Niles

If that's your first effort and I can't imagine how good your 'experienced' one is.

DCDR's preserved rake of 4 wheel ballast wagons successful undertook a trial operation over the weekend, while they have previously operated on runpasts at a gala this is their first time 'working' in preservation as an actual ballast train. Some inspiration for those of you with the lovely IRM models. https://www.downrail.co.uk/2025/05/ballast-hoppers-test/ Full video here:

For those who haven't seen... https://www.downrail.co.uk/2025/03/volunteers-complete-ballasting-of-new-siding/ https://www.downrail.co.uk/2025/01/new-siding-at-railway-museum/

I had them on VHS back in the day (picked up my first in Marks, Vol.2 the West). Have been gradually rebuilding as a DVD collection. It's mad to look back at the Review series and see how the 'new' of the 2000s is now replaced itself in cases like the 8200s.

I would like to think 2600s will see quite a bit more of the country before all is said and done, subject to IÉ capacity. Our next mainline outing will be something different however, watch this space.

It must be 25 years or so at least since the last reformation took place... certainly 2617+2614 and 2610+2613 have been 'married' since fairly early on in the careers in 1994 (they worked an IRRS special as such in June of that year). I think 2605+2616 and 2615+2606 were later swaps, either late 90s or early 2000s? A few 2700s got mixed around too, at least one such change occurred after 2716 infamously tried to jump off the end of the carriage sidings in Connolly. 2800s have remained 'properly matched' but I think in the very, very early days there might have been some sets 'mixed up' during delivery. Not directly related but Tokyu nonetheless, there are two 8620 DART sets running 'mixed' at the moment, 8621+8521+8526+8626 and 8625+8525+8522+8622, I believe related to a signalling equipment trial but someone will be able to clarify the specifics. There were two misformed 29000 sets for a while for the same reason but these have since been 'corrected'.

There were three sets with the chevron, 2605+2616, 2610+2613 and 2614+2617. 2607+2608 was the first to get the full yellow end, based on the timeline of my own photos at least. It was quite striking at the time.

Decent of it to put on a nice suit for a funeral.

If you see someone in a Táilte jacket looking they haven't slept in days it's probably me. re: mkIVs, generally the 'odd hour' trains out of Heuston and 'even hour' out of Cork are mkIV worked, plus at peak times you should get one on the 08:00, 16:00 and 18:00 down. The 21:00 is an ICR set. I believe the 14:25 up this Sunday is an ICR though so you may or may not want to avoid that.

Yep, unforunately we haven't been able to procure a trolley service this time but obviously passengers are welcome to bring their own. In addition to the main lunch break in Galway there is a (subject to timely running) 40 minute break in Limerick on the way back and the station is close to some purveyors of liquor and other nourishment...

Just over a week to go and some places left but quite a lot gone, there always to be pent up appetite when we run a railtour from Cork! The onboard crew will include @jhb171achill and I, among others from this parish, so do say hi if you're travelling, we don't (normally) bite.

A further update on progress: https://www.downrail.co.uk/2025/03/volunteers-complete-ballasting-of-new-siding/

Worth bearing in mind that, in this day and age, the non-enthusiast market are your bread and butter. As some of you know in my voluntary life I look after marketing for DCDR and Táilte Tours, in both cases it's the non-enthusiasts that make up the critical mass to make events viable. What's interesting is the old notion that you have to have steam to win the general public isn't necessarily the case, both groups I work with have had to use 1980s/90s vintage diesel railcar stock and with the right proposition non-enthusiasts will and do travel. It's been a decade or so since I was involved with RPSI but the same rang true there too (non-enthusiasts being the main costumer base, not the railcars!).

Agreed. I don't think being able to remember them will have as much an impact for locos of this stature. I mean, how many of us ran big Hornby British steam locos without any memory of seeing them in the flesh? It would be different if it were say, an ex-DSER J1 or something like that (I'd still buy one!).

There's a report from the early 50s(?) which actually advocated the building of new steam locos, tied in with a proposal to cull a lot of the numerically-weak classes in an attempt at standardisation. Interestingly, the usefulness of the 2 K2 class locos (461 and 462) was noted and they would have been spared from the 'cull small classes' plan, had it come to pass. I must dig it out, but it suggests not all in CIÉ where necessarily committed to full dieselisation at that point.