airfixfan

Finntown railway has been closed 3 times this year when I had booked a visit with them and 2 of these visits were with groups on a bus with myself as a tour guide. In contrast Donegal Railway Heritage Centre open an the same day that Finntown was closed and staff on Donegal told myself that this happens all the time!

Have some track plans and maps of the station from the late 1970s and early 1980s including a track plan when both stations were still in use in theory..

The EU should also take a look at Translink who along with the DFI block any proposal to re-open railways in NI for the last 2o years at least in favour of buses/roads. Indeed NI is the only region in Britain/Ireland not to have any completely closed railways re-opened for passengers in this century.

There is a public meeting in Derry at 18.00 on Wednesday 26th about the future of railways in the North West. The guest speaker is Chris Norton from the Borders Rail group and it is being held in the Holywell Trust building in Bishop Street Derry. All members of IRM are most welcome to attend this event organised by Into The West.

Heard the 70 class decsribed as Hampshires when I was younger on a regular basis as they were based upon EE Hampshire DMUs built a few years earlier for the Southern Region. On later NIR days the 450 class also became known as the Cattle class by long suffering passengers on the Derry line in particular!

Article in the latest issue of Railway Magazine now confirms my earlier comments that 85 is not allowed by Irish Rail to do the Sunday leg from Waterford to Limerick and return. Also hearing that 85 has to pass a boiler inspection over the next few days before it can operate any part of the May rail tour.

This refurbishment seems a much higher standard than the refurbished class 3000 sets completed by NIR so far in my eyes.

The problem is that 131 is ready and was in fine form over Easter but that it is not allowed south of Newry as it is not yet accepted by Irish Rail. Hear that as 85 is banned on the Waterford/Limerick line that it is an 071 on Sunday 12th now.

So 85 will do Waterford to Limerick for the first time on Sunday 12th?

If 85 is going north on Sunday does that mean that only 85 is doing the whole 3 day tour in May?

Suspect that the group in Donegal Town would interested in some track for their plans discussed in the latest issue of Steam Railway.

Very good JHB but a few minor points. Firstly the spare MED sets were to found anywhere on the ex NCC lines such as trains to Portrush and Derry though they were more common on the Larne line. They also lasted to about 1979. Also not all the coaches used as trailers or centre coaches were ex NCC such as 727.

Due to delays with Brexit the light engine move north for 85 has been postponed for March 24th.

Merlin 85 is due to return North light ensgine on March 24th to Whitehead.

Getting back to the theme of the County Donegal railway the CDRRL have just launched a crowdfunding campaign to complete the cosmetic restoration of Drumboe by the RPSI before bringing it back to Donegal Town. See the CDRRL website for details of how to support this scheme.