Phoenix forays on the Donegal

[David Holman]

The Donegal was noted for mainly using a brake 3rd coach at the end of its freight trains, but when Phoenix went off on its forays (mainly to pick up wagons from the border), was a brake van of some sort included and if not, was a guard present and if so, did he travel on the loco?

[airfixfan]

Only seen.photos of Phoenix on short trip workings to Lifford with a few Van's only. Or rare photos shunting at Stranorlar much dig through our photo archive again in Donegal Town at the end of this month.

 

[Galteemore]

Yes, I suspect Lifford was regarded as being an extension of Strabane yard for this purpose, and the vans trundled across loose coupled, with a shunter in the cab.

[David Holman]

Thought as much. Have also wondered if the CVR Unit had actually been used by the Donegal, whether one of two of the former's brake vans would have gone with it, to make lightweight goods possible.

[airfixfan]

See photo n page 12 off my County Donegal Remembered book of Phoenix with 2 Van's on a trip working to Lifford 

[Mayner]

12 hours ago, David Holman said:

Thought as much. Have also wondered if the CVR Unit had actually been used by the Donegal, whether one of two of the former's brake vans would have gone with it, to make lightweight goods possible.

According the E M Patterson "The Unit" was sold to the CDJR without its engine. The cab was used to replace that of the original railcar, after collision damage sustained in Strabane Yard -----------Clogher Valley Book.

[airfixfan]

Railcar 10

[Andy Cundick]

There are records of Phoenix operating as far as Fintown on the Glenties branch on various fair days if the demand outstripped the railcars capacityi have been told that she was occasional employed at Killybegs  shunting coal trains when the coal boat arrived but havn't seen any evidence of that.Andy. 

[airfixfan]

Aware of thos stories but only have ever seen photos at Stranorlar and Strabane/Lifford

[Andy Cundick]

well the info on the Fintown forays come from Donegal circulars so i think they can be regarded as accurate as for the Killybegs jaunt that came from ex staff member albeit we had been in the Castle bar in Donegal for a while Andy

[airfixfan]

Posted before I checked my notes but never seen any photos except for the locations named above!