Date for the last GNR Steam operated 'Enterprise'?

[Lambeg man]

There was a question in the latest RPSI circular asking for the date when the last steam operated 'Enterprise' ran.

In the last IRRS Journal (No. 208) Barry Carse stated the last regular steam operated 'Enterprise' ran on Tuesday 18th June as the new BUT set took over operations the next day.

HOWEVER, on page 24 of the book "GNR in Colour" there are two E. Russell photo's taken at Strabane on Saturday 2nd August 1957 showing carriages within a BUT set working from Derry to Belfast. Both the carriages were in the normal BUT 'Enterprise' set at that time. The K 15 even has a Belfast - Dublin roof board.

If this was the regular 'Enterprise' set at Strabane, then the 18th June 1957 was NOT the last time the 'Enterprise' was steam operated. In his book Conrad Natzio mentions that on summer Sundays, to provide a ten coach train, steam replaced the BUT set.

Would I be correct in assuming that this is in fact the Belfast based BUT set that normally worked the 'Enterprise', but that as it is a summer Saturday a ten coach (the BUT sets were limited to eight cars) steam substitution is working the 'Enterprise' on this date?

  

Edited November 12, 2022 by Lambeg man

[jhb171achill]

On 11/11/2022 at 5:51 PM, Lambeg man said:

There was a question in the latest RPSI circular asking for the date when the last steam operated 'Enterprise' ran.

In the last IRRS Journal (No. 208) Barry Carse stated the last regular steam operated 'Enterprise' ran on Tuesday 18th June as the new BUT set took over operations the next day.

HOWEVER, on page 24 of the book "GNR in Colour" there are two E. Russell photo's taken at Strabane on Saturday 2nd August 1957 showing carriages within a BUT set working from Derry to Belfast. Both the carriages were in the normal BUT 'Enterprise' set at that time. The K 15 even has a Belfast - Dublin roof board.

If this was the regular 'Enterprise' set at Strabane, then the 18th June 1957 was NOT the last time the 'Enterprise' was steam operated. In his book Conrad Natzio mentions that on summer Sundays, to provide a ten coach train, steam replaced the BUT set.

Would I be correct in assuming that this is in fact the Belfast based BUT set that normally worked the 'Enterprise', but that as it is a summer Saturday a ten coach (the BUT sets were limited to eight cars) steam substitution is working the 'Enterprise' on this date?

  

Almost certainly, yes, although as you know the UTA could throw up all sorts of weird "one-offs"; possibly it inherited this ability from its predecessor!

I recall seeing the last steam-hauled Enterprise one day in the early 60s - Saloon 50 was on it. But I was a person of small stature in those days and thus could not tell what date it was!