Irishswissernie

The train is one of the former HST sets in use for over 40 years since the mid 1970's (197 power cars) and formerly with either 7 or 8 coaches between the locos. These have been replaced on the Great Western in England and on the East Coast Main Line and Scotrail have taken over a number of the sets but reduced the coaches to four. The Driver controls both front and rear Power Cars. I am not sure if only the leading Power Car is under power on these revised sets but it would be perfectly feasible given the reduced formation. I think the leading power car must be down the embankment as the one visible in the photos looks relatively undamaged. It may be that the land slip occurred whilst the train was passing but this is pure conjecture. All very sad and in the circumstances the only saving is relief that the train is said to have only had 9 passengers and crew on board. If it had been the usual pre-Covid passenger loading the outcome would have been even more catastrophic.

Recent uploads to flickr include a couple of Lough Swilly views at Burtonport and Owencarrow viaduct An all action shot of the short lived Cork - Belfast Enterprise leaving Cork behind 401 181 at Malahide in May 1988 Finally another plug for membership of IRISH RAILWAY RECORD SOCIETY I notice today that their Photographic Archive now contains over 3000 images available for members only, to view. So don't delay JOIN TODAY Ernie

The last part of my videos from 2000-2006 have now been added to flickr. There are 150 odd 'episodes' arranged in date order (I hope) https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/albums/72157706536575014 I have about 1200 scans to upload including approx 500 prints acquired with copyright as the negatives no longer exist. The prints were all taken in 1956 and I think I will upload them in a separate album as they will give a snapshot of the railways at that date. They were in 3 albums together with a narrative of the photographers journey so I shall try to add this to the captions. This is in the pipeline. Meanwhile todays uploads to flickr include 655 at Ballaghadereen in May 1957 164 at Ballingrane July 1955

A couple of 121's and 6whl bogied coach 484A formerly 861 GS&WR 1st/3rd Brake compo now owned by RPSI from the latest batch of negatives. May 1965

I have been working through another newly acquired 160 odd negs, mainly 1965 -1967. Most of them are UTA/NIR but there are also some views at Pearse & Connolly. I am trying to date a fair number of Spoil train images, they are all 20 wagon rakes but some have a brake van included . Van numbers UT2034, 2035 and possibly 2032. Apparently when the trains first started running they were 10 wagon rakes plus brake van powered by a single WT. This soon progressed to the 20 wagon top n tailed WT's but there appears to be an interim when the brake van was still included. The guard travelled on the rear loco when the brake vans disappeared (no doubt there had to be some negotiation with the Unions and crews) Does anyone know the dates of when the 20 wagon+van sets started running and when the vans were dispensed with? A couple of 'tasters'

I have managed to decipher JG Dewings records and identified this view as Cullion, first station out of Derry, Victoria Road on the Strabane line taken on 24 August 1950. I Havn't seen many photos of this location.

I am continuing to upload video from 2000-2006 with an instalment each day. Todays is Drogheda 22May 2003 with cement , up & down Tara's and up and down 'liners' plus a rake of bubbles detached from the Belfast-Dublin Liner and then shunted by a pair of 141's onto the Navan line. I have over 600 new images in the pipeline dating from the 1930's to 2007. A couple of 'tasters'

Spoil Trains 1968. The one here could be 53

A couple more today. An NIR railcar powered goods train leaving Belfast for either Larne or Derry with a nice selection of containers and vans. Can anyone confirm that the loop on the right was part of the unloading line for the spoil trains or was this further out. The Clonmel view (poor neg) shows a cattle train at Clonmel either awaiting the arrival of the 'cargo' or a path to somewhere else.

