4th - 10th June 1961

R.C.T.S. / S.L.S. / I.R.R.S.
Joint Irish Tour

Locos Used CIE: 109, 119, 123, 125, 131, 184, 461, 464, 560, 588, 603, 654, 719, 801 'Macha', A30, B129 & B132
GNR: 85 & 174 'Carrantouhill'
UTA: 55
Stock Used [1] : 5x modern CIE coaches including buffet car and 4-wheeled brake/luggage van
[2] : 5x 6-wheel coaches plus brake van (1)
[3] : three of the five coaches in rake [1] plus brake van

Route :

Date Loco Stock Route
04/06 GNR 174 [1]

Dublin Amiens Street - Kildare - Portarlington - Thurles - Limerick Junction - Mallow - Killarney Jn - Cork Glanmire Road
04/06 CIE 464 [1]

Cork Glanmire Road - Glountaine - Cobh
04/06 CIE 464 [1]

Cobh - Glountaine - Cork Glanmire Road
04/06 (1) CIE 464 [2]

(1) Cork Glanmire Road - Dunkettle - Fota - Cobh
04/06 (1) CIE 464 [2] Cobh - Cobh Junction - Cork Glanmire Road (1)
05/06 CIE 801 [1] Cork Glanmire Road - Killarney Jn - Mallow
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Mallow - Killarney Jn - Banteer - Kantuck - Newmarket
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Newmarket - Kantuck - Banteer
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Banteer - Gortatlea - near Killarney station
05/06 CIE 131 [1] reversal near Killarney station to gain access to the Tralee line
05/06 CIE 131 [1] near Killarney station - Gortatlea
05/06 CIE 109 [1] Gortatlea - Castleisland
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Castleisland - Gortatlea - Tralee
05/06 CIE 560 [3] Tralee - Fenit
05/06 CIE 560 [3] Fenit - Tralee
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Tralee - Listowel - Abbeyfeale - Newcastle West
05/06 CIE 131 [1] Newcastle West - Patrickswell - Limerick
06/06 CIE 125 [1] Limerick - Roscrea - Ballybrophy (2)
06/06 CIE A30 (2) [1] Ballybrophy - Portlaoise
06/06 CIE A30 (2) [1] [a double reversal is reported to have taken place at Portlaoise]
06/06 CIE A30 (2) [1] Portlaoise - Mountmellick
06/06 CIE A30 (2) [1] Mountmellick - Kilkenny
06/06 CIE 461 [1] Kilkenny - Waterford - Dungarvin - Ballyduff - Mallow
06/06 CIE 461 [1] Mallow - Charleville Junction - (via direct line & 'original Foynes Loop') - Limerick (near ticket platform)
06/06 CIE 461 [1] Limerick (near ticket platform) - Limerick
07/06 CIE 125 [1] Limerick - Ennis - Athenry - Attymon Junction
07/06 CIE 654 [1] Attymon Junction - Loughrea (3)
07/06 CIE 654 [1] Loughrea - Ballinasloe - Athlone
07/06 CIE 588 [1] Athlone - Castlerea - Ballyhaunis - Claremorris (4)
07/06 CIE 603 [1] Claremorris - Tubbercurry - Sligo
08/06 CIE B132 (5) [1] Sligo - Ballaghadereen
08/06 CIE B132 [1] Ballaghadereen - Edmondstown - Kilfree Junction
08/06 CIE B129 [1] Kilfree Junction - Dromod - Mullingar
08/06 CIE 719 [1] Mullingar - Athlone
08/06 CIE 719 [1] Athlone - Clara
08/06 CIE 719 [1] Clara - Banagher
08/06 CIE 719 [1] Banagher - Clara - Portarlington - Inchicore - Dublin Amiens Street
09/06 CIE 184 [1] (6) Dublin Amiens Street - Enfield - Edenderry
09/06 CIE 184 [1] Edenderry - Enfield - Newcomen Jn - Dublin Amiens Street
09/06 GN 85 [1] Dublin Amiens Street - Howth Junction - Drogheda - Dundalk
09/06 UTA 55 ? (7) Dundalk - ??? - Belfast Great Victoria Street

