RailsaroundIreland
AJourneyinPictures
CompiledbyCharlesPFrielandMichaelMcMahonDiesels3(11)–CIÉ’sB135hasjustarrivedatDublinAmiensStreetfromBelfastGreatVictoriaStreetonThursday31August1961.The15membersoftheBclass (laterB121class)werebuiltbyGeneralMotorsin1960atLaGrange,Illinois.TheyweretheirtypeGL8,singlecab,diesel-electriclocomotivesof950horsepower withaBo-Bowheelarrangement,iebothaxlesineachbogiearepowered.B135enteredserviceon20February1961andtheclassfirstworkedcross-Border trainson10April1961.B135wasjustover6monthsoldinthispictureandisinitsoriginalgreyandyellowlivery.Notetheoillamponthefrontbracket,the absenceofhandrailsandairbraking.Theclassalmostinvariablyworkedcab-firstandhadtobeturnedbeforethereturnjourney.As135,thelocomotivewas withdrawninFebruary2003andscrappedatInchicoreinApril2003. SJHTT1036
DublinAmiensStreet2(14)–CIÉNo.402,aB2aclass4-6-0,startsawayfromtheCIÉsideofDublinAmiensStreetstationwiththeBelfasttoCork Enterprise Express.Theserviceusedtwosetsofcarriages,oneGNR(I)andonefromCIÉ,whichspentalternatenightsinBelfastandinCork.TheGNR(I)carriagesseen herehadleftBelfastat10.30amandreachedDublinat12.45pm.Duringthelayover,theCIÉlocomotiveshuntedthesettoplatform5readyfora1.45pm departure,arrivingintoCorkat5.15pmafteroneseven-minutewaterandservicingstopatLimerickJunction.No.402wasthefirstofthe400classtoberebuilt, in1927,fromfourtotwocylinders.Itwas1938beforetheGSRrebuilttheothersixlocomotivesbutnotascomprehensively.No.402wasconsideredtobethe bestoftheclassbut,oustedbydiesels,waswithdrawninMarch1961. MNBTT1237
GS&WRMainLine3(21)–ThefirsttwoCIÉmainlinedieselswerebuiltatInchicorein1950-51.In1956-57,theywerejoinedbyaclassoftwelve960hp locomotives(B101-B112)builtbytheBirminghamRailwayCarriage&WagonCompany.ThesehadSulzerpowerplantswhichCIÉhadintendedforsix twin-enginedlocomotivesaspartoftheir1948modernisationprogrammebutwhichhadremainedinstorebecausetheMilneReportadvocated constructingmoresteamlocomotives!Thewheelarrangementof“theSulzers”,astheywereknown,wasA1A-A1A,iethecentreaxlewasnotpowered. B110wasintroducedtoserviceon13May1957andishereshuntingatLimerickJunctiononMonday8June1964oppositethemainlineplatform. ItwasstoppedinNovember1977and,afteraspellinthe"soundbarrier"atInchicore,wascutupatDublinNorthWallinApril1988. UnknownTT1114
CorkExpresses2(27)–Inascenesimilartothepictureoppositebuttakenmorethanayearearlier,onSaturday3May1952,theDublin-bound Enterprise Express isagainbeingworkedbyB2aclass4-6-0No.401.Alongsideisthe1.20pmtoTraleeandWaterfordwhichhasanunidentifiedWoolwichMogul pilotedbyD17or52class4-4-0No.20whichdatesfrom1890.Thistrainwillfollowthe EnterpriseExpress anddropthepilotlocomotiveatBlarneybefore dividingatMallow.TherearportionwillreachTraleeat4.40pm.TheWoolwichMogulwillworkthefrontportionoverthehillyScenicRouteviaLismoreand Dungarvan,toreachWaterfordat5.10pm. MNBTT1231
RosslareExpress1(28)–TheupstartingsignalatCorkGlanmireRoadisoffforthe5.45pm(Saturdaysonly)RosslareboattrainonSaturday20June1953. J15class0-6-0No.182double-headsWoolwichMogul(akaK1aclass2-6-0)No.397forthestiffclimboutofCorkthroughthesteepanddamp1355-yard tunnelandthelongclimbbeyondthroughRathpeacon.No.182willbedetachedatBlarneyandreturnLightEnginetoCork.No.397willthenbeinsole charge,asseenopposite.LeavingMallowat6.27pm,thetrainwasduealongsidetheboatatRosslarePierat10.05pm. MNBTT1443
Kerrybranch2(33)–ThetrainseenoppositearrivedintoValentiaHarbourat1.35pm.AfterstationworkatthemostwesterlyterminusinEurope,the locomotiveworkedbackwiththe2.25pmMixedandPerishabletraintoTralee.Hereweseethenewtrain,againwith104Mnexttheengine,eightgoods vans(akacoveredwagons)andagoodsbrakevan,asitbattlesupthefive-mileclimb–includingmanystretchesof1in50andalmostcontinuouscurves –fromCahirciveentowardsKellsandafurtherclimbtothesummitattheaptlynamedMountainStagestation.ThebackdropisKnocknadober(2267feet). ItswesternsidefallssheerintoDingleBay,sothelinehadtorunonthis,eastern,side. TT1050
UTAdiesels2(49)–ThisistheGanzrailcaratAntrimonaworkingfromBelfastYorkRoadtoBallymenaorCullybackey.DesignedbytheHungarianfirmof thesamenameandbuiltunderlicencebyMetropolitanCammellinBirminghamin1937,itworkedonlyafewtestrunsbeforegoingintostorage.TheUTA purchaseditaftertheSecondWorldWar.Regauged,itmadeitsfirstjourneyon23April1951betweenBelfastQueensQuayandBangor.OfficiallyNo.5,but alwaysknownas“theGanz”,thecarhadadrivingcabateachendandaccommodationfor18FirstClassand36ThirdClasspassengers.An80-seattrailer, No.215,wasbuiltinJune1953torunwiththeGanzbutitwasnotasuccess.No.5layoutofuseinAdelaideshedforsometimebeforebeingscrappedin Maysfieldsyard,BelfastinMay1965. UnknownTT1079
£13.50 ISBN978-1-913893-16-3 VisitfiveofIreland'slostnarrowgaugelinesandfiveofits5foot3inch-gaugecompanies inpicturestakenbetween1914and1966.Manyimagesarefromthe1950swhenmuch changewasafootbutalsowhensomeoldfriendshadlingeredlongenoughtobe rememberedhere.LandingatDúnLaoghaire,wevisitDublinandtheGreatNorthern beforeheadingforCorkandtakingaclockwisetourthroughMunster,Connaughtand Ulster,leavingIrelandviatheNCCatLarneHarbour.Onlyhalfofthephotographersare knownandmanythenonlybytheirinitials.Maybeyoucanhelpidentifythem?