hurricanemk1c

Ballybrophy - 89 boarding northbound, 7 southbound, 25 regional northbound 3 alighting northbound, 113 southbound, 23 regional So 89 in Heuston direction, 7 in Cork direction, 25 for Roscrea on, and 3 from Cork direction, 113 from Heuston direction and 23 from Roscrea branch off at Bally in 2015. NTA data

Evening all, I've been away in the UK for the past week, mainly visiting family (and with a day out in Derby for bus photographs). However, I did get a few railway-related photos as well. Gedling Colliery opened in the 1890's and closed in 1991. The former rail-served site is now a country park, but some of the original railway equipment survives. In the hour or two spent walking around the park, I observed a former bridge (still maintained by Network Rail), rail-built bufferstop, telegraph pole, embedded rails, baseplate and a rather interesting chair. Click on any of the photos below or the link at the end to view them all Album Link - Regards, Kieran

Does the Clonmacnoise and West Offaly Railway count? Other than that, don't think I've travelled on any Irish line since closed

I can have a dig around. In fact I already have an album on Flick ready, with a few ICR and Luas details in. I do have somewhere a selection of 201 chassis pipework photos, bogie details and HOBS details. I'll try and keep it in mind next time I'm out

Good afternoon all, A selection of photos from yesterday's RPSI specials, as well as the usual traffic around. Locations include: -> Portlaoise (on Friday) -> Pearse -> Bray Head -> Bray -> Booterstown -> Vico Road -> Killiney -> On board Click on any of the photos to view them full size Album link - Regards, Kieran

They should be...... a nice bill for a couple of thousand or work removing grafitti / rubbish in leui of payment. Or a prison term

Of course it works both ways - but I don't think the time lost through IE delays is more than those lost through RPSI delays. This year's May tour caused extensive damage in Offaly, for example, which IE footed the bill (I believe). Plus in this case [yesterday], more damage was done again through sourcing extra sets to cover Dart links north of Connolly. Loading coal 10-20 minutes before departure time at the start of the day isn't overly good to avoid delays! M3 however is a good idea

075 rescued, although pax were detrained at Grand Canal Dock and had a 29000 to Pearse

Low steam pressure is reported. As a random point, this is the 3rd steam failure / difficulty this year (4 setting the world on fire in May, hot bearings in Sallins and this, plus last year's efforts on the Santa) The issue is that under the terms of carriage the 'normal' passengers are entitled to refunds. I've waived that a few times (like when I delayed myself to get a Mark 4 set to college one day due to a failure). This issue for IÉ is that they now have to pay refunds for passengers through no fault of their own, but another Railway Undertaking's failure. Now from an enthusiast perspective I wouldn't want this to happen, but at some point from an economic point it must, even if it covers a little bit of the cost. The RPSI (and Belmond [or anyone else], when they become a RU) should pay for delay minutes, up to a sensible point. In the UK the cap is £5,000 for heritage operators. When a delay minute costs between £160 and £300, the cap is reached quickly. A recent failure in the UK that I can place my hand to caused 7140 delay minutes. That's over a million pounds (£1,142,400 to be exact @ £160/min). Whilst the financial gain for IÉ may be small, it probably would give the RPSI something to think about planning wise.

Good morning all, December kicks off with potentially the moves of the year - the transfer of the RPSI Wooden Body stock. Whilst the steel Cravens were out earning their keep on the Pearse - Greystones Santa Specials, I went to the Gullet for a shot of Tranfer 1, with coaches 1463, 1419, 2421 and 1383 moving first. As always, click on any of the photos to view them full size A quick dash to the Box at Islandbridge Jn: -- For the second move, the train was to go into Platform 5 and then propel into the VP, rather than go straight in as on the first move. Luckily I was in a position to get photos of this December album link - Regards, Kieran

I remember one year going to Warley from Belper (where I lived at the time). At this time the Clothes Show Live was on (and something else from memory). Late service from Belper (unstaffed and no ticket machines, to purchase at Derby) to Derby, about a two minute connection (so no time to actually buy the tickets), tried to purchase of the Virgin guard, he said he would get back to us. Didn't see him again. No passenger stop at New Street either. Luggage rack was comfy though! Return trip was via free upgrade to First Class due to crowding Some great layouts there, and bargins. Picked upo a Farish 20 there that time and a starter pack with 25322 Tamworth Castle in it. Good times!

JB - this one (A28) was completely black - no white flash (at least at one end). There was a superb photo at Fermoy in the late 60s / early 70s (pre 1976 for sure)

I must be able to get a few years out of that then - 33265.33 miles on them Interesting thread. I would add that there is one oddity shown at last night's IRRS Slideshow - an all black A Class anyone?

Evening all, As above, I was on the first of the new Grand Canal Dock services, as well as a few additional runs around the place in the morning and also doing a couple of runs in the evening, although avoiding the tunnel itself. As always, click on the photos below to view them all Album link - Regards, Kieran

Where did you hear that from? Nothing like that is happening at the moment and not immediately planned, as the ICRs are provided from the Heuston side by re-organising the diagrams (such as bringing back a Mark 4 set, releasing a few units)

Evening all, Another week-long update from me, this time from Heuston and Portlaoise, with a couple of Moon shots as well (between the clouds!). Photos include the first 0800 Heuston - Cork booked as a Mark 4 diagram for a long time, the start of an external deep clean of the ICRs and a couple of track machines in Heuston. As always, click on the photo below to view them all Album link - Regards, Kieran

Full report (316 pages, but the first 40-odd give you the overall idea) https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2016_Rail_Review_Report_Complete_Online.pdf

Evening all, A selection of photos from the beginning of November from me, with locations including: Portlaoise Heuston Inchicore Loop Line Bridge St. Stephen's Green and Luas Cross City Works As always, click on any of the photos to view them full size and with descriptions Album link - https://www.flickr.com/photos/hurricanemk1c/albums/72157672717110514 Regards, Kieran

Take out the NEM coupling and you have a good CAD for Train Simulators! Great work - any chance of srinking it by half?

Actually worse than that - he had already negotiated the gap having got off intially! And he judge found him 50% liable as well

ICR's have always warned of the gap. At least the person involved was found partially liable

Absolutely you can use IC locos on Mark 3 push/pulls. Not the best shot but:

Morning all, A selection of photos from Saturday's RPSI "Western Explorer" trip. Having boarded at Athlone, a great trip was had and thanks to all of the RPSI volunteers and Iarnród Éireann staff who made the day happen. As always, click on the photos to view them full size Album link - Regards, Kieran

Reminds me of the Serpell report in the UK in the 1980s. That really worked out! "The review was compiled by the National Transport Authority and Iarnród Éireann to examine possible solutions for the financial sustainability of the State-owned rail operator.". Begging bowl out - if you don't fund us we will close

Evening all, A few photos from Booterstown Nature Reserve on Thursday. Having finished lectures at 1100 and did a bit extra, I left college at 1215 with the intention of going out for the IWT liner and DFDS/Timber services. However whilst walking down, I randomly decided to head south, in the hope of getting the driver training runs with the Cravens that have been operating this week. It was only when I got home that I realised it had been cancelled! Still, useful information for next time. As always, click on any of the photos below to view them all Album link - Regards, Kieran