jhb171achill

A combination of vandalism including a fire which destroyed coaching stock, financial issues and the retirement of the last steam driver in Galway.

Yes!! They had three laminates, if I remember rightly, one of which was indeed "lopsided"! They had, of course, beautifully restored E428, which is now at Dunsandle Halt on the erstwhile Loughrea branch.

They also had a Sugar Co. diesel engine, which got destroyed by vandals in a fire. They also had a very nice, but unrestored, 1905-era side corridor 50ft bogie. It was destroyed too.

Irishrail201, ping me when Internment has ended, and I'll put you in touch with a gentleman who has a great collection of T & D tickets. He's been collecting for some seventy years!

Excellent info!

Fancy a trip on the Achill line?

Castlegregory Junction 1939, two weeks before the branch closed and the main line became goods only. A daily goods train would pass through until 1947, and thereafter just the monthly cattle train until the main line closed in 1953. On the left the branch train (which Senior travelled on) has come to a halt. It awaits the onward train from Dingle to Tralee, which will come in from behind (!) the photographer; the picture is looking towards Tralee. The train has from left, passenger brake van, cattle truck, two covered vans, 1st / 3rd composite, and loco. This is one of Senior’s earlier photos. Sadly, during his earliest travels e.g. Harcourt St to Bray in DSER days, he didn’t have a camera.....!

He didn't believe the ship was what "they" said it was for????? What sort of deluded conspiracy theorist idiot was he? I hope they lock him up and throw away the key! My opinion of conspiracy theorists is, let us say, very exceptionally low......

This is a bit easier. A few locomotives for this evening. First two, Dundalk 1988/9. Next, the evening (without looking it up, about 17:20?) Rosslare - Limerick, one very hot summer evening in 1977, I think. What on earth they put on three bogies and a van (and, indeed, when I first travelled that line in 1976, FIVE bogies, I will never know. There were never more than one carriage could have accommodated, as the timetable on that line has not been an actual “service” for sixty or seventy years, so few use it....even then. I reckon there were about 25 passengers that night. Without my notes to hand, I think that was taken at Bridgetown but could be Campile. I’ve no recollection of taking pics at W Bridge that evening. E434 is on Kingsbridge pilot in 1977. 123 is at Inchicore in 1986. E405, also Inchicore, 1986. I think I took that pic the same day.

No No No It is SALLINS, junction for the Tullow branch. The shed was on the down side, just before the branch diverged to Naas. I was there twice. The other time there was no loco, but a couple of empty corrugated trucks sitting there.

No No and no! Answer will follow soon..... one more chance!

No, not Midland land!

Nope Nope

It’s on the main line, yes. Clue: lattice window, two road loco shed (room for four locomotives), two inspection pits, and large water tower. Nope

Nope

I did indeed see them - in fact I saw three, I think, including the one that was scrapped. The pic isn’t Broadstone either.... No..... The year is 1970.

Nope! Nope!

Do not try this at home.....

No......

The bogie wagon was still there the following year. I’d say it was withdrawn quite soon afterwards as newer bogies were available.

Random pics from the 1970s. 1. One of my first railway pics, and certainly not one of my better ones. Anyone like to guess where? 2. My first RPSI trip, 1970, just after I joined the Society. It’s at the NCC Waterside Station in Derry. 3. The Guinness engine, Whitehead, 1972. 4. Ex-GSWR coach 1287 at Claremorris, 1970. Used as crew coach. Now it is the “tarry” at Downpatrick. 5. B109, Inchicore, 1977, withdrawn. 6. The last Midland bogie coach in existence at North Wall Goods Yard, 1976. 7 & 8. The last Midland wagon in use, a PW rail wagon. North Wall, 1976. 9. Bagenalstown Cabin, 1977.

AHHH! That explains my disquiet about the curve and the wall..... good spot indeed! Another way of telling which tour it was, was the fact that the locomotive was spruced up and buffers painted white or silver, and smokebox door hinges likewise. As can be seen, it was also cleaned and polished within an inch of its life. By 1966, steam engines were NEVER that clean! I stand to be corrected on this, but I think that the cleaning etc. was done by, or assisted by, the youthful members of the fledgling RPSI (ex-RBAI school railway society, or Drew Donaldson Society!).

I thought Drogheda too at first, and it remains my best guess, though the platform wall didn't look quite right. The bus on the left would certainly fit the bill, though. The curve doesn't look sharp enough, yet at that stage of the game, with no Enniskillen or Clones any more, the three tracks between the platforms could hardly be anywhere else.

You can - there's a train from Killarney to Tralee & back every 2 hours or so....

It got to Warp 10.7 near the North Junction...... it was being filmed from the air by the Concorde, but it left the aeroplane behind..... that's why there are no pics of it with its 18-bogie load.