Rail Scene Ireland

[4SRKT]

Quite a coincidence indeed Thewanderer! I hadn't thought about that incident myself for many years. It was indeed a very old wooden bodied coach having its window replaced at Connolly that day.

Being in my teens in the 80s, it was great to visit Ireland as frequently as I did at that time, because it afforded an opportunity to see railway operations of a type almost extinct in Britain by that time. Health and Safety? Forget about it. On the Portrush Flyer one year, we were bucketing along double headed by No. 4 (train engine) and 171 piloting tender first. This on very old track indeed. Coming down Ballyboyland Bank near Ballymoney the train hit an irregularity in the track, and I was never more scared until I crashed my car on the M1 last month! I knew from my experience of using the Larne line as a footpath at Carrickfergus (as many of the townsfolk did) that chairs on old NCC lines often were marked 'Midland Railway'. More than 60 years old in other words. Try to imagine this in Britain (or indeed in Ireland now): train of wooden bodied stock rattling downhill at nearly 70 mph, tender first, on 60+ year old track! Beggars belief!

 

[Csalem]

The Luas is being extended south on the Green line from Sandyford to Cherrywood. The Red line is being extended east from Connolly to the Point Depot/o2 in the Docklands. Unlike DART, Luas stands for nothing, merely being the Irish word for Speed. I seem to recall it was a working title and a proper name was to be picked when it was finished. However, with the project taking so long, people got use to calling it Luas and it stuck.

 

[4SRKT]

Will all this frenetic railway development activity in Ireland come to an abrupt halt now that the money seems to be drying up? I've seen a plan for a very impressive scheme to electrify Connolly-Maynooth and Heuston-Kildare, with a tunnel linking Heuston to a point on the Belfast line just north of Connolly. DART effectively split into 2 lines Howth/Malahide-Kildare and Maynooth-Bray/Greystones, interchanging at (I think) Pearse. How likely is it that such an ambitious scheme will now go ahead? As for the Western Rail Corridor, this appears to be a scheme going from nowhere to nowhere else via nowhere in particular. Is this simply an exercise in political correctness as a sop to those who may feel that Dublin and the east get all the dosh? Will this get stopped in its tracks or will the development continue?

 

[Csalem]

Work has started recently on the first phase of the line from Dublin to Navan. The WRC is connecting Limerick to Galway and should open this year. Unsure about the rest but I hope at least as far as Tuam is done. The first phase should open this year, as should Cork to Midleton.
The Interconnector is going ahead as far as I know. I think it's one of the big projects that the Government will use to put people back to work. Some of my pictures from today may give hints of work on the very early stages of the Interconnector taking place.

Todays pictures.
Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1632530_193.html

 

[Csalem]

Three shots from today including 078 and just six Tara wagons.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
I've some more shots taken in Balbriggan today and yesterday showing 073 and 078 on the Taras, 8208, 230 and 233 on the Enterprise and the usual DMUs.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Some shots now up of trains in the Dublin snow from today.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237_25.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Did the first trip of the year to Kildare and change is still spreading at a pace. Instead of the usual Mark 3 push/pull on the 07:30 to Waterford, I instead got my first six coach Rotem. The push/pull later turned up on a service from Galway which, I believe, gave me my first shot ever of a push/pull on the centre line at Kildare. in total today I photographed three Mark 3 sets in service, and only one of them was hauled by an orange 201. I also got shots of the empty timber from Waterford heading to Mayo, hauled by 071 itself, and an empty rail train hauled by 076, as well as two 141s and a lot of Rotems.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1651995.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Five shots at the bottom of the page below taken in some nice sun in Balbriggan today. Included is a shot of a four piece 2800 DMU. It has been a while since I've seen one of them in operation out here, since they mostly go around as 6 pieces.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237_25.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Some shots taken late morning in Connolly today. Usual DARTs and Units but also 171 passing through with two Alsthom DART sets bound for Inchicore.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237_49.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Following the bad weather over the last few weeks the railway line between Dublin and Rosslare was shut in two places due to landslides. Today the full length of the line reopened and to celebrate Irish Rail put a 22000 onto the route. Pictures uploaded now of 22026 on the 16:40 to Gorey this evening (running 25 mins late) as well as some DARTs and DMUs in Pearse and Tara Street, some of which were going beyond Bray for the first time in weeks and 075 on the Tara in Balbriggan.

Pictures start halfway down the page and continue on.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1647237_49.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Rail Scene Ireland took a trip across the water over the last few days and visited two capitals and two countries: London and Edinburgh in England and Scotland. On the trip St. Pancras International was visited and I got a quick shot/glimpse, thanks to the zoom on my camera, of a Javelin on test on its side of the station. This was followed by going across the road to get the Grand Central HST to York. In York got shots of a DRS 37 and 47 in a siding beside the station and 86901 in the station. This was followed by a trip north to Edinburgh on a NXEC HST. In Saturday morning in the Scottish Capital I got shots of 67027 on Thunderbird stand-by, 67004 with the sleeper and a 170 in the new Saltire livery.

