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The multiple working socket on the 201s was moved to that position because it was found that the jumper cable between the loco and the coaches particularly on the Mk3 Push/Pulls was working loose when in traffic ,this was caused by the vacuum pipe on the loco getting caught with the jumper cable especially over points or crossovers causing the Train to fail, A story I was told while training at Inchicore was that when the 201s were delivered they were all in the same orange livery (except 208/209) and it was common enough for non push/pull loco-201-205/210-214 to be sent over to Connolly to work the Mk3 push/pulls,only after arriving there it was found that it couldn't work the train and had to be sent back to Inchicore or transferred to a Cravens set/or sent to Northwall for a liner, It was then decided to modify the MU socket as the locos were due for an overhaul and as they were still in the same original livery-the work progressed as normal on the rest of the fleet until 201 and 204 were due in around the same time-(They entered service around the same time in July 1994)-It was then realised that they were unable to operate push/pulls so the MU socket was left in its original position, A few years later in November 2004 loco 228 was repainted into the silver/grey Intercity livery and in January 2005 loco 213 was repainted into the orange livery with full yellow ends-the main reason being that the two new liverys meant that if the loco was silver it could work a Mk3/Mk4/De Dietrich push/pull sets or if it was orange allocate it to anything else, If you look closely at the multiple working cable between the 201 and Mk4/Enterprise sets you will see that it is always located behind the vacuum pipe now and has a small clip fitted which clips to a tail lamp bracket for more security.

Great video Kieran,The 001 looks excellent.

Brilliant-lovely shots of a great era,keep them coming.

Lads, The train in question with 143 in the siding at Greystones was called the ADtranz electrification train and was used during the construction of the extension of the DART from Bray to Greystones during 1998, There was a mini digger on the flat wagon which had various drill bits and buckets and a generator housed in one of the containers for night and tunnel work, The two axle open wagons had steel tubes loaded on them, Due to the difficult conditions around Bray head,this train was used first to pile drive the steel tubes into the ground,then install the concrete base and masts for the overhead wires and lastly put up the catenery with the wiring train following, The train would also have installed the new colour light signals which were commissioned when the DART extension was opened.

dave182 is correct,the wagon is specially adapted for carrying the Donelli relaying gantries, The gantries were located on either end of the wagon and on arrival at the relaying location were swivelled around and lowered on to the service rails alongside the track to be relayed, They would first lift up the old jointed track sections and transfer them to empty flat wagons towards the front of the train,then hook up to new concrete sleepers and transfer them back to the worksite-a neat and fast operation, On a good day the "Nellies" could relay up to a mile of new track.

Glad to be of help Anto,great videos of non-stop action, A nice bit of Per-way dept shunting at the depot,and the rare sight of a nine wagon Waterford-Westport empty timber train-normally twelve wagons. You picked a good day for some action-which will get much better in a few weeks with even more liner trains......

As far as I can remember Vincent before some of the 201's were introduced to traffic-a nationwide test was done with loco 141 hauling a dead 201 around the network to test the impact of the 112 ton 201 loco on the jointed track,the 201 had measuring equipment fitted to the bogies, I'd say possibly July/August 1994 was when those tests took place-which would have taken in Rosslare and the South Wexford line,Maybe Enniscorthyman or Red Rich would have more details, As Eiretrains and Killucan2 have quite rightly said loco 227 worked the two axle cement from Waterford-Rosslare Strand-Dublin, They also worked the Ammonia to Arklow but were banned south of there-unless in an emergency to rescue a failed passenger train and then only at a max speed of 25mph.

Well done Richie-This will certainly be THE one to watch during and after its construction-spectacular

Fabulous work there Gareth,if you ever decide to do another run of the Sulzers I would definatly take one off you.

Nice job there Kieran-very neat.

Evening lads, After getting 233 off Mr Graham before Christmas,I tried a little weathering of my own this evening, Here is 233 getting used to Enterprise duties earlier,passing 8208,209 and 112 on shed-it could even be York road depot from this angle 233 works the Enterprise. A busy scene at Central station with 083 on a set of Cravens, 077 on the empty timber train, 221 on a Mk2 set,and 233 pushing the Enterprise with DVT 9001 leading.

Happy birthday Patrick,hope you have a great week....

:tumbsup:Happy new year lads

Easy enough-check out either Graham's ,Marks or Belfast model shops website for details.

Top class Anthony,when your finished with the low loader you might send him back to me as I have more work for him...

Nice work there gm171-look forward to the finished wagon.

Definatly agree -more pics please...

Simply the best-a 1970s scene from Heuston station sidings,well done Anthony.

Happy birthday Fran.

Cheers and thanks lads, Welcome back Anthony.

I have never seen the Intercity logo on the side of a Craven coach but I do remember-(as Killucan said) a couple with the IR loco near the doors,particularly around the 1988/89 era, I've recreated this on one of my Cravens with a few spare IR logos I had.

More action from this mornings operations on Tara Junction.

Great find there Robert,thanks for sharing.

Very nice Vincent,the stack of containers look well also.

Happy Christmas lads.