I did some digging last night re the dates as they seemed a bit early It would appear that the negs had been collected from various times and put into re-used sleeves. There are a fair number of Strabane just after the closure of the GN route in 1965 but before the track was lifted plus a few probably 1968-9 after some vandalising. From 1968 there are a number of 27 on its 23 March jaunt from York Road to Larne, Whitehead and return plus the RPSI Trip on 4 May 1968 from Belfast with 56 to Dublin then 186 +B147 down to Wicklow and back with a number of views at stops en route; back to Dublin and then 56 on the return at Dundalk & Portadown. Finally there are a fair number of WT's on Spoil and ballast trains, CIE Diesels probably taken at the time of the WicklowTour. NIR Units etc. The Grosvenor Road stored 37 & 49 shown above are more likely to be 1968. They are all good quality views. NOT bad for nowt

Your father has cracked it again; Grosvenor Road it is, I've just checked some of Mike Shannon's images and the chimney in the background confirms it. The yard also had the odd trees along the stream that flowed through it. The UG was 49 The negs are from 1965 1966 & 1967 and were in 3 sleeves but being partially sighted I didn't notice that each sleeve had a date in tiny letters in the corner. By the time I saw this it was too late and I had had them all out scattered over the table so there has been a bit of guesswork in what went in which year! This one of B185 is at Great Victoria Street with Grosvenor Road yard over the pool on the left.

I was recently given 120 negatives from 1961-1967 which I am now identifying and titling up. Can anyone confirm the locations of these 3 negs of withdrawn ex GN locos and other rolling stock. I think they are possibly at York Road, Belfast as a fair number of other views on the strips are there or on the Larne line. The saddle tanks are, I believe the Courtaulds pair.

They definitely made it to Limerick City so would have passed round the 'new' curve at the Junction but I havn't found any images of any actually passing through or calling at the station yet. This one Limerick City June 2001

Here are 3 more views of the bridge taken at the same time. Also a view of CIE crew Sleeping Car 224A on the Baltinglass Fair Train 15 March 1959 JG Dewing. There are some other antiques in the train including at the far left a van which appears to have had its end walls removed.

No offence taken, I am only partially sighted and the signal comment came in quite handy as whilst searching for a photo that showed the position and state of the signal more clearly it led to me discovering that the 470 view stated to be Clonakilty Junction was in fact at Drimoleague. Today we shall head north to the top bit of Ireland:

Track maintenance improved slightly later in the 1950's and also the line that 33 and its coach is standing on was not the main running line and platforms for Bantry & Skibbereen (on the right) but rather the loop line along the island platform for Clonakilty C213 below is on a through train from Clonakilty in 1959. One other point is that the signal at the far left isn't missing its signal arm, it was situated beyond the footbridge and the arm is hidden by the bridge side footpath fence. The shot of 470 was said to be at Clonakilty Junction but it isn't. I checked for photos in WE Shepherds CBSC book and there is a broadly similar view on page 85 taken from the footbridge described as Ballineen but it also is wrong. Finally I checked the OS 25 inch map for 1903 which confirms it as at Drimoleague Keeps me busy!

About the scruffiest one on my flickr but at least its the right loco! Sligo B134

A couple more today contrasting the shortest (Coach wise) passenger train to the the longest (mileage wise) service

Could be used for either I think as it has grills for air circulation etc which livestock would need.

Cars to the left , cars and a lorry to the right and now a train in the middle but I need this for me roses! NOTE THE ENGINES MANUALLY OPERATED WARNING BELL!

A couple more from the latest batch. The horse box is interesting as it appears to have 2 compartments for different sized animals. At the left a dog box pig/young calf maybe. The Highland Railway used to tie a calfs legs in sacks and give them to the guard to look after. (The whole calf not just the legs!) The Strabane slide of Erne had a paper insert at the left and bottom to change the composition. I've seen it in print but can't find where. I,m using it as my screen saver so that the icons don't obscure the loco

AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The trouble is that somebody else would no doubt outbid us both anyway. Actually probably over 90% of my acquisitions have been on private deals or through contacts.

I'm pretty sure its Maguiresbridge thanks. Now for you mail van enthusiasts what about these 2 gems at Cork in 1953

I think he's cracked it. There's a view looking the other way page 45 Fermanaghs Railways and the details of the building look the same apart from the lighting but the book view is some 30 years earlier and looks like gas lamps. Thanks!

I don't think its Ballyhaise although the building is very similar. At Ballyhaise there is a hillside behind the building with a house high above it and also a footbridge beyond the station building. The railcar looks like either C2 or C3 after they were split and a trailer built to run behind them. They were regulars on the old Irish North Dundalk -Clones- Enniskillen and Cavan Ballyhaise-Clones Portadown