 12w50d
Limerick Junction 12w27a ~ 13w40d 13.19 ~ 13.21
Charleville 14/15 13/46
Mallow 14.38a ~ 15.00d 14.06 ~ 14.59
Killarney Jn 15/02 15/02
Banteer 15.22a ~ 15.32d 15.24 ~ 15.41
Millstreet 15/47 16/02
Rathmore 15.59a ~ 16.08d 16.14 ~ 16.20
Killarney 16w35a ~ 17w20d 16.53 ~ 17.38
Farranfore 17.41a ~ 18.05d 18.20 ~ 18.46
Tralee 18.26a 19.10

11th May

Location Booked Actual
Tralee 11.04d 11.04
Farranfore 11/24 11/30
Killarney 11/43 11/57
Rathmore 12/08 12.32a ~ 12.46d
Millstreet 12/19 12/58
Banteer 12.34a ~ 13.20d 13.18 ~ 13.35
Killarney Jn 13/39 13/57
Mallow 13.42a ~ 13.50d 14.00 ~ 14.19
Charleville 14/10 14/42
Limerick Junction 14/45 ?
Thurles 15w15a ~ 16w07d 15.30 ~ 16.10
Templemore 16/19 16/22
Ballybrophy 16/32 16/35
Portlaoise 16w52a ~ 17w30d 16.58 ~ 17.23
Portarlington 17/45 17/38
Kildare 18/00 ?
Droichead Nua 18/05 17/57
Sallins 18/15 18/06
Hazelhatch 18/25 18/13
Inchicore 18/35 18/25
Islandbridge Jn 18/40 18/29
Cabra 18/45 ?
Dublin Connolly 18.55a ?

12th May

Location Booked Actual
Dublin Connolly 10.00d 10.04
Howth Junction 10/10 ?
Malahide 10/16 10/19
Skerries 10/29 10/32
Balbriggan 10/34 10/35
Mosney 10/40 10/39
Laytown 10.44a ~ 10.56d 10/41
Drogheda 11/05 11.04a ~ 11.11d
Dunleer 11/19 11/25
Dundalk 11.40a ~ 12.30d 11.45 ~ ??.??
Newry 12/43 ?
Poyntzpass 12/51 ?
Portadown 13.03a ~ 13.05d ?
Lisburn 13/28 ?
Central Jn 13/45 ?
Belfast Central 13/49 ?
Holywood 13/56 ?
Cultra 14.00a ~ 16.33d ?
Holywood 16/37 ?
Belfast Central 16.44a ~ 16.50d ?
Yorkgate 16/57 ?
Carrickfergus 17.11a ~ 17.17d ?
Whitehead 17.27a ?

Original Times to Bangor (did not run)

Location Booked
Dundalk 12.20d
Newry 12/44
Poyntzpass 12/55
Portadown 13.13a ~ 13.25d
Lurgan 13/34
Moira 13/43
Lisburn 13.55a ~ 14.15d
City Jn 14/31
Belfast Central 14/35
Lagan Jn 14/37
Holywood 14/44
Helen's Bay 14/52
Bangor 15.01a ~ 15.40d
Helen's Bay 15/49
Holywood 15/58
Lagan Jn 16x06
Belfast Central 16.08a ~ 16.25d
Lagan Jn 16/29
Donegall Quay 16/31
Yorkgate 16x34
Bleach Green Jn 16/45
Carrickfergus 16/56
Kilroot 17x05
Whitehead NIR 17/10
Whitehead RPSI 17.13a


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