Notes :
(1) A tour report comments that the 'promised six-wheel coaches' had not been made available for the return trip to Cobh, however a 'telephone call produced the desired result and a rake of vintage six-wheel coaches made the round trip to Cobh late in the evening'. This was an unscheduled run.
(2) Tour was booked to be shunted at to allow passage of two passenger trains. CIE 125 was also swapped here for the Portlaoise pilot (a diesel) as 125 had 'dropped a motion bolt' somewhere before Roscrea. Use of both A30 and A41 has been suggested (A30 from Ballybrophy to ??? and A41 into Kilkenny) however the tour review only mentions one diesel in use between Ballybrophy and Kilkenny and other information received by the Webmaster from a tour participant also details the use of A30 only between Ballybrophy and Kilkenny.
(3) Ran as service train from Attymon Junction to Loughrea. In addition it is reported that the station master at Attymon Junction agreed to the adding of a vintage gas-lit MGW six-wheel coach to the mixed branch train for Loughrea and a number of the tour party followed the special on the branch train, hauled by CIE 610.
(4) 588 was struggling with a hot axle-box, which was in flames when the train arrived at Claremorris, resulting in its replacement.
(5) Intended loco, CIE 603, was failed on Sligo shed before the start of the days travels with a cracked cylinder cover.
(6) It is reported that all but 31 of the tour participants (out of around 100) opted for an extra hour in bed, catching the 09:10 Westport service train from Dublin Amiens Street to Enfield (hauled by CIE diesel A50), where they connected with the tour.
(7) Late running, caused earlier by GNR 184 struggling on the gradients on the Edenderry branch, meant there was not time to visit the works/shed at Dundalk and also catch the 15.55 service train on to Belfast as scheduled. It is reported that a minority of participants caught the service train, hauled by UTA 55, to Belfast though a small group of those passengers then alighted at Goraghwood to traverse the Warrenpoint branch, hauled by GNR 42X. The remainder of the railtour passengers visited Dundalk works/shed then completed their journey to Great Victoria Street in a CIE railcar unit which had been added to the 17:30 'Enterprise Express' service from Dublin and which was stopped specially at Dundalk at 18:28 to pick them up (arriving into Belfast at 19:39).

Sources : Gary Thornton, Andrew Fairholm & Keith Thompson/Ian Clark (SLS)

Photo Review


04/06: 174 pausing for water at Kildare (photo: The John Debens Collection)


06/06: 125 at Ballybrophy with A41 (photo: The John Debens Collection)


07/06: The tour at an otherwise deserted Loughrea, headed by CIE 654.
(photo: W.A. Camwell / © Stephenson Locomotive Society)


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Keith Thompson courtesy of Ian Clark (SLS))

4th June

Location Booked Actual
Amiens Street 11.30d 11.32
Clondalkin 11/55 11/48
Kildare 12.28 ~ 12.35 12.38 ~ 12.45
Thurles 13.50 ~ 14.10 14.02 ~ 14.17
Limerick Junction 14.38 ~ 15.10 14.45 ~ 15.10
Mallow 15.58 ~ 16.05 15.48 ~ 16.09
Cork 16.35a ~ 16.50d 16.35 ~ 16.56
Cobh 17.20a ~ 17.45d 17.17 ~ 17.51
Carrigaloe ? 17.58 ~ 18.02
Cork 18.15a 18.18

Unscheduled Trip

Location Actual
Cork 21.02d
Dunkettle 21.08 ~ 21.13
Fota 21.21 ~ 21.26
Cobh 21.36 ~ 22.07
Cpbh Junction 22.16 ~ 22.19
Cork 22.33a

5th June

Location Booked Actual
Cork 08.15d 08.23
Blarney 08.32 ~ 08.35 08.40 ~ 08.44
Mallow 08.57 ~ 09.10 09.06 ~ 09.14
Banteer 09x30 ~ 09x45 09.41 ~ 09.50
Kanturk 09.57 ~ 10.02 10/05
Newmarket 10.16a ~ 10.30d 10.29 ~ 10.51
Kanturk 10x45 11.08 ~ 11.17
Banteer 11.00 ~ 11.15 11.29 ~ 11.38
Rathcoole 11/25 11/50
Millstreet 11.35 ~ 11.53 11.59 ~ 12.06
Rathmore 12x06 12/27
Headford 12/18 12/41
Killarney 12x28 12.55 ~ 12.59
Ballybrack 12/40 13/20
Farranfore 12/45 13/29
Gortatlea 12.52 ~ 13.15 13.36 ~ 14.03
Castleisland 13.35 ~ 13.55 14.20 ~ 14.40
Gortatlea 14/15 14/52
Tralee 14.30a ~ 14.40d 15.07 ~ 15.28
Fenit 15.20a ~ 15.45d 16.11 ~ 16.40
Tralee 14.15a ~ 17.00d 17.09 ~ 17.33
Listowel 17.35 ~ 18.00 18.25 ~ 19.07
Abbeyfeale 18x20 ~ 18x40 19/36
Newcastle W. 19.10 ~ 19.30 20.28 ~ 21.02
Patrickswell 20.01 ~ 20.15 21/47
Limerick 20.30a 22.05