Pictures at the link below.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1657301.html

Other highlights of the trip that I did not get shots off:
66s of EWS, Fastline, GBRF (Including Metronet and possibly Medite) and Freightliner, as well as either Eddie or James. 56101 getting shunted in the yard at Doncaster. Western Champion (I think. It was maroon) and a large-logo blue 47 in Old Oak Common. A 156 in the new Saltire livery for Scotrail and Cotswald 47810 in the depot at Edinburgh.

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Part two of yesterday's Kildare update as it were! While the 'Wanderer' did indeed join me for 90 minutes I put in afull seven hours in Kildare from 15:00 to 22:00! To complete the Kildare picture, someday I will have to do 22:00-08:00!!

Anyway, what can I offer you? The usual mix of Rotems and 201s on the Cork run. I can also offer a 201 on the Mark 3 push/pull, the 201 on the Mark 3 set from Waterford and a 201 and a Mark 3 set filling in for a Mark 4 set on the 20:00 Cork. That train is the only Cork train to call at Kildare. I also have DMUs taken in the night as well as 078 arriving at 21:45 with the laden timber from Westport bound for Waterford.
Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1659466.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Bit of a large update today. First off, two shots from Connolly on Saturday night of two NIR C3k's on a rugby special. (Can't remember who won the match! )
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56719428.html
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56719429.html

The rest from today, when I went mad. I decided I would start the day travelling on the world's oldest commuter line, from Westland Row to Kingstown, or as it is known nowadays, Pearse Station to Dun Laoighre. Not only did I do that, I visited all the intermediate stations, so a twenty minute trip turned into two hours. If that is not bad enough I decided to the northside from Howth Junction to Connolly and then added Portmarnock and Malahide to the mix. In total I visited 20 stations today!!!
At some stage this month I'll finish the DART stations with Dun Laoighre to Greystones, and Howth Junction to Howth.

Highlights from today: lots of DARTs obviously as well as DMUs. The Rotem on the Gorey run at Sandymount, 8202, 209 and 233 on the Enterprises. Intercity 227 at Connolly. 076 and 086 on the Taras. And finally, 171 at Connolly, Harmonstown and passing through Malahide with a failed 085.
Also in the mix some shots of the Luas extension down the docks, including the new bridge over the Royal Canal.

So I suggest you get a tea, coffee or something stronger, sit back and...

Enjoy!!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Four shots from Dublin Connolly yesterday.
1) Three different types of locos together: 209, 085 and 171 -
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56749295.html

Close ups:
2) 085:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56749296.html

3) 171:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56749297.html

4)209 in the Connolly Carriage shed. This was meant to do the 13:20 to Belfast but a fault on the set resulted in a 29000 filling in:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56749297.html

Enjoy!

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Did a quick visit to a few locations today to see the progress and investment in Irish railways. The first was to Hazlehatch and Celbridge where the track in the bay platform has been laid and the sleepers for the final part of the four-tracking have arrived. Also the road-bridge at the Dublin end has been demolished.

Then a magical mystery tour ensued to track down the restoration of the Dunboyne line, work on which began last month. Tow locations were visited there to see the clearance work on the trackbed. Exciting times ahead!

Pictures begin halfway down the page below and continue on.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_97.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Spent the last two days in London doing some research at Kew but managed to take some shots along the way, and for the first time I can remember I photographed the Tube. Locatiosn include Hammersmith, Turner's Green, Kew and one in St. James Park. Also included in the collection was a quick shot in Victoria of a 442 on the extended Gatwick Express service to Brighton, a 313 on the North London Line and tow shots of trains taken from H.M.S. Belfast.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1665733.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Just two pictures from yesterday at Connolly:
Intercity 227 sitting in the sun outside the shed:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56884049.html

And Baby-GM 175 which has replaced 171 as the pilot loco:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/p56884050.html

Enjoy!

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
An historical and contemporary update from today. To start with a visit to Carlingford to see the former railway line and station which is now a road and tourist office. This was followed by a visit to Drogheda to see two orange 071s, 078 and 076 (and the chance to get a shot with two locos showing 076 on the front!) and 085, as well as some DMUs. Included is 29013 which has lost all of its National Development Plan branding from each carriage.

Pictures start at the bottom of the page below and continue on.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_121.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Today's update is a Luas one. As I'm sure everyone is aware, today is Saint Patrick's Day which means we get a large parade down the main street of our capital, O'Connell Street. This also means that four five hours, the Luas Red Line is shut between Smithfield and Connolly. Today's pictures show O'Connell Street before the parade, the Smithfield terminus during the parade and then back to O'Connell Street for post-parade clean up and the reopening of the Luas line.

