Mike Beckett

No, that has never been on our plans.

Opening days are limited currently, they are available on our website - www.downrail.co.uk. The ‘new’ locos will not be directly accessible by the public. There aren’t any non-family events added at the moment other than our diesel running day, but some will be added soon.

No.

Never mind all the paperwork, risk assessments, and inspections and approvals from the regulator, on top of all that.

Mark 3s and other things may very well be preserved at famous railway location.

Josh, mate. Maybe we've thought of that, and maybe we spent the past four months laying sidings and arranging scrappings and disposals. We don't just decide to take four giant locos on a whim, we might just know what we are doing. Non-ITG stuff is mainly owned by private individuals, who are not Santa.

Short version: While we are very grateful to Jackie & the WCR for hosting our strategic reserve for so long, the time has come to move on, and reviewing the situation in conjunction with Downpatrick has led to the planned moves. Viable spare locos (albeit after a fair bit of work) and a good source of spares are needed to safeguard the operation there. You may have noticed we have been doing a fair bit of track laying recently... now the secret is out!

You need to become a member to get that - there’s email and postal options for the journal. TBF it’s not always exciting (unless numbers are your thing) but we give fairly comprehensive details on the locos and work on them, and what they get up to at Downpatrick etc. Look on it as £40 (or whatever it is) as a commitment/donation and a free newsletter four times a year! And you can still donate as well!

There’s also some wibblings from yours truly about the reasons for the relocation. The website is actually this, but I’ll not hold my breath: https://www.irishtractiongroup.com/donate

We are aware of fouling points and have been known to be occasionally careful.

There’s madder than that, someone on the official page saying it was deliberate fires started by some sort of activists in a campaign to get 85 back on the mainline. It’s hard to tell satire from tinfoil hattery these days.

I sense sarcasm.

A drone attack from Internet Trolls? They spoil everything for the genuine enthusiast, you know.

Maybe if we had snowflakes falling they could put the fires out. The maddest one I saw was someone on Facebook on the official RPIS page saying that it was carried out by activists in protest at wanting 85 back in traffic. I mean good grief. People have lost the run of themselves over this.

B141, that fella on the beach looks like he could be an ITG fire starter.