Southern Yard

Here are some photos taken out wesht of the final years of the mk3s: Claremorris with a knock spl present and the athlone Westport service arriving and the FO Dublin - ballina in the Tuam bay: More images of mk3s around claremorris: Manulla, Ennis and athlone featuring the FO Dublin ballina and return working:

Here's another west looking view. Not too many photos looking the opposite way.

In colour with yellow strips! Not certain who owns this photo but saw it on the www.

Manulla Jcn it is and no idea who took it as I purchased it on ebay. A very different scene today!

Where is this location?

Here a some more I took of the run around and 077 on the timber. Unfortunately the ICR got in the way!

Here are a few photos of 077 on the DFDS empty flats stored in Claremorris. 079 has failed in Westport and 077 was being taken off the liner to replace 079 in Westport.

I have some of the yard and the liner being loaded, I'll try and dig them out. Also photographed these liners in Kildare on long summer evenings when you had a procession of liners from approx 8pm onwards! Them were the days.

Here are a few more! This liner was a favourite of mine and gave real character to the railway. When I moved back to Claremorris in 2005 this traffic along with the Norfolk, timber and loco hauled branch services meant for some interesting summer evenings. The liners did operate 5 days a week but went back to 3 days a week towards the end. The Guinness loco's used to be stabled in claremorris overnight but towards the end went to ballina as a taxi to bring the drivers home. IE couldn't wait to get rid of this traffic along with their general rundown of freight thus yards like claremorris once a hive of activity at now silent and disconnected from the network like so many other yards. What we're left with is a disgrace and a sad reflection of IE mgmt and government policy in our boom years. Anyways rant over! Here's an unusual double header. Note the calling on signal above the 071. Guinness loco's stabled on the ballinrobe branch siding with rolling stock: View from the bridge of the evening service to Westport about to depart hauled by an 071 with mk3s. The Guinness liner would depart once the passenger had departed. A ballast is stabled on Tuam bay. This view taken from where the lines to Westport and Sligo diverged shows 4 loco's in view with the Guinness liner on the left about to be made up, an 071 on the ballina branch and next to it the loco from the ballast train parked on the right. Out of sight in this photo is another 141 with the weedsprayer. Quiet a collection for a Thursday evening in the summer of 2005: Here's a view from across the field of the Guinness loco's facing wrong direction before running around: For anyone looking to model Claremorris layout pre rationalisation here's a photo of the station layout board in the signal cabin. This was after the cabin closed and the signal man restored the board to its original form showing all points and signals that were controlled by the 66 lever frame showing the 5 radiating lines:

Kilfree junction!

Here's the very last Guinness liner departing claremorris in June 05 I think. A well known west of Ireland railway man captured in this scene too! [ATTACH=CONFIG]11043[/ATTACH] A few more from Claremorris of the liner. [ATTACH=CONFIG]11044[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]11045[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]11049[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=CONFIG]11049[/ATTACH] Here the Guinness loco arrives LE from Ballina to attach to the liner parked in the siding. Note the Norfolk hauled by 141s and the branch set with 134&185! [ATTACH=CONFIG]11046[/ATTACH]

Here's the very last Guinness liner departing claremorris in June 05 I think. A well known west of Ireland railway man captured in this scene too! A few more from Claremorris of the liner. Here the Guinness loco arrives LE from Ballina to attach to the liner parked in the siding. Note the Norfolk hauled by 141s and the branch set with 134&185!

No1 is Newcastlewest! No2 is not ballysadare but was once a junction on the same line!

Correct on the 3rd one but the first one isn't claremorris, quiet a long way from it but this scene is very different today. The second one is closer to the 3rd one.

Correct Tuam it is but I reckon that's a knock special heading to claremorris. Where are these?

Two more: First one showing 085 reversing through the servicing depot and second one has 086 showing the mk4s a pair of heels! [video=youtube_share;LwKqIRNdr-M] [video=youtube_share;mdFQvdXxG5Y]

Where is this scene captured?

A near miss at Tara junction! The yard pilot nearly fouled the points on to the main running lines and narrowly misses the local branch set and the FO Dublin-Ballina service. An investigation is being carried out by the operations manager of Tara Jcn but it seems initial thoughts are an inexperienced driver was to blame! [video=youtube_share;X2g3C0qmTxg]

Tara junctions great gathering! Lovely line up and the mk3 gen van looks fab....myself and the young fella will be dropping in over Xmas for some driver training duties!

That looks fit for about 60 mph max! Check this out with sparks flying and obviously in a hurry! [video=youtube_share;QIaf3PTyeP0]

The runs sound like they were top class, the ton is easily capable in those machines. in steam railway mag this month some old A4 drivers reckoned they regularly hit 130mph+ with them in the 1950s, one reckoned he nearly hit 140 but that's hard to imagine! Did you do much timing of steam in Ireland ? And if so what was the max speed you recorded and best average speed?

Lovely camera work, very atmospheric capturing what steam is all about. Look forward to 2014 and seeing her on the mainline.

Not my filming! It was on the capital streak York London return leg as part of the mallard 75 celebrations. This was the 3rd 90mph run.

The 90mph runs concluded this week after been deferred from August. The A4 makes this look easy.[video=youtube_share;KtQwDBeU0nc] Why is steam limited to 60mph in Ireland and generally 75mph in Britain? With no.85 coming back in 2014 I'be no doubt 70mph is easily achievable from it?