Pictures start halfway down the page below and continue on.

Enjoy, and, Lá Fhéile Padraig duit!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_145.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Completed more of my tour of the DART system today by visiting all stations south of Dun Laoighre to Greystones. If that was not exciting enough, Dublin was engulfed in some heavy fog today to add to the atmosphere in the shots.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_169.html

 

[4SRKT]

Nice shots there. Good Lord, 071s are meaty machines aren't they? Happy memories of 071s/111s and Mk II coaches on the Belfast trains

 

[Thewanderer]

Nice shots there. Good Lord, 071s are meaty machines aren't they? Happy memories of 071s/111s and Mk II coaches on the Belfast trains

Na,

They are heaps of junk now. Banned off passenger workings, unless in an emergency after several high profile failures.

 

[4SRKT]

Na,

They are heaps of junk now. Banned off passenger workings, unless in an emergency after several high profile failures.

I suppose it's OK to say here's to the next generation in an environment where that generation might include some locomotive haulage (or shovage) in the shape of 201s. Over here, any kind of loco has people waxing lyrical these days

 

[Csalem]

In the glory days, just after 201s arrived 071s were relagated to certain commuter trains on the Dublin-Drogheda run. In the mornings going to work I use to get some great thrash on a train that was non-stop from Skerries to Dublin, about seventeen miles, with Craven carriages hauled by 071s. Happy days!

Two updates from yesterday.
1) Mark 3 coaches and DMUs in Waterford:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_241.html

2) Lunchtime in Balbriggan with DMUs and three freight trains - 2 Taras with Orange 071s and the cement (it has taken 78 days for me to photograph the cement in 2009 )
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1286313_193.html

Enjoy!

 

[87015]

Na,

They are heaps of junk now. Banned off passenger workings, unless in an emergency after several high profile failures.

Thought a few had been overhauled? Or was it "overhauled" and just a lick of paint?

 

[Thewanderer]

The "overhaul" didn't do much for them tbh. The main problem is their air compressors, simply not up to the job after 25 years on MKIII services. Even back 10 years ago certain members were kept off air braked trains because it was known they would fail. 080 was one. I remember well getting the 1830 Heuston - Tralee one evening and 080 dropped on the front. Oh god I thought how far will we get. 144 miles later (Mallow) and the engine was removed following air pressure problems.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I suppose it's OK to say here's to the next generation in an environment where that generation might include some locomotive haulage (or shovage) in the shape of 201s. Over here, any kind of loco has people waxing lyrical these days

LOL "here's to the next generation" means a number of things.

First, its a line uttered in the final episode of a US TV series.

2nd it refers to the changing scene of the rail scene in Ireland and the handing over the baton you could say to the 22000's

 

[Csalem]

First, its a line uttered in the final episode of a US TV series.

A dreadful US series that should be in the Hague for crimes against humanity.

The 071s did experience some trouble in the 1970s or 1980s I believe when they had wheel-set problems and all were withdrawn, and led to the reintroduction of the original 201 class. I also heard that BR engineers did once visit Ireland to examine the 071s with a view to potentially buying some for Intercity. I don't know how accurate that story is.


A very small and quick update from a 45 minute visit to Kildare yesterday. I hope this will act as a taster for my forthcoming monthly, eight hour visit!

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1671369.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Completed my tour of the DART system today by visiting the Howth branch. Took shots of the present railway operation and a few of the remains of the Hill of Howth tram line.

Also included is a shot a new television screen installed at Connolly, similar to ones in UK stations.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1662282_246.html
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Hi all,
On St. Stephen's Day last year I visited a location near Balbriggan and I always intended going back. Today I did, returning to the Lady's Stairs at MP20. Pictures include the usual lunchtime variety: two Enterprises, two 071s on the Taras, and the usual DMUs but with a stunning backdrop.

Enjoy!

http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1286313_214.html

 

[Csalem]

Hi all,
Today I did my proper monthly visit to Kildare. Due to time constraints I have not been able to do the captions yet but will either later today or tomorrow. However within the collection you will find 088 with the empty timber, five services with Mark 3 sets, including a return working from Cork, 2720/21 on a transfer from Drogheda to Limerick, 212 on the Norfolk, 22005 with the two different style of set numbers, the cue ball on one coach and the full set number on the other, and finally 22037 facing the wrong way. Phew!

Enjoy, and as I said captions are to come!

http://railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1675156.html
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Hi all

Todays update:
A few shots taken around North Wall yard in the Dublin Docks, showing 078 on the bulk cement, and the second rake of Mark 3s put into storage there recently. Also included are some shots of the new Luas line through the docklands area and the former LNWR building on the Quays:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1675512.html

Also, yesterday's collection now has captions that tell the story of my seven hours in Kildare:
http://www.railsceneireland.fotopic.net/c1675156.html

Enjoy!