6th June

Location Booked Actual
Limerick 09.00d 09.03
Killonan 09x07 09/11
Birdhill 09x25 ~ 09x40 09.31 ~ 09.45
Nenagh 09.59 ~ 10.05 10.10 ~ 10.17
Roscrea 10.35 ~ 10.45 10.58 ~ 11.12
Ballybrophy 11x03 ~ 11x45 11.32 ~ 12.20
Mountrath 11/56 12/29
Portlaoise 12.07 ~ 12.20 12.39 ~ 12.48
Mountmellick 12.45 ~ 13.05 13.13 ~ 13.23
Conniberry Junction 13.25 ~ 13.30 13/41
Abbeyleix 13/45 13.59 ~ 14.08
Ballyragget 14x10 14.24 ~ 14.30
Kilkenny 14x25 ~ 14x35 14.46 ~ 15.00
Waterford 15.25a ~ 16.15d 15.56 ~ 17.05
Kilmeaden 16x29 ~ 16x35 ?
Dungarvan 17x12 ~ 17x20 18.37 ~ 18.52
Lismore 17.43 ~ 17.50 19/20
Fermoy 18.13 ~ 18.22 20.05 ~ 20.14
Ballyhooly 18/29 20/24
Mallow 18.48 ~ 19.15 20.48 ~ 21.16
Rathluirc 19.40 ~ 19.45 21.48 ~ 21.49
Bruree 20.00 ~ 20.05 22.02 ~ 22.08
Croom 20.25 ~ 20.30 22.25 ~ 22.30
Patrickswell 20/45 22/45
Limerick 21.00a 23.10

7th June

Location Booked Actual
Limerick 08.40d 08.42
Ennis 09x25 ~ 10x00 09.25 ~ 10.05
Crusheen 10x16 ~ 10x26 10.22 ~ 10.29
Gort 10.42 ~ 10.47 10.46 ~ 10.50
Ardrahan 11x00 ~ 11x05 11/02
Athenry 11.26 ~ 11.35 11/23
Attymon Junction 11x47 ~ 12x05 11.37 ~ 12.05
Dunsandle 12.21 ~ 12.23 12.17 ~ 12.23
Loughrea 12.40 ~ 13.30 12.38 ~ 13.35
Attymon Junction 13/55 13.57 ~ 14.00
Ballinasloe 14.15 ~ 14.24 14.28 ~ 14.35
Athlone 14.45 ~ 15.20 15.03 ~ 15.25
Roscommon 15x48 ~ 16x02 16/04
Ballymoe 16.21 ~ 16.26 16.41 ~ 16.42
Claremorris 17x15 ~ 17x30 18.03 ~ 18.24
Swinford 18.08 ~ 18.15 19.00 ~ 19.03
Tubbercurry 18.50 ~ 19.00 19.32 ~ 20.18
Leyney 19/30 20/50
Collooney 19.38 ~ 19.55 20.58 ~ 20.59
Ballysodare 20.00 ~ 20.10 21.03 ~ 21.04
Sligo 20.20a 21.17

8th June

Location Booked Actual
Sligo 09.00d 09.34
Ballymote 09.26 ~ 09.31 10/01
Kilfree 09/45 10.10 ~ 10.22
Ballaghadereen 10.15 ~ 10.35 10.45 ~ 11.10
Edmonstown ? 11.18 ~ 11.22
Kilfree 11.05 ~ 11.25 11.38 ~ 11.53
Boyle 11x35 12.03 ~ 12.34
Carrick-on-Shannon 11/48 12/46
Drumsna 12x02 ~ 12x08 12/53
Dromod 12.18 ~ 12.35 13.01 ~ 13.15
Longford 12/52 13/29
Inny Junction 13.17 ~ 13.25 13/51
Mullingar 13.46 ~ 14.10 14.07 ~ 14.31
Athlone 14.52 ~ 15.00 15.20 ~ 15.48
Clara 15.30 ~ 14.20 16.21 ~ 16.45
Ferbane ? 17.15 ~ 17.21
Banagher 17.10 ~ 17.30 17.43 ~ 18.06
Clara 18x20 ~ 18x30 19.08 ~ 19.13
Tullamore 18/41 19.30 ~ 19.51
Geashill 18x52 ~ 19x05 20/10
Portarlington 19.20 ~ 19.30 20.27 ~ 20.29
Kildare 19.45 ~ 19.55 21.00 ~ 21.16
Clondalkin 20/25 22/08
Dublin Amiens Street 20.55a 22.41

9th June

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Dublin Amiens Street 08.10d ?   13.00a 14.26
Newcomen Jn - ?   ? ?
Clonsilla 08/30 ?   12/40 13/54
Enfield 09.00 ~ 10.00 ??.?? ~ 10.07   12.00 ~ 12.10 13.05 ~ 13.10
Edenderry 10.50a 11.17   11.10d 11.40

 

Location Booked Actual
Dublin Amiens Street 13.45d 14.32
Howth Junction 13/54 14/39
Drogheda 14/24 15/10
Dundalk 14.53a 15